Category: Community Programs

Hermitage Announces New Programs at Benderson Park and Selby Gardens  


Featuring Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-Winning Playwright and Composer MICHAEL R. JACKSON, Broadway and Television Actor ADAM CHANLER-BERAT, and Returning Hermitage Composer JULIAN HORNIK

The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced two new Hermitage programs featuring Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright and composer Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop, White Girl in Danger, Teeth), celebrated Broadway and television actor Adam Chanler-Berat (Next to Normal, Peter and the Starcatcher, HBO’s Gossip Girl), and returning Hermitage Fellow and composer Julian Hornik, a recipient of the Jonathan Larson Grant who recently collaborated with Academy Award-wining Hermitage Fellow Mark Sonnenblick. Hornik’s residency is made possible through the McNally Fellowship at the Hermitage, supported by the Terrence McNally Foundation.

On Thursday, April 30 at 6:30pm, the Hermitage will present Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park: “Making Songs and Making Sense,” featuring returning Hermitage Fellow, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Tony Award-winning playwright and composer Michael R. Jackson. Jackson exploded into the public consciousness with the premiere of his celebrated musical A Strange Loop, which transferred to Broadway after an acclaimed run at Playwrights Horizons, earning Jackson a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a Tony Award for Best Musical, a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, and a total of eleven Tony Award nominations for the production. Registering to be in the audience for this special Hermitage program might just offer a ‘sneak peek’ into what is next for this celebrated theater writer. In 2022, Jackson was named as one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People.” A returning Hermitage Fellow, Jackson has previously shared selections from A Strange Loop and his original musical White Girl in Danger with Hermitage audiences after developing the latter during his time at the Hermitage. This time, Jackson will offer insight into his latest work and his creative process.

Then on Wednesday, May 6th at 6:30pm, the Hermitage will present Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens: “The New Generation of Musical Theater,” featuring two powerhouse writers and performers. Adam Chanler-Berat, a celebrated Broadway and television actor as well as a playwright, is known for originating leading roles in Next to Normal, Peter and the Starcatcher, and Amélie, as well as appearing as Jordan Glassberg on HBO’s Gossip Girl. Returning Hermitage Fellow Julian Hornik has developed work with Academy Award-winning Hermitage Fellow Mark Sonnenblick and is a recipient of the Jonathan Larson Grant from the American Theatre Wing. These two extraordinary talents are frequent collaborators and rising stars in the New York musical theater world. They are now here at the Hermitage developing a new musical together. Join us for the latest “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” program as we hear these celebrated artists talk about their creative process and share original songs. 

Julian Hornik’s Hermitage residency is made possible through the McNally Fellowship at the Hermitage, generously sponsored by the Terrence McNally Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting bold new voices in the American theater by providing support to early-career playwrights and the institutions that support them. The McNally Foundation’s mission to champion new playwrights aligns with the mission of the Hermitage Artist Retreat: to inspire and foster the most influential and consequential art and artists of our time. Created by legendary playwright/librettist Terrence McNallyand supported through the ongoing royalties of his work, the Foundation is also committed to supporting LGBTQ+ causes, as McNally did throughout his life. Following Terrence’s passing, Tom Kirdahy stated that the Foundation would continue the legendary playwright’s “singular legacy of mentorship and activism.”Kirdahy, a Tony and Olivier Award-winning Broadway producer and the late Terrence McNally’s husband, is the president of Tom Kirdahy Productions and a principal trustee of the McNally Foundation. He is currently represented in New York as the lead producer of the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown, Just in Time,Ragtime, and the hit Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. 

Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes with no intermission. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

Broadway Star Will Swenson to Perform at 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO) today announced that Tony Award-nominated Broadway star and Obie Award winner Will Swenson (Hair, A Beautiful Noise, Les Misérables) will headline the 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner on Sunday, April 12th. He will be joined by returning Hermitage Fellow Britton Smith, who has appeared in two recent Hermitage programs and will share some of his original music.

Will Swenson is celebrated as one of Broadway’s most versatile actors. He is a Tony Award nominee and an Obie Award winner who recently starred as Neil Diamond in the Broadway musical A Beautiful Noise. He previously co-starred with Hermitage Fellow Gavin Creel in the hit Broadway revival of Hair. Swenson’s acclaimed performance as Berger earned him Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominations. (Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg won a Tony Award for his role as a producer of this acclaimed revival.) Swenson’s portrayal of Charles Guiteau in the Off-Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins earned him nominations for Outer Critics Circle, Lucille Lortel, and Drama League Awards. He won an Obie Award for his role in Jerry Springer: The Opera. Swenson’s other Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, Les Misérables, Waitress, Murder Ballad (written by Hermitage Fellow Julia Jordan), Rock of Ages, Pericles, Nantucket Sleighride, Little Miss Sunshine, Adrift in Macao, and many more. Swenson’s film and television credits include The Greatest Showman, The Kitchen, This is Where I Leave You, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Law & Order (SVU & CI), The Good Wife, Hit and Run, The Bite, First Kill, and Elsbeth.

