Are you an EARLY BIRD?

Are you an EARLY BIRD? Save money when you buy early!

You can save 25%-50% on tickets to certain shows in select seating areas and for select performances within a run. Tickets to most shows will go on sale to the public on Aug. 1, but Straz Center members can buy tickets now. Check out all of the benefits of membership, and get your tickets today!

The Early Bird sale ends on Aug. 31. Complete details and restrictions are noted with each show. Limit 2 Early Bird tickets per account per show. Discounts may be revoked or suspended at any time.

See a complete LIST of series and shows included with the EARLY BIRD discount on our website.

Are YOU a Student?

We have 2 amazing Student Rush Offers we couldn't help but share!

Billy Elliot: Feb. 2-20
$25 Student Rush Tickets!
Details: Bring your student ID to the Ticket Office beginning 30 minutes before any show!
* Cash only. Limit 1 ticket per ID. Discounts do not apply to prior sales. Subject to availability. Restrictions may apply.

Forbidden Broadway: NOW - Feb. 20
50% Student Rush Tickets!
Details: Bring your student ID to the Ticket Office beginning 30 minutes before any show!
* Cash only. Limit 1 ticket per ID. Discounts do not apply to prior sales. Subject to availability. Restrictions may apply.

$15 rush tickets to 9 to 5, The Musical!

9 to 5, The Musical is teaming up with Metropolitan Ministries to offer a $15 rush ticket to the Tuesday and Wednesday performances of 9 to 5, The Musical (Oct. 26 & 27) when you donate a non-perishable food item. All donations benefit Metropolitan Ministries.

This offer is only available 2 hours prior to show time (5:30-7:30 p.m.) and only at the Straz Center Ticket Office. Tickets are best available of those that remain. One discounted ticket per donation.

Save on The Sound of Music!

The Sound of Music is extending a special 50% off* discount for remaining seats to the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening shows. Simply use promo code SOCIAL when purchasing your tickets.

*Offer valid on all price levels. Limit 4 tickets. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability.

Donate to Backpacks for Hope and save!

Cats and The Sound of Music are delighted to partner with Metropolitan Ministries to help with the Backpacks for Hope drive. Simply stop by the Straz Center Ticket Office during regular hours between now and Aug. 18 and donate a new backpack. When you do, you'll receive $20 off tickets to either Cats (Aug. 13-15) or The Sound of Music (Aug. 20-22) for select performances*. If you already have your tickets, you're still welcome to donate a new backpack or any other back-to-school supplies that you'd like.

*Offers are valid on the Friday and Sunday evening performances only in price levels 1 and 2. Limit 4 tickets per donation. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability. Offer valid at the ticket office window only during regular hours (Mon-Sat. noon-8 p.m., Sun. noon-6 p.m.).

Don't miss this summer's Broadway Family Nights!

Broadway Family Nights are an affordable & fun way to bring the whole family to the Straz Center! Be sure to join us this summer for these upcoming events...

Join us for CATS' Broadway Family Night on Friday, Aug. 13, at 8 p.m. When you purchase a regularly priced adult ticket you may receive a free child's ticket (12 and under). Offer limited to the first 200 children. Valid in all price levels. Not available online. Come early for free pre-show activities.

Join us for The Sound of Music's Broadway Family Night on Friday, Aug. 20, at 8 p.m. When you purchase a regularly priced adult ticket you may receive a free child's ticket (12 and under). Valid in all price levels. Not available online. Come early for free pre-show activities.

The Broadway Family Night ticket offer is available by calling the Straz Center Ticket Office at 813.229.STAR (7827). All offers are not applicable to prior sales, subject to availability and cannot be combined with any other offer.


A special thank you to our Broadway Family Night media sponsors, Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine and The New Magic 94-9.




(The Sound of Music photo is from the 2003 Theater of the Stars production.)

Miss Abigail's World Premiere!

Gather your girlfriends, your boyfriends, your best friends or even your frenemies (especially if they are known for dating your exes!) and come down to the hilarious world premier of Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage!

