FSU/Asolo Conservatory Announces $25,000 Grant From The Community Foundation Of Sarasota County

The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training proudly announces that it is the recipient of a $25,000 grant from the Muriel O'Neil Fund for the Performing Arts of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The grant will be used to replace the lighting system in the Cook Theatre with brand new, state-of-the-art, LED lights.

The Jane B. Cook Theatre is a 161-seat black box theatre located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. It is a versatile performance space that is in use nearly 365 days a year. It is primarily occupied by the second-year Conservatory company, which presents three out of four productions in this space during the academic year. The space is also home to Dog Days Theatre during the summer. The Cook is available for rental at non-profit rates to such troupes as Sarasota Contemporary Dance, Odyssey Theatre Company, and the Michigan Opera Theatre.

Installation of the new equipment will take place before the opening of this year's Conservatory production season, and Tom Stoppard's Arcadia will unfold under the glow of our new LED lighting that will endure, save energy, and perform (almost) as well as the student actors. Arcadia runs October 31 - November 18.

"This new lighting array, made possible by a grant from the Muriel O'Neil Fund for the Performing Arts of Community Foundation of Sarasota County, will enhance our audiences' experiences this season and for many more to come," said Andrei Malaev-Babel, Interim Director of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, "Our designers cannot wait to explore all the 21st Century 'bells and whistles' of this high-tech, energy-efficient LED system."

"Thanks to caring and generous donors of the Community Foundation, we have been privileged to be a long-time supporter of both the Asolo Repertory Theatre and the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and the amazing quality of work they produce," says Roxie Jerde, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. "Through this grant, the Conservatory will be able to remain on the cutting edge and provide the highest caliber of performances that they are known for. Muriel O'Neil was an avid patron of the performing arts in New York City and then in Sarasota as she enjoyed many years of retirement. She is no longer with us today, however I know this gift is a fitting way to honor her passion for the Conservatory and the future of the next generation of actors."

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ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

The Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of over $333 million in more than 1,300 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $33 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org.

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ABOUT THE CONSERVATORY

The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training is a celebrated three-year graduate program culminating in a Master of Fine Arts degree. For more than 40 years, tens of thousands of actors from across the continent have auditioned for admission. A maximum of 12 students are admitted each year. In their second year, the students perform in the Cook Theatre, a 161-seat space designed to create an intimate experience for the audience and actors. Third-year students are seen on the Mertz Stage working with the Asolo Repertory Theatre's professional actors in exciting and significant roles.

For more information, visit www.asolorep.org/conservatory.

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