Asolo Rep: Turning 60 and Still Going Strong

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

One of the cultural crown jewels of Sarasota, Asolo Repertory Theatre will embark on its 60th anniversary season in November. With its five-year American Character Project completed, what’s on tap to be part of the celebration? The answer is A LOT.

“The American Character Project was an unexpectedly profound experience for us all,” says Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards, “from the administration to the staff to the performers. Especially, too, because right now, America is going through such a tumultuous, divided and unsettling time.” That’s a rich source of material, though, for artists, writers, and performers who articulate and respond to these times that will, Edwards notes, “one day pass, and ultimately become part of who we are.”

His response to all of that? A new artistic vision entitled Staging Our World, which will still be focused on America—Edwards’ own personal obsession—but via the world’s own fascination with our country. “The world loves American culture,” he says. “It’s our #1 export.” And that’s the thinking behind the 2018-19 60th anniversary lineup, which launches with the classic Meredith Willson musical The Music Man. “It’s a bit of an antibiotic to what’s going on,” Edwards says with a smile. “It can’t help but make you feel good. It’s been on my radar ever since I saw Hamilton. There’s quite a bit of The Music Man in Hamilton.”

Noah Racey as Harold Hill in The Music Man

The Music Man will be directed by Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun (Newsies) and feature legendary song and dance man Noah Racey as Harold Hill, who Sarasota audiences will remember from the 2013 hit world premiere Noah Racey’s Pulse. Calhoun has only taken on brand-new work as of late, but Edwards asked if he’d be interested in directing any of the marquee musicals. Only one: his childhood favorite, The Music Man. “It’s a pure labor of love for Jeff,” says Edwards. “When he’s done with The Music Man, he’ll be rushing to open 9 to 5: The Musical with Dolly Parton at London’s West End.” But working with Calhoun to make this scheduling squeeze happen was necessary to kick off the Asolo Rep season in a big, glorious way.

After taking a break from directing for a few years, Edwards himself will take on the winter repertory season opener, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible (opening January 11). Edwards directed that same play in 2013 at Indiana Rep, but reading it again recently, the script “just feels like a new play to me,” he says. “If it’s not me directing, some director is going to have a miserable time. I’m going to micromanage,” he jokes. Surely, too, the McCarthy-era America references will resonate with audiences and make this venerable play as timely as ever.

Some of the other highlights of the season include Lynn Nottage’s Sweat, which won the Pulitzer for Drama in 2017 for its portrayal of a group of friends struggling to remain close when layoffs and picket lines become part of their world. The rep season also includes A Doll’s House, Part 2, the surprisingly funny sequel to Ibsen’s classic, and the uproarious farce Noises Off. 

Around the World in 80 Days

And there’s Asolo Rep’s first-ever Sondheim musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Edwards warns that while some might expect the tale of the wronged and vengeance-seeking barber to be disturbing, audiences will be surprised by how much fun it’s actually going to be. The Cake, a brand-new play by This Is Us writer Bekah Brunstetter, tells a story that Edwards says we’re all ready for—a woman planning her wedding wants her late mom’s friend to bake the cake. To the baker’s great distress, she learns the wedding will feature two brides. The season ends with a family-friendly adaptation of Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days, where eight actors will play 109 roles.

Perhaps the biggest news of all is that Edwards and Managing Director Linda DiGabriele both signed five-year contracts—through the 2022-2023 season—to ensure continuity and help make the new “Staging Our Future” five-year strategic plan a rousing success. In addition to reaching new audiences, a primary goal of this plan is to increase Asolo Rep’s capacity to produce world-class theatre, like the 60th anniversary season clearly features. The plan includes the realization of the Robert and Beverly Koski Production Center Campus, with a major gift from Beverly Koski that allows for the purchase of properties next to Asolo Rep’s current scenic studio and rehearsal facility. This means Asolo Rep will have a new, unified state-of-the-art production campus, which will provide additional rehearsal spaces necessary for directors and choreographers to simultaneously prepare dramatic, musical, and dance components. New exercise and therapy rooms will also allow performers to stay in top form for the rigors and demands of being part of world-class, multi-genre productions.

The importance of Edwards’ five-year contract can’t be overestimated. Over the years, his success with Asolo Rep has given him opportunities to leave. “I left home at seventeen but have never lived anywhere longer than I have in Sarasota,” he admits. “I came here for three years, thinking that would be it. I’d just move on.” But now he’s in his 13th season and he’s come to the realization that Sarasota is his home. This revelation came a few years back when he had a health scare that had the potential to be quite serious. While he has six brothers and sisters in Australia, plus ties to New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, Edwards knew Sarasota was indeed where he belonged.

“I feel loved, respected, and valued here,” he says. “I have a new relationship. I’ve moved out of my apartment and bought a house. I was warned that coming to Sarasota might not be the best choice for my career, yet it ended up being exactly the opposite. It’s been a hugely positive thing for me personally and professionally. I am incredibly thankful. The mosaic of my life has been utterly transformed by having been linked to this incredible institution.”

With Edwards and DiGabriele at the helm, Asolo Rep is primed to have a fabulous 60th anniversary season. Asolo Rep’s future, too, bursts with promise thanks to its many champions—artists, actors, directors, artisans, staff, board, and benefactors—who recognize the vitality and necessity of the theatre. For that, we are all thankful.

For more information on Asolo Repertory Theatre or the 2018-2019 season, please visit www.asolorep.org or call the box office at 941.351.8000.

Learn more about the Asolo here.