Miss Abigail will teach you how to find and keep your perfect mate and gives you classic romance advice from yesteryear!

It’s like Late Nite Catechism, but about love!

Let Miss Abigail take you back to a simpler time ... when the divorce rate wasn’t 50% and when fidelity was more than an investment firm! During this 90-minute comedy, Miss A will teach you how to have the perfect kiss, what you should (and should not) talk about on a date, and how to let a man think he wears the pants.And who knows? Maybe during the show, Miss Abigail will learn a thing or two about love herself from her sexy, young assistant, Paco.

You can get 50% off the June 9-13 performances with the promo code SOCIAL.* Don't miss this great event!

-Kari G.

*Limit 4 tickets. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability.

Final performances of Godspell.

There are some great opportunities to see Godspell before it closes! First, grab the kids and come tonight (nothing says Cinco de Mayo like Godspell!) for Broadway Family Night! Purchase one full price adult ticket and get one free child's (12 and under) ticket (restrictions apply). Come early for family-friendly activities.There is a postshow talk-back in the theater following the Wed., May 5, performance.

Moving forward you can take advantage of a special social media offer for the remaining shows. Now through May 16 you can receive $10 off all tickets. Limit 4 tickets. Promo code: SOCIAL.

These two offers cannot combine so don't get all crafty on us. And all fine print, "Subject to availability, not good on prior purchase, etc. etc." all apply.

Enjoy the final performances of this amazing show!

-Kari "Day by Day" G.

Taste the Best of Tampa Bay

This year Taste the Best of Tampa Bay celebrates both its 25th anniversary and its host, The Producers volunteer group. The Producers helped raise more than $1.5 million and countless new friends for the Straz Center through this award winning event over the years.

While some aspects of the event are new (it now has a Facebook page),
others have become tradition. Some of Tampa Bay’s favorite landmark
restaurants, such as the historic Columbia and Sally O’Neal’s, have
served their award-winning culinary delights to hungry crowds at every
Best of Tampa Bay event.

Developed by Guest Quarters Hotels as a way to benefit arts organizations in Atlanta and Houston, the first “Best of” event in Tampa was held in 1985 to support the community’s dream of a new performing arts center – before the Straz Center had even opened.

Three years later the Best of Tampa Bay attracted more than 1,000 people and Guest Quarters handed over the reins to The Producers, Straz Center’s fledgling volunteer group of young professionals. The Producers have hosted the event ever since.

As a member of The Producers, Joe Reineman has been a part of every Best of Tampa Bay. “The original intent was to introduce people to the Straz Center. It’s hard to think that was ever an issue — now so many shows sell out,” Reineman says.

The annual event invited the community to get to know their new Performing Arts Center while enjoying food from more than 40 of Tampa’s best restaurants, open bar, the best live entertainment and other “best of” surprises.

For several years there was a competitive edge to the event. Esteemed
judges from the Culinary Arts Institute and food editor Mildred Ying of Good
Housekeeping magazine were brought in to taste samples and bestow awards.

Eventually, attendees became the judges in a variety of ‘People’s Choice’
contests.

The event, now called Taste the Best of Tampa Bay, remains one of the Straz Center’s top annual fund- and friendraisers bringing an average of 1,200 to 1,800 people out to share an evening of feasting and fun each spring.

Take advantage of a special offer just for our friends who read our blog and friend us on social media platforms like facebook and twitter. You can get $45 tickets for the 7 p.m. entrance with the promo code PRO!

Enjoy - and save me some Bang Bang Shrimp!

-Kari G.

$10 off Cirque Dreams Illumination

Save $10 off tickets to see Cirque Dreams' newest creation, Illumination, when the show comes to the Straz Center for one week, March 23-28. The discount is valid on the Tuesday and Wednesday performances only. Just use promo code SOCIAL when ordering tickets.

Limit 4 tickets. Tuesday and Wednesday, price levels 1, 2 and 3 only. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability.

If you can't decide which performance, we might be able to help...

Tuesday has a special post-show talkback with members of the cast.

