Florida Studio Theatre Is Burning Up with the Opening of TOO DARN HOT, 2/19

FST's Court Cabaret heats up with TOO DARN HOT on Friday, February 19, and will run through June 7, 2014. The show is developed by Richard Hopkins, Jim Prosser, and Rebecca Hopkins. Subscriptions for all three shows can be purchased for as little as $35 and up to $49. Single tickets range from $18-$36. Subscriptions and single tickets may be purchased online at FloridaStudioTheatre.org, by phone at (941) 366-9000, or by visiting the Box Office.

The 30's and 40's brought about a new style of jazz and swing music, which boasted composers and lyricists like Rogers & Hammerstein, George & Ira Gershwin, and Cole Porter. Cole Porter was among the most prolific musicians of his decade, with timeless songs such as "It's DeLovely," and "I Love Paris." Porter was one of the most renowned and successful Broadway composers/lyricists, writing over 25 musicals. Among his most successful are ANYTHING GOES, FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMAN, and the Tony Award winning KISS ME KATE.

Florida Studio Theatre is thrilled to present the cabaret show TOO DARN HOT, which transports audiences back to the sizzling, simmering musical styles of Cole Porter. Porter's songs are filled with satiric wit and enchanting romance. His sophisticated, robust sound defined the era, and continues to influence music today.

FST Artistic Director Richard Hopkins will be directing this production, and he speaks to the perennial nature of Porter's music, stating, "Cole Porter is one of America's favorite song writers. [He is] witty, urbane, and heartfelt. He is also one of my favorites. An evening with Cole is like an evening at the most elegant cocktail party you could imagine: inhabited by the most intelligent people, all with a sense of humor."

TOO DARN HOT will have a cast of four, including two returning FST performers: Stephen Hope and Gayle Samuels. Stephen Hope has performed in numerous FST shows including 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE and BY GERSHWIN. Gayle Samuels has previously appeared in THE WORLD GOES ROUND and HARRY WHO. Derrick Cobey and Ruthie Stephens will be making their FST debuts.

Hope is excited to return, having established personal connections to many FST patrons. "I'm delighted to be back in front of the FST audiences. I've been privileged to perform for them so often that most of the faces are familiar, we've shared many a tune and laughed together alot. Add that relationship to the sparkling wit of a Cole Porter lyric set to an immortal Cole Porter melody - I mean, what could be better?"

TOO DARN HOT heats up the Court Cabaret on Friday, February 19 and will run through June 7, 2014. Subscriptions for all three shows can be purchased for as little as $35 and up to $49. Single tickets range from $18-$36. Subscriptions and single tickets may be purchased online at FloridaStudioTheatre.org, by phone at (941) 366-9000 or by visiting the Box Office.

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 eventually settled down into a permanent home, acquiring the former Woman's Club building - now 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 four theatre venues: the Keating Theatre, the renovated Gompertz Theatre, the Goldstein Cabaret and the John C. Court Cabaret, and the Bowne Lab Theatre.

Even with its growth, Florida Studio Theatre remains firmly committed to making the arts accessible and affordable to a broad-based audience. Under Richard Hopkins, Artistic Director and CEO, 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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