Category: Community Programs

“Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” Kicks Off 2025 with Emmy and Drama Desk-Nominated Writer Mark Sonnenblick

The Hermitage Artist Retreat’s popular series, “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens,” continues its fifth anniversary season and kicks off a brand-new year with “Book, Music, and Lyrics,” featuring Emmy Award and Drama Desk nominee Mark Sonnenblick. A Hermitage Fellow and recipient of a Jonathan Larson Grant, Sonnenblick will share stories and songs from his original works, and will preview some of what might be next for this rising star of the musical theater world. This Hermitage program will take place on Thursday, January 30th at 5:30pm at Selby Gardens’ downtown campus.

Fresh off the ‘heels’ of his collaboration with Elton John on the West End premiere of The Devil Wears Prada and celebrated for his talents as a lyricist, book writer, and composer, Hermitage Fellow Mark Sonnenblick’s work has been called “lushly romantic” by The New York Times, as well as “sly and unexpectedly subversive” by The New Yorker. With a career that already spans stage and screen, including songs on such hits as Apple’s Spirited, starring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell, Searchlight Pictures’ Theater Camp, and Netflix’s Lyle Lyle Crocodile, Sonnenblick’s talents span multiple styles and genres. Mark Sonnenblick’s Hermitage residency is generously sponsored by the Huisking Family Fund of Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

“Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” is a celebrated collaboration between the Hermitage Artist Retreat and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, featuring performances and explorations of works-in-progress by Hermitage artists-in-residence and alumni.  Events in this series are scheduled to take place at Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus and the Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey as a part of the Hermitage’s 2024-2025 season. Remaining dates for this fifth season of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” (subject to change) include:

• Thursday January 30, 2025, at 5:30pm, Downtown Sarasota Campus
• Thursday February 20, 2025, at 5:30pm, Historic Spanish Point 
• Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 5:30pm, Downtown Sarasota Campus
• Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 6:30pm, Historic Spanish Point 

Admission for these events has no ticket cost, though early registration is strongly recommended as availability is subject to capacity limitations; advance registration is required ($5/person) at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

“Following a memorable lineup of programs in the final weeks of 2024, we are excited to be kicking off 2025 with Mark Sonnenblick’s program at Selby Gardens,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “I’ve known Mark as a friend and collaborator for many years, and it’s a thrill to welcome him to the Hermitage. Despite the challenges faced on campus due to the hurricanes, we remain committed to delivering world-class programs at partner venues throughout our region, introducing our resilient community to extraordinary writers, artists, and performers from around the world.”  

Three New Fall Programs Announced

The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced three additional programs as part of its robust fall season. Newly announced events include a beach program featuring Grammy Award nominee Allison Loggins-Hull and award-winning author Jamila Minnicks on Friday, October 4th on the Hermitage Beach; a special look inside the creative process with Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg with the Royal Palm Players in Boca Grande on November 11th; plus Hermitage-Roundabout Fellow Alex Lin and Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist and UK playwright Sam Steiner at New College of Florida’s Theater Department on November 21st. 

On Friday, October 4th at 5:30pm, Grammy Award-nominated flutist and returning Hermitage alumna Allison Loggins-Hull will split the bill with celebrated author Jamila Minnicks in “Redefining the Instrument” on the Hermitage Beach. Whether the flute or the pen, these two Hermitage Fellows have forged innovative paths in their fields by defying expectation and creating with unique voices. Allison Loggins-Hull is noted for her original compositions and nuanced flute performances, having worked with such luminaries as Hans Zimmer, Lizzo, and her award-winning flute collaboration with Hermitage Fellow Nathalie Joachim – Flutronix. New Hermitage Fellow Jamila Minnicks is writing highly-praised original works of fiction. Her debut novel Moonrise over New Jessup won the 2021 PEN / Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction and was a finalist for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. Please Note: Previously announced program participant Imani Uzuri had to reschedule and will not be able to join for this event.

On Monday, November 11th at 5pm, Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg will offer insight into his career as a playwright and director with “Craving for Travel: Andy Sandberg @ RPP.” An arts leader, director, performer, and writer, Sandberg has worked across all aspects of the arts and entertainment industry. In this newly announced program, Sandberg brings all his expertise to bear in a conversation focused on the upcoming production of his play Craving for Travel, which is having its Florida premiere produced by the Royal Palm Players. Audiences will hear the inside take on the play’s origins, stories about the original New York production, and how wearing so many different ‘hats’ has informed Sandberg’s current artistic practice. This special event will be presented at the Boca Grande Community Center.

