The Hermitage Artist Retreat today announced a modified program schedule for October and November following the impact of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Despite the damages to the Hermitage campus on Manasota Key, the planned program with Broadway veteran Britton Smith will be moving ahead this Thursday at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Downtown Sarasota. The Hermitage and Selby Gardens have jointly decided to move forward with this special event to celebrate the resilient spirit of our community in this time of healing.
“Let the Music Set You Free” is scheduled for Thursday, October 17th at 5:30pm. This program kicks off the fifth anniversary of the “Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens” series and features Broadway veteran, Tony Award winner, and 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalist Britton Smith. The bandleader for the alternative soul band Britton and the Sting, this visionary artist and advocate is a force of nature determined to unite the world through a passion for music and theater. This event is being presented in partnership with Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and DreamLarge. (The Hermitage has arranged alternative artist accommodations and studio space due to campus damages.)
“Manasota Key experienced unprecedented devastation in the wake of these two recent hurricanes,” noted Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. “Despite the challenges ahead of us, we feel it is important to move forward with this Thursday’s program to celebrate our community’s resilient spirit. We are grateful to the extraordinary Britton Smith and our friends at Selby Gardens for wanting to embrace this moment of healing with us.”
Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world’s leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes with no intermission. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at Hermitage Artist Retreat…