First Wave of Hermitage Fall Programs Announced

August 23, 2023 – Sarasota

The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces the first wave of new public programs through the end of 2023, featuring acclaimed Hermitage Fellows in music, theater, dance, literature, visual art, and more – with additional events to be announced. These newly added programs are presented on the Hermitage’s historic beachfront campus, as well as venues throughout Sarasota County as part of the Hermitage’s ongoing collaborations with arts and cultural organizations spanning the Gulf Coast region, such as Asolo Repertory Theatre, The Bay Sarasota, Bookstore1, Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, Johann Fust Library Foundation, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota Contemporary Dance, Sarasota County Libraries, Sarasota Opera, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, and more.

            A special September program celebrates the gifted artists who call Sarasota County home. Presented in partnership with the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County through the John Ringling Tower initiative, Sarasota artists Melanie Lavender and Kuniko Yamamoto combine talents for “Power in Paper: Celebrating Sarasota Artists” on Friday, September 29^th at 6pm. As the sun sets on the Hermitage Beach, spoken-word poet, podcast host, and proud Booker High School alum Melanie Lavender shares selections of work resulting from her two-week residency at the Hermitage. She is joined by Kuniko Yamamoto, an origami master and theatrical storyteller who participated in the Hermitage/JRT residency program last year just before Hurricane Ian.   

On Thursday, October 12^th at 6pm, the Hermitage partners with Bookstore1 in downtown Sarasota to present Hermitage Fellow Kristen Renee Miller, who will read from selected works and discuss the ecosystem of the modern literary world in this free community program. October programming continues with a return to the Conservation Foundation’s Bay Preserve in Osprey, as Hermitage Fellows Diane Cook and Carmina Escobar explore the literary and sonic connection to the outdoors in this Hermitage program inspired by our collective roots in nature on Thursday, October 19^th at 6pm. Hermitage events in October conclude on the Hermitage Beach with a pair of returning, Hermitage Fellows who met on Manasota Key while in residence. Celebrated poet Melissa Studdard and Grammy Award-winning composer Christopher Theofanidis share selections of work from their oratorio inspired by Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha on Friday, October 27^th at 6pm. This is a piece they are developing alongside Hermitage alumni Patrick Harlin and Anne Patterson, which is set to debut at the Aspen Music Festival in 2025. Hermitage audiences will be among the first to hear samples of this work and learn about its creative journey from the Hermitage Beach to one of the nation’s leading stages.

Join Hermitage Fellow and New York Times-heralded author Emily Nemens as she reads from and discusses her debut novel, The Cactus League on Friday, November 3^rd at 6pm on the Hermitage Beach. Anchored by an expert knowledge of baseball’s inner workings, her novel is a propulsive and deeply human story that captures the essence of one of Florida’s cherished pastimes: spring training. On Monday, November 6^th at 3pm, Hermitage Fellow and award-winning librettist Kirya Traber shares her passion for music and offers an audience-engagement workshop for those interested in exploring an intuitive approach to songwriting. Explore how music and song are some of the most powerful tools for communicating stories in this participatory event. These events launch a new Hermitage partnership with Sarasota County Libraries and Ringling College of Art and Design to kick off the Off the Page Literary Festival. 

On Saturday, November 11^th, the Hermitage hosts its annual Artful Lobster: An Outdoor Celebration. Now celebrating its 15^th year and coming on the heels of the organization’s jam-packed 20^th Anniversary season, this signature event raises valuable funds for the Hermitage’s nationally renowned artist residency program. The Artful Lobster is the only Hermitage benefit to take place on the grounds of the historic Gulf front campus – outdoors from 11:30am to 2pm beneath a large tent – located at 6660 Manasota Key Road in Englewood. Michael’s On East offers a luscious lobster feast, with performances from renowned Hermitage Fellows. Tickets for this fundraiser and sponsorship details can be found at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

The Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative, now in its second season, is a new annual residency program focused on supporting the incredible talent of performing artists frequently featured on Sarasota stages. This year the program is represented by musician and composer Lizzie Hagstedt, whose work has been developed with Asolo Rep, and Sarasota Contemporary Dance Company member Jessica Obiedzinski. After two weeks on the Hermitage’s historic beachfront campus, these two gifted creators will reunite to share selections of their new works and talk about how they utilized their residency time as the sun sets at The Bay – Sarasota’s newest signature park along Sarasota Bay on Tuesday, November 14^th at 5pm.