Rounding out November programing, the Hermitage presents “The Structure of Things: Making Theater on Both Sides of the Atlantic,” featuring 2024 Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist Sam Steinerand Hermitage-Roundabout Fellow Alex Lin. This newly announced event will be at New College of Florida on Thursday, November 21st at 1pm, presented in partnership with the College’s Theater Department. From songs to space journalism, Alex Lin is one of the most vibrant voices coming up in the American theater today. The same can be said in the United Kingdom for playwright Steiner, whose acclaimed works like Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons have been performed all over the world, including London’s West End. Meeting for the first time at the Hermitage, these two incredible artists explore the craft of playwriting, their unique journeys to date, and what’s next on their agendas. Audience members are invited to join this cross-continental workshop and masterclass on the art of telling stories. 

Additional highlights of the Hermitage fall season include live events featuring Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Broadway composer Tom Kitt (Next to Normal), Emmy Award-nominated writer Daniel Goldfarb (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Pulitzer Prize finalist and Hermitage Major Theater Award winnerMadeleine George (“Only Murders in the Building”), the inaugural McNally Fellow at the Hermitage Zeniba Now, Guggenheim Fellow Kirstin Valdez Quade, Tony-winning Broadway activist and performer Britton Smith, and internationally renowned flutist and composer Claire Chase. These events are presented in partnership with many arts, cultural, and educational institutions throughout the Gulf Coast region, including Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota Opera, Royal Palm Players, Venice Theatre, New College of Florida’s Theater Department, Johann Fust Library Foundation in Boca Grande, and more.           

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. 

Hermitage and Terrence McNally Foundation Launch the McNally Residency at the Hermitage 

Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, today announced the launch of the McNally Fellowship at the Hermitage, made possible with generous support from the Terrence McNally Foundation. This new grant is intended to support the residency of an early-career playwright. In collaboration with the McNally Foundation, the Hermitage has selected Zeniba Now as the inaugural honoree.

Zeniba Now, an award-winning writer, musical storyteller, performer, and vocalist from Los Angeles, was selected for the Hermitage’s acclaimed residency program by the organization’s National Curatorial Council, a fourteen-member body that includes two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, Doris Duke Award-winning artistic director Nataki Garrett, and acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Rajiv Joseph, among other luminaries in their respective fields. She was recently named a “Woman to Watch” by the Broadway Women’s Fund.

As part of Zeniba’s residency, the Hermitage will present “Zeniba Now: The Heartsong and Other Experiments” on the Hermitage Beach – Friday, October 18 at 5:30pm. The program will feature original works performed by this singularly talented artist and performer. Crossing mediums and weaving genres, Zeniba Now is introducing audiences to her unique approach to musical storytelling. Along with her work, Zeniba will offer insight into her creative process. The program will also feature remarks from Tony and Olivier Award-winning Broadway producer Tom Kirdahy (Hadestown, Gypsy, Little Shop of Horrors) and Tony Award-winning Hermitage Artistic Director Andy Sandberg.

“The Hermitage is deeply grateful to the Terrence McNally Foundation for their generous support and passionate belief in the work we are doing,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “It has been a joy to collaborate with our friend Tom Kirdahy on a number of special programs, and he’s been such a champion of the Hermitage and its mission. We are honored to celebrate Terrence’s remarkable legacy by providing the gift of space and time to inspiring new voices in the theater, and we’re excited to name Zeniba Now as the first recipient of this honor.”

Tom 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. Among his recent producing credits are the forthcoming revival of Gypsy starring Audra McDonald, the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown, the hit Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors, and Stephen Sondheim’s posthumous musical Here We Are, which starred Tony Award winner and recent Hermitage Fellow Rachel Bay Jones. Kirdahy has also participated in a number of Hermitage programs himself over the past four seasons. 

“We are incredibly proud to support the work the Hermitage is doing,” added Kirdahy. “The Hermitage is a world-class arts incubator – not only for playwrights and theater artists, but for so many extraordinary talents of all different backgrounds and disciplines. The gift they are giving to these innovative and imaginative writers, performers, and artists is invaluable. We are excited for Zeniba Now to continue her creative journey with this Hermitage residency in Terrence’s name.” 

The Terrence McNally Foundation is 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 McNally and 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.”

Zeniba Now is a creator of commercial and independent art and performance. As a writer of musicals, her work includes the musical shorts “Beloved” and “To Be on Hold Forever / Stay on the Line.” Full-length musicals include The Loophole, Take the Lead, and a new musical in development with Disney Theatrical Productions. Audiences can see Zeniba Now in her shows “iQuit: Millennial Retirement Gala” and “Sincerely, Z” on TikTok and YouTube. Her music can be heard on several streaming services, including her new meditative release, “Wholly Chill.” Zeniba Now is the winner of The Jonathan Larson Grant, The Richard Rodgers Award, The Vivace Award, The Thom Thomas Award, and now the inaugural Fellow of the McNally Residency at the Hermitage.

