Category: Events

Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens 2025-2026 Dates

The Hermitage Artist Retreat’s popular series, “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens,” continues into its sixth year as part of the Hermitage’s upcoming 2025-2026 season. The outdoor series — a celebrated collaboration between the Hermitage Artist Retreat 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. 

Newly announced dates for this sixth season of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” include:

  • Thursday, October 23, 2025, Downtown Sarasota campus
  • Thursday November 20, 2025, Historic Spanish Point campus
  • Thursday January 29, 2026, Downtown Sarasota campus
  • Thursday February 19, 2026, Historic Spanish Point campus
  • Thursday, March 5, 2026, Downtown Sarasota campus
  • Thursday, May 7, 2026, Downtown Sarasota campus

Start times vary with sunset and will be announced when each event opens for registration. Admission for these events has no ticket cost, though availability is subject to capacity limitations at each venue; 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 2023 Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalist Britton Smith, internationally celebrated flutist Claire Chase, world-renowned pianist and composer Vijay Iyer, Tony Award-nominated Broadway performer Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, West End composer and lyricist Mark Sonnenblick, acclaimed singer-songwriter Julian Hornik, and 2025 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Winner and sound artist Rucyl Mills. 

Previous seasons of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” have included Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Michael R. Jackson; celebrated mime and storyteller Bill Bowers; internationally renowned composer and singer Kavita Shah; award-winning Chicago playwright Terry Guest; Kleban Prize winner César Alvarez, world-renowned violinist and Beyoncé collaborator Lady Jess; Hermitage Curatorial Council member Nataki Garrett; acclaimed classical harpist Ashley Jackson; interdisciplinary performance artist Ni’Ja Whitson; opera singer and Sarasota native Thea Lobo; composer Sofía Rocha, winner of the Hermitage Prize in Composition at the Aspen Music Festival; Tony Award-winning Broadway producer Tom Kirdahy; Hermitage Major Theater Award Winner Shariffa Ali; celebrated cellist Karen Patterson; award-winning flutist Emi Ferguson with classical composer Jim Stephenson; and more.

“This sixth season of ‘Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens’ promises to be another memorable one,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Last year’s programming was instrumental in lifting our community’s spirits after the impacts of an unprecedented hurricane season. The forthcoming lineup will once again introduce audiences to some of the most dynamic artists and performers of our generation – six magical evenings set against the backdrop of these beautiful 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 our leading artists, writers, and performers. 

“We are so excited to celebrate six years of this wonderful collaboration with the Hermitage Artist Retreat,” says Selby Gardens President & CEO Jennifer Rominiecki. “Welcoming world-class Hermitage artists to our expanded bayfront sanctuary at our Downtown Sarasota and vibrant Historic Spanish Point campuses 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, Charlotte County, Manatee County, Lee 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 Announces Fourth Year of “Cross Arts Collaborative”

The Hermitage Artist Retreat is pleased to announce the fourth season of the Sarasota Cross Arts Collaborative, made possible once more with generous support from the Koski Family Foundation. This initiative is designed to give frequent performers and company members from leading Sarasota arts organizations a chance to expand their artistic practice from ‘performer’ to ‘creator.’

As with previous years, the Hermitage is awarding Cross Arts Collaborative residencies to artists from two selected partner institutions. This program is designed to inspire and encourage generative work created by some of the best and brightest in our vibrant performing arts community. Artists are invited by their respective organizations to submit proposals for consideration; finalists are then submitted to the Hermitage for consideration, and recipients are selected in consultation with current or past members of the Hermitage Curatorial Council. This year’s Cross Arts proposal review was led by world renowned flutist, Hermitage alumna, and former Curatorial Council member Claire Chase. Hermitage audiences had the opportunity to hear Chase perform in December at a Hermitage program held at Historic Spanish Point.

In the fourth season of the Hermitage’s Cross Arts Collaborative, this distinguished honor has been awarded to Shawn Allison, a musician, composer, and frequent performer with ensembleNewSRQ; and Tom Lubben, a performer, musician, and member of The Lubben Brothers, a folk trio developing music with Key Chorale. Recipients of the Cross Arts Collaborative Fellowship will receive two weeks of uninterrupted time at the Hermitage Artist Retreat on Manasota Key to develop a new generative project, and excerpts from their original work will then be shared with the Sarasota community in a free public program this December. This year’s program will be presented by the Hermitage at Nathan Benderson Park, in collaboration with ensembleNewSRQ and Key Chorale. The program highlighting the work of Shawn Allison and Tom Lubben will be held on Wednesday, December 3rd at 5pm, following their summer residencies at the Hermitage. Registration for this program will open at a later date.