Returning Hermitage Fellow Britton Smith will also be performing at the popular spring gala, sharing some of his original music developed at the Hermitage. He is a 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalist, a Broadway veteran, and a Tony Award winner for his work with the Broadway Advocacy Coalition. Smith, the leader of the self-described “funk liberation band” Britton and the Sting, has been called a “force to be reckoned with” and a “tornado of talent and energy” by Broadway World. Hermitage audiences will remember Britton’s memorable performances in the “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” series, including his most recent program: “The Rising Stars of Jazz and Soul.”

“I’ve known Will Swenson for twenty years, and I’m so excited that he’ll be sharing his incredible talents with our Hermitage audiences at this year’s event,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Will and Britton are both extraordinary performers, and guests at this year’s Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner are in for a real treat – this is going to be a night to remember!”

Past performers at the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner have included Tony and Grammy Award winner Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage), Tony and Emmy Award nominee Eden Espinosa (Wicked, Lempicka, Rent), Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Beetlejuice, Spamalot), and Tony Award-winning Hermitage Fellow Gavin Creel (Hello Dolly, Hair, Walk on Through). 

This year’s event Co-Chairs are Ellen and Richard Sandor. The Hermitage Greenfield Prize is presented by the Hermitage Artist Retreat in partnership with the Philadelphia-based Greenfield Foundation, with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County serving as the lead community sponsor. Media sponsors include The Herald Tribune and SRQ Magazine. A full list of this year’s sponsors, benefactors, and partners can be found at HermitageArtistRetreat.org/HGPDinner2026.

Tables and sponsorships for the 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner may be purchased by contacting the Hermitage Development Office at (941) 475-2098, Ext. 2. Sponsorship levels for this popular Hermitage benefit range from $2,000 to $10,000. Please note: this event has limited capacity remaining. 

Ringling College Transfers Ownership of Englewood Art Center to the Hermitage Artist Retreat

Ringling College of Art and Design (Dr. Larry Thompson, President) and The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO) announced today that Ringling College has transferred ownership of the former Englewood Art Center to the Hermitage, a fellow nonprofit organization and a leading national arts incubator based in Englewood. The center is located directly across Lemon Bay and just a ten-minute drive from the Hermitage’s existing home on Manasota Key.

For more than 50 years, the nonprofit organization that became the Englewood Art Center (EAC) served as a creative hub for artists and art enthusiasts in south Sarasota County, Charlotte County, and coastal Lee County. Ringling College assumed ownership of the EAC in 2008 from the original Englewood Art Center organization. Following a strategic decision made by Ringling College to consolidate its community-facing arts programming at the College’s Museum Campus, the EAC permanently closed its doors on May 3, 2025.

The board and leadership of Ringling College are pleased to transition the EAC facility to a fellow cultural nonprofit. The Hermitage and Ringling College notably collaborated on two Hermitage alumni artist exhibitions at Sarasota Art Museum: Impact: Contemporary Artists at the Hermitage Artist Retreat and The Truth of the Night Sky.

“Ringling College has maintained a close relationship with the Hermitage over the years and thus was a natural and deserving successor of the space,” said Dr. Larry R. Thompson, President of Ringling College of Art and Design. “The Englewood Art Center played a pivotal role in the local arts offerings, and it was a difficult decision for the College to close its doors. We are pleased the Hermitage can now step in and continue enriching the community with programming for the foreseeable future.”

“We are deeply grateful to Dr. Thompson and the Board of Ringling College for entrusting the Hermitage with this vital cultural asset,” said Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat. “The college has maintained the property with the highest standard of care for seventeen years, and we look forward to preserving and activating this unique facility for many decades to come. This acquisition allows us to dream bigger and to expand our impact in both the local and global arts ecosystems.”

The Hermitage Englewood Art Center property spans two acres of land and includes two primary buildings totaling 10,000 square feet. The Hermitage intends to make use of this facility as a multidisciplinary arts center in furtherance of its mission: to inspire and foster the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time. To that end, the Hermitage plans to activate the EAC as extended space for visual art installation and its celebrated public programming, spanning music, theater, visual art, literature, dance, and more.

The Hermitage anticipates that there will be some changes to the use and operations of the facility, and the long-term strategic planning for the future of the facility is still in process. Over the coming months, the Hermitage intends to engage in further dialogue with constituents in the Englewood community as plans take shape.

“We want to ensure that we are taking the time needed to thoughtfully activate this invaluable space in the way that best meets the needs of our community while also advancing our mission,” added Sandberg. “Englewood is our home, and our sincere hope is that the Hermitage’s stewardship of this unique cultural facility will allow us to more deeply engage members of the Englewood community and beyond.”

“This is incredible news for Englewood,” added Leslie Dignam, who served as President of the former Englewood Art Center for many years and is now a member of the Hermitage Board of Trustees, where she also previously served as President. The Dignam family spans four generations in Englewood and has played a meaningful role in the growth of both the Hermitage and the EAC. “When Ringling College announced its plans to discontinue operations, the Hermitage became the clear option to take the helm. Knowing that Hermitage will be stewarding this community asset under Andy Sandberg’s visionary leadership is truly a cause for celebration.”

Beyond the public-facing programs intended to enrich the community, this facility will provide meaningful studio and gallery space for the Hermitage’s renowned artist-in-residence program. Each year, generative artists, writers, and performers are invited by nomination to enjoy multi-week residencies on Englewood’s Manasota Key, where they receive the gift of time and space in an inspirational setting to develop new works of theater, music, visual art, literature, dance, and more. These artists are invited to share their work and their talents with the public, offering a rare glimpse into the creative process.

