FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training Announces Full 2022-23 Season
(SARASOTA, FL) — The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training proudly announces its full performance schedule for the 2022-23 season, with two additional shows added to the lineup released earlier this year. This will be the first season under the artistic direction of Andrei Malaev-Babel, who began his tenure as the director of the program in July.
The season opens in November with Kate Hamill’s tongue-in-cheek interpretation of Jane Austen’s classic Sense & Sensibility (Nov. 1-20, 2022). Directed by James Dean Palmer, this play will present some of literature’s most beloved characters in a refreshing new light.
Stick Fly (Jan. 3-22, 2023) is a provocative comedy-drama by playwright Lydia Diamond. Race, class and cultural expectations come into play as an affluent Black American family reunites at their Martha’s Vineyard home. FSU/Asolo Conservatory graduate Marcus Denard Johnson returns to direct.
Another graduate, Kirstin Franklin, will direct J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls (Feb. 21 – March 12, 2023). As the mysterious Inspector Goole investigates the influential Birling family, every corner of their souls is exposed to the blinding light of truth. The thriller-like suspense of this play is gripping.
The Conservatory will wrap up the season with William Shakespeare’s first big hit, Love’s Labour’s Lost (April 4–23, 2023), directed by Jonathan Epstein. The classic comedy about the King of Navarre and his three courtiers who forswear the company of women is full of wit, romance, beautiful poetry and delightful characters.
“Audiences can rely on the FSU/Asolo Conservatory to deliver a theatergoing experience unlike any other,” said Malaev-Babel. “It is not often that you get to enjoy shows created specifically for the cast. This season, patrons are in for a treat, because each of our four plays has been carefully chosen with the consideration of our actors’ creative individualities, and their collective identity as an ensemble.”
Subscriptions for the four-play season are $100 and on sale now. Single tickets to each play are $35 and will go on sale Monday, Sept. 12. Subscriptions and tickets can be purchased in person at Asolo Rep's Box Office at 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, by phone at 941.351.8000 or 800.361.8388, or online at asolorep.org.
FSU/ASOLO CONSERVATORY 2022-2023 SEASON
Sense & Sensibility
November 4 – 20, Previews November 1 – 3
By Kate Hamill
Based on the novel by Jane Austen
Directed by James Dean Palmer
This tongue-in-cheek interpretation of Jane Austen’s classic tale will make your heart flutter as you follow the romantic adventures of the Dashwood sisters. Tested by bad fortune, treachery and deceit, the noble sisters pursue their bliss despite all odds. Be prepared to see these beloved characters in a new and refreshing light. Social satire and romance intertwine in this stylish adaptation.
Stick Fly
January 6 – 22, Previews January 3 – 5
By Lydia Diamond
Directed by Marcus Denard Johnson
This winner of the Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best Play chronicles a weekend in the life of an affluent African American family. Tensions ride high as the Levay brothers bring their respective fiancées home to meet the parents. Family secrets, childhood demons and romantic entanglements are revealed, leading to collisions over race, class and privilege. Gender roles and generational dynamics further ignite this explosive tragic comedy.
An Inspector Calls
February 24 – March 12, Previews February 21 – 23
By J.B. Priestley
Directed by Kirstin Franklin
Nothing parallels the excitement of watching this suspenseful mystery drama. Set on the brink of WWI, this thriller has been gripping audiences for decades. The Birling family celebration is cut short by the arrival of the mysterious Inspector Goole. After his scorching investigation, the family struggles to return to normal, as every corner of their souls has been exposed by the blinding light of truth.
Love’s Labour’s Lost
April 7 – 23, Previews April 4 – 6
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Jonathan Epstein
Shakespeare surely had a way with words, but his characters have difficulty reconciling words with actions. The King of Navarre and his friends swear to avoid women. That’s easier said than done when the gorgeous Princess of France and her ladies arrive at court. This Shakespearian cascade of adventure features a forest chase, lovers lost and found, and an ending full of hope for true love.
ABOUT THE FSU/ASOLO 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 45 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 Asolo Repertory Theatre’s professional actors in exciting and significant roles. For more information, visit asolorep.org/conservatory.