Terrence McNally was an American playwright, librettist, and LGBTQ+ trailblazer, described by TheNew York Times as “the bard of the American Theater.” One of the few playwrights of his generation to successfully pass from the avant-garde to mainstream acclaim, McNally redefined American playwriting for six decades and was the recipient of five Tony Awards (two for his plays Love! Valour! Compassion! and Master Class, two for the books to his musicals Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime, and the 2019 Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement). He received the 2011 Dramatists Guild Lifetime Achievement Award (he was Vice President of the Guild from 1981 to 2001), the 2015 Lucille Lortel Lifetime Achievement Award, a 1996 induction into the American Theater Hall of Fame, and, in 2018, an induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His other accolades include an Emmy Award (Andre’s Mother), two Guggenheim Fellowships, a Rockefeller Grant, four Drama Desk Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, two Obie Awards, and three Hull-Warriner Awards. Terrence was an alumnus of Columbia University and received numerous honorary degrees, including from NYU and Juilliard, where he helped create the playwriting program in 1993. His legacy lives on in his plays, musicals, and operas that continue to be performed all over the world, as well as in his papers, which are kept and open to the public at the Harry Ransom Center in the University of Texas at Austin. 

Hermitage Announces First Wave of Fall Programming

The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced the first wave of new programs for its upcoming fall season. Continuing its commitment to innovative year-round arts programming, these events will be presented throughout Sarasota County, from the Hermitage’s beautiful beachfront campus on Manasota Key to the heart of Sarasota’s vibrant downtown arts scene. Hermitage programs introduce world-renowned artists to Florida’s Gulf Coast community for musical performances, candid and engaging conversations, theatrical presentations, literary readings, dance performances, and more.

“This year’s dynamic fall lineup is bringing some truly incredible performers, writers, composers, and artists to our community, delivering more breadth and variety than ever before,” notes Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “With even more artists and events to be announced in the weeks ahead, this season speaks to the extraordinary diversity and expansive creative talents of our renowned Hermitage Fellows. I’ve known and followed the work of some of these brilliant artists for over twenty years, and others are emerging voices in their respective fields whom we’re excited to introduce to the Sarasota community.” 

Each of these hour-long Hermitage programs offers a completely different experience, providing the Gulf Coast community a rare glimpse into innovative works and the creative process behind them. In recent years, the Hermitage has continued to expand the geographic reach and impact of these unique programs. “We look forward to introducing the work of these visionary and celebrated artists from all across the United States to the Gulf Coast region,” added Sandberg. 

On Friday, October 4th at 6pm, 2022 Hermitage Major Theater Award (HMTA) winner Imani Uzuri will introduce an audience on the Hermitage Beach to an early exploration of her original commission-in-process with “Lighthouse of the Singing Birds: A Sound Meditation.” Hear more about this new commission from 2022 Hermitage Major Theater Award winner Imani Uzuri, the creator of this magical realist musical, and join her in a communal sound meditation, like the ones that permeate the world of Lighthouse of the Singing Birds, as the sun sets on our own Manasota Key Beach. The Hermitage Major Theater Award is made possible with generous support from Flora Major and the Kutya Major Foundation. 

Later in October, Pulitzer Prize, two-time Tony Award, two-time Emmy Award, and Grammy Award-winning Broadway composer Tom Kitt (pictured here; Next to Normal, If/Then) and Emmy Award-nominated writer Daniel Goldfarb (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and HBO Max’s “Julia”) join forces to create theatrical gold as the Hermitage presents “Tom and Daniel Make a Musical.” These multi award-winning artists work across stage and screen to tell some of the most lauded stories of our time. Hear from both of these extraordinary artists as they speak about their process and share some of their original work on Friday, October 25th at 5:30pm on the Hermitage Beach.