This news comes on the heels of the Hermitage receiving a $12,000,000 gift of land and property on Manasota Key, one of the largest land gifts of its kind to a nonprofit arts organization. Located less than half a mile from the Hermitage’s existing home on Manasota Key, this generous gift from the Morrison and Steans more than doubles the Hermitage’s capacity for its celebrated artist residency program. The Gulf-to-Bay property spans 6.5 acres of land and is comprised of five main structures. These buildings provide additional accommodations for the nonprofit’s renowned artist-in-residence program. The Hermitage emphasizes that the recent acquisitions of both the South Residences on Manasota Key and the Englewood Art Center are expansions, not replacements. The 501(c)(3) organization has no intention of abandoning its original Manasota Key home, where the Hermitage has a lease with Sarasota County that currently allows for extensions up through 2055. These new property acquisitions are intended to broaden the reach and impact of the nonprofit’s mission and programming.

The 850 artists the Hermitage has served includes 18 Pulitzer Prize winners, Poets Laureate, Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellows, and multiple Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar winners and nominees.

“As an artist forever grateful to and fully committed to the mission of the Hermitage, I am very excited about the Englewood Art Center coming under its auspices,” notes acclaimed visual and installation artist Anne Patterson. Patterson’s work developed at the Hermitage has been exhibited in Sarasota at The Ringling Museum of Art and most recently in a Hermitage collaboration at Ringling College’s Sarasota Art Museum with The Truth of the Night Sky. “It is thrilling to imagine all the engaging and exquisite artistry and inspired creativity that will fill this center. While this will obviously enhance the artistic impact for the local community in Englewood and Sarasota, the works of art and performance created here will also influence the wider artistic world.”

“The Hermitage is a visionary leader in the arts world and invaluable player in our cultural landscape,” added internationally acclaimed artist and Hermitage Curatorial Council member Sanford Biggers, an early recipient of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize whose work was recently exhibited in Sarasota Art Museum’s Impact: Contemporary Artists at the Hermitage Artist Retreat. “This generous gift from Ringling College will allow the Hermitage and its cohort of extraordinary artists to achieve their greatest potential while giving back to the community in a deeply meaningful way.”

Ringling College of Art and Design is a global thought leader in educating emerging artists and designers across multiple disciplines, including the business of art and design, computer animation, creative writing, film, fine arts, graphic and motion design, virtual reality, and more. Alumni of Ringling College have gone on to work with industry giants including Disney, DreamWorks, NASA, Pixar, Netflix, Nickelodeon, and the NFL. Students and graduates have been hugely successful, receiving multiple Student Academy Awards, Oscars, Emmys, Annies, ADDY and Telly Awards, and showing in exhibitions across the country. The College is also the home of the Sarasota Art Museum (SAM), the city’s only museum dedicated exclusively to modern and contemporary art. Ringling College’s Museum Campus features three state-of-the-art studios where SAM hosts classes in ceramics, drawing, painting, and mixed media; several of the courses provided were transferred from previous offerings at the EAC.

A leading national arts incubator, the Hermitage is the only major arts organization in Florida exclusively committed to supporting the development and creation of new work across all artistic disciplines. The Hermitage hosts artists on its Gulf Coast Manasota Key campus for multi-week residencies, where diverse and accomplished artists from around the world and across multiple disciplines create and develop new works of theater, music, visual art, literature, dance, film, and more. As part of their residencies, Hermitage Fellows participate in free year-round community programs, offering audiences in the region a unique opportunity to engage with some of the world’s leading artists and to get an authentic “sneak peek” into extraordinary projects and artistic minds before their works go on to major galleries, concert halls, theaters, and museums around the world. These free and innovative programs include performances, conversations, readings, music concerts, interactive experiences, open studios, school programs, teacher workshops, and more, serving thousands in our regional community each year.

 

Full Event Schedule for the 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO), in collaboration with the Greenfield Foundation, presents the 18th year of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration. The events span from Saturday, April 11th through Monday, April 13th, including the annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner in Sarasota on Sunday, April 12th. The celebration culminates on Monday, April 13th with the first public presentation of 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize winner Deepa Purohit’s original play Mxx: The Dignity Project, a new Hermitage commission presented in partnership with Asolo Repertory Theatre.  

2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize winner Charisse Pearlina Weston will offer her first public Hermitage program in partnership with The Ringling at the Museum’s Historic Asolo Theater in Sarasota on Saturday, April 11th at 5pm. Weston, a conceptual artist and writer, contends with the dynamic interplay of violence and intimacy through repetition, enfoldment, and concealment in her work. Drawn to its fragility and danger, glass has been her primary medium for much of her career. Her recent solo exhibit, “mis/mé- (squeeze)” was a New York Times Critic’s Pick. Weston will spend an hour in conversation with 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize juror Larry Ossei-Mensah, independent curator and founder of ARTNOIR. Join the Hermitage for this free community event: “Repetition, Enfoldment, Concealment,” A Conversation on Art and Practice. Together, Weston and Ossei-Mensah will discuss the intricacies of Weston’s practice, offer their perspectives on the arts as a reflection of social impact, and discuss how Charisse’s Hermitage Greenfield Prize commission extends that work into new pathways.

