Michael Donald News

Asolo Repertory Theatre and the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training announced their 2020-21 seasons today in a virtual event broadcast via Facebook and YouTube Live.

Asolo Rep announced today it will broadcast a Virtual Season Announcement event live on its Facebook and YouTube pages on Friday, April 3 at 2:00pm. Michael Donald Edwards, Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director, will unveil Asolo Rep's 2020-21 season and Greg Leaming, Director of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, will announce the Conservatory's season.

Asolo Rep announced today that it will begin online streaming of a live performance of Into The Breeches! The production, written by George Brant and directed by Laura Kepley, was cancelled one week before its scheduled closing date of March 21.

Challenging times call for creative solutions. Asolo Rep announces Asolo Rep Engage, a new online platform that presents new ways for the community to engage and connect with the theatre remotely during the unprecedented circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 virus.

Asolo Rep announced today that it is suspending all public performances and related events for the remainder of the 2019-20 season due to growing global concern around the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally scheduled to run through June 28th, the canceled productions include The Great Leap, Knoxville, Hood and Snow White.

Asolo Repertory Theatre will present the world premiere of KNOXVILLE, a new musical by Frank Galati, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, opening April 10 (with previews starting April 3). The musical reunites the Tony Award®-winning creative team behind Broadway's Ragtime (1998). Frank Galati, an Asolo Rep associate artist, also directs the production, which will run through April 25. The world premiere of KNOXVILLE is made possible by a generous grant from The Roy Cockrum Foundation.

Asolo Rep, in conjunction with Miami New Drama, presents THE GREAT LEAP, a sharp-witted new drama by award-winning playwright Lauren Yee. Directed by Vanessa Stalling, THE GREAT LEAP previews March 18 and 19, opens March 20 and runs through April 11 in the Cook Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

World-renowned playwright and Tony Award® nominee Ken Ludwig (Murder on the Orient Express, Crazy for You, Lend Me a Tenor), will be in residence at Asolo Repertory Theatre February 19-21. On Wednesday, February 19, following the performance of his adaptation of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Mr. Ludwig will take part in a post-show talk back with Asolo Rep Dramaturg and Literary Manager, James Monaghan. Actor James DeVita, who plays the role of Hercule Poirot, will also be part of the discussion. The talk back is open to all ticket holders for that performance; limited seating will be available to the public, based on availability. In addition, on Friday, February 21, Mr. Ludwig will be the guest speaker at Asolo Rep's Board of Directors Advance at the Embassy Suites in downtown Sarasota.

Asolo Rep continues its 2019-20 season with George Brant's INTO THE BREECHES! Helmed by Cleveland Play House Artistic Director Laura Kepley, this bright new comedy, set during World War II, puts the women on the front lines. INTO THE BREECHES! previews February 12 and 13, opens February 14 and runs in rotating repertory through March 21 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the performing Arts.

YPT will introduce young audiences to a wild, multi-media adaptation of Jungle Book, from creators Craig Francis and Rick Miller (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea), based on Rudyard Kipling's beloved classic. Inventive and timely, Jungle Book will transport you from the urban jungle to Mowgli's childhood in the forests of India for this extended engagement on YPT's Mainstage from February 13 to March 21.

Who isn't infatuated with trains - such a unique and even elegant way to travel. Although these coaches aren't leaving from Platform 9 ¾ for Hogwarts and your fellow passengers won't be Harry Potter and his curious classmates, the ride will be just as thrilling, if not more so. You'll be joining the infamous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and a host of very cleverly enigmatic travelers aboard a train filled with mystery and a touch of mayhem. You may have taken this ride before but not quite like this. Asolo Repertory starts its winter season on the fast track with Agatha Christie's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, featuring a new off the rails adaptation by two-time Tony Award-winner Ken Ludwig and pushing full steam ahead with direction by Asolo Rep Associate Artist Peter Amster.

Asolo Repertory Theatre's ambitious capital and endowment campaign, Staging Our Future, has made a significant leap forward with the awarding of a challenge grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation.

Asolo Rep continues its 2019-20 season with George Brant's INTO THE BREECHES! Helmed by Cleveland Play House Artistic Director Laura Kepley, this bright new comedy, set during World War II, puts the women on the front lines. INTO THE BREECHES! previews February 12 and 13, opens February 14 and runs in rotating repertory through March 21 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the performing Arts.

Asolo Rep continues its winter repertory season with the recent Broadway sizzling hit dramedy THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT, by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell. Directed by Asolo Rep Associate Artistic Director Celine Rosenthal, THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT previews January 22 and 23, opens January 24 and runs through March 19 in rotating repertory in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

Asolo Rep proudly kicks off its winter repertory season with Agatha Christie's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. The classic edge-of-your-seat murder mystery will be brought to the stage with a new adaptation by two-time Tony Award-winning master of farce Ken Ludwig and directed by Asolo Rep Associate Artist Peter Amster. MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS previews January 8 and 9, opens January 10 and runs in rotating repertory through March 8 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. 

Asolo Repertory Theatre proudly kicks off its highly anticipated 2019-20 season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved classic THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

Asolo Repertory Theatre announces that it is the first regional theatre in the Southeastern United States to implement the GalaPro accessible captioning and translation technology. GalaPro is a free smartphone-enabled (iOS and Android) app that allows patrons to read captions of a performance in real time. The captions are activated by the voice of the actors on stage, providing an authentic, live theatrical experience. The app can only be used when the device is in airplane mode and automatically dims the smartphone's screen as to not disturb the experience of surrounding patrons.

Asolo Repertory Theatre proudly kicks off its highly anticipated 2019-20 season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved classic THE SOUND OF MUSIC. This Tony Award-winning musical sensation will be directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes (Broadway: Bright Star, It Shoulda Been You, First Date, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella). Rhodes returns to Asolo Rep where he previously directed and choreographed the theatre's record-breaking smash hit production of Evita in 2017 and Guys and Dolls in 2016. 

Asolo Rep proudly presents an FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training touring production of one of the greatest love stories of all time: William Shakespeare's ROMEO & JULIET. This fresh and fast 45-minute adaptation will be adapted and directed by Tyler Dobrowsky, who streamlined past touring production of The Tempest and Julius Caesar. The 10th annual educational touring production will travel to schools and community venues throughout the state of Florida from September 24 through November 24. There will also be a special performance for educators and press on Friday, September 27 at 6pm in the Cook Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

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