Test Drive Your Social Networking

Today was Test Drive Your Seats - a great opportunity for the community to run around Morsani Hall and see the available seats for the Broadway Season.  It was a bit of an early morning for most of us on the marketing staff.  We all had the "best intentions" to go to bed early last night - but I think the average bedtime was between 1:30 and 2 a.m.  

Bleary eyed but eager, we opened the doors to scores of waiting patrons at 9:30. We answered questions, talked of sight lines (Is stage left better than stage right?), levels (is the Mezzanine better than the Orchestra?) and season ticket options (Silver package v. Platinum package?).  Our Development team assisted patrons who saw the benefits of becoming members and ensuring the best seats in the Broadway Circle.

There are still great seats available for all performances in the season.  If you missed Test Drive today, don't worry, your perfect seats might still be waiting for you!

As the event wore down - we realized that in our quiet time, we were all posting Tweets.  This is what happens when an account has multiple users and too many marketers with iPhones.  Ah technology!

TBPAC's social networking contributors is expanding.  It's only going to get more interesting.  In the coming weeks TBPAC will be giving you, our readers and fans, a multi-dimensional look at all aspects of the world of a Performing Arts Center.  Staff from all areas of TBPAC will share their world with you.

Social Networking channels for TBPAC will still be one of the first places to gain information on discounts, show announcements and reminders of public on-sales, but we want to add to that knowledge a glimpse into the experiences we have at TBPAC.

Follow us on Twitter @TBPAC and get the news as it happens, from all corners of our organization.  Friend us on Facebook and MySpace for photos and contests that will be exclusive to our Friends.  Subscribe to Culture Shock and find out what we're up to and comment back with your thoughts and questions.

There is a Native American proverb that "It takes a thousand voices to tell one story." We're adding more voices and we need your voice as well - come to the discussion.

Have a great weekend - and if you haven't seen RENT yet, you still have 4 performances left.  If you're going to the Tampa Bay Rays game tonight - Anthony Rapp is singing the National Anthem - then rushing back to do the evening performance.  How cool is that?

-Kari G.  

Test Drive Your Seat

You know what we love to do more than anything else in the TBPAC marketing department?

...
...
...

That's right! We like to wake up early and work on a Saturday morning!

Actually that's a lie. A big old lie. But we do care enough for you to have the best seat possible for the 2009-2010 Bank of America Best of Broadway season.

That's actually true. We really do care. We care so much that we are going to be in the Carol Morsani Hall tomorrow morning from 9:30 - 11 a.m. to answer your questions and help you find the perfect seat for you and your friends, loved ones and/or the people you have in your life that quietly sit with you and suffer your love of Broadway.

It's okay. We like people like you. We also like that there are people in your life that like you enough to buy another seat and suffer for you all season.

Come on by tomorrow morning - we'll be here. Hopefully we'll be standing upright, but be prepared for a couple of ponytails and baseball caps in the mix. Marketers are night owls. We only do this for you good people.

Points if you bring us coffee. Just sayin.

-Kari G.

The Running of the Bulls - RENT style

I was at the Shimberg Playhouse for the preview performance of Stagework's The Little Dog Laughed last night. As I was standing outside to congratulate local actors Julie Rowe, Matthew Lunsford, Nick Horan, and Mary Jordan, I felt a great rush of adrenaline, angst and adoration as the Running of the RENTheads went past me in a blur.

They wore sundresses with heels, jeans with Chuck Taylors, a mix of emotion and confusion and unbridled joy. They smelled of androgynous cologne and summer sweat. They giggled and shrieked as the clacking of their shoes echoed down the corridor.

There was 500 ft. between them and the Stage Door. They were quickly gaining ground towards the Stage Door. The velvet ropes were in sight. We were in their way.

We moved. Quickly.

And so the Running of RENTheads flew by us, desperately jockeying for their place in line. Hoping for the best angle to see Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp.

So if you're coming to TBPAC this weekend to see RESPECT, Little Dog Laughed or you happen to be sitting close to the ends of the aisles for RENT - be warned - the Running of the RENTheads is real and they will not be stopped by mere mortals like you.

-Kari G.

The ultimate RENThead experience

We love our summer intern AP (we'll call her AP to protect her identity). AP has suffered through our last minute freak-outs, has become well acquainted with our temperamental copy machine, stared at 10 spreadsheets and made them one coherent document, and frequently asks me (without prompting) if I need Starbucks.

In short - she's an angel.

She's also a RENThead. Bad. Almost to the point of wanting to tease her. But you can't tease somebody that just copied and cut 2,500 inserts for you.

She saw RENT last night, she's seeing it tonight. If she wasn't expected to be here in the mornings, I bet she would be hanging out in line with the other RENTheads for rush tickets (they camp out).

Working here and interning here can be a lot of hard work. "The show must go on" isn't a saying, it's a edict. We get a lot done in a little bit of time and if we do our job right, the patron never notices.

AP has learned that and she's gained experience and become a great team member. Today, we got to do something nice for her.

AP got to assist the publicist in picking up Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal today. If you're a Beatles Fan - she got to pick up John and Paul. If you're a U2 fan - she got to pick up Bono and The Edge. If you're a Jonas Brothers fan - she got to pick up 2 of the 3 of them. (They all look the same to me, sorry).

As I type this she is meeting the two men who first breathed life into Roger and Mark and made RENT the worldwide success that it is today. The only advice I could give her was, "Try not to drool."

The work here is hard, the perks are unbelievable. I doubt she will ever forget today.

-Kari G.

Renee Fleming Shines in Traviata

Our favorite diva Renee Fleming  is selling out the Royal Opera, Covent Garden in her six-performance run as Violetta in Traviata.

Anthony Tommasini of  the New York Times said of her performance, "I can report that she was at her best in this vocally alluring and dramatically insightful Violetta."

Wait until you hear her in the acoustically perfect Carol Morsani Hall on Jan. 26.

- Kari G.

"Alice" anniversary today

On this date in 1862, Lewis Carroll first told the "Wonderland" story to his neighbor's daughter Alice and her friends. Three years later, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was published in book form.

For a modern-day take on the tale, check out "Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventures" in its world premiere in Tampa at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Part of the Bank of America Best of Broadway Tampa Bay series, the new musical opens on Nov. 24 and runs through Jan. 3.

Season tickets to the Broadway series are on sale now. "Wonderland" tickets in conjunction with either "Wicked" or "Mary Poppins" also are on sale. Tickets to "Wonderland" alone go on sale to the public in mid-August.

The music is by Frank Wildhorn, with book and lyrics by Jack Murphy. It will be directed by Gregory Boyd.

