Deborah Bostock-Kelley - Page 17

Today, live shooter drills in elementary, middle and high school are as normal as fire drills, but twenty years ago, school shootings weren't commonplace. When Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris went on a shooting spree on April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado that killed 15 and injured 20, it became part of a history that we have yet to be able to escape, a division of 'Before Columbine' and 'After Columbine.' On January 10-20, Innovocative Theatre, known for their thought-provoking, edgy performances, will bring COLUMBINUS, a mixture of fact and fiction, to Stageworks. Leading an eight-person ensemble are Nick Hoop and Ryan Fisher in the roles of Eric and Dylan.

We asked our editors to pick out 9 shows to look forward to in 2019! Check out Deborah Bostock-Kelley's list of theatre to watch for Tampa/St. Petersburg!

On Thursday, January 3, the lyrics of NEXT TO NORMAL battered us. Our hearts broke for Dan and Natalie, watching his wife, her mother struggling with a terrible loss, with highest highs and lowest lows of mental illness and trying help as best they could, often getting caught in the crossfire.

Imagine combing through 500 diverse submissions of new works to choose selections to perform during the third annual 21ST CENTURY VOICES: NEW PLAY FESTIVAL at American Stage. Producing Artistic Director Stephanie Gularte and a committee of 40 members read and evaluated each new play and selected five outstanding plays for staged readings on January 3-6, 2019.

A passion project for the cast, directed by Devan Kelty and musically directed by Joseph Scarbrough, 'Next to Normal' centers on a mother who struggles with mental illness and the impact on her family. Featuring a live band of 5 musicians and running January 3-11, 'Next to Normal' showcases a small cast of seven: Bethany S. Moore as Diana, Erin Johnson as Diana, Gabriel Flores as Dan, Rachel Rodriguez as Natalie, Devan Kelty as Gabe, Zach Finley as Henry and Nic Harrington as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine.

Something extraordinary is coming to Powerstories Theatre during Women's History Month in March 7-24, 2019. If as a female, you've ever wanted to place to display your creative self - be it music, theatre, storytelling, poetry, dance, or art - SHEVOLUTION is a very special event and Powerstories a haven for talented women.

Whether you find Betty Taylor socially irresponsible or admirable for wanting to share her love with a family of 12, "Raising Twelve on a Nickel and a Prayer" is a special holiday treat. The true-story musical written by Fran Powers about her parents and siblings, with music by Terez Hartmann, has everything needed to become a holiday classic: romance, family, drama, comedy and tons and tons of heart.

Playing through December 25 at Show Palace Dinner Theatre, in Holiday Incorporated, it doesn't matter what you celebrate, multitalented actor, director and playwright Jonathan Van Dyke has you covered in a musical tale about an elf named Ivy who's lost her love for the holidays and the five magical board members who help her find her way back to believing.

If a time machine could bring Chicago crooner Evan Tyrone Martin back to the decades where Nat King Cole, hailed as one of the best and most influential vocalists, pianists and small-group leaders of the swing era, was brilliantly entertaining audiences, the question he would ask the American legend is simple: Am I doing this right?

To say something magical happened last night in Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center would be like describing The Texas Tenors as just three gorgeous singers from Texas. Magic doesn't fully encompass what happened in that hall as the enormous vocals of John Hagen, Marcus Collins, and JC Fisher enveloped us, filled up the entire theatre for 'The Texas Tenors: Deep in the Heart of Christmas.'

Despite a laundry list of accolades, awards, and loyal fans, you can't get much more down to earth than the men from The Texas Tenors. First introduced by America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon as 'classical music meets cattle ranchers,' The Texas Tenors' rise to fame has been nothing short of whirlwind.

What do you get when you cross the unruly Herdman children with a sacred church Christmas Pageant? Debuting November 29-December 2 in the Straz Center for the Performing Arts' TECO Theater, you get a family-friendly show bursting with holiday cheer. Featuring a cast of 44 students from grades two through college, the Straz Center's Patel Conservatory will present The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Whether you loved the characters of 'Pride and Prejudice' or know nothing about them, you are sure to adore what director Stephanie Gularte calls a 'romantic, holiday comedy.' 'Mary Bennet in 'Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberly,' makes its holiday debut at American Stage on November 28 - December 30.

With tongue firmly planted in cheek, from the imagination of local playwright Joe Pauly comes the outrageous tale of Ebenezer Scungili, the heat-toting Italian olive oil import company proprietor (wink-wink-nudge-nudge) and his miserly, Christmas-hating ways. In this clever adaption of the holiday favorite, 'A Christmas Cannoli' is what happens when 'Casino,' 'Godfather 1, 2, and 3' meet 'A Christmas Carol' and birth an illegitimate, blue-humored, sarcastic baby.

Just in time for the holidays comes a musical, spanning 1950 to 1966, about a mother of 12. "Raising Twelve on a Nickel and a Prayer" was written by playwright and Powerstories Theatre founder Fran Taylor Powers' in honor of her parents and to show that everyone has a dream.

When interviewing the eloquent young actor debuting in the beloved "A Christmas Story, The Musical" it's nearly impossible to believe Seth Black-Diamond is only 12 and he has just 6 years of experience under his belt. This charismatic young man has journeyed from Patel Conservatory and community theatre to being cast as the "triple-dog darer" Schwartz in the national tour of this holiday favorite beginning November 19.

On November 9-17, Eugene O'Neill's words come vividly to life in the CWP Black Box at Carrollwood Players. Directed by Zach "Hippie" Griswold, featuring Madison Claire Rice as Josie Hogan, Bo Smith as Jim Tyrone, Thomas Pahl as Phil Hogan, Constantine Kyriakou as T. Steadman Harder, and Joel Ferrer as Mike Hogan, A Moon for the Misbegotten written in 1943 still resonates today.

Written by ProComm Theatre Troupe's founder and artistic director Martha Velez, PhD, the original musical comedy, 'Amazing Wild Knights' tells the story of women being unfulfilled by the lack of opportunities in show business.

Should you ever need to be a lodger in the warm and inviting Brooklyn home of sisters, Abby and Martha Brewster, and you are a male of any age, never admit to being someone without family ties or friends and even more importantly, no matter how delicious the wine is claimed to be, be a teetotaler. Even the tiniest sip of the sister's homemade Elderberry wine should never pass your lips, unless you want an unpleasant surprise and demise.

Just in time for Halloween, a sexy, brooding vampire has taken Carrollwood Players Theatre captive. With sound and lighting effects reminiscent of a vintage serial, "Dracula: A Vampire Play," is the story of Count Dracula played with eerie conviction by Michael C de Baca and his three fanged wives (Crystal Marie, Brooke Olivia Wendt, and LaBree Hans).