The inaugural season of the Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative in 2022 awarded this opportunity to Derric Gobourne, Jr. of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe and Tsebiyah Mishael Derry through Florida Studio Theatre. In the second year of this initiative, the Hermitage hosted Lizzie Hagstedt, a musician, soundscape designer, and frequent collaborator with Asolo Repertory Theatre, and Jessica Obiedzinski, a dancer and longstanding company member of Sarasota Contemporary Dance. The 2024 Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative Fellows were Raleigh Mosely II, a frequent performer with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, and Anthony Barrese, a conductor, composer, and frequent guest artist of Sarasota Opera.

While the Hermitage’s nationally renowned residency program brings leading artists from across the country and around the world to create work on its beachfront Manasota Key campus, the Hermitage also seeks to enrich the incredible and growing arts scene in Sarasota, as showcased by performing arts institutions such as ensembleNewSRQ and Key Chorale. 

“This program is designed to offer a one-of-a-kind opportunity to some of the leading artists in Sarasota, creating space for a talented artist or performer to focus on being a generative artist,” said Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “We know there are musicians, actors, dancers, and performing artists working amidst our circle of frequent collaborators who have passion projects waiting in the wings. This could be an actor writing a play between production contracts, a musician composing a symphony after rehearsals, a dancer yearning to expand into choreography, or someone looking to work across an entirely new genre. This residency is designed for an artist who is hungry to expand their creative practice and explore a new hat within the arts and entertainment space.” Sandberg added that the Cross Arts Collaborative initiative would not be possible without the generous support of the Koski Family Foundation, longtime supporters and champions of the Hermitage.

“We are delighted that composer Shawn Allison has been selected as the recipient of the Cross Arts Collaborative residency,” said Samantha Bennett and George Nickson, Co-Artistic Directors of ensembleNewSRQ. “This partnership with the Hermitage offers a rare and meaningful opportunity to support boundary-pushing artistic voices like Shawn’s. His creative, multidisciplinary approach to composition and his desire to blend sound and storytelling through literary influence make him an ideal fit for this Hermitage residency, and we are excited to see how his work evolves through this unique collaborative platform.” 

Shawn Allison’s compositions have been described as “playful and inventive” (Chicago Sun-Times), “vividly imagistic” (Lucid Culture), “smartly crafted,” “lyrical, otherworldly,” and “intriguing” (Chicago Classical Review). Shawn seeks to connect listeners to shared emotional spaces via evocative images and symbols with mythical significance. He and his wife, pianist Abbey Allison, serve together as music co-directors at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Naples, and he is currently a visiting professor at Florida Gulf Coast University. 

“Key Chorale is thrilled to be partnering with the Hermitage through their Cross Arts Collaborative initiative,” said Joseph Caulkins, Artistic Director of Key Chorale. “This residency experience gives artists the space and time to create meaningful art. Having worked with performer and arranger Tom Lubben over the years, I know the music he creates with his time at the Hermitage will be well received. His project expands on our American Roots series in ways that will educate as well as entertain, exploring the origins of folk music in America and tracing their roots from the 40s into the early 70s. I am certain this residency will bring about great art from this exceptional artist. We are honored to be part of this initiative and looking forward to the fruits to come!”

Tom Lubben, along with his two triplet brothers, is a founding member of The Lubben Brothers, musicians pioneering original music rich in lyrical sensitivity, vocal harmonies, and the timeless, multicultural American folk tradition. For the past several years, Tom Lubben has collaborated with Joseph Caulkins and Key Chorale to create a musical program, American Storytellers, that resurrects iconic moments in American popular music and celebrates their timelessness and relevancy. The focus of this project reaches the deepest roots of what made The Lubben Brothers who they are, and has become one of the most rewarding projects Tom has adopted. Lubben has also written book, lyrics, and music for several musicals, and he has created many arrangements for he and his brothers to perform. With deep roots both in the Celtic and classical worlds, The Lubben Brothers tour nationally and have a growing catalogue of music streaming on every digital platform. 

The Hermitage’s December 3rd Cross Arts Collaborative program will open for registration in September. All 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. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

Hermitage Celebrates with Acclaimed Artists, Writers, and Performers at Alumni Reunion Party in NYC

Over two decades of Hermitage alumni came together in New York on Monday, June 2 to celebrate the lasting legacy of the Hermitage and connect with Hermitage Fellows across all artistic disciplines. Nearly 200 alumni – including Pulitzer Prize winners, Tony and Grammy Award winners, MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellows, National Book Award winners, and more – gathered together at the Sanctuary Hotel’s Haven Rooftop to commemorate the impact of this leading national and international arts organization, located on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

“Yes, the Hermitage is a beautiful and inspiring place to create, but the more than 800 extraordinary Hermitage Fellows are the true heart of the organization. These incredible artists and their experiences at the Hermitage are collectively changing the face of the artistic landscape,” said Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “They are all part of a remarkable tradition that has fostered generative artists, writers, creators, performers, and innovators, many of whom have earned national and international recognition.”