As we head into November, the Hermitage is partnering once again with Sarasota County Libraries and Ringling College of Art and Design for the second annual Off the Page Festival, featuring two Hermitage literary programs. Hermitage Fellow Angie Cruz‘s work has been described as “lovely and compelling” (The New York Times Book Review), as well as “poignant” with “nimble prose” (The New Yorker). The author of four novels, her most recent work How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water was chosen for The New York Times’ “100 Notable Books of 2022” and The Washington Post’s “50 Notable Works of Fiction.” Audiences are invited to put their toes in the sand on the Hermitage Beach and hear from this gifted writer as she reads from her work and offers insight into what is next with “How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water: The Works of Angie Cruz” on Friday, November 1st at 5:30pm. Then on Monday, November 4th at 2pm, Hermitage Fellow Elaine Romero will present “Walking the World Within: A Hermitage Playwriting Workshop” at the Elsie Quirk Library Reading Garden. Romero will invite participants to dive deeper into their own self through a series of exercises designed to circumvent writing expectations and lead to finding their own stories within. Writers of all levels are welcome and encouraged to participate; no experience is required. 

Hermitage programs continue into December with Hermitage Major Theater Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Madeleine George (Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building”) at Venice Theatre on Monday, December 9th at 7:30pm. Following a successful presentation in New York, the Hermitage is excited to invite Gulf Coast audiences to experience “The Sore Loser: An Original Comedy,” written by Madeleine George and directed by Mack Brown. A Faustian comedy set in a bowling alley, this story promises to bring the competitor (and the laughs) out of us all. The Sore Loser is a comedy about power, domination, and the death of the patriarchy… as told through a small-town bowling tournament. 

The Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative is an annual residency program focused on supporting the incredibly talented artists frequently featured on Sarasota stages. Now in its third year, this program specifically created for artists representing our community partners is made possible with generous support from the Koski Family Foundation. On Friday, December 13th at 5pm, Anthony Barrese (Sarasota Opera) and Raleigh Mosely II (Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe) will present “Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative: Opera and Theater” at the Sarasota Opera House. Barrese is a celebrated conductor who has worked at concert halls around the world. While in residence at the Hermitage, he is pursuing his passion to meticulously transcribe lost operas so they can be performed by today’s leading companies with new life. He is joined by a frequent performer with WBTT, Raleigh Mosely II, a gifted singer and actor who is making a name for himself as a recording artist, writing and performing his own work. From very different angles, each of these unique and creative forces will share how they make music.

On Tuesday, December 17th at 4pm, Hermitage Fellow and 2024 Guggenheim Fellow Kirstin Valdez Quade will present “An Author Here and Now” at the Johann Fust Community Library in Boca Grande. With her novel The Five Wounds, Quade has created a “propulsive, immersive story that recons wisely with the real cost of redemption.” (The Guardian) This debut novel, which won the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize amongst a host of other honors, follows this author’s story collection Night at the Fiestas, an equally praised work that spans decades without losing a very real sense of place. Also published in The Best American Short Stories, The New Yorker, and The New York Times, hear what is next from this rising star of the literary world whose work “marks a new and exciting chapter in Latinx literature — one that will redefine the term for readers, scholars, and writers.” (The Georgia Review) 

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.

Dates for Fifth Season of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” Announced

The Hermitage Artist Retreat’s popular series, “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens,” continues into its fifth anniversary as part of the Hermitage’s 2024-2025 season. The outdoor series — a celebrated collaboration between the Hermitage and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens — features performances and explorations of works-in-progress by Hermitage artists-in-residence and alumni.  “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” events are currently scheduled to take place at Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus and the Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey. 

The first of these events, “Let the Music Set You Free,” features Broadway veteran, Tony Award-winning co-founder of Broadway Advocacy Coalition, and 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalist Britton Smith. As the bandleader for the alternative soul band Britton and the Sting, this visionary artist and advocate is a force of nature determined to unite the world through a passion for music and theater. Britton’s vibrant work bears witness to the inspiration that can be found within and around us all. Catch this dynamic performer like never before in a stripped-down presentation surrounded by the beautiful sanctuary of Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus on Thursday October 17th at 5:30pm. 

The second of these events is “Solo Flute — Destiny of Density,” where award-winning flutist, composer, and returning Hermitage Fellow Claire Chase will share selections of her genre-defining work and discuss her innovative approach to music. This event will take place on Thursday, December 5th at 5:30pm, at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey. Chase is a world-renowned musician and composer who was also one of the inaugural artists in the “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” series, in addition to performing at two past Hermitage Artful Lobster events. A soloist, collaborative artist, curator, and advocate for new and experimental music, she has been described by The New York Times as “the most important flutist of our time.” Chase was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2012, and in 2017 was the first flutist to be awarded the Avery Fisher Prize from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A professor of music at Harvard University, she recently concluded her term as a member of the Hermitage National Curatorial Council. 