The following night, Charisse Pearlina Weston will be celebrated at the 18th annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, a benefit for the Hermitage Artist Retreat, starting at 6pm on Sunday, April 12that Michael’s On East (Sarasota, Florida). The annual fundraiser will feature live musical performances from leading talents of Broadway and beyond. (Guest performers will be announced at a later date.) Past guest performers at this popular event have included Tony Award nominee Eden Espinosa, Tony and Grammy Award winner Rachel Bay Jones, Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, and Tony Award winner Gavin Creel. This elegant annual dinner heralds the jury-selected recipient of this prestigious prize, awarded this season in the discipline of visual art. The Hermitage Greenfield Prize (HGP) is a distinguished national commission awarded by the Hermitage Artist Retreat in partnership with the Philadelphia-based Greenfield Foundation; the $35,000 award rotates annually among visual art, theater, and music. The 2026 winner’s newly commissioned work will have its world premiere exhibition in Sarasota in the spring of 2028. The Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration is presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation, with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County serving as Lead Community Sponsor. Media sponsors include The Herald Tribune, and SRQ Magazine. The co-chairs for this year’s gala dinner are Ellen & Richard Sandor. A full list of this year’s sponsors can be found at HermitageArtistRetreat.org/HGPDinner2026.

Sponsorship levels for this Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, the organization’s spring benefit, range from $2,000 to $10,000. Tables and sponsorships may be purchased by contacting the Hermitage Development Office at (941) 475-2098, Ext. 2, or by emailing Development@HermitageArtistRetreat.org. 

The 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration will culminate on Monday, April 13th at 7pm with the first public presentation of the newly commissioned play by 2024 HGP winner Deepa Purohit, Mxx: The Dignity Project. This presentation will be presented in partnership with Asolo Repertory Theatre at the Asolo’s Koski Center. An immersive play, installation, discussion circle, and “happening,” Mxx: The Dignity Project centers the collected experiences of inter-generational women from the South Asian diaspora in America who engage or disrupt the diasporic rituals and expectations placed on their bodies as they navigate the “machinery” of the medical/elder care/end-of-life system. How do women live, age, and die with dignity in a culture where the entire medical system is built on this key tenet: to prolong life? This workshop presentation features a cast of four South Asian women, including Hermitage Fellow Nandita Shenoy, Sara Haider, Indika Senanayake, and Rita Wolf.  

Past recipients of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize include Rucyl Mills, composer and sound artist (2025); Deepa Purohit, playwright (2024); Sandy Rodriguez, visual artist (2023); Rennie Harris, dancer/choreographer (2023); Angélica Negrón, composer (2022); Aleshea Harris, playwright (2021); Helga Davis, composer / performer (2019); Martyna Majok, playwright (2018); David Burnett, photojournalist (2017); Coco Fusco, interdisciplinary artist (2016); Bobby Previte, composer / drummer (2015); Nilo Cruz, playwright (2014); Trenton Doyle Hancock, visual artist (2013); Vijay Iyer, composer/pianist (2012); John Guare, playwright (2011); Sanford Biggers, visual artist (2010); Craig Lucas, playwright (2009); and Eve Beglarian, composer (2009).

“Repetition, Enfoldment, Concealment” – A Conversation on Art and Practice with 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Winner Charisse Pearlina Weston, Saturday, April 11, 2026 @ 5pm: Winner of the 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize in Visual Art, Charisse Pearlina Weston is a conceptual artist and writer whose work contends with the dynamic interplay of violence and intimacy through repetition, enfoldment, and concealment. Drawn to its fragility and danger, Weston has worked with glass as her primary material for much of her career. Her recent solo exhibit, “mis/mé- (squeeze)” was a New York Times Critic’s Pick, the review’s headline exclaiming “Surveillance Never Looked So Good” and noting that “in Weston’s best work, the folds and bends in her industrial ingredients seem to be concealing or safeguarding information, holding things back as they beguile.” Weston will spend this hour in conversation with 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize juror Larry Ossei-Mensah, independent curator and founder of ARTNOIR. Together, they will discuss the intricacies of Weston’s practice, offer their perspectives on the arts as a reflection of social impact, and discuss how her Hermitage Greenfield Prize commission extends that work into new pathways. Presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and The Ringling. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, FL 34243.

    GALA DINNER! – 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, Sunday, April 12, 6pm: The 2025 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner recognizes this year’s recipient, visual artist Charisse Pearlina Weston. This 18th year of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner will feature live performances from Hermitage alumni. Presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation. Lead Community Sponsor: the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. Michael’s On East (1212 South East Ave., Sarasota, FL 34239). For information on tables and sponsorships ($2,000 to $10,000), visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org, or call (941) 475-2098, Ext. 2.