For more information on this production, check out www.wonderlandthemusical.org. -- MichaelK

Opera Tampa Chorus Auditions!

Mark your calenders! Auditions for the Opera Tampa Chorus are Monday, July 20th. Here's the skinny:

Opera Tampa is looking for adult men and women for the Opera Tampa Chorus for the productions of Lucia di Lammermoor (Nov. 20 & 22, 2009) and La Rondine (April 23 & 25, 2010). Chorus/Choir experience is welcome, but not as necessary as a good work attitude and commitment to rehearsals and memorization.

When: Monday, July 20, 2009. By appointment only Where: The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center Jaeb Theater. For questions and appointment call Marion Sassen at 813-222-1021.

Bring 16 bars of your favorite song (classical preferred) with the sheet music. An accompanist will be provided. Regular rehearsals are mostly Monday evenings 6:45 – 9:30 p.m. Intense rehearsals with Maestro Anton Coppola begin three weeks before the performance dates and may be every day – 7-10 p.m. during the week and any time on the weekend. If you enjoy singing in a foreign language, acting, dancing, watching the Maestro and chewing gum all at the same time, OPERA TAMPA is looking for YOU!

Who doesn't enjoy singing in a foreign language?!!? You should hear me at karaoke - believe me - it doesn't sound like English!

In bocca al lupo!

-Kari G.

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.

SYTYCD Alert!

Set your DVR's and Tivo's to Fox TV tomorrow, July 2nd at 9 p.m. as Complexions Contemporary Ballet makes their second appearance on So You Think You Can Dance?

They will be performing a duet featuring Desmond Richardson and Patricia Hachey, choreographed by Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. (BTW - that picture is Desmond Richardson - yes I will be setting my DVR for that).

Once you've gotten hooked - wait for a very exciting announcement from TBPAC regarding Complexions...

-Kari G.

Today's post is brought to you by the letter "Q"

Sadly, all things must come to an end and this is no exception for the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Avenue Q. After 2,534 performances and 22 previews the show will play its last performance on Broadway Sept. 13. Even though Avenue Q will be sadly missed, we all have learned many valuable lessons...

We now know what the Internet is for.

We're working on finding our purpose.

We've learned that the mix tape isn't dead.

There is life outside our apartment.

and...

Everyone's a little bit racist, sometimes.

Looking for RENT fans!

We are currently looking for enthusiastic RENT fans that would like to help distribute flyers and posters throughout the Tampa Bay area as well as posting online to promote the show coming to the TBPAC July 7-12. It's pretty easy and in exchange for helping promote the show I'll hook you up with a pair of opening night tickets.

If you're interested, shoot me an email at angela.lakin@tbpac.org and I'll be happy to fill you in on all the details.

On stage this week (6/15-21) - with videos!

Rabbit Hole: June 18-21

STOMP: June 19-21

RESPECT: A Musical Journey of Women: June 19 - Aug. 2

Find us easier on Facebook!

We've taken advantage of the new purl service offered by Facebook:

http://facebook.com/tbpac

Follow that link to become a Fan of TBPAC on Facebook (you have to chose "Become a Fan" under our user picture after the jump) and you can get updates in your live feed on new shows, tidbits, discounts and more!

New 'Wonderland' musical scheduled at Houston's Alley

Following its world premiere in Tampa, the new Frank Wildhorn/Jack Murphy musical "Wonderland" will head to Houston where it will be part of the Alley Theatre's Broadway season and run from Jan. 9-Feb. 14.

"Wonderland" is directed by Gregory Boyd, the artistic director of the Alley.

Part of the Bank of America Best of Broadway Tampa Bay series, the musical opens in previews in Tampa on Nov. 24. The world premiere is set for Saturday, Dec. 5, as part as TBPAC's annual fundraising event.

For more information on "Wonderland," go to www.wonderlandthemusical.org or to http://tinyurl.com/WonderlandHouston.

Another round of auditions is set for next week in NYC, and an announcement on the full creative team is imminent. -- MichaelK

Come meet Annie & Sandy

If you're looking for something to do with the kids tomorrow afternoon, 6/12, head over to WestShore Plaza's Center Court. There will be Annie themed activities from 1-3 p.m. and Annie will make an appearance with her dog Sandy from 1:30-2 p.m. You can also register to win tickets to the show!

Make our Forever Plaid cast forever part of the DVD!

On July 9th 2009, the Forever Plaid 20th Anniversary Video will be played at select theaters across the country. For the Tampa Bay area, it will only be shown at the Citrus Park Mall.

The "Bleeding Love Plaid's" of Tampa Bay's Performing Arts Center have entered our music video of the hit Leona Lewis tune "Bleeding Love" public vote!

We are seeking your support in hopes of becoming the top winner, whose performance will be shown at the Forever Plaid 20th Anniversary Special event on Thursday, July 9th, an event broadcast nationwide to 375 movie theaters. In addition, the winning group will be immortalized on the Forever Plaid DVD set for release this fall. Voting for the online video contest begins Monday, June 1st at http://ForeverPlaid.Fathomevents.com and ends Wednesday June 24th.

Here is the direct link to check it out and cast your vote: http://foreverplaid.fathomevents.com/video.php?id=5

We thank you all in advance for your time and votes! (Feel free to vote as often as possible!)

Shboom,

Frankie, Sparky, Jinks, and Sumdge

$10 off STOMP

STOMP is back with new surprises June 19-21 and you can save $10 on tickets! Just enter promo code ZIPPO when ordering. Offer expires June 17.

Offer excludes Sat. at 5 p.m. and price level 4. Limit 4 tickets. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability. Service charges apply.

Don't forget to watch the Tony Awards

The Tony Awards air this Sunday, June 7, at 8 p.m. on CBS. Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, the show will feature lots of great performances including Dolly Parton with the cast of 9 to 5 and Elton John with the cast of Billy Elliot: The Musical (15 nominations). For a complete list of nominees, performers and presenters, visit http://www.tonyawards.com/.


Want to follow and comment on the action as it happens? We'll be tweeting live! Follow us on Twitter at WHOBroadway. If you don't have Twitter, don't worry. You can read the posts on Culture Shock. Just look to the right for the heading WHOBroadway Twitter Updates.

Win tickets to RESPECT!

Send the text RESPECT to short code 24453 for your chance to win a pair of opening weekend tickets (June 19-21) to see RESPECT: A Musical Journey of Women in the Jaeb Theater.