“We are a huge community of artists that cares deeply about the Hermitage’s future,” said Hermitage Fellow and trustee Doug Wright, a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright. “Going down and seeing the Hermitage campus after the hurricanes was actually devastating. However, I can’t express enough how remarkably heartening it was to see the community step up and lend their homes and support to the Hermitage while the property was being repaired. It is a powerful indication of just how much this community is behind the Hermitage and its vital importance to the future of the arts.”

The outdoor event coincided with the sunset, an iconic memory for many Hermitage Fellows, and the party featured free-flowing food and cocktails, a silent disco dance party, a photo booth, balloon artistry, and more. More importantly, the evening brought together multiple generations of Hermitage alumni to connect and reconnect as they shared stories of what they accomplished while in residence on Manasota Key, how the Hermitage has impacted their work and careers, and what the organization means to them as both artist and individuals. Sandberg briefly interrupted the party to thank everyone for coming, to encourage everyone in attendance to take a moment to recognize the collective talent in the room, and to take pride in the shared legacy of what it means to be a Hermitage Fellow. 

The Hermitage, through its expanding commitment to alumni engagement, endeavors to build upon what many of the artists in residence share as one of the most meaningful experiences of their careers. In addition to serving as a leading national arts incubator, the Hermitage annually presents two distinguished national commissions – the annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize and the Hermitage Major Theater Award, which presents workshops and readings in major arts capitals such as New York, London, and Chicago. The Hermitage is the only major arts organization in Florida committed exclusively to developing and supporting new work across all artistic disciplines. 

This moment of celebration was particularly meaningful following the two worst hurricanes in the Hermitage’s history, with Helene and Milton touching down in the fall of 2024 – less than two weeks apart. “The outpouring of love and support from our community of artists this season has been truly overwhelming,” added Sandberg. “It was an honor to celebrate with this passionate, beautifully diverse, and undeniably talented network of alumni. We are in awe of the work this community creates and privileged to continue making space for their artistry to thrive.” 

Hermitage Artist Retreat Announces Dates for 2025-2026 Benefit Events

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that the annual Hermitage Artful Lobster benefit will be held on Saturday, November 8th, 2025, from 11:30am to 2pm on Manasota Key. Now in its 17th 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 internationally renowned flutist Claire Chase, Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, acclaimed string quartet ETHEL, celebrated musical theater composer Adam Gwon, Grammy Award-nominated music director and composer Rona Siddiqui, acclaimed violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain, and more.

The 18th annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner will be held on Sunday, April 12th, 2026, starting at 6pm at Michael’s On East in downtown Sarasota. This elegant annual dinner heralds the jury-selected recipient of this prestigious prize, which will be awarded next 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 HGP winner’s newly commissioned work will have its first public presentation in Sarasota in the spring of 2028. Past performers at this event have included Tony Award-winning Hermitage Fellows Gavin Creel and Rachel Bay Jones, Tony Award nominee Eden Espinosa, Grammy Award-winning 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: Rucyl Mills, sound artist/composer (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).

Hermitage Returns to the Beach with New Program in June

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces its return to Hermitage Beach on Manasota Key on Thursday, June 26th. This will be the first public program presented on the Hermitage Beach since the devastating impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The Hermitage campus, along with many neighbors and friends on Manasota Key and throughout the region, experienced an unprecedented storm surge from Hurricane Helene in September, followed by even greater damages caused by Hurricane Milton less than two weeks later. This newly announced program – “Key Change: A Return to the Beach!” – marks a significant milestone for the Hermitage’s recovery efforts and a return to beach programming on Manasota Key.

