HONKY TONK ANGELS Adds Performances at Florida Studio Theatre
Hailie Lucille, Alexandra Melrose, and Hannah Taylor star in FST's summer mainstage opener.
Florida Studio Theatre has announced the addition of new performances to Honk Tonk Angels, the opening production of its 2026 Summer Mainstage season. Due to popular demand, new showtimes have been added June 16-20, offering even more chances to experience this high-energy musical celebrating country music's greatest hits. Created by Ted Swindley – the mind behind Always… Patsy Cline – this spirited story is now playing in FST's Gompertz Theatre through June 21, 2026.
Honky Tonk Angels follows three women determined to chase their dreams of country music stardom and leave their troubles in the dust. Along the way, they form an unshakable friendship. Featuring hits like “These Boots Are Made for Walking,” “Harper Valley PTA,” and “Stand by Your Man,” this feel-good celebration is packed with laughter and joy.
“After first reading Honky Tonk Angels, I was struck by the big heart of all three of these women and the beauty of the connection they form through music,” says Hannah Taylor, playing the young guitarist Darlene. “This show has so much heart; be ready to laugh and fall in love with these characters!”
The show is directed by Ben Liebert, whose work as a director and choreographer includes FST's Lucky Stiff and Jersey Boys as well as productions like Into the Woods, The Producers, and Ordinary Days. As an actor, he has appeared on Broadway in Wicked, as well as in off-Broadway and regional productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Little Shop of Horrors, and Chicago.
The cast features Hailie Lucille as Sue Ellen, making her FST debut. Her credits include Million Dollar Quartet, Rumours, Mamma Mia!, and Kiss Me, Kate. Also making her FST debut is Alexandra Melrose as Angela, a role she previously performed at Laguna Playhouse. Her additional credits include Les Misérables and Sunday in the Park with George. Completing the trio is Hannah Taylor as Darlene, returning to FST after appearing in Take It to the Limit, A Place in the Sun, and Friends in Low Places.
“I love that by the end of the play, these women have gained the confidence to follow their dreams,” explains Hailie Lucille, playing the savvy businesswoman Sue Ellen. “They learn to be authentically themselves, rather than living in the shadows of others.”
To add even more excitement to the production, the cast is joined onstage by a live band featuring Zach Spound (Keyboard/Conductor), Sam Saint Ours (Guitars), Dina Bikzhanova (Fiddle), and Drew Martin (Drums).
The production team includes Ben Liebert (Director), Nathaniel Beliveau (Music Director), Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay (Scenic Design), Madison Queen (Costume Design), Andrew Gray (Lighting Design), Nicholas Christensen (Sound Design), Shira Lebovich* (AEA Stage Manager), Tori Martinson, and Leigh Womack (Stage Management Interns).
*Indicates members of the Actors' Equity Association (AEA), the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
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