From "Someone To Watch Over Me" to "I Will Survive," RESPECT is the journey of women, told through Top-40 music. From the codependence of "I Will Follow Him" to the anger of "These Boots Are Made for Walking," to the cynicism of "What's Love Got To Do With It," and finally to the strength of "Hero." Combining excerpts of 60 songs with women's own stories about finding dreams, lost love, relationship issues, entering the workforce, gaining independence, and more, this show is "exhilarating!" It's more than just a story worth telling, it's a must-see and must-hear.

DVR alert... In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams

The TBPAC is delighted to launch the first National Tour of the four-time Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights, Oct. 27 - Nov. 1, as part of the 2009-2010 Bank of America Best of Broadway Tampa Bay series. As we prepare to welcome the show to Tampa, we invite you to watch In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams that airs on WEDU tomorrow, May 27, at 8 p.m. as part of their Great Performances series.

In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams chronicles the personal stories of composer/lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda and the cast of In the Heights in the months leading up to opening night. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn how this young, diverse group of relatively unknown artists and performers dreamed of making it on Broadway and after eight years found success beyond their wildest expectations!

View the trailer of the PBS special here.

After you watch the program, circle around and leave a comment. We'd love to hear what you think!

Save on tickets to GREASE!

GREASE is coming back to Tampa in August. This new production, direct from Broadway, has all of your favorite songs: "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightnin'" and "We Go Together" as well as additional songs from the hit movie: "Grease," "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "You're the One That I Want."

Plus, GREASE features American Idol winner Taylor Hicks as "Teen Angel"!

Learn more about this production at: http://www.greaseonbroadway.com/

SAVE 30% on single tickets

Receive 30% off tickets now through May 31! Use promo code DANNY when ordering. Offer is for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evening only. Excludes price level 4. Limit 4 tickets. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability. Service charges apply.

"Doing it on the Road" - a free workshop for touring artists

A free workshop for performing artists who take their work on tour across the country will be held on Friday June 5 from 4:00-6:00pm, in the TECO Theater at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, as part of the National Performance Network’s support of and service to performing artists. The workshop is being offered by the National Performance Network (NPN) in conjunction with NPN Partner Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

According to Karla Hartley, Shimberg Playhouse’s Artistic Director, all over the country, contemporary performing artists are going outside their local communities, bringing their art to audiences that are eager to see new and innovative theater, dance, music, spoken word, and puppetry. “Touring, a significant aspect of the contemporary performing arts world, presents artists with enormous creative and business demands,” Hartley said. “NPN is interested in sharing what it really takes to take your show on the road. And if you are already touring your work, what more can you do to make the experience more successful?” “Doing it on the Road: a Guide for Touring Performing Artists” is a free information-packed workshop, designed and presented by the NPN. “Doing it” demystifies the touring process for artists who are interested in touring, are ready and have the capacity to tour, have already toured regionally or want to expand touring their work.

NPN devotes a large part of its programming in support of touring artists. After almost 25 years as a national nonprofit arts organization, NPN is very familiar with what it takes for artists to tour their work. NPN has 61 “Partner” presenters in 41 cities across the U.S., and represents diverse cultural organizers, including artists, working to create meaningful partnerships and to provide leadership that enables the practice and public experience of the performing arts in the United States.

“Doing it on the Road” takes place in conjunction with each of the 4 NPN Partners Regional Meetings and is hosted by an NPN Partner. Attending artists will receive a syllabus of touring tips and tools at the 2-hour session. Space is limited: RSVP to 813-222-1087 if you are planning to attend; email Pam Roberts pam@npnweb.org for more information.

Get massive RESPECT with this deal!

We're calling it the Ultimate Girl's Night Out, and we're packaging it up two different ways:

• Get a 4 tickets at the same table for any performance of RESPECT: A Musical Journey of Women + 4 tickets good for any drink from the bar for just $122 plus handling fee (which is $4 less per person than if you just bought 4 regular seats to the show with NO drinks, plus you save money on service charges!)
• Get a 4 tickets at the same table for any performance of RESPECT: A Musical Journey of Women + 8 tickets good for any drink from the bar for just $138 plus handling fee (which is the same price as 4 regular seats to the show with NO drinks, plus you save money on service charges!)

Due to the configuration of the Jaeb, we can only offer this package in multiples of four. We can also only sell these packages at the Ticket Office window or over the phone by calling 813.229.STAR.

Get down to the Jaeb, cut loose and have an Ultimate Girl's Night Out! (Men, you're invited too! We won't tell!)

If you have a group of 12 or more and looking for an even bigger bargain, try calling our Group Services Department at 813.222.1018.

Save on tickets to Annie

ANNIE, the timeless tale of Little Orphan Annie, is returning to the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, June 12-14. You can save $15 off tickets to see ANNIE when you use promo code WARBUCKS or call the TBPAC Ticket Office at 813.229.STAR to purchase a family four-pack for $100. Hurry! Offers end May 24.

*Performance and seating restrictions apply. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Subject to availability. Service charges apply.

Follow In The Heights!

If you love In The Heights, the show is now on Facebook and Twitter. Become a fan of the show on Facebook and/or follow them on Twitter... http://twitter.com/ninarosario

And for all the Rent Heads, or wanna be Rent Heads, you can also follow the new Rent Broadway Tour (coming to the TBPAC in July) on Twitter... http://twitter.com/rentthebwaytour

Following any other Broadway shows?

And the nominees are...

This morning the nominees for the 2009 Tony Awards were announced. Go here for the complete list. Billy Elliot, The Musical is the front runner with 15 nominations followed by Next to Normal (11), Hair (8) and Shrek The Musical (8).

The Tony Awards will broadcast live on CBS Sunday, June 7, starting at 8 p.m. from Radio City Music Hall.

And if you want to stay up-to-date with all things Broadway, visit our new "What's Hot on Broadway" page at TBPAC.org.

Broadway Family Nights!

Looking for a fun (and inexpensive) way to treat the family to a Broadway show? Check out Broadway Family Nights for the upcoming performances of Annie and Stomp.

The fun part...
A great time out with the family seeing a live show everyone can enjoy complete with free pre-show activites.

The inexpensive part...
For the selected Broadway Family Night performances, you can purchase a regularly priced adult ticket and receive a free child (12 and under) ticket for free! (Restrictions apply. Call the TBPAC Ticket Office for more details.)

Annie's Broadway Family Night is Friday, June 12 and Stomp's is Friday, June 19.

And, as an extra bonus, stay after the Friday night performance of Stomp for a free talkback with the artists.

