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Hermitage Receives $12,000,000 Gift of Land and Property on Manasota Key

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO) announced today that the organization has received an unprecedented gift of land and property from the Morrison and Steans family. Located less than half a mile from the Hermitage’s existing home on Manasota Key, this property will more than double the Hermitage’s capacity for its celebrated artist residency program. The total appraised value of the gift is approximately $12,000,000, making this one of the largest land gifts of its kind to a nonprofit arts organization.

The Gulf-to-Bay property spans 6.5 acres of land and is comprised of five main structures. These buildings will provide additional accommodations for the nonprofit’s renowned artist-in-residence program. Generative artists, writers, and performers are invited by nomination to enjoy multi-week residencies on Manasota Key, where they receive the gift of time and space in an inspirational setting to develop new works of theater, music, visual art, literature, dance, and more.

The Morrison and Steans families – comprised of seven siblings and cousins – made this gift to the Hermitage in honor of their parents: Harrison I. Steans, Lois M. Steans, Harold M. Morrison, and Adeline S. Morrison. “Our parents believed in the mission and values of the Hermitage, and they understood first-hand the inspiration and importance of its Manasota Key home,” said the families in a joint statement. “We donate this property to the Hermitage Artist Retreat filled with hope that it will always remain a place of kindness and tolerance, where invited artists feel welcome; a place for fostering community, collaboration, connectivity, and conversations; a place of inspiration and creation; and a place that stewards the rich ecology and diversity of nature.” Adeline Morrison remains an engaged and enthusiastic supporter of the Hermitage, along with her four daughters, three nieces, and their respective families.

“Our family has a longstanding commitment to the Manasota Key community and its environmental preservation, and we share a collective belief in the power of nature and art to enrich lives,” added the Morrisons and Steans. “Under Andy’s leadership, the Hermitage has demonstrated that its mission and values enhance and enrich the community of the Key immeasurably, while also adding immeasurable value to the global artistic landscape. We have been impressed with Andy’s ambitious vision for the organization, and we are grateful for the beautiful gift that the Hermitage is to Manasota Key, seamlessly integrating its exceptional artists-in-residence program with this beachfront oasis.”

“This transformative gift from the Morrison and Steans family is a game-changer for the future of the Hermitage,” said Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “The family’s belief in the mission and values of the organization is deeply moving, and we do not take for granted what an unbelievable gift this is. This property will allow the Hermitage to not only serve individual artists, but also to uplift and support more collaborative ventures and project residencies – developing works that will be seen across the globe in major presenting halls, Broadway stages, concert venues, leading museums and galleries, bookstores, and cinemas.”

The properties were originally built by the prominent Vanderbilt family, who settled on Manasota Key in the early 1950s. The Steans and Morrisons ultimately acquired the properties from Samuel and Lydia Auchincloss in 1987. For the past four decades, the Steans and Morrisons have used these homes as a retreat for their seven daughters and their respective families and guests.

The properties were officially transferred to the Hermitage in 2025 in pursuit of the organization’s mission: to foster and inspire the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time. This is the largest single gift the Hermitage has ever received in its twenty-three-year history, and one of the largest land gifts of its kind to a nonprofit arts organization.

As the Hermitage has grown, physical capacity has sometimes presented a challenge for the aspirational goals of the organization. In recent years, the Morrison and Steans family invited the nonprofit to host artists-in-residence as their guests when the Hermitage needed overflow accommodations. Since the fall of 2024, following the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton on the Hermitage’s historic buildings, the Morrison and Steans families generously invited the Hermitage to expand its use of their properties. Unlike the historic Hermitage property up the road, the newly donated properties suffered minimal damage from the storms.

“This extraordinary family’s demonstration of their belief in the mission and values of the Hermitage is the truest form of philanthropy,” added Sandberg. “This unparalleled gift gives new life to the future of the organization as we plan for the lasting legacy of the Hermitage, deepening our roots on Manasota Key as we continue to broaden the Hermitage’s reach and impact both nationally and internationally.”