    “Mxx: The Dignity Project,” a World Premiere Play Commission from 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Winner Deepa Purohit, Monday, April 13 @ 7pm: The culminating work of her 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize commission, Deepa Purohit shares the first public presentation of her new play, Mxx: The Dignity Project. An immersive play, installation, discussion circle, and “happening,” Mxx centers the collected experiences of inter-generational women from the South Asian diaspora in America who engage or disrupt the diasporic rituals and expectations placed on their bodies as they navigate the “machinery” of the medical/elder care/end-of-life system. How do women live, age, and die with dignity in a culture where the entire medical system is built on this key tenet: to prolong life? This presentation features a cast of four South Asian women: Hermitage Fellow Nandita Shenoy, and actors Sara Haider, Indika Senanayake, and Rita Wolf. Presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and Asolo Repertory Theatre. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). Asolo Repertory Theatre’s Koski Center Coville Rehearsal Hall, 1009 Tallevast Rd., Sarasota, FL 34243.

    March 19 Program Update

    The Hermitage Artist Retreat announced a change to the March 19thprogram on the Hermitage Beach. Due to a professional conflict, Anna Deavere Smith is no longer able to attend her scheduled Hermitage residency. Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer will step in as she returns to the Hermitage to share original work, joining the previously announced Olivier Award nominee and Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist Beth Steel. This sunset program will take place on Thursday, March 19th at 6:30pm. Kritzer is a celebrated Broadway star best known for her Tony Award-nominated performance as ‘Lady of the Lake’ in Spamalot and Delia in Beetlejuice. Steel is the UK-based author of the acclaimed West End play Till the Stars Come Down, a transfer from the National Theatre. These two distinct talents will offer their unique perspectives and share excerpts of their original work in this sunset program on the Hermitage Beach. 

    Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer is an actor, comedian, writer, and returning Hermitage Fellow. She received a 2024 Tony Award nomination for her showstopping turn as ‘Lady of the Lake’ in the Broadway revival of Spamalot. Kritzer previously starred on Broadway as Delia in Beetlejuice, for which she received Drama Desk, Drama League, and Chita Rivera Award nominations. Her additional Broadway credits include Something Rotten!, Elf, Sondheim on Sondheim, Legally Blonde, A Catered Affair and Hairspray. Kritzer can be heard on several original casting recordings including “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (as legendary comedian Carol Burnett in the series finale), “The First Lady,” “Bridge & Tunnel,” “New Amsterdam,” “Difficult People,” “Kevin Can Wait,” “Younger,” “Vinyl,” and “Law & Order.” Sarasota audiences have previously seen Leslie perform alongside Andy Sandberg in the Hermitage 20th Anniversary Concert at the Van Wezel Hall, on the Hermitage Beach sharing her original writing, at the 2023 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, and the 2024 Hermitage Artful Lobster.

    Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist Beth Steel’s most recent play, Till the Stars Come Down, had a sold out run at the National Theatre before transferring to the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London’s West End in 2025. The play was nominated for Best New Play at the 2024 Olivier Awards and has been nominated for Best Play for the 2025 Standard Theatre Awards. Her other plays include The House of Shades, which premiered at the Almeida Theatre and was a Susan Smith Blackburn finalist; the Evening Standard Award-winning Wonderland which was also a Susan Smith Blackburn finalist; and Ditch, a John Whiting Award finalist.

    On Thursday, March 19th at 6:30pm, the Hermitage will present “Dramatizing the Contemporary World,” featuring these two powerhouse theater artists. Together, Kritzer and Steel will provide a sneak peek into their creative process and share excerpts of their original work on the Hermitage Beach.  

    Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes with no intermission. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

    March 19 Program Features Theater Legend Anna Deavere Smith and UK Playwright Beth Steel 

    The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced a new March program on the Hermitage Beach featuringTony Award nominee, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and Hermitage Fellow Anna Deavere Smith, alongside Olivier Award nominee and Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist Beth Steel. Smith is a celebrated writer and performer recognized by millions for her memorable roles on stage and screen, and Steel is the UK-based author of the acclaimed West End play Till the Stars Come Down. On Thursday, March 19th at 6:30pm, these two heralded playwrights will offer their unique perspectives into playwriting and share excerpts of their original work in this sunset program on the Hermitage Beach. 

    Credited with having created a new form of theater, Anna Deavere Smith’s plays focus on contemporary issues from multiple points of view and are composed of interview excerpts. She was awarded the National Endowment for the Humanities Medal from President Obama in 2013. Her other awards include the MacArthur Fellowship, several Obie Awards, the George Polk Award in Journalism, and the Dean’s Medal from Stanford University School of Medicine. Smith was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and has received two Tony Award nominations. Her plays and films include Fires in the Mirror, Twilight: Los Angeles, Let Me Down Easy, and Notes from the Field. Her play This Ghost of Slavery, written for TheAtlantic Magazine, was only the second play the magazine has published in 168 years. Smith’s television and film acting credits include Inventing Anna, The West Wing, Nurse Jackie, Black-ish, Philadelphia, The American President, Rachel Getting Married, For the People, and The Boroughs. She is currently a University Professor at New York University, was an Eastman Professor at Oxford, and holds several honorary doctorates, including those from Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Spelman College, Juilliard, and Oxford. 

    Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist Beth Steel’s most recent play, Till the Stars Come Down, had a sold out run at the National Theatre before transferring to the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London’s West End in 2025. The play was nominated for Best New Play at the 2024 Olivier Awards and has been nominated for Best Play for the 2025 Standard Theatre Awards. Her other plays include The House of Shades, which premiered at the Almeida Theatre and was a Susan Smith Blackburn finalist; the Evening Standard Award-winning Wonderland which was also a Susan Smith Blackburn finalist; and Ditch, a John Whiting Award finalist.

