Florida Studio Theatre Receives $20,000 Grant from the Bishop-Parker Foundation

Funding to expand WRITE A PLAY program in Manatee County Title I schools

(Sarasota, FL) — Florida Studio Theatre (FST) has received a $20,000 grant from the Bishop-Parker Foundation to expand its WRITE A PLAY program in Manatee County. The funding will cover all participation costs for several Title I schools during the 2025-2026 school year, eliminating financial barriers for students and schools.

This is the first grant FST has received from the Bishop-Parker Foundation. The support will allow FST to serve more students at existing partner schools and bring the WRITE A PLAY program to at least three additional Manatee County schools.

“We’re incredibly grateful for this new partnership with the Bishop-Parker Foundation,” said Kacy Jones, Children’s Theatre Associate at FST. “This funding opens doors. It ensures that students who may have never seen a play or written creatively before now get to experience the magic of theatre firsthand. It sends a powerful message that young voices matter.”

WRITE A PLAY is FST’s flagship arts education initiative, now in its 34th year. The program guides students through the playwriting process and includes live performances, interactive workshops, and a culminating festival of winning student-written plays.

In the 2024-2025 school year, WRITE A PLAY served more than 8,500 Manatee County students. With this grant, FST aims to significantly increase participation, particularly at schools with limited arts access.

The funding also supports the expansion of FST’s “focus school” initiative into Manatee County. This program offers a fully subsidized playwriting residency – including instruction, workshops, and transportation – for one grade level at a selected school.

Founded in 1991, WRITE A PLAY has reached over 1 million students to date, with a focus on Title I and underserved schools.

For more information about WRITE A PLAY or to support FST’s education programs, visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

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About Bishop-Parker Foundation

Inspired by the philanthropic legacies of their founders, the Bishop-Parker Foundation supports nonprofit and public partners who collaborate to advance the Manatee County Community for current and future generations.

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.