Sarasota, Florida (August 28, 2007) - Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and Asolo Repertory Theatre are pleased to welcome new students and those returning to undertake the unique challenge of attaining their Master’s Degree in Fine Arts in Acting here in Sarasota. The incoming class of 2010 represents a richly diverse group of students whose backgrounds span the globe from Colorado to Malaysia.
The Class of 2010 students are Ghafir Akbar, John Cabrera, Kirstin Franklin, Sarah Gavitt, Hannah Rose Goalstone, Alexandra Guyker, Peter Mendez, Nissa Perrott, and Kevin Stanfa.
Greg Leaming, director and Asolo Rep associate artistic director explained, "The first year students who have joined us, and the returning second and third year students, make up an incredibly talented company of actors. They are the stars of tomorrow. With students coming from across the country and as far away as Malaysia, this is truly a program of international renown."
The new first-year students begin classes on August 27, 2007. These talented student actors will receive intense classroom training and participate in the Asolo Repertory Theatre, serving as understudies for significant roles in Asolo Rep productions in the Mertz Theatre. This important phase of study provides the students with strong practical acting experience.
Second-year student actors perform a series of four plays in the Jane B. Cook Theatre, taking on major roles in challenging dramas as well as classical works. They also venture abroad to study in London for six weeks of intensive training for the Linnie E. Dalbeck London Study Program at the FSU London Study Center. While in London, the students work with master teachers and internationally known artists. The season begins performances in October with the play Murder by Poe opening on Halloween night. Poe is followed by Speed the Plow in January, The Duchess of Malfi in February, and Steve Martin’s adaptation of The Underpants. (see more below)
Third-year student actors, in their final year of Conservatory studies, perform on Asolo Rep’s mainstage, the Mertz Theatre, in full rotating repertory productions. The students are cast in and perform significant roles, often attaining leading roles; and upon graduation, take with them important critic reviews, references, and an audience following.
The Florida State University (FSU)/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training shares a unique relationship with Asolo Repertory Theatre. Asolo Rep and Conservatory have a dual role in training approximately 36 graduate students each year who are striving to obtain their Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degree here in Sarasota.
The curriculum combines intensive laboratory work in acting, speech, voice, movement and text with workshops in a wide range of disciplines and professional production experience. Upon graduation, all students are eligible to join the Actors’ Equity Association and enter the ranks of this country’s most highly regarded professional artists. Conservatory graduates have appeared on and off – Broadway, in regional theatre, in feature films and on television.
Through this intensive program, students connect with real audiences – bridging school and the profession through hands-on experience working in the classroom as well as on the Cook, Mertz and Historic Asolo stage.
If you are interested in learning more about this program go to www.asolo.org and click on ‘Conservatory.’
To purchase tickets to productions in which Conservatory students will perform, or to learn more about their season of four plays, please call 941-351-8000.
About: THE FSU/ASOLO CONSERVATORY 2007-2008 Season
This series features some of this country’s most talented acting students performing in four plays that run from October 2007 to May 2008 in the Cook Theatre and the Historic Asolo Theater at the Ringling Museum.
MURDER BY POE by Jeffrey Hatcher
In the Historic Asolo Repertory Theatre at the RinglingMuseum
October 31 through November 18, 2007
Seven of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous stories woven into a gloriously gothic nightmare of an evening. A woman in white finds herself lost in the woods and can only find shelter in a house full of murderers. Who are these madmen? And, even more mystifying, who is this mysterious woman in white? Only by listening to each of their stories can the young woman uncover the truth about these killers, her own life and the mysterious man posing as her host.
SPEED-THE-PLOW by David Mamet
January 2 -20, 2008
One of the greatest plays by America’s premiere playwright. Two film producers in Hollywood finally find the project that will make their careers but are thwarted by the innocent secretary who enters their lives. A story about greed, morality, art and humanity by this Pulitzer prize winning author.
THE DUCHESS OF MALFI by John Webster
February 27 through March 16, 2008
A classic tragedy of lust, passion and political intrigue. In the 19th century court of Malfi, the Duchess marries outside of her class, causing scandal and enraging her incestuously obsessed brother who disowns her and, in the process, ignites a fuse that leads to intrigue. madness and murder. A classic tale, given a new contemporary spin as only the FSU/Asolo Conservatory can.
THE UNDERPANTS by Carl Sternheim, adapted by Steve Martin
April 16 through May 4, 2008
A rollicking German farce in a brilliantly anarchic new adaptation by comedian/author Steve Martin. The very staid, middle-class household of Theo Maske is thrown into chaos when his wife Louise loses her bloomers at a rally for the Kaiser. Intrigues and misunderstandings, sleeping potions and a cast of outrageous characters parade through the Maske household as Louise begins to discover just how resourceful she is capable of being.
For information on purchasing a subscription or individual tickets to the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training 2007-2008 season, please contact the Box Office at 941-351-8000 or toll-free at 800-361-8388, or go to the website at WWW.ASOLO.ORG.
###