It’s not over until the PowerPoint presentation sings ...

The themes of grand opera are universal: passion, betrayal, murder, love, loss, terminal illnesses, secret identities, war and of course – climate change and its potential for disaster.

At least that’s what La Scalla believes. The famed opera house announced late last week that they have commissioned Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli to write an opera based on the Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore.

Battistelli has a unique reputation in the opera world. His adaptation of Bernstein’s Candide featured a satirical scene that involved opera singers, wearing only underpants and the masks of world leaders. The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, was depicted swimming in a sea of Iraqi oil.

f those are the kind of liberties you can take with Voltaire, I can only imagine what you can do with a slide show and a genie-lift. For me, I’m hoping for the polar bear aria, Speriamo che il tuo amore guida Hummer, ti preghiamo di inviare cibo (I hope you like driving your Hummer, please send food).

-Kari G.

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The Lion King roars with CreLo's critic

This might just sum the whole gosh darn 5-loaf review (follow the link for the full story):

If you haven't lost the capacity for wonder -- or if you're hoping to regain it -- find a ticket if you can. This musical is so special that it's possible that you'll never see anything like it again in your lifetime.

I know that sounds excessive.

And I mean every word. - Creative Loafing

The Lion King is here through June 22.

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Touring shows are "going green"

If you've been around the TBPAC when a show pulls into town, you've seen the truck lined up to unload set pieces, instruments, costumes, etc. Now tours, including many Broadway shows (The Lion King, The Drowsy Chaperone, Spamalot and Mamma Mia), are working with Clark Transfer, Inc and NativeEnergy, Inc on a new green initiative. It's appropriately called "Touring Green." It's designed to help offset the impact of carbon emissions created by transporting quality entertainment around the country. Check out this article for more information.

Broadway is a business

Want to learn a little more about Broadway as a business? Check out this article from the latest edition of Fast Company. A few Broadway producers give you their perspective and thoughts on Broadway and what it takes to bring a show to the stage.

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Forever Plaid - coming soon!

Forever Plaid is on sale now, and sure to be a sell-out smash-hit. The Jaeb Theater has always been in a way "the house that Plaid built," so whether it's your first or your tenth time this show is guaranteed to be a huge amount of fun.

Trivia: Forever Plaid was the first show I saw in the Jaeb Theater and my first show as an audience member at TBPAC after I started college at USF. That production would be the first of many incarnations of Forever Plaid. This year's cast is ALL NEW!

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This week at TBPAC

THIS WEEK

Disney's The Lion King - on stage now through June 22

WMNF presents Terrence Brewer - May 29

Stageworks presents Brighton Beach Memoirs - through June 1

COMING SOON

Jobsite Theater presents A Dream Play - June 12-29

Jesus Christ Superstar - June 26-29

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Lisi wins tourism award

TBPAC President and CEO Judy Lisi was named the Gonzmart Family Ambassador of the Year for her work in the hospitality industry.

Lisi was surprised with the award May 20 at the Tampa Bay and Company (formerly TBCVB) annual Tourism Week luncheon.

More than 25 percent of patrons who attended the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and Jersey Boys were from outside a 50-mile radius, according to an independent survey.

"The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is a destination site for many Tampa Bay area visitors," Lisi said. "I'm so pleased that we have been recognized and included in such stellar company as Tampa International Airport, Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium."

--MichaelK

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The Lion King's new, local Nala on WTSP

Check out the story and video here on Dan'yelle Williams.! You can also scroll back to the TBO story and a post from our own Spencer Meyers on her.

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Things that make marketers (even more) crazy

People keep telling me "Lion King" is sold out.

True, it's doing very well, but it's not sold out.

If it were sold out, we'd stop running ads and save the money.

So if you've been thinking about seeing this show, or any show, don't assume it's sold out until you try ... especially if you're still seeing ads for it. -- MichaelK

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Hey, we were tweeted!

I just got this message via my Twitter feed from TBO.com:

Breaking News: Arts Center's 'Lion King' Features A Local Talent: TAMPA – A graduate of Blake... http://tinyurl.com/4cdl2

It's all about the new Nala we have here in The Lion King. Check out the full story via the tinyurl above!

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More on student rush offers

We've gotten a few questions recently via email about student rush offers, and so I thought I'd post this response from Nick Smith, one of your friendly neighborhood Ticket Office Managers. This response was to a question as to how someone goes about getting one of the 50% off student rush tickets to The Lion King:

Thank you for your interest in our theater!

On June 3rd the only performance we have scheduled is a 7:30pm showing of Disney’s The Lion King. If you are interested we do have a student discount that is 50% off. This discount is available 90 minutes prior to the performance, with a valid student ID at the ticket office window.

For the latest information on discounted performances you can click this link:

http://www.tbpac.org/ticketoffice/discounts.htm

We look forward to seeing you at the theater!

Nicholas Smith
Ticketing - Customer Service Manager
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center

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Too much free stuff!

There is still time to win the Avenue Q hand puppet eyeballs and Original Broadway Cast Recording. Text AVEQ to TBPAC (82722) NOW for your chance to win!

We also have a pair of Chris Rock tickets being given away - send the text ROCK to TBPAC (82722) for your chance to score those.

Between this blog, our SMS service and our eCenter newsletter - we hope to be making you happy with free swag at least once a week! Free! Woo hoo!

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BLAKE H.S. GRAD DEBUTS AS ‘NALA’ IN THE LION KING

It was no surprise to me that Dan’yelle would make it this far. I’m waiting to see how long it will be before she receives her first TONY AWARD.

I too graduated H.W. Blake H.S. for the Arts in Musical Theater. Dan’yelle was one of my best friends and an amazing performer since our freshman year; only to get better over time. She is one of the most delightful, humorous, and humble performers to work with. She was probably the best singer any high school could’ve had. I was not shocked when I heard about her success in the Chicago Wicked cast. I am but beyond thrilled to see her debut in Disney’s The Lion King here in her hometown.

She is a must see performer. I can only see Patti LuPone and Stephanie Mills status in her future!

- Spencer Meyers

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Boy that hyena can sing!

The Lion King company member Jayne Trinette (she plays Shenzi the hyena) stepped out from underneath her costume and from behind her mask to belt out the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the Tampa Bay Rays game on Monday, May 12. Looking glamorous in her stylish outfit (and her requisite Lion King t-shirt), Trinette marched past home plate and onto the infield at Tropicana Field to deliver a stunning rendition of our national anthem. Husband Bryan was down on the field with Jayne, camcorder in hand, beaming with pride.

The large crowd at the game (thanks to the Rays current winning ways -- and their popular opponents the Yankees) gave her a mighty cheer for a job well done. And all the way back up to her seat in the stands, game-goers shouts could be heard: “Way to go,” “What a voice,” “Great job,” “You were amazing.” And she was.

By the way, the Rays trounced the Yankees 7 to 1 leaving them just a half game behind in the American League East.

They must have been inspired by that “Star-Spangled Banner!”

- Paul B.

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Student rush tickets: The Lion King

If you're a student, you can get HALF OFF tickets to THE LION KING.

That's right ladies and gents - HALF OFF - but only if you're a student with a valid ID.

This is the deal:

• 50% off any requested seats to all performances except our matinees.
• Two tickets max per valid student I.D. (Yes, you must show a valid student I.D. to get it!)
• At the TBPAC Ticket Office window ONLY. (No phone or internet sales)
• No sooner than 90 minutes prior to curtain.
• Subject to availability. Not valid on any prior sales or in conjunction with any other offer.

THE LION KING plays Carol Morsani Hall through June 22.

Take advantage!

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Tony nominees announced today

This just in:

"August: Osage County," "The Seafarer," "The 39 Steps" and "Rock 'n' Roll" have been nominated for Best Play.

