ASOLO THEATRE FESTIVAL NEWS
5555 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida 34243
Box Office: 941-351-8000 Website: www.asolo.org

Embargoed Until MEDIA CONTACT:
12:01 AM on Monday, April 25, 2004 Julia Guzman
Public Relations Manager
941-351-9010 Ext. 4800

FSU AND THE ASOLO SIGN
OPERATING AGREEMENT

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Asolo Theatre Company’s Board of Directors and Florida State University announced today that they have signed an operating agreement regarding the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training.

The agreement establishes the relationship and obligations of FSU and the Asolo.

The agreement:

• Stipulates that FSU will pay Asolo $430,356 annually for the training of students in the Conservatory,

• Requires that each Conservatory student receive mentoring from Asolo’s professional actors,

• Provides that students will receive sufficient stage time to qualify for membership in the Actors’ Equity Association upon concluding the program,

• Provides for periodic financial reports to FSU,

• Establishes criteria for roles to be performed by third year students on the Asolo main stage,

• Outlines services to be provided by the Asolo for Conservatory productions.

The agreement formalizes and strengthens the relationship that has existed for years between the Asolo and FSU.

The term of the agreement commenced on July 1, 2003, and terminates on June 30, 2006.

“This agreement, I hope, illustrates to the students and staff of the Conservatory, the Asolo and the Sarasota community, that FSU is committed to making this a world class actor training program,” said Lawrence G. Abele, provost and executive vice president
at FSU.

Howard Phillips, President of the Asolo Board of Directors, said, "We are all extremely grateful that the operating agreement is an accomplished fact, and that we can now proceed in the spirit of cooperation that has existed in the past, which the Provost and I talked about when he was down here in February. Many people have worked diligently, both here and in Tallahassee, to reach this end. We especially want to thank Sen. Lisa Carlton for her invaluable contributions. All of us are dedicated and committed to working for the benefit of everyone involved: the Asolo, the Conservatory and its students. And, of greatest importance, our subscribers, supporters and the
entire Sarasota/Bradenton community, as well as Florida State University.”

Howard Millman, the producing artistic director of the Asolo Theatre Company added, “We are extremely happy to have reached this agreement. I am looking forward to the new season and to the strong participation of the third year MFA students. We at the Asolo believe deeply in the Conservatory training program as the best way to
prepare America’s future actors.”

Abele hoped the agreement ends the sometimes-rocky relationship between FSU and the Asolo, which have been working together since the late 1950s to prepare student actors for a professional career.

“When I and other FSU administrators came to Sarasota in February to have a frank and open discussion about the future of the Conservatory, I think everyone came away with a feeling that we wanted to make this relationship continue for a long time,” Abele said. “This agreement is a great start to making sure that happens.”

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