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The perennial Best of the Bay-winning American Stage Theatre Company is offering a fantastic package for the theater fan: A subscription/Flex Pass good for six admissions to their 2009-2010 season. Choose from among This Wonderful Life, Blithe Spirit, Driving Miss Daisy, Seafarer and David Mamet’s political comedy November. And then the piéce de resistance: two tickets and a walk-on role in costume in next summer’s American Stage in the Park production at Demens Landing: the wild and woolly rock musical Hair. (Note we said “in costume” — you won’t have to get naked.)

Current High Bid: $60.

Place your bid below:

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Nothing says holiday cheer like spending time with the author of In Cold Blood (about the brutal murder of an entire family) and Breakfast At Tiffany’s (about a high-class hooker). But sometimes, Christmas traditions are re-imagined — like in A Truman Capote Christmas, which opens next week at American Stage.

This is the autobiographical story of the author’s childhood in which he is sent from his comfortable, familiar home to live with the father he has never met. Along the way, Capote (pictured left, with his father) discovers the truth about his past, his father and Santa Claus. Not From Texas acoustic band accompanies the show. Nov. 23-30, 7:30 p.m. Sun.-Mon., 8 p.m. Weds. and Fri.-Sat., American Stage, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg, “pay what you can” admission, americanstage.org. – Franki Weddington

It’s hard enough to wrangle a hip group of artists/musicians/designers/models together at the same place and time, but it’s even harder to convince anyone to come see the spectacle. The visionaries at Square One do just that with scenester-crowded, can’t-miss-‘em shindigs — like Saturday’s eco-themed Magnum Opus — that draw party people in droves. More than 75 visual artists display their work (among them CL faves like Bluelucy, Kat Wilson, KLAAREN and Robert Wegmann), Jeremy Gloff hosts his album release party, and dance and fashion shows by Bella Danza, Enigma Dance Kru, Kinetic Dance Group and Wear To The Tear Fashion mean that there’s always something shiny and new to look at onstage. The cherry on top is that this nightlong shindig is completely gratis. Sat., Nov. 14, 7-10 p.m. , The Ritz Ybor, 1503 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City, free, squareoneflorida.com. – Franki Weddington

What goes together better than wine and blues? The holy union (which drew more than 30,000 folks downtown last year) gets its due this weekend at Dunedin Wines the Blues, when the Suncoast Blues Society heats things up at Dunedin’s Second Friday Art and Wine Walk and a blues jam takes the stage to accompany the arts and crafts, food and wine vendors. The real party gets started on Saturday, with an all-day jazz and blues jam-session that welcomes Grammy-nom John Lee Hooker, Jr., The Steve Arvey Horn Band, Kathy Jo and The Bluzification Band to the stage. Visit dunedinwinestheblues.info for more info. Nov. 13-14, 5:30-10:30 p.m. Fri., 5-11 p.m. Sat., Downtown Dunedin, free. Read the rest of this entry »

The City of Tampa’s fiendish plot to have you get up at an insanely early hour of the morning and groggily lace up your sneakers continues this Saturday with Keeping Tampa Fit. The biannual event is devoted to increasing awareness of personal health and the city’s numerous parks, while also offering the chance to keep up stride-for-stride with Mayor Pam Iorio (pictured, center), who plans on strolling four miles. As if that weren’t incentive enough, the first 200 registrants will receive a free T-shirt commemorating the event, which participants can then proudly wear to showcase their dedication to receiving free T-shirts. Sure you’d rather sleep in on what is likely your day off, but just think how good that coffee and artery-hardening cheesy omelet are going to taste when you reward yourself for forsaking a few extra hours of peaceful slumber. No pain, no gain, right? Sat., Nov. 7, Rowlett Park, 2501 River Hills Drive. Registration starts at 6:30 am, the walk begins at 7:30 am. Call the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department at 813-274-8615 for more info. – Anthony Salveggi Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. There’s nothing cozier than a handmade quilt on a cold winter night, but these blankets with humble beginnings have been elevated to the upper echelons of art at the Florida International Museum, which debuts two new quilt collections on Friday.

Rooted in Tradition: Art Quilts includes dozens of diverse works from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, which incorporate visual rather than practical elements like found objects, canvas, paper and paint. Sew – It’s Art! is a collection of quilts from Pinellas County’s quilt guilds that explores local history via the traditions, subjects, techniques and materials that combine to create our own colorful local quilt. (Pictured: French Braid Mountain Tops by Betsy Schobert) On display Nov. 6-Jan. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun., Florida International Museum, 244 2nd Ave N., St. Petersburg, $8, $6 seniors and military, $5 students, 727-821-1448, spcollege.edu/FIMuseum. – Franki Weddington

After the break: From Havana to Hell’s Kitchen: A Latin Cabaret Read the rest of this entry »