For Best Musical: "Cry-Baby," "In the Heights," "Xanadu," "Passing Strange"

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Ben Daniels, "Les Liaison Dangereuses"; Laurence Fishburne, "Thurgood"; Mark Rylance, "Boeing-Boeing," Rufus Sewell, "Rock 'n' Roll"; Patrick Stewart, "Macbeth"

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play: Eve Best, "The Homecoming"; Deanna Dunagan, "August: Osage County"; Kate Fleetwood, "Macbeth"; S. Epatha Merkerson, "Come Back, Little Sheba"; Amy Morton, "August: Osage County"

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical: Daniel Evans, "Sunday in the Park With George"; Lin-Manuel Miranda, "In the Heights"; Stew, "Passing Strange"; Paulo Szot, "South Pacific"; Tom Wopat, "A Catered Affair"

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical: Kerry Butler, "Xanadu"; Patti Lupone, "Gypsy"; Kelli O'Hara, "South Pacific"; Faith Prince, "A Catered Affair; Jenna Russell, "Sunday in the Park With George" -- MichaelK

For a full list of nominees, go to the official Tony Awards site.

The awards show will air on Sunday, June 15, on CBS.

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Win Chris Rock tickets!

Win a pair of tickets to see Chris Rock by sending the text message ROCK to TBPAC (82722). Contest ends on or around May 26, 2008. A random entry will be drawn and notified by May 30, 2008, via text message.

For those not in the know, we have a whole list of commands available for your convenience. Just send any of these text messages below to TBPAC (82722) to take advantage:

INFO - gets you our hours, phone numbers, web address, how to get here etc. Handy as a resource when you're on the go!
EVENTS - tells you what is on the stages here at TBPAC any given week. Sweet!
SAVE - adds you to the list to get hot deals when they are announced.
HELP - sends you a list of available commands.
STOP - makes us quit with the text messages to you.

Good luck!

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A nice note from a WTSP contest winner

Angela Lakin got this note and photos in the mail this weekend after a winner of a WTSP contest sent a photo (click it for a larger version) and a thank-you for the tickets to the show:

Edna entered her husband Al into the WTSP "Be treated like a king or queen" Lion King contest. They got tickets to the show and a two night package with dinner at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Here was the winning entry:

"I have just finished up a year of chemo and radiation and my lymphoma is in remission and my husband has taken such good care of me, he is my king and I would love to treat him to this treat we love Broadway and the Casino it would be perfect thank you"

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Tampa Trib review: The Lion King

"At this point, if you have any inclination toward musical stage productions and you still haven't seen it, you are duty-bound to go." - The Tampa Tribune

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TBPAC featured in Best of Tampa Bay ish of Tampa Bay Magazine

Flip over to pg. 60 of this month's issue of Tampa Bay Magazine to read how TBPAC was chosen as the Best Performing Arts Center in the area. Our listing is right next to that really scrumptious looking picture of fried soft-shelled crabs with the drawn butter boat in the middle from Crabby Bill's.

Mmmmm ... fried soft-shelled crabs with drawn butter...

Maybe it's time for lunch ...

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We have a winner

Anonymous, you're the winner of our giveaway for the free CD carrying case from Passing Strange.

Trick is - who are you? And how would I know it's really you? :)

Comment to this entry to claim, and we'll work out mailing the schwag to you!

Mother's Day and TBPAC

If you're looking for a last minute Mother's Day gift - let us humbly suggest:

• You’ve caused plenty of drama in your mother’s life! This Mother’s Day say “thank you” with a gift certificate from TBPAC. Gift certificates can be redeemed for tickets, membership, merchandise, dining at Maestro’s and classes at the Patel Conservatory. Gift Certificates are available online, by visiting the TBPAC Ticket Office or by calling 813.229.STAR (7827).
• We also have a 50% off special running on tickets to HATS! for the remaining shows (1p tomorrow, 2p Sat. and Sun.). This special was originally set up just for Mother's Day, but we decided to make a Mother's Day weekend of it. Use promo code MOM when you visit the TBPAC Ticket Office, call 813.229.STAR or buy online.

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TBPAC loves Dilbert (well, at least I do)

I had the unfortunate adventure of finding a termite in my house this weekend. Turns out I don't have termites (phew), but the termite guy asked me "Where do you work?"

Now EVERY time I get this question and I answer "the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center," I get the same response.

"That sounds so cool!"

When it comes down to it, I work in an office like any other office any place in America. Therefore, I love Dilbert. I read Dilbert daily. I've subscribed to Dilbert through an RSS feed. Because I can relate to Dilbert. As can most people here I suspect. You can walk around the offices here and most likely will find Dilbert comics pasted to doors, hanging on cubicle walls, they're everywhere.

So, come read Culture Shock and get your Daily Dilbert at the same time. We're embedding a Dilbert widget for you. Have fun.

(By the way, SOMETIMES it really is cool.)

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FREE Passing Strange CD carrier

I have a FREE Passing Strange CD carrier to give away to a randomly drawn commenter who tells me what the best thing they've seen here at TBPAC this year. It can just be the show name, or feel free to share your thoughts on why you thought the show was so great. Any genre, any hall.

Deadline to enter is tomorrow, May 8, at 4pm.

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Catch PASSING STRANGE on The View

On Monday, the cutting-edge new Broadway production, Passing Strange, was honored with 7 Drama Desk Awards nominations:

• Outstanding Musical
• Outstanding Actor in a Musical
• Outstanding Choreography
• Outstanding Music
• Outstanding Lyrics
• Outstanding Book of a Musical
• Outstanding Orchestrations

If you can't make it to the Big Apple but would like a sample - watch acclaimed rock musician & composer, Stew, and his buddies on ABC's The View, Monday, May 12. Check your listings!

Here are some other ways you can find out more about this innovative new musical:

See the TV Spot

See Videos and Photos

Hear the Music and download mp3

Download E-Card, Wallpaper, Buddy Icons, 2 sizes of Banners and links to MySpace and Facebook

Have a mobile moment right now: Text ROCK to 42903

“The exuberant new show Passing Strange is far richer in wit, feeling, and sheer personality than most of what is classified as musical theater these days.” – The New York Times

Out of my wife's last trip to NYC, only two shows made a major impression on her - Passing Strange and the straight play August: Osage County. She's not easily impressed, so praise as high as she was giving it is something to listen to.

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THE LION KING preview, video

You can read this nifty little preview story on THE LION KING on TBO.com before it even hits the streets in the print edition here. The thrust of the story is things you might not know about the show, so give it a read!

And, for your viewing pleasure I'm also including the :30 TV spot you'd have to live under a rock to not see over the next month and a half.



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HATS! ticket special just got specialer

I just got word that the 50% off ticket special that we previously offered for the final performance of HATS! (which also happens to be Mother's Day) has just been opened up for the final four performances. Those performances take place this Thu. - Sun.

HATS! must close Sun., May 11.

All you need to do to get your 50% off tickets is use the promo code MOM when you buy at the window, over the phone or online.

Keep in mind that service charges apply, that this offer is not valid on prior sales or in conjunction with any other offer and that it is subject to availability. Blahblahdisclaimercakes.

Now head on out there and treat your mom to a show the Tribune says is a "feel good experience that encourages women to celebrate life."

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Florida State Thespian Festival 2008

The largest theater festival in the country is happing on the TBPAC campus this week and it has made me nostalgic. The Florida State Thespian festival attracts over 7,000 students to Tampa with events at TBPAC and the Convention Center. For four days Thespians experience workshops, performances, adjudications and a collective feeling of “we’re not alone.”

I can remember looking forward to Thespian Festival when I was a teenager. I am a Fort Myers High School graduate (District 6, Troupe #334) and participated in Thespian State from 1990 – 1993 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. It was truly the best four days of the year.