Confirmed dates for this fifth season of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” include:

• Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 5:30pm, Downtown Sarasota Campus
• Thursday December 5, 2024, at 5:30pm, Historic Spanish Point 
• Thursday January 30, 2025, at 5:30pm, Downtown Sarasota Campus
• Thursday February 20, 2025, at 5:30pm, Historic Spanish Point 
• Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 5:30pm, Downtown Sarasota Campus
• Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 6:30pm, Historic Spanish Point 

Admission for these events has no ticket cost, though availability is subject to capacity limitations; advance registration is required ($5/person) at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.   

Each program will feature a celebrated Hermitage artist (or artists) to be announced. Last year’s “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” spotlighted the works and talents of celebrated mime and storyteller Bill Bowers, who shared the stage with internationally renowned composer and singer Kavita Shah; Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg, fresh from his production of Operation Epsilon in London; Hermitage Curatorial Council member Nataki Garrett, Tony Award-winning Broadway producer Tom Kirdahy, and Manasota ASALH President David Wilkins, who offered an enlightening panel discussion about the State of the Arts in Florida; and award-winning flutist Emi Ferguson with classical composer Jim Stephenson, who delighted audiences with an original performance. Previous seasons of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” have included Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Michael R. Jackson, award-winning Chicago playwright Terry Guest; Kleban Prize winner César Alvarez, world-renowned violinist and Beyoncé collaborator Lady Jess; acclaimed classical harpist Ashley Jackson; interdisciplinary performance artist Ni’Ja Whitson, opera singer and Sarasota native Thea Lobo, composer Sofía Rocha, winner of the 2022 Hermitage Prize in Composition at the Aspen Music Festival; 2022 Hermitage Major Theater Award Winner Shariffa Ali; celebrated cellist Karen Patterson, and more.

“This fifth anniversary season of ‘Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens’ promises to be an unforgettable one,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Claire Chase and Britton Smith are two of the most dynamic artists and performers of their generation, and we are thrilled to invite audiences to share a magical evening with these Hermitage artists and more against the beautiful backdrop of these bayfront sanctuaries. This popular series has been a joyous collaboration with our friends at Selby Gardens, and we look forward welcoming new and returning audiences to experience a ‘sneak peek’ into the creative process of these extraordinary talents.” 

“We are so excited to celebrate five years of this wonderful collaboration with the Hermitage Artist Retreat,” says Selby Gardens President & CEO Jennifer Rominiecki. “Welcoming world-class Hermitage artists to our newly revitalized bayfront sanctuary in downtown Sarasota and our vibrant Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey is something we look forward to each year. Treating Gulf Coast patrons to these special programs has been such a joy, and we are thrilled that that the ‘Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens’ series continues to flourish.”

These outdoor events are one part of many ongoing programs and collaborations planned throughout the season, spanning Sarasota County and the surrounding region. The programs feature industry-leading playwrights, visual artists, musicians, poets, choreographers, and more — all free to the members of our community with a $5/person registration fee. 

Hermitage 2024 STARs Announced

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that five Florida public school arts teachers will spend part of their summer on Manasota Key while working on their own artistic endeavors. They are the recipients of the 2024 State Teachers Artist Residency program (STARs) – now in its fourteenth year – presented by the Hermitage Artist Retreat in partnership with the Florida Alliance for Arts Education (FAAE). This year’s recipients were selected from dozens of impressive applicants, and the five teachers selected from across the State of Florida include three visual arts educators working in various mediums, a musician who leads the steel band at their high school, and a theater teacher recognized for his playwriting talents. The five receive a residency at the nationally renowned Hermitage Artist Retreat, where they can focus on their own work as creative artists. These five teaching artists will present a family-friendly showcase of their work on Friday, July 12 starting at 2pm. This special event will be held throughout the Hermitage’s beachfront campus on Manasota Key; entrance at 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood, FL 34223. 

The program is presented in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties and the Englewood YMCA. In addition to the students and families attending from the YMCA, this Hermitage community program will be free and open to the public with a $5/person registration fee. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

“These exceptional educators are also talented artists and creative minds in their own right,” says Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage. “During the academic year, their attention is devoted to their students, and this has been a particularly challenging few years for educators throughout the State of Florida. The STARs program offers five distinguished teachers the opportunity to experience what leading artists from around the world have come to the Hermitage for – to focus on their craft and their creative process. Over the years, the STARs have created some stunning works of art, music, theater, dance, and literature during their time at the Hermitage. Many Hermitage teaching artist alumni have shared that this program enables them to return to their students with a new fire and passion for arts education.” 

