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A photo of the front entrance of Urbanite Theatre, which is a modern, angular, minimalist structure that reflects the theatre's focus on producing modern plays in a black box setting.

ABOUT URBANITE THEATRE

Located in the heart of downtown Sarasota, Florida, Urbanite Theatre is an award-winning theatre committed to equity and inclusion both on and off the stage. We produce captivating new plays that demand conversation and leave the best questions unanswered. Our fully flexible black-box theatre is the most intimate venue in the region, creating a highly-immersive experience for patrons and challenging perspectives.

 

Urbanite Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

A black and white photo of Urbanite Theatre's founders, Harry Lipstein, Summer Wallace, and Brendan Ragan. They are dressed casually, wearing black T-shirts with the Urbanite Theatre logo on them.

MEET OUR FOUNDERS

Urbanite Theatre began as a dream to fill Sarasota’s void in challenging new theatrical works. Founders Summer Dawn Wallace and Brendan Ragan met at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training in 2011 while pursuing their masters of fine arts in acting. Their extensive experience as performing artists inspired their vision of an artist-first theatre company.

 

Urbanite Theatre gained traction when our third founder, Harry Lipstein, a passionate theatre maker and talented architect entered the stage. Together, Lipstein, Wallace, and Ragan created Sarasota’s sold-out sensation: Urbanite Theatre. Since its inception in 2014, the team at Urbanite has produced over 50 plays, three new play festivals, developed five world premieres, two United States premieres, and many regional premieres.

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Harry Lipstein has gone on to found and build Denizen Theatre in New Paltz, New York, and Brendan Ragan has taken on a new challenge as Artistic Director at Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Arlington Heights, IL.

STAFF

Administration

Producing Artistic Director: Summer Wallace

Director of Advancement: Travis Ray

Marketing Coordinator: Alexa Evans

Patron Services Manager: Emily Damsel​

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Production​

Production Stage Manager: Tori Heikenfeld

Technical Director: Alex Pinchin

Master Carpenter: Gene Alcorn

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Len Goldberg, Board President

Jeffery Stevens, Board Treasurer

Jaime Still, Board Secretary

Georgia Higgins

Frank Maggio

Summer Dawn Wallace

Board Emeritus

Emilie Robinson

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MISSION

Urbanite Theatre is committed to creating visceral, shared experiences by fearlessly lifting up the boldest new voices in theatre. We believe in inclusive, artist-first storytelling, daring honesty, and the powerful connectivity of an intimate space.

A photo from the Urbanite Theatre production, AT THE WAKE OF A DEAD DRAG QUEEN, by playwright Terry Guest. A Black drag queen is smiling, wearing her hair long in loose waves and a middle part. She is wearing an orange dress with cut out detailing and a blue pattern. Behind her on one side is a red curtain, and she holds a microphone in both hands.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Urbanite Theatre strongly believes that an effective workforce includes employees from different and diverse backgrounds and experiences that together form a more creative, innovative, and productive environment.


Urbanite Theatre recognizes that building an equitable, anti-racist, and inclusive environment is the key ingredient to its relevance and sustainability in the community. Urbanite Theatre respects diversity within human qualities and these qualities include but are not limited to: ethnicity, race, color, country of origin, sex, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, beliefs, political affiliations, socioeconomic status, experiences and any form of disability.


Urbanite Theatre strives to create a culture of inclusion where employees of diverse human qualities can thrive and succeed and are able to participate in, and contribute to, the progress and success of the theatre while growing both professionally and personally.

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Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated in Urbanite Theatre, and any reported instances will be grounds for immediate refusal of service.

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At Urbanite Theatre, we believe in radical acceptance, relentless inclusion, and the unwavering support of vulnerable communities.

A photo from Myakka State Park in Sarasota, Florida, set as the background for the section of the website that holds the Land Acknowledgement.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

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Urbanite Theatre would like to acknowledge the indigenous communities native to this region by recognizing that we gather today on the unceded ancestral land of the Calusa and Seminole people, past and present. We honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations.

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