King of Summer

Fifteen years ago, there was essentially no summer theater to be found in Sarasota. Live theater was just another item on the list of things affected by the seasonal nature of the city.

But Jerry Finn, a retired trial lawyer who moved to Sarasota in 1999, with his wife, Terri, wasn’t satisfied. He wanted something for the people who live here year-round. So he founded Banyan Theater Company with the goal of providing Sarasota audiences with classic and contemporary productions that, as he put it, “give you something to talk about when the curtain comes down.”

March 21, Finn died after  medical complications left him in a coma. He was 83. The announcement came several days after the theater forewent its 15th season announcement, instead announcing the board’s vote to close the theater, due to Finn’s health complications.

“It was his baby,” said his son and Banyan board member David Finn, in a statement. “Without Jerry, there is no Banyan.”

And while the theater might be closed, Finn’s legacy and Banyan’s impact on the arts scene are numerous. After 14 seasons, the theater company had produced 44 shows, earning several awards along the way.

“When he decided to start this thing, there was practically no summer theater here,” says Don Walker, an actor who had worked with Finn for the last five years. “People thought there wasn’t the audience to support it,but he proved them wrong. Now, of course, everybody’s doing it.”

As executive director, Finn took a hands-off approach, allowing directors to fulfill their vision. But he enjoyed being involved, and his pride in the theater was evident during his regular pre-show speeches.

“I think he enjoyed that little moment to talk to the patrons,” says Walker. “It was the standard things you tell an audience before a show, but there was a pride there in putting it all together. His eyes would light up with a little twinkle.”

Katherine Michelle Tanner, a fellow Banyan actor, says perhaps most memorable was Finn’s approach to fostering talent.

“He would say about me, ‘Let’s set her up for success — then get out of her way and let her create magic,’” she says. “That’s the best environment for building art.”

As summer approaches, Banyan will be missed by its patrons and actors, but as the curtain closes on its 14-year history, Finn’s legacy has certainly given audiences something to talk about.

“Banyan plays gave us something to tickle the intellect while we sweltered in the quiet humidity,” says patron Marthe Hildreth. “And every time I hear the pre-production list of courtesies anywhere else, I hear Jerry Finn: ‘Please respect your fellow play-goers. Unwrap your candies now. Enjoy the show.’”

Finn is survived by his wife Terri; sons David, Lawrence and Brian; grandchildren Schuyler, Rose, Zackary and Jacob; and sister Edith Keller.