Taylor Hicks returns to Idol

Catch American Idol winner Taylor Hicks tonight on Idol performing his new song, "Seven Mile Breakdown." And then catch him live performing the role of "Teen Angel" in the tour of Grease when it comes to the TBPAC in August!

Free stuff is awesome! Win tickets and a CD!

Text PATTY to 24453 for a chance to win 2 tix to the Patty Larkin Club Jaeb show on 5/18 plus her CD "Watch the Sky" - this is an album she plays every single instrument on: vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar, lap steel, national steel, bass, banjo, bazouki, loops, toy organ and door chimes.

She was a huge hit last season during the Club Jaeb series and we hope she has the same kind of turnout this year!

Here's Patty singing Wolf at the Door at a live show (the video isn't great, but the audio is good)



And here's a totally acapella/scat/hip-hop number from a concert in 2007.

Mother Load - coming soon!

Thespians - get a $5 ticket to see WAISTWATCHERS!

In town for the Florida State Thespian Festival? You can get a ticket to see any performance of WAISTWATCHERS: The Calorie Free Musical this week for just $5 with your conference badge at the TBPAC Ticket Office window as of 90 minutes to curtain.

Take advantage!

Welcome, Thespians!

Today they start trickling in, tomorrow that trickle will be a solid stream. By tomorrow night it will be a full-on river as some 7,000+ theatrical invaders will descend upon Downtown Tampa as part of the Florida State Thespian Festival.

You can check out these other posts on the festival, and I'm sure we'll add more this week.

Also, if you're a conference attendee and you're looking for something extra - you can get a $5 ticket to see Waistwatchers: The Calorie-Free Musical for ANY show this week. A $1.50 service charge applies, and those tickets will be made available as of 90 minutes to curtain by showing your conference badge at the TBPAC Ticket Office window.

Welcome to Tampa!

You can also follow us on Twitter or Myspace (tbpac), become a fan of Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center or join the TBPAC group on Facebook.

Opera Tampa Tweets for #OperaPlot

If you don’t follow Opera Tampa on Twitter (http://twitter.com/OperaTampa) – here’s the reason to start.

The Omniscient Mussel will be reviving the #OperaPlot contest and there are great tickets to the opera to be won!

The rules seem pretty simple – create an opera plot in 140 characters (or less) and #OperaPlot must be included – so 130 characters.

Opera Tampa will be doing our collective best and trying to tie it in to our 0910 season. Let’s see:

#operaplot Nice Scottish girl gets in knife fight with Bridezilla, battle ensues for 15 years with Coppola at the helm, stars Renee Fleming.

That is exactly 140 characters!

Good luck!

P.S. I just got word from The Omniscient Mussel – Opera Tampa will be providing tickets to our season as prizes! Sign up to Twitter and the fun starts on Monday, April 27!

Outer Critics Circle Nominations are out!

Kind of like the Golden Globes are to the Oscars – so the Outer Critics Circle should give us a great idea of what’s to come at Tony announcements on May 5. Billy Elliot and Shrek tie for 10 nominations each.

My fingers are crossed for a certain nominee of the Outstanding Featured Actress in a play. Susan Louise O’Connor has my vote (if they let me vote) for her performance in Blithe Spirit. I will be seeing the show at the end of the month and supporting not only one of the brightest new stars of Broadway (though she has been a staple in the Off-Bway scene), but also the best roommate I could have asked for in college!

Go Susan!

- Kari G.

TONIGHT - Old School Freight Train - check these vids out!

A short civil war re-enactment video using a OSFT covering Blondie's Heart of Glass:



OSFT and a live cover of Stevie Wonder's Superstition:



Finally, a cover of Randy Newman's Mr. President:



Yes, OSFT plays plenty more than covers, but I figure these are quicker hooks to get you into them.

This band is extremely talented and equally as diverse in their influences and offerings. Check them out!

In the Heights launches tour in Tampa

It was just announced that the eagerly anticipated tour of In the Heights is scheduled to launch here in Tampa in October. Full story is at Playbill.com.

Though tickets aren't on sale for the Tampa engagement just yet, you can secure a great seat now by becoming a season ticket holder. Packages start at $85!

Beatles bits

In anticipation of the highly-tauted stage spectacle RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles, here are four fab stories in the news on our favorite lads from Liverpool:

• The Beatles look to reissue two boxed sets of remasters - in both stereo and mono versions.
• This one I'm personally stoked on - there is a Beatles version of Rock Band being released on 09.09.09 (brownie points to anyone who gets the date reference, and no it's not an upside down 666, despite what Manson ever said about them).
• The Beatles-themed Cirque du Soliel show, LOVE, is still impressing audiences (and also has a great soundtrack, I love some of the mixing and the flow of the songs on that).
• George Harrison earns a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Now, the $69,000 question remains, what's the story on why The Beatles tribute show is called RAIN? Anyone know? First person to answer correctly wins a free pair of tickets to the show on May 16!

Q&A with Midori

Check out this Q&A with violinist, Midori, performing tonight at 8 p.m.

TBPAC: Your program presents a broad chronological scope (Beethoven to Cage). How did you craft it?

MIDORI: The recital programs are constructed with pieces of balancing styles and sounds that would create a cohesive flow to the program. The musical sequence should be appealing, with smooth transition from one piece to the next, as well as being interesting to the listener. Examining the works' similarities and differences is an essential part of the selection process, and a fascinating one as well.

TBPAC: Cage’s Six Melodies are not very well known. Tell us what we can expect from them.

MIDORI: John Cage wrote the Six Melodies in 1950. The middle of the 20th century was a very interesting time in America, both in music composition and in history, post-World War II and on the cusp of the cultural revolution to come in the next decade. The Six Melodies are extremely simple in how they sound, yet very intriguing and attractive for their unimposing, almost laconic feel.

TBPAC: Your accompanist Robert MacDonald is a highly respected artist in his own right. How long have the two of you been performing together? Can you sketch for us an outline of your typical rehearsal?

MIDORI: Bob and I have been performing together for over twenty years. Over the years, we have developed a solid and comfortable working relationship as well as a trusting friendship.

The process of rehearsing is very natural, and we can accomplish a great deal in our somewhat limited formal rehearsal times.

TBPAC: It has been amazing to watch your career and your development as a very public artist. Will you tell us about some of the priorities in your private life?

MIDORI: Teaching is at the forefront of my private and public life's priorities right now, to be engaged with students in this capacity is entirely humbling and inspiring. Each day holds new discoveries, challenges and rewards, and nothing makes me happier than seeing a student coming closer to his or her aspirations.