Good improv requires a lot more than acting talent. It requires intelligence, a wide-ranging imagination, split-second decision-making and an unfailing instinct for what’s comic in the human condition. Where Gavin Hawk and Ricky Wayne of The Dumb Show (photo, L-R) are concerned, it also means the willingness to appear utterly ridiculous in front of a crowdful of strangers. Whether impersonating Britney Spears trying to make up with Kevin Federline, a sadistic father and his horrified son playing racquetball, or two U.S. Airway pilots overshooting their destination by several hundred miles, Hawk and Wayne repeatedly aim for the dangerous heights – or is it depths? – of vulnerability, absurdity, insanity and just plain silliness. They’re not always successful, but at their best they find more humor in their unscripted hijinks than most actors ever find in the most celebrated of comic texts. If you love to laugh, you ought to give them a look. Read the rest of this entry »

In the midst of its successful run of Woman in Black, Gorilla Theatre presents a one-night-only staged reading of Stay, a new play by Sheila Cowley, starring Eugenie Bondurant, Christopher Rutherford, Nicole Jeannine Smith, Fred Lasday, and Bridget Bean. Remember in Misery, when Kathy Bates holds her favorite writer hostage, and goes at his ankles with a sledgehammer when he tries to escape? (Sorry in advance to the three of you who haven’t seen it.) Stay takes a closer look at that form of dark, all-consuming obsession that sometimes passes for love. Tues., Oct. 27, Gorilla Theatre, 4199 N. Hubert Ave., Tampa, 813-879-2914 for reservations; no online reservations accepted, gorillatheatre.com. Read the rest of this entry »

At Thrill the World, St. Pete joins MJ fans across the world in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Largest Simultaneous Dance — in this case, the famous, phantasmic Thriller dance. The Pier hosts music, food, activities and a pre-dance lesson for anyone who needs to learn the monster moves. Then, Michael Jackson achieves what no world leader ever has: a world united – united by zombies. No word on whether Obama’s participating, but we hope to see everyone from the local Blockbuster guy to the Prez paying tribute to the one-gloved man. Come in your most dashing undead duds, and an on-site make-up artist adds scabs and scars to make sure that you thrill and terrify like the real thing. Sat., Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m. sign-in, 8:30 p.m. dance, The Pier, 800 Second Ave. N.E., St. Petersburg, free admission; $5 zombie make-up, thrillstpete.com. – Franki Weddington

Hello voracious readers, welcome to heaven. Seriously, the St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading is a nice reminder that in 2009, people still read theses little things called books. Held on the USF St. Petersburg campus, this lovely celebration of the written word features book signings, panel discussions, entertainment, family activities, refreshments, and various booksellers and exhibitors. There are also book signings by Read the rest of this entry »

American Stage’s After Hours Series returns with Paul Rudnick’s new comedy, The New Century, which has gotten some pretty good press — the New York Post warns that there are “so many gut-busting one-liners that those with heart conditions are advised to steer clear.” Here’s the set-up: Helene brags on her three gay sons at her Long Island chapter of POLGBTQCCCO: Parents of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, The Transgendered, The Questioning, The Curious, The Creatively Concerned and Others. Mr. Charles, on the other hand, is finding his flamboyant ways a bit of a drag. The new gay order of NYC exiles him, and Charles now spends his time with a hunka-hunka burnin’ love named Shane, with whom he produces a cable TV show called Too Gay? On the other side of the world (or so it seems) Midwestern Barbara, a competitive cake decorator and craftswoman, has lost a son to AIDS. When the three drastically different characters collide, expect a lot of laughs tossed with a hefty dose of poignancy. Oct. 20-Nov. 1, 7 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., American Stage, 163 3rd Street N., St. Petersburg, $20, $10 student rush tickets 30 minutes prior to curtain, 27-823-7529, americanstage.org. – Franki Weddington Read the rest of this entry »

Eckerd College’s new exhibit, The Jim Crow Effect: Drinking From the Fountain, includes artifacts from that tension-fraught era in American history. Today, Dr. Cody L. Clark, an artist, musician and collector of Jim Crow memorabilia and Professor Randolph Lightfoot, President of the African American History Museum Board, discuss the importance of the images for understanding the past. (Pictured: memorabilia on display in The Jim Crow Effect) Weds., Oct 14, 3 p.m., on display Oct. 9-16, Eckerd College, 4200 54th Avenue S., St. Petersburg, eckerd.edu/events.

