Dingbat Theatre Project Announces Summer Programming

Dingbat Theatre Project and Reflex Arts Dance will partner to bring education theatre programming as well as professional theatre performances to Sarasota County. The partnership will allow the Suncoast's quirky theatre company to continue offering high-quality, actor-driven performances, while expanding Reflex Arts Dance's programming to include pre-professional and entry-level theatre training for children.

This will include offering four productions a year through the new "Young Professionals" Conservatory beginning in Fall 2022. The program will be audition based and students will receive well-rounded training in all aspects of theatre performance from character and scene work, vocal training, and dance training. These performances allow the students to portray roles that are age-appropriate for them, while working alongside a professionally-trained production staff. The conservatory will produce two productions in the Fall to be announced at a later date.

Reflex will offer three one-week summer camps in late June including an audition intensive and two musical theatre bootcamps for ages 8-18. Dingbat Theatre Project, co-produced by Reflex Arts Dance, will offer two new works over the summer. The first being an adaptation of the classic J.M. Barrie book, Wendy & Peter Pan. The play with music, written and directed by Luke Manual McFatrich is told with seven multi-talented actors playing all the inhabitants of Neverland using classic story theatre techniques to bring the story to life. The production also features the talents of Brian F. Finnerty, Gretchen Beaumier, Amanda Heisey, and more. This version of the story highlights the themes of what it means to grow up and the role gender plays in society from when we are children. Wendy & Peter Pan runs June 24-July 10, 2022.

At the end of the summer, Dingbat will produce a new play, Frost. A group of storytellers share the touching coming-of-age tale of Jack Frost as he overcomes challenges and learns to love on his journey to protect and defend what means most to him. This new adventure play from Slavic and Northern European folklore, legends, and music to tell this high-energy action-packed story of adventure and sacrificial love reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia and His Dark Materials. The play was commissioned and originally produced by The Basket Cases Theatre Company, written by Luke Manual McFatrich and Emma Denson. Frost runs August 11-28, 2022.

Wendy & Peter Pan and Frost are great entertainment for all ages and will be performed at "Studio One @ Reflex" (6260 N Lockwood Ridge Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243) and mark the beginning of Dingbat Theatre Project's "YEAR TWO" Season. Dingbat Theatre Project produced Shrek the Musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and the professional regional premiere of The SpongeBob Musical as part of their "YEAR ONE" Season at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime. Tickets for YEAR TWO will be available online at dingbattheatre.org starting May 15, 2022.