TBPAC: There is a general concern about the future of classical music, especially in America. As a widely travelled musician, do you see a decline in the consumption and enjoyment of classical music around the world? If so, what can be done to reverse this trend?

MIDORI: There is a lot of talk nowadays about classical music being a 'dying' genre, and this notion is far from the truth. Financial problems do exist in the classical field like in other fields, but artistically, classical music is as vibrant and exciting as ever.

The experience of great music is not limited to concert halls or big cities, nor is it only for those who can afford to purchase tickets. Music should be heard wherever it can be heard, from concert venues and churches to schools and hospitals, to public parks and coffee shops. These days, presenters are leaning towards offering various informal music events in addition to their regular concerts, efforts which will hopefully broaden the affordability of concert attendance and re-engage the general public with the classical genre.

TBPAC: Has the “new technology” (computers, I-Pods, blogs and the like) had an impact of you personally? Has it changed the way your fans listen to and buy your performances?

MIDORI: I do see that people increasingly obtain their information online. And of course email is a big part of my professional career - such as in interviews, and communicating with my managers and publicists, who are scattered from California and New York to London and Germany. However, it is also important to mention that there is no replacement for a direct, face-to-face encounters.

I like to think that the Internet adds to the classical music audience, as websites provide greater accessibility and a wealth of information. Fewer and fewer people buy music on LPs or tapes or CDs anymore in favor of downloading MP3s; the recording industry is required adjust accordingly to those demands. Performance videos are widely available on the web (with and without the proper permissions, but still there). Technology is a wonderful means of sharing music on a very broad level, but again, I have to say that it is no substitute for a live musical experience.

- Bill F.

STOMP on GMA

Check out the New York cast of STOMP performing on Good Morning America tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14. They are scheduled to be on between 8:30 and 9 a.m. with a few short teases starting around 8 a.m. They will be performing their new piece, "donuts".

And don't miss the newly revamped show coming to the TBPAC in June!

Even Gwen Stefani groves to "Fiddler"

A fellow staff member (to remain nameless) was watching Beverly Hills Chihuahua last night and noticed the Gwen Stefani song "Rich Girl." You know the one... "If I was a rich girl, nahnahnah etc." (now you can have that stuck in your head too). The song actually originates from the show Fiddler on the Roof. Kinda an interesting back story from Wikipedia...

After playing some of the songs on which she had been working, Dr. Dre told her, "You don't want to go back there." Instead of using one of the tracks, Dr. Dre instead suggested using reggae duo Louchie Lou & Michie One's 1993 song "Rich Girl", which itself interpolated "If I Were a Rich Man" from the 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof. Stefani and Eve helped each other with their parts, but when they presented Dr. Dre with the demo, he told them to rewrite the song, suggesting that Stefani play a character in the song.

Since she had not seen the musical since she was a child, Stefani went to Broadway to better understand the theme that "even if you're poor and you have love, you're rich." The idea which became the final version came to Stefani while brainstorming on her treadmill. She commented that the troubles in writing the song came because "Dre was really pushing me to write in a new way," but when she presented him with the song, "he just totally tricked the track out."

Sedaris reads his books to you

If he had written nothing more than "The Santaland Diaries," David Sedaris would have claimed a spot in the Humorist Hall of Fame.

His recounting of working as a woefully miscast department store elf still cracks me up.

Of course, he's written much more since then in books about learning to speak French and stopping smoking ("Me Talk Pretty One Day," "When You Are Engulfed in Flames") plus New Yorker and Esquire essays that provide an exquisitely twisted take on things.

For example, Esquire asked him to contribute to its Valentine's Day issue and he submitted a story about a particularly nasty boil on his butt, his lover and things you do for love. Let him tell you about it.

He still doesn't quite understand why people pay to hear him read books they've already read for themselves, but he's not going to stop showing up.

He'll be here at TBPAC on April 18. For more information: http://www.tbpac.org/shows/show.asp?showId=2152

-- MichaelK/TBPAC

A few deals

Don't forget we have two pretty cool offers right now for those on a budget:

Get a $40 ticket to Taste the Best of Tampa Bay (Sat., April 4) with promo code FACE. Taste the Best of Tampa Bay features a ton of food and drinks as well as entertainment, all inclusive for the $40 ticket. Taste the Best of Tampa Bay is a fundraiser for TBPAC, ensuring we're able to keep bringing the best to you year after year.

Get a half-off ticket to see the final performance of The Lieutenant of Inishmore on Sun., April 12 at 4pm. That's just $12.25 per person! Use promo code THOMAS when you buy.

These offers are not good on prior sales or in conjunction with any other offer and are subject to availability.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore - a bloody good hit in the Shimberg Playhouse

The Lieutenant of Inishmore has been getting great reviews for the past two weeks from critics, bloggers and patrons alike. Check out what they're saying:

"I was warned ... violence, gunshots, blood, gore, loud music, cat murder(s) ... Part satire, part farce, part murder mystery, Jobsite delivered on the promise. Yet heed the warning: "This play is not for the easily offended ... It's funny, it's sexy, it's a bloodbath -- it's like a Tarantino movie, but not as pretty. Blood isn't just spattered here and there -- it's smeared and splashed on walls, windows, floors and bodies, alive and dead, human and feline." - Creative Loafing (this week's cover story, to boot)

“Full serving of gore, horror and hilarity.... Gruesomely violent as it is, Inishmore is almost slapstick.... David Jenkins and his cast (almost all Jobsite regulars) amp up the violence and humor... and blood flows profusely (in extremely effective special effects by Chris Holcom).... The entire cast does fine work.... Lots of people like blood, guts and mayhem, and they're the ones this production aims to please.” – St. Petersburg Times

“In this comedy of devastating errors, with enough extreme carnage to make Quentin Tarantino queasy, bumbling characters shoot, maim, slice and dice one another with abandon and little remorse.... At the play's end, the stage is drenched, eliciting sickening sounds as the actors left standing tread the saturated floorboards.... The easily offended might not appreciate the absurd overkill and outrageously misplaced values. But for everyone else, it's hilarious.” – The Tampa Tribune

“The production was very well acted, especially the parts of Padraic and Mairead. There's real chemistry between the characters and they develop an almost Mickey and Mallory Knox-like bond.... This play is also not for the squeamish, as the blood continues to pile up through the final act.” – MyTampaLife.com

“All of the acting is superb. Irish accents are spot-on, and the cast works well as an ensemble.... Martin McDonagh’s plotting is immaculate.... Even though I usually don’t like violence at all, it was humorous in the context of the play.... I would definitely recommend this play.” – ARTS NET, Tampa Bay

You can read all the feedback Jobsite's received on the show at their website.

