FST Adds Additional Performances and Events to RUINED

Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize Winning Drama, continues its successful run at Florida Studio Theatre. Due to the popular demand of the show and the audience craving more; FST has added additional performances and special events to the show.

Additional performances include Thursday, March 18 at 8:00 PM, Sunday, March 21 at 3:00 PM, Wednesday, March 24 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, March 28 at 8:00 PM. These performances are in addition to the previous added performances of Saturday, February 27th at 2:00 PM and Tuesday, March 2nd at 8:00 PM.

FST will host a special discussion on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 5:00 PM in the Keating Theatre; themes of the play will be discussed, including the effects of the civil unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the effects of war on women.
Panelists include members of the Ruined Cast, FST Artistic Director and Director of Ruined, Richard Hopkins. Joining them in the in-depth conversation is Tony Dalsimer, a retired Foreign Service Officer, who specialized in Africa and has served three assignments in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One of these was as Consul in Kivu Province, the setting of Ruined. He taught ten years as an adjunct instructor in African affairs at USF/Sarasota and, in 2009, taught a course about the wars in Congo and five other African countries at the Lifelong Learning

Academy at USF. And Dr. Aina Segal, a Sarasota psychotherapist, who will discuss the impact of war on women and the person.

In addition, Florida Studio Theatre will also host post-show discussions on Thursday evenings, including March 11, March 18, March 25 and April 1, 2010.

Artistic Director and Ruined Director Richard Hopkins stated, "This show, which is one of the most life-affirming, uplifting plays, has had a profound impact on our audiences. Discussions are continuing after they leave the theatre. We want to provide them with an opportunity to interact and ask the questions that remain after seeing the production and further enhance their theatre-going experience."

A glimpse into the Democratic Republic of Congo during a decade of civil unrest. Mama Nadi, owner of a canteen, serves up everything from a cold beer and a warm meal to the company of a woman. The women of the canteen overcome adversity of war through hope, love and survival.

Ruined premiered at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in November 2008. It went on to open at the Manhattan Theatre Club in January 2009, co-produced with the Goodman. Receiving rave reviews, Ruined also won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in April 2009. Nottage is a graduate oF Brown University and the Yale School of Drama. Her most well known work includes the highly acclaimed Intimate Apparel and its companion piece and Obie award-winning play Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine.

The Southeast premiere at Florida Studio Theatre includes the talents of returning cast members; Alice M. Gatling who was in the title role of last seasons Black Pearl Sings. Gatling's credits also include the Off-Broadway productions of Julius Caesar as Antonia (Samuel Beckett Theater), the one-woman sensation in Miss Ida B. Wells, and Nana Bunny in Sister Rabbit Takes Harlem. Also returning from last season is Broadway Actor Ronald H. Siebert from last seasons Opus. Siebert Broadway credits include john Clegg in The Changing Room and Chuck Morello in The Iceman Cometh.

Joining them on stage is New York Actors Segun Akande as Simone, whose regional credits include Shakespeare in Harlem, Breathe, Neil LaBute's Some Girl(s) and a Raisin in the Sun. FrEddie Bennett as Kisembe. His regional credits include Casca in Julius Caesar, Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Laramie Project. Ashley Bryant as Josephine, regional credits includes Eve/Mama in Children of Eden, Ruth in A Raisin in the Sun and Mary Magdalene in Godspell.

New York Actor Lawrence Evens as Osembenga, his New York credits include Boomerangst, Building, Willie and In a Clean House. His television credits include All My Children, Law and Order among others and film credit includes The Devil Wears Prada. Broadway Actor Stanley Wayne Mathis as Christian.

His Broadway credits include Oh Kay!, Jelly's Last Jam, The Lion King, Charlie Brown, Kiss Me Kate, and Wonderful Town. New York Actors Khalil Muhammad as Fortune, whose regional credits include Six Degrees of Separation, The Religious Hour, A Soldier's Death and A Woman's Worth. Bianca Sams as Sophie is a member of Kevin Spacey's acting troupe Old Vic New Voices in New York City. Her regional credits include Celopatra in Antony & Cleopatra, Ruby in Dreams of Brixton Butterfly and appeared in the film Rent.

Rounding out the cast is New York Actors Stephanie Weeks as Salima, who's New York Credits, include The Invisible Man, Alice in War, The Dinner Party, Othello and Julius Caesar and Thomas Williamson II as a Solidier. His regional credits include 5 Guys Named Moe, C.C. White in Dreamgirls, Agnew in Once on this Island. He has several Sarasota credits at the Sarasota Opera and The Players Theater.

Accompanying the actors on stage is musicians Kelvyn Bell on the Guitar and Julian Christian on the Drums.

Florida Studio Theatre's Artistic Director, Richard Hopkins directed the production. Hopkins has served as Artistic Director since 1980; his numerous directing credits include Metamorphoses, The Bully Pulpit, god's Man in Texas, Hysteria, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wild, Over the Rainbow, Permanent Collection, Opus, Boleros for the Disenchanted, Laughing Matters 2009 and this past seasons The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

The gripping Ruined continues through April 3, 2010 at the Keating Theatre. Tickets are $19 - $32 and may be purchased from the FST Box Office in person, by phone (941) 366 - 9000 or online at www.floridastudiotheatre.org !

Known as Sarasota's Contemporary Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by Jon Spelman. Starting out as a small touring company, FST traveled to places such as migrant camps and prisons. The company eventually settled down into a permanent home, acquiring the former Woman's Club building - now renamed the Keating Theatre. In the years that followed, Florida Studio Theatre established itself as a major force in American Theatre, presenting contemporary theatre in its three theatre venues: the Keating Theatre, the Goldstein Cabaret and its newest space, the Gompertz Theatre.

Even with its growth, Florida Studio Theatre remains firmly committed to making the arts accessible and affordable to a broad-based audience. Under Richard Hopkins, Artistic Director and CEO, FST develops theatre that speaks to our living, evolving, and dynamically changing world. As FST grows and expands, it continues to provide audiences with challenging, contemporary drama and innovative programs.

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