THE PIRATE SHIP AND THE SEA MONSTER Comes to the Florida Studio Theatre

Florida Studio Theatre will present The Pirate Ship and the Sea Monster & Other Winning Plays, an imaginative and uplifting collection of original short plays written by elementary school students locally and around the world. This creative final show of the 2025-26 Children’s Theare Series opens March 22 and runs through April 19, 2026, in FST’s Keating Theatre.

A beloved tradition for more than 30 years, this annual production transforms the words of young playwrights into fully staged performances brought to life by professional actors. During the 2025-2026 school year, more than 5,000 students submitted original plays. From that pool, 11 winning scripts were selected for performance. This year’s production also features the return of The Pirate Ship and the Sea Monster, a standout favorite from last season.

The selected plays span genres and styles, from laugh-out-loud comedies and whimsical adventures to heartfelt stories filled with meaningful lessons. Together, they highlight the originality, humor, and emotional insight of young writers while celebrating the power of imagination onstage.

“Bringing these twelve humorous, touching, and ultimately inspiring plays to our Keating Theatre is a joy every single year,” says Caroline Saldivar, FST’s Director of Children’s Theatre. “It is especially important this year, when so many lean on AI to think for us. Showcasing these plays reminds us that every one of us is creative and has the power to create something original.”

The cast features performers from FST’s Professional Training Program, an intensive year-long acting apprenticeship that provides emerging artists with hands-on professional experience. Bringing these stories to the stage are Christiana Allison (Deck the Halls, Snow White), Ray Barber (Deck the Halls, Snow White), Grayson Buchanan (Peter Pan), Maya Carpentiere (Peter Pan), Ryan Dugan (Peter Pan), Amanda González (Peter Pan), and Sheila Wallis (Peter Pan).