Shedding a Skin with Samaria Nixon-Fleming: A Raw, Beautiful Rebirth on Stage at Florida Studio Theatre
Some plays entertain. Others awaken.
Shedding a Skin, now playing at Florida Studio Theatre, starring the luminous Samaria Nixon-Fleming, is the kind of show that crawls under yours — and by curtain call, you might find you’ve left a layer behind.
This bold, emotional, and deeply personal production doesn’t tiptoe. It strides straight into the heart of transformation, identity, and the powerful, messy art of becoming who you are meant to be. With a fearless solo performance, evocative writing, and a heartbeat you can almost hear pulsing beneath the stage, Shedding a Skin is more than a play — it’s a metamorphosis, in real time.
A Story That Peels Back the Layers
At its core, Shedding a Skin is about growth — the kind that hurts a little, heals a lot, and leaves you changed.
Written by Amanda Wilkin and brought to vivid life by Samaria Nixon-Fleming, the play traces a deeply personal journey through loss, injustice, discovery, and radical empathy. With humor and heartbreak intertwined, this solo performance finds its power not in grand gestures, but in the honesty of one woman standing alone and speaking her truth.
Nixon-Fleming doesn’t just perform. She confides, unspools, radiates. There’s something electric about the way she delivers each line — part poem, part conversation, all heart.
And just like that, the title becomes more than metaphor.
One Actor, All the Soul
Solo shows are not for the faint of heart. But Samaria Nixon-Fleming makes it look effortless — while channeling something that feels anything but.
In a role that demands emotional vulnerability, razor-sharp timing, and the ability to carry an entire world on one set of shoulders, she shines. Her presence is magnetic. Her range — from quiet introspection to explosive honesty — is a masterclass in solo storytelling.
There is no fourth wall here. Just an open invitation to witness something intimate, urgent, and human.
Florida Studio Theatre: A Home for Brave Voices
Florida Studio Theatre has a long-standing reputation for showcasing stories that matter — plays that don’t just reflect the world, but challenge it, expand it, hold it accountable. Shedding a Skin is a perfect fit.
This is theatre that listens before it speaks. That dares to dig deeper. That places a single woman on stage and trusts the power of her words to shake the rafters.
With its intimate setting and passionate audiences, FST reminds us that smaller stages often carry the biggest truths.
Why This Story, Why Now?
Because the world is still raw. Because many of us are still figuring out who we are in a world that asks us to shrink. Because identity, race, rage, beauty, and care are all wrapped up in how we live and love.
Shedding a Skin doesn’t offer solutions. It offers space. A moment of grace to question, to rage, to laugh, to breathe. To remember that healing isn’t linear and growth doesn’t come without pain.
Whether you’ve ever felt invisible, uprooted, or reborn — this show knows you.
“Shedding a Skin is poetry set on fire. It’s not just a performance — it’s a reckoning. Samaria Nixon-Fleming’s voice stays with you long after the lights go down. This is the kind of theatre that changes people.” – Susan Short
Why It Matters — Right Now
In a world still reeling from isolation and upheaval, Shedding a Skin feels like a balm and a challenge. It doesn’t offer neat resolutions or glossy optimism. Instead, it offers truth — raw and resplendent.
It’s a story for anyone rebuilding, redefining, or just trying to make sense of the noise.
A Perfect Fit for Florida Studio Theatre
Known for staging work that matters, FST is the ideal incubator for this brave, boundary-pushing piece. The intimacy of the theatre space invites the kind of connection this show demands. No filters. No distractions. Just one woman, one spotlight, and a sea of possibilities.
Final Takeaway
Don’t miss this. Shedding a Skin is more than a title — it’s a call to action. A tender, fiery reminder that who you were isn’t who you have to be. And sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is begin again.
Let it move you. Let it crack you open. And let it leave you lighter.
https://www.floridastudiotheatre.org
