Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota is celebrating the rebels, romantics and risk-takers who turned 88 keys into pure magic. From Billy Joel to Alicia Keys, from Ray Charles to Freddie Mercury, Three Pianos celebrates the piano legends who refused to play by the rules. Florida Studio Theatre’s Catherine Randazzo says the hit list is amazing.
“Our winter cabaret production will be a tribute to all of the great piano players all the way back from Scott Joplin in the early century and Liberace, dueling pianos, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, all the way to Elton John and Billy Joel and Carole King and Aretha Franklin,” Randazzo said.
The hits include “Crocodile Rock,” “Just the Way You Are,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “I’m Still Standing” and “Beautiful,” and yes, they’re played by three performers on three different pianos.
“There are three pianos. They might not look very different, but everybody has their own style on the piano,” Randazzo observed. “So it's two men and one woman, and they share all the songs and harmonies and there's medleys and mashups and just it's great fun.”
From the soulful sway of Fats Domino to the anthemic joy of Elton John, this high-energy musical revue runs through March 29, 2026.
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Created by Rebecca Hopkins, Richard Hopkins and Sarah Durham, with musical arrangements by Jim Prosser, “Three Pianos” honors the legacy of the great piano storytellers.
“’Three Pianos’ carries on the FST tradition of producing the best lyric poets of our age,” said Richard Hopkins. “I think that in the future, these modern-day songwriters will be compared to the likes of Shakespeare and Homer. We are delighted to produce this work showcasing some of the brightest talents of the past 100 years.”
“Three Pianos” takes audiences on a joyful journey through the songs that shaped generations. It’s a night of storytelling and soul, filled with the kind of music that makes you tap your foot, hum along, and remember where you were the first time you heard it.
“These artists have a way of connecting deeply with what it means to be human,” added Rebecca Hopkins, lead developer. “To be in love. To share a life with others. I heard all of this in a fresh new way during the show’s development process and gained a heightened sense of how important music is in the telling of our collective story."
That connection is part of what makes “Three Pianos” so special. Though the piano is one of the largest instruments, it remains one of the most personal.
“It’s the most versatile instrument out there and possibly the most personal,” said Sarah Durham, co-developer.
Musical arranger and pianist Jim Prosser agrees.
“When you write and play from your own instrument—in this case a piano—it makes the expression of your work that much more intimate,” he said. “It makes people really listen.”
At its heart, Three Pianos celebrates individuality, emotion, and the shared language of music. These artists remind us that when words fail, music speaks—and sometimes, the truest stories are told from behind the keys.
The Musicians
The pianists are Madalyn McHugh, Eddie Weaver and Jared Svoboda.
McHugh is a New York-based actor, musician and singer-songwriter. She’s no stranger to Florida Studio Theatre, having appeared there most recently in “Divas” in the Court Cabaret. McHugh’s repertoire spans musical theatre, classical, pop, country, and folk. McHugh co-created the pop band McHugh Girl with original music streaming on all platforms. For music updates follow @maddie_mcq and @mchughgirlmusic on Instagram.
Weaver was previously at FST in “70s More Than a Decade,” “Cinderella” and “The Wanderers” (understudy). His regional credits include “A Strange Loop,” “Legally Blonde,” “Purlie Victorious,” “Chicken and Biscuits” and “Frog and Toad.” Weaver’s educational credits are “Once on this Island,” “Title of Show,” “Detroit 67'” and “Children of Eden.”
“Three Pianos” represents Svoboda’s FST debut. Past credits include “Jesus Christ Superstar” (Asolo Rep), “Dear Evan Hansen” (tour), “Bat Out of Hell” (Vegas residency), “Jersey Boys” and “Newsies” (The Rev) and “Footloose” (NCL). Fans of documentaries may recognize him as Jesus from Morgan Freeman’s “The Story of God.” Jared is a proud graduate of NYU Tisch. Follow his social media @jaredsvoboda.
Kevin McDuffy is “the band.” “Three Pianos” also marks McDuffy’s FST debut. From Indianapolis, McDuffy has a BFA in musical theatre from Indiana University. His regional credits consist of the Pharoah in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (Cornwell’s Dinner Theatre), Mitch Mahoney in “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Dr. Phillips Center), the Lion in “The Wizard of Oz” (Constellation Stage & Screen), Smudge in “Forever Plaid” (IU Summer Theatre) and Lord Pinkleton in “Cinderella” (Crossroads Rep). McDuffy’s educational credits include Pythio in “Head Over Heels,” Shakespeare in “Something Rotten!” and Herman/Max in “Cabaret.” IG: @devin.a.mc.
Catherine Randazzo directs. John Bronston provided musical direction, with Andrew Gray on scenic and lighting design, Nicholas Christensen on sound design and Madison Queen on costume design.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