This newly gifted property is also the Hermitage Artist Retreat’s first ownership of land, as the nonprofit organization has been a longstanding tenant of Sarasota County in its properties adjacent to Blind Pass Beach. Nevertheless, the nonprofit organization has no intention of abandoning its original Manasota Key home, where the Hermitage has a lease with Sarasota County that currently allows for extensions up through 2055.

“This new property is intended as an expansion, not a replacement,” added Sandberg. “To have a property of our own where we can host additional artists in residence is deeply meaningful. This will allow us to broaden the reach and impact of our Hermitage programming, and to dream even bigger about the possibilities for project residencies, artistic collaborations, and more.”

*The Hermitage Artist Retreat on Manasota Key – Historic Campus (North) and Newly Gifted Residences (South)*

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

“The Hermitage is an organization that is deeply committed to celebrating the freedom of artistic expression, offering necessary space and time for artists to ruminate, conjure, and create,” said two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. “I had the opportunity to visit the Hermitage as a Fellow, and I have more recently held the honor of serving on the Curatorial Council. This extraordinary gift of expansion to the Hermitage will provide wonderful new possibilities for collaboration and invention.”

“This is one of the most heavenly and inspiring places on earth, and the interdisciplinary nature of the Hermitage’s programming is deeply connected to its roots on Manasota Key,” added internationally renowned flutist Claire Chase. “It is thrilling to imagine how this gift will allow the Hermitage to expand its already visionary possibilities.”

“I have developed my plays Liberation and Camp Siegfried at the Hermitage, among other new projects, and I cannot express to you how vital this magical place is to the cultural fabric of our society,” said Tony Award-nominated playwright Bess Wohl, whose hit Broadway play Liberation shared some of its earliest excerpts on the Hermitage Beach. “I recently had the opportunity to stay at this new property as a guest of the Morrison and Steans family, and to know that this land has now been entrusted to Hermitage for its mission gives me so much joy and hope for the future of all the incredible work that will be made there for generations to come.”

“The Hermitage is one of those rare places where there’s no limit on what you can explore,” said acclaimed choreographer Lorenzo ‘Rennie’ Harris. “My dancers and I were among the first to experience the generosity of this new property, and hearing that this inspiring property will be in the hands of the Hermitage forever gives me so much hope for the future. Anything and everything are possible at the Hermitage, and I am so grateful to know there are kind and generous people who believe so passionately in the mission of this remarkable place.”

“This is a monumental accomplishment for the Hermitage and a triumph for the countless artists and audiences who will benefit from this profoundly generous donation,” added Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Hermitage alumnus and trustee Doug Wright. “The Hermitage is championing artists at the most critical stage of their process, and the inspiration behind so many of the works created at the Hermitage has been deeply influenced by the magic of Manasota Key. This expansion is a thrilling gift to our cultural society. Now, what dreams may come!”

“Seeing this gift come to fruition is nothing short of a dream come true,” added Sandberg. “It has also been a great pleasure getting to know the extended Morrison and Steans families,” added Sandberg. “I had the privilege of meeting Addie Morrison when I first joined the Hermitage six years ago. Since then, I have enjoyed getting to know the family as neighbors, friends, and supporters. Sitting down with the seven cousins to discuss our shared goals has been inspiring and invigorating. Collectively and individually, the Steans and Morrisons are good-hearted, passionate, and thoughtfully intelligent people. We are honored that they have entrusted us with their family’s legacy on Manasota Key.”

In addition to its commitment as an arts incubator, the Hermitage takes pride in its commitment to ecological preservation. The organization has invested significantly over the years in planting native flora and removing invasive species from its Manasota Key home. “The Hermitage is deeply committed to caring for this land and these unique coastal properties,” said Emeritus Trustee and longtime Manasota Key resident Larry Bold. “As we have demonstrated with the commitment, care, and resources we have put into the properties down the road, the Hermitage Board and team take our role as stewards of the land very seriously, and we know the Morrison and Steans families have put great trust in the Hermitage for the future of this land. We do not take the responsibility lightly, and as we have always done, the Hermitage intends to be both attentive caretakers and thoughtful neighbors.”