The five recipients of this honor, selected among dozens of impressive applicants, include: Greg Burdick, a theater arts educator, director, and playwright in Central Florida (Polk County); Dealey Dansby, a sculpture and ceramics visual artist currently teaching elementary and middle school art at Carrollwood K8 in Tampa (Hillsborough County); Shaun Fergus, a passionate art instructor at Fort White Middle School (Columbia County); Dr. Kayleen Justus, Director of Steel Bands at Leon High School in the Tallahassee area (Leon County); and Vanessa Watkins, a distinguished glass artist with a focus on restoration art at Markham Woods Middle School (Seminole County). Full bios are included below.

Since the start of the Hermitage STARs program in 2011, 67 teachers have represented over 30Florida counties. These prestigious residencies culminate with a free community program, this year hosted in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties and the Englewood YMCA. 

The STARs program is one of the only Hermitage residency programs open to application; arts educators from schools throughout the State of Florida are eligible, including music, theater, visual art, dance, and creative writing teachers. For more information about the Hermitage STARs program and how to apply, Florida arts educators are encouraged to visit FAAE.org/STAR.

Save the Dates for our 2024-2025 Benefit Events

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that its annual Artful Lobsterbenefit will be held on Saturday, November 9th, 2024, from 11:30am to 2pm. Now in its 16th year, this signature outdoor event raises valuable funds for the Hermitage’s renowned artist residency program. The Artful Lobster is the only Hermitage benefit to take place on the grounds of the historic Gulf front campus – outdoors beneath a large tent – located at 6660 Manasota Key Road in Englewood. Michael’s On East offers a delicious lobster feast, with performances from award-winning Hermitage Fellows. Past artists who have shared their talents at this popular event include acclaimed string quartet ETHEL, celebrated musical theater composer Adam Gwon, internationally renowned flutist Claire Chase, accomplished violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain and more.

The 17th annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner will be held on Sunday, April 6th, 2025, starting at 6pm at Michael’s On East in Sarasota. This elegant annual dinner heralds the jury-selected recipient of this prestigious prize, which will be awarded this season in the discipline of music. 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 music, theater, and visual art. The 2025 HGP winner’s newly commissioned work will have its first public presentation in Sarasota in the spring of 2027. Past performers at this event have included Tony Award-winning Hermitage Fellows Gavin Creel and Rachel Bay Jones, Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, renowned classical musicians, and more. 

Sponsorship information and additional details for both events will be announced at a later date. For early sponsorship inquiries, call (941) 475-2098, Ext. 2.

Past recipients of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize include: 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).

New Summer Events Feature Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, The Lazour Brothers, and More

The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced new programs throughout the months of June, July, and August. Continuing its commitment to innovative year-round arts programming, these events will be presented throughout Sarasota County, from the Hermitage’s beautiful beachfront campus on Manasota Key to the heart of Sarasota’s vibrant downtown arts scene. Hermitage programs introduce world-renowned artists to Florida’s Gulf Coast community for candid and engaging conversations, open rehearsals, play readings, and film screenings. 

Fresh from her 2024 Tony Award, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle nominations, Hermitage Fellow Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer returns to Manasota Key for “Stealing the Show: Broadway, Beach, and Beyond” on Wednesday, June 26 at 6:30pm on the Hermitage Beach. Leslie previously performed as part of the Hermitage’s 20th Anniversary Celebration alongside Andy Sandberg at the Van Wezel, then again at the 2023 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner. Kritzer is a 2024 Tony Award nomineefor her showstopping performance in Spamalot, where the New York Times noted that “she steals the show.”Broadway audiences have celebrated Kritzer for years thanks to her powerhouse voice, her pitch-perfect comic timing, and her iconic roles in Broadway’s Beetlejuice, Something Rotten!, Legally Blonde, The Robber Bridegroom, and more. TV audiences have also come to know her, notably through her memorable turn as Carol Burnett on the series finale of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Now, Hermitage audiences will get to know Leslie as a gifted writer, composer, and lyricist who has been developing her own original projects right here along the inspirational shores of the Hermitage. In this special beach program, this quadruple-plus threat will share some of her own original work as well as some of Broadway’s greatest hits.

“This year’s Hermitage summer season promises to be a memorable one,” notes Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Year-round Gulf Coast residents have been growing rapidly, and we are excited to be presenting some truly one-of-a-kind offerings throughout the summer. Pulitzer Prize winners, Tony Award nominees, and more are well worth a little summer heat!”

On Friday, June 28 at 6pm, celebrated author and Hermitage Fellow Kimberly King Parsons will read selections from her novel and dive into conversation about the writing process in Bookstore1’s intimate loft space. Her short story collection Black Light was long-listed for the National Book Award, and this Hermitage program will shed light on her highly anticipated debut novel, We Were the Universe. Parsons’ remarkable style has readers turning pages and discovering entirely new frames of mind; from trips to Oregon to acid trips, life, death, and rock ’n roll, Sarasota audiences will get to experience this exemplary writer’s work from the author herself. 

