Category: Residents

Hermitage Raises Over $380,000 at 16th Annual Artful Lobster — A Record-Breaking Celebration!  

The Hermitage Artist Retreat raised over $380,000 at the 2024 Hermitage Artful Lobster luncheon on Saturday, November 9th. 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. Proceeds from this year’s event are also going toward hurricane recovery efforts for the Hermitage’s Manasota Key campus. Over 200 guests attended the sold-out luncheon, which was the first event to take place at the outdoor courtyard of the Ora in Sarasota. (The event was moved from the Hermitage campus due to ongoing hurricane cleanup and repairs.) Marking his fifth anniversary at the Hermitage, Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg served as the master of ceremonies. 

The event was headlined by two returning Hermitage Fellows: Tony Award-nominated actor, singer, and writer Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, and Grammy Award-nominated composer, lyricist, orchestrator, and music director Rona Siddiqui. Both of these extraordinary talents are proud Hermitage alumnae who have described our Manasota Key campus as “an artistic home.” Kritzer and Siddiqui have performed at multiple Hermitage events, including the “Hermitage Turns 20: Andy Sandberg & Broadway Friends in Concert” at the Van Wezel, the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner, and several awe-inspiring performances on the Hermitage Beach.

Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer surprised the audience with an unforgettable performance of “Shy,” calling back to her memorable portrayal of Carol Burnett in the series finale of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” In addition to lending her keyboard skills to the afternoon’s performances, Rona Siddiqui also performed her song “When Pigeons Fly,” from her original musical Salaam Medina: Tales of a Halfghan. Kritzer joined Siddiqui to present another original piece entitled “Om Shanti.” Following a video presentation about the impact of the hurricanes on the Hermitage, Kritzer delivered a powerful rendition of Celine Dion’s “That’s the Way It Is.” The afternoon’s performances also showcased some of Sarasota’s greatest local talents with Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative Fellow Raleigh Mosely II and frequent Hermitage guest performer Martina Long. The duo brought down the house with “I’m Gone” from the Broadway musical Hands on a Hardbody, written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Hermitage Fellow and Trustee Doug Wright, in collaboration with Amanda Green and Phish’s Trey Anastasio. 

“This year’s Artful Lobster was an event to remember and an especially meaningful celebration of resilience,” said the Hermitage’s 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 and our ongoing hurricane recovery efforts 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 Alice & David Court and Peter Offringa & Allison Gregory. Sponsors and partners for the 2024 Artful Lobster included Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Key Agency, SarasotaHerald-Tribune, and Sarasota Magazine. 

Hermitage Presents a New Musical Commission from Imani Uzuri, 2022 Recipient of the Hermitage Major Theater Award 

Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, announced today that Imani Uzuri, the 2022 recipient of the $35,000 Hermitage Major Theater Award (HMTA), will have a workshop presentation of her newly commissioned musical this month at New York Theatre Workshop on Monday, November 18th. Imani Uzuri is an award-winning composer, vocalist, librettist, improviser, and lyricist, and the Hermitage is collaborating with NYTW to present this concert reading of Uzuri’s new musical Lighthouse of the Singing Birds 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. 

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. Uzuri receives a cash prize of $35,000, as well as a residency at the Hermitage (Sarasota County, Florida), plus developmental and financial support for these upcoming developmental readings in New York. The prize is intended to bridge the connection between the Hermitage (Sarasota County, Florida), where the commission is born, and other leading arts and culture centers around the world, including New York, London, Chicago, and notable arts capitals where great theater is frequently developed and presented. 

HMTA winners are nominated and selected by a jury of recognized arts leaders in the field of theater. The 2022 Award Committee that selected Imani Uzuri includes two-time Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori, Tony Award-nominated producer, educator, and artistic director Christopher Burney, and New York Theatre Workshop Artistic Director Patricia McGregor.

“It has been thrilling to see the work that’s come to life from past HMTA recipients Madeleine George and Shariffa Ali, and it is incredibly exciting to be seeing Imani Uzuri’s original musical now coming to fruition,” said Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Imani is an extraordinary talent who engages fellow artists with light and innovation, and we’re honored to play a role in supporting her artistic journey. Bringing original works to life through this commissioning program is a true honor and a gift to the theater, made possible by the generosity of Flora Major, who has entrusted the Hermitage with this invaluable opportunity.”