The Hermitage Board of Trustees recognizes this new ownership of property will mean an increase to the annual operating budget, and they are eager to embrace this next chapter. “This has been an incredible period of growth for our organization,” noted Board President Carole Crosby. “The organization is ripe for continued expansion, and we are hopeful that this extremely generous gift from the Morrison and Steans families will inspire others to recognize the value of supporting this vital arts organization.”

“We are excited about what this will mean for the future of the organization,” added Andy Sandberg. “This milestone gift is setting the Hermitage on a thrilling trajectory, with new opportunities and possibilities on the horizon.”

Since assuming his role as Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage in January of 2020, Sandberg has guided the organization through a period of significant growth and expansion. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and three of the region’s most devastating hurricanes, Sandberg and the Hermitage team have dramatically expanded the organization’s live programming; introduced dozens of new regional, national, and international collaborations; grown the organization’s annual revenue by nearly 5X; and overseen two of the largest nonprofit theater-commissioning initiatives in America. The Hermitage is now recognized as one of the preeminent new works incubators in the United States, celebrating and elevating the voices of diverse and accomplished artists spanning theater, music, visual art, dance, film, literature, and more. Beyond his role at the Hermitage, Sandberg is a director, writer, and Tony Award-winning producer whose theatrical work has been represented in New York, London, and throughout the U.S.

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

Hermitage Announces New February Programs

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

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

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

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

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

Hermitage Announces New January Programs

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hermitage Raises Over $450,000 at Artful Lobster – a Record Breaker!

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) raised over $450,000 at the 2025 Hermitage Artful Lobster on Saturday, November 8^th. This annual event raises valuable funds for the Hermitage’s internationally renowned artist residency program, supporting the creative process of artists from around the world in the fields of music, theater, visual art, literature, dance, and more. This year’s event returned to the Hermitage’s historic beachfront campus on Manasota Key after being displaced by the hurricanes in 2024. Over 200 guests attended the sold-out luncheon, where Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg served as the master of ceremonies.

The event featured performances from Tony Award nominated Broadway star Betsy Wolfe (Death Becomes Her; Waitress; & Juliet); Latvian guitarist and Hermitage Fellow Matīss Čudars, the 2023 recipient of the Hermitage Prize in Composition; and 2024 Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative Fellow Raleigh Mosely II.

Following welcome remarks from Andy Sandberg who reflected on the past year and expressed gratitude to the larger Hermitage community, Raleigh Mosely II kicked off the musical entertainment with an unforgettable performance of “The Only One,” written by Tony Award-winning Hermitage Fellow Gavin Creel. This song was from Creel’s musical Walk on Through, which was developed in part at the Hermitage prior to Creel’s passing. Sandberg noted that this performance in Gavin’s honor was intended to celebrate the legacy of this beloved performer and Hermitage alum. Shortly thereafter, the event’s headliner Betsy Wolfe took to the stage to share two songs from original musicals she’s developed. This included “The Shape of Things” from the new musical Joy, with music and lyrics by Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist AnnMarie Milazzo. After lunch, guitarist Matīss Čudars, the 2023 recipient of the Hermitage Prize in Composition at the Aspen Music Festival & School, delighted the audience with a guitar performance of his original composition “Vilcienā,” as well as a memorable rendition of the Beatles’ “Let it Be.” Following a brief video presentation about the impact of the hurricanes in the past season, Betsy Wolfe returned for a poignant rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” to highlight the Hermitage’s recovery efforts. After a highly successful and enthusiastic paddle raise led by Sandberg with some help from “Artsy” the Artful Lobster, Wolfe closed out the event with the pop anthem “Domino,” featured in the musical & Juliet, for which Wolfe received a Tony Award nomination. Sarasota musician and frequent Hermitage collaborator Joseph Holt performed alongside both Wolfe and Mosely on the keys. Between sponsorships and the paddle raise, the event raised over $450,000 in support of the Hermitage mission: to inspire and foster the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time.

