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Broadway Star Will Swenson to Perform at Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner Honoring Artist Charisse Pearlina Weston

| Sande Caplin |

The acclaimed Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner returns this spring with a special performance by Broadway star Will Swenson, celebrating the 2026 prize winner, visual artist Charisse Pearlina Weston.

A Special Night of Art, Music, and Celebration

The Hermitage Artist Retreat has announced that Tony Award–nominated Broadway performer Will Swenson will headline the 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner on Sunday, April 12, 2026. The annual benefit supports the Hermitage’s nationally recognized artist residency program and celebrates the winner of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize, one of the largest annual commissions for artists in the United States.

This year’s honoree is visual artist Charisse Pearlina Weston, whose work explores themes of Black life, memory, material history, and the presence of absence through sculpture, drawing, and installation.

The evening will also feature a performance by Britton Smith, a returning Hermitage Fellow, Broadway performer, and musician known for blending soul, jazz, and funk influences in his work.

About Broadway Star Will Swenson

Will Swenson is widely recognized as one of Broadway’s most dynamic and versatile performers. He most recently starred as Neil Diamond in the Broadway musical A Beautiful Noise. Swenson earned Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominations for his acclaimed performance as Berger in the Broadway revival of Hair.

His impressive Broadway and Off-Broadway résumé includes performances in:

  • Les Misérables
  • Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
  • Waitress
  • Rock of Ages
  • Little Miss Sunshine
  • Pericles
  • Adrift in Macao
  • Murder Ballad

Swenson also earned an Obie Award for his role in Jerry Springer: The Opera and received multiple award nominations for portraying Charles Guiteau in the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins.

Beyond the stage, his film and television credits include The Greatest Showman, Law & Order, The Good Wife, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, First Kill, and Elsbeth.

Britton Smith Returns to the Hermitage Stage

Joining Swenson for the evening will be Britton Smith, a Broadway veteran and Tony Award winner through his work with the Broadway Advocacy Coalition. Smith is also a 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize finalist and leader of the “funk liberation band” Britton and the Sting.

Hermitage audiences may recognize Smith from the popular Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens series, where his program “The Rising Stars of Jazz and Soul” energized audiences with his original music and powerful performances.

Honoring Charisse Pearlina Weston

The 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize recognizes Charisse Pearlina Weston, whose thought-provoking work has been exhibited nationally. Weston’s art often investigates historical narratives, material culture, and the ways objects can hold memory and meaning.

The Hermitage Greenfield Prize rotates annually among disciplines including visual art, music, and theater, awarding the recipient a significant commission to create a new work that premieres at the Hermitage.

A Major Cultural Event on the Suncoast

The annual dinner has become one of the most anticipated arts events on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The 2025 Artful Lobster raised over $450,000 — a record — reflecting the community’s deep support for the Hermitage’s mission. Past guest performers have included:

  • Tony and Grammy Award winner Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen)
  • Tony and Emmy Award nominee Eden Espinosa (Wicked)
  • Tony Award nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Beetlejuice)
  • Tony Award-winning Hermitage Fellow Gavin Creel

The 2026 event co-chairs are Ellen and Richard Sandor, and the Hermitage Greenfield Prize is presented in partnership with the Greenfield Foundation of Philadelphia. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County serves as the lead community sponsor.

Tickets and Sponsorship Information

Tables and sponsorship packages for the 2026 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Dinner range from $2,000 to $10,000. Because of the event’s popularity, limited seating remains available.

For more information or to reserve a table, contact the Hermitage Development Office at 941-475-2098, Ext. 2, or visit the official event page.

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