CALL TO ARTISTS - 2008 Best of Tampa Bay Art

The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is looking for local Tampa artists to create a vibrant and colorful one of a kind piece of art for the 2008 Best of Tampa Bay Auction.

The Best of Tampa Bay includes over 50 area restaurants, 5 local bands, libations and attendance of over 1700 people. Each piece of artwork will be auctioned off that evening and all proceeds from the auction will benefit the programs of TBPAC. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center presented 909 performances last year and had a $98 million dollar economic impact on the Tampa Bay region.

Medium: Choose from one of the three categories – Ceramic, Glass or Textile

• Ceramic - plates, platters, bowls
• Glass - wine bottles, wine glasses, decanters
• Textile - aprons, chef hats, dish towels, pot holders

Artists to provide all materials except, upon request, TBPAC will provide one blank canvas apron per artist. Call 813.222.1275.

Requested themes:

• Food, wine, & chefs
• Theme of Best of Tampa Bay is the musical Jersey Boys & the 60’s
• Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
• The Performing Arts- Broadway, Ballet, Cabaret, Opera, Music, Comedy
• Patel Conservatory- Performing Arts Students

If you want more information about TBPAC and more ideas of what to create you can check out our website at www.tbpac.org

* Please note: we will not accept art with mature content

A panel of local celebrity judges will choose the Best in Show of each category. TBPAC will place the winning images on a poster, TBPAC website, in CenterStage, the quarterly magazine and other marketing tools.

Artist Benefits:

• Opportunity to have your work displayed and auctioned at the Best of Tampa Bay on April 18
• Opportunity to be present to meet the public
• Entrance into the Best of Tampa Bay- an $80 value
• Biography and description of art work displayed at the event
• Recognition in the Best of Tampa Bay Program
• Recognition in CenterStage, TBPAC’s quarterly magazine distributed to over 5,000 members
• Chance to have your artwork on a Best of Tampa Bay poster

Deadlines:

• Commitment form due: Monday, March 3, 2008
• Final artwork submission & biography/description form due: Friday, March 28, 2008

For more information or to request an apron please contact Joanna Osborn at 813.222.1275 or email joanna.osborn@tbpac.org.

Thank you for your support of our efforts on behalf of Best of Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center!

But who will play 'Shrek'?

The New York Times reports that Sutton Foster has signed to star in "Shrek the Musical," opening in NYC on Broadway in previews on Dec. 14.

Shrek and Donkey have not been cast. -- MichaelK

FREE film fest this Sunday!

Don't forget that we have a FREE film festival here at TBPAC on Sunday, starting at 1pm. Check out 18 hand-selected short films from the southeast.

AND IT'S FREE!!!

More details here.

From our teen correspondent

I recently had to opportunity to see The Drowsy Chaperone at TBPAC. It didn't take 30 minutes of watching for The Drowsy Chaperone to quickly climb to the top of my favorite Broadway shows list! Between the clever script, phenomenal cast, and creative scene changes, it's easy to get hooked! At the opening of the show I fell in love with the narrator reminiscing about a "record" that often played at his house throughout his childhood. Soon, the whole stage breaks out into song, dance, and banter. The production as a whole reflects the traditional Broadway style. Each of the characters is quirky and unique which makes the show very intriguing. The Drowsy Chaperone is a musical suitable for audiences young and old as the plot is not complicated, yet witty and colorful. Although The Drowsy Chaperone has left TBPAC for this year, you'd better pray it comes back next season so you don't miss out twice!

I am now gearing up to see Jersey Boys! I learned this music listening to oldies stations, and now I can't stop listening. It doesn't matter what age you are, Frankie Valli speaks to you!

- Madeline V.

Turtle Island String Quartet wins Grammy

Turtle Island String Quartet won their second Grammy in three years on Sunday night for their recording of A Love Supreme:The Legacy of John Coltrane on the Telarc label, netting them the Best Classical Crossover Album. It is their second Grammy in three years.

You can congratulate them personally when they play here on April 26.

Soweto Gospel Choir, who we hosted just last year, also took home a Grammy for Best Traditional World Music Album and the original cast recording of Spring Awakening won for Best Musical Show Album.

See, there was a lot more going on than Kanye West talking about his mom or Amy Winehouse giving shout-outs to her incarcerated husband. Personally, I was happiest that Foo Fighters took home the trophies for Best Rock Album and Best Hard Rock Performance, and that The White Stripes nabbed Best Alternative Rock Album and Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

And the Grammy goes to...

Ok, I'm sure you were distracted with the performances by Kanye, Tina Turner and Ms. Winehouse, but for those of you interested... the winner of the 2008 Grammy for Best Musical Show Album went to Spring Awakening. The album was up against the revivals of A Chorus Line and Company, Grey Gardens and the 50th Anniversary Decca Broadway tribute to West Side Story.

Life after "Annie"

I receive a monthly email from The Broadway League called "Broadway Fan Club" which gives you the update on Broadway shows and other Broadway related stories (you can sign up for it too). Here's a story from the email about new documentary. Looks pretty interesting...

"What do Sarah Jessica Parker, Alyssa Milano and Molly Ringwald have in common? They all began their careers as child actresses appearing in the hit musical Annie!

The award-winning documentary 'Life After Tomorrow' by Julie Stevens and Gil Cates, Jr. reunites more than 40 women who played orphans in the original Broadway production of Annie and reveals the highs and lows of their experiences as child actresses in a cultural phenomenon.

Featuring Dara Brown, Martha Byrne, Martin Charnin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Allison Smith, Julie Stevens, and Charles Strouse, "Life After Tomorrow" is a true insider's glimpse of the Annie experience. Once the curtain came down, many found it could be a hard-knock-life, fraught with out-of-control stage mothers, separation anxiety and, worst of all, prepubescent growth spurts leading to replacements by smaller, younger child actresses just waiting in the wings. As one cast member in the film remarks, "The younger ones are coming to take your place and you're 12. It's not like you're getting downsized at 50 -- you're 12!" While their lives have moved on, the impact of the experience remains."

More information is available at lifeaftertomorrow.com.

Daniel Tosh - on sale 2/9 at noon!

Comedian Daniel Tosh plays Ferguson Hall on April 5 at 8pm. The show goes on sale this Saturday - tomorrow - at noon.

I spent a chunk of time on YouTube trying to find a video of his stand-up that was clean enough to post on this blog. Wow. That was a challenge.

I ended up finding a clip of him on a radio show, where he actually talks about the difficulty of airing his comedy in the land of very stiff FCC fines. Check it out.



Also, after a bit of digging, it seems many young fans of comedy are dividing up into camps - one who claims Tosh is king, the other who feel that honor belongs to Dane Cook.

I might argue that honor belongs to the likes of Carlin, Pryor, Foxx, Bruce or even Hicks - but maybe I'm showing my age.

Meet Amy Speace

Like what you see? Come check her out at the next Club Jaeb show - Mon., Feb. 11!

Sort of live with Kathy Lee and me

Kathy Lee Gifford, one of the songwriters for the new musical “Hats!” now playing at TBPAC’s Jaeb Theater through April 27, came to the recent official opening.

Experienced at asking all the questions through her 15 years as co-host of “Live With Regis and Kathy Lee,” she proved equally gracious on the other side of the interview.

Kathy Lee talked about her songwriting, her new theater projects, her involvement with “Hats!” and whether she misses Regis.

Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.

And you can click here to see even more of Kathie Lee on WTSP's "Life Around the Bay."

Check out these Jersey Boys!

Check out the front of Carol Morsani Hall, all decked out in anticipation of the big grand opening on Feb. 15. Thanks to Angela Lakin for sending us these photos (click to enlarge). This building has gotten so big, and our workload is usually so high that it gets easy to forget there's anything else around apart from our own little offices in the new building!