If you join us Wednesday, it's Broadway Family Night with special pre-show activities for the kids. Plus we have a different discount offer for families. You receive a free child's ticket (12 and under) when you purchase a full priced adult ticket. (Sorry, you can combine the offers.)

Save on tickets to see Godspell next week

GODSPELL is currently playing in the Jaeb Theater through May but we have a special discount for you to see the show next week.

Save $5 off tickets to see the show March 3 or 4 at 7:30 p.m. You can also receive the discount on tickets to the March 6 matinee performance at 2 p.m. Just use promo code SOCIAL when ordering tickets.

Limit 4 tickets. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability.

One of the biggest off-Broadway and Broadway successes of all time, this modern and newly updated GODSPELL, based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew, is ultimately a story of coming together to create a loving community embraced by all. Featuring a sparkling score by Grammy- and Oscar-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), GODSPELL boasts a string of popular songs, led by the international hit, "Day By Day.”

Wicked offers a special social media discount!

Broadway's biggest blockbuster is flying back to Tampa Feb. 3 for a limited engagement through Feb. 28 only! You can save over $30 on tickets to see WICKED. The Straz Center is offering

SPECIAL PRICING for the following performances:
$63* tickets (regularly $91): Feb. 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m.
$53* tickets (regularly $91): Feb. 4 at 2 p.m.
Simply use promotion code SOCIAL when ordering tickets online , by phone at 813.229.STAR (7827) or in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office.

Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One – born with emerald green skin – is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes for "the most complete and completely satisfying new musical in a long time" (USA Today).

*Ticket prices do not include applicable service charges. Subject to availability. Offer not valid on Premium seating or previously purchased tickets and cannot be combined with any other offer. Offer may be discontinued at any time.
Great seats are still available. Purchase your tickets today, or you’ll be green with envy.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS TO REMAINING PERFORMANCES.

Jobsite Theater's What the Butler Saw - on stage now!

Jobsite Theater is the theater company in residence in the Shimberg Playhouse at the Straz Center. What the Butler Saw is the second offering in their 2009-2010 season and it's doing great! Here's an update from Jobsite's Artistic Director, David Jenkins:

We've had 5 sold-out shows and two sensational reviews so far, not to mention scads of great feedback from patrons for What the Butler Saw. Head over to our media page to check it all out for yourself, then grab a ticket to one of this weekend's shows! We're on stage now through Jan. 29!

Jobsite Theater has strong attendance on Friday and Saturday nights, so advance ticket purchase is recommended. You can purchase tickets through the Straz Center ticket office, by calling 813.229.STAR, visiting http://www.strazcenter.org/ or visiting the ticket window.

If you're looking for a bargain, Thursday night and Sunday matinee performances of Jobsite Theater productions are usually great times to take advantage of their student/military/senior rush. $10 tickets as of 30 minutes w/ cash and valid ID, window only.

Of course rush is always subject to availability but it's a great bargain for a show Creative Loafing called, "One of the funniest performances I’ve seen in years... I can heartily recommend it to lovers of intelligent lunacy – and of laughter."

Here's their promotional video:




(Full disclosure: I'm a board member of Jobsite Theater as well as a Straz Center employee).

-Kari G.

Happy Veteran's Day!

If you follow Culture Shock from out of the area, you may not know that Tampa is the location of the MacDill AFB and the proud home of the 6th Air Mobility Wing, the Air Force Reserve Command's 927th Air Refueling Wing, CENTCOM, SOCOM, USSOCCENT, USMARCENT and USAFRICOM, MacDill also has the NOAA aircraft unit.

We share our town with heroes from all over the world. Living in Tampa we see our share of uniforms and we do our best to support and thank our fellow citizens and our protectors as much as possible.

TBPAC offers military discounts for many of our shows. Military tickets are 50% off of normal ticket price and are offered 30 - 90 minutes before curtain on the day of performance.

Thank you men and women of the armed forces, those that serve and those that have served. We are grateful for all that you do and have done to keep this Nation free.

