Award-Winning Actor and Comedian Tony Hale Comes to Flagler

By Sara Orr

Tony Hale, the voice and face behind many well-loved characters, is coming to Saint Augustine as part of the Limelight Theatre education program. The event will take place on Sunday, March 2 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Flagler College Lewis Auditorium. The first 200 Flagler students with ID can attend for free, and the cost for students after that is just $15. 

Tony Hale has had an impressive career in acting and comedy, with roles such as Buster in “Arrested Development,” Fear in “Inside Out 2” and Forky in “Toy Story 4.” On top of that, Hale has also written and produced his own work, and can serve as an inspiration to others to pave their own way forward in a difficult career.

“[Hale] has managed to keep working in a very scrutinizing career and has found a niche in his profession,” says Limelight Theatre Executive Director Sherrie Provence. “There are lots of actors out there that are one-hit wonders. They get a series and then they never work again.”

That is not the case for Tony Hale. Along with winning three Emmy’s for three different shows, he has also been a supporting actor in dozens of other beloved films.

“He had lots of tough decisions to make through the years and turned down many roles that he just didn’t believe in,” Provence says. “But he had faith that there would be another. There is a richness and depth to the stories that he will share and young people that are embarking on their own journey as artists will no doubt be inspired.”

By bringing Hale to St. Augustine, the Limelight Theatre is taking a pivotal step toward furthering artistic education in the community. A cultural pillar of the St. Augustine community, the Limelight has been named Broadway World’s “favorite local theatre” for two years in a row. Not only does the theatre offer high-quality performances from the city’s most talented actors but it is also dedicated to providing young people with an immersive artistic education. 

“Arts and culture is essential to our mental health as a society. The outlet that it provides for creativity, community, and belonging is essential to our community’s well-being,” Provence says. “Not only does it create that environment for artists, but the stories that they tell through their art can inspire, cultivate, change, and revolutionize people’s minds about issues and relationships in society and in their own personal lives.”

To reserve tickets for the event, call the Limelight box office at 904-825-1164. Tickets are also $15 for high school students with a school ID, and $50 for the general public.