Category: Residents

Fifteenth Season of Hermitage STARs Announced

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that three Florida public school arts teachers will spend part of their summer on Manasota Key while working on their own artistic endeavors. They are the recipients of the 2025 State Teachers Artist Residency program (STARs) – now in its fifteenth year – presented by the Hermitage Artist Retreat in partnership with the Florida Alliance for Arts Education (FAAE). This year’s recipients were selected from dozens of impressive applicants, and the three teachers selected from across the State of Florida include two visual arts educators and a theater teacher recognized for her playwriting talents. These three artists receive a residency at the nationally renowned Hermitage Artist Retreat, where they can focus on their own work as creative artists. These teaching artists will present a family-friendly showcase of their work on Friday, July 11 starting at 11:30am. This special event will be held at the Englewood YMCA, by invitation only for the students in the community. 

The program is presented in partnership with the Englewood YMCA. This special Hermitage program will be offered to the summer students at the YMCA.

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

The three recipients of this year’s honor, selected among dozens of impressive applicants, include:Jennifer Bennett, a theater arts educator, actor, director, and playwright (Seminole County); Abbey Kish, a drawing instructor whose work focuses on printmaking, drawing, and photography (Orange County); and Emma Olivia Chandler, a metalsmith, artist, and arts educator at Blake High School  (Hillsborough County). Full bios are included below.

Since the start of the Hermitage STARs program in 2011, 70 teachers have represented over 30Florida counties. These prestigious residencies culminate with a free student program hosted in partnership with the Englewood YMCA. 

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

Hermitage 2025 STARs Teaching Artist Bios

Jennifer Bennett (Seminole County, Florida) is a theater arts educator, actor, director, and playwright originally from Miami, Florida. She has been teaching theater for over twenty years, focusing on building creativity, community, and audaciousness in her students. She has directed at the Orlando International Fringe Festival and Breakthrough Theatre. Favorite acting roles include Mistress Quickly (The Merry Wives of Windsor), Ivy Weston (August: Osage County), and Deliverance Hobbs (A Salem Story). Her most recent project, Florida School Board Meeting, premiered at New Play Festival at Breakthrough Theatre, where it sold out both shows and was invited back for a longer run. Jennifer lives in Orlando, Florida. 

Abbey Kish (Orange County, Florida) is an artist and art educator based in central Florida. A drawing instructor with Orange County Public Schools, Abbey’s artistic work combines photography, printmaking, and drawing, often through cyanotype. She has participated in juried exhibitions locally and nationally, including the Florida Printmakers Biennial in Miami, Mise en Abyme in Tampa, and Remarque Printmaking in New Mexico. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Abbey’s work is influenced by the region’s rust-belt history, as well as themes of memory and the past’s impact on the present. Her expressive work is created intuitively, with a focus on mark marking, movement, and energy in her compositions. She holds degrees in Printmaking and Art Education from Kent State University. Abbey continues to share her passion for art through community workshops at the Maitland Art Center, and she has been teaching art in Orange County Public Schools for nearly ten years.

Emma Olivia Chandler (Hillsborough County, Florida) is a metalsmith, artist, and arts educator at Blake High School in Hillsborough County. Her first experience with saw-and-torch was at Blake High in Tampa, where she now teaches the next generation of metalsmiths. She holds an MA in Metals + Jewelry from Ball State University and an MFA in Metal from SUNY New Paltz. Her artwork explores nature, history, and folklore, illuminating their commonalities. She fabricates contemporary heirlooms, translating ephemeral objects such as clouds, maple pods, and cicadas into wearable sculpture. Carapaces of insects, brittle bird bones, and shards of pottery are noticed, retrieved, and pored over – as fodder for the next works of art.

Hermitage Welcomes Ellen Sandor to Board of Trustees; Carole Crosby Continues as President

Stephanie Jones Steps into Role of Vice President, and David Green Named Emeritus Trustee

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that Ellen Sandor (Sarasota / Chicago) has been elected to the Hermitage Board of Trustees, commencing her term on July 1, 2025. In addition, longtime Hermitage trustee David Green has been recognized with the distinguished honor of Emeritus Trustee. Carole Crosby has been elected to continue as President, with Stephanie Jones newly stepping into the role of Vice President. Steve Adler and Sondra Biller will continue as Hermitage Board Treasurer and Secretary, respectively. 

The addition of Ellen Sandor to the Hermitage Board follows a season that has been defined by its resilience in the aftermath of the 2024 hurricanes. Despite ongoing recovery efforts, the Hermitage has successfully presented dozens of live programs and events throughout the region, introduced multiple new and expanded arts and education partnerships, and delivered more commission premieres than ever before.

“We are excited to be welcoming Ellen Sandor to the Hermitage Board, and thrilled for Stephanie Jones to be stepping into the role of Vice President,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Our trustees are the Hermitage’s most vibrant champions, and their passion for the mission and future of the organization is truly inspiring. Ellen’s experience, passion, and thoughtful creativity will be invaluable to the organization’s continued growth and success. We are also delighted to have Stephanie Jones stepping into her new role as Vice President, and forever grateful to Carole Crosby for her inspiring and tireless leadership as President.”

“It is truly an honor to welcome Ellen Sandor to our Board, in addition to welcoming Stephanie Jones and David Green into their new roles as Vice President and Emeritus Trustee,” added Board President Carole Crosby. “Even in the face of great challenges this season, Andy’s vision for the Hermitage and the passionate team he has assembled continue to elevate the organization to new heights. I look forward to working with our exceptional Board of Trustees to ensure a bright future for the organization, creating a lasting impact in our community and our culture.”