Lighthouse of the Singing Birds is a magical realist musical with book, music, and lyrics by Hermitage Major Theater Award winner Imani Uzuri. Told through ephemeral puppetry, song and immersive storytelling Lighthouse of the Singing Birds deals with themes of mysticism, death, liminality, ecology, Black American vernacular artistic culture (music, art, foodways, folklore healing modalities and so forth) as well as illuminating the sublimated history of Black lighthouse keepers and celebrating Black American vernacular sacred/secular song traditions. Somewhere in the Outer Banks of North Carolina on a Sound whose beach has purple sand (from coral), a bird sanctuary, a lighthouse, and elusive wild horses, Jasmine Songbird is on the precipice. Surrounded by her quirky intergenerational family who are singers, healers, quilters, foragers, instrument makers, moonshiners and more, along with their eclectic community, Jasmine lives where the mundane and mystical merge every day. The spiritual and ancestral realm are ever present. The veil is thin. The family’s healing work is to lovingly sing people in hospice across the threshold. Their family song is “Every day is H O L Y.” 

Casting for the first full-length reading of Lighthouse of the Singing Birds includes Tony Award winner Lillias White (The Life, Hadestown, Disney’s “Hercules”), Nichelle Lewis (The Wiz on Broadway, Ragtime at Encores), plus stage and screen talents Charlie Burnham (violinist/composer), Starr Busby(Octet, The Beautiful Lady), Jared Wayne Gladly (Aladdin, Frozen), Yayoi Ikawa (jazz pianist/composer), Polanco Jones (The Wiz), Marla Lou (Theater Producers of Color 2023, Hadestown), Matthew D. Morrison (musicologist), and Mercy Viola (cultural worker/performance artist).

Upon announcing Uzuri as the third recipient of the HMTA, 2022 Award Committee member and NYTW Artistic Director Patricia McGregor noted, “When I think of the great orchestration of life, we might miss a note – but when that note reveals itself, when it is given the space to be a part of the orchestration, we are all richer. I’m excited for Imani and what this award can do for her and for this intimate, magical, liberatory, intergenerational piece. I’m also excited for us, and I’m very grateful to the Hermitage because this award is going to allow for this ‘note’ in the great orchestration of life, to sing, live, and breathe in a way that it legitimately might not have without this moment, this opportunity – and we will all benefit so greatly from that.”

Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright, Hermitage Fellow, trustee, and HTMA Juror Doug Wright said of the Hermitage Major Theater Award: “In a challenged theatrical landscape, the Hermitage has done something heroic; they have instituted a brand new, financially generous commission for a playwright of demonstrable achievement to draft a new work. It is one of the premier commissions of its kind, and it could not come at a more auspicious time.”

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 she currently is 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 to an invitation-only audience at MCC Theatre last winter. The Sore Loser is a Faustian comedy set in a bowling alley. It’s a play about power, domination, and the death of the patriarchy – as told through a small-town bowling tournament. Theater-maker and director Shariffa Ali was 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 on in November of 2023, also at MCC Theater. Ali provided an overview and excerpts from this heartwarming and inspiring new play with music, set in a small South African town and inspired by the true story of Shariffa’s longtime friend and collaborator Vuyo Sotashe. 

Olivier Award-winning playwright and librettist Chris Bush (Standing at the Sky’s Edge) was announced in January as the fourth recipient of the Hermitage Major Theater Award, and the Hermitage will present a workshop reading of her original commission in London in the fall of 2025. The fifth recipient of the HMTA will be announced soon.

Three New Fall Programs Announced

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Terrence McNally Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting bold new voices in the American theater by providing support to early-career playwrights and the institutions that support them. The McNally Foundation’s mission to champion new playwrights aligns with the mission of the Hermitage Artist Retreat: to inspire and foster the most influential and consequential art and artists of our time. Created by legendary playwright/librettist Terrence McNally and supported through the ongoing royalties of his work, the Foundation is also committed to supporting LGBTQ+ causes, as McNally did throughout his life. Following Terrence’s passing, Tom Kirdahy stated that the Foundation would continue the legendary playwright’s “singular legacy of mentorship and activism.”