Under the steady baton of conductor Jack Heller, the Tampa Bay Symphony performs selections from the German masters, including Mendelssohn’s “The Beautiful Melusine Overture,” Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica,” and French Horn soloist Kurt Klotz offers Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1. The symphony visits several locations this week, including: Sun., Oct. 11, 4 p.m., Ferguson Hall, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa; Weds., Oct. 14, 8 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Rd., Clearwater; and Fri., Oct. 16, 8 p.m., Mahaffey Theater, 400 Firs St. S., St. Petersburg; $20, tampabaysymphony.com. Read the rest of this entry »

“So turn it up and break it down / Come on bring that beatbox back,” frontwoman Maja Ivarsson demands in a haughty girl tone to the New Wave dance rock of Swedish fivesome The Sounds. Deemed by Blender as one of the “Hottest Women in Rock,” Ivarsson brings sex appeal to the band’s image and vivacious energy to their live show. The Sounds’ Crossing the Rubicon (out this June) is their third album in 10 years and Rolling Stone summed it up in one succinct hypothetical: “What’s Swedish for ‘meh?’” Foxy Shazam opens. Tues., Sept. 29, 7 p.m., The Ritz Ybor, 1503 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City, $17 in advance/$19 dos., ritzybor.com. — Leilani Polk

If you lamented last summer’s news that Largo’s Gulf Coast Museum of Art would close, take heart: in March, St. Petersburg College stepped in and acquired the now-defunct museum’s collection before it could leave the area. It’s the last week to see the resulting exhibit at SPC’s Florida International Museum, In a New Light: Selections from the Gulf Coast Museum of Art Collection, an exhibition of works from the collection that features art and fine craft by more than 125 regional, national and internationally known artists, among them, Salvador Dalí, Clyde Butcher, Miriam Schapiro and Sam Gilliam. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This weekend marks the return of American Stage’s August Wilson series, the third in a ten-year commitment to producing each of the acclaimed African-American playwright’s major works. (Check out what CL theater critic Mark Leib thought of the first two shows in the series, King Hedley II and Gem of the Ocean.)

August Wilson’s best play, Fences, is about Troy Maxson, an African-American rubbish collector whose bitterness and sense of lost opportunities make him a problematic husband and father. Set in Pittsburgh in 1957, it’s also about a time when new opportunities for black citizens were slowly becoming real, but the indignities of the past were too raw to be forgotten. As in all Wilson’s plays, the language is poetic, the characters are indelible, and the metaphors — including, in this case, the trumpet carried by Troy’s brain-damaged brother Gabriel — are brilliant. What happens to a dream deferred? Wilson’s answer is riveting. (Pictured: Evander Duck, Jr., Travus Leroux and Jayne Trinette in Fences) Sept. 25-Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 3 p.m. matinee Sat.-Sun; Previews Sept. 19-20 and 23-24, 3 and 8 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., 7:30 p.m. Weds.-Thurs., American Stage, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg, $26-$45, $10 student rush tickets 30 minutes prior to curtain; Sun., Sept. 20 and Tues., Sept. 29 are “pay what you can” admission, americanstage.org. – Mark Leib

I’m not a big crier, but when I went to see American Stage’s production of Tuesdays with Morrie, I reminded myself to think happy thoughts. It was useless. Tuesdays is about a reporter who visits his former professor every week. Sounds nice until you find out that teach has Lou Gehrig’s disease. Fortunately, my nose-blowing went unnoticed in the cacophony of sniffles and the manly variety of throat-clearing that covers for crying. (Pictured: Michael Edwards and Chaz Mena in Tuesdays with Morrie.)

[About Daily Best of the Bay: From now through mid-September, CL writers and editors are providing sneak peeks of some of their selections in advance of the Best of the Bay Issue Sept. 16. The polls are now closed for the Readers' Poll portion of Best of the Bay, but you'll find all the winners in the BOTB issue. See you at The Loafies on Sept. 15!]

August Wilson’s best play, Fences, is about Troy Maxson, an African-American rubbish collector whose bitterness and sense of lost opportunities make him a problematic husband and father.

Set in Pittsburgh in 1957, it’s also about a time when new opportunities for black citizens were slowly becoming real, but the indignities of the past were too raw to be forgotten.

As in all Wilson’s plays, the language is poetic, the characters are indelible, and the metaphors — including, in this case, the trumpet carried by Troy’s brain-damaged brother Gabriel — are brilliant. What happens to a dream deferred? Wilson’s answer is riveting.

American Stage, Sept. 25-Oct. 11, 163 Third St. N, St. Petersburg, 727-823-PLAY, www.americanstage.org.

Read more CL’s Fall Arts Preview.

It’s fitting that one of the most high-profile events of the fall arts season is a musical adaptation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, because lately it’s seemed we’ve all been headed down the rabbit hole. The No-Bama crowd calls for the truth about healthcare, but traffics in outright lies. The president says the so-called public option is a key aspect of his plan, then says it isn’t, then says it is. The St. Petersburg Times wins a Pulitzer for PolitiFact, then backs a mayoral candidate, Bill Foster, who believes in such “facts” as this statement: “None of Darwin’s theories can be replicated or proven in a laboratory…”
So what’s all this got to do with the fall arts season? Easy. If you’re starved for the truth, start listening to artists. Read the rest of this entry »

The Suncoast AIDS Theatre Project presents Die, Mommie, Die, another installment in the The Summer Nights of Alternative Theater Series, which benefits the Metropolitan Charities, providing services to locals living with HIV and AIDS. The show is a campy, comedic melodrama that borrows from 1960s thriller flicks. It follows Angela (played by Matt McGee), who poisons her husband via suppository (ew). Angela’s vengeful daughter convinces her brother to kill their mother. When Angela drinks the LSD-laced coffee he gives her, all of her dark secrets come tumbling out. Mon., Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m., American Stage, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg, all shows are “pay what you can admission,” americanstage.org.