This play only has eight more performances before it is gone for good! It must close April 12.

Full disclosure: I am also Jobsite Theater's producing artistic director as well as the director of the production. I might be shilling a tiny bit here.

Blog on WAISTWATCHERS

Thanks to Lynne over at The First Pancake for writing such a nice story on our own WAISTWATCHERS: The Calorie-Free Musical. We're really glad you came and that you enjoyed the show so much.

For everyone else, WAISTWATCHERS must close on May 10! Say you saw it first, we understand several other performing arts centers and theaters around the country are very interested in licensing this home-grown show!

Sweet deal on Taste the Best of Tampa Bay!

Taste the Best of Tampa Bay at TBPAC. Live music, sample food and drink from the best restaurants. $40 tix with promo code FACE.

Special moments in theater

So I was sitting in traffic this morning with the iPod on shuffle and Spring Awakening's "The Mirror-Blue Night" came on. I love this song mainly for the violin instrumental break after Melchior's solo verse. If you've seen the show, that's the exact moment that the hayloft platform starts to rise and the blue lights illuminate like stars on the stage. Live theater magic!

That got me to thinking about other great theater moments where all the elements of a production come together and move you in some amazing way. When Elphaba flies at the end of "Defying Gravity" in Wicked or "Circle of Life" in The Lion King.

What is your favorite live theater moment?

Seen our 09-10 Broadway season yet?

Our 2009-10 Broadway Series announcements ran yesterday in The Tampa Tribune, St. Pete Times and the Bradenton Herald.

Head over to TBPAC.ORG and see it for yourself!

Midori in Asia

Violin virtuouso and world-renowned educator Goto Midori will play TBPAC on April 14.

You can get to know her, or catch up with her most current travels by checking out her blog. She uses the space to not only talk about what she's up to, but answer questions from fans.

Check it out here!

New Grey Gardens Movie on HBO

Last night I caught a trailer for a new HBO film, Grey Gardens, starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. For those of you who follow Broadway, you'll recall a show called Grey Gardens a couple seasons ago starring Christine Ebersole. It never toured, but I had the opportunity to see it in New York and really enjoyed it.

For those of you who don't know the story of Grey Gardens, it's about the eccentric aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. They were quite the socialites in the 1940s but eventually they ended up living in their run down, 28-room mansion in East Hampton.

If you have HBO, or know someone who does, the movie will be on Saturday, April 18, at 8 p.m. Check it out!

Lucky you! Lots of tickets now just $17!

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, we've assembled a load of great deals on tickets to many upcoming shows. Check them out here: http://tinyurl.com/tbpac17

Know anyone that would appreciate those deals? Please pass them on!

Are you a WAISTWATCHER? Can you give us a hand?

One of the core components of good show marketing is knowing who your audience is and planning smart to reach them. You can buy all the TV, radio and print you like and still miss people though (as was evidenced this weekend when overheard at the Watchmen was "they should have an intermission in three-hour movies, you know, like back in the day when they had plays"). Some shows come with built-in niches. For a show like Motherload we'll obviously reach out to mom groups and play-date services. For HATS! we located all of the Red Hat chapters in a 100-mile radius.

For WAISTWATCHERS: The Calorie-Free Musical we've been reaching out to health and fitness organizations: Weightwatchers, Anytime Fitness, Shapes and the like. Still, it would be a virtual impossibility for us to hit up every single gym, weight loss center and health food store in the whole DMA.

And this is where you might come in ...

Grass-roots level marketing is important. It costs nothing in dollars usually, but is often the most labor-intesive and elusive. Our patrons operate on a grass-root level when they see a show then tell their friends who would like it to make a plan. They help us by posting links in their blogs or on their social networks. They can also help us out by taking a poster or some flyers to a relevant business they frequent - in this case like those gyms, weight loss centers or health food stores I mentioned previously.

Can you give us a hand?

If you've seen the show already, you know what folks are in for. Maybe you'd like to come back again and bring a friend? That might be possible for us to work out. You scratch our back and maybe we can scratch yours. Maybe you haven't seen it and you'd like to. Pitch in and we can probably take care of you, too.

So let me know if you can lend a hand. Any and all help is appreciated and we're always working on a show like this that's here for such a long time to help make sure that the show stays top of mind with folks.

Help like this isn't valid just for WAISTWATCHERS (though, admittedly, it's my most immediate need), but you can always help any show at TBPAC by doing any of the following:

• Request a poster or flyers to put at a relevant business, your work or church
• Follow us (tbpac) on Twitter, friend us on MySpace or join the group/become a fan of us (tbpac) on Facebook
• Use the forward to a friend feature on an eCenter newsletter that you think someone else might be interested in
  
• Post tinyurl links to your Twitter status
• Post links to our blog or our videos or photos to your Facebook or MySpace profile.
• Post how excited you are to see a show or what you thought of a show to your blog or social network

TBPAC is here for the community, and the community can also help us continue to bring the best of touring shows and regional productions by pitching in to get the word out!

Louis CK on Conan O'Brien

This video has really been making the rounds on all our social networking sites. Have you seen it yet? Tres funny. I'd embed it, but it's been disabled by request - so head over to YouTube to check it out. You can also catch him here on March 19.

VIDEO: Everything's amazing, nobody's happy.

Eat SPAM a lot!

Need something for dinner? How about a tasty quiche? Or stuffed acorn squash?

Sure, you could pick those up pre-made at your local Whole Foods, but why not make it yourself using simple recipes and a main ingredient of everyone’s favorite canned meat product. It isn’t your grandma’s SPAM anymore.

Check out this link to a story in the St. Petersburg Times’ “Taste” section for more info on SPAM.

And don't forget, Monty Python's SPAMALOT is in town only through Sunday. You can still get those $25 tickets (noted in an earlier blog) for tonight and tomorrow night's performance. Just use promo code RABBIT when ordering.

-PB

Guns and gore coming to TBPAC

From the Oscar and Tony Award nominated writer of In Bruges and The Pillowman ...





The Lieutenant of Inishmore contains violent scenes that some may find disturbing, loud gunfire and music, extremely graphic blood violence, adult language and adult situations. This play is not intended for the easily offended. No real cats will be harmed in the creation of this production.

Need a little economic (and comic) relief?

Get $10 off your ticket to WAISTWATCHERS: The Calorie-Free Musical by using promo code TENOFF. Act fast though, this discount expires on March 20!

Also - don't forget about the offers made this week for SPAMALOT!

SAVE! LAUGH! IT'S THE ONLY WAY NOT TO CRY!