“This year’s Artful Lobster was an event to remember and an especially meaningful celebration of resilience as we returned to the Hermitage campus,” said Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “We are thankful to all who attended and supported this year’s festivities. The generous outpouring of support for the work we are doing at the Hermitage is a demonstration of our community’s extraordinary commitment to the arts and the creative process.”

This year’s Artful Lobster was co-chaired by Sondra & Gerald Biller and Michael & Carol Clark. Sponsors and partners for the 2025 Artful Lobster included Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Key Agency, Herald-Tribune / Local IQ, and SRQ Media. A full list of this year’s sponsors and partners can be found at HermitageArtistRetreat.org/ArtfulLobster2025.

New Program on December 18 at Bookstore1 Features Joseph Earl Thomas

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces a new December program. This newly announced event, “The Fantasy of Reality,” is scheduled for Thursday, December 18^th at 6pm, at Bookstore1 in downtown Sarasota. “The Fantasy of Reality” features award-winning Hermitage Fellow Joseph Earl Thomas, who straddles form, from memoir and nonfiction to fiction and poetry. Thomas is celebrated for his distinctive style that often pushes expectations, and his work often plays with the boundaries between fantasy and reality. His memoir Sink was hailed as “extraordinary” by The New York Times. Past Hermitage Fellow and National Book Award winner Justin Torres said Thomas’ novel God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer “reads like direct communication from the soul.” Thomas’ Hermitage Residency is generously sponsored by Georgia Court.

Joseph Earl Thomas is the author of several published books, including Sink, a memoir, longlisted for the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award and shortlisted for the Patrick Saroyan International Writing Prize; the novel God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer, longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Literary Excellence, finalist for the LA Times Art Seidenbaum Award, and winner of the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize; and the forthcoming story collection Leviathan Beach. Thomas’ prose and poetry have been published or are forthcoming in The Kenyon Review, The Paris Review, The Verge, Harper’s, Virginia Quarterly Review, Vanity Fair, The Yale Review, TheMassachusetts Review, and Dilettante Army. A graduate of Notre Dame’s MFA program in prose, he earned his PhD in English from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the writing faculty at Sarah Lawrence College as well as low residency MFA programs at Holy Family and Randolph Colleges, Thomas teaches courses in Black Studies, Poetics, Video Games, Queer Theory and more at the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research.

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.

Nov. 20 Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens Features Migdalia Cruz and Lauren Marcus

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces the newest program in its “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” series, an ongoing partnership with Marie Selby Botanical Gardens that was established six years ago. This new program, “An Evening of Scenes & Songs,” is scheduled for Thursday, November 20^th at 5:30pm, at Historic Spanish Point in Osprey. “An Evening of Scenes & Songs” features two stand-out theater dynamos – Migdalia Cruz, honored as a “legacy” by the DGF Legacy Playwrights Initiative, and Lauren Marcus, hailed as a “rock star” by BroadwayWorld. Join us as these artists share excerpts from their original work in this memorable sunset program.

This newly announced event features original work from the latest Hermitage-Roundabout Fellow, Migdalia Cruz. Tony Award-winning Roundabout Theatre Company is the nation’s largest not-for-profit theater with a celebrated history of producing iconic works for nearly 60 years. The Hermitage-Roundabout partnership is designed to further the Hermitage’s mission to inspire and foster the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time. This collaboration provides an opportunity for some of the theater world’s most exciting new voices to explore their work at the Hermitage before a potential production at one of the country’s most prestigious theatrical institutions.

