Asolo Rep Receives Combined $1,000,000 Gift

August 19, 2024 | Sarasota

Longtime Asolo Rep donor Mary Jo (Jody) Reston recently left Asolo Rep a gift of more than $1,000,000 in her estate. This latest gift launches the second phase of Asolo Rep’s Capital Campaign, a plan to expand the Robert and Beverly Koski Production Center to include the construction of a new state of the art costume storage facility, which will be named the Jody Reston Costume Storage. This storage facility aims to catalog and preserve thousands of historical costumes, ensuring their availability for future generations of theatre enthusiasts.

Mary Jo (Jody) Reston, retired to Sarasota in 1999 after a 25-year career in Martha’s Vineyard as publisher of The Vineyard Gazette. She was deeply involved in community activities ranging from fundraising drives to supporting environmental efforts to protect the special character of Martha’s Vineyard and campaigns to improve the quality of health care on the Island. Her personal history also included living abroad in Moscow and London and traveling extensively. A kind, generous, and fiercely independent person, she was also a lifelong supporter of the theatre and performing arts. Her connection with Asolo Rep begins more than 15 years ago, strengthening when she became a subscriber in the 2011-12 season. This gift welcomes Jody into the Crystal Society, a giving level that recognizes gifts of $1,000,000 and more.

“It’s an incredible gift, and yet another testament to the generosity in this community,” said Managing Director Ross Egan. “Jody’s gift has already made a tremendous impact on Asolo Rep. We are beyond grateful that she chose to support our work. With this gift, we are one step closer to the completion of our costume storage facilities and costume shop.”