I was a drama nerd. A proud drama nerd! High school yearbook photos captured me behind light booths, up on scaffolding building sets, on stage performing, and my senior portrait depicts me proudly wearing the drama masks around my neck. I can’t say I didn’t fit in, I had friends and I think I was well-liked, I just never felt as “accepted” in my day-to-day high school life as I did at Thespian State Festival. Where all the drama nerds come to play.

As the week has gone by, I have isolated several “kinds” of Thespians. I have listed them in no particular order and they are universal archetypes, as apparent today as they were almost two decades ago (apologies to my fellow FMHS Thespians, I have named names. If you have a vanity Google alert on yourself you’re in for a surprise):

• Skinny jeans that have been written on with sharpie (our jeans had zippers on the ankles and a question mark on our butt)
• Leggings with a skirt (I can assure you personally the same look was worn at Thespian Festival 15 years ago)
• A boy(ish) individual wearing an ascot or scarf (Rhett Jonke, I think you wore an ascot to opening ceremony)
• Lots of couples who act as though if they stop holding hands they will be unable to breathe properly (I was that girl and Jeff Willis was that boy)
• Two girls singing “Popular” from Wicked on a street corner (in my day it was “Movie in My Mind” from Miss Saigon – you go Jessica Luallen!)
• A girl with black eye liner sobbing hysterically (Natasha Palumbo, what’s wrong?)
• Loitering (and hopeful) thespians standing outside of the HUB with a nonchalant look in their eye (I was there and whether or not I scored booze is not relevant to this post)
• A group of smokers with the defiant “I’m 18” look on their face (bad habit kids, don’t start, you’ll hate yourself 16 years later)
• Impromptu stage combat in an inappropriate place (I think I still have a scar from rug burn in Carol Morsani Hall, thanks Brett Williams)
• Old skool goth kids (we get older, they stay the same freaky, right Eric Autry?)
• The really pretty cheerleader who is obviously slumming it with the drama nerds (Hey, at least its a few days out of school, right Tonya Campbell?)
• Any ironic t-shirt – extra points if they celebrate someone’s Bat Mitzvah (Jenean Klein is the coolest!)
• Anyone participating in a “death off” – just die dramatically for no reason (subversive in your hometown mall, competitive sport at Thespian State, winner – Charlie Berfield)
• Lost chaperones (sorry, somebody’s mom, we forgot to tell you where to meet)
• Teacher caught chain smoking by the river (Mrs. Autry we knew you couldn’t hide from us forever!)
• Anyone writing on a napkin their Troupe # to put under the table glass at the Stage Door Café across the street (I can’t find mine anymore)
• Thespian jackets (I still have mine – well actually my mom has it)
• A group of 5 or more in matching T-shirts (My favorite this year? “I said THESpian!”)
• Someone staring at a wall and talking to it (in high school we’re crazy, here we’re just running lines)
• Overuse of the term “Super-superior” (yes, yes Randy Habovsky you always super-superior)

Times may change, but Drama Nerds have timelessness about them. I have enjoyed seeing my zeitgeists all over campus this week and will be sad to see them go tomorrow. Troupe #334 will be performing a one-act in the Ferguson tomorrow morning. I may just have to drag out of bed and go support my “Green Wave.” I am sure I will look at them and wonder: What will they become? What will they be inspired to do because they were here? What memories will they take with them?

For myself, I have embarked on a life in the arts. A theater degree from the University of Florida, a half-decade long adventure in Los Angeles, a career with The Second City and now a life at the very facility were many of my dreams began. I still have my Super-Superior ribbons, my programs from each year and a zippo I bought (in the lobby of the now Howard Johnsons nee Holiday Inn) with the comedy/tragedy masks engraved on them. Don’t smoke kids, seriously, it’s not cool.

Good luck Thespians, break legs, keep your drama in the theater and remember, no matter what you do in life – All the world’s a stage.

A wistful Kari G.

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Liva is loving us from Latvia

In an blog last week, Kari offered up a pair of Tosca tickets for answering a trivia question. We got our winner, Liva, but it would been a heck of a trip for her to come all the way to us. See Liva's lovely and interesting response:

Well, I see Tampa is in Florida, USA, it's very far away. I don't have any friend there, I have a few pen-friends in New York, they are my only live connection with United States.

We have a beautiful big opera house, called LNO (Latvian National Opera) in the capital of Latvia, in Riga. Actually, since I became a fan of Pavarotti (about 3 years ago) I immediately fall in love with Puccini's operas, I started to love opera generally. I love Pavarotti's voice, this amazing tenor introduced me to opera deeper, he taught me to listen to it as something very beautiful. I graduated music school two years ago, I'm a pianist, and they taught us about opera, but at that time I didn't take any notice. So now I've really fallen for opera. Love it very much, I go to see opera about once a month.

I have the "google alert" on Luciano Pavarotti's name, and I received an google alert in which I found your blog about Florez (I receive a lot of them since Florez hit those 18 high C's), there was your question about Tosca and Pavarotti and I answered it just for a lark, I new I won't be able to go to that show, because it's a loooong flight to Florida from here, I just couldn't make it.

Honestly, it was the first time I read about you.

Tell me more!

Liva

Nifty - We have a new friend! We hope you keep coming back, Liva, we could use a few more knowledgeable opera buffs on this blog.

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Commenting is now fully open

We've changed our philosophy here at CULTURE SHOCK. Well, we've not really changed it so much as accepted reality - people don't want to go through a 4-step process to leave us feedback. They may want to leave it anonymously.

So we've reacted, and now you can comment to your hearts desire! We just ask that people keep it civil and clean. We're also asking for you to do one of those little boxes where you type in the letters and numbers you see so you can prove you're a live human being and no a spambot just trying to junk up the place.

We really want more of a two-way conversation on this blog, so we hope you decide to join in!

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Looks like we're ready for THE LION KING

The front doors of Carol Morsani Hall were just gussied up in anticipation of the arrival of THE LION KING.

Click the thumbnails below to see the larger versions!

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A few last-minute deals

Check out two hot offers on shows:

HATS! - The Musical - get buy one, get one free tickets for the May 11 Mother's Day Performance by using promo code MOM when you call or buy online.

Turtle Island String Quartet - save $10 per ticket for B-level seating (normally priced at $25.50) for the April 26 show by using promo code TISQ over the phone or online.

Both discounts are also good at the TBPAC Ticket Office window. They are not good, however, on prior sales or in conjunction with any other offer. All discounts are subject to availability. Sorry, no rain checks. Do not taunt happy fun ball.

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Encore! Encore! No really, encore!

Solo encores have fallen out of favor in the opera. Fairly common in the 19th century, the practice fell out favor when opera became more “serious.”

Buzz killer.

The Met has explicitly banned solo encores for much of the 20th century. In fact, the only one that has been documented was in 1994 (but we’ll get to that in a moment).

14 years later, history was made at the Met when Juan Diego Florez performed a solo encore of the challenging tenor aria “Ah! Mes Amis.” Filled with high C’s this “tenor tester” brought the house to its knees and provided a thrilling moment for all opera lovers. The challenging role is said to launch tenor’s careers at the Met and is credited as being the “star-making” role of Luciano Pavarotti (but we’ll get to that in a moment).

Juan Diego Florez currently stars with Natalie Dessay in a new production of Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment. Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager, has said that there would be no encore ban on his watch, to make opera “as entertaining and exciting for the audience as it can be.”

Cool.

So back to that 1994 solo encore – any guesses? It was Luciano Pavarotti, singing the second-act tenor aria in Tosca.

If you can name the aria – I have two tickets for you to the Friday night or Sunday matinee performance of Opera Tampa’s Tosca.

-Kari G.

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Ready to get LOST again

I fought watching LOST for a good long time. I really racked it up to being a bad combination of Survivor and a bad night time soap. Pretty People On An Island. I found this post back from 2006 that in brief explains how I got into it and caught up.

