Florida Studio Theatre Opens 2023-2024 Winter Cabaret Series with UP ON THE ROOF

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) kicks off its 2023-2024 Winter Cabaret Series with Up on the Roof, an energetic music revue celebrating the legendary songwriters who churned out hit after hit in Midtown Manhattan, creating what became known as the “Brill Sound.”  Featuring more than two dozen hits from the ‘50s and ‘60s, Up on the Roof explores the lasting contributions of such songwriting teams as Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Created by Rebecca Hopkins and Richard Hopkins with musical arrangements by Jim Prosser, Up on the Roof begins playing September 27 in FST’s Court Cabaret.

Up on the Roof is part of a three-show subscription package. Also included in the Cabaret subscription package is Take it to the Limit, a tribute to the music of 1970s Rock & Roll rebels, along with The Flip Side, an offbeat Cabaret celebrating some of the best comic songwriters of the 20th Century. Subscriptions for all three Winter Cabaret shows can be purchased for as little as $49. Subscriptions and single tickets are now on sale at 941.366.9000 or FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

“Songs featuring the ‘Brill Sound’ were crafted by young but incredibly talented songwriters who intrinsically captured universal emotions and experiences in their lyrics,” said show director Catherine Randazzo. "But their songs also had memorable melodies and catchy hooks. This combination gave the songs mass appeal, shooting them to the top of the charts."

From the late ‘50s to the early ‘60s, there were several buildings in Midtown Manhattan, including the Brill Building, that had staffs of young songwriters who crafted numerous hits for such artists as The Drifters, Elvis Presley, Dionne Warwick, and The Monkees. Featuring songs like “A Teenager in Love,” “One Fine Day,” “Walk on By,” and “River Deep Mountain High,” Up on the Roof examines how these legendary writers helped create what is now considered modern pop music.

Bringing this distinctive sound to life in FST’s Court Cabaret is a four-person ensemble: Jannie Jones (The 70s: More Than A Decade, 2023), Jacquelyne Paige (FST debut), Joey Panek (The God Committee, 2023 Summer New Play Festival) and Brandon Wardell (Reel Music, 2023). FST’s Resident Pianist, Jim Prosser, will provide musical accompaniment on the piano.

The production’s creative team includes Catherine Randazzo (Director), Darren Server (Music Direction), Ben Liebert (Choreography), Daniel Ciba (Costume Design), Andrew Gray (Lighting & Scenic Design), Nicholas Christensen (Sound Design), and Sarah Durham (Projections Design).