Florida Studio Theatre plans Gompertz renovations

The Florida Studio Theatre (FST) has filed a site plan to redevelop and expand its Gompertz Theatre on its Sarasota property. The theatre staff says the 1925-era building is in need of a major renovation and, combined with a 10,908-square-foot expansion, the theatre's seating capacity will grow to 220. The theatre has a current capacity of 160 seats, but is underutilized because of its small restrooms and production space.

The site plan calls for renovating the entire auditorium, adding a lobby, restrooms and a cafe and concessions area. The addition will have space for two additional theatres.

“If all goes well we will break ground on this addition in January,” says Richard Hopkins, FST's artistic director and CEO. “We will likely start the renovations to the existing space in April so that both projects could coincide in June for a July soft opening.”

About a year ago, the theatre started its quiet fundraising for the $5 million to $6 million project. The project is still coalescing, according to Hopkins, but should be finalized in time for the start of a more public phase of the fundraising in November.

“This should increase our ability to more than double production in the facility and more than double attendances at all three stages,” Hopkins says.
FST operates two other theatres: the 173-seat Keating Mainstage Theatre and the 109-seat Goldstein Cabaret Theatre.