FST's WRITE A PLAY Program Collaborates with National Blue Star Theatres Program for Military Families

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) has announced a new partnership between their WRITE A PLAY Program and the Blue Star Theatres program – an initiative from the Theatre Communications Group, the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, with funding from the MetLife Foundation – to build stronger connections between the theatre field and military families in communities across the country. FST will build on its already successful WRITE A PLAY Program, and will be working with schools on military bases throughout the Southeastern United States during the 2012-2013 school year.

"I am proud that FST was invited to participate in the Blue Star Theatre Program," said FST Artistic Director Richard Hopkins. "This program which aims to engage military personnel and their families is near and dear to me for two reasons. First, because it is a principle part of the FST mission to make theatre affordable and accessible to as many people as possible. And this program will have national and international reach to American military personnel, their spouses and their children. And second, the program is deeply personal for me because I was raised in a military family. I know first-hand the challenges and the rewards which face our military personnel and their families. FST looks forward to engaging in the Blue Star Theatre Program with the discipline and creativity that our military deserve."

Launched in 1991, WRITE A PLAY is an arts-in-education initiative designed to inspire youth to write plays. It is integrated in school systems throughout Florida and beyond, reaching more than 55,000 attendees in Kindergarten through 12th grade. WRITE A PLAY has been proven to benefit children – not just by teaching them how to write a play, but also by inspiring them to think creatively while promoting their self-confidence through rewards and recognition. FST and Blue Star Theatres will expand the touring component of WRITE A PLAY to reach children who attend military base schools.

The WRITE A PLAY program for military base schools will mirror what is in place for schools FST currently serves; the program will include in-class workshops, school-wide performances by The Playmakers and will provide students the opportunity and encouragement to submit their own plays to the Young Playwriting Festival (YPF). In addition, Florida Studio Theatre will utilize the Safari Live web-based video conference platform to communicate with the schools throughout the year. This state-of-the-art technology allows FST multiple points of contact with students and educators. Teaching artists can provide updates, answer any post-workshop questions in real time and allow students to interact with the Playmakers to further engage them in the arts.

The WRITE A PLAY Program strives to teach students the skills they need to write plays, and empower youth with the freedom to explore their imaginations; to provide a forum for young playwrights; to reward children in the public arena for their literary achievements; to instill at a young age an understanding of and appreciation for the arts; and to provide a literary forum for the work of young playwrights. Children experiencing WRITE A PLAY learn how to express their feelings and gain self-esteem in the process. One student said, "You can write whatever you want in a play…which lets your voice be heard."

Known as Sarasota's Contemporary Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by Jon Spelman. Starting out as a small touring company, FST traveled to places such as migrant camps and prisons. The company eventually settled down into a permanent home, acquiring the former Woman's Club building – now renamed the Keating Theatre. In the years that followed, Florida Studio Theatre established itself as a major force in American Theatre, presenting Contemporary Theatre in its four theatre venues: the Keating Theatre, the Goldstein Cabaret, the Gompertz Theatre and the New Cabaret Theatre.

Even with its growth, Florida Studio Theatre remains firmly committed to making the arts accessible and affordable to a broad-based audience. Under Richard Hopkins, Artistic Director and CEO, FST develops theatre that speaks to our living, evolving, and dynamically changing world. As FST grows and expands, it continues to provide audiences with challenging, contemporary drama and innovative programs.