In addition to being a Hermitage-Roundabout Fellow and a DGF Legacy Playwright, Migdalia Cruz is a Bronx-born writer, lyricist, translator, and librettist with over 60 works performed in 150 venues in 12 countries. Her awards include the NEA, McKnight, NYSCA, TCG/Pew, and the 2013 Helen Merrill Distinguished Playwright. Cruz’s voice was nurtured by her mentor María Irene Fornés at INTAR and her eight-year residency at Latino Chicago Theater Company. She co-chairs the DGF Playwriting Fellows, mentors the Latinx Playwrights’ Circle, and has taught at Princeton, NYU, IU and as founding member of the Fornés Institute’s Playwriting Workshop. Migdalia is an alumna of New Dramatists, a member of the Tent Theater for “Vintage” playwrights, and she is recognized in Analola Santana’s book as one of the Fifty Key Figures in Latinx and Latin American Theater.

Hermitage Fellow Lauren Marcus is a multihyphenate actor-singer-writer whose work has been seen on stage, screen, and across acclaimed music venues throughout New York City. She is known for her Broadway run in the original cast of Be More Chill and recently brought the house down every night in the Off-Broadway premiere of The Jonathan Larson Project. Lauren is currently co-writing the book for a new musical adaptation of the 1985 film Girls Just Want to Have Fun (based on the 1985 Sarah Jessica Parker film) for Lively McCabe Entertainment. She is a recipient of the Penn State New Musical Theatre Initiative Commission, a two-time finalist for the Jonathan Larson Grant, and developed her original television pilot at New York Stage & Film. Lauren’s original musical, Lauren and The Case of The Missing Hair(book/music/lyrics), is a Relentless Award semifinalist and has received readings from Two River Theater and NYC’s legendary Power Station. As a singer-songwriter, Lauren released her debut EP, Never Really Done With You, in 2016. She recently held two sold-out residencies at Rockwood Music Hall, and is currently finishing her first full-length album. Lauren is an alumnus of the Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project. She holds a Bachelor of Music from New York University and a Master of Arts from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park Features 2025 Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative Fellows

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces the newest program in its “Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park” series, an ongoing partnership with Nathan Benderson Park Conservancy that was established in 2023. The new program, presented in partnership with ensembleNewSRQ and Key Chorale, is scheduled for Wednesday, December 3^rd at 5pm, featuring Shawn Allison, a musician, composer, and frequent collaborator with ensembleNewSRQ; and Tom Lubben, a performer, musician, and member of the Lubben Brothers, a folk trio developing music with Key Chorale. Both talented artists were selected for the fourth year of the Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative program, supporting Sarasota’s thriving arts scene by offering performing artists at collaborating institutions the gift of time and space to focus on generating new works of their own creation. The Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative, made possible with generous support from the Koski Family Foundation, 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.’

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.

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 the musical program “American Storytellers,” which 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.

Hermitage Presents Orlando (FL) by HMTA winner Chris Bush in London

The Hermitage Artist Retreat today released photos from the workshop presentation of newly commissioned work by Chris Bush, the fourth recipient of the $35,000 Hermitage Major Theater Award (HMTA).

Photo Link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ohl8b98skxybvqwuq69t5/AApNMOJHjaljJuu7A2bZvwc?rlkey=cpy7wdd4yjj4hlj5307fr8ofb&st=t55517r0&dl=0

On October 10^th, Bush shared a London workshop presentation of her newly commissioned play Orlando (FL), with support from the National Theatre New Work Department. Chris Bush is an award-winning playwright, lyricist, and theater-maker based in the United Kingdom. Her comprehensive body of work includes Standing at the Sky’s Edge, which won her an Olivier Award and a UK Theatre Award for Best Musical.

The Hermitage Major Theater Award was established in 2021 to recognize a playwright or theater artist with a substantial commission to create a new, original, and impactful piece of theater. This international, jury-selected award, established by the Hermitage with generous support from Flora Major and the Kutya Major Foundation, offers one of the largest unrestricted nonprofit theater commissions. Bush received a cash prize of $35,000, as well as a residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida), plus a developmental workshop and reading in London. The prize is intended to bridge the connection between the Hermitage, where the commission is born, and other leading arts and culture centers around the world, including London, New York, Chicago, and notable arts capitals where great theater is frequently developed and presented.

