Jack Lemmon’s most celebrated roles occurred in film – Ensign Pulver in Mister Roberts, Felix Unger in The Odd Couple and Jerry/Daphne in Some Like It Hot. The touring Broadway musical of Some Like It Hot will be presented at the Straz Dec. 10-15. Broadway musical Some Like It Hot, sponsored by Bank of America... Continue Reading →
Twenty years since its opening, the Patel Conservatory is going strong and ready to grow. The Straz Master Plan will give the performing arts school a significant increase in space, and planning for its use is being addressed enthusiastically. “We're picking out flooring, special mirrors, special soundproofing. Special features like this will really address the... Continue Reading →
Ariana Grande added “proofreader’ to her list of credits recently. The actress spotted an error in the captioning of the video for “Popular,” from the upcoming film Wicked, in which she stars. The video used the word “poise” in place of the correct “ploys,” which Grande called out in the comments section. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENkfNb1I0jc&pp=ygUOcG9wdWxhciB3aWNrZWQ%3D This was more than an... Continue Reading →
If “gourmet” and “grab and go” seem like opposite poles on the dining axis to you, the new Maestro’s Café could change your mind. Javier Rasmussen, vice president of Food and Beverage at the Straz, is confident that the café’s new concept will unite gourmet and grab and go in a way that’s both convenient... Continue Reading →
The Wiz was a Broadway smash, a retelling of The Wizard of Oz with an African-American cast and P.O.V. It had a four-year run, won a shelf-full of Tonys® and introduced the world to Stephanie Mills. https://youtu.be/uR2IZ9LFyxM The film version was a dumpster fire, swapping the musical’s book for trendy psychobabble, and replacing Mills (17... Continue Reading →
National Geographic has for years provided its readers with unparalleled portraits of the natural world. National Geographic explores its subjects’ scientific, social and ecological significance, exposing the wonders of land and sea and space. Its articles and photography bring readers in close to see the beauty and complexity of nature. National Geographic Live! takes audiences... Continue Reading →
The PBS series Mystery! enjoyed a long and successful run from 1980-2006. The anthology series drew from British mystery and crime material and was one of the network’s more popular titles. The show introduced American audiences to such titles as Rumpole of the Bailey, Inspector Morse and Prime Suspect. The show no doubt also introduced many viewers... Continue Reading →
Through Halloween and the spooky season, the performing arts come alive with all things supernatural. From haunted productions to ballet performances inspired by ghostly tales, Halloween has found its place across different mediums of artistic expression. Here's how this eerie season takes center stage in the performing arts and beyond. 1. Musical Theater: Spooky Songs... Continue Reading →
Cher. The sort of name that deserves its own paragraph. The original single-name superstar, she is celebrated in The Cher Show, a glitzy Broadway production that chronicles her one-of-a-kind career. (The Cher Show will be presented in Morsani Hall, Jan. 14-19). The Cher Show, which will make its appearance in Carol Morsani Hall this January.... Continue Reading →
Shinichi Suzuki noticed something so obvious he’d never noticed it before: All Japanese children spoke Japanese. This revelation led to a revolution in music education. At the Patel Conservatory, Suzuki violin has been the entry point to learning music for a great number of students, many of whom continue their progress in Patel programs. It’s... Continue Reading →
National Dance Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of September, as is Batman Day. What’s the connection? The Batusi, obviously: https://youtu.be/LFHY0NBsoNU?si=vVwyRSpyWFvT_S0M And doesn’t this wrap those two up with a little Bat-bow on top? But since we’ve already written about Batman Day, let’s focus on the feet. National Dance Day was established in 2010... Continue Reading →
The first Batman Day was celebrated July 24, 2014, a little more than a year after the first Superman Day, because you know how those boys get. Now it’s celebrated on the third Saturday of September. This year that’s Sept. 21, which means Batman Day celebrants will have an answer when Earth, Wind & Fire... Continue Reading →
We’re in the middle of a contentious presidential race, exacerbating the already deep divisions in our electorate. Jobsite’s production of POTUS, then, will remind audiences that there’s at least one thing the left and right can agree on: government and politics are still comedy gold mines. Subtitled Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying... Continue Reading →
Several factors influenced Matthew Wolf’s decision to join the Straz as its new chief operating officer. COO Matthew Wolf. Photo by Jeremy Daniel. There’s the Straz’s reputation as both an entertainment and an educational facility, and the potential to grow both of those operations. There’s the city of Tampa itself, expanding economically and culturally, creating... Continue Reading →
Well before the play’s first murder, Lady Macbeth establishes her place among Shakespeare’s most treacherous characters with this invocation: Come, you spiritsThat tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,And fill me from the crown to the toe top-fullOf direst cruelty. Make thick my blood.Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse,That no compunctious visitings of... Continue Reading →
National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Jackson recently visited The Straz, learning about Straz Salutes, The Straz’s multifaceted military outreach program. As one of 11 charter Creative Forces® community network organizations, the Straz Salutes program has served Tampa Bay’s military community since 2017. Funding for the program initially was supported by grants from the... Continue Reading →
Competition was baked into hip-hop from the start. Rap battles tested an MC’s rhymes and flow. DJs and writers (graffiti artists) duked it out using turntables and spray paint, respectively. Breaking, hip-hop’s fourth element, went global in the ‘90s, spawning competitions on five continents. The finest from those battles will be among the b-boys and... Continue Reading →
Judging from the flow of school-age dancers, musicians and thespians who keep our Patel Conservatory lively, one might surmise that it exclusively serves younger aspiring performers. Patel also has plenty of classes, workshops and lessons for adults in dance, theater and music. “We believe it’s important to offer classes for all ages and all skills... Continue Reading →
This was a union conceived on broadcast television, nurtured in the overheated, micro-obsessional womb of the internet and born, finally, on a London stage Wednesday, 10 July, this year of twenty and twenty-four: Cypress Hill with the London Symphony Orchestra. Because the internet continues to be overheated and micro-obsessional, fans of Cypress Hill, the LSO... Continue Reading →
A group of young Patel Conservatory performers is ready to transform TECO Theater into one of the most famous swamps on screen or stage. Middle school-aged actors will take the stage as Fiona, Donkey, Farquaad and our favorite ogre to present Shrek the Musical Jr. Based on the Broadway musical (and the film on which... Continue Reading →