Short Circuit Film Festival to TBPAC on Feb. 17

This is a new an interesting sort of thing for us to host - a film festival!

We're partnering with Southern Arts Federation on the 1st annual Short Circuit Traveling Film Festival, which will be in our Ferguson Hall on Feb. 17. Best part? It's 100% free. That's right, just show up and grab a seat and enjoy this presentation of short films. First-come, first-served.

Check out what's coming here!

Kathy Lee Gifford on WTSP

Check out Kathy Lee Gifford, who was here last week to help promote the opening of HATS! The Musical in our Jaeb Theater (for which she wrote some of the lyrics), as she appears on WTSP's Life Around the Bay program.

Female poet set to captivate TBPAC this weekend

Glenis Redmond will perform an evening of her original poetry this weekend in the intimate Shimberg Playhouse in a show titled Monumental: Soaring on the Wings of Love. The show is a tribute to those who lift us up: mothers, grandmothers, sisters, brothers and those in the world who dare to write, speak, dance and sing for us all.

“It’s the way her words draw you into a seemingly innocuous subject and singe you with the fury of intelligence scorned. It’s in another league.”– London Time Out.

Glenis is also offering a FREE workshop through the Patel Conservatory this weekend. Check out the details. You can't beat free with a beating machine.

Tonight: Bethany & Rufus

I wanted to bump this old post about tonight's Club Jaeb show. This looks like an insanely good evening of music, and you simply can't beat the intimacy of the venue. Come on out!

Are you using our text-messaging service?

If you're not using our new SMS/texting service, you're missing out.

First, we're only providing the information YOU request. If you text INFO to the numbers 82722 (Hey, that spells TBPAC!), you'll get all of our vital information: ticket office numbers, hours or operation, our web address, how to get here, admin phone numbers and more. Save it on your phone for when you're not near a computer or phone book.

We also have a weekly events message. Simply send the message EVENTS to TBPAC (that's 82722) and you'll get back a message of all the shows here at TBPAC over the next week or so.

We promise we won't send you a text message every single time something comes up. We believe in only getting people the info they want, when they want it and how they want it.

Another benefit is that users of our list will from time to time get special offers or even FREE tickets. We launched this service with a pair of tickets going to a winner in a random drawing. That winner got a free pair of tickets to see the opening night performance of Avenue Q. We also held a contest two weeks back where the first 10 responders won a pair of tickets to the opening night performance of The Drowsy Chaperone. Sweet!

Check the service out, pass it on to your friends.

Have you used the service? Have an idea on how we can better use this technology? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!

Jesse Cook on YouTube

Guitar virtuoso Jesse Cook plays TBPAC on March 13. Check out this live clip of him over at YouTube! If you visit the latter link, you'll notice we've started a partnership with Amazon.com to buy artist merchandise directly from our show pages via their affiliate program. Get great products and help out TBPAC all at the same time!

(I'd have just embedded that video, but for some odd reason embedding has been removed as a feature for this video. Hrm.)

Critics love 'The Drowsy Chaperone' (and so do we)

When I first saw "The Drowsy Chaperone" on Broadway, I loved its musical-within-a-comedy premise. In the middle of a big Broadway musical, the Man in Chair character -- also the narrator -- manages to tweak Broadway musicals even as he loves them.

Now that it's here at TBPAC through Sunday, the local critics agree that it's "the best musical you've never heard of."

Here's a sampling of their opinions (and who are we to argue with them?):

'Drowsy Chaperone' will keep you awake

"The Drowsy Chaperone" may have been considered a sleeper hit on Broadway, but there's nothing sleepy about this lively and spirited tribute to musicals of the 1920s with a modern spin. … The show has a witty and infectious spirit that will sweep you away for 90 minutes or so.” – Sarasota Herald Tribune

'Drowsy Chaperone' revels in music, mirth and mayhem

“In some ways, The Drowsy Chaperone - billed as 'a musical within a comedy' - provides the best of both worlds. For diehard musical fans, it is artfully conceived (with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison and book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar) froth that replicates the offhand brilliance of Jazz Age shows by the Gershwins. There's also a hilarious spoof of The King and I when Man in Chair puts on the wrong record. And for people who hate musicals, there is the solo show of Man in Chair, who wittily expounds on everything from global warming ('November is the new August') to the similarities between pornography and musical theater." – St. Petersburg Times

‘Drowsy’ Perks Up Theater Audience

“It’s a profoundly original and loving tribute to 1920s musical comedy, where lovers break into song, actors overact and madcap antics abound. … Audiences surely will leave the theater longing for a Gibson and wondering why life can’t be more like a musical.” – The Tampa Tribune



Imagine if life were more like a musical: people spontaneously bursting into song for no apparent reason. On second thought, maybe it's better onstage.

Taylor Swift featured on iTunes

Taylor Swift, the 18-year-old phenomenon who's playing TBPAC on Jan. 26, is featured in a special iTunes CD, recorded live at the Apple store in NYC's Soho. It includes many of the songs from her Grammy-nominated CD, plus a sweetly redone version of Rihanna's "Umbrella." Check it out on the iTunes Store homepage. (By the way, tickets are selling very quickly for our performance.)

RENT closes on Broadway

After 12 years on Broadway, RENT will close on June 1 after 5,012 performances. It will be the seventh-longest running Broadway show behind "The Phantom of the Opera," "Cats," "Les Miserables," "A Chorus Line," "Oh! Calcutta!" and "Beauty and the Beast."

As a bit of a side note, "The Phantom of the Opera" will celebrate its 20th birthday on Saturday, Jan. 26, with more than 8,300 Broadway performances ... and still counting.

A tribute to Jon Stoll

From TBPAC VP of Programming Judy Joseph:

We at TBPAC want to take a minute to let you know that a major force in the music industry died recently.

Jon Stoll was the founder of Fantasma Concerts based in West Palm Beach. He promoted concerts at all our venues in the Tampa Bay area, from the St. Pete Times Forum, Janus Landing, Tampa Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall and TBPAC. He brought us artists like Mariah Carey, Gypsy Kings and Harry Connick Jr.

He was a strong, inciteful and forceful man in the industry. It's hard to imagine not getting a weekly call from Jon about a new artist he wanated to book.

He was a great believer in family and friends, independence and music.

His loss will be felt in the industry, but most of all for those of us in Florida.

Whether you are a music presenter like us, or a music fan, his absence will be felt.

So flick your lighters on and pause for a moment of silence in tribute.

Then play your favorite tunes; that's what Jon would have wanted because he loved the music.

International arts group recognizes Judy Lisi for lifetime achievement and ‘career of caring’

TBPAC president Judy Lisi has received the Patrick Hayes Award for lifetime achievement from ISPA, the International Society for the Performing Arts.

Judy accepted the award at ISPA’s 60th anniversary conference earlier this week.

"I can think of no one who more embodies a willingness to share time and expertise, and has made a career of caring," said David Baile, ISPA CEO, during a dinner program at New York City’s Tavern on the Green.

ISPA is a not-for-profit international organization of more than 600 executives and directors of concert and performance halls, festivals, performing companies, and artist competitions; government cultural officials; artists' managers; and other interested parties with a professional involvement in the performing arts from more than 50 countries in every region of the world, and in every arts discipline.

The purpose of ISPA is to develop, nurture, energize and educate an international network of arts leaders and professionals who are dedicated to advancing the field of the performing arts.

Are you on the list?

If you're not signed up for TBPAC's eCenter newsletter service, you're missing out.

Follow this link to sign up, it's easy and FREE, not to mention you get to set up your account with personalized preferences so that we can try to send you only the information you're interested in. Are you into ballet, rock concerts and information on classes at the Patel Conservatory? Let us know! Or are you more of an opera, world music and performance art type? That works too!

