Hermitage Artist Retreat Unveils Star-Studded February 2026 Programs Across Sarasota County

The Hermitage Artist Retreat has announced an exciting new slate of February 2026 public programs,https://hermitageartistretreat.org/ bringing Tony Award–nominated performers, Pulitzer Prize–winning playwrights, internationally acclaimed musicians, and celebrated authors to venues across Sarasota County.

The newly revealed events continue the Hermitage’s mission of connecting Gulf Coast audiences with world-class artists while they develop new work. February’s lineup includes Broadway standout Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, award-winning composer Harriet Steinke, world-renowned flutist Claire Chase, acclaimed novelist Kirstin Valdez Quade, comedian and writer Morgan Bassichis, and Pulitzer Prize– and Tony Award–winning playwright Doug Wright.

February 5: Chamber Music Meets Broadway at Benderson Park

The month begins Thursday, February 5 at 5 p.m. with Hermitage Sunsets @ Benderson Park, titled “Chamber Flights & Broadway Nights.” Taking place at Nathan Benderson Park, the program blends theatrical storytelling and contemporary classical music in an outdoor lakeside setting.

Returning Hermitage Fellow Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer—known for her scene-stealing Broadway roles in Spamalot and Beetlejuice—will offer audiences an early glimpse of new theatrical writing currently in development. The evening also features original compositions by Harriet Steinke, the 2025 recipient of the Hermitage Prize in Composition at the Aspen Music Festival, performed live by a classical ensemble.

February 13: Flute and Literature on the Hermitage Beachfront

On Friday, February 13 at 5 p.m., audiences are invited back to the Hermitage’s historic Manasota Key campus for “A Decade of Density / A Lifetime of Story – An Evening of Flute and Literature.”

MacArthur Fellow Claire Chase—described by The New York Times as “the most important flutist of our time”—joins novelist Kirstin Valdez Quade for a program pairing contemporary flute music with literary storytelling. Chase will draw from her landmark Density 2036 project, a 24-year effort reimagining the modern flute repertoire, while Valdez Quade—winner of the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize—shares insights from her celebrated body of work, praised for redefining contemporary Latinx literature.

February 19: Solo Performance at Historic Spanish Point

The month concludes Thursday, February 19 at 5:30 p.m. with Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens, presented at Historic Spanish Point. Titled “The Highs and Lows of Going Solo,” the program explores the art of solo performance in theater.

Comedian and writer Morgan Bassichis—recently acclaimed for the Off-Broadway solo show Can I Be Frank?—joins Doug Wright, whose groundbreaking play I Am My Own Wife earned both the Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award. Set in the sunken gardens overlooking the bay, the evening features conversation and performance excerpts as the sun sets.

How to Attend

All Hermitage February programs are free and open to the public, with a $5 per-person registration fee. Most events run approximately 60–70 minutes with no intermission. Due to limited capacity, advance registration is required at www.HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

Additional February and March programs will be announced soon, continuing the Hermitage’s tradition of offering rare, up-close access to some of today’s most influential voices in theater, music, and literature—right here on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Photos from Hermitage Artist Retreat