Florida Studio Theatre Blasts Off with The Blue-Sky Boys

SARASOTA, Fla. (January 9, 2026) — Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is thrilled to produce the southeastern premiere of The Blue-Sky Boys, a comic adventure through the creative minds that got us to the moon. Written by Deborah Brevoort, this imaginative joyride is set to spark a sense of wonder in audiences. Previews begin Jan. 21, officially opening Jan. 23, with performances running through Mar. 8, 2026 in FST’s Gompertz Theatre.

When President Kennedy vowed to put a man on the moon, the task landed in the hands of a band of maverick engineers – once the misfits of American science. With no rulebook, they embraced “blue-skying,” drawing inspiration from Buck Rogers, Greek myths, Louis Leakey, and even Snoopy and the Red Baron. Times Union calls this journey to one giant leap “intergalactically rewarding” and “overflowing with playfulness and humor.” BroadwayWorld hails the show as “entertaining, humorous, and, to put it simply, magnificent,” declaring, “it’s safe to say that Houston, we have a hit.”

“At its heart, The Blue-Sky Boys is a story about visionaries who refused to be constrained by the limits of what others believed was impossible,” said Richard Hopkins, Producing Artistic Director of FST and Director of the production. “It is playful, imaginative, and deeply entertaining, but it also resonates powerfully with our present moment. The play reminds us that progress is rarely born from consensus or caution; it comes from daring ideas, restless curiosity, and the courage of unconventional thinkers willing to imagine a future no one else can yet see.”

Hopkins has directed over 40 productions in FST’s five theatres and has received numerous awards, including the Arts Leadership Award from the Sarasota Arts Council and the Richard G. Fallon Award for Artistic Excellence from the Florida Professional Theatre Association.

This FST veteran cast includes Greg Balla* as Buck Rogers/Dr. James Towers/Tycho Brahe/Icarus (The Cottage), Danny Bernardy* as Jed Berman (Shear Madness, Alabama Story, Spamalot, The Underpants), Gil Brady* as Apollo/Louis Leakey/Snoopy (Don’t Dress for Dinner, The Outsider, Pictures From Home, Shear Madness, The Play That Goes Wrong, Outside Mullingar), Howard Kaye* as Galileo/The Red Baron/Reporter (The Lehman Trilogy, The Cancellation of Lauren Fein, Tom Jones), Patrick Noonan* as Howard Haggerty (Advice, Spamalot, Irma Vep), Johnny Shea* as CJ Caldwell (Ugly Lies the Bone), and Kraig Swartz* as Vencel Von Volp (Something Rotten, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Visit Joe Whitefeather, Pictures from Home).

 Making up the creative team is Richard Hopkins (Director), Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay (Scenic Design), Rob Perry (Lighting Design), Nicholas Christensen (Sound Design), Janice Pytel (Costume Design), Dylan Uremovich (Projection Design), Shira Lebovich* (AEA Stage Manager), Ashley Nolt (Stage Management Intern), and Lexy Hatch (Assistant to the Director).
*Indicates members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

 Blast off with The Blue-Sky Boys, playing January 21 to March 8, 2026. Previews are January 21 and 22, with opening night on January 23, 2026. Single tickets start at $39.

The Blue-Sky Boys is part of FST’s three-show Winter Mainstage subscription, which also includes A Tailor Near Me, a tale of connection and self-discovery; and Birthday Candles, a touching and humorous exploration of what it means to be alive. Subscriptions are on sale now for as little as $79, and single tickets start at $39. For more information, visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org or call (941) 366-9000.

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Sponsors

Florida Studio Theatre is grateful to its sponsors of the 2025-26 Winter Mainstage Season: Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax, The Shubert Foundation, Florida’s Cultural Coast, Florida Arts & Culture, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Sarasota Magazine

About Florida Studio Theatre

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is Sarasota’s contemporary theatre. Founded in 1973, FST has grown to a village of five theatres located in the heart of downtown Sarasota. Each theatre is small in size and large in impact – providing intimate and engaging settings for high-quality, professional performances.

 Today, FST has established itself as a major force in American Theatre. FST is the largest subscription theatre in the state of Florida and among the largest in the country, serving more than 225,000 live attendees each year across its diverse programs: Mainstage, Cabaret, Stage III, Children’s Theatre, Improv, The FST School, and New Play Development.

 Even with its growth, Florida Studio Theatre remains firmly committed to making the arts accessible and affordable to as many people as possible. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins, FST develops theatre that speaks to our living, evolving, and dynamically changing world. Hip and historical, entertaining and challenging, we are where everyone is welcome to engage in the art of theatre.