Photo by: Cliff Roles. Courtesy of: Urbanite Theatre.

It may be the off-season, but newcomer Urbanite Theatre shows no signs of slowing, releasing a summer schedule both edgy and diverse for its first round through the scorching heat, including two plays within the black box, a special series from modern dance troupe Moving Ethos and a pair of live play readings.

The summer season begins June 12 with Reborning, a darkly comic tale of a young sculptor named Kelly, who specializes in crafting hyper-realistic baby dolls and finds herself unprepared when a woman comes to her shop looking to recover her past through one of Kelly’s creations. “It deals with loss, how people deal with loss and how sometimes as a society we have a lack of empathy for what people need to do to cope,” said Summer Dawn Wallace, co-artistic director of Urbanite Theatre. “But it’s a dark comedy – a mystery. It takes you on a wild ride.”

Of special note for Reborning is the addition of fellow Urbanite co-artistic director Brendan Ragan joining the cast as ‘Daisy.’ “He’s definitely thrilled to be able to put on his actor’s hat,” said Wallace. Wallace and Ragan brought in Brendon Fox, who was Ragan’s acting teacher at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory and a director they both had their eye on since Urbanite began. “He’s so busy, but this piece worked out with his directing schedule and we were extremely lucky to get him,” said Wallace.

Mid-July, the space gives way to Moving Ethos, one of Sarasota’s premier modern dance companies, for a series of five shows presenting a new routine. “It gives the community an opportunity to see something different and their show is a very exciting and contemporary piece,” said Wallace, who with Ragan has always planned on making Urbanite Theatre a hub for more than theater, and found Moving Ethos’ ‘organic’ and adaptive style in line with Urbanite’s mission. “It’s really quite the right fit,” she continued. Even with many of the platforms removed, opening the black box as much as it can be, seating will be limited.

As summer winds down, Urbanite closes the off-season with the intriguing Isaac’s Eye, a fictionalized account of the circumstances that led a young Isaac Newton to insert a needle into his own eye in a quest to better understand the mechanics of light and optics. “It’s really about what one can do to prove their own point of view and what can happen in pursuit of ego,” said Wallace, who also hinted at a certain ‘fantastical’ element to the play, which audiences won’t expect.

The community has been asking her and Ragan if Urbanite has plans for the summer, Wallace said, and the response is encouraging. “It’s an opportunity to keep the arts going in the summertime,” said Wallace. “We’re definitely going to be open.”

Reborning opens June 12 and runs until July 5. Isaac’s Eye opens August 14 and ends Sept. 6. The live play readings have not been selected, but one is planned for June-July and the other during the run of Isaac’s Eye. 

Photo by: Cliff Roles. Courtesy of: Urbanite Theatre.