Sweet deals on select Spamalot performances!

Funnier than the plague!

More musical than a wandering band of merry minstrels!

MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

MARCH 3-8

STARRING RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN AS KING ARTHUR

SPECIAL WEEKDAY OFFER!

$25 tickets are available for all remaining seats for the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening performances. Hurry! Offer ends Monday, March 2.

Promo code: RABBIT

AND

Come early and dine with us at Maestro’s Restaurant or Café for only

$19.95 (plus tax).

MARCH MIDDAY MADNESS

Take a break from the madness and join SPAMALOT, Thursday, March 5, at 2 p.m.!

All seats are just $20!

(plus applicable fees)

All discounts are subject to availability. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Limit 6 discounted tickets per order.

Some good news in the opera world

Since things in the opera world have been a little sad lately and LA Opera’s less-than-stellar Ring Cycle review doesn’t add to that good news, I went on a quest today for something happy to report in the opera world!

Thank you Renee Fleming! I didn’t have to look very long before I found this wonderful story. Ms. Fleming performed to a sell out crowd and helped raise over 2.4 million for Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.

It doesn’t hurt that her younger brother, Geordie Alexander, is a first-year master’s student in the school’s opera program.

I found Geordie on Facebook. I wonder if he’ll get a lot of friend requests today.

-Kari G.

WAISTWATCHERS a treat to the Trib!

Check out the great review WAISTWATCHERS: The Calorie-Free Musical got in the Trib today!




WAISTWATCHERS: The Calorie-Free Musical is on stage now in the Jaeb Theater.

Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi

Feb. 27 and March 1 Opera Tampa will present two Puccini one-acts and a whole mess of talent! Our very own Opera Tampa Apprentices will be performing and they sound amazing!

For the uninitiated or for those who have only been to maybe one or two operas, Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi is a great show for beginners.

First of all, it’s short. Not to be disrespectful to the art form, but I know that it’s hard for people to wrap their heads around a 3+ hour opera. This isn’t that show! Each title is only an hour (roughly) long.

It’s a peanut butter cup! (Two great tastes that taste great together!) Suor Angelica is everything cathartic about opera. You’ll cry your eyes out. On the flip side Gianni Schicchi is a comedy! As Truvy said in Steel Magnolias, “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.”

It has an amazing projected set. If you’re a Broadway buff, its similar technology to what was used for the recent revival of Sunday in the Park with George. It is some very cool technology and blends wonderfully with the shows.

It’s Puccini. Puccini is great for beginners. English subtitles are projected above the stage so you’ll understand every word. You might even recognize an aria or two (or three).

Plus on Friday night, renowned opera diva Renata Scotto will receive the inaugural Anton Coppola Excellence in the Arts Award.

See you there!

Nixon, again

Despite his famous speech after losing one election, apparently we do have Richard Nixon to kick around some more.

Nixon, who was a brilliant politician, wouldn't settle for easily winning the presidential election against George McGovern. He had to crush him (and he did).

But those illegal campaign tactics and dirty tricks led to Watergate, and -- ultimately -- to Nixon's resignation.

Back then, I was a Watergate junkie. I read the transcripts. I read the stories and then the books by Woodward and Bernstein. I remember that Time basically defended Nixon and Newsweek basically accused him.

Some years later, I read a book called "From the President," which included many of his memos ... including cringe-inducing formal instructions to his long-suffering wife Pat.

I watched the original Frost/Nixon interviews on DVD recently. What struck me is how prepared Frost was, how ill-at-ease Nixon was (he must have really needed the money) and in some ways what a sad figure he had become. If you watch it, just focus on Nixon's eyes. He looks like a trapped animal.

During the TV interviews, he challenged, argued, speechified but in the end he admitted that he had let down the country, his family and himself.

It made startling television.

So, I'm anxious to see tonight's opening of "Frost/Nixon," the prize-winning play at TBPAC. I missed it on Broadway and deliberately skipped the movie version until after tonight.

Nixon is a tragic figure, and his story provides a cautionary tale about hubris, ego and ambition run rampant. But from those ashes, I also expect great entertainment. -- MichaelK

Interested in Interning? Got time to spare?

The TBPAC Marketing Dept. is in need of an intern (or interns) to help us better our presence in the community in the form of a street team.

Street team members will be assigned distribution routes where we need our flyers, brochures, posters and/or other materials dropped off and to also help us at fetivals, special events and the like. In return, we will be able to reimburse you for your gas and a bit of your time and also hook you up with cool stuff from time to time, like free tickets to shows.

You just need to have your own transportation, a friendly outgoing personality and the time to commit.

Interested? Email David Jenkins for more information.

Coming soon to Britain's citadel of high culture: Anna Nicole Smith, the opera

I’m just going to post the link and go sit quietly and rock back and forth until the madness stops.

-Kari G.

Reminder - V-Day discounts expire TONIGHT at 11:59p

Don't forget about the dozen+ awesome specials we have running through tonight at 11:59p.

Discounted tickets start as low as $5!

RED HOT V-Day special through Sunday night

We've got a quiver full of great deals for you through Sunday night at 11:59p for shows like Lily Tomlin, The Pink Floyd Experience and Spamalot - over a dozen shows in all - but you need to act quickly before the deal expires!

Take advantage!

Art wins!

Just moments ago, the U.S. House of Representatives approved their final version of the Economic Recovery bill by a vote of 246-183. The package DOES include $50 million in direct support for arts jobs through National Endowment for the Arts grants. The exclusionary Coburn Amendment language banning certain arts groups from receiving any other economic recovery funds has also been successfully removed. Tonight the Senate is scheduled to have their final vote, and President Obama plans to sign the bill on Monday - President's Day.

- a very happy Kari G.

Is an artist a real person?

In the ongoing saga of artists being treated just above gum on the bottom of your shoe and just below chickens in Ybor City – I give you this quote regarding the money earmarked for the NEA in the stimulus package, take it away Georgia's Republican Congressman Jack Kingston:

"We have real people out of work right now and putting $50 million in the NEA and pretending that’s going to save jobs as opposed to putting $50 million in a road project is disingenuous."

I’m going to let News Corpse take care of my rant on this one.

-Kari G.

BE OURS! $14 tickets to many shows!

We've got some heart-stopping discounts this weekend and this weekend only on a slew of great shows - 15 in all - which all expire at 11:59p on Sunday night. Some of the discounts are for shows this weekend like Lily Tomlin and The Pink Floyd Experience, so check them out now!

These discounts go live at noon today when the ticket office opens!