Returning Hermitage Fellows and award-winning musical theater writers, the Lazour Brothers and Mark Sonnenblick, will join forces for this special program, sharing their original songs as they help to welcome audiences back to the Hermitage Beach for the first time in many months. Sonnenblick and the Lazour Brothers were represented earlier in the Hermitage’s 2024-2025 season with two of the most memorable Hermitage programs in recent memory. Fresh from his West End collaboration with Elton John on The Devil Wears Prada, Sonnenblick beguiled Hermitage audiences at Selby Gardens in January with an in-depth look at the elusive process by which songs are written and incorporated into a narrative musical. Back in August of 2024, in one of the last Hermitage Beach programs before the hurricanes hit our shores, the Lazour Brothers offered a stripped-down acoustic set of songs from their acclaimed musical We Live in Cairo, just a few short weeks before it opened Off-Broadway. Sonnenblick’s The Devil Wears Prada continues to be a success in London and stars Vanessa Williams. Daniel and Patrick Lazour recently received a number of nominations in this year’s New York theater award season for We Live in Cairo. Join these celebrated composers, lyricists, and librettists for a triumphant return to the Hermitage’s celebrated beach programing Thursday, June 26th at 6:30pm. 

Since the fall hurricane season, the Hermitage has continued its expansive programming throughout Sarasota and the greater Gulf Coast region. The Hermitage team worked swiftly in the aftermath of the storms to remediate the historic buildings and grounds, and to remove nearly eight feet of sand that covered much of the campus following the unprecedented storm surge. Due to ongoing repairs to the neighboring Blind Pass Park and various permit and procurement procedures mandated by Sarasota County, the Hermitage was not permitted to continue its repairs on the buildings. The Hermitage welcomed artists back to the historic Hermitage House in late January, while other buildings remain offline. This public program on June 26th will be the first opportunity since the hurricanes for the public to experience one of the Hermitage’s iconic free beach programs.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome audiences back to the Hermitage Beach for what promises to be an unforgettable evening with the incredible talents of Mark Sonnenblick and the Lazour Brothers,” said Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Immediately prior to Helene and Milton, we had just completed a campus-wide restoration that had the Hermitage buildings and grounds in the best condition they had ever been, and we are passionately committed to achieving that same goal in the coming weeks and months. If we had not encountered unexpected impediments to our reopening, our driven team would have had the Hermitage campus fully re-opened months ago – particularly with the outpouring of enthusiasm, love, and support from our passionate audiences and generous donors. Nevertheless, we remain resolute in our goals and our commitment to serving this great community with one-of-a-kind arts programming!”

Hermitage Fellows Daniel Lazour & Patrick Lazour, brothers and musical theater writers, were finalists for the 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize. Their musical We Live in Cairo premiered at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge and recently had an acclaimed Off-Broadway run at New York Theatre Workshop, earning a 2025 Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Musical and Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Music, among other accolades. Projects in development include a musical adaptation of Ritesh Batra’s film The Lunchbox at Lincoln Center Theater and their sing-along theater experiment about patients and caregivers, Night Side Songs, as a co-production at A.R.T. and Philadelphia Theater Company. Their movie musical Challenger: An American Dream is being developed with Bruce Cohen Productions. Original songs by the Lazours can be heard on their independently released albums Freres, Flap My Wings (Songs from We Live in Cairo), Beth’s Homemade Cowboy Breakfast, and Lullabies. Upon hearing about the hurricane damage at the Hermitage, the Lazours commented, “We were at the Hermitage just before rehearsals began for We Live in Cairo, and it was paradisaic being there on Manasota Key. Our residency at the Hermitage was a critical time and space with so much productivity, so to see that calm upended by the storms was devastating.”

Hermitage Fellow Mark Sonnenblick is an Emmy Award and Drama Desk Award-nominated songwriter for theater, film, and television. His projects include the current West End production of The Devil Wears Prada, starring Vanessa Williams, written in collaboration with Elton John, Shaina Taub, and Kate Wetherhead. His production of Theater Camp with Ben Platt and Molly Gordon earned a Sundance Special Jury Award, and Spirited, staring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell, appeared on the Oscars shortlist. Lyle Lyle Crocodile, with Shawn Mendes and Constance Wu, is a family favorite. On the stage front, Sonnenblick’s musical Midnight at the Never Get was nominated for Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle Awards and was a New York Times Critic’s Pick. Sonnenblick’s production of The Independents was awarded Best Production by Fringe NYC and was also a New York Times Critic’s Pick. Sonnenblick collaborates with writers across multiple genres, including Elton John, Pasek and Paul, and The Black Label. Beyond his Hermitage Fellowship, he’s won a Jonathan Larson Award, the Harold Adamson Award, a MAC Award for “Show of the Year,” and his music has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. “The Hermitage is where you go and have the rare opportunity to work on – and then share – the art and performance that comes from your heart,” said Sonnenblick during his last Hermitage program.

All 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. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org. 

