FST Improv Announces Spring Season Lineup

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) announces its lineup of upcoming FST Improv performances March 19 - May 28. From the audience favorite Life's A Beach and the debut of an all-new improvised murder mystery, To Die For, to the popular free-form show, Comedy Freestyle, this season is packed with a diverse range of performance styles and techniques-celebrate the art of spontaneity and inspire laughter. Tickets are $12-15 and are now on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or 941.366.9000.

Kicking things off is Tournament of Fools, a dramatic comedy battle royale where the winner takes all. In this one-night-only event, members of FST Improv will go head-to head and compete in a series of improv scenes, songs, and games to win the audience's laughter and applause. After each round of competition, the audience votes on who stays and who goes. By the end, the last surviving performer standing wins the coveted title of "Champion of the Fools." This one-night-only, high stakes competition plays in FST's Bowne's Lab on Saturday, March 19.

Following Tournament of Fools is Life's A Beach, a revue-style show featuring sketches, musical numbers, and the audience's favorite improv games. Using audience suggestions, this popular show pokes fun at what makes Sarasota, Sarasota. Whether it's lovingly roasting the Gulf Coast's obsession with roundabouts or the never-ending quest for downtown parking, FST Improv's popular show continues to remind audiences why life in Sarasota is "just a beach." Life's A Beach plays in FST's Bowne's Lab on Saturday, March 26.

Next up is FST Improv's Comedy Freestyle, a fast-moving show featuring a mashup of short-form and long-form improvisation styles. By removing the conventional rules and formats of improv, FST's cast of improvisers are set free from the art form's limits and face the exciting challenge of deciding what comes next, moment after moment, without any preset map or structure.

"With Comedy Freestyle, every single moment, line of dialogue, or gesture can serve as inspiration for a fellow improviser," said Will Luera, FST's Director of Improvisation. "Any of these instances can become a jumping off point and lead performers to the next scene, song, or game. Without any of the traditional 'do's' and 'don'ts' of improv to hold us back, we can follow the funny and our creativity, no matter where they take us."

On Saturday, April 23, FST Improv debuts an all-new show: To Die For. This improvised murder mystery has a different theme and a fresh cast of quirky characters-both chosen by the audience-every week. Featuring the twists and turns of classic mystery thrillers without sacrificing the comedy, To Die For follows a plucky detective who goes to extreme lengths to crack the case.

"We're excited to finally be debuting To Die For," added Luera. "This show will be done in a light-hearted, film-noir style like the movie Clue, and will include spoofs on many traditional murder mystery tropes. The audience has a unique role in To Die For-they help determine each character's traits and, at the end, get the chance to vote on who they think the murderer is."

Back for another season of laughter are returning cast members: Will Luera, Kevin Allen, Suzanne Beaulieu, Sarah Durham, Rebecca Harp, Darryl Knapp, Emily Levin, Erica Maity, Shawn McWhinnie, Sal Piccolo, Kyle Shoemaker, and Autumn Steiner.

The health and safety of FST's patrons, staff, volunteers, and artists are of the greatest importance to FST. The most up-to-date list of measures the theatre is taking can be found at FloridaStudioTheatre.org.