At tonight’s Anti-Aging and Weight Management Cooking Class, “Healthy Chef” Sherell White shares nutrition facts, which foods in your diet are costing you calories, and what to replace them with, before her cooking demonstration. The menu includes: herb-seasoned Alaskan sockeye salmon, sherry-peppered tofu steaks, broccoli-cabbage slaw, brown rice pilaf, gluten-free chocolate buckwheat donuts and more. Mon. Aug. 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Aquastone Spa, 300 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg $45, 727-823-4636.

In the ’90s, cult-TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000 turned trashing a flick into an art form. Despite the show’s cancellation, former host Michael J. Nelson just can’t leave the bad movies of the world alone. Nelson is the driving force behind Rifftrax.com, a variation on MST3K’s shtick, only now you download the audio commentary tracks and synch them yourself. Rifftrax has done well enough that they’re taking the show on the road — sort of. Local theaters host  a live airing of Rifftrax: Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space (pictured) from the Belcourt Theater in Nashville, Tenn. Joining Mike for the cutting commentary are MST3K staples Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett. Visit fathomevents.com for ticket prices and info. The show screens at two local theaters, including: Citrus Stadium Park Mall 20, 7999 Citrus Park Town Center Mall, Tampa; and Regency 20, 2496 Brandon Blvd., Brandon. Thu., Aug. 20, 8 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »

As a freelance artist I find myself in a lull of productivity sometimes.  In the springtime I tend to do a lot of administrative work for the Access Arts Scholarship program for the Patel Conservatory, so my artistic side isn’t being shopped out to other companies as much (i.e. I don’t audition for shows during that time.)

In these times I always think I am going to dust off that script of the one-woman show I’ve always wanted to work on.  Problem is, when you do a one-person project it seems like you have to do all the work for yourself; be your own motivator, be responsible to only yourself.  It’s hard to pull through on the deliverables when it is only you that you have to answer to.

Well, local actor Curtis Belz found the gumption, self-motivation, and two friends (eventually more), to pull off Danny Hoch’s (pictured) Jails, Hospitals and Hip-hop, a one-man show demanding that he play several personas, including Flip, a good ol’ boy from the Midwest who has come to identify with urban hip-hoppers; Bronx, a sidewalk vendor who gets pinched for selling without a license; and Sam, a prison guard with an anger management problem — evidenced by his beating a prisoner nearly to death. The show is playing tonight as Jobsite’s latest Job-side project. This is the second of two preview performances before its full incarnation in September at HCC Ybor. Read the rest of this entry »

Nova 535 has your Tuesday night covered with an Art Tweet Up and the Size Matters exhibit, which closes this week.

As if you had anything else to do on a Tuesday night besides watch Jeopardy reruns, NOVA provides all the incentive you need to get outta the house at their Art Tweet Up, with free hors d’oeuvres and a collection of artists and art-lovers to hang out with. C’mon; Alex Trebek can wait ’til next Tuesday. Size Matters is an exhibit of large works that play on the idea of size, with pieces by more than 20 Florida artists, including local faves BlueLucy, Frank Strunk III, Hugsmugglers, Tes One, Bask and others. The works are on display through Aug. 21. (Pictured: a Tes One spray paint on wood painting, weighing in at a whopping 10′x11′) Art Tweet Up, Tue., Aug. 18, 6-10 p.m., NOVA 535 Art Lounge, 535 Ninth St. N., St. Petersburg. free, nova535.com. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Today’s edition is a fundraising theater event at American Stage.

The Suncoast AIDS Theatre Project presents Die, Mommie, Die, next week’s installment in the The Summer Nights of Alternative Theater Series. The show benefits the Metropolitan Charities, providing services to locals living with HIV and AIDS. The show is a campy, comedic melodrama that borrows from 1960s thriller flicks. It follows Angela (played by Matt McGee), who poisons her husband via suppository. Angela’s vengeful daughter convinces her brother to kill their mother. When Angela drinks the LSD-laced coffee he gives her, all of her dark secrets come tumbling out. (Pictured: Joey Panek, Matt McGee and Joey Panek in Die, Mommie, Die) Visit americanstage.org for more info. Aug. 17 and 24, Mon., 7:30 p.m., American Stage, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg, all shows are “pay what you can” admission.

Time’s winding down to see Release, an exhibit by artist and skateboarder Dan Lasata, who unveils his skate-life-influenced works in his first public show. The pro ‘boarder is inspired by skateboard graffiti, and combines painting and sketchwork to create his trippy, graphic images. On display through August 13. (Pictured: an unnamed work by Lasata featured in the Release exhibit) Cafe Bohemia, 128 Third St. S., St.Petersburg, 727-895-4495.