Hermitage Announces May 30 Program at WBTT Featuring nicHi douglas and Sam Steiner

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces its newest May program, “Movement of Body and Story,” on Friday, May 30th at 4pm, featuring award-winning choreographer, playwright, and director nicHi douglas, alongside acclaimed UK playwright and screenwriter Sam Steiner, a recent finalist for the Hermitage Major Theater Award. This event will be presented at and in collaboration with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.

In this two-part ‘master class’ experience, two award-winning Hermitage Fellows and theater artists at the top of their game explore how the mind moves the body and the body inspires the mind. Choreographer and experimental theater-maker nicHi douglas is fresh from the news of winning the prestigious Callaway Award and Lucille Lortel Award, honoring nicHi’s exceptional work Off-Broadway with the production of (pray)as a multi-hyphenate playwright, director, and choreographer. UK playwright and Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist Sam Steiner visits the Hermitage from London, where his work has been produced on the West End and beyond. His acclaimed plays have been translated into a dozen different languages and performed all over the world. This international playwright and screenwriter’s subjects are as wide-ranging as the cultures that have embraced his work – from draconian censorship laws to Kayne West and table tennis, Steiner mines theatrical and cinematic gold in some of the most unexpected places. Sam Steiner’s Hermitage Artist Residency is generously sponsored by Sondra & Gerald Biller, and the Hermitage Major Theater Award is made possible with generous support from Flora Major and the Kutya Major Foundation.

Hermitage Fellow nicHi douglas, based in Brooklyn, is a Lucille Lortel, AUDELCO, Callaway, and Princess Grace Award-winning experimental theater and dance maker who is interested in leading community care centered creative processes. They are an Assistant Arts Professor at NYU/Tisch, where they teach dance and movement methodologies. The critically acclaimed theater project (pray), for which douglas served as the playwright, director, and choreographer, won the 2024 Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, Best Director, and Best Ensemble. Reconstructing (Still Working but the Devil Might Be Inside), a new play created by The TEAM and choregraphed by douglas, will have upcoming presentations at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). 

2024 Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist Sam Steiner is a playwright and screenwriter from Manchester, England. Among his acclaimed stage plays is Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, which has been performed all over the world in over a dozen languages and made its West End debut in 2023. For film, Steiner co-wrote the film Fingernails, starring Jesse Buckley, Riz Ahmed, and Jeremy Allen White, as well as the upcoming film Rich Flu, directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrrutia and starring Mary-Elizabeth Winstead and Rafe Spall. His current feature film slate includes Morning, which Justin Kurzel will direct; Laura Dern, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Noah Jupe will star with Cumberbatch’s SunnyMarch producing. Steiner is also working on the original horror film Banquet and an original feature drama The Endling. 

All 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. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org. 

Hermitage Announces New May Programs Featuring Two Tony Award Nominees

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces two new programs in May, with additional May and June programming to be opened for registration in the coming weeks. The next edition of “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” will feature two Tony Award-nominated Hermitage Fellows, Broadway star Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Spamalot, Beetlejuice, “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) and playwright Bess Wohl (Liberation, Grand Horizons, Camp Siegfried).

From the bright lights of Broadway to the bold and innovative work of Off-Broadway, returning Hermitage Fellows Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Bess Wohl have left an indelible mark on the American theater scene. From Kritzer’s powerhouse vocals and comedic timing to Wohl’s gift for hilarious and incisive observation of the human experience, these Tony Award nominees are two of the most in-demand artists of stage and screen. Join Kritzer and Wohl for the latest “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” program on Friday, May 16th at 6:30pm at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point, to take a look back, a look forward, and hear some of the music and words that have fueled both of their remarkable careers.    

Returning Hermitage Fellow Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer is a recent Tony Award nominee for her showstopping turn as ‘Lady of the Lake’ in the Broadway revival of Spamalot. She previously starred on Broadway as Delia in Beetlejuice, for which she received Drama Desk, Drama League, and Chita Rivera Award nominations. Television audiences will be familiar with Kritzer’s portrayal of comedy legend Carol Burnett in the series finale of “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Her additional Broadway credits include Something Rotten, Legally Blonde, A Catered Affair (Drama Desk nom.), and more. She received dual Lucille Lortel Award nominations for her performances in Gigantic and The Robber Bridegroom, winning for the latter. Sarasota audiences have previously seen Kritzer perform alongside Andy Sandberg in the Hermitage 20thAnniversary Concert at the Van Wezel, on the Hermitage Beach presenting her original work as a writer, at the 2023 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, and at the 2024 Hermitage Artful Lobster.