    On Thursday, March 19th at 6:30pm, the Hermitage will present “Dramatizing the Contemporary World,” featuring these two powerhouse playwrights. Though one is American and one is British, these award-winning artists are both known for their keen observation and shrewd insight. Together, they will provide a sneak peek into their creative process and share excerpts of their original work on the Hermitage Beach.  

    Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes with no intermission. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

    New Programs Span from Lee County to Manatee County

    The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced new programs in February and March of 2026, spanning Lee County up through Manatee County and including a return to the Hermitage Beach in Sarasota County. Newly announced events include award-winning poet, writer, and author jessica Care moore and Obie Award winner James Jackson, Jr. for a special Black History Month program on February 26th on the Hermitage Beach; returning Hermitage Fellow and multihyphenate actor-singer-writer Lauren Marcus and Tony Award-nominated playwright Joe Iconis for a memorable evening of music on March 16th at the Manatee Performing Arts Center in Bradenton; and Joe Iconis and Lauren Marcus will again split the bill for a beachside program at the Gasparilla Light House – Range Light in Boca Grande on March 20th.  

    On Thursday, February 26th at 5:30pm, the Hermitage will present a special Black History Month program featuring Hermitage Fellows jessica Care moore and James Jackson, Jr. Jessica Care moore has recorded her poetry with hip-hop legends like Common, Nas, Jeezy, Talib Kweli, and others. Moore launched into national attention in the 90s when she won the legendary “It’s Showtime at the Apollo” competition a record-breaking five times in a row – with a poem. She is the current Detroit Poet Laureate and the author of five collections of poetry. James Jackson, Jr. is a seasoned Broadway, Off-Broadway, and cabaret performer who has also graced the stages of Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall. Celebrated for his roles in Hermitage Fellow Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning A Strange Loop and White Girl in Danger – developed in part at the Hermitage – Jackson also created the popular “Juneteenth Cabaret” in Provincetown to celebrate the history of Black performers in the city. These two incredible performers will share their talents on the Hermitage Beach with “Speak the Word and Lift Every Voice” – a program celebrating Black culture and identity on the Hermitage Beach. This event is being presented in partnership with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.  

    On Monday, March 16th at 6pm, audiences will have an opportunity to return to the Manatee Performing Arts Center in Bradenton for “Joe & Lauren Make Cool Music at MPAC.” The iconic Joe Iconis and the marvelous Lauren Marcus are partners in art and life. Iconis wrote the hit score for Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical Be More Chill, the show where Marcus made her Broadway debut. A celebrated writer and composer, Iconis is recognized as a leading voice in the world of contemporary musical theater, with works spanning Broadway, Off-Broadway, and theaters across the globe. He regularly performs concerts with Marcus and other frequent collaborators as “Joe Iconis & Family” at venues throughout New York. Marcus is a beloved Hermitage artist and performer in her own right – actor, writer, and singer-songwriter are all hats she comfortably and regularly shifts between. Together, they are a New York theater power-couple who will share original work during this memorable evening of music. This program is made possible with the support of the Bishop-Parker Foundation and is presented in partnership with the Manatee Performing Arts Center (MPAC).

    On Friday, March 20th at 6:30pm, the Hermitage will present “Joe & Lauren: Making Music in Boca Grande.” The New York theatre power-couple heads south for a beachside program at the Gasparilla Light House – Range Light on Boca Grande as the sun sets over the Gulf. This event is presented in partnership with the Barrier Island Parks Society (BIPS).

    These Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes with no intermission. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

    Hermitage Announces Fifth Annual Concert in the Ruby E. Crosby Alumni Music Series

    The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) is pleased to announce the fifth annual concert in the Ruby E. Crosby Alumni Music Series at the Hermitage, featuring Juilliard-trained flutist and Hermitage alumna Emi Ferguson. This event will take place on Thursday, March 5th at 7pm at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (Downtown Sarasota). This alumni music initiative was launched in 2022 to a full-capacity crowd at Selby Gardens with “Soulful Strings: An Evening of Harp Music,” featuring celebrated harpist and Hermitage alumna Ashley Jackson. The 2023 concert, “The Pop-Rock-Folk World of Zoe Sarnak,” featured award-winning New York City-based Hermitage alumna Zoe Sarnak, with Sarasota-based vocalists and musicians performing Sarnak’s original songs at Nathan Benderson Park. The 2024 concert, “Piano Classics Remade,” featured world-renowned pianist and Hermitage alumnus Conrad Taoperforming for a sold-out crowd at Selby Gardens. Last year’s concert, “Piano in the Key of Vijay,” featured Grammy Award-nominated composer and past Hermitage Greenfield Prize winner Vijay Iyer. 