- Kari Goetz
Born Fort Polk, LA to Capt. James L. Goetz, US Army

Mary Poppins pre-sale

Tampa's premiere engagement of Disney & Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins is coming to the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, May 20-June 6, 2010. Starting today Culture Shock readers have priority access to some of the best seats before they go on sale to the public! And if you order by Nov. 5 you can save more than $15 on select performances and locations. Use promo code SHOCK when ordering. For discount details and to purchase tickets, click here http://bit.ly/ZxGH4

*Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability. Other restrictions may apply.

Student Rush for IN THE HEIGHTS

Students can save 50% off tickets to In the Heights, Oct. 27 (tonight) through Nov. 1. Simply come to the TBPAC Ticket Office no sooner than 90 minutes to the scheduled curtain time with a valid student ID. This discount is valid for all remaining seats for that scheduled performance. One discounted ticket per ID.

Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability. Service charge applies.

Please note: Photo shown is the Original Broadway Cast and not the performers in the National Tour.

Show your love for the dinosaur!

Love dinosaurs? We have two great ways for you to experience these prehistoric creatures! You can register to win a family 4-pack of tickets to see Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular at the St. Pete Times Forum, Oct 14-18 when you email Dinosaur World at dinosaurworld@scrtc.com. Make sure your email has a subject line of “register to win” and be sure to include your name, phone number, email and address. Contest ends Oct. 11 with the winner being drawn Oct. 12

And, just for reading Culture Shock, Dinosaur World is giving you $2 off admission when you print this blog entry and present it at Dinosaur World. The offer is good for up to 6 people and up to a $12 discount (reg. admission is $12.75 for adults and $9.75 for ages 3-12). This offer is not valid with other offers. For more info visit http://www.dinoworld.net/.

Photo is from Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular.

Baby T-rex at MOSI's Dino Day!

Always wanted to meet a dinosaur? Well... we can't make that happen but we can give you the next best thing. Tomorrow (9/30) MOSI is hosting Dino Day - a fun-filled day of dinosaur-themed activities and the Baby T-rex from WALKING WITH DINOSAURS: The Arena Spectacular (coming to the St. Pete Times Forum Oct 14-18) will be at MOSI making special appearances at 3, 4 & 4:45 p.m. Note that the museum closes at 5 p.m.

MOSI is extending a discounted admission of $10 when you mention the promo code REX at the MOSI Ticket Office. This admission price includes access to MOSI exhibit galleries, Kids In Charge! (the nation’s largest children’s science center) and admission to an IMAX® Dome Theatre film. Offer is only good for September 30, 2009. Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. Excludes special engagement exhibitions and films.

Can't make it to MOSI but still want to see a little taste of the Baby T-rex? Check out FOX's Good Day, Tampa Bay tomorrow morning around 8:40 a.m. I hear there might be a special guest!

Special deal on Grease

OK all you "hopelessly devoted" followers, here is a deal on GREASE coming to the TBPAC, Aug. 18-23. You can save 50% off tickets to the Tuesday & Wednesday night shows in the Balcony and Gallery (price level 2 & 3 only) with promo code SANDY. Offer is limited to 4 tickets and you know the drill... Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability. Service charges apply.

Now go. Buy your tickets b/c the seats are definitely subject to availability!

Photo by Joan Marcus

Great deals on RENT tickets

Want to see RENT next week with Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, the original Broadway cast members, but need a little help in the money department? No problem. We've got a couple great offers!

- Save 25% off the Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday performances. Use promo code ROGER. This offer is valid on price level 1 & 2 and limited to 4 discounted tickets.

- We've also partnered with Tinatapa's in Channelside for a special dinner & a show package. For $165 you receive two price level 1 tickets to RENT (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday only), plus dinner for two at Tinatapa's (which you can use anytime between now and Nov. 1). We've even thrown in free valet parking at Channelside. Call the TBPAC Ticket Office, 813.229.STAR (7827), for more details and to purchase.

Both offers are not applicable to prior sales. Subject to availability. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Service charges apply.

Photo by Joan Marcus.