Hermitage Fellow Bess Wohl’s plays include the current hit Off-Broadway production of Liberation(Roundabout) and the recent Off-Broadway run of Camp Siegfried (Second Stage); both of these original plays were developed in part while Bess was in residence at the Hermitage Artist Retreat on Manasota Key. Wohl’s Broadway premiere of Grand Horizons earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Play, in addition to the Outer Critics Circle Honor and a Drama League Award nomination. Her plays have been produced and developed at acclaimed theaters in New York and around the country, including Second Stage, Roundabout, Manhattan Theater Club, Goodman Theater, Geffen Playhouse, and more. Her impressive body of work includes the award-winning play Small Mouth Sounds (Off-Broadway); Barcelona, starring Lily Collins (West End); Make Believe; and more. Wohl is a graduate of Harvard and the Yale School of Drama.

All 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. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org. Additional programs will be announced soon.

Composer and Sound Artist Rucyl Mills Honored as Part of the 17th Annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Weekend

The annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner on Sunday, April 6th honored composer and sound artist Rucyl Mills. This was the central event of a three-day celebration, hosted by the Hermitage Artist Retreat(Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO) in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation. The gala evening was presented at Michael’s on East and featured inspiring performances from Tony and Emmy Award-nominated Broadway star Eden Espinosa (Wicked, Rent, Lempicka), accompanied by pianist Joseph Holt; original songs by Hermitage Fellow and Jonathan Larson Grant recipient Julian Hornik; a performance of Hermitage Fellow Zoe Sarnak’s music by Maicy Powell; and an appearance from acclaimed visual artist and Hermitage alumna Anne Patterson. The annual gala raised nearly $350,000 in support of the Hermitage’s mission, in addition to the Greenfield Foundation’s annual gift of $175,000. The festive evening was co-chaired by Robyn & Charles Citrin and Arthur Siciliano & B.Aline Blanchard. Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg served as master of ceremonies. As this year’s HGP recipient, Mills receives a $35,000 commission, along with an extended residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat.

The Hermitage Greenfield Prize (HGP) Dinner kicked off with an uplifting Hermitage video showcasing hurricane recovery efforts across campus and featuring excerpts from a robust season of Hermitage community programs. The inspirational video was followed by a powerhouse performance from Maicy Powell singing “Open Water” from the musical Afloat, which was developed in part at the Hermitage by Fellows Zoe Sarnak and Emily Kaczmarek. Andy Sandberg took the stage as master of ceremonies and spoke about the legacy and impact of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize, thanking Hermitage supporters, friends, and partners. This was followed by a brief video encapsulating the level of talent and the impact that the Hermitage Greenfield Prize has on the greater artistic landscape as well as the spotlight this prestigious award shines the region. Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and 2025 HGP juror Amy Cassello described Rucyl’s charismatic sound and performance as “embodied experience,” adding that “you can feel that level of love and engagement” in her work. Andy Sandberg retook the stage to introduce the evening’s headliner – Tony and Emmy Award nominated Broadway star Eden Espinosa. Espinosa won over the audience with a memorable rendition of Neil Diamond’s “Play Me,” followed by a powerful rendition of “Woman Is” from her Tony Award-nominated turn as Tamara de Lempicka, the title role of the recent Broadway musical Lempicka (co-written by Hermitage alum Carson Kreitzer). Accompanying the evening on piano was Joseph Holt. 

“I’m so honored to be here tonight to give my time and talents to a wonderful organization that fosters new works, new creations, and new energy within the creative arts,” said Espinosa when speaking about the importance of the Hermitage. “Lempicka was in development for fifteen years, and I gave eleven glorious years to this piece, so it just goes to show you never how long it might take – but it’s worth the wait.”

After a dinner provided by Michael’s On East, the festivities continued with a congratulatory video from past Hermitage Greenfield Prize winners Deepa Purohit (2024), Angélica Negrón (2022), and one of the first to receive the honor, four-time Tony Award nominee Craig Lucas (2009). Hermitage Fellow and world-renowned visual artist Anne Patterson then took the stage with a heartfelt expression of appreciation for outgoing President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County (CFSC), Roxie Jerde. While at the helm of the CFSC, Jerde has been an integral supporter of the Hermitage and the Hermitage Greenfield Prize programming, as the lead community sponsor for nearly a decade. This was followed by a special appearance from renowned singer, musician, and Hermitage Fellow Julian Hornik, who charmed the audience with stories from his recent Hermitage residency and unforgettable performances of his original songs “Did I Miss It” composed while at the Hermitage earlier this year, and “James (Hush)” – drawing a parallel between author James Baldwin’s writing escapes on Fire Island and the invaluable gift of time and space that the Hermitage provides to artists on Manasota Key. 