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

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

Hermitage Announces First Wave of Fall Programming

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hermitage and Sarasota County Agree to Significant Lease Extension 

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) has confirmed that the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved an amendment to the Hermitage lease on Manasota Key. Most notably, the amendment extends the lease term of the Hermitage, in addition to providing other safety and security protections for the internationally renowned arts organization that has deep roots in the local community. This vote on July 9, 2024 was a culmination of many months of dedicated work, communication, and negotiation among Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg, Sarasota County Commissioners and staff, as well as the Hermitage Board of Trustees, leadership staff, and outside consultation from community leaders and past government officials.

Among its notable changes, the newly approved lease amendment encompasses an extension of the lease through 2045, further extendable through 2055 upon the completion of planned improvements by the Hermitage and its campus facilities. Additionally, the lease confirms greater access to parking for the growing volume of community programs offered by the Hermitage, increased privacy and protection for Hermitage artists-in-residence, as well as other updates to reflect the County’s acknowledgment of the tremendous growth and expansion of the Hermitage’s impact in the greater Sarasota community. 

Each year, the Hermitage hosts nearly 100 acclaimed artists-in-residence on its historic beachfront campus. Hermitage Fellows, alumni, and curators are some of the leading artists and thinkers in their respective fields from across the globe. These award-winning and world-renowned creators share their artistic talents and insight into their creative process through more than 50 free community programs, hosted at the Hermitage and at partner arts, cultural, and educational venues throughout the region. These impactful and educational programs offer a wide variety of events to residents and tourists throughout Sarasota County. The original works created at the Hermitage regularly go on to renowned theaters, concert halls, publishing houses, museums, and galleries throughout the world; there are now over 800 Hermitage alumni creating and sharing work that traces its roots back to the Hermitage and Sarasota County.

“The Hermitage has proven to be exceptional stewards of this historic property and unique ecosystem,” noted former Sarasota County Commissioner Charles Hines, who has helped to facilitate conversations surrounding the lease amendment. “Under the impressive leadership of Andy Sandberg and an engaged Board of Trustees, the Hermitage has demonstrated they are deeply committed to their mission and to the community. Our friends on the Board of County Commissioners and their dedicated staff recognize that the programming offered by the Hermitage to Gulf Coast residents and visitors is an incredible asset to Sarasota County that must be celebrated, nourished, and supported.”

The amendment and lease extension by Sarasota County for the Hermitage has been approved in large part to the advocacy and care that has been demonstrated by the Hermitage in both protecting and enhancing this unique property over the past twenty-three years.

The Hermitage is recognized nationally and internationally for its acclaimed artist residency program, and the organization is appreciated by the greater Sarasota community for its rapidly expanding community programs, which introduce Gulf Coast audiences of all ages and backgrounds to some of the world’s leading artists across all disciplines. 

“We are excited to further our partnership with Sarasota County, and we are grateful to the County Commissioners and staff who recognize the special role the Hermitage plays in our region,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “For more than two decades, the Hermitage has proven its place as a leading nonprofit in the vibrant arts ecosystem of Sarasota County. Now, as we look to the future of the organization, we are planning a vision for the Hermitage that is looking many decades down the road. This lease amendment allows us to move forward with confidence in pursuing some exciting campus improvements and protections that will ensure the Hermitage is around for many generations, offering an enhanced experience for our distinguished Hermitage Fellows while offering enriching and accessible programs for Sarasota residents and visitors for many years to come.”

“These last few years have been an especially exciting period of growth for the Hermitage,” noted Board President Carole Crosby. “We are inspired by Andy’s ambitious vision for the Hermitage and the commitment of the extraordinary staff. Our partnership with Sarasota County is a unique and special one, which is only fitting considering the singular nature of what the Hermitage brings to Sarasota. I can think of no other organization that collaborates so successfully with such a wide range of arts and cultural institutions while offering a high volume of first-class arts and education experiences to our community.”

Hermitage Receives Over $238,000 in National and Regional Grants

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that the Hermitage has been awarded nearly a dozen grants totaling over $238,000 that will support a variety of programs and initiatives, including residencies for Hermitage Fellows, arts education support, and program accessibility. Grants were awarded by the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Amphion Foundation, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, The Exchange, Koski Family Foundation, Tourist Development Cultural/Arts Program, National Endowment for the Arts, and Plantation Community Foundation.