We also send out special offers and some exclusive offers via this service, so check it out and give it a try! You can opt-out whenever you want and we never share your information with anyone.

Student rush offer: The Drowsy Chaperone!

STUDENTS: Take advantage of this great student rush offer for The Drowsy Chaperone coming to Carol Morsani Hall Jan. 15-20.

You can get a ticket at 50% off as of 90 minutes to curtain. All remaining seats, all performances. One discounted ticket per student ID. Cash only. Subject to availability. Not applicable to prior sales or in conjunction with any other offer.

Woo hoo!

Cash has to stay on down the line

Plans have been scrapped to recreate a concert immortalized by the late, great Johnny Cash in Folsom Prison that was to benefit a few charities.



The concert was to feature Cash's music and one of Cash's old bandmates. Per CNN, "Prison officials called off the show late Monday, citing problems over filming rights, media access and security concerns."

Too bad, I think that could have been something else.

I just hope Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi/John Goodman don't decide to try to recreate the end prison concert from The Blues Brothers in a real-life setting. As a matter of fact, they should just never put on the pork-pies or sunglasses.

Ever.

Again.

I think John still may be rolling over in his grave about this one:

Eleemosynary: On stage now!

Eleemosynary is on stage now in the Shimberg Playhouse. Jobsite is the resident theater company of TBPAC. Check out the newly-minted TV spot above, which begins airing Monday on Bright House Networks.

This Sunday – Opera Tampa’s La Boheme on WEDU

Set your DVR or take advantage of another Tampa gem (not the Buccaneers) when WEDU airs La Boheme at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. This Curtain Call performance is from the 2007 production that performed in Carol Morsani Hall on Nov. 18th.

La Vie Boheme!

-Kari G.

Need to know on the go?

Don't forget that if you're looking for a way to get TBPAC info on your mobile device, you can do one of the following:

Send the text message INFO to the number 82722 (Hey, that spells TBPAC!) and you'll get our ticket office hours, all of our important phone numbers, how to get here and more. Send the text message EVENTS to 82722 (just remember, it's TBPAC) and you will get a listing of upcoming shows as well as our phone number and email address.

HANDY!

We hope to offer more services later, but we want to make sure it's based on what people really need. We don't want this service to be intrusive or just another form of junk mail. Have an idea? Let us know about it!

More stinky cheese!

The New York Times has reported that the author of "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales" has been named the first national ambassador for young people's literature, a post that was compared to a children's book version of the Library of Congress' poet laureate program.

Jon Sciezka, 53, will "evangelize the need for reading" during talks with parents, teachers and children.

He is a former schoolteacher and frustrated adult novelist. But he said he discovered his real audience of young people sitting right in front of him in his classrooms.

"There's a huge population of kids who would be or can be readers, but just choose not to," he said. "... Parents and booksellers and teachers are dying for some help."

TBPAC patrons may be familiar with "The Stinky Cheese Man" since it was offered as a theaterical presentation in April of 2006 as part of our Kid Time Series, productions aimed at those aged 5-11. We also provide a series for those 3-5 called the Wee Folk Series.

Still scheduled this year for Kid Time: "The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favourites" on April 6 and "Addy: An American Girl Story" on April 9.

For the Wee Folk Series: "Silly Stuff," Jan. 20; "Harry the Dirty Dog," April 5; and "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," April 26.

It's very cool that this new position has been created. The love of reading is a very inexpensive and rewarding trait.

As a famous psychologist once said: "We shouldn't teach great books; we should teach a love of reading." -- MichaelK

Reminiscing

So, now that we're two days into 2008 we can now wistfully look back at 2007, right?

Instead of doing any top 10 or annual recaps for the last two weeks of the year, we're preferring to look back fondly at the best of 2007 right now in an open thread. (Ok, hardly any of us were here in the marketing office over the last two weeks ...)

What were some of your favorites in 2007 in the worlds of theater, art, music, TV or movies?

I'll get the ball rolling ...

Music: Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace; The White Stripes - Icky Thump; Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
TV: Battlestar Galactica, Dexter, Weeds, LOST
Books: Rabbit Hole, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Play I saw: Doubt
Play I was part of: Gorey Stories
New place to eat: Yummy House

So, lay some of your favorites for 2007 on me ...

Carol Morsani Hall - again one of top-ranked venues in the world!

Billboard Magazine ranked our own Carol Morsani Hall (2,610 seats) 5th in the world for venues 5,000 seats and under, for 2007.

According to the Top Stops report from the year-end Venues Today magazine, the top three venues in the 2,001-5,000 seat capacity were the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Carol Morsani Hall.

Pollstar's numbers should be released sometime soon, but we have a good feeling we'll be ranked high there as well.

Thank you for making TBPAC so strong! Without good, regular folks like you buying tickets we wouldn't even need to be here, much less rank so high on these lists!

The Lion King on "The View"

The Lion King is scheduled to appear on ABC's "The View" Friday, Dec. 21. In celebration of the show's 10th year on Broadway, members of the Broadway cast will perform "He Lives in You." What a great way to get a taste of the show before it heads back to Tampa in May!

As a bit of trivia, Broadway's "Nala" is Tampa Bay's own Kissy Simmons. She appear here at the TBPAC in many of our cabaret productions before landing the role of "Nala" in the first national tour of The Lion King and shortly thereafter being cast in the role on Broadway.

The Drowsy Chaperone closes on Broadway

It was annouced yesterday that the Tony-award winner, The Drowsy Chaperone, will play its last performance on Broadway, Dec. 30. In total the show will have played 674 performances and 32 previews. It also picked up five 2006 Tony Awards, the most of any show in 2006; seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical; four Outer Critic's Circle Awards including Outstanding Score; and the Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical.

BTW, the well received national tour is still headed to Tampa in January as planned. The tour includes original Broadway cast members Georgia Engel as "Mrs. Tottendale" and Andrea Chamberlain as "Janet Van De Graaff" (who was the understudy for the role on Broadway).

Next Club Jaeb show: Bethany & Rufus

"There's some Cowboy Junkies here, a dash of Tuck & Patti there and an overall otherworldliness more akin to a David Lynch movie." - Amazon.com Editorial Review

Bethany Yarrow is the daughter of Peter Yarrow (who you might remember from his days of making music with Paul and Mary) who sings in a haunting style you might liken to Nina Simone or Cassandra Wilson, and Rufus Capadoccia plays the cello with a sick skill that will keep you guessing if he's in fact playing a classical cello, an upright bass or possibly even an electric bass. Together their music pushes standard American folk far past the edge into the territory of hypnotic groove, jazz and psychedelic soul.

You can take a listen to some of their music at their MySpace page.

Or watch this video:



I know it's almost a hackneyed expression, but watch this clip and you may even say yourself that Rufus rocks it like a Hendrix on the cello:



Need more convincing? Watch this solo video of his:



Bethany & Rufus play the Jaeb Theater on Jan. 28.

New show: Taylor Swift

Country superstar Taylor Swift will play Carol Morsani Hall on Jan. 26, 2008. Tickets went on sale today at noon to TBPAC donors, and will go on public sale Friday at noon. Call 813.229.STAR or log on to TBPAC.ORG to nab those tickets while they last.


Want to get them now? Check out how over here.

The Roches with a holiday twist!

Check out this Talk of the Nation program on NPR.org regarding the Roche sisters' holiday show currently touring the country. You can listen to the 47-minute program that originally aired on NPR radio, or sample song clips in the menu to the left.

We at TBPAC are really looking forward to hosting The Roches on Dec. 21 in Ferguson Hall. I think it will provide a nice alternative or even compliment to more traditional holiday fare like The Nutcracker or Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

Check it out!