My most recent show-I-fought-but-am-now-hooked-on is the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. That's easily become my favorite show on TV, another in as a friend of mine says is "TV for smart people."

Trivia: Michael Emerson, who plays Ben on LOST was living in my hometown of Jacksonville when I was in high school. I worked with him at Jacksonville Actors Theater and got to watch him do things like A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and Christopher Durang's Laughing Wild. He also provided an eery, sinister soundscape to a production of MacBeth we did in the park.

Michael was easily the best actor in town, and was simply brilliant. A fairly gentle, if eccentric, quiet guy - I'd be surprised if he even knew who I was from the rest of the throng of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts students that crowded JAT back in the day, doing whatever task we could just to be involved in a professional show. I had known Michael had moved to New York at one time, but then after years of not hearing anything from him assumed his star had never quite reached the firmament, which was sad to me. Another friend of mine once said when it didn't appear Michael would "make it" - it gave us all very little hope than any of us ever could - Michael was a the best actor we knew.

And it easily took me a few episodes once Ben had been introduced before I even recognized him, but when I did it him me like a ton of bricks.

Needless to say I am extremely stoked to have the show coming back as of tonight.

A thing I always try to impress upon my non-Lostie friends is that the show really is quite clever, and quite smart. The fusion of philosophy, theory, science, literature and sociology can get pretty compelling. Take a look at just the appearances/references of major literary works in the show, it's pretty dense. Of course I don't think you need to know those books to get the show (just looking at ABCs ratings v our literacy rate ...), but they certainly give you some clues as to what's possibly going on or where things may possibly go. In some instances, the show has actually encouraged me to go back and dig something out to try to get a better handle on an aspect of LOST's story.

Haven't managed to get hooked on the show yet? Start from the beginning. That's what DVDs are for. By the time you get caught up you'll likely be waiting with the rest of us for what's going to happen next season.

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Keach in Camelot

Additional casting has been announced for the New York Philharmonic's upcoming production of Camelot.

Newcomers to the starry company include stage and screen star Stacy Keach, who will star in the national tour of Frost/Nixon (coming to TBPAC next season!), as Merlyn, King Arthur's tutor; and Erin Morley, a member of The Metropolitan Opera's Lindermann Young Artist Development Program, as Nimue, the nymph who lures Merlyn into her cave.

Keach and Morley join a cast that includes the previously announced Gabriel Byrne as King Arthur, Marin Mazzie as Guenevere, Christopher Lloyd as Pellinore, Marc Kudisch as Lionel, Christopher Sieber as Dinadan, Will Swenson as Sagramore, Nathan Gunn as Lancelot, Bobby Steggert as Mordred and Fran Drescher as Morgan le Fey.

The semi-staged performances of Lerner & Loewe's Camelot will play Avery Fisher Hall May 7-10.

PBS' Live from Lincoln Center series will broadcast the May 8 performance, which is scheduled to begin at 8 PM ET.

In Camelot, according to press notes, "idealistic King Arthur longs to create a perfectly principled kingdom, but sees his dream undone by a tragic love triangle involving Queen Guenevere and his best friend Lancelot. In this thoroughly engaging production, the medieval monarch's vision — a place where 'violence is not strength, and compassion is not weakness' — speaks to our time and for all time."

Camelot — featuring music by Frederick Loewe and book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner — originally opened at Broadway's Majestic Theatre in Dec. 1960, playing 873 performances before closing Jan. 5, 1963. The premiere company included Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet, Robert Coote, John Cullum and Roddy McDowall. The classic Lerner and Loewe score boasts such tunes as "If Ever I Would Leave You," "I Loved You Once in Silence," "Follow Me," "I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight" and the title tune.

Stacy Keach has appeared on Broadway in Danton's Death, The Country Wife, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, King Lear, Indians (Tony nomination), Deathtrap, Solitary Confinement and The Kentucky Cycle. The actor won a Golden Globe Award for his performance in the TV miniseries "Hemingway," and his numerous screen credits also include "Mike Hammer," "Fat City," "End of the Road" and "Titus."

(edited from material from Playbill.com)

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Conversations with Turtle Island String Quartet

Here's a video of interviews about the making of Turtle Island String Quartet's 2008 Grammy Award-winning album A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane.

TISQ plays Ferguson Hall on Saturday night!



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We and Wikis are smarter than me

(Warning: Brief business note)

NYC -- A bunch of experts think that a group of people can outsmart you.

Maybe not individually (although, who knows, right?). But, collectively, they can outsmart you.

This philosophy is called "the wisdom of crowds." There's a book by the same name. There's also a new book called "We Are Smarter Than Me."

But this is an arts blog, so let multiple Tony-Award-winning director Mike Nichols say it a different way: "Everybody all together knows everything."

What does this mean in our business? I don't know yet. But you can bet that our patrons will be part of whatever answer we come up with. -- MichaelK

New, new media

NYC -- Those of us in marketing spend a lot of time worrying about the fragmentation of traditional mass media, as well as the seemingly endless universe of new web 2.0 tools.

In a morning session today, many of us learned more about twitter, tagging and "crowdsourcing" as new marketing and management techniques. The two presenters, Adam Broitman and John Lanasa from Morpheus Media and Situation Marketing respectively, found a room full of dutiful students.

The session reinforces that we'll be trying to reach you in new and different (and inoffensive and non-intrusive) ways to get you the info you want when you want it.

What's the best way to reach you? Drop me a line and let me know. Email me at michael.kilgore@tbpac.org or just respond to this post.

(Of course, if we were truly early adopters, I would have sent this on Twitter in real time.) -- MichaelK

'God' stars in Broadway play

NYC -- After a Broadway absence of 18 years, Morgan Freeman, whose quiet grace, dignity and otherworldly calm enabled him to play God in two films, joins Frances McDormand and Peter Gallagher in director Mike Nichols' revival of the 1950 Clifford Odets' play about an alcoholic actor - The Country Girl.

Gallagher plays a director who had been a fan of the actor. McDormand, of "Fargo" and "Blood Simple" movie fame, plays Freeman's wife.

Considered Odets' best play, a revival of Awake and Sing! opened on Broadway two years ago this month.

The creative team talked about four high-profile types working together, the joys of live theater and whether long absences from the stage make it frightening to return.

"When I was a kid, I started reading plays; I don't know why. I read all the plays of O'Neill. I read all of Odets. ... I always wanted to [direct it]. ... It's about right now as much as then." -- Nichols

"The question most actors ask themselves after a long absence is, 'Where am I going to get it from? Does the machinery still work?' It's all about your confidence in yourself, and your confidence in someone else." -- Freeman

"Watching him on stage is an exercise in purity. ... there's a clear, spare honesty without any artifice. Who else can play God." -- Nichols on Freeman

A play is "[the one thing that has to be alive every time you do it. ... It's the idea that if you weren't there, you missed it. There is this thing that happens to us on stage, when it works, and to the audience ..." -- Nichols

"We're all aching for our story to be told. We're all aching to be recognized." -- Gallagher

"There are no small parts, only small actors. I'm at the point of my life when people want to try and look up to me. ... Don't do that. I'm not going to look down." -- Freeman

"If you don't look down, you're going to miss me." -- Gallagher

Come back soon for more creative conversations at the annual conference of The Broadway League. -- MichaelK

Cool 'cats' on a hot tin roof

NYC -- Of all the stars appearing in "Creative Conversations" here during the annual spring marketing conference of The Broadway League, can you guess which one provokes a "visceral reaction" from his cast mates?

Yep, James Earl Jones.

His co-star Anika Noni Rose, who won a 2004 Tony for her role in Caroline or Change, said "That voice just goes right through me ..."