Chris Bush’s Orlando (FL) is a story of transformation, translation, and resistance. This London workshop reading was directed by Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg (Operation Epsilon, Shida). The cast included Fisayo Akinade (The Crucible, Heartstopper); Olivier Award winner Matthew Kelly (Stars in Their Eyes, Game for a Laugh); Lesley Lemon (Rare Earth Mettle); Serena Manteghi (The Diplomat, The Hound of the Baskervilles); Fizz Sinclair (Chris Bush’s Other Land, The Simple Life & Death, Modest), Cherrelle Skeete (Alterations, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child); Eleanor Sutton (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Jane Eyre, Amadeus), Olivier Award nominee Laura Pitt–Pulford (Chris Bush’s Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Sunset Boulevard), and EM Williams (Captain Corelli’s Mandolin).

HMTA winners are nominated and selected by a jury of recognized arts leaders in the field of theater. The 2024 Award Committee that selected Chris Bush 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, Director of the National Theatre, Olivier Award-winning director, and former Artistic Director of the Kiln Theatre.

Previous recipients of the Hermitage Major Theater Award include Madeleine George, Shariffa Ali, and Imani Uzuri. California-based playwright Naomi Iizuka was announced in January as the fifth recipient of the HMTA. The Hermitage will present a workshop reading of her original commission in Chicago in the fall of 2026.

Hermitage Presents New Play Commission from Hermitage Major Theater Award Winner Chris Bush

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announced today that the Hermitage, with support from the National Theatre New Work Department, will present a London workshop of the newly commissioned play Orlando (FL), written by Olivier Award winner Chris Bush (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), the 2024 recipient of the Hermitage Major Theater Award (HMTA). This will be the first London workshop presented by the Hermitage, and the invitation-only presentation will be directed by Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg (Operation Epsilon).

Chris Bush is an award-winning playwright, lyricist, and theater maker based in the United Kingdom. Her comprehensive body of work includes Standing at the Sky’s Edge, which 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, where it was described as “the most exciting new British musical in years” (WhatsOnStage) and heralded as “a moving and resonant piece of popular entertainment — magnificent and meaningful” (The Times). This was followed by the premiere of Chris Bush’s play Other Land at the Almeida Theatre. Raised in Sheffield, England, Chris Bush currently lives in London. The Hermitage present this reading of Bush’s new play Orlando (FL) to an invitation-only audience. Her original commission is coming to fruition less than two years from the date the recipient learned of her recognition.

In addition to serving as Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage, Andy Sandberg is a director, writer, and Tony Award-winning producer whose theatrical work has been represented in New York, London, and throughout the U.S. He has directed the U.K. premieres of Alan Brody’s Operation Epsilon (Southwark Playhouse) and Jeannette Bayardelle’s Shida (The Vaults), earning multiple Off West End Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Musical. Additional world premieres as director in New York include Straight (Off-Broadway, NY Times Critics’ Pick); Application Pending (also co-author; BroadwayWorld Award: Best Off-Broadway Play, Drama Desk nom., Book Pipeline Prize); Operation Epsilon (four IRNE Awards, including Best Play, Best Director); Shida (Ars Nova and A.R.T., four AUDELCO noms., including Best Director, Best Musical); Craving for Travel (also co-author); and The Last Smoker in America, among others.

Chris Bush’s Orlando (FL) is a story of transformation, translation, and resistance – a queer fantasia set against a backdrop of rising hate, and a funny, furious, and defiant testament to the power of literature and the importance of community. The play commences on November 5^th, 2024. It’s Lana’s 29^th birthday. There’s some other ‘stuff’ going on tonight as well, but she’s trying her best to ignore it. Lana is a young trans woman in Orlando, Florida, dreaming of stardom and living in denial. Then crashing into her life headfirst comes Orlando, the freewheeling, gender-switching protagonist of Woolf’s iconic novel. Orlando is sexy, confident, unguarded – when Lana is with her, another world seems possible.