De/ReConstructing Mata Hari

“Looks like Cleopatra, but when she moves it is with the muscle of a Mark Anthony” – Dance Magazine.

De/ReConstructing Mata Hari is here this weekend in the TECO Theater as part of our Expanding Horizons series. You've likely seen the TV spot we've been circulating online and that's been running locally on Bright House Networks, but to get a much better idea of how visually stunning this show is you should take a look at these two sections of the actual show as teasers.

Here is also a review of the original incarnation of the show in the NYTimes.

The show is only here for this one single weekend - hope you can make it out or pass this on to a friend! You can also learn all about the FREE MASTER CLASS here! Space is limited for that, so sitgn up quickly!

YouTubesday at TBPAC

Check out some of these videos on upcoming artists:

Follow this link to check out a clip of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular!


Defending the Caveman - Dec. 12-16


De/ReConstructing Mata Hari - 12/14-16


African Children's Choir - Feb. 13 (this clip is of their appearance on American Idol)


Hubbard Street Dance Theater - Feb. 16

Photo op! Here's an Avenue Q tip for you!

TBPAC wants you to come down to see how we look after 20 years – then take a picture of it! The winner will get a pair of tickets to the opening night of Avenue Q.

Bring your gear down to TBPAC anytime between Dec. 10 and March 7 and take photos of the whole building, a detail or anything in between and submit it to our photography contest. We’re hoping to find a variety of entries – from the classical to the avant-garde. Want inside access to a backstage area? Check our website for scheduled backstage tours. As long as you stay with your group in the designated areas, you can take pictures of the inside of the halls or the backstage areas. Keep in mind – as always we do not allow anyone to take photographs inside the theater during any performance.

Photos should be high resolution (300 dpi) and submitted to us on CD mailed to:

TBPAC Photo Contest
1010 NWC MacInnes Pl.
Tampa, FL 33602

One winner will be chosen by a panel of three impartial judges and will receive a pair of opening night tickets (April 1, 2008) to the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Avenue Q in Carol Morsani Hall (Intended for mature audiences).

TBPAC retains the right to use any entered photographs for, but not excluded to, publicity releases, marketing materials and web site displays. Every attempt will be made to credit the original photographer, but it is not guaranteed. All entered photographs will be made available in an online gallery accessible through the TBPAC website and blog after the contest has concluded. None of the photos will be returned.

The fine print:

Prize to be redeemed at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center at 1010 N. W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa, FL 33602. No purchase necessary. Participants and winner(s) must be legal U.S. residents, at least 18 years old and residents of Florida. Employees of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, their subsidiaries and affiliated companies, participating sponsors and their advertising agencies and members of their immediate family are not eligible to participate. Not valid where prohibited by law. Contest begins on or around Dec. 10, 2007, at noon. Deadline for submissions is noon on or around March 7, 2008. Winner will be chosen by a panel of three impartial professional judges on or around 48 hours from the deadline. Prize will be awarded on or around March 14, 2008. Decision of the judges is final. The winner will be notified by telephone and/or e-mail. Odds of winning vary greatly depending on number of entrants. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center assumes no liability or responsibility for any prize once it is awarded, or any damage, loss or liability arising from the award, acceptance or use of the prize, and Contest winner agrees to release and hold harmless the Released Parties against any and all claims of liability arising directly or indirectly from the Contest or the prizes and the use of such Contest winner's name, voice and photo. The Released Parties assume no liability for lost, illegible, incomplete, misdirected or late entries or prize claims, or for typographical or other errors in the offer or administration of this Contest including, without limitation, errors in the printing of the offer and official rules, selection, notification and announcement of the winner, or distribution of prizes. The Contest is subject to applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, and is void where prohibited or otherwise restricted. The prizes offered in this contest have no cash value and may not be returned for cash. Seats are good for the opening night show of Avenue Q only, and may not be renewed or exchanged. By entering a photograph into the contest, participants give TBPAC full authorization to use, reprint or distribute the work at TBPAC’s discretion with or without proper credit to the photographer.

This week at TBPAC

Club Jaeb Series: Jennifer O'Connor - 12/10

Radio City Christmas Spectacular - on stage now through 12/30

Defending the Caveman - 12/12-16

De/ReConstructing Mata Hari - 12/14-16

He’s no Kiri Te Kanawa

I had no idea that Dr. Drew, the dreamy therapist who is well known for his syndicated radio show “Lovelines,” sings opera. Maybe not on par with Placido or our own Sherrill Milnes, but considering he’s going a capalla and he’s actually a licensed sex therapist, I’ve heard worse. And his serenade of “The Street Where you Live” to the macaw is really, um, touching?

- Kari G.

This week at TBPAC!

Week of Dec. 3, 2007:

A Musical for Kids by Kids Youth Theater Company - Guys and Dolls Jr. - Dec. 6-9

Radio City Christmas Spectacular - Dec. 6-30

Jennifer O'Connor - Dec. 10

Keep in mind if you're looking for an awesome gift - we sell gift certificates that are good for tickets, dining, in the shops or for tuition at the Patel Conservatory!

More on Jennifer O'Connor

This is from former CreLo music critic (and current Nessie frontman) Scott Harrell's column from a year ago, when O'Connor played with Candy Bars

Former Tampa homegirl and current Brooklyn hipster heroine Jennifer O'Connor has a unique take on singer-songwriterdom that splits the difference between tradition and a personal, indie-scene-derived aesthetic. Yeah, yeah, I know that can be said about a lot of great underground talents these days. But where most of them have far more in common with classic folk than they'd care to admit to their all-ages fanbase, O'Connor's genuinely edgy style has at least as much to do with original college-rock influences as it does the little strummer boy archetype. Her debut for the über-cool imprint Matador Records -- this year's Over The Mountain, Across The Valley and Back to the Stars -- is a marvel.

Here's a review of her latest album in Hybrid Magazine.

Here's her page on Matador records.

And finally her personal webpage.

Jennifer O'Connor - Dec. 10

In a very short week from today, Jennifer O'Connor will be playing as the December artist in our Club Jaeb series. Here are some clips of Jennifer I found on YouTube:





Some locals might know Jennifer from when she worked at Vinyl Fever once upon a time, and she played last December here at our own New World Brewery. Get out and see some live music!

"Ruby" the popular cover?

I'm a big fan of The Killers so of course I picked up their newest release, Sawdust. It's an album of B-sides and other rare recordings.

At one time or another most bands cover another artist's song. The Killers are no exception. On Sawdust they cover the song "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town." You're thinking... oh, yeah, that Kenny Rogers' song. That's what I thought too. Turns out Kenny Rogers also covered the song. It was written by Mel Tillis and was originally recorded in 1967 by Johnny Darrell. Kenny Rogers made the song famous.

The Killers aren't the only ones who have done a recent cover of the song. In 2004 the band Cake also recorded the song and it was released on the B-sides album in 2007 too.

Have a favorite cover? Or maybe you had a favorite song until someone covered it?

Philly loves Drowsy!

Check out this great review just in from the Philadelphia Inquirer for the national tour of The Drowsy Chaperone.

The strike is over!

For those of you keeping track, the 19-day Local One Broadway stagehand strike is over (hear the sigh of relief?). A tentative agreement was reached yesterday. The New York shows affected by the strike will be back on stage starting tonight. You can read more about the strike and resolution here.

Now if we could only end the writer strike... I'm missing good (aka non-reality) TV and I don't like it!

Rockettes on NBC Saturday night

Check out the Radio City Christmas Spectacular TV special this Saturday, Dec. 1, at 8 p.m. on NBC. Here are the details:

"This December NBC brings more holiday cheer into viewers homes with 'The Radio City Christmas Spectacular' special - For the first time ever, NBC will televise the 75th celebration of the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" in a one-hour exclusive special from the great stages at Radio City Music Hall. Hosted by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira ("Today"), the show will feature brand new glamorous costumes, state-of-the-art special effects and new eye-popping numbers performed by the world-famous Radio City Rockettes, as well as traditional favorites including the famed "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers." This year's brand new and re-imagined production will be executive produced by legendary and veteran news producer Don Hewitt."