Thanks Dad! That’s great – way to support my dreams by killing relevant legislation!

Oh wow. This one is really just too delicious not to share. I tweeted this on Opera Tampa and I am beside myself with the anger that comes when families and politics collide and common sense is thrown out the window. Former Vice-President Dick Cheney and his lesbian daughter come to mind. Now – the arts version:

Sen. Tom Coburn(R) Oklahoma is responsible for writing the amendment that essentially killed arts funding. The amendment stated that is was created, "to ensure that taxpayer money is not lost on wasteful and non-stimulative projects," such as funding museums, theaters and arts centers.

It passed.

Where does this amendment go from ignorant to downright offensive?

His daughter, Sarah Coburn is one of the rising stars of opera. Her performance at Washington National Opera last year was so divine it was said to be "... so lovely it stopped time."

Sen. Coburn just killed funding for the kinds of organizations that feed his extremely talented daughter.

Cultural institutions in trouble have been the headlines for months. The Met had to lay off staff and force a 10% pay cut in its current staff. Baltimore Opera is shuttered after 50+ years as a cultural mainstay. That’s just two examples from the opera world. If we were to relay the struggles of cultural institutions from ballet companies to museums this blog would be too long to read.

The small percentage of funding dedicated to the arts has been demonized in the current stimulus package as “pork” and “unnecessary spending.”

Yet, the arts are a revenue generator for cities across the nation. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center alone is responsible for over 100 million dollars in economic impact for the region. Arts institutions in this area are better attended than all professional sporting events in Tampa Bay – combined!

The arts not only give back strong economic dividends, they are the one of the top reasons why people move to a city or region. The Cultural Creatives crave artistic venues and make up one of the most promising sectors of the economy. The arts stimulate more revenue for small business and urban cores than they require for operation.

Arts institutions are not a haven of bad spending and poor financial planning. When was the last time you heard about a “golden parachute” for a member of the arts community? We run on shoestring budgets, we put our artistic creativity to work to make silk purses out of pig’s ears, and we do it all for the “greater good” of our society. Trust me, there is nothing “wasteful” in the arts. We can’t afford to waste. One man’s trash is another man’s set design, or costume, or office furniture. And we will take anything we can and find beauty and usefulness in it.

I know I’m biased, but I can’t think of a better way to ensure the cultural integrity of our great nation (one of the only industrialized nations to NOT have a national theater, btw ... ) than to ensure that arts are protected and maintained. Creative industries employ over 5.1 million people in the United States. To put that in perspective – the AFL-CIO only claims 2.1 million members in America. Think about that for a moment. Close down an automotive plant? The government will say you’ve killed the American dream. But destroy the funding for an arts organization to provide after-school programs designed to give at-risk youths the opportunity to creatively and peaceful express themselves, while gaining self-esteem, innovation and the tools to succeed? Then you’re just making “tough decisions.”

Oh I could go on and on.

Shame on you Sen. Coburn. Shame on you. For all the opera recitals you sat through, the dedication you watched your talented artist display, the work ethic I’m sure she has, her passion, her pain, her fear and her moments of triumph – probably too few for all the moments of her heartbreak – shame on you. You know the face of the artist, you know it better than you know your own face. How could you do such a thing? How do you explain this to your daughter? And while you’re at it, why don’t you explain it to me?

- Kari G.

The missing 18 1/2 minutes means you can buy tickets for $18.50!

Watergate. Haldeman and Ehrlichman. Twisting slowing, slowing in the wind. Watergate. Modified limited hangout. Stonewall. I’m not a crook. Watergate. The Plumbers. Watergate. Chuck Colson. John Mitchell. Woodward and Bernstein. Watergate. John Dean. Spiro Agnew. 18 and ½ minutes. June, 17, 1972. Aug. 9, 1974. Watergate. Hush money. The Smoking Gun. Deep Throat. Watergate. Dirty tricks. Judge Sirica. Watergate. Committee To Re-elect The President. Sen. Sam Ervin. Mark Felt. Rose Mary Woods. Watergate. Impeachment. Gerald Ford. L. Patrick Gray. Watergate. High crimes and misdemeanors. David Frost. Richard M. Nixon. Watergate.

The names and phrases echo across time. Now relive history with the Tony-nominated play, “FROST/NIXON.” FROST/NIXON, starring Stacy Keach, tackles the question: How did David Frost, a famous British talk-show host with a playboy reputation, elicit the apology that the rest of the world was waiting to hear from former President Richard Nixon? This fast-paced drama shows the determination, conviction and cunning of two men as they square off in one of the most monumental television interviews of all time.

I'd get your tickets before this offer is, um, erased.

A selected number of tickets are now available for $18.50 (plus applicable fees). Use promo code: ERASED

Offer valid for Balcony and Gallery level tickets. Excludes Saturday evening. Subject to availability. Not applicable to prior sales. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

What the press says about Idris Ackamoor and Rhodessa Jones!

The Love Project is here this weekend, Feb. 13-15 in the TECO Theater. Here are some great quotes on the work of Ackamoor and Jones, which you have the chance to see for yourself!

CHICAGO
“Cultural Odyssey’s performances combine bawdy humor, smooth jazz, athletic tap-dancing, hilarious role-playing and sharp political commentary into hardhitting and side-splitting vignettes." - StreetScene, Karl Lydersen

"Ackamoor and Jones never pound their points of view home. Instead they
draw us in with their acting, enthrall us with their music, and then allow us to draw
our own conclusions."
Chicago Reader, Jack Helbig

NEW YORK
“The material shimmered with intelligence, wit and humanity.” - The New York Times, Jennifer Dunning

"...Jones enters characters with a physical bang, crash and boom!" - The Village Voice, Voice Choices

TAMPA
"Powerful performances... giving a gritty, exciting immediacy to a story that’s both true and larger than life." - The Tampa Tribune, Joanne Milani

THE NATIONAL BLACK THEATER FESTIVAL
"The schizophrenic elan of a Lily Tomlin..."- Winston-Salem Journal, Gordon Sparber

SAN DIEGO
“Cultural Odyssey Dazzles! Jones and Ackamoor make sense of life by making beautiful music of the human experience.” - San Diego Union-Tribune, Jennifer Poyen

SAN FRANCISCO
“Jones works the house like the pro she is, cajoling, seducing and demanding attention. She doesn’t just talk about heat, she embodies it.” - San Francisco Examiner, Robert Hurwitt

A blog review of WAISTWATCHERS

One of the directors of WAISTWATCHERS: The Calorie-Free Musical wrote me to share this link from a blogger who really enjoyed the show. Check out here review here.