Part of American Stage’s After Hours Series, Circumference of a Squirrel was named one of the top ten plays of 2008 by theater critic Mark Leib following its run at Studio@620 last year. Acclaimed by Leib as “darkly comic,” it’s a one-man play that spins circles of meaning around the character Chester, a tortured, obsessive young man preoccupied with everything but the task at hand. A self-diagnosed “rodentophobe,” he frets ceaselessly about his parents, his ex-wife and the constant threat of rabies. Chester shares details about his father’s irrational fear of squirrels and disease, a childhood burden that in turn infected Chester’s own life. Aug. 4-22, 7:30 p.m. Tues., 10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., American Stage, 211 Third St. S., St. Petersburg, all performances are “pay what you can” admission, americanstage.org.

What a gift John Patrick Shanley gave to middle-aged-and-over actresses when he brought Doubt to the stage. The role of Sister Aloysius is the sort performers dream about: dominating, unpredictable, withering, unwittingly comic, getting by not on glamour but on ugly old self-righteousness, mean-spirited certainty and unflappable overconfidence. Sister Aloysius is a Dirty Harry of a nun, unbothered by fine moral distinctions, and willing to plug any culprit she suspects of malfeasance, sufficient evidence or not. She’s the perfect anti-heroine for our youth-obsessed, politically correct culture, the Shadow figure we’ve all repressed in favor of Miley Cyrus. Sure, she’s a bad-tempered old prune. Nevertheless, she’s quite wonderful. All she’s missing is a pistol and the words “Make my day.”

Still, she does have tricks of her own — and as played by Christine Decker (above) in the fine production at American Stage (which I saw in a preview), she’s willing to use them all to demolish a young priest whom she suspects of sexual misconduct. In case you’ve already seen the film with Meryl Streep as Aloysius, let me assure you that there’s still reason to visit the stage version starring Decker. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s the final week to see The Disappeared: Native American Images from the Drapkin Collection. Every great collection starts with a single purchase. For Dr. Robert Drapkin, a series of striking, sepia-toned Native American portraits by Edward S. Curtis provided an entrée into collecting photography years ago; these days, the Clearwater oncologist frequently lends images from his vast and varied collection to Bay area institutions. The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts presents this exhibition featuring more than 60 Native American-themed images from Drapkin’s collection by artists including the famed and sometimes controversial Curtis (who has been faulted for ‘exoticizing’ native cultures), Joseph Kossuth Dixon, William Henry Blackmore and the Gerhard Sisters. (Pictured: Shavenhead [right] and Buckskin Charlie and To-Wee from The Disappeared collection) Through July 25, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, 200 N. Tampa St., Tampa, $4 suggested donation, 813-221-2222, fmopa.org. – Megan Voeller

Nuns are the only topic I’ve ever heard my very religious (though no longer Catholic) grandmother swear about—she often rails against the viciously bad habits (har, har!) of the sisters at her parochial high school. In defense of nuns everywhere, American Stage debuts the Tony-winning play, Doubt, tonight. Set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s, Sister Aloysius is convinced that Father Flynn is having his way with the school’s first and only African-American student. Despite the parodied plotline, Sister Aloysius has only her nunly instinct and circumstantial evidence to combat Father Flynn’s vehement denials. Is she the only person willing to stand up for the student’s rights, or will she ruin an innocent man’s reputation without just cause? No secrets are revealed until the final curtain. July 22-Aug. 16, 7:30 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 3 and 8 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., American Stage Theatre, 163 3rd St. N., St. Petersburg, $22-$35, $10 student rush tickets 30 minutes prior to curtain, 727-823-7529, americanstage.org. — Franki Weddington

Welcome to the latest edition of our new blog, Radar, a rundown of upcoming events worthy of marking your calendar for. Today we’re previewing a dark comedy from freefall Theatre:

The newest installment in American Stage’s After Hours Series is Circumference of a Squirrel — a production that got a rave review from Mark Leib when it ran at Studio@620 in December — and the perfect solution for theater lovers on a budget (not to mention anyone who finds themselves stuck at work during normal playtime hours). Previous After Hours projects include cult favorites like Thom Paine (based on nothing) and Reefer Madness — and Circumference promises to continue the slightly off-kilter, really kooky, totally entertaining trend. As the title implies, this dark comedy spins circles of meaning orbiting a one-man performance about Chester, a tortured, obsessive young man preoccupied with everything but the task at hand. A self-diagnosed “rodentophobe,” he frets ceaselessly about his parents, his ex-wife and the constant threat of rabies. Chester shares details about his father’s irrational fear of squirrels and disease, a childhood burden that in turn infected Chester’s own life. Mark Leib said, “Gavin Hawk gives a manic, hilarious and heartbreaking performance,” and that if “you like your comedy dark and exceedingly disturbing, you
won’t want to miss this.” (Pictured: Gavin Hawk as Chester, courtesy actorscraft.com) Aug. 4-22, 7:30 p.m. Tues., 10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., American Stage Theatre, 163 Third St. N., St. Petersburg, all performances are “pay what you can” admission, 727-823-7529, americanstage.org. – Franki Weddington

Editor’s Note: Actor/director/teacher/playwright Ami Sallee Corley (right) continues her series of posts about the challenges of being a freelance artist in Tampa Bay. This week’s topic: Auditions.

