FST Arts Plaza to break ground Oct. 29

Florida Studio Theatre will break ground on the McGillicuddy Arts Plaza on Wednesday, Oct. 29, marking the start of the most ambitious expansion in the theatre’s history. The new facility will serve as the centerpiece of FST’s campus, anchoring a vision designed to meet the growing needs of FST’s artists and audiences.

The morning’s celebration will begin at 10 a.m. in The Green Room Café, followed by a welcome ceremony at 10:30 a.m. in The Gompertz Theatre. At 11 a.m., FST leadership, donors and community members will gather at the construction site for the official shovel ceremony.

The Arts Plaza will be adjacent to FST's current facilities on First Street.

“We are building because of need,” said Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins in a news release. “We need more seats to serve our growing audience. We need more parking for that audience. And we need excellent low-cost housing to serve the artists who serve Sarasota.”

The new complex will expand FST’s campus to include a modern Mainstage Theatre, two additional cabarets, three floors of parking and on-site artist housing to cultivate local talent. 

Fundraising for the $57 million McGillicuddy Arts Plaza will continue through construction.

“This groundbreaking reflects the generosity of so many who believe in the power of the arts,” said Dennis McGillicuddy in the release. He and his wife, Graci, are the namesakes of the new facility. “We are deeply grateful to the donors, leaders and community members who made this moment possible.”