Here are some other comments yesterday from Rose, director Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad, who plays Big Mama in this African-American revival of the Tennessee Williams' classic Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

"In my eyes, [Jones] is the youngest actor on the stage. I delight in that. I delight in that every day."

"Tennessee changed things all the time. He's in the theater every night smiling down at us."

"It's not just a battle. It's a battle that has to go someplace. It's like good lovemaking."

"I think it's a wonderful thing to have a female director come in and take hold of this. The piece is so feminine. [Having a female director] serves the play."

"I think it's important that the director be good, be insightful, be flexible, and we have that. We have the best of the best."

Check back soon for more creative conversations at the annual conference of The Broadway League. -- Michael K

The business of the show: Listen in on creative conversations on Broadway!

NYC – Welcome to Theater Week in NYC.

More than 511 attendees from 119 cities and 32 states (plus Ottawa) trekked to this theater capital to share war stories, challenges and successes related to producing and presenting Broadway shows.

This is the annual spring road conference of The Broadway League, formerly the League of American Theatres and Producers, a trade organization that wisely and accurately has added “Broadway” to its name.

Your Tampa Bay PAC reps will see three or four Broadway shows, squeezed around three days of meetings plus “Creative Conversations,” in which creative teams for new shows talk about their inspirations and their process.

So why should you care? Excellent question.

Conference attendees will hear from representatives of Cry-Baby, the new John Waters musical; A Catered Affair, featuring Harvey Fierstein and Faith Prince; Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen representing the all African-American cast of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; Morgan Freeman and Mike Nichols from The Country Girl and Mel Brooks from Young Frankenstein.

If past years are any indication, no media outlet covers these insightful, witty and inspirational conversations.

But you can listen in. Just check back here regularly or request an RSS feed and you’ll have instant access to some of the best theater talk in the country, as well as some early notices on new Broadway shows in previews or opening soon.

A report from the first day follows.

– Michael K


I love theater – Part I

“The thrill of theater is when people go to see something, be spellbound by it and be changed enough that when they leave the theater their dreams get bigger and better.”* – Marvin Hamlisch, multiple award-winner for A Chorus Line and so much more

* Disclaimer: All quotations guaranteed to be an approximate estimation of actual remarks, give or take some fast talkers and multiple speakers. – Michael K


I love theater – Part II

“The arts have this incredible connection to how people think and feel about this world. It’s about how we deal with the loss of this thing that we couldn’t live without.”* – Marsha Norman, ’Night, Mother, The Secret Garden and The Color Purple

* Disclaimer: All quotations guaranteed to be an approximate estimation of actual remarks, give or take some fast talkers and multiple speakers. – Michael K

John Waters strikes again

NYC – Because Hairspray has been such a huge hit, Broadway is hoping to strike polyester again with Cry-Baby, based on Waters’ relatively mainstream 1980 movie starring Johnny Depp and a conflict between Baltimore “drapes” and “squares.”

Waters, of course, is the pencil-thin-mustachioed director of much less classy fare, such as Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble.

Although Waters didn’t attend Tuesday's session, he has pretended to be horrified that his edgy work somehow has become mainstream.

And he envisions Michigan matrons liking the Broadway Hairspray, renting one of his earlier works, such as Flamingos, and being totally grossed out – which always was one of measures of success.

Of course, everyone has a different notion of what’s offensive.

“I was offended at the barn-raising scene in ‘Witness,’ ” he said at a similar conference in Orlando.

Anyway, a whole batch of the creatives behind this show, which opens on Broadway on April 25, offered their take on Waters’ bizarro world.

The team included David Javerbaum, executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and Adam Schlesinger, of the rock band Fountains of Wayne, who collaborated on the songs.

A sampling of the chatter, with Waters’ presence hovering over the gathering like a slick-haired spirit*:

“You don’t say no to John Waters.”

“John Waters is edgy, independent, out there. Broadway is beautiful, splendid, thrilling, wholesome. We bring the two together.”

“We’re trying to be tactless, not offensive.”

“We’re trying to be true to the Waters’ ideal.”

“We tried not to make judgments about the two groups, but the drapes are just cooler because they’re the outcasts.”

“It’s more of a dark show than ‘Hairspray. …’”

“… Because it was so unsuccessful!”

“They’re used to me doing a bunch of outside work. As long as I don’t make them sing those songs {from the show, my band} is happy.”

“John Waters is the godfather …”

“He’s kind of like the superintendent of schools. He drops in every couple of months to see what’s going on.”

“ ‘Pink Flamingos’ ” should be an opera, not a musical. A musical comedy would not be adequate.”

* Disclaimer: All quotations guaranteed to be an approximate estimation of actual remarks, give or take some fast talkers and multiple speakers. – Michael K

An ‘Affair To Remember’

NYC – From their web site: "A CATERED AFFAIR is all of the moving, funny, difficult stuff that we survive as members of that thing we call family. Who said what to whom? Who did what to whom? Who didn't say what they should have said? It's about the loves, the hurts, the regrets and the laughs that can only be shared with the people who know us best."

Or, in a shorter pitch, also from the web site: “You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll be home by 10.”

Two of the stars, one also the writer, of A Catered Affair spoke with Tony Award-winning director John Doyle of Sweeney Todd fame about this new production, which opens Thursday, April 17. Most of the critics already have seen it, so you’ll know their opinions soon enough.

Here’s what the cast and director had to say.* (By the way, Harvey’s keeping a blog of his own at www.acateredaffaironbroadway.com, so check it out. But if he really wants to attract an audience, he needs to read it in that distinctive voice that’s like a load of rocks in a blender with a dollop of honey.)

From actress Faith Prince

“I was looking for something with a lot of depth.”

“What attracted me is that it was about the things that we stuff in our lives that we don’t deal with … and the things that trigger the dominoes that fall … and it all comes tumbling down.”

“I didn’t get in the business to be a star.”

“That sense of intimacy lacking in the relationship, that was terribly appealing to me.”

“I knew I was in good hands. I was willing to let go of everything to see what was there.”

“I was testing myself. There were a couple of nights when I went home and said, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’ ”

From director John Doyle

“I’m fundamentally interested in being a storyteller.”

“There was a mountain of things that we played with … rather like a toy box. When I was a child, there was always a day when my mother would come in and say ‘Get this place tidy.’ And it’s that process we went through. … We had to get rid of this stuff to get to the humanity. Someday I’m going to do something with absolutely nothing at all.”

“How do we highlight the mundane moments? Making a bed. Scrambling eggs. Because that’s when these moments happen.”

“I’m 55. How could I be revolutionary? I was trying to do this 30 years ago.”

From writer and star Harvey Fierstein

“It’s hard to be a writer in the room when there all these actors saying, ‘My character wouldn’t say that.’ And I always want to say, ‘Well, you’re playing the wrong character because THIS ONE DOES.' ”

* Disclaimer: All quotations guaranteed to be an approximate estimation of actual remarks, give or take some fast talkers and multiple speakers. – Michael K

The ties that bind

Coming up later Wednesday: Thoughts and quotes on August: Osage County, which The New York Times critic Charles Isherwood called "The most exciting new American play in years."

But I'll leave you with this: Although all families as unhappy in their own way, this family is hilariously unhappy in their own way. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Tracy Letts manages to find humor in this three-hour tragedy.

OK, here's a teaser quote: "I spent a lot of time in that bedroom upstairs pretending that pillow was my husband. ... that pillow was a better husband than any man I ever met." **

** This one's exact; I bought the script. -- Michael K

Free stuff! Turtle Island String Quartet!

At 5pm today, I will choose 4 comments at random from this post and give those lucky people a free pair of tickets to see Turtle Island String Quartet on Sat., April 26 in Ferguson Hall PLUS their 2008 Grammy Award-winning album The Legacy of John Coltrane.

You can't win it if you're not in it - get to commentin'!

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern a huge hit!