The “2024 Hermitage STARs” initiative continues into its fourteenth season with a culminating program on the Historic Hermitage campus on Friday, July 12 at 2pm. The State Teaching Artist Residencies (STARs) at the Hermitage Artist Retreat is designed to nourish the artist within Florida’s dedicated arts teachers and proudly serves educators from across the state in partnership with the Florida Alliance for Arts Education (FAAE). The STARs program is one of only a few programs in the United States that offers five educators an inspirational residency opportunity that culminates in a free public sharing with the Gulf Coast community. This public program is presented in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties as well as the Englewood YMCA. The selected teachers span multiple artistic disciplines and will be announced at a later date; this year’s STARs recipients will offer insights into their creative practice to an audience of all ages, in a program presented in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota & Desoto Counties and the Englewood YMCA.

On Thursday, July 25 at 6:30pm, Hermitage Fellows Jeffery Renard Allen and Yasi Alipour both work on paper to create narrative, but Allen uses letters while Alipour prefers lines and intricately folded patterns. In the original works created by these innovative Hermitage artists, time collapses and worlds expand; the future is present, and history is interrupted. Splitting time between New York and Johannesburg, Allen is an award-winning author of six books, including the critically acclaimed debut Song of the Shank. His latest work “Fat Time and Other Stories” is a collection of short works described by The New York Timesas a “fierce itching dazzle.” Alipour, a celebrated visual artist interested in paper, politics, and performance, explores systems of math and history in her work. Informed by her time studying at the University of Tehran, intricately folded pages take on three-dimensional presence when imbued with her intuitive and highly technical art. Hear from both artists about why they make the work they make, and what they hope an audience will see and hear when they encounter it with “Interrupted History” on the Hermitage Beach.

Hermitage programs continue into August with Hermitage Fellow Mónica Lavín and translator-collaborator D.P. Snyder for “Translation-Traducción” on the Hermitage Beach on Friday August 9 at 6:30pm presented in partnership with UnidosNow. When done right, two writers’ literary DNA recombine to create not mere reproductions but wholly new works. What is the alchemy by which this literary magic takes place? How does such an interchange enrich the work and its readers? In this age of A.I. and ever more present translation technology, these gifted writers offer audiences a chance to explore the Spanish-English literary dynamic and the deeply human activity of understanding another person’s voice as they share insight into the intimate, generous, and empathetic act of literary translation.

On Friday August 23 at 6:30pm, audiences will experience a truly dynamic duo as 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalists Daniel & Patrick Lazour present “The Lazour Brothers: A Lifelong Collabrotion.” Musical theater has a long history of storied collaborators: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Kander & Ebb, Ahrens & Flaherty, Pasek & Paul, and now Daniel & Patrick Lazour. The Lazour Brothers are already Jonathan Larson Grant and Richard Rodgers Award recipients, and their works have been recognized by such prestigious institutions as American Repertory Theater and Lincoln Center. Blending cultures and weaving stories as eloquently as they meld musical styles, the Lazour Brothers are two of the most innovative and evocative musical storytellers working in the American theater today. Hear selections of past and upcoming works and learn what’s next for this energetic duo 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. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

2024 Hermitage Major Theater Award Winner Chris Bush to Present Program on June 7 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat is pleased to announce “Standing at the Beach’s Edge: London to Sarasota” on Friday, June 7th at 6:30pm, presented on the Hermitage Beach. This newly added program features 2024 Hermitage Major Theater Award winner Chris Bush, an Olivier Award-winning playwright, lyricist, and theater maker based in the United Kingdom, in conversation with Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. 

Bush’s impressive body of work includes the hit musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge, which recently won her an Olivier Award and a UK Theatre Award for Best Musical. Following sold-out runs at the National Theatre and Sheffield Theatres, the acclaimed production transferred to the West End earlier this year and has been heralded as “the most exciting new British musical in years” (WhatsOnStage) and “a moving and resonant piece of popular entertainment — magnificent and meaningful.” (The Times) Bush has also received UK Theatre Awards for her shows Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World and The Assassination of Katie Hopkins, celebrated by The Guardian as “an intelligent, thoughtful, and often wryly enjoyable look at the polarization of public debate in the age of social media.” Raised in Sheffield, England, Chris Bush currently lives in London, and this will be her first trip to Sarasota.