On Thursday, December 14^th at 4pm, Hermitage Fellow Cleyvis Natera reads from and offers insight into her “refreshingly direct and declarative” (NY Times) debut novel, Neruda on the Park, and shares a glimpse into her writing process at the Johann Fust Community Library in Boca Grande.

Additional November and December programs featuring award-winning Hermitage artists and performers will be announced at a later date.

These newly announced artists and events from September through December join a previously announced August program. On Wednesday, August 23^rd at 6pm, Hermitage Fellow Hilan Warshaw’s film Secret Song tells the gripping true story behind the creation of a 20^th century musical masterpiece – weaving together dramatic reenactments, documentary, and vérité footage of legendary musicians Renée Fleming and the Emerson String Quartet. This special event will be presented at the Sarasota Opera House.

The Hermitage has also recently announced its 2023-2024 dates for the popular “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens.” This five-event series launches with celebrated writer, actor, screenwriter, and new Hermitage Fellow Halley Feiffer. Feiffer’s most recent project as writer and showrunner for “American Horror Story: Delicate” has been described by “AHS” creator Ryan Murphy as “fun, stylish, and ultimately terrifying” in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. Audiences can expect a rare treat on Thursday, October 5^th at 6pm as Feiffer shares more about the creative process that has led to her stage and screen success. Additional “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” dates include Thursday, November 30^th, Thursday, January 25^th, Thursday, March 28^th, and Thursday, May 23^rd, with artists and further details to be announced.

 “On the heels of a whirlwind 20^th Anniversary season, we are excited to introduce new and returning audiences to the dynamic range of the Hermitage’s fall program line-up, which speaks to the extraordinary diversity and expansive creative talents of our renowned Hermitage Fellows,” notes Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Each one of these hour-long events offers a completely different experience, providing our community a rare glimpse into innovative works and the creative process behind them. We are grateful to our partners and collaborators throughout the region, who help us continue to expand the geographic reach and impact of these one-of-a-kind Hermitage programs. We look forward to introducing the work of these visionary and celebrated artists from all across the United States to the Gulf Coast region.”

It was also recently announced that multiple works created at the Hermitage will be premiering at Theatre Aspen (Aspen, Colorado) as part of their popular Solo Flights series in September. Hermitage alumna and Golden Globe winner Regina Taylor performs in her new solo play Exhibit, developed at the Hermitage and directed by stage and screen legend Phylicia Rashad. Hermitage Fellows Rona Siddiqui and Kirya Traber have collaborated with Zack Fine and Bryce Pinkham on a new piece called Dignity, Always, Dignity. Lastly, Hermitage Fellow and American Ballet Theatre principal dancer James Whiteside will debut his play Dead Center, which he developed while in residence at the Hermitage. For more information on these three projects, visit TheatreAspen.org.

The Hermitage hosts artists on its Gulf Coast Manasota Key campus for multi-week residencies, where diverse and accomplished artists from around the world and across multiple disciplines create and develop new works of theater, music, visual art, literature, dance, film, and more. As part of their residencies, Hermitage Fellows participate in free community programs, offering audiences in the region a unique opportunity to engage with some of the world’s leading artists and to get an authentic “sneak peek” into extraordinary projects and artistic minds before their works go on to major galleries, concert halls, theaters, and museums around the world. These free and innovative programs include performances, lectures, readings, interactive experiences, open studios, school programs, teacher workshops, and more, serving thousands in our regional community each year. For more information about the Hermitage and upcoming programs, visit: HermitagArtistRetreat.org.