FST Kicks Off Kids Komedy Club Today

The kids from Florida Studio Theatre's Kids Komedy Club are back, performing their knee-slapping sketches on the Goldstein Cabaret stage on select Saturday mornings at 11:00am. The Kids Komedy Club (KKC) Season opens today, October 25 and will leave you in pain from side-splitting laughter. Tickets are $6 and include lunch and a drink. Tickets may be purchased online at floridastudiotheatre.org or by calling the box office at (941) 366-9000.

KKC is a comedy show geared toward children of all ages. The show leads the audience through a riotous variety of improv games, parodies, and comedic sketches. KKC is a unique experience rated 'K' for audiences of all ages.

KKC fills a very specific niche in Sarasota: fun and appropriate material for kids. Florida Studio Theatre strives to make theatre accessible and affordable, and KKC promises to tickle your funny bone without emptying your pockets. KKC is directed by longtime FST lead teaching artist, Adam Ratner. The cast of KKC is a product of FST's Education Program, which offers a variety of classes and workshops for children, teens, and adults year-round.

Ratner shares his personal connection to this troupe stating, "The creative growth that takes place within KKC is very rewarding to witness as a former KKC member myself. I first came to FST 30 years ago as a student. Years later, I returned to work on staff as FST's Lead Teaching Artist, and this once dormant program has been re-launched to bring comedy back to kids of all ages. As Director of KKC, I know firsthand what it takes for these young improvisers to get up and perform their own comedic material. So many of them begin as shy, timid students who later transform into lively, dynamic, and confident performers. They are all incredibly supportive of each other's work and growth on stage. I am honored to usher in the next generation of improvisers and I can't wait to see what they bring to the stage this season!"

KKC began in the 1980s as the brainchild of Associate Director Kate Alexander. "The KKC was born out of the relationship with some extremely talented and unusual children. These children, which included Adam Ratner, Sara Inbar, Mandy Wolfson, Laurie Miller, Sam Mossler, and more, were funny, smart, inventive, and were chomping at the bit to perform. They were 8 years old! And they were writing and performing their own material. Saturday Night Live at that time was a brilliant creation. It was the political and cultural satire of the time. Using SNL as our inspiration, we opened a show complete with a theme song, where they wrote all of the sketches and had a news hour--The difference was we had an audience participation segment. The group ended up performing at the Children's Museum of Manhattan and receiving front page coverage on the Local News section of the New York Times. Where are they now? All of the now grownups in their 30's are working in fields that impact the world. From Sara, a powerhouse educator, Laurie who has created a children's show, to our own Adam Ratner who returned to influence thousands of youth here in our school. Today the show continues with much of the spirit of the original."

This troupe of young comedians has created this 50 minute show that puts audiences in stitches. They also have built an environment for children in the audience to interact and become a part of the live, unpredictable comedy. The Kids Komedy Club (KKC) Season opens on October 25. Tickets are $6 and include lunch and a drink. Tickets may be purchased online at floridastudiotheatre.org or by calling the box office at (941) 366-9000.

KKC Performance Dates:
(All performances at 11 a.m. in the Goldstein Cabaret)

Saturday, October 25

Saturday, November 22

Friday, November 28

Saturday, November 29

Saturday, December 20

Saturday, December 27

Saturday, January 3

Saturday, February 7

Saturday, February 14

Friday, February 21

About Florida Studio Theatre - Known as Sarasota's Contemporary Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by Jon Spelman. Starting out as a small touring company, FST traveled to places such as migrant camps and prisons. The company then acquired the former Woman's Club building, becoming the first permanent venue. Shortly after Richard Hopkins arrived, the building was purchased and renamed The Keating Theatre. In the years that followed, Florida Studio Theatre established itself as a major force in American Theatre, presenting contemporary theatre in its five theatre venues: the Keating Theatre, the Gompertz Theatre, the Parisian style Goldstein Cabaret and John C. Court Cabaret, and Bowne's Lab Theatre.

Even with its growth, Florida Studio Theatre remains firmly committed to making the arts accessible and affordable to a broad-based audience. FST develops theatre that speaks to our living, evolving, and dynamically changing world. As FST grows and expands, it continues to provide audiences with challenging, contemporary drama and innovative programs.

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