Following Hornik’s performance, Sandberg presented Rucyl Mills with this year’s Hermitage Greenfield Prize. “I’m so honored and grateful to be in this line-up,” said Mills in her acceptance speech. “The legacy of the artists who have won this award before me is truly remarkable. I’m thrilled to be able to spend time in residence at the Hermitage, where the air and incredible sounds of this part of our country will be all around me and informing my creative process. I can’t wait to get started!” 

To close out this memorable night after an enthusiastic paddle raise, Eden Espinosa returned to the stage. “The world can be heavy sometimes these days,” said Espinosa. “It’s rooms like this that make my heart feel lighter and give me hope.” She took the audience’s breath away with her unforgettable rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine.” 

“This was a truly remarkable evening and a joyful celebration of music and this incredible prize,” said Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “It was an honor to celebrate Rucyl Mills, and we can’t wait to introduce her original commission to our Gulf Coast community. It was thrilling to hear unforgettable live performances from Eden Espinosa and original songs by Julian Hornik, along with inspiring remarks and performances from Anne Patterson, Maicy Powell, Joe Holt, and more. We are so grateful to the Greenfield Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and all our sponsors and donors for their belief in our mission and the support of new work.”

The annual Prize Dinner anchored a series of events celebrating the impact and legacy of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize. The weekend kicked off on Friday, April 4th with two Hermitage premieres from 2023 HGP recipients Rennie Harris and Sandy Rodriguez at The Ringling. Los Angeles-based visual artist Sandy Rodriguez’s original exhibition Currents of Resistance opened at The Ringling’s Keith D. Monda Gallery, representing the latest in a series of collaborative exhibitions featuring Hermitage Greenfield Prize-winning visual artists at The Ringling, beginning with Sanford Biggers’ 2012 exhibition Codex. Rodriguez’s exhibition is on view now through August 10th. Rennie Harris, the first Hermitage Greenfield Prize recipient in the field of Dance & Choreography, offered two premiere presentations of his original dance piece Losing My Religion at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, with his acclaimed dance company Rennie Harris Puremovement. Then on Saturday, April 5th at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point, Hermitage audiences had a chance to “Meet Rucyl!” This event included an in-depth conversation with this year’s 2025 HGP Winner, offering an introduction to her work and career, as well as insight into her plans for this new commission and a sampling of Mills’ past work. 

The Hermitage Greenfield Prize is presented in partnership with the Philadelphia-based Greenfield Foundation, who launched this initiative with the Hermitage in 2009. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County once again served as the lead community sponsor for this year’s festivities.

Mills was selected by a distinguished jury that included Amy Cassello, Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM); Lia Camille Crockett, music curator for organizations such as NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, SXSW, and the founder of Parcha Projects; and Grammy Award-winning conductor and composer Robert Spano, Music Director at the Aspen Music Festival and Music Director Laureate for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. For her Hermitage commission, Mills plans to investigate our relationship to superstructures, which constitute a major part of the universe so massive that they challenge our understanding of how our universe evolved. Superstructures interact in ways that can be interpreted as vibrations or waves, which are analogous to sound in certain contexts. Mills will create a score that maps waves of pressure and gravity on to sonic frequencies, turning data into audio signals for the audience to interpret, allowing the listener to ‘hear’ cosmic events.

Tony and Emmy Award Nominee Eden Espinosa to Perform at 2025 HGP Dinner

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO) today announced that Tony and Emmy Award nominee Eden Espinosa will perform at the 2025 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner on Sunday, April 6th. 

Eden Espinosa is known for her Tony Award and Drama League-nominated performance as Tamera De Lempicka in the Broadway production of Lempicka, with concept, book, and lyrics by Hermitage Fellow Carson Kreitzer. Variety raved “Espinosa, starring in the title role, brings both luminosity and strength to her powerful performance.” Eden’s career as an actress, singer, and voiceover artist has spanned two decades on stage and screen. She is widely recognized for her critically acclaimed portrayals of Elphaba in Wicked (Broadway, Los Angeles, and San Francisco) and Maureen in the closing Broadway company of Rent. Espinosa’s passions also have extended to the development of new works, stemming from her early years originating the title role of the Broadway cult favorite Brooklyn the Musical, to more recently starring in Michael John LaChuisa’s The Gardens of Anuncia at Lincoln Center. Espinosa can be seen on television in roles on Brilliant Minds, The Equalizer, and FBI: Most Wanted. As a voiceover artist, Eden was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work as the Queen of Hearts in Disney’s Alice’s Wonderland Bakery.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Eden Espinosa to perform at our 17th annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner,” says Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Eden is an extraordinary talent who is widely celebrated in the Broadway community as a brilliant interpreter of new and original works. We’re delighted she can join us on for this year’s celebration of music honoring 2025 HGP recipient Rucyl Mills.”