The Board of Sarasota County Commissioners recently approved the Tourist Development Cultural/Arts Program (TDC/A) funding, resulting in a grant award in excess of $52,000 for the Hermitage to facilitate artist residencies and programming that supports tourism to Sarasota County. Hermitage Fellows, alumni, and curators are some of the leading artists and thinkers in their respective fields from all over the world. These world-renowned creators share their artistic talents and insight into their creative process through free community programs held on the Hermitage campus, as well as at partner arts, cultural, and educational institutions throughout the region. These impactful and educational programs offer a wide variety of free events to tourists staying in all areas of Sarasota County.

The Welles Murphey Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation (GCCF) provided a $50,000 Empowering Arts Grant in support of the Hermitage’s mission: to inspire and foster the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time. The Hermitage became one of Gulf Coast’s “Arts Appreciation” grantees in 2021, and this year’s grant marks a $10,000 increase from previous years; GCCF has additionally supported the Hermitage through other special programs and with pandemic/hurricane relief efforts in recent years.

The Hermitage was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County(CFSC) to once again serve as the Lead Community Sponsor for the Hermitage Greenfield Prize Weekend. This will be the eighth year of CFSC’s support of this annual celebration, which is presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation; this year’s events are scheduled for the first weekend in April of 2025. 

The Koski Family Foundation again awarded the Hermitage a $50,000 grant to support residencies for teaching artists, in addition to the continued support of the Hermitage’s Sarasota Cross Arts Collaborative initiative. This generous grant allows the Hermitage to foster the development of new work for teaching artists while providing local schools the benefit of these extraordinary artists’ insight and instruction. The Cross Arts Collaborative was designed to give performers who call local arts institutions “home” a chance to expand their artistic practice from ‘performer’ to ‘creator.’ Recipients receive two weeks of uninterrupted time at the Hermitage Artist Retreat to develop a new project and present a free public program for the greater Sarasota community. 

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) renewed its support for the Hermitage this year with a $15,000 grant. These funds are intended to support the Hermitage’s nationally renowned artist residency program. 

Additional community program support came from The Exchange, which awarded $10,000 to support “Hermitage North” programming through series such as “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” and “Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park.” In addition, The Exchange awarded a $5,000 Elizabeth Lindsay Arts in Education grant to support the Hermitage’s “A Gift of Education to Sarasota County Schools” project that brings the world’s leading artists to Sarasota County public schools.

Grants from the Amphion Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and the Plantation Community Foundation will provide support for the organization’s music-focused initiatives, as well as specialized program equipment for events on the Hermitage Beach and other locations. 

The Hermitage is widely recognized for its international artist residency program and its rapidly expanding community programming, introducing Gulf Coast audiences to some of the world’s leading artists across all disciplines. “As our programs and collaborations continue to evolve and expand, we are excited to see the impact on audiences throughout our region and beyond,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “We are deeply appreciative for these generous grants from both new and longtime supporters, all of which will provide invaluable support and resources to the diverse and accomplished Hermitage artists who are making a meaningful impact in our community and with audiences around the world.”

Hermitage Board of Directors Announcement  

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that Alice Court (Boca Grande / Toronto), Tim Flood (Manasota Key), and Peter Offringa (Sarasota) have been elected to the Hermitage Board of Trustees. In addition, longtime Hermitage supporters and Sarasota arts philanthropists Charlie Huisking (Sarasota) and Flora Major (New York / Sarasota) have been unanimously elected as the Hermitage’s first Honorary Trustees. All five commenced their term on July 1, 2024. Earlier this season, past Hermitage trustees Larry Bold (Manasota Key), Tom Dignam (Englewood), and Andy Maass (Longboat Key) were recognized by the Hermitage as Emeritus Trustees.

These additions to the Hermitage Board follow a remarkable season that has included more than 55 live programs and events, dozens of new and expanded arts and education partnerships in the community, and another record-breaking fiscal year. 

“We are incredibly excited to be welcoming these distinguished individuals to the Hermitage Board,” says Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “These are some of the Hermitage’s most vibrant champions, and their passion for the mission and future of the organization is truly inspiring. Their experience, intelligence, and thoughtful creativity will be invaluable to the organization’s continued growth and success.”

