Florida Studio Theatre Opens its 2025-26 Children’s Theatre with Peter Pan

SARASOTA, Fla. (September 15, 2025) — Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is proud to open its 2025-26 Children’s Theatre Series with Peter Pan, a magical retelling of James Matthew Barrie’s cherished classic, adapted by Caroline Saldivar and Ben Liebert. This lively adventure begins Sept. 20 and runs through Oct. 25 in FST’s Keating Theatre.

Audiences of all ages are invited to take flight with Peter, Wendy, and Tinker Bell on a journey to Neverland – where pirates roam, fairies sparkle, and kids never grow up! With all the magic, mischief, and heart of the original story, this lively new adaptation brings Peter Pan’s world to life on stage like never before.

“I’m overjoyed to open our season with such a timeless and beloved story,” said Caroline Saldivar, FST’s Director of Children’s Theatre. “This production captures the wonder of Neverland while bringing families together through laughter, adventure, and imagination. From swashbuckling pirates to soaring adventures, it’s a shared experience that connects generations, strengthens our community, and reminds us of the joy of discovering stories side by side.

This season’s Peter Pan cast is made up of FST’s 2025-26 Acting Apprentices, a select group of emerging theatre artists who join the theatre for a year of professional training and performance. Acting Apprentices perform as part of FST’s Children’s Theatre Series and its award-winning arts-in-education program, WRITE A PLAY. They also audition to understudy FST’s Mainstage, Cabaret, and Stage III productions, working alongside union performers, and gain hands-on experience across the theatre’s many departments and programs.

Making up this whimsical cast is Grayson Buchanan (Peter), Maya Carpentiere (Wendy), Ryan Dugan (Captain Hook/Mr. Darling), Amanda González (Mrs. Darling/Smee), Walter Steven Dagley (Michael/Tootles), and Sheila Wallis (John/Slightly).

The creative team includes Ben Liebert (Director/Costume Design), Jim Prosser (Music), Casey Seiler (Scenic Design), Kate Landry (Lighting Design), Nicholas Christensen (Sound Design), and Tori Martinson (Stage Manager).

Join Peter, Wendy, and Tinker Bell on a journey to Neverland from September 20 to October 25, 2025! Single tickets start at just $12.

Peter Pan is part of FST’s four-show Children’s Theatre subscription package, which also includes Deck the Halls, FST’s festive annual holiday celebration; Snow White, a wildly creative retelling of a classic fairy tale; and The Pirate Ship and the Sea Monster & Other Winning Plays, a collection of award-winning plays written by elementary school students. Subscriptions are available for as little as $25 – that’s just $6.25 per show. Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or by calling (941) 366-9000.

Peter Pan Performance Schedule*
Saturday, September 20 at 10AM and 12PM
Sunday, September 28 at 10AM
Saturday, October 4 at 10AM and 12PM
Sunday, October 12 at 10AM
Sunday, October 19 at 10AM
Saturday, October 25 at 10AM
Saturday, November 1 at 12PM
*Additional performance dates may be added.

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Sponsors
Florida Studio Theatre is grateful to its sponsors of the 2025-26 Children’s Theatre Season: The Shubert Foundation, Florida Arts & Culture, Bishop-Parker Foundation, The Exchange, Manatee Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Wells Fargo, Sister Cities Association of Sarasota, The Patterson Foundation, Suncoast Credit Union Foundation, and Publix Super Markets Charities.

This season is sponsored in part by the Bank of America Client Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, and the Florida Council of Arts and Culture. Funding for this program was provided in part by The School Board of Broward County, Florida – SEAS Program.

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.