Press Releases

: May 27, 2020

Students involved with WBTT programs can earn funds toward artistic education and training

SARASOTA, FL – Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe is proud to announce the expansion of its scholarship program for deserving students. Last year – the first for WBTT’s scholarship program – six up-and-coming artists were presented with $1,000 scholarships for studies in a college or conservatory program in the performing arts or arts management for the 2019-2020 academic year. This year, WBTT will have enough funding to provide six young artists with scholarships of $2,000 each.

: May 21, 2020

WBTT continues to offer entertainment via streaming video, with a run of May 26-June 21

SARASOTA, FL – While the stage in Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s brand-new theater building remains dark due to COVID-19, the show will go on(line) – again – in late May. In an effort to lift spirits as well as generate critically-needed revenue, WBTT is proud to continue to offer entertainment options virtually, with the family-friendly musical, “Rockin’ Down Fairytale Lane.” The show will be available online from May 26 through June 21.

: May 12, 2020

Theatre’s annual spring fundraiser to be offered online from May 21-25; will feature most popular WBTT artists performing soul hits

SARASOTA, FL – For more than a decade, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe has offered the lively and music-filled fundraiser, the April Fools Fête, in the ballroom at Michael’s On East. This year, with social events shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organization will offer a high-energy, 75-minute recorded program – “An Evening with Sheldon Rhoden & Friends” – online from 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 through 10 p.m. on Monday, May 25.

: May 7, 2020

Funding of $30,000 from Gulf Coast Community Foundation - in response to economic impacts of COVID-19 - will help WBTT to pivot operations

SARASOTA, FL – Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, the only professional black theater company on Florida's West Coast and one of only three in Florida, was thrilled to recently receive an emergency Arts Appreciation Grant of $30,000 from Gulf Coast Community Foundation. WBTT was one of 10 of this region's signature arts organizations to receive funding totaling $470,000 in April, to assist arts and cultural organizations hit the hardest due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

: April 20, 2020

Major supporters pledge $25,000 to boost Giving Challenge 2020 efforts

SARASOTA, FL – With losses in the hundreds of thousands related to show cancellations due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Sarasota’s “miracle theater” – Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe – has been looking for a miracle. With the community-wide Giving Challenge approaching later this month, a miracle has appeared in the form of a $25,000 challenge match to bolster donations during the 24-hour online philanthropic event.

: April 7, 2020

WBTT launches streaming video platform, 'WBTT Live!' with the musical, ‘Your Arms Too Short to Box with God’

SARASOTA, FL – For Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, the decision to go dark for the remainder of its 20th anniversary (2020-2021) season due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was particularly painful as it had just opened its newly-renovated theater building to patrons in January. In an effort to lift spirits as well as generate critically-needed revenue, WBTT is proud to launch its new live streaming platform, "WBTT Live!" with the musical, Vinnette Carroll’s "Your Arms Too Short to Box with God," the production that WBTT was forced to cancel in March, after just three weeks of its run.

: March 23, 2020

Organization cancels ‘Ruby’ and ‘Flyin’ West’; makes adjustments to 2020-2021 season

SARASOTA, FL – In the face of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe officials have canceled the remainder of WBTT's 2019-2020 performance season. In addition to the final three weeks of the run of “Your Arms Too Short to Box with God,” WBTT has canceled the highly-anticipated world-premiere musical “Ruby” and the season’s closing production, “Flyin’ West.”