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Return to Steppin' Out
 Richard Hopkins (Director, Co-Creator) Artistic Director of Florida Studio Theatre since 1980, Richard Hopkins has guided the company from a small touring group to a professional regional theatre. Mr. Hopkins began his professional theatre career as a resident actor with Asolo State Theatre in Sarasota, Florida. In 1974 he founded the Palisades Theatre Company in Washington, DC, which subsequently moved to St. Petersburg to become American Stage. He served as its Producing Director from 1974-1980. Additional experiences include: President of the Florida Professional Theatres Association (1983-1985), Panelist for Theatre Program of Florida Arts Council, and Director/Instructor for Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus’ Clown College (1981). His many directing credits include: Metamorphoses, The Bully Pulpit, God’s Man in Texas, Hysteria, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, 2: Goering at Nuremberg, Six Degrees of Separation, Execution of Justice, Death by Misadventure, Hi-Hat-Hattie, Invictus, Agnes of God, Beyond Therapy, True West, La Ronde, and Betrayal and numerous other plays and Cabaret projects including Sophie Tucker, Inspired Lunacy, and Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits, Over the Rainbow, Permanent Collection and Laughing Matters…Too. This season he will be directing Steppin’ Out, Opus, Boleros for the Disenchanted, & Laughing Matters 2009.
 Rebecca Langford (Co-Creator) has been part of the development team for FST’s Cabaret Theatre since her arrival in Sarasota in 1998. Shows she has helped develop include: Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits, Brassy Broads, Hot and Cole, My One and Only Gershwin, GI Jive, Three Friends, Two Guitars and a Broken Tambourine, Piano Men and The Flip Side. She was the Director of Development for Laughing Matters...Too, A Vaudeville Cabaret and the original Laughing Matters. Ms. Langford serves as Managing Director for Florida Studio Theatre. In this capacity she acts as a liaison between the administration office and the artistic, education, and production offices. In addition, Ms. Langford has 16 years of Improv experience and created FST’s Improv program. Prior to her arrival at Florida Studio Theatre she worked as a theatre artist in Austin, Texas at the Austin Shakespeare Festival, in the box office for the Zachary Scott Theatre, and held the position of Audience Development Coordinator for the Largo Cultural Center in Florida. She is originally from Atlanta, Georgia where she attended Georgia State University and began her career in theatre as an actress.
 Jim Prosser (Pianist & Arranger, Co-Creator) This is Jim’s twelfth season in the FST Cabaret, for which he has developed and performed in numerous shows, including The British Invasion, The Flip Side, Piano Men, Three Friends, GI Jive, and Too Darn Hot. He has also worked extensively for FST’s Education programs, writing scores for the WRITE A PLAY programs, children’s shows, and most recently The Princess and the Pea. In addition, Jim enjoys playing “on the spot” for the FST Improv Troup.
 Stephen Hope (Choreographer) returns to FST having provided choreography for Laughing Matters…Too, Good Evening, Altar Boyz and most recently A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage. His choreographic work has been seen at Lincoln Center and on regional stages around the country. As a performer he appeared the original Broadway productions of Joseph ... Dreamcoat, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Off-Broadway in Ascension, Fairy Tales and Rabboni. Sarasota audiences will recognize him from FST productions of The Exonerated, Ruthless!, his rapid-fire rendition of the periodic table in Tom Lehrer and his portrayal of Katherine Harris in Laughing Matters…Too.
CAST
 Ryan Flanigan is thrilled to be working with such a wonderful cast and staff. Previous credits: All Shook Up (Chad), Footloose (Chuck), Grease (Teen Angel/Vince Fontaine), The Who’s Tommy (Tommy), White Christmas (Jimmy), and several Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
 Alison Renee Foster is pleased to be at FST! Some favorite roles in New York and abroad: Comrade Charlotte Flora the Red Menace, Glenda Swanson Whoop-up!, Trina Falsettoland, Nellie Collins Floyd Collins, Yitzak Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Sister Hubert Meshuganuns, Edith The Pirates of Penzance, Magenta The Rocky Horror Show, Mary Merrily, We Roll Along, Lucy Snoopy!, and as a featured singer in Songs for a New World and The World Goes ‘Round.
 Jannie Jones recently received critical acclaim in the National Broadway tour of All Shook Up as Sylvia. Broadway and Off-Broadway: The Full Monty, Faith Journey, Mama I Want to Sing. Critically Acclaimed in Mahalia as Mahalia Jackson and Ethel Waters: His Eye Is on the Sparrow written by Larry Parr. Other credits are: Milwaukee Rep’s Graten City Blues written by Kevin Ramsey, Crowns, That’s Cole (Cole Porter), All Night Strut, It Ain’t Nothing But the Blues, and Ain’t Misbehavin’ to name a few. Soaps: All My Children and Guiding Light and numerous commercials and print modeling ads. A singer since the age of five, Ms. Jones’ career has taken her to 23 different countries and the stages of New York’s Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and Radio City Music Hall, with famed Spanish singer Raphael. Ms. Jones toured the Netherlands and the South of France with Barry White and can be heard on his final hit song “Practice What You Preach,” and Teddy Pendergrass’ CD Say It.
 Jim Weaver returns to FST after appearing in The All Night Strut. Other credits: Broadway: Marie Christine, Don’t Call Back. Off-Broadway: Anything Cole, Mahalia, Radio City, Attendin’ Skeletons. Regional: Sweet Charity, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Anna In The Tropics, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Three Penny Opera, Children of Eden, Five Guys Named Moe. Several European tours, TV appearances, Cast Recordings and Cabaret Shows. Jim also works regionally and internationally as a Director and Choreographer.
Production Staff
Production Manager...........................................Bruce Price
Company Manager.............................................Rob Thomas
Production Stage Manager.................................Emily C. Hayes
Costume and Scenic Design...............................Marcella Beckwith
Sound Design.....................................................Eric Stahlhammer
Lighting Designer...............................................Colleen Jennings
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