Complexions on So You Think You Can Dance

In case you missed it, here is the video of Complexions Contemporary Ballet's Artistic Directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson's choreography from the season finale of "So You Think You Can Dance."

Come see Complexions Jan. 14 at the Straz Center.

Wonderland figures into the famous Bergdorf holiday windows!

Each year the windows at Bergdorf Goodman on 5th Avenue in New York City produce a fabulous Christmas display. This year's theme was Alice in Wonderland. We are proud to say that quotes from Wonderland made it into the display!

Why is a raven like a writing desk? Finding Wonderland is your first step to finding out! Wonderland runs from now until Jan. 3 and is a great way to spend the holidays with your family.

-Kari G.

All I want for Christmas...

Is a movie ticket! Yup, right on Christmas day the highly anticipated movie musical Nine comes out in theaters!

From director Rob Marshall (Memoirs of a Geisha, Chicago, and just announced Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) comes the story of Guido Contini (played by Daniel Day-Lewis), a world famous director as he confronts an epic mid-life crisis with both creative and personal problems. He must balance the many women of his life, including his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz), his film star muse (Nicole Kidman), his confidant and costume designer (Judi Dench), an American fashion journalist (Kate Hudson), the woman from his youth (Fergie) and his mother (Sophia Loren).

The original 1982 Broadway production of NINE, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, won five Tony Awards including Best Musical.

I know I’ll be there at some point during this holiday season with my popcorn and peanut M&Ms, and who knows…even someone who doesn’t like musicals as much as I do…hint hint!

- Synopsis taken from IMDB.com

Angela P.

A Christmas Story Movie on the Lawn - CANCELLED

I have since heard of people under extreme duress speaking in strange tongues. I became conscious that a steady torrent of obscenities and swearing of all kinds was pouring out of me as I screamed.
-Ralphie (as an adult)

Sadly, the weather has us under "extreme duress." Conflicting weather reports all predict that at some point either prior to or during the time we had scheduled to screen A Christmas Story it is going to be raining.

We feel a bit like Raphie having to cancel the movie tonight. But this is a family blog, so we'll spare you the obscenities.

Movies on the Riverwalk when the weather is chilly are a magical thing. Movies on the Riverwalk when the weather is chilly and wet are a Swine Flu thing.

We chose to cancel the movie tonight to be on the safe side.

Stay warm and dry Tampa. We'll make it up to you with an additional movie in the Spring - something exciting, something cool, something that might give you a peek into next season's Broadway season.

And a special Happy Holidays to all our faithful families who bring the blankets and the kids and the fur kids to the movies on the lawn. We'll miss spending some time with you and Ralphie this year, but you can count on us screening A Christmas Story next year.

-Kari G.

Idina Menzel to appear on GLEE?

Fellow bloggers and news media are raving about Idina Menzel and her possible appearance on the new FOX hit Glee.

The show already had an appearance by fellow Wicked star, Kristen Chenoweth, and Jonathan Groff from Spring Awakening has signed up to play in five to six episodes (he costarred with Lea Michele in Spring Awakening).

The word is that Menzel is in negotiations to be on the series when it returns in April. She potentially will play the role of the choir director for New Directions’ rival, Vocal Adrenaline (the lead male vocalist of the group will be Groff).

If the negotiations become a reality, I’m sure many Glee fans will be clutching their remotes. Here’s hoping!

~ Angela P.

Vote for the Straz Center - WEDU's Be More Awards!

Will you help spread the word?

We've been nominated for the WEDU Be More Humble People's Choice Poll.

Like the People's Choice Awards for celebrities, only for non-profits and without all the vapid idiot movie stars.

It takes less than a minute -Take the WEDU Be More Humble People’s Choice Poll and cast your vote for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Click here and scroll down to "Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center" – check the box and help us celebrate!

You can vote for us once each day between now and the 18th of December!

Need some reasons why you should vote for us?

Did you know…
The Straz Center (formerly known as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center) serves arts education outreach programs at no cost to more than 40 Title I schools and community partner organizations each year!

More than 60,000 children were served by our arts education programs last year; more than 70% of these are children in need!

Since our Patel Conservatory opened five years ago, we have provided more than $250,000 in scholarship opportunities to under served and overlooked children!

We are recognized as one of the best and most accessible performing arts centers in the world!

Our economic impact on Tampa Bay is more than $100 million each year!

Our Wonderland Broadway Genesis Project brought over 700 full- and part-time jobs to our community in a difficult economic times!

Go! Vote!

-Kari G.