Jobsite Theater, TBPAC's resident theater company is entering their second weekend of performances for Tom Stoppard's Tony Award-winning play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Modern film buffs may not know Stoppard the playwright, but likely know his words as an Oscar-winning writer of Shakespeare in Love.

The show has drawn stellar reviews, and has already had four sold-out performances. They just announced an extension of the show through April 27.

Creative Loafing: Dead Brilliant

Tribune: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is Frivolous Fun

Times: Absurdity Meets History ...

Full disclosure: I am the Producing Artistic Director for Jobsite, as well as Rosencrantz in the show.

Lloyd Webber on American Idol

It appears that Andrew Lloyd Webber's work will the focus of the April 22 airing of American Idol. The composer will be mentoring and coaching the contestants.

Webber's catalog is vast including the unforgettable hits of Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar and Sunset Boulevard. There is also Starlight Express, Aspects of Love and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.

I don't watch Idol (sorry, I just can't do that to my ears in hopes I'll hear the next Kelly or Carrie) but you know someone is going to do "Memory" and "I Don't Know How to Love Him." If the "rockers" of the group know what's good for them, they'll do something for JC Superstar or Joseph. Just please, please... nothing from Phantom. The music is just too challenging and operatic (hence the show's title). It would just be a train wreck!

Any thoughts on what songs you'd like to hear performed?

Avenue Q on Studio 10

If you missed it yesterday morning, check out Studio 10’s website for video of our Avenue Q appearance. There’s a link to an interview with the actors and a separate link to an interview with “Rod” and “Nicky.”

- Tara Mc.

Tara interviews Kate Monster!

The Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q is running here at TBPAC through Sunday, and I would definitely encourage everyone to check it out. It’s so much fun, you can’t help but laugh the whole time. Leave the kids at home though; it’s definitely not for them.

I recently had the chance to catch up with one of Avenue Q’s furriest residents, Kate Monster, for a little Q&A:

What is a typical day like for you?

I like to wake up really early and read the newspaper; it's important to keep up with current events. I walk to my school for monsters and greet the students at the door. After our lessons, and nap-time, I release the monster-kids to their parents and have an afternoon of conferences and paper-grading. Then I go home and see my friends on "Avenue Q"--we usually have dinner or meet at the local bar for a drink before winding down for the evening. I have a great life.

I don’t want to get too personal, but do you have a significant other?

Well, I don't want to give too much away about the show, but let's just say I'm spending a lot of time with a certain someone right now and we're taking it one day at a time.

Do you ever feel like you’re treated differently because you’re a monster?

I certainly experience discrimination due to my race. I find that people make assumptions and judgments about my personality and my work-ethic. They expect me to be lazy with a quick-temper--how absurd!!! Well, the quick-tempered part is true on occasion, but I am anything but lazy...and I'll have words with anyone who says otherwise!

Do you have any advice for young monsters out there who may be reading this?

Stay strong and work hard! We are the next generation of monsters who can change the stereotypes that hold us back in the global community! Do not let anyone tell you that fur makes you a lesser being in the evolutionary chain! Fight for fur!!

What do you see yourself doing in five years?

I see myself married with a couple of monster kids. I will definitely still be teaching monsters, but I hope to see my class-sizes triple by then. It's a lofty goal, but I'm up for it...after all, I'm not a lazy monster.

- Tara Mc

Broadway's Shrek cast has been finalized

Waiting to see the rest of the cast for the new Broadway production of Shrek The Musical? Sadly, Shrek won't be played by Mike Myers, but here's who it will include:

• Brian D’Arcy James (Sweet Smell of Success) will play the title role
• Sutton Foster as Princess Fiona
• Chester Gregory II (currently in Cry-Baby) will be Donkey
• John Tartaglia (Avenue Q) as Pinocchio
• Christopher Sieber as Lord Farquaad
• Kecia Lewis-Evans as The Dragon

The show will do a pre-Broadway run in Seattle Aug. 14 - Sept. 21 and is scheduled to officially open on Broadway, Dec. 14.

Tosca Tour

I once tried to “seduce” a man by planning a trip to NYC with him and scheduling all site-seeing around exteriors from the movie Ghostbusters. You might title this attempt as “How nerds date.” He was not nearly as excited as I though he would be. I was crushed. I shared my disappointment with a casual acquaintance shortly thereafter. I explained that I had researched Dana Barrett’s apartment location, that the Ghostbusters headquarters was located in Brooklyn, that the tour really should start on the ground of Columbia with a fifth of something in a bag, followed by running down the steps of the New York City Library and lunch at Tavern on the Green near the patio. Something changed about the way he looked at me from that point forward.

Today marks our two-year anniversary.

So I planned a trip for the wrong guy and got the right guy in the process. You can title that “Nerds in love.”

What made me think of this story was a great travel article that ran yesterday’s Star-Telegram: The Tosca Tour.

Tosca is probably the most “walk-able” opera ever written. Everything occurs in historic buildings in Rome.

I mean, its no Shandar Building (aka Spook Central), but it’s still pretty cool. And if you can’t make it to Rome – Tosca will be here at TBPAC April 25 and 27 – and Ghostbusters can be added to your Netflix queue with a click of the mouse.

-Kari G.

I heard it was sold out!

My husband and I met up with a couple friends on Saturday night for dinner and a movie. Our waitress noticed my husband's Jersey Boys t-shirt and struck up a conversation saying how much she wanted to see the show but couldn't find someone to go with her (we told her to get new friends, but I digress). Eventually it came out that I worked here and we started talking about the upcoming run of The Lion King. She said she wanted to see that too but was sure it was sold out. UGH! Yet another person who mistakenly thinks a show is sold out when really it isn't.

You know, as a marketeer (like a mouseketeer, but cooler and we don't sing a song at the end of the day) we love and hate the words "sold out." We love it when the show does sell out. We've successfully done our job and a bunch of people are going to see a terrific show. However, we hate it when people just assume something is sold out. You know what they say about people who assume...

So let me shed a little light on this whole "sold out" mystery. Take a look at these tips and you'll never miss a show because you heard it was sold out!

1. Ask us! I can assure you our Ticket Office is full of lovely people who want to talk to you.
2. Have you seen advertising recently... print, TV, radio, online, etc. I can assure you that if I'm paying for ads we still have tickets.
3. You were online but you couldn't find a ticket. Double check by calling the ticket office. Odds are the seats might just be limited for that performance and/or a price level. Ask us!
4. A friend/significant other (who doesn't want to go with you) says "Oh, you know how it goes. It's probably already sold out." Ok. It's possible. It happens. But it's also possible that your friend/loved one is starting a dirty rumor!

In any case, I just thought I would share. And please, whatever you do, don't go to a ticket broker before you ask us first! Trust me... we'll definitely let you know if it's sold out!

Regis who?

Who needs Regis Philbin when you’ve got pals like Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera? Venerable TV personality Kathie Lee Gifford is FINALLY coming back to the airwaves in a big way. The announcement was made this morning (3/31/08) that she’ll be part of NBC’s Today Show team beginning Monday, April 8, 2008.

Gifford has a Tampa connection ... she’s co-written two of the tunes in the TBPAC production of Hats! The Musical and has been in town on a couple of occasions in support of the project. She was here on opening night and “got her red hat on” with the Florida West Coast Queen’s Council of the Red Hat Society at the party in TBPAC’s Maestro’s Restaurant.

There’s even more great news! TBPAC and Gifford are in discussions to do more projects together. Gifford and her writing partner, David Friedman, have some great projects in the pipeline for audiences of all ages ... with any luck Gifford will find TBPAC fertile ground for her artistic side…while, of course, entertaining folks at Rockefeller Center with her trademark wit!

- Paul B.

