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.