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Florida Studio Theatre to Honor Betty Schoenbaum
SARASOTA - Florida Studio Theatre is pleased to thank loyal supporter Betty Schoenbaum for a recent generous donation. Mrs. Schoenbaum has established a fund at the Community Foundation to underwrite FST’s extensive children’s programs. FST offers two Educational programs, The WRITE A PLAY Tour program and the Florida Studio Theatre School. The WRITE A PLAY tour inspires students to write for the Young Playwrights Festival and reaches over 60,000 children yearly throughout Florida, Israel, Scotland, and Russia. The FST School offers theatre training to over 600 children yearly.

Leesburg Fine Art Festival Award Winners Announced
$3,000 Best of Show: Tony Savoie
$1,000 Award of Excellence: James Oleson, Jr.
$1,000 2-D Judge's Choice: Sheila F. Crawford
$1,000 3-D Judge's Choice: Robert Kastrinos
$500 Award of Distinction: Ted Head
$500 Award of Distinction: Bruce Nawrocke
$500 Award of Distinction: Rick and Iris Austin
$500 Award of Distinction: Roger Bulkley
$250 Merit Award: Marjorie Muething
$250 Merit Award; Keith Ruddick
$250 Merit Award; David and Ann Reif
$250 Merit Award: Jay Canterbury
$250 Merit Award: Mark Blanchette
$250 Merit Award: Dom Rodi
$250 Merit Award: Zhiyong Ye
$250 Merit Award: Michael Bond
$250 Merit Award: Polly Podolsky

Art and Culture Center of Hollywood’s Executive Director Joy Satterlee to Receive ArtServe’s Arts Administrator Award
Hollywood – Art and Culture Center of Hollywood Executive Director Joy A. Satterlee, APR, has been selected to receive ArtServe’s Encore Award in the Arts Administrator category. Satterlee will receive her award at an awards luncheon slated for Friday, May 18, at Hyatt Pier 66. As the Center’s executive director, Satterlee oversees and directs all aspects of the $1.5 million, multi-disciplinary, nonprofit, contemporary arts organization. She joined the Center in July 2002 as deputy director and became interim director in May 2004 before being named executive director in April 2005.

Alexander W. Dreyfoos Honored At Retirement Luncheon - City and County Proclaim March 23 Alexander W. Dreyfoos Day
West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel and the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners proclaimed March 23 Alexander W. Dreyfoos Day in recognition of the philanthropist’s upcoming retirement as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Community leaders feted Dreyfoos during an invitation-only retirement luncheon . March 23 in the Kravis Center’s Cohen Pavilion. During the luncheon, Mayor Frankel and County Commission Chairperson Addie Greene presented Dreyfoos with special proclamations in recognition of his numerous contributions to Palm Beach County culture and education and his leadership role in the construction and management of the Kravis Center for the past 25 years. In addition, Kravis Center announced it reached its $31 Million Encore Capital Campaign Goal For New Cohen Pavilion.

CARNIVAL CENTER ROLLS OUT HALF-OFF TICKETS (H.O.T.) PROGRAM
MIAMI - As part of its ongoing initiative to make the performing arts as accessible to as wide and diverse an audience as possible, Carnival Center for the Performing Arts today launches new programs designed to make lower-priced tickets available to students, seniors, and groups of 20 or more. As part of the new H.O.T. at Carnival Center program, full-time students and seniors (65 and over) are now eligible for Half-Off Tickets to same-day performances of most Carnival Center-presented shows. Furthermore, groups of 20 or more are eligible for discounts ranging between 10% and 50% on tickets purchased in advance, depending on the size and age of the group.

THE ORLANDO-UCF SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES PERSONNEL CHANGE
Orlando - Amy Kaiser, who has served as our Managing Director, will be leaving at the end of this season. Amy has decided to pursue other professional opportunities. The Festival agrees that Amy’s departure is in the best interest of the Festival as this will allow both Amy and the Festival to continue to prosper and grow professionally. Her service to the Festival during the past year has included a number of major moves forward and we very much appreciate her professionalism and courtesy in the timing of this decision. The Festival will now seek a replacement and re-tool the search process to fit the Festival’s current staffing, support, and mission resources. The Festival is set to begin a national search in hopes of finding a new managing director by June 1st.

Women Contemporary Artists Hosts Members’ Tea
SARASOTA - Sunday, March 11th the annual WCA Members’ Tea was held at the Siesta Key home of Grace Landon. This event is one of several opportunities the organization offers in an effort to help members build strong supportive relationships as they relate to their art careers. In addition to existing members, the annual tea is an opportunity to introduce prospective members.

Youth Orchestra Leadership Announced for 2007/ 2008 Season
Sarasota– The Florida West Coast Symphony announced leadership changes in the Youth Orchestra Program effective for the 2007/2008 season. Andrew Lane, principal youth orchestra conductor since September, 2002 will complete his leadership tenure at the end of this season. He will remain on with the Florida West Coast Symphony as a pops conductor and has taken on an expanded role advising the Symphony with its pops and lighter programs. Dirk Meyer, assistant conductor of the Florida West Coast Symphony, will assume the role of conductor of the Florida West Coast Symphony Youth Philharmonic when the orchestra is seated next fall. John Dupuis, a faculty member of the Summer at the Symphony program and cover conductor of the Youth Orchestra program will assume the leadership of the Youth Symphony which will be vacated when Dirk Meyer assumes his new role next fall.

Women Playwrights’ Initiative announces World Premiere Playwright
Orlando - Women Playwrights' Initiative (WPI) has selected Ree Howell and her script Five Women in Havana as its fourth annual World Premiere production. The North Carolina-based playwright expects to be in Orlando for both a developmental reading June 10 and for the fully-staged production. “Writing it was a six-month process, and that’s long for me,” said the self-described reclusive writer. “And it’s only my second project with strong roles for women!” Howell’s script was inspired by a collision of events: a major hurricane, an interest in Cuba’s near future, interviews by Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep where they lamented the lack of significant roles for women, and her father’s appeal that she “get out of her office more.”

Actors' Playhouse Unveils Commemorative Book, Honors Major Donors and Sponsors at Book Signing Reception
Coral Gables - Donors, sponsors, civic leaders and longtime patrons of Actors' Playhouse were feted at an exclusive book signing reception on February 26 at the Westin Colonnade Hotel. The event, sponsored by the Paladin Coral Gables, marked the official unveiling of the theatre's newly published commemorative book, Miracle on the Mile: The First Ten Years of Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. The book's author, Coral Gables resident and business owner Connie Crowther, signed books and posed for photographs with guests, many of whom are featured in the book.