Podcast with Joseph Siravo

I first heard Joseph Siravo speak at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Corporate Partners Luncheon, where he talked to our corporate donors about his experiences as an actor and educator. I was so intrigued by his comments that I asked to talk with him further. After 16 years on the TBPAC staff, I am still amazed and inspired every time I get to interact with the artists that bring their magical talent to our stages and classrooms. As a fundraiser, I love to hear artists share their perspective on arts in our county, the importance of arts education and how the arts have shaped their lives. I was lucky enough to sit down with Siravo, “Gyp DiCarlo” in Jersey Boys, while he was in Tampa -- check out the TBPAC podcast to hear what he shared with me.

- Julie Britton

Avenue Q on "Ace of Cakes"

Did you miss Avenue Q on the Food Network's "Ace of Cakes" last night? If so, no worries. There are several more chances to catch the neighbors from Avenue Q interacting with the sometimes confused cake designers and of course to see the AMAZING cake creation. It's a cake made to look like their set... front AND backstage. You have to see it to believe it!

Katie Holmes on Broadway?

It appears that Katie Holmes is interested in establishing a name for herself beyond the title of Mrs. Cruise or "Joey" on Dawson's Creek. (Yeah, I know, she did a couple movies too but I didn't see any of them and neither did most of America.)

Katie is scheduled (if all goes according to plan) to perform on Broadway in the Arthur Miller play All My Sons. It's also rumored that she'll be working alongside John Lithgow and Diane West.

I say, good for her! I'm looking forward to seeing what she REALLY can do as an actress!

Still wandering down the digital highway

In September, I will have been employed by TBPAC for 9 years. It's an amazingly long time to me. It's easily the longest job I've ever held. I mean, I suppose in many ways outside of teaching and makin' art it's the first 'real job' I've had. I say 'real job' in the sense of the first real job I actually needed. Summer jobs, jobs while in school - be honest, most people I know treat those likely disposable employment. Or maybe I'm just trying to justify how many I went through ...

When I started working here, there really wasn't a website at all. It was more of a place marker. A page with a picture of the building, an address, a phone number and an email contact.

It was replaced by something that was almost worse - what I felt to be a pretty ugly and unmanageable website. We've certainly come a long way since then.

But now we're all into an online presence - it's a major part of what our marketing department explores. It may not be where we put all of our money or all our time, but I'd say it's easily the one form of media that we spend the most time researching and exploring. Because, well, we know it works.

The first big step we took was a decent email service and a philosophy on how to make it not just junk mail. We're on Facebook and MySpace, we do podcasts. We have a text-messaging service. My boss sticks several stories in my box weekly about digital marketing, and I get several more forwarded to me multiple times a week.

Is it all working? It's hard to say. Some of it is easier to track than others. The more refined we make our emails (targeting only the info people want instead of sending everyone to everything) and the less frequently we send them, the better our open rates and the less unsubscribe requests we get. We have a respectable presence on MySpace and a growing presence on Facebook (which, admittedly, I much prefer). The text-messaging initiative are going slow, but I'm still hopeful this experiment may pan out.

The bottom line to all of it is we want to make sure we're getting the information people want sent to them the way they want it. I don't really do the text-messaging thing, but I'm happy to read and email and active on blogs and social networking sites. I don't really respond to direct mail, read hard papers or listen to the radio - but I watch cable TV and listen to streams.

And the hard truth is, there is a divide (even if it is shrinking) between the young and old - not only in regards to the internet, but in regards to the arts. Statistically, more young folks are digitally inclined and more older folks have a wider appreciation for attending arts events. That could change though as we bring in shows like Avenue Q and Spring Awakening, that was true for Wicked. I'm always excited to see younger appealing comedians like Daniel Tosh or Nick Swardson on our schedule and my company, Jobsite Theater, has attracted a pretty loyal younger audience since day one. At the same time, we're seeing more and more older patrons get into the online world. Just yesterday I was speaking to the regional queen of the Red Hat Society and she actually told me that her ladies actually respond best and fastest to email, but they won't use message boards or check the website that often.

As arts marketers, it's a challenge to keep up. We already had small budgets, even when it was just all TV (on 3 networks, no less), print and radio. Now there are hundreds of small publications, numerous online media outlets and it just keeps on and on ...

It's hard to get explosive, immediate results from any of these things. I think it really takes at least a year to be able to really assess what's going to work and what's not. If we can at least raise awareness, increase people's knowledge that we're here, 365 days a year (almost), with an incredible variety of shows I'll consider it a success.

One of the most disheartening things I ever here is when people say they didn't even know we were here, or had no idea that this show or that was coming. The worst is when people ask why don't we advertise. Ouch. But like I said - there are so many more ways to reach people now, it all costs more for less than it used to be and now people have scads more things to distract them. Our jobs certainly aren't getting any easier.

A week or so ago, a friend was asking me what I actually did during the day and I explained it. They listened thoughtfully and at the end asked me if I liked what I did. Without hesitation I said yes, even if I don't always like who I have to deal with and some of the the rigors of the world we live in. I could certainly be doing worse. At least I believe in what I do, and even if I am selling from time to time I believe in what I sell and feel like I'm doing good.

That makes it all the more exciting to think that some of this stuff I do, or any of it, could become a new mainstay of how we get and keep information in front of people.

YouTubesday: Daniel Tosh

This hilarious comedian plays TBPAC in less than two weeks - April 5 in Ferguson Hall. Some tickets still remain!

Get $5 off on Caveman

If you'd like to get $5 off tickets to see Defending the Caveman this Friday night, text SAVE to TBPAC (82722) in order to learn how to do it!

We'll also add you to the list to get hot deals from time to time, and you can get off the list at any time by texting STOP to TBPAC (82722)

DVR Alert! Spring Awakening!

... unless of course, you actually watch TV at 8:30 in the morning ... Catch a medley of songs by the energetic young cast of the groundbreaking (and Tony Award-winning Best Musical) Spring Awakening on Good Morning America tomorrow at 8:30 am!

The rock score for this controversial new heavy-hitter is by Duncan Sheik (Remember "Barely Breathing?" OK, fair enough.). If you're familiar with the show already, you'll see that they will be getting a little creative with rhyming vocals ("Totally Stuck" instead of "Totally F***ed") for network TV, and if you're not -- tune in -- and then go download the soundtrack from iTunes. Or go to springawakening.com and sample them. It's good stuff. Is Spring Awakening the new Rent? It just might be. OR, it just might be bigger.

-sb

Lorna Bracewell, Maggie Council and Rebekah Pulley play first all-regional Club Jaeb show

We're very excited to have the prodigious talents of Lorna Bracewell, Maggie Council and Rebekah Pulley playing our latest Club Jaeb date - April 7. This will also be the first-ever all-regional version of this popular series that has hosted the likes of Christine Lavin, Patty Larkin and John Gorka among many others.

We'd like of course to make presenting some of the incredible talent we have in this region a more regular thing, but we need to show we can support it first.

A big step in the right direction would be a rousing show of support for this first show.

Hope you can make it out!

Show your love for Broadway!

Love Spring Awakening? What about Avenue Q?

Well, now you can show your love on your desktop, website or whatever social networking application that you use but swear you don't have a problem with!

Check out Avenue Q's downloads page here (hurry up, the show will be here in just a few weeks!) and then head over to the Spring Awakening's download page and nab some goodies from over there!

Show love for the fuzz, and then for ... umm ... the peach fuzz?

Tell us something nice!

I'm in a giving mood today.

I'll give a pair of tickets to see any performance of Force/Matter this weekend to a random person who leaves a comment on this blog post.

Your comment? Tell us about the best experience you had here at TBPAC in the last year. It can be anything: a meal, a show, a free event, a class - you name it!

I'll draw a winner the end of the day tomorrow, so make sure you check back to see if it was you that won!