Mills was selected by a distinguished jury that included Amy Cassello, Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM); Lia Camille Crockett, music curator for organizations such as NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, SXSW, and the founder of Parcha Projects; and Grammy Award-winning conductor and composer Robert Spano, Music Director at the Aspen Music Festival and Music Director Laureate for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.  

This year’s event co-chairs are Robyn and Charles Citrin and Arthur Siciliano and B.Aline Blanchard. 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. Additional sponsors include Gulf Coast Community Foundation, The Herald Tribune, and Sarasota Magazine. A full list of this year’s sponsors, benefactors, and partners can be found at https://HermitageArtistRetreat.org/HGPDinner2025/.

Sponsorship levels for this Hermitage Spring benefit range from $1,500 to $10,000. Tables and sponsorships may be purchased by contacting Hermitage Development Director at (941) 475-2098, Ext. 2. The event has extremely limited capacity remaining. 

The 2025 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Weekend Events

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO) announced today that 2025 Hermitage Greenfield Prize winner Rucyl Mills will have her first public Hermitage program at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point. Combining jazz, avant-garde R&B, hip-hop, and more through a unique blend of electronics and vocals, Rucyl’s sound art is grounded in a belief that humanity can evolve and find new forms of creative expression. Join the Hermitage on Saturday, April 5th at 5:30pm for this free community event: “Meet Rucyl!” – An Hour with 2025 Hermitage Greenfield Prize winner Rucyl Mills, a creative process exploration and sampling of musical work from this artist blazing a trail to the future of music. 

Rucyl Mills is an American sound artist and an original member of the politically charged hip-hop group The Goats, performing internationally alongside bands like Bad Brains, Fishbone, and The Beastie Boys. Her creative methodologies deeply lean on punk, early dancehall, lovers rock, black folk, new wave, hip-hop, jazz, and experimental musical genres that celebrate anti-conventional compositional structure and performance as protest. Her preferred palette of electronic instruments and experimental softwarerepresents her belief that humanity can gracefully evolve using technology in art by democratizing access and fostering new forms of creative expression and collaboration. Inspired by the experimental jazz musician Sun Ra, Mills co-founded Saturn Never Sleeps, an improvisational futuretronic label and audiovisual group. Mills has created interactive musical experiences, including the “Chakakhantroller,” a wearable MIDI controller for solo audiovisual performance; and “Sound Prism,” a solar-powered interactive installation that explores sound as a physical representation of the frequencies of the color spectrum.

The following night, Rucyl Mills will be celebrated at the 17th annual Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner on Sunday, April 6th, a benefit for the Hermitage Artist Retreat, starting at 6pm at Michael’s On East (Sarasota, Florida). The event will feature live musical performances. Past performers have included 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 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 winner’s newly commissioned work will have its first public presentation in Sarasota in the spring of 2027. The Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration is presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation, with Community Foundation of Sarasota County serving as Lead Community Sponsor. Additional sponsors include Gulf Coast Community Foundation, The Herald Tribune, and Sarasota Magazine. Event Co-Chairs for this year’s gala dinner are Robyn & Charles Citrin and Arthur Siciliano & B.Aline Blanchard. A full list of this year’s sponsors can be found at https://HermitageArtistRetreat.org/HGPDinner2025/.

Sponsorship levels for this Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, the organization’s spring benefit, range from $1,500 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 event has extremely limited capacity remaining. 

In addition to the free community event with Rucyl Mills on April 5th and the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner on April 6th, the 2025 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Celebration will welcome commission premieres from 2023 HGP recipients Rennie Harris and Sandy Rodriguez at The Ringling. Los Angeles-based visual artist Sandy Rodriguez’s original exhibition Currents of Resistance will be on view in The Ringling’s Keith D. Monda Gallery and represents the latest in a series of collaborative exhibitions featuring Hermitage Greenfield Prize-winning visual artists at The Ringling, beginning with Sanford Biggers’ 2012 exhibition Codex. Rodriguez’s exhibition will be on view to museum visitors from April 5th through August 10th. Rennie Harris, the first Hermitage Greenfield Prize recipient in the field of Dance & Choreography, will offer the first public presentations of his original dance piece Losing My Religion at the Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater on the evenings of April 4th and 5th, with his acclaimed dance company Rennie Harris Puremovement.