One of the major factors in being a successful freelance actor is getting work, right?  Well ask any actor in the Bay area how to find out when auditions are happening and you’ll get as many answers as people you ask.

There is no one-stop shopping spot where people list auditions.  If there is, it has got to be Tampa’s best-kept secret.  Raise your hand if you knew that Jobsite just held their 2009-2010 season auditions last week and that American Stage held their auditions over a month ago?  Most other theaters are participating in the Tampa Area Unified Auditions next weekend, hosted by HCC Ybor. Read the rest of this entry »

Today being Tuesday and all (and the ever-popular and much-needed “pay-what-you can night”), it’s only appropriate to see Tuesdays with Morrie before it ends this weekend. American Stage makes a triumphant return with a new performance space and production, Mitch Albom’s tear-jerker, Tuesdays With Morrie. The much-loved local theater company gives a nod to “celebrating the past while moving on to a better place” with this play, based on the novel that spent four years on the New York Times bestseller list, The story was repackaged for the stage by Jeffrey Hatcher, who maintains every shred of comedic poignancy. Spoiler alert, folks: the story is, to be blunt, downright heart-wrenching. With his signature charming intimacy, Albom details his weekly conversations with his former college professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is dying from Lou Gehrig’s disease. Sure, there are plenty of funny bits that relieve the morbidity, but bring a hanky and be prepared to use it. Despite being a story about, you know, dying, Tuesdays with Morrie gives life lessons on happiness, acceptance, love and values. Which only goes to show that you can’t keep a good man down — and it looks like the same goes for theater companies. (Pictured: Michael Edwards and Chaz Mena in Tuesdays with Morrie) Through July 5, 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 3 and 8 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., no matinee performance on Sat., July 4, Tues., June 30 is “pay what you can night,” American Stage, 163 Third Street N., St. Petersburg, $24-$39, $10 student rush tickets 30 minutes prior to curtain, 727-823-7529, americanstage.org. — Franki Weddington

When it comes to Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco, superlatives that ordinarily seem like lazy word choices — say, for example, “awesome” — turn out to be the only logical reaction to the show. I mean, what else can you say about people who bend themselves into human parentheses in mid-air? About creatures who are part lizard, part human, part bird, who can clamber up poles, hurtle through space, slither across the stage and do all kinds of other things you didn’t know humans could do? About mimes who are genuinely funny, even (or especially) when they’re doing potty jokes? A Cirque staple since its premiere in Montreal in 1992, Saltimbanco is the first of Cirque’s so-called “classic” shows to be reconfigured for large arena-sized stages. It’s an interesting mix of built-up and pared-down. Though the outlandish costuming and quirky characters stamp it as unmistakably Cirque, it also has a playful, almost free-wheeling ambience at times, as if we’ve been invited to some fantastic slumber party where everyone’s going a little nuts. And some of its greatest charms are its simplest, like the Pee Wee Herman-esque clown who stages a hilarious High Noon-style gun duel using imaginary pistols. Be forewarned; his opponent in the duel is an audience “volunteer.” June 25-July 5, 7:30 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, June 25-July 5, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, $42.75- $112.75 (discounted tickets for children 12 and under), 813-287-8844, stpetetimesforum.com. — David Warner

Watch out everybody, Bridget’s unleashed for the summer!

Well, you know, that really is an overstatement ‘cos I’m not much of a late night gal, but the Gorilla Theatre is dark for the summer (which means we don’t have any shows going on and I’m working “normal” hours) so it’s time for me to get out more and …. to see theatre in other places.  This week I went to an All Out Rep show at the Ritz, I visited Arts on 9th, and went to the 5th Annual Night of Alternative Theatre at American Stage in St. Pete.