Mario Lopez makes his Broadway debut

It looks like the next celebrity to take to the Broadway stage is Mario Lopez. Depending how old you are, you'll remember that name from "Saved by the Bell" or more recently from "Dancing with the Stars." Lopez will be making his Broadway debut as "Zach" in A Chorus Line starting April 15.

And though it won't have Lopez, A Chorus Line is coming to Tampa in 0809 as part of our Broadway season.

TAKE HIM OUT TO THE BALLGAME!

Zachary Prince – who can be seen playing Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys at TBPAC – sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” on Opening Day of Spring Training for the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg. The crowd of than 5,000 cheered for Prince and his a cappella version of the national anthem that included a Valli-esque falsetto big finish.

Rays coach Joe Maddon and team president Matthew Silverman congratulated Prince on the field near the team’s dugout.

Prince also got a pat on the back from team mascot Raymond!

Root, root, root for the home team!

Join TBPAC on Facebook!

Become a Facebook fan of TBPAC!

You can also join the TBPAC group!

Breaking News ...

The Jersey Boys take over Tampa. The critics have said, “Brilliant. Jersey Boys delivers a thrill. An artful mix of music, story, talent, staging and design” and “Oh, what a night! You don’t need to travel back to late December 1963 to have that elated feeling once again.”

Jersey Boys, the Tony® Award-winning Best Musical that tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, opened to critical acclaim on Friday, Feb. 15 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Morsani Hall, where it will play through March 15.


The Jersey Boys are (left to right) Andrew Rannells (plays Bob Gaudio), Erik Bates (plays Tommy De Vito), Christopher Kale Jones (plays Frankie Valli) and Steve Gouveia (plays Nick Massi).

PB

Brand-new commands for our texting service!

We've been using our new SMS system, graciously sponsored by Agile Communications, for a few months now and we feel it's a benefit.

We rolled it out with two comands - EVENTS and INFO. If you text EVENTS to the short code 82722 (which spells TBPAC, nifty!), you get back a message with all the shows on stage for that week. Text INFO to TBPAC (82722) and in return you'll get our hours, location, exit info, important numbers and more.

As of today we will begin offering two more commands - NEWS and SAVE.

Text NEWS to TBPAC (82722) and you'll be added to the list to get updates of when we book new shows as well as other important announcements from TBPAC. Say we booked Seinfeld and he goes on sale Friday, or the building needs to shut down for a storm or they shut down the Howard Frankland - we can let you know about it!

Text SAVE to TBPAC (82722) and you'll be added to the list to get hot deals and offers as they become available. There's actually already an offer up, so you can get a deal right now by texting SAVE to TBPAC. Get on the list and SAVE!

There are two other commands. HELP sends you a list of all available commands, and STOP removes your number automatically from the system.

It's important to us we only send you the information you want, and that we stop when you don't want it any longer. We'll also never share your information with anyone.

We're still figuring all this out, but we think it's pretty nifty (even coming from the guy who doesn't text) and has value for our patrons!

Show the love for the sweater!

When I was a kid we only had PBS and Saturday morning cartoons. No singing dinosaurs, Wiggles or Doras. Those were the good old days of Sesame Street, 3-2-1 Contact and of course Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.


I use to love singing along to his theme song "... I always wanted to have a neighbor like you so, let's make the most of this beautiful day, since we're together we might as well say..." well, you get the idea. There was the trolley that went to the Land of Make-Believe and of course you can't forget to feed the fish. Mr. Rogers loved music, loved the arts, loved to imagine and of course loved to teach kids.


So needless to say I was quite sad when we all learned of his death five years ago. I have the book "The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember." It sits on my bookshelf next to my copy of "It's Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider."


So what brought on my nostalgia? I just found that March 20 is "Sweater Day." If you know the show, you know that Mr. Rogers started each show by changing into his "play clothes"... a cardigan sweater and sneakers. March 20 would have been Mr. Rogers' 80 birthday so the Family Communications Inc. of Pittsburgh (the company Fred Rogers created to produce his show) has asked everyone to celebrate by wearing a sweater.


I know, we live in Florida, but come on... he's an icon. You can count on me to be sporting a Mr. Rogers' sweater.

And thanks for letting me take a walk down memory lane. :)

Podcast with Rosanne Cash

Several months ago, our own VP of Marketing Michael Kilgore interviewed Rosanne Cash. We posted it as a podcast right here at CULTURE SHOCK. I wanted to draw some attention back to it as we're within a week of the show.

It's really important to note here that not only is this the first concert for Ms. Cash following her surgery, but it's the first time that Mark O'Connor and she has even performed these works outside of NYC. Couple that with how truly vital this piece is to the legacy of Johnny Cash and it could make for a really special night.

If you're a fan of any of these folks, I hope you get a chance to check out the show on Sunday night.

Jersey Boys makes The Bot

Follow this link and drag the timeline to about 2:18 in order to listen to Curtis Ross' musical tribute to Jersey Boys.

Good times.

Second City - "The first family of comedy"

If you've made it to TBPAC over the past few years to see Second City's 45th anniversary tour, or their collection of material titled Sex in the Second City, you know first-hand how good these folks are live.

If you've pretty much watched anything funny in the last 50 years, odds are someone from Second City had something to do with it. Stephen Colbert, Steve Carrell, Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch, Amy Sedaris - all second city alumni currently working their tails off. Go back a bit further and you see Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, Mike Myers, Dan Castalleneta or Bonnie Hunt. Dig further to find John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Murray or John Belushi. Can you still go back further? Try Harold Ramis, Joe Flaherty, Fred Willard, Alan Arkin or Joan Rivers. Joan Rivers? Yep. Even Joan Rivers. That's five decades of some of the best writers and comedians that the country has seen.

And that's one of the things that makes seeing Second City's live show such a joy. You could come out and see them this Saturday night, laugh til it hurts, then in two or three or 10 years see a face on TV. You know it, you're positive of that. After digging for your program from that show you saw back in '08, you realize you saw them live on stage.

Ok, so it's completely possible that no one in the show is going to go on to be the next Belushi or Carrell, but you can't write the possibility off. And in any event, you're sure to laugh. And laugh. And laugh some more.



Second City plays TBPAC's Ferguson Hall on Saturday night (live!) with their show One Nation, Under Blog.

New iTunes mix for the 0809 Broadway season!

If you read the Times or the Trib yesterday, you likely saw our 0809 Broadway season announcement. (Didn't see them? Follow the links!)

My boss, Michael Kilgore, has taken to creating some pretty spiffy iTunes iMixes for various series, and I got word of this one this morning. Check it out!

Into the blue: The future of live arts

Ben Cameron, program director for the arts at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, earlier today evangelized about the challenges facing arts organizations, including the collapse of social planning beyond 48 hours and the time/energy drain.

Cameron provided the keynote speech at the 16th annual Performing Arts Managers Conference in Phoenix.

He woke up the early-morning audience with an impassioned delivery that noted today's audiences are looking for personalized and customized experiences, and that we're in an industry that demands attendance on a certain day and a certain time. Unfortunately, you can't timeshift live theater. Yet, anyway.

He also noted that young people increasingly want to be part of the creative process. Anybody with a computer can compose a song or make a poster or edit a movie.

Although official arts education is down in many schools, he sees a bright side:

"We're in a golden age of arts education," he said. "The difference is that it's no longer the 'we will teach, and you will learn' model."

He said arts education takes place every day, peer to peer and in social networks, and that nimble arts organizations will try and figure out how to enlist that creativity as "activators, engagers and harvesters of culture."

Cameron ended by reminding us of the importance of the arts, that the arts connect us, provide a means of understanding ... provide "our family photos" of shared history and culture.

As always with conferences, attendees take away kernels of knowledge or inspiration and then try and plant them at home in their organizations.

It's too early to know what we'll do with Ben's thoughts, but when we do, you folks here at Culture Shock will be the first to know. -- MichaelK