In-Choir-ing Minds Want to Know

A sensation on London’s West End, The Choir of Man begins an extended stay here at The Straz on Tuesday, Oct. 3. For those who haven’t Googled it yet, The Choir of Man is a theatrical stage presentation that’s structured a bit differently than most theatrical stage presentations. It’s a play – there are characters... Continue Reading →

For McGee, Nunsense: A-Men is Hardly a Drag

Matthew McGee didn’t set out to be the Tampa Bay area’s most popular drag performer. When he entered Georgia’s Valdosta State University in 1994, he wanted to be “a character actor like Christopher Lloyd,” McGee said. McGee’s appreciation of an entertainer known as “The Brazilian Bombshell” started him down the path to sequins and stiletto... Continue Reading →

Hallelujah Hattitude

Crowns, a celebratory musical about church hats, kicks off a series of Straz-produced shows Photo: Joseph Brown Apostle Paul was adamant about this point. When a man prays or prophesizes, his head must not be covered. Women, on the other hand … "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her... Continue Reading →

SHOCKING NEWS! Jobsite’s getting weird this June

Guest Blogger and Jobsite Artistic Director David M. Jenkins gives Caught in the Act a look inside the nightmares and belly laughs of Shockheaded Peter https://videopress.com/v/dpzfcUxr?preloadContent=metadata A little bit Tim Burton, a little bit Edward Gorey, Shockheaded Peter is the phantasmagorical staging of Heinrich Hoffman’s 1845 pitch-black children’s book, Der Struwwelpeter. It’s a self-proclaimed “junk... Continue Reading →

WE’RE BACK, BABY!

Jobsite’s Theater’s first performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] on our Riverwalk Stage. (Fotoset by James Luedde) While emphasizing health and safety and mandating socially distanced seating configurations and the wearing of masks, on Friday, Oct. 2, the Straz Center cautiously and thoughtfully began a slate of live, in-person performances -- the first performances... Continue Reading →

Next Big Thing: Evan Tyrone Martin

The young Chicago-based singer-actor appears in the Jaeb Theater for his acclaimed holiday concert—and guess what? His mom lives in Tampa and will be at every show. If you want to be there, you better get tickets soon because they’re hotter than chestnuts in an open fire right now. The Straz Center often has artists... Continue Reading →

The Thief and His Thief-Taker General

The unbelievable true crime story behind the swinging jazz standard “Mack the Knife.” Once upon a time, there was a five-foot-four London folk hero who inspired John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, which inspired Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera, which contained the song “Mack the Knife,” which became a snappy lounge tune for... Continue Reading →

The First To Taste The World

Rarely do we get twins performing together on stage at The Straz, so it is a double (quadruple?) treat to have Will and Anthony stopping by the Jaeb this Saturday for their cabaret show. We thought we'd celebrate this rare occasion with some interesting factoids about twins from around the world. We also threw in... Continue Reading →

The Lioness Returns

Kissy Simmons’ early career began on stages around the Tampa Bay region, one of which was our Jaeb Theater. She left for New York City the week of Sept. 11, 2001, to audition for Aida, a Disney production. Her audition led to an interest in her for The Lion King, and she and her husband... Continue Reading →

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