Florida Studio Theatre Welcomes New Director of Individual Giving

Florida Studio Theatre is pleased to announce the appointment of Director of Individual Giving to Melody Mora-Shihadeh. In this role, she will provide leadership for FST's annual fundraising efforts. She will responsible for setting strategy and executing fundraising plans for sustaining and growing the number of annual donors to FST's diverse programming and special projects.

Melody Mora-Shihadeh joined the Development Team on September 12, but familiar to many, she previously worked in administration and serving as Company Manager at FST between 2005 and 2008. A New York City native, Melody began her pursuit of theatre and film right out of school touring nationally with Theatreworks USA, and as administrative support at Alan Wasser Associates in New York. Before joining FST in 2004, film and television production moved her around the world with projects in Italy and Morocco, in addition to local production with HSN Inc. and The Education Channel of Sarasota County.

Over the past three years, Melody managed a non-profit sales and retail store operations with the largest North American Fair Trade organization, Ten Thousand Villages. "I'm always excited to build relationships, bring people together, and ignite passions, "says Melody. "Now I'm looking forward to providing our donors and audience with new opportunities to engage with Florida Studio Theatre."

Florida Studio Theatre remains firmly committed to making the Arts Accessible and affordable to a broad-based audience. FST serves over 220,000 attendees per year through its six major programs. Managing Director Rebecca Hopkins sums up her anticipation of Mora-Shihadeh in this new position stating, "Melody will be a great addition to FST's fundraising team. Her history with FST and understanding of our mission made her the ideal candidate for this position. We are very excited to have her return to FST in this new role."

ABOUT FLORIDA Studio Theatre

Known as Sarasota's Contemporary Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by Artist 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 Producing Artistic Director 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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