    This year, the Ruby E. Crosby Alumni Music Series at the Hermitage continues this popular series with Julliard-trained flutist and Hermitage Fellow Emi Ferguson.  Ferguson is on a mission to shake up classical music. Whether playing modern or historical flutes, singing, composing, or speaking about music, she brings centuries of music to life with an adventurous spirit and a fresh perspective. Her performances, ranging from Baroque masterpieces to brand-new commissions are anything but predictable, blending historical performance with a fearless, modern edge. Hailed by critics for her “tonal bloom” and “hauntingly beautiful performances,” English-American flutist and composer Ferguson stretches the boundaries of what is expected of modern-day musicians. Her unique approach to the flute can be heard in performances that alternate between silver flute, auxiliary flutes, and historical flutes, playing repertoire that stretches from the Renaissance to today. Ferguson is a 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant awardee and can be heard live in concerts and festivals around the world as a soloist and with groups including AMOC*, the New York New Music Ensemble, the Handel and Haydn Society, and the Manhattan Chamber Players. Emi was a featured performer alongside Yo-Yo Ma, Paul Simon, and James Taylor at the 10th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony of 9/11 at Ground Zero, where her performance of “Amazing Grace” was televised worldwide. Ferguson returns to the Hermitage after a previous “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” program in 2024, and a performance at the 2023 Artful Lobster.

    The Ruby E. Crosby Alumni Music Series at the Hermitage offers the opportunity for a distinguished Hermitage alum to return for additional residency time and a special community concert. This initiative is made possible by a generous multi-year gift from the Ruby E. and Carole Crosby Family Foundation. Current Hermitage Board President Carole Crosby initiated this gift as a special tribute to her mother Ruby, who helped to inspire her own deep love of music. A musician herself, Carole Crosby graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music and played the harp in both the Atlanta Symphony and Detroit Symphony.

    “The Hermitage brings some of the most talented artists and performers in the world to our community,” said Crosby. “Music was always incredibly important to me and to my mother, so it’s an honor to celebrate her memory with this initiative spotlighting and supporting some truly extraordinary composers and musicians. I am deeply inspired by the Hermitage’s commitment to these artists and the impact these magnificent talents are having in our region.”

    “We are incredibly excited to welcome Emi Ferguson back to the Gulf Coast to share her talents with our growing Hermitage audience,” added Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Emi is one of the most captivating and enchanting flutists of our time. As we continue to reengage with and provide more opportunities for the Hermitage alumni community, this generous gift from Carole Crosby in her mother’s honor allows our audiences to celebrate and reconnect with groundbreaking musical talents who have come to know Sarasota through their time at the Hermitage.”

    “Flute Through the Ages” will be presented at Selby Gardens’ Event Center (Downtown Sarasota) on Thursday, March 5th at 7pm. This program is free and open to the public with a $5/person registration fee. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org. Capacity will be limited, and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis, at which time registration will shift to a waitlist. Previous events in this series have reached capacity, so early registration is strongly encouraged.

    Hermitage Announces New February Programs

    The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced new programs in February of 2026. Newly announced events include Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and the most recent winner of the Hermitage Prize in Composition at the Aspen Music Festival, Harriet Steinke, sharing a sneak peek into their works-in-process at Nathan Benderson Park on Thursday, February 5th; a return to the Hermitage Great Lawn with world-renowned flutist Claire Chase and celebrated author Kirstin Valdez Quade for an unforgettable evening of flute music and literature on Friday, February 13th; and the latest installment of Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens with comedian, musician, and writer Morgan Bassichis and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Doug Wright sharing work and speaking about the unique art of solo performance in theater on Thursday, February 19th at Historic Spanish Point. 

    On Thursday, February 5th at 5pm, the Hermitage will present the latest installment of Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park, “Chamber Flights & Broadway Nights.” Returning Hermitage Fellow Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, a Tony Award-nominated Broadway performer known for her star turns as ‘Lady of the Lake’ in the Broadway revival of Spamalot and Delia in Beetlejuice, is also a brilliant storyteller and back at the Hermitage as a writer. She will offer Hermitage audiences a first look at her latest theatrical writing and stories in development. The evening will also feature original music from Harriet Steinke, winner of the 2025 Hermitage Prize in Composition at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival. Steinke will share her original compositions, performed by a classical ensemble outdoors by Nathan Benderson Park Lake.

    On Friday, February 13th at 5pm, audiences will have an opportunity to return to the Hermitage’s historic beachfront campus for “A Decade of Density / A Lifetime of Story – An Evening of Flute and Literature.” Returning Hermitage Fellow and world-renowned flutist Clarie Chase has delighted Sarasota audiences time and time again with her incredible talent. Chase and widely celebrated author Kirstin Valdez Quade will bring audiences back to the iconic Hermitage grounds for the first Manasota Key program in the new year. An internationally acclaimed composer and performer, Chase has been described by The New York Times as “the most important flutist of our time.” She is a pioneer in the world of contemporary music with projects such as “Density 2036,” a 24-year commissioning project that aims to reimagine the literature of the modern flute. A MacArthur Fellow and the first ever flutist to receive the Avery Fisher Award from Lincoln Center, Chase has also served on the Hermitage’s Curatorial Council. Returning Hermitage Fellow Kirstin Valdez Quade, winner of the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and praised as “masterful” by USA Today, has been widely celebrated for her writing. With a Guggenheim Fellowship and a “5 Under 35” award from the National Book Foundation under her belt, Valdez Quade’s work “marks a new and exciting chapter in Latinx literature — one that will redefine the term for readers, scholars, and writers.” (The Georgia Review)