And for those of you who haven't gotten your Radio City Christmas Spectacular tickets for the Tampa engagement... what are you waiting for?

YouTubesday, TBPAC edition

TV spot for De/ReConstructing Mata Hari, coming Dec. 14-16:


Youth Theater Company, Jr. on Studio 10 with a segment from School House Rock Live Jr. on stage Nov. 29 - Dec. 1.

This week at TBPAC!

Youth Theater Company Jr.'s School House Rock Live Jr. - 11/29 - 12/1

Orlando Ballet's The Nutcracker - 11/30 - 12/2

Joe Bonamassa - 12/2

The Patel Conservatory Youth Orchestra Fall Concert - 12/2

Still no deal with Broadway negotiations

Just the financial impact alone:

The (New York) city comptroller’s office has said that the strike, which began Nov. 10, costs the city $2 million a day, but officials from the League of American Theaters and Producers place the cost much higher. Last year, Broadway pulled in around $42 million in grosses over Thanksgiving week and the week before.

Check out the full story here.

Caetano Veloso

Check out this review of his concert at the Nokia Theater that appeared in today's New York Times.

He plays Tampa on Friday!

Steve Martin takes a lesson from Jersey Boys

Steve Martin just came out with a new memoirs book called "Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life." It's a book about his early years, before all the blockbuster movies (did you know he plays the banjo?).

In a recent USA Today interview the writer opens with an interesting quote from Martin:

"At 62, Martin says, "that's what I learned from watching Jersey Boys," the Broadway musical about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. "It's before you make it — that's the most interesting part. After that, it's just, 'Then I made this movie. Then I met this person …' "

Well put.

A little Broadway on turkey-day

There are two things that I love about Thanksgiving... my mom's gravy (you can pour it on everything) and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Sorry guys, football didn't make the cut.

Even though there is an ongoing stagehand strike, it has been confirmed that the shows originally scheduled will still be able to perform. Those Broadway shows are Legally Blonde, Xanadu, Mary Poppins and Young Frankenstein. Plus there will be the traditional performance by the Radio City Rockettes!

Other Broadway stars will also make appearances. Included in the line up are Bob Saget currently staring in The Drowsy Chaperone, Sarah Brightman will perform as the Pirate Queen and Spring Awakening's Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff perform "Give My Regards to Broadway."

For more information, check out this story on playbill.com. The parade starts at 9 a.m. on your NBC station.

Conversations with Cash: Rosanne talks about life, death and ‘what remains’

Rosanne Cash, who will play the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center on March 2, recently made headlines because of her impending brain surgery to address a rare but benign condition. As she told us in a recent NYC interview, she canceled her remaining 2007 concert dates, but will resume her live performance schedule in the spring – starting with her TBPAC concert.

According to manager Danny Kahn, Cash was diagnosed with chiari I malformation, a congenital deformation of the skull affecting the brain and spinal cord.

"She does want everyone to know it's a benign condition and it's not life-threatening," Kahn told UPI. "It's nothing like a tumor or hemorrhage or anything. It's elective surgery."

Earlier this month, and just before the official announcement, Cash talked about life, death, her favorite songs, her famous father and her daughter who’s following in the family business.

Despite recent personal tragedies, including the death of Johnny and June Carter Cash, as well as Rosanne’s mom and Johnny’s first wife Vivian, Rosanne has produced some of the best work of her career – including the Grammy-nominated “Black Cadillac.”

Check out our conversation. (By the way, the heater in our interview room was working overtime to combat the NYC chill that day, so the sound mix is a little more muddy than we’d like. However, Rosanne’s words of quiet wisdom cut through the ambient noise just fine.)

- Michael K.

TBPAC: Get a weekly schedule on your cell phone!

This is a more of a plain-speak entry on the new SMS (text-messaging) service we're offering to people. I'd previously posted at the launch and how you could enter to win tickets to Avenue Q, but I wanted to appeal a bit more directly as to why exactly I think this is a cool thing.

We're an industry leader in a lot of ways when it comes to new technology. We've been one of the first or the very first in so many online endeavors and endeavors that just generally use technology. I very clearly remember when I was told the web was a fad, and when I was told no one would ever buy tickets online and so on and so forth. We're also talking about an industry that didn't believe radio or TV would last, either.

First thing's first - we don't want to bug you with a bazillion text messages about every single little thing going on here, we're not going to sell/share your number and by and large the whole idea here is to just send you want YOU ask for.

When I brainstormed on how exactly this whole SMS thing could really benefit a general customer, I of course put myself into a consumer's shoes. The first two ideas I had are now in place.

INFO is the first command we agreed on. If you text INFO to the phone number 82722 (It's a short code which spells TBPAC - sweet!), you will get back a text message that gives you the most critical information people are usually looking for. Where we are off the interstate, our Ticket Office and admin phone numbers, the hours of the ticket windows, our web address, all the critical info for the Patel Conservatory. This is a handy thing to actually save on your phone if you make a habit of coming here. It's a handy quick-reference.

The second idea was for essentially an events line. Just like you might check a website or phone line for what's going on, you can also text EVENTS to the phone number 82722 and you will get back a listing of the shows going on that week. I think this is another super-handy tool. Say you're sitting around right after work on a Friday night with a few friends having drinks looking for something to do. Viola!

We don't charge you to use any of these services, though your phone provider might - depending on how your plan is set up (for instance, I don't have a texting package on my phone, so I pay a few cents for every message I send and receive). Hey, and don't forget you'll be entered to win a pair of tickets to the opening night of Avenue Q for every time you use the service between now and Dec. 28.

Down the line, we hope to be able to use this service to offer last-minute deals, possibly for promotions in the lobby before a show where we may offer a backstage pass or a meet and greet or something. There really is a lot of potential here. Now the trick is to get people using it and make sure it's something useful and not a nuisance.

In today's world, even the arts has to stay on the cutting-edge and make an effort to get information to people in the way they want it.

Ticket brokers on WTSP

This story stars our own VP of Marketing, Michael Kilgore.

"Secondary ticketing" (was: scalping then ticket brokering) is a pretty big hot-button issue in our industry right now.

What's your take on all this? Should Florida get tougher on these operations?

TBPAC staff talks Joe Bonamassa

A few staff members have written in with a bit of love for Joe Bonamassa, who'll be here in Dec.:

"(The first Bonamassa concert I attended) had to have been in the late 80’s . . . Rochester, NY used to have a festival tent downtown . . . held around 2,000 people. Lots of good music all summer long. Very personal venue. A bunch of us went to see B.B.  King, and Joe Bonamassa opened for him. We didn'’t realize at the time that he was from Utica which was just 2 hours down the road from Rochester. Bonamassa couldn'’t have been any more than 12 or 13. You could see his dad standing next to the stage watching him. The blues that kid could play would have made any number of blues guitarists proud. I think his guitar looked bigger than he was. That was before he had started to sing along with playing. Toward the end of the show, B.B. King came on stage and played with him.

There were a few other times in the next couple of years we saw him open for George Thorogood and even for Robert Cray. Each time we heard him play, he was better and better on that guitar." - Dona H.

"This is Joe’s second performance this year at TBPAC and I personally am very excited about this one. Joe has been playing guitar since he was four years old and even opened for B.B. King at the tender age of twelve. All of Joe’s albums have hit the top ten albums of the year on Billboard's Blues charts. His last two (You & Me and Sloe Gin) have debuted at #1. This man is phenomenal and should not be missed if you are into Blues/Rock or have a guitar player fetish; you are going to love Joe. This is only the third time he’s played Tampa and the acoustics in the Ferguson Hall are great -so do yourself a favor and come support the Blues @ TBPAC!" - Jeff C.