“It is truly an honor to welcome Alice, Tim, and Peter to our Board, as well as our distinguished new Honorary and Emeritus Trustees,” says Hermitage Board President Carole Crosby (pictured). “Andy’s vision for the Hermitage and the passionate team he has assembled are elevating the organization to new heights. I look forward to working with our new trustees to ensure a bright future for the organization, creating a lasting impact in our community and our culture.”

Splitting her time between Boca Grande, Florida and Toronto, Canada, Alice Court received her first degree in music and began her career as a writer and host of a children’s television show. After earning her Master of Business, Court joined the team at Procter & Gamble. She took a brief hiatus from the corporate world to work as a case writer and research associate for the Harvard Business School, returning to Procter & Gamble for an eleven-year career in corporate Brand management and advertising in both Canada and England, before relocating to Texas. Court has served on several boards, including St. Mark’s School of Texas, the Executive Board of the Dallas Opera, and the Council of Advisors for National Geographic. In Boca Grande, she has been a board member of The Friends of Boca Grande and most recently served as President of the Royal Palm Players.

Tim Flood, a retired doctor of ophthalmology and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, is a longtime resident of Manasota Key. Tim and his wife Suzette recently became full-time residents of Florida after many years between Chicago and Sarasota. Longtime supporters of the Hermitage, Tim and Suzette served as Co-Chairs for the 2023 Artful Lobster. He is a graduate of UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine and completed a residency at UC Irvine. A native of San Jose, California, Flood graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in psychology and then went on to study biomedical sciences at Dartmouth Medical School New Hampshire. He was a diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Peter Offringa is a graduate of Princeton University, where he earned his degree in computer science before spending four years in the Army as a Communications Specialist. He started a web development consultancy in Dallas and began building consumer internet websites as a software engineer. He subsequently spent eighteen years in San Francisco working with some of the world’s largest consumer internet brands, including roles as VP of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer within Comcast’s Spotlight Division, CBS Interactive, CNET Networks, and Catalina Marketing. After moving to Florida in 2015, he spent several years as the CTO for Boatsetter. He is on the Board and Executive Committee of Bridge Angel Investors in Sarasota, and he has served on the board of advisors and as an executive for many start-ups during his career. He is the current President of the Princeton Club of Sarasota, past President of the Ivy League Club, and Chair of the Ivy League Professionals networking group. 

Charlie Huisking and Flora Major were elected as the Hermitage Artist Retreat’s first Honorary Trustees. This designation was created to recognize distinguished ambassadors and advocates of the Hermitage – individuals who have gone above and beyond in their service to the organization and continue to champion its mission. 

Flora Major has been a longtime champion of the Hermitage, and through her Kutya Major Foundation, she worked with Andy Sandberg to launch the prestigious Hermitage Major Theater Award (HMTA) in 2021. Now celebrating its fourth year, the HMTA is one of the largest unrestricted nonprofit arts commissions in the United States, annually awarding a $35,000 cash prize to create an original work of theater, an extended Hermitage residency, and a workshop in a notable arts capital such as New York, London, or Chicago. Throughout her career, Major has served on many nonprofit boards in Sarasota and beyond. 

Charlie Huisking, a Sarasota native, has been involved with the local arts and cultural community for decades. After returning to Sarasota upon graduation from the University of Notre Dame, Huisking served as arts writer and columnist for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune for thirty-three years. Since his retirement, Huisking has been a proud supporter of a wide range of arts and social service organizations, including the Hermitage, and has served on the boards of several nonprofits in the region.  

The Hermitage’s Board Officers for the 2024-2025 season are Carole Crosby, President; David Green, 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), Alice Court,* Marletta Darnall, Leslie Edwards (Past President),Tim Flood,* Stephanie Jones, Tina Shao Napoli, Peter Offringa,* Liz Richardson, Edward M. Swan,Jr., Mary Lou Winnick, Doug Wright, and Andy Sandberg, Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO (ex-officio). *Indicates New Trustee

Emeritus Trustees elected earlier this year include Larry Bold, Tom Dignam, and Andy Maass; these three longtime champions of the Hermitage join the previously elected Nelda Thompson. Honorary Trustees include Charlie Huisking and Flora Major. 

Hermitage 2024 STARs Announced

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

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

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

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

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

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