    On Thursday, February 19th at 5:30pm, the Hermitage will present the latest installment of Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens: “The Highs and Lows of Going Solo.” Hermitage Fellow Morgan Bassichis is a comedian, musician, and writer who has been called “fiercely hilarious” (The New Yorker)and “a tall child or, well… a big bird” (The Nation). Their show Can I Be Frank? is a solo piece about the late performer Frank Maya that recently completed an acclaimed Off-Broadway run. Returning Hermitage Fellow Doug Wright knows something about solo shows as well, having won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for his iconic Broadway play I Am My Own Wife, based on the story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf. Bassichis and Wright will be in conversation about the challenges and opportunities of the form and will treat Hermitage audiences to excerpts of their work in the beautiful sunken gardens at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point as the sun sets into the bay.

    These Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes with no intermission. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

    Hermitage Announces New January Programs

    The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced new programs to kick off the beginning of 2026. Newly announced events include Hermitage Fellow Roger Q. Mason’s exploration of what it means to live in a democracy today at Venice Theatre on Monday, January 12th; a playwright’s look into the modern healthcare system in a panel discussion with 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize winner Deepa Purohit as she investigates supporting material for her Hermitage-commissioned play at the Asolo Rep’s Koski Center on Wednesday, January 14th, featuring guest panelists from the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System; and returning Hermitage Fellow and Tony Award-winning performer Britton Smith splitting the bill with celebrated jazz musician and composer Adam O’Farrill at Selby Gardens on January 29th.

    On Monday, January 12th at 5:30pm, award-winning writer, performer, and educator Roger Q. Mason will discuss their work, share excerpts from their new play, and delve deeper into the creative process of writing and playwriting with “What Freedom Means to Me.” Mason is known for their “kaleidoscopic historical fantasias” (American Theatre), juxtaposing real people and events with fantastical elements to examine modern life and cultural divides. Mason’s play and subsequent film adaptation Lavender Men received critical acclaim. As part of their Hermitage residency, Mason is working on a sequel to this celebrated work exploring what it means to live in a democracy today and diving into questions of privilege, self-love, and the cost of liberation. The hour-long event will close with a short writing exercise, inviting participants to explore and share their own relationship to freedom.

    2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize winner Deepa Purohit returns to Sarasota on Wednesday, January 14th at 3pm for a panel discussion based on her investigation into how women live, age, and die with dignity in a culture where the medical system is built on a key tenet: to preserve life. This is the question central to Purohit’s Hermitage-commissioned play, Mxx: The Dignity Project. In this upcoming program, “On Living and Dying with Dignity,” Purohit will converse with Dr. Robin Devan, who leads Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System’s Palliative Care Services, and TJ Tremaine, Bioethics Program Coordinator with Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System. Moderated by Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg and presented in collaboration with Asolo Repertory Theatre, this conversation aims to explore the many facets of medical intervention during a woman’s life, and how ethics and dignity come into play when making decisions about care. This cross-disciplinary panel will offer a thoughtful discussion ahead of the highly anticipated premiere of Purohit’s Hermitage-commissioned play this April. This event will take place at the Asolo Repertory Theatre’s Koski Center.

    On Thursday, January 29th at 5:30pm, acclaimed jazz musician and composer Adam O’Farrill and Tony Award-winning performer Britton Smith will share the stage for the next installment of the Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens series: “The Rising Stars of Jazz and Soul.” Descended from Latin jazz royalty, Hermitage Fellow Adam O’Farrill is a composer, bandleader, and trumpeter who has been hailed by The New York Times as “a blazing young trumpet player” and “perhaps the music’s next major improviser.” Known for his uniquely personal style, O’Farrill has been widely recognized in the jazz community as a rising star of the genre. Returning Hermitage Fellow Britton Smith, a Tony Award-winning Broadway performer and leader of the self-described “funk liberation band” Britton and the Sting, has been called a “force to be reckoned with” and a “tornado of talent and energy” by Broadway World. For one night only, these two dynamic musical artists will share the Hermitage stage at Selby Gardens downtown for an unforgettable night of stripped-down music featuring two creative forces breaking boundaries in the worlds of jazz and soul.  Britton Smith’s Hermitage Residency generously sponsored by Charlie Huisking.

    These Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes with no intermission. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

    As a special addition in January, Hermitage artist and Tony Award nominee Eden Espinosa (Lempicka, Wicked, Rent), returns to Sarasota for “Music Mondays” to offer the audience a view into the world of Broadway. Espinosa performed recently in Sarasota at the 2025 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner. In these “Music Mondays” events, she will share her talents as a musical performer, while also engaging in dialogue about the craft and industry of musical theater alongside Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg, with Joseph Holt on piano. There will be two opportunities to hear from this celebrated Broadway star: Monday, January 26th at 10:30am at the Church of the Palms in Sarasota, and again at 3pm at the Venice Presbyterian Church. This event is presented in partnership with the Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning (SILL).

    Please note the two SILL programs are not part of the Hermitage’s traditional free programming. These two “Music Mondays” presentations are hosted by the Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning (SILL) as a part of the “Music Mondays” series. $15 single tickets are available at the door for these special events with Eden Espinosa.