The Hermitage Major Theater Award was established in 2021 to recognize a playwright or theater artist with a substantial commission to create a new, original, and impactful piece of theater. This national, jury-selected award, established by the Hermitage with generous support from Flora Major and the Kutya Major Foundation, offers one of the largest nonprofit theater commissions in the country. Bush receives a cash prize of $35,000, as well as a residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida), plus a developmental workshop and reading in London. The prize is intended to bridge the connection between the Hermitage, where the commission is born, and other leading arts and culture centers around the world, including London, New York, Chicago, and notable arts capitals where great theater is frequently developed and presented.

“It is truly an honor to be working with Chris Bush and the National Theatre to present the first workshop of Chris’ extraordinary play Orlando (FL),” said Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “It has been thrilling to see the work that’s come to life from past HMTA recipients Madeleine George, Shariffa Ali, and Imani Uzuri and it is incredibly exciting to be seeing Chris Bush’s original play now coming to fruition. Chris is an extraordinary talent, and it’s a privilege to play a role in supporting her artistic journey. We must also thank Flora Major for making this opportunity possible, and our brilliant jury for introducing Chris to the Hermitage.”

Casting for the first workshop of Orlando (FL) includes actors of stage and screen, including FisayoAkinade (The Crucible, Heartstopper); Olivier Award winner Matthew Kelly (Stars in Their Eyes, Game for a Laugh); Lesley Lemon (Rare Earth Mettle); Serena Manteghi (The Diplomat, The Hound of the Baskervilles); Fizz Sinclair (Chris Bush’s Other Land, The Simple Life & Death Modest), Cherrelle Skeete (Alterations, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child); Eleanor Sutton (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Jane Eyre, Amadeus), Olivier Award nominee Laura Pitt–Pulford (Chris Bush’s Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Sunset Boulevard), and EM Williams (Captain Corelli’s Mandolin).

Upon announcing Bush as the fourth recipient of the HMTA, 2024 Award Committee member Michael Grandage said, “The Hermitage Major Theater Award is an incredible opportunity for an artist to develop their craft “and Chris Bush is a hugely talented playwright who has already demonstrated that big ideas can change the world.” National Theater Director Indhu Rubasingham added, “Chris Bush is an artist the theater world cannot ignore, and this award from the Hermitage offers her the opportunity to make a work that is deeply personal… a powerful play that I can’t wait to see.” HMTA juror Tessa Ross shared, “Chris is an exciting, brave writer, and we feel very proud to be able to support the next stage of her journey with this wonderful award.”

Three distinguished finalists for the fourth Hermitage Major Theater Award included Natasha Gordon,an Olivier Award-nominated British playwright and actor of Jamaican descent, whose play Nine Nightenjoyed a sold-out run at the National Theatre before transferring to Trafalgar Studios; Beth Steel, an award-winning playwright whose new play Till the Stars Come Down recently transferred from the National Theatre to the West End; and Sam Steiner, an accomplished playwright and screenwriter whose West End play Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons has been performed all over the world. Each finalist has been awarded a Hermitage residency and Fellowship, in addition to a cash prize of $1,500.

Past recipients of the Hermitage Major Theater Award include Madeleine George (2021), who is a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her play The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence, and served as a writer and producer for Hulu’s hit series “Only Murders in the Building.” George presented the first full-length reading of her new play The Sore Loser New York’s MCC Theater in 2023. Theater-maker and director Shariffa Aliwas selected as the second recipient of the Hermitage Major Theater Award. Ali shared an in-process presentation of her newly devised work Hero for an invitation-only audience in late 2023, also at MCC Theater. Imani Uzuri, the third HMTA recipient, is a composer, vocalist, librettist, improviser, and lyricist. The Hermitage collaborated with New York Theatre Workshop in 2024 to present this concert reading of Uzuri’s new musical Lighthouse of the Singing Birds. California-based playwright Naomi Iizuka was announced in January as the fifth recipient of the Hermitage Major Theater Award. The Hermitage will present a workshop reading of her original commission in Chicago in the fall of 2026.

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.

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