Splitting her time between Sarasota and Chicago, Ellen Sandor is a new media artist and Founding Director of (art)n, with works in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution, Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, International Center of Photography, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and Victoria & Albert Museum. She holds an honorary doctorate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and she is a Life Trustee Emeritus at the Art Institute of Chicago. Sandor’s board service includes Eyebeam, American Friends Musée d’Orsay et de L’Orangerie, Asolo Repertory Theatre, and the Ringling Museum of Art, and as longtime chair of Gene Siskel Film Center, Sandor received the Outstanding Leadership Award. She is also co-founder of the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Collection.

David Green is the Hermitage’s newest Emeritus Trustee, joining Larry Bold, Tom Dignam, Andy Maass, and Nelda Thompson. This designation was created to recognize long-serving trustees who have gone above and beyond in their service to the organization and who continue to champion its mission. Green has served for nine years on the Hermitage Board, including six years as Vice President. As a member of the Executive Committee and the Governance Committee, Green has worked closely with Andy Sandberg and three recent presidents – Carole Crosby, Robyn Citrin, and Leslie Edwards – in shaping the organization’s strategic plan, in addition to playing a key role in community and government relations. 

“David Green’s service to the Hermitage has been – and continues to be – invaluable,” said Sandberg. “His thoughtful intelligence, strategic insight, and deep love of the Hermitage mission have helped the organization to achieve new heights. We are truly grateful to have David in the Hermitage family, and we’re thrilled that he will continue to serve as an Emeritus Trustee.”

The Hermitage’s Board Officers for the 2025-2026 season are Carole Crosby, President; Stephanie Jones, Vice President; Steve Adler, Treasurer; and Sondra Biller, Secretary. The Hermitage Board of Trustees also includes Ellen Berman (Chair of Governance), Christine Boone, Terry Brackett, Maryann Casey, Robyn Citrin (Past President), Marletta Darnall, Leslie Edwards (Past President), Tim Flood, Tina Shao Napoli, Peter Offringa, Liz Richardson, Ellen Sandor*, Edward M. Swan, Jr., Mary Lou Winnick, Doug Wright, and Andy Sandberg, Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO (ex-officio). *Indicates New Trustee

Emeritus Trustees include Larry Bold, Tom Dignam, David Green, Andy Maass, and Nelda Thompson. Honorary Trustees include Charlie Huisking and Flora Major.

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. 

“Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park” Features Playwright, Director, and Performer Madeline Sayet on March 20

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces the newest program in its popular “Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park” series, an ongoing partnership with Nathan Benderson Park Conservancy that was established in 2023. The first Hermitage/NBP collaboration in 2025 is scheduled for Thursday, March 20 at 6:30pm, featuring playwright, director, performer, and Hermitage Fellow Madeline Sayet. Known throughout the theater world for her work in contemporary Native American theater and indigenizing Western classics, Sayet is a member of the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut, where she was raised on a combination of traditional Mohegan stories and Shakespeare – both of which have influenced her work. Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park: “For the Love of Language” showcases this multi-talented playwright who has been honored as a Forbes “30-Under-30,” a TED Fellow, and was a recipient of the White House Champion of Change Award from President Obama. This singular theater artist discusses her work – including the recent national tour of her one-person show Where We Belong – and how the love of language informs her creative process. 

The 2023-2024 “Hermitage Sunsets @ NBP” featured the work of two celebrated Hermitage playwrights, Terry Guest and James Anthony Tyler, followed by two memorable evenings of music showcasing the talents of two past Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalists, Kamala Sankaram and Etienne Charles, plus an improvisational jazz experience featuring two of the industry’s most innovative composers and trumpet players,  Chris Ryan Williams and Amir ElSaffar (recently seen again in Sarasota leading theTwo River Ensemble at The Ringling). The first Hermitage event at Benderson Park in 2023 featured the pop, rock, and folk music of award-winning composer and Hermitage alumna Zoe Sarnak. 

Each program in the “Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park” features a celebrated Hermitage artist (or artists) sharing their original work with the greater Sarasota and Manatee communities. This outdoor series features performances and explorations of works-in-progress by Hermitage artists-in-residence and alumni. “Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park” events take place by Benderson Lake near the Nathan Benderson Family Finish Tower (5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota, FL 34235). 

“As we continue to offer one-of-a-kind Hermitage programming throughout the region, we are excited to continue our collaboration with Nathan Benderson Park, welcoming Gulf Coast audiences to another fantastic venue where they can share a magical evening with Hermitage artists amidst a beautiful sunset,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “We are thrilled to build upon the success of previous programs at Nathan Benderson Park. Much like our beach programs on Manasota Key and other locations throughout Sarasota and Manatee County, these hour-long events offer our community the opportunity to experience a ‘sneak peek’ into these extraordinary artists’ creative process.” 

“We are honored to partner with the Hermitage Artist Retreat to celebrate the arts at Nathan Benderson Park,” said Bruce C. Patneaude, Chief Operating Officer of Nathan Benderson Park Conservancy, when these two organizations launched their collaboration “The artists coming to the Hermitage are some of the very best in the world. It is a unique opportunity to watch their creative performances and interactions with the audience. Hosting this event at the Park is one of the many ways we are pleased to bring creativity, diversity, and culture to the Sarasota County and Manatee County communities.” 

The next “Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park” program is scheduled for Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 6:30pm, with an artist to be announced. Additional dates and events will be announced for the 2025-2026 season.

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.