Joe Bonamassa will be performing in the Ferguson Hall on December 3, 2007.

Check out more on Joe Bonamassa.

Kiri Te Kanawa - Staying Warm this Winter/Summer

After opera legend Dame Kiri Te Kanawa visits sunny Florida in Feb. (she performs for Tampa in the Carol Morsani Hall on Feb. 9), she’s going to make sure that her creamy voice doesn’t feel any harsh winter winds. On Feb. 16 she will be performing in her homeland of New Zealand for their summer program “Opera in the Park.”

Other side of the world – its summer there. Might be obvious to you – but it’s Monday morning and that one took me a second.

But, just like her concert here tickets are going to move fast for the Opera in the Park engagement and promoters there are saying, “Buy fast!”

You can do the same when Dame Kiri tickets go on sale Dec. 2.

- Kari G.

Caetano Veloso brings home two Latin Grammy Awards!

Best Brazilian Song (Portuguese Language)

Não Me Arrependo
Caetano Veloso, songwriter (Caetano Veloso)
Track from: Cê
[Mercury/Universal Music]

Best Singer-Songwriter Album

Cê
Caetano Veloso
[Mercury/Universal Music]

Caetano Veloso plays TBPAC on Nov. 23.

Article about Caetano and his nominations prior to the awards posted by the NY Daily News.

List of 2007’s Latin Grammy winners posted by the Associated Press.

- Pablo Aviles

First the writers – now the stage hands

Every role in a show is critical, from the actor to the caterer to the lighting designer to the wardrobe hand. As Hollywood writers went on strike this week we learned just how critical the written word is to the survival of our favorite shows. If I don’t get some The Daily Show soon – my withdrawals are going to get violent.

Now Broadway is going to face a similar crisis. Just as Young Frankenstein celebrated a star studded opening night last night – tonight – they may be dark. New York Post is reporting that Local One has walked away from the negotiating table and could strike as early as this evening.

If you aren’t familiar – Local One represents the stage hands of Broadway, they are camera operators, they are set builders, they are the lifeline of Broadway.

The Post reported the negotiations as follows:

There were "a lot of 'f--- yous' " flying back and forth, a source close to the talks said.

I don’t know that much about good communication skills – but I know that’s not going to get them very far.

Here’s hoping they work things out – Union Now! Union Forever!

- Norma Rae

- aka Kari G.

Dame Kiri to perform for the Queen – again

Like singing at the wedding of Charles and Diana, and becoming a Dame and performing for the Queen countless times wasn’t enough – Dame Kiri Te Kanawa will perform for royalty again this December at the 2007 Royal Variety Performance gala evening.
She’ll be keeping company on stage with (by request of Queen Elizabeth II) Bon Jovi, Enrique Inglesias, James Blunt and Katherine Jenkins.

Dame Kiri will be keeping us company on Feb. 9, when she performs for one night only in Carol Morsani Hall. Sorry, no corgis allowed.

-Kari G.

Happy Birthday to The Lion King

Disney's THE LION KING will celebrate it's 10th anniversary on Broadway. The show debuted on Nov. 13, 1997 and since then has delighted over 45 million people world-wide.

Some other interesting stats:

• The show has grossed $3 billion world-wide.
• THE LION KING has performed in 63 cities throughout the world in 11 countries.
• The show has been translated into 5 different languages.
• It is the 9th longest running Broadway show in history.
• THE LION KING has won over 70 major awards worldwide.

And in case you didn't know (here comes my shameless plug) THE LION KING will return to Tampa this May!

YouTubesday at TBPAC

Jewtopia


Gorey Stories


Defending the Caveman

Is This Thing On?

Come see the latest group of developing comedians at Is This Thing On?, a showcase by the Stand-up Comedy students of the Patel Conservatory. This is the sixth term of successful comedians to 'walk the plank' at Patel.

Performing under the name “The Patel Standup Comics,” the students perform on Monday, November 12 at 7:30 p.m. at The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Shimberg Playhouse.

After eight weeks of analyzing, writing, creating, destroying and reworking material, these students will meet the challenge of eliciting chuckles in a 90-minute performance hosted by local comedy vet and instructor "ranney."

Instructor "ranney" is the stand-up comedy, spoken word and scene-study instructor for the Patel Conservatory. "ranney" is an international comedian/poet who has headlined London's The Comedy Store, Dublin's The Comedy Cellar, and various venues at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. "ranney" was the premier comedian at Laff Tuesdays at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. As a spoken word artist, "ranney" won the Universal Poets competition in 2000 and was nominated Best International Poet 2003 by the Farrago Poetry Group of London. "ranney" has developed and performed nine one man shows, with the last one, "Cufflinks and Jolly Ranchers for Dummies" performed nightly at the Underbelly at the 2006 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The tenth, "The Black Plague" will premiere soon.

Is This Thing On? will contain explicit language and themes. Tickets can be purchased at the door or through The Center Ticket Office at 813.229.STAR.

Church choir on a whole different level

I love a good choir! Have you ever heard a choir perform Handel's Messiah (the Master Chorale will be doing highlights Nov. 30 & Dec. 1) Mendelssohn's Elijah or Mozart's Requiem (my favorite movement is "Lacrimosa")? There's truly nothing that can compare.

I've spent a good portion of my life performing in choirs. Some were small ensembles, some were course requirements and some required an extensive audition process. But that's what you do when you love music. Just ask the members of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. In a recent article it was noted that around 300 Mormons responded to the choir's recent invitation to audition for the choir. At the time they were looking to fill only 32 slots in a 360 member choir. But being able to sing is only the basic requirement. Auditioners must be between the ages of 25 and 55, Mormon, recommended by their bishop, live within 100 miles of Temple Square and pass a written test for musical aptitude. Whew!

TBPAC launces SMS/texting service (win tickets to Avenue Q!)

We're officially launching an SMS/text-messaging service as one more way patrons can stay up to date with what's going on at TBPAC.

We've officially nabbed up the short code TBPAC (82722) and have entered a partnership with Agile Communications, who are providing the texting software and system.

We hope to primarily offer this on an in-bound basis, meaning we want people to text us when they want information.

The first two commands we've created are INFO and EVENTS. If you text INFO to TBPAC (82722) you will be sent back a text message that has all of TBPAC's critical phone numbers: the ticket office, admin, catering, group sales. You'll also get the street address for the building, the exit information from the interstate, hours of ticket office windows. All that good stuff. It's a handy reference to keep in your phone, and a very convenient way to get it if you're out and about.

If you text EVENTS to TBPAC (82722), you will be sent back a message giving you all the shows that are playing that week at TBPAC. This message updates weekly. Again, we think that's pretty handy.

The command HELP gives you a list of commands, and STOP of course removes you from getting future messages from us.

For the time being we're not planning on sending unsolicited advertisements. We'd rather just get people what they want, not what we want them to get. There's a lot of potentially exciting things we can do with a system like this including discounts, offering meet and greet contests at a show in the lobby, sending out urgent traffic advisories or closures etc.

So, we get started officially today. For every time that you text either INFO or EVENTS to TBPAC (82722) between now and Dec. 28, you will be entered to win the pair of opening night tickets to see Avenue Q here at TBPAC. Winners will be drawn at random. No purchase necessary. Your fee structure from your wireless provider may vary, but if you are charged to send or receive texts, this would be no different.

Defending the Caveman TV spot

This show will be here at TBPAC 12/12-16.

