KEY WEST EVENTS

The Studios caps off the renovations of our home at 533 Eaton Street with a space like no other in Key West – a creative space under the skies, and a gathering spot with the best views in town. Hugh’s View sits on the roof of The Studios offering panoramic vistas across the rooftops of Old Town, from the Gulf of Mexico on one side to the Atlantic on the other. Doors open at 6pm, and close at 6:30pm or when our capacity is reached.

Kick off the holiday season with The Studios of Key West by supporting community artists and small businesses. This season, we’re temporarily transitioning to an online platform, helping you find the perfect gifts. Our online shop will open at tskw.org on November 27 (Small Business Saturday) and be available to browse through Christmas Eve. It will still be a one-stop-shopping experience with links to 25 unique local artisans who create jewelry, textiles, home accessories and more.

Unstuck as F*ck, making its world premiere in Key West, is a truly unique event. Part TED talk, part stand-up routine, part heartbreaking drama. Over the course of 70 minutes, TV writer and actor Orlando tells the fascinating story of his life—from growing up in the concrete jungle of Flatbush, Brooklyn to his years in the ivory tower of Yale—to all the ups and downs that came after.

Tom Chapin takes a moment before his concerts to celebrate the life and advocacy of his brother, Harry. “When in Doubt, Do Something” chronicles Harry Chapin’s years working to eradicate world hunger. The world knows Harry Chapin for his historical contributions to American music, but fewer people are aware of the profound social impacts made by his actions.

Not many artists can count six decades, 26 albums and three GRAMMYs in their bio, but Tom Chapin is not most artists. The New York Times called Chapin “one of the great personalities in contemporary folk music.”  Seeing the multi-talented music man on stage, it’s easy to understand why.

Written by William Shakespeare, conceived and directed by Richard Ericson. Twilight. Hugh’s View. Wild desire, jealousy, & comic revenge. Shakespeare’s greatest comedy — the most-produced in the world — is now just eighty minutes. Five actors play fifteen roles, sometimes with life-size puppets. As Puck says, “What fools these mortals be.” Laughter, sex, & love as the stars twinkle.

Raise a glass on the roof to beloved bon vivant and Hugh’s View namesake, Hugh Ware, on the occasion of what would have been his 99th birthday. Enjoy golden era jazz standards and WWII-era classics performed by Bobby Nesbit and Carmen Rodriguez while watching the sun tip below the horizon.

Jazz on the Roof is a series of monthly concerts featuring the critically acclaimed vocalist Libby York and her jazz trio. Working on her forthcoming album, York is known for her subtle and swinging renditions of Great American Songbook classics, as well as bossa nova gems and a few obscure Songbook treasures.

Called “one of the most innovative songwriters working today,” (Chicago Tribune), Susan Werner crafts lyrics that are as sharp as thistles, and every bit as funny as they are on point. A giant on the acoustic scene, Werner is by turns wry and passionate on stage, and famous for her live shows. As she says, “If you can’t laugh about it, you might be in the wrong line of work.”

Salvadoran artist Carlo Mejía serves as a conduit to the ancient Mayans. His porcelain vases and colorful paintings are steeped in myth, with bold patterns and stylized faces that seem to gaze through time.

Mary Gauthier comes to The Studios as an Artist in Residence this season, with a new book and recent GRAMMY Award-nominated album in hand. Gauthier has made a career of sharing the redemptive power of music through her live shows, Master Classes and a TED Talk.

The Studios is proud to host the annual Anne McKee Auction now celebrating its 27th year. Join us in-person for one of the most popular art events of the year. Proceeds fund grants exclusively benefiting Keys artists.

Dead Horses isn’t a band in the conventional sense. Rather, it’s a folk-inspired conversation between two close friends, guitarist/ singer Sarah Vos and bassist Daniel Wolff. The pair’s musicality, and ambitions have sent them on a winding journey.

Jazz on the Roof is a series of monthly concerts featuring the critically acclaimed vocalist Libby York and her jazz trio. Working on her forthcoming album, York is known for her subtle and swinging renditions of Great American Songbook classics, as well as bossa nova gems and a few obscure Songbook treasures.

Key West actors let you peek inside the diary of the island with stories of renegades, rebels and regular joes. Hear the (sometimes sordid) tales that give our community its unique flavor. Stories have been contributed by locals and visitors, from the past both near and far, and are read by local actors.

One of our most popular annual events, the Studio Tours return to Old Town this season with a carefully curated collection of creative work spaces. Spend the afternoon peeking into the homes and studios of some of the island’s most fascinating artists.

These three old friends happen to be among our nation’s funniest, most insightful commentators on society and politics, with a pile of Pulitzers between them. Humorist Dave Barry, and cartoonists Mike Luckovich & Mike Peters return to The Studios stage for an uproarious evening of stories, sketches and pokes at the powerful.

Ellis Delaney may just be what we all need after the past year. Funny, thoughtful and uninhibited, Delaney is known as one of the most giving musicians out there. She gives her all in transformational performances, stating that her mission is to be “undefended and open.”

Music by Martin Hennessy. Libretto by Stephen Kitsakos. Directed by Murphy Davis. Starring Michael Kelly. In the mid-1970s, a young man lands ashore in Manhattan without a map. Negotiating his way into a life in the performing arts, The Pleasing Recollection chronicles his musical adventures as he charmingly stumbles into some of the musical and theater giants of the era including Larry Kert, Leonard Bernstein, Charles Ludlum, and Aaron Copland among them.

Jazz on the Roof is a series of monthly concerts featuring the critically acclaimed vocalist Libby York and her jazz trio. Working on her forthcoming album, York is known for her subtle and swinging renditions of Great American Songbook classics, as well as bossa nova gems and a few obscure Songbook treasures.

Jose Elias lights up Key West each season with his unique blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms. This year he returns with an installment of the popular Afro Roots Festival, which Elias has produced for over twenty years. One of Miami’s longest running music festivals, Afro Roots was recently acknowledged by the Miami New Times as one of “South Florida’s Ten Best Music Festivals“.

A founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, GRAMMY Award Winner and two-Time EMMY Nominee Dom Flemons has earned the moniker “The American Songster.” With a repertoire covering over 100 years of early American popular music, Flemons masterfully plays everything from banjo and harmonica to fife and rhythm bones.

Audiences have called The Pickpocket’s Daughter, “a first class thriller with loads of laughs.” Young Matzy Moses navigates the corruption and gang warfare of 1930’s New York to save everything she holds dear. Up against her are policemen on the take, Irish gangsters and shady politicians. But with a resilient and unconventional heroine, you can expect the unexpected.

Pandemic-postponed, our typically-biannual favorite, One Night Stand returns! Since 2007, ONS has prompted creative thinkers to develop five brand new pieces of theatre from start to finish in only 24 hours. With the clock ticking, dozens of people work together at a wickedly fast pace to make the project come to fruition.