Florida Studio Theatre Presents 2021 Winter Play Reading Series

SARASOTA, FL — Florida Studio Theatre will host its 2021 Winter Play Reading Series, presenting online readings of five new plays in progress written by some of the country’s top playwrights, the theater said in a news release.

Starting Jan. 29, FST audiences will get a first look at a wide range of plays currently in development at FST – from drama exploring American identity to a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” Professional actors will bring each play to life, and audiences will have a change to engage with participating playwrights following each reading, the theater said.

These online readings are available for a suggested $10 to attend each event. All donations will support FST’s Playwright Collective, a select group of artists dedicated to developing new work for FST’s stages.

“Since we ‘pressed pause’ on live productions at FST last March, we’ve really focused our time and resources into our New Play Development program,” said Catherine Randazzo, FST associate artist. “After months of development, these plays are now ready to be shared with our audience, who often help playwrights see their work in a new light. The plays featured in our Winter Reading Series explore themes that impact the world we live in – love, loss, personal and collective responsibility, and American identity, both in the past and the present.”

The following plays will be presented as part of the Winter Play Reading Series:

Jan. 29: “Last Call at the Old Slave Quarters Lounge” by Kenneth Jones

This bold new work in progress is set in a popular Mississippi restaurant steeped in unsettling history, the theater said. When long-buried secrets are unearthed, they challenge the status quo of three generations of a family of restaurateurs, revealing conflicting views on heritage, community and responsibility.

Feb. 5: “The Women of Lockerbie” by Deborah Brevoort

Set in Puritan-ruled London in 1659, this comedy follows three “drolls” – street performers plying their forbidden trade in London’s back alleys – named Cox, Littlewood and Etherege. As the trio avoids being caught by Constable Cowly, they engage in an epic battle between the competing art forms of dramatic tragedy and lowball comedy, the theater said.

Feb. 12: “Well-Intentioned White People” by Rachel Lynett

In this play with music, an apartment community is stuck inside trying to find joy amid great loss. Orlando, a recovering addict, struggles to pay rent and “earn” his stay while also trying to woo Ros, an artist looking to capture the perfect moment with her camera, the theater said. Meanwhile, Silvius, a high school teacher, tries his chances with exhausted nurse Phoebe, and Audrey, a classically trained musician, tries to come to terms with being “good” but not “great.”

Feb. 19: “(Handle With Care), America in One Room” by Jason Odell Williams

This play was inspired by the 2019 convention of the same name. When eight strangers receive an invitation to the America in One Room convention, which promises debate on a wide range of topics, they are hesitant to participate. However, as each personality files into the aptly titled Liberty Room, their insecurities, strengths, weaknesses and hopes for the future are put on full display, the theater said. The play dissects recent headlines and our nation’s past to answer the question: what does it mean to be an American?

Feb. 26: “American Rhapsody” by Michael McKeever

Starting with the moon landing in 1969 and ending in the near future of 2032, “American Rhapsody” tells the story of the Cabot family. As America evolves into a new identity, so does the family. Members of other races and sexual orientations marry into and redefine who the family thought they were – all set against the backdrop of the ever-changing landscape of the American zeitgeist, the theater said.

For more information or to register, visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org or call FST’s box office at 941-366-9000.