Oh, and I welcome all your comments on this blog (like “stop writing about yourself already” or “what’s with the strange European punctuation?”) so please chip in, loveys! Read the rest of this entry »

The Suncoast AIDS Theatre Project is proud to announce its 5th Annual Night of Alternative Theatre, Prelude to Pride, Monday, June 15, at the American Stage Theatre Company.  What better way to celebrate this night than putting on a play by Charles Busch, who wrote the campy classics Psycho Beach Party and Vampire Lesbians of Sodom?  This is guaranteed to be an interesting night. Read the rest of this entry »

I had the pleasure of attending the “Theatre 620: Sweets and Shorts” fundraiser Monday night at the gorgeous new American Stage site on 3rd Ave. N. in St. Petersburg. Over 100 people showed up for this Studio@620 event, drank and ate to the accompaniment of Paul Wilborn on piano and Eugenie Bondurant on vocals. I had a good talk with actor Eric Davis about his search for a permanent space for the freeFall Theatre Company, and I was happy to chat with St. Pete poet laureate and CL columnist Peter Meinke and his artist wife Jeanne. Serving drinks was American Stage jack-of-all-trades Andy Orrell, and moving graciously from guest to guest was Studio artistic director and co-founder Bob Devin Jones. After a half hour, we all moved in to the theater proper, where 12 acts presented — among other things — excerpts from Lane DeGregory’s Pulitzer Prize-winning story “The Girl in the Window,” presented in Living Newspaper style, and scenes from Bill Maxwell and Beverly Coyle’s play Parallel Lives and Mark Medoff’s The Same Life Over. Artistic director Jones introduced the readings and dramatizations, and actors included Jones himself, Sharon Scott, Bonnie Agan, Robin O’Dell and Wilborn. Poet Enid Shomer read from her own work, and guitarist Nick White accompanied it all with lovely acoustic music. A quick overview of the audience reminded me of how much good Jones has brought to area arts with his Studio, and how willing the Bay area is to welcome new theaters. It was a delightful evening: and it suggests once again that Tampa/St.Pete has huge potential for growth in the arts.

As a freelance artist, continuing every day is hard.  Really frickin’ hard sometimes.  I have to wake up ready to be my own personal secretary, accountant, publicist, dreamer and doer.  The plus side is that I am my own proverbial boss.  I’ve always thought of myself as a pretty good and fair boss.  I’m now also my own subordinate.  I always thought of myself as a good and hard worker, too.  So this should be cake, right?

Here’s how I make it as a freelance artist.

Read the rest of this entry »

Formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England, UB40 is one of the most successful and durable of the British reggae bands. The group is a two-tone ensemble that scored dozens of hits in the U.K. and a few major smashes in the States, including two — “Red Red Wine” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” — that reached No. 1. The name UB40 is a reference to the unemployment form in England, which I’ve always thought was pretty catchy and clever. Sun., May 3, Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, $35. (Eric Snider)

Celebrate the sights, sounds and tastes of the Far East during Asia Fest, which is held in honor of National Asian Pacific Heritage Month. The event includes cultural performances, a fashion show with native costumes, martial arts demonstrations, the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races, and authentic cuisine from Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. Visit asiafest-tampabay.com for more info. Sat., May 2, 10:30 a.m., St. Pete Times Forum Plaza, Tampa, free, 813-223-1000.

Adrienne Nadeau premieres a new original theater piece, Stereotypes in America, at the Studio@620 this weekend. A diverse cast of green and veteran Bay area actors perform in the play, which covers race, religion and sexuality via a series of monologues told from the viewpoints of a diverse cast of relatable characters. 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., May 1-2, Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, $10. Read the rest of this entry »

Mike Daisey (right) has struck a nerve in regional theaters across the country with his monologue How Theater Failed America, now playing at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan. Depending on your perspective, Failed is either: 1) a necessary corrective to an increasingly corporate theater system that fails to support individual artists; or 2) a self-centered diatribe that ignores the realities of running a professional not-for-profit theater company.

Todd Olson, the producing artistic director of American Stage in St. Petersburg, lands decidedly in the latter camp, and he told Daisey so — in an email Daisey reproduced, and responded to, on his blog.

One theater blogger summed up the exchange this way: “Mike Daisey has been challenged to a cage match by Todd Olson, AD of the American Stage Theatre Company in Tampa FL [sic]. Olson says: balance my budget, wretched actor miscreant; Daisey says: bring it.”

Well, yesterday came round two. Olson wrote back and Daisey printed that email, too, responding to it point by point.

The theatrical blogosphere is abuzz. Read the rest of this entry »

"That's Weird," by Bluelucy at ARTPool.

FRIDAY
Fever Fakers. Opening night for an exhibition of five artists from Young Blood Gallery in Atlanta — notable, says CL art critic Megan Voeller, for fine examples of figurative drawing and painting. April 24-May 22, with opening reception 7-10 p.m. Fri., April 24 at [5]art, #210, West Tampa Center for the Arts, Tampa, 813-340-9056, five-art.com.