Obit: Tom Murphy, Irish actor, won Tony for 'Beauty Queen'

Tom Murphy, the Irish actor who won the Tony Award in 1998 for his portrayal of Ray Dooley in Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane died Oct. 6 in Dublin from complications of Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was 39.

I played that part in Jobsite Theater's 2003 production of Beauty Queen. Jobsite also went on to produce Mr. McDonagh's The Pillowman in 2006.

The obit on the NYTimes site also references my favorite line in the show:

“Who wants to see Ireland on telly?” Mr. Murphy’s character asks. “All you have to do is look out your window and see Ireland. And it’s bored you’d be.” He mimes looking out a window. “There goes a calf."

Tom Murphy made quite a mark on stage and screen, above and beyond his Tony for Best Featured Actor in 1998 (where he shared the stage with current Broadway stalwart Brian O'Byrne), starring in Connor McPherson's Shining City as well as the acclaimed films Michael Collins and Adam and Paul.

A Yiddish guide to ‘Jewtopia’

A new book has arrived just in time to supplement the comedy in Jewtopia, now playing in TBPAC’s Jaeb Theater through Nov. 11.

Billed as a goy meets girl love story, Jewtopia traces the misadventures of two guys looking for love in all the wrong places.

The Tribune’s review today says you’ll laugh in spite of yourself (and it’s OK).

The book is “Just Say Nu,” by Michael Wex. The subtitle is “Yiddish for Every Occasion (When English Just Won’t Do).”

The New York Times review says “The book is packaged as a primer, with a mild pretense of being an instruction manual. … Most readers will skip over the grammar and syntax and head right to Mr. Wex’s comic explanation of Yiddish phrases, and how to get maximum impact out of a language strong on aggression, contempt and abuse.”

That much I could gather from the Jewtopia script, which offers sort of a Yiddish 101 for those not of the Tribe.

Plus, the helpful Jaeb folks put together a helpful vocabulary sheet passed out with the program.

Of course, you can get your M.A. in Yiddish with Wex’s book.

For example, when you hear someone spouting nonsense, like, say that there’s nothing to do downtown, you could say “Vays ikh voos,” which apparently means “I know what” in a literal translation, but so much more with the proper intonation.

The Times’ critic says, delivered properly, that it’s “not so much spoken as spat, or sneezed out. … It consists of equal parts disbelief, contempt and impatience – practically a Yiddish trifecta.”

– MichaelK

Young Frankenstein on the Today Show

Did you miss Broadway's new Mel Brooks musical "Young Frankenstein" yesterday morning on the Today Show? No worries, you can recover from your candy hang-over and check out the clips from the lively new musical comedy. It looks like an outstanding cast including Megan Mullally of Will and Grace fame and Sutton Foster who most recently starred on Broadway in The Drowsy Chaperone.

No trick, just treats

The first five people to comment on this post will be the proud winners of a pair of tickets each to see tonight's 7:30pm performance of Jewtopia in the Jaeb Theater.



Can't come to tonight's 7:30 show? Don't leave a comment!

Wearing a costume today? Let us know what it is in your comment!

12th Night of the Living Dead

Check out this very interesting concept for an adaptation: William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night meets George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, using only Shakespeare's text (with a healthy doze of grunts and groans, natch.)

If you happen to be in New York between now and Nov. 10, this may be worth a trip to the Lower East Side.

This week at TBPAC!

Gorey Stories, Jobsite Theater Play Series - through Nov. 11. Follow the link for days/times. Watch the TV spot here!

Jewtopia: A Goy Meets Girl Love Story - though Nov. 11. Follow the link for days/times. Watch the TV spot here!



D. L. Hughley - 11/4 at 8pm

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Merchants Association of Florida Kid Time Series - 11/4 at 2 and 4pm

Jonatha Brooke, Club Jaeb Series - Nov. 5. Listen to a track here!

On MySpace? Facebook? We are too!

If you have a profile set up on MySpace, why not friend us? Check us out here!

What about Facebook? We have a group set up over there which you can also join!

Aaaand ... we'll be launching a new texting SMS system in the next few weeks. I'm trying to learn the system right now to get it going on or around 11/1.

We try to stay on top of new technology over here at TBPAC. If there's any other great ways to stay in touch with you - let us know by leaving a comment!

FREE master class with Jonatha Brooke!

Join singer/songwriter Jonatha Brooke for a class in songwriting. Brooke’s songs have been featured in numerous television programs including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dawson’s Creek and Charmed. She wrote “I’ll Try” for Disney’s Peter Pan's Return to Neverland. The class is geared toward those Grade 9 to adult. RSVP to 813.222.6453.

Jewtopia :30 TV spot online!

This spot started airing Monday on WTSP and Bright House Networks. The show opens Friday, and it looks to be a very funny one. I sat in on a rehearsal Sunday. Check here for more info.

This week at TBPAC!

Gorey Stories continues a successful run this Thursday. The show has been extended through Nov. 11 due to sales. As a matter of fact, 10/27 is already sold out this weekend with other shows well on their way.

Jewtopia opens in the Jaeb on Friday night! I may be a little partial since so many of the folks working on that one are friends of mine - but the show is looking to be very, very funny and certainly a departure from the typical cabaret performances in the space. It should certainly have a much better appeal to the 20 and 30somethings that may not normally look to that space for entertainment. This one is intended for mature audiences due to some language and subject matter. Don't miss it! It's only here through Nov. 11 as well!

Solid Gold Soul plays on Saturday night and features some of the best in old school soul - Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, Billy Paul and the Impressions performing such hits as "Only the Strong Survive," "Me and Mrs. Jones" and "People Get Ready."

As always - there's a lot going on here at TBPAC! Hope to see you out!

Sure, USF is #2 in the BCS, but can they sing?

Noah Van Niel plays fullback for Harvard. I know its Harvard, but it’s still NCAA football! Noah Van Niel also sings opera. In fact, he has apprenticed in Florence and New York. When he graduates this year, he intends to pursue opera full time.

For all the times that sportscasters who color-commentary tight-scoring football games with “It’s not over until the fat lady sings” you think I would be able to come up with a clever joke here. I’m open to suggestions.

-Kari G.

Sir Aiken?

No... Clay Aiken is not getting knighted. Um, well not like you think. He's actually signed on to play "Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir-Lancelot" in Broadway's Spamalot. He'll appear in the show Jan. 18-May 4.

Lost track of how many American Idol winners & finalist have made their way to Broadway? Check out this article on E!.

Cross-shilling

As I've stated before, in addition to my duties here at TBPAC in the marketing department, I have a whole separate other job I'm holding down as the producing artistic director for Jobsite Theater, TBPAC's resident theater company.

Jobsite opens their 9th season on Thursday with Gorey Stories, a collection of 18 short stories, poems and groups of limericks from the weird and wild world of the inimitable Edward Gorey. Head over to Jobsite's blog to see entries on this production. In fact, this link will take you directly to all entries tagged with 'gorey stories.'

Amid the despair, John Gorka's very funny

Singer-songwriter John Gorka kicked off the 2007-2008 Club Jaeb series earlier tonight with two sets of the best material from his 20-year-plus career. We expected heartbreaking lyrics from the lovesick poet. What we didn't expect was for him to unleash his inner stand-up comic.

Looking up lyrics in a folder of loose sheets, he said, "the search engine is working."

(When he knocked the same folder over, scattering the lyric sheets to the stage, someone responded, "Your hard drive crashed.")

Gorka also claimed to have gone through a blues singer phase, embracing the sound of the "Pennsylvania delta," and being billed as Slow Blind Driveway.

We loved having Gorka play our tiny little corner of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, and from his comments on stage and off, he loved it too.

You can get the remaining four Club Jaeb concerts, plus the Roches' holiday concert in the Ferguson next door for just $80. Call the Ticket Office at 229.STAR after noon Tuesday and tell 'em "Michael sent me."

