Turning 88 Keys into Pure Magic

They broke the rules. They rewrote the charts. And they made us all believe that a single piano could change everything.

This winter, Florida Studio Theatre raises the curtain on Three Pianos, a high-energy musical celebration of the artists who transformed 88 keys into pure magic. From Billy Joel to Stevie Wonder, from Carole King to Sara Bareilles, these are the performers who refused to play by the rules—using melody, rhythm, and poetry to redefine what popular music could be.

Created by Rebecca Hopkins, Richard Hopkins and Sarah Durham, with musical arrangements by Jim Prosser, Three Pianos honors the legacy of the great piano storytellers. “Three Pianos carries on the FST tradition of producing the best lyric poets of our age,” said Richard Hopkins. “I think that in the future, these modern-day songwriters will be compared to the likes of Shakespeare and Homer. We are delighted to produce this work showcasing some of the brightest talents of the past 100 years.”

Featuring timeless hits like “Crocodile Rock,” “Beautiful,” and “Just the Way You Are,” Three Pianos takes audiences on a joyful journey through the songs that shaped generations. It’s a night of storytelling and soul, filled with the kind of music that makes you tap your foot, hum along, and remember where you were the first time you heard it.

“These artists have a way of connecting deeply with what it means to be human. To be in love. To share a life with others. I heard all of this in a fresh new way during the show’s development process and gained a heightened sense of how important music is in the telling of our collective story, " said Rebecca Hopkins, lead developer.

That connection is part of what makes Three Pianos so special. Though the piano is one of the largest instruments, it remains one of the most personal. “It’s the most versatile instrument out there and possibly the most personal,” said Sarah Durham, co-developer. Musical arranger and pianist Jim Prosser agrees. “When you write and play from your own instrument—in this case a piano—it makes the expression of your work that much more intimate,” he said. “It makes people really listen.”

At its heart, Three Pianos celebrates individuality, emotion, and the shared language of music. These artists remind us that when words fail, music speaks—and sometimes, the truest stories are told from behind the keys.

So come ready to sing, sway, and celebrate. Because when you follow your own rhythm, the music never really stops.