International Cinema Series. This week’s selection is My Winnipeg from wildly imaginative Canadian director Guy Maddin, who reinvents his own childhood in via a “docu-fantasia” fusing history with surrealist images and metaphorical myths. Fri., April 24, 7 p.m., Miller Auditorium, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, free.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY
Chicago. You may have seen the movie, but you haven’t fully experienced the down-and-dirty razzle-dazzle of this classic Kander & Ebb musical about murder and showbiz in the Roaring 20s until you’ve seen it on stage. Apr. 24-26, Progress Energy Center for the Arts/Mahaffey Theater. Fri. at 8 p.m.; Sat. at 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun. at 2 & 7:30 p.m. 800-982-2787 or BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

SATURDAY
Super Saiko! The latest show from Bluelucy (Chad Mize and Phillip Clark) includes work (like “That’s Weird,” above right) inspired by Japanese pop culture and by music — “from Of Montreal to Animal Collective, Kanye West to TV on the Radio,” says Mize. April 25-May 7, with opening reception 7 p.m. to midnight, Sat., April 25 ($10 cover) at ARTPool, 919 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-324-3878, artpoolrules.com.

Tampa Does Dallas. What’s not to like about hot chicks on roller skates? This weekend, the badass babes of the Tampa Tantrums meet the Dallas Devils in a roller derby bonanza. This may prove to be the dirtiest day Dallas has seen since Debbie left. Sat., April 25, 8:30 p.m., Skateplex, Temple Terrace, $10 in advance/$12 at the door, 813-989-2122, tampabayderbydarlins.com. (Franki Weddington) Read the rest of this entry »

Altar Boyz. You may think that the era of the boy band is over, but you haven’t met the Altar Boyz. Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham (the not-quite-sure Jewish member) have been working the bingo halls of Ohio to great success. But when destiny brings them to New York, will they take a forbidden bite out of the Big Apple? This irreverent musical, with numbers like “Girl You Make Me Wanna Wait” and “Jesus Called Me on My Cell Phone,” is this year’s American Stage Theater in the Park offering at Demens Landing Park. April 15-May 10, 8 p.m., Weds.-Sun. (talkback dates TBA), Demens Landing Park, corner of First Ave. N. and Bayshore Boulevard S.E., St. Petersburg, $11-$16 lawn/$21-$27 reserved seating, with special “pay what you can” nights April 15-16, 727-823-7529, americanstage.org. (Franki Weddington)

Immigration: Facts and Fears. The 2008-09 season of the 620 Round Table on Social Justice concludes with a discussion about immigration. The goal: to sort out the “facts and fears” about a contentious issue that too often generates lots of heat but little light. Participants include Stacie Blake, executive director for Community Tampa Bay; Juan Pablo Chavez, membership organizer for the Florida Immigrant Coalition; Arturo R. Rios, Esq., immigration law and trial advocacy. Moderated by Bill Felice, Eckerd College Professor of Political Science. Wednesday, April 15, 6-9 p.m. The Studio@620, 620 First Ave S., St. Petersburg.

It’s April 15. Need we say more?

The Bradshaw Mansion is on the Historic Roser Park Home Tour.

When one door closes, another door opens, the saying goes — not an inappropriate sentiment for Easter weekend. It’s especially apt this year — because, as it happens, a number of art exhibitions and stage productions have their final shows this weekend. And speaking of doors, you can see what’s behind the ones in Historic Roser Park during Saturday’s house tour.

FRIDAY APRIL 10
Pompous Circumstance. A USF Senior Thesis BFA exhibition featuring 11 graduating artists. A reception with food, a donation bar and live music begins at 7 p.m. On display through May 1, West Tampa Center for the Arts, 1906 Armenia Ave., Tampa.

Global Lens Film Series: Getting Home. In Zhang Yang’s poignant dramedy, a middle-aged construction worker tries to fulfill a friend’s last wish. 8 p.m., The Studio@620, St. Petersburg, $8 general/$5 students and seniors, 727-895-6620, studioat620.org.

SATURDAY APRIL 11
Historic Roser Park Home Tour. For the seventh annual tour of homes in this lush, hilly St. Pete neighborhood, seven unique properties are featured, including the historic Bradshaw Mansion and the Ronald McDonald House. Sat., April 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., starts from the Ronald McDonald House, 702 Eighth Ave. S., St. Petersburg, $10 in advance/$12 day of event, roserpark.net.

400 Years of the Telescope:  A Journey of Science, Technology and Thought Get a sneak peek at a new film airing next week on WEDU, a cosmic journey through four centuries of astral discoveries. View Saturn and other starry wonders through powerful telescopes, followed by a special planetarium showing of Two Small Pieces of Glass. 400years.org, 6-11 p.m., The Museum of Science and Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813-254-9338 ext. 3013, and The Science Center of Pinellas County, 7701 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-384-0027 ext. 226, $8 adults, $4 kids (free under 4).

Nancy Cervenka: Intersect. Cinematographer-turned-sculptor Cervenka uses long strands of movie film to create dramatic coiled forms in this solo show at C. Emerson Fine Arts. April 11-May 30, with an opening reception and artist’s talk 7-10 p.m. April 11, 909 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-898-6068, c-emersonfinearts.com. (Megan Voeller)

Last chance to see two classics: Final performances of Gilgamesh (3 p.m. at USF) and Lysistrata (3 & 8 p.m. at American Stage). Read the rest of this entry »