Earlier this year, Chris Bush was announced as the winner of the 2024 Hermitage Major Theater Award; she is the fourth recipient of this distinguished international honor. Bush will receive a cash prize of $35,000 USD, an extended residency at the Hermitage, and a workshop presentation in London in 2025. Bush was selected by an Award Committee that included Michael Grandage, Tony and Olivier-Award winning director of stage and screen, former Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, and current Artistic Director of the Michael Grandage Company; Tessa Ross, CBE and BAFTA Award-winning Co-CEO of House Productions; and Indhu Rubasingham, an Olivier Award-winning director, longtime Artistic Director of the Kiln Theatre, and newly announced as the incoming Director of the National Theatre. The Hermitage Major Theater Award is made possible with a generous multi-year gift to the Hermitage from Flora Major and the Kutya Major Foundation. 

In this newly announced Hermitage Beach program on June 7th, Gulf Coast residents can enjoy a candid conversation with a celebrated UK playwright, librettist, and lyricist whom London theatergoers can’t get enough of — Chris Bush. This rising star of the UK theater scene and recent winner of the Hermitage Major Theater Award will share thoughts about her career, making theater in the UK, and how she plans to reimagine Virginia Woolf’s iconic novel Orlando for the 21st century. In describing her intended Hermitage commission, currently titled Orlando (FL), Bush has shared: “This original play will be a story of transformation, translation, and self-determination. The play will follow Lana, a trans woman living in Orlando, Florida, whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a fantastical stranger. Orlando (FL)aspires to be a queer fantasia – a gloriously funny, angry, and defiant testament to the power of literature and the resilience of LGBTQ+ communities.”

Hermitage programs like this one 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. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Composer Raven Chacon and Acclaimed Visual Artist Diana Al-Hadid to Present “Visualizing Culture” 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat is pleased to announce “Visualizing Culture” on Thursday, May 23 at 6:30pm, presented on the Hermitage Beach. This special program features returning Hermitage Fellow and internationally acclaimed visual artist Diana Al-Hadid, whose work is currently on display at the Sarasota Art Museum as part of Impact: Contemporary Artists at the Hermitage Artist Retreat. She will be joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning Hermitage Fellow Raven Chacon, a celebrated composer, performer, and installation artist from Fort Defiance, Navajo Nation, alongside Candice Hopkins, a citizen of Carcross/Tagish First Nation whose curated exhibitions have traveled across the country and around the world. All three of these impressive creators will share insights into their groundbreaking processes and perspectives on the contemporary arts landscape.  

Diana Al-Hadid‘s art “is a masterclass in duality… both ancient and modern, fierce and delicate, simultaneously growing and disintegrating — reminding us there is no such thing as a fixed state.” (Vogue) ­A Syrian-born American artist, Al–Hadid examines the historical frameworks and perspectives that continue to shape discourse on culture and materials today. With a practice spanning sculpture, wall reliefs, and works on paper, Al-Hadid weaves together enigmatic narratives that draw inspiration from both ancient and modern civilizations. Her work is currently on view through July 7 at the Sarasota Art Museum as part ofImpact: Contemporary Artists at the Hermitage Artist Retreat, featuring ten Hermitage Fellows, including Hermitage Greenfield Prize winners Sanford Biggers and Trenton Doyle Hancock, and curated by Hermitage National Curatorial Council member Dan Cameron. Impact is one of two Hermitage alumni exhibitions on display at the museum, with Hermitage collaborators Anne Patterson and Patrick Harlin’s The Truth of the Night Sky on view through September 29.

As a solo performer, collaborator, and a member of Postcommodity from 2009 to 2018, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and Hermitage Fellow Raven Chacon has exhibited, performed, or had works performed at venues, museums, and galleries around the world, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Borealis Festival in Seattle, Vancouver Art Gallery, Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Adding insight and nuance to the conversation is Hermitage Fellow Candice Hopkins, whose curated exhibitions have been on view in such prestigious venues as the Venice Biennale, Toronto Biennial, and the National Gallery of Canada.          

“Visualizing Culture” is a special hour-long program being offered in addition to the Hermitage’s existing May line-up. Engaging directly with this idea through her creative expression, Diana Al-Hadid discusses her work alongside Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Raven Chacon, whose unique graphic scores capture “a concentrated and powerful musical expression with a haunting visceral impact.” (The New York Times) Candice Hopkins bridges the visual and sonic elements of the program with her celebrated insights and personal experiences. Join these three remarkable Hermitage Fellows as they offer insight into their work as the sun sets on the Hermitage Beach. 

Hermitage programs like this one 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. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.