Next up is Jonatha Brooke on Nov. 5. We also have Jennifer O'Connor, Bethany and Rufus and Amy Speace scheduled in the Jaeb.

If you're not familiar with some of these artists, that's your fault, but you can fix it easily by going to their show pages on this very site, where you'll find links to their own sites. Thanks also to WMNF for playing so much of this music.

And don't forget the wonderful Rosanne Cash, playing the Ferguson on March 2. She's not part of the series, but if you like Club Jaeb, you won't want to miss Rosanne in concert.

Thanks to everyone who came out tonight.

See you next time. -- Michael K/TBPAC

Frankie Valli on The Today Show

Follow this link to check out a clip of Frankie Valli's appearance on The Today Show from this morning. You'll need to wait out a commercial first, but it's there.

Don't forget, JERSEY BOYS - the red-hot musical based on the rise of Frankie Valli and the Four Season - goes on sale to the public on Oct. 14. This is the EXCLUSIVE Florida engagement of this four-time Tony Award winner.

12 Angry Men all over the place!

Richard Thomas on WTSP's Studio 10.

“The verdict is in: Twelve Angry Men is still gripping ... Once you enter the jury room with those men, you don’t want to leave.” – The Tampa Tribune

“A fine cast. It’s a treat to enjoy such consummate character actors in a rare straight play on tour” Richard Thomas as Juror Eight is “surprisingly funny…his acting has touches of comic pantomime worthy of Buster Keaton.” - St. Petersburg Times

It's only here through Sunday, so don't deliberate too long on if you're interested.

Check out the TV spot for Jewtopia

Head over to the show page at TBPAC.ORG and click the link at the bottom of the page!

Jewtopia opens on Oct. 26 in the Jaeb Theater.

Gorka opens third season of Club Jaeb series at TBPAC

I’m really excited about the Club Jaeb season opener, John Gorka, next Monday night. Remember, we started this series two years ago with an eye toward bringing in the best singer-songwriters as well as other kinds of musicians that would work great in an intimate space. Plus, we wanted a Monday night series that would help us extend our weekends.

I’ve personally been a fan of Gorka since his “Land of the Bottom Line” blast at bottom-line living and his “Armed with a Broken Heart” break-up song. (When I do custom CDs, I frequently pair “Land of the Bottom Line” with James McMurtry’s “Painting by Numbers.”)

We’ve had absolutely great artists over the last two years, and some fabulous performances. This season’s lineup, though, has to be the strongest overall.

After Gorka, we have Jonatha Brooke, Jennifer O’Connor, Bethany and Rufus and Amy Speace. Plus, we have the Roche Sisters in a holiday show next door in the Ferguson.

People have been clamoring for Brooke since we started this series. Jennifer O’Connor’s new release has been called “record of the year” by the Village Voice and Amy Speace knocked out both a Nashville club of music insiders and a NYC club in a period of months.

All that for just $99. Check each of these artists out on their shows pages on this website, and follow links to their own sites.

Also, there’s an iMix sampler of the season that I posted recently.

Don’t forget the Monday Music Mingle at 6:30, where you can purchase food and drinks, sit inside or out, and listen to music from upcoming artists in the series – and other favorites.

Come say hello on Monday night.

– Michael Kilgore/TBPAC

Bob Saget joins the cast of Drowsy Chaperone

This is almost News of the Weird, yet it all somehow actually makes sense.

Bob Saget, who has had such an insanely diverse career that's taken him from super-safe family-fare like Full House and America's Funniest Home Videos to the super-raunchy The Aristocrats and guest appearances on Entourage, will now be taking over the role of Man in Chair.

And now Broadway? Wow. This guy never seems to have a problem at being able to reinvent himself. Too bad he won't be coming to Tampa with the national tour ...

A Star is Born

The understudy comes out from the wings to save the show and then is skyrocketed to stardom. It’s the stuff of dreams, of movies, of The Phantom of the Opera. As audience members we root for the underdog – and if you’ve never been an understudy – it is the ultimate underdog role.

So when the storied Lyric Theater in Chicago canned their Mimi last week for failing to attend rehearsals (just a minor thing – really), newcomer Elaine Alvarez was asked to step in and play the consumptive seamstress in La Boheme. Can you imagine making your very first debut with a major opera company at THE LYRIC???

Not an opera fan? Okay, let’s see if I can put it in broader terms: Imagine you’re a third string quarterback and suddenly you get to make your NFL debut at the Superbowl. You with me? It’s a lot like that.

So how did she do? Did she go 3 for 24 with 2 INT? According to Chicago Tribune critic John Von Rhein, “… even audience members who have seen hundreds of "Bohemes" got misty-eyed. Alvarez saved the day, and then some. After her smooth, confident Lyric debut, the opera world surely will be taking notice.”

I would call that a touchdown.

And by the way, Opera Tampa’s Mimi will be played by Darryn Zimmer. (I bet she’ll make some folks misty eyed, she certainly is easy on the eyes).

-Kari G.

Shakespeare (banned)!

Check out this story on how a school district pulled the plug on a performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) that was being used as a class field trip.

TBPAC's own resident theater company, Jobsite Theater, has become very well-known for tackling these (abridged) plays - Shakespeare in particular, which we have performed since 2001. The audience? Largely high school and college kids - every time.

The big biz of Broadway

Checking out the NYTimes today online, I found two stories almost back to back about the current state of how "big business" more or less is dictating the movements on the Great White Way.

It's unfortunate to me in a lot of ways that it's all become big business. "Legally Blonde will be the new Wicked!" "How do we get more shows up that appeal to tweens?", "Let's produce a new works festival as a gold-panning sifter to maybe find the new RENT!"

I suppose it's just an illustration of how when you actually do a decent job turning something into a successful business, you become even more dependent on selling a ticket.

Does quality suffer, or do we possibly slow actual artistic advancement by first deciding what's hot and what will appeal to the lowest common denominator? Is it somehow backwards to establish an audience to exploit over having a good idea?

The idea that tweens are driving any Broadway market is astonishing to me, considering the cost of a Broadway ticket. Where are these kids getting the money?

They do establish that a show can't appeal to tweens exclusively, because a show would never last in New York on that alone due to the sheet volume needed in ticket sales from not only locals but tourists.

In other words, by appealing not directly to the ticket buyers but to the people who exert major influence on them — their daughters — “Legally Blonde” brings adults into the theater. Ideally, they then have a good time and tell their adult friends. “If we go after the tweens, we’ll get the adults,” Mr. Luftig said.

For years, the knock was that Neil Simon, Edward Albee and Arthur Miller couldn't get produced on Broadway. Today I read that now Sondheim can't get a break as producers and audiences alike dig around for something more bubblegum.

The long and short of our current cycle?

The news would appear to be that the American (and English, and Australian) musical is still alive and kicking, often literally. You want great art? Get over it.

Figar-d’oh!

In marketing there is a term, it’s used when a product you will be launching receives a great deal of press for something unrelated to your release date. It’s called “softening the market.” Thank you Simpsons for softening the Opera Tampa market in your season premiere!

If you missed it – the season premiere entitled “The Homer of Seville” featured special guest star Placido Domingo as himself. In the highly plausible plot, Homer found yet another of his hidden talents, this time as an opera singer. After giving Placido a few voice lessons, he asks the opera great for advice on the hordes of middle-aged female fans that follow him everywhere.

Oh, and Homer’s stage debut? La Boheme. Opera Tampa’s first show of the season? La Boheme. I’m telling you – we’re geniuses over here!

Actually, I had no idea Placido Domingo was guest starring. He is the first opera singer to guest star in the show’s 18 year history. Pretty cool. Here’s a short article from Playbill.