Classics Reimagined

FST’s Children’s Theatre Series is back, and this season, all four shows have moved into FST’s larger Keating Theatre.

“When our weekend Children’s Theatre Series began six years ago, we were hoping that we could fill a weekend or two,” said Director of Children’s Theatre Caroline Saldivar. “Now, the interest has grown so much that we need to move into the larger theatre to accommodate as many families as possible.”

The Season kicked off in September with an imaginative retelling of Charlotte’s Web, based on the book you know and love by E.B. White.

Up next is the audience favorite, Deck The Halls, which is back with a brand new show celebrating everything that makes Christmas and Hanukkah in Sarasota special.

“This show brings together so many of my favorite things: joy, nostalgia, tradition, and togetherness,” said Deck the Halls co-creator, Sarah Durham. “It’s become a holiday tradition for so many families in our community and it is one of my favorite shows to put together each year.”

This year’s version of Deck the Halls will follow an exciting and different framework than previous years’ productions.

“Instead of the elves going on an adventure trying to find Santa—which we’ve done in the past—he and Mrs. Claus will be joining us for the entire show this year!” added Durham.

Next, audiences will experience the cherished classic The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe based on the story by C.S. Lewis.

This inventive adaptation uses only two actors to bring the magic of Narnia to life. Watch as Peter and Lucy jump in and out of a magic circle, which allows them to travel to Narnia and back. Using their imaginations and everyday objects, Peter and Lucy bring this timeless story to the stage with a fresh, new twist.

If young students missed seeing Charlotte’s Web or The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe on the weekend with their family, they might have seen one of these plays at their elementary school as part of FST’s award-winning WRITE A PLAY program.

The Series wraps up with The Last Acorn & Other Winning Plays. This anthology production features a dozen plays written by students in kindergarten through sixth grade during the 2022-23 school year.

Winning plays are selected to be mounted in a professional production every spring.

“This annual production is one I look forward to every single year,” said Saldivar. “We get to showcase the brilliant creativity of young people. It’s so validating for these students to see their original plays brought to life on stage with professional actors, lighting, and scenic design. I can’t wait to read what they write this school year.”

We invite you to re-experience some of the stories you cherished when you were growing up and share them with a young person in your life this season at FST!