Jim Weaver News

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's 25th season will be a celebration of “25 Years of Black Heritage.” During its 2024-2025 theatre season, WBTT will offer fan favorites as well as a brand-new world premiere show. Learn more about the lineup here!

It's the final week left to vote for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Sarasota Awards! Voting ends on 12/31 at midnight. Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

There's just two weeks left to vote and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 18th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Sarasota Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

It's December, and the first standings of the month have been announced as of Tuesday, December 5th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Sarasota Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

Happy Holidays! The latest wave of standings have been announced as of Monday, November 27th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Sarasota Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

The latest wave of standings have been announced as of Monday, November 20th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Sarasota Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

Florida Studio Theatre will kick off its 50th Winter Mainstage Series with Little Shop of Horrors, a hit Broadway sci-fi musical that has entertained audiences for 40 years. Learn how to purchase tickets!

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will open its 24th season with “Once On This Island.” Learn more about the musical and find out how to get tickets here!

For the eighth summer, aspiring actors, dancers and singers ages 13-18 are taking the stage with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. WBTT is proud to present 'Stage of Discovery,' an intensive, five-week summer musical theatre program that is offered at no cost to participants; the program will culminate with two public performances of “FAME The Musical” in mid-July.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's 24th season will be a celebration of all things that are “Simply the Best!” In its 2023-2024 theatre season, WBTT will offer fan favorites as well as new pieces leaders hope will become favorites.

Opening Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's 23rd anniversary season will be one of the most produced musicals in history, “Guys and Dolls.”

For the seventh summer, actors, dancers and singers ages 13-18 are taking the stage with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. WBTT is proud to present 'Stage of Discovery,' an intensive, five-week summer musical theatre program that is offered at no cost to participants.

On April 4, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe presented its lively and music-filled fundraiser, the April Fools Fête, in the ballroom at Michael’s On East. This year’s country-themed celebration was a sold-out success, with 300 community members in attendance – most of them wearing cowboy and cowgirl-appropriate attire. The event raised more than $200,000 in support of WBTT’s education programs.

In its 23rd season, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will explore the struggles and triumphs of people who sought to realize their own version of the American Dream. Whether their dreams came true or were deferred, their stories make for compelling, can't-miss shows on the WBTT stage.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe is continuing its celebration of Black History Month with a staged reading of Dominique Morisseau’s powerful play, “Skeleton Crew.” The reading, presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. will take place at WBTT on February 26 at 4 p.m.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe is celebrating Black History Month with a free performance of “Jazzlinks: Songs and Stories of the Civil Rights Movement” outdoors at The Bay on February 17. The Jazzlinks touring education program – a collaboration of WBTT, the Jazz Club of Sarasota and Sarasota County Schools – is an integrated arts experience presented at all Sarasota County high schools to help illustrate, through music and theatre, the contributions of African Americans in U.S. history.

In addition to presenting high-quality professional productions and plentiful artistic opportunities for artists of color, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe is committed to arts education that utilizes the organization's authentic voice to celebrate Black achievements, history and culture.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will present its first WBTT Voices program of the season with “Playing Through: The Story of Ann Gregory,” on November 10. The free program will explore the struggles and triumphs of Ann Gregory, a woman of color who was a pioneer in the elite and competitive world of golf. The program will include a panel discussion and the showing of preview clips from the movie.

As Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe is poised to present its 22nd anniversary 2021-2022 season, the popular arts organization is continuing to be cautious in its approach to operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. With subscription and individual tickets for the entire season still on hold, WBTT has released tickets only to its 2021-2022 season opener, 'Eubie!'

 In an effort to strengthen its education outreach program, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe has hired Jim Weaver as its new education director/artistic associate. WBTT patrons may recognize Weaver’s name – he has directed productions including “Caroline or Change,” “Raisin,” “In the Heights,” “Fences” and “Purlie,” to name a few.