There are hundreds of choices throughout the Tampa Bay area for plays and concerts this year, and dozens right here in Pasco and Hernando.
By BSARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN
Published August 1, 2003
Fall is just around the corner, so it's time to get our your date books to see how many plays, musicals, concerts and festivals you can crowd in during the 2003-2004 season.
There are hundreds of choices throughout the Tampa Bay area, and dozens of the best are right here within the borders of Pasco and Hernando counties.
This week, we'll present several of them; in future weeks, we'll publish others.
SHOW PALACE DINNER THEATRE
The Show Palace Dinner Theatre's eighth year roster of shows has three huge Broadway favorites, two musical revues and a big, traditional Christmas show.
The theater is at 16138 U.S. 19, Hudson.
Aug. 29-Sept. 28: The World Goes Round, a musical revue featuring songs of John Kander and Fred Ebb from Cabaret, Funny Lady, Chicago, Zorba, Kiss of the Spider Woman, including the favorite songs, New York, New York, All That Jazz and Cabaret.
Oct. 3-Nov. 22: A Chorus Line, Marvin Hamlisch's blockbuster musical about 18 dancers vying for eight spots in a Broadway musical's chorus line. It features the songs What I Did for Love, At the Ballet, Nothing and One.
Nov. 28-Dec. 25: Christmas Spectacular. After a foray into a mod-pop-gospel holiday show in 2002, the Show Palace is returning to a more traditional show this year, according to Show Palace co-owner Nick Sessa and artistic director John Vincent Leggio. The show will have high-energy dancing, singing and colorful costumes and sets, but this year's version will also have traditional Christmas songs and a segment devoted to Hanukkah.
Jan. 2-Feb. 22: Chicago, the Musical, the wickedly funny Kander, Ebb and Bob Fosse musical that has two gorgeous jailbird women with a slick lawyer manipulating the media to make them all famous.
Feb. 27-April 11: ShowBoat, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's masterpiece about the heartaches and triumphs of the singers, dancers and actors who perform in a Mississippi River boat show.
April 16-May 23: Swing!, a tribute to the "swing" era, featuring the songs Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, I'll Be Seeing You, In the Mood and Cry Me a River.
Starting with A Chorus Line, shows are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays and 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Doors open two hours before each show for buffet and cash bar. (The World Goes Round is weekends only.)
Tickets to individual shows are $38.50; show only, $27.45. For ages 21 and younger, $20.95 and $15.95. Pick any three shows through May 23 for $102.56; pick any four for $136.74. All prices are plus tax and tip. Group rates are available.
Call 863-7949 in west Pasco; toll free elsewhere at 1-888-655-7469.
ANGEL CABARET THEATRE
The Angel Cabaret Theatre's third year of shows includes a couple of old favorites, two musical revues, a burlesque-variety show and a duo of shows making their Tampa Bay or Florida premieres.
The theater is at 5201 U.S. 19 (Southgate Shopping Center), New Port Richey.
Aug. 15-Sept. 14: Steel Magnolias, a warm comedy/drama set in a south Louisiana beauty shop, where six diverse women gossip, commiserate and bond. This was one of Angel Cabaret owner Jimmy Ferraro's most successful shows at the erstwhile Angel "garden cafe" Theatre.
Sept. 19-Oct. 19: Goin' Hollywood, an all-singing, all-dancing musical tribute to Hollywood's musical heyday, with songs like Good Ship Lollypop and Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend.
Oct. 24-Nov. 23: Last of the Red Hot Lovers, playwright Neil Simon's comical tale of an aging seafood restaurant owner who wants to have a fling before it's too late. The trouble is, he can't find the right woman with whom to fling.
Dec. 5-25: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!, the Angel's annual holiday show, with new and traditional dances and songs. It stars Broadway veteran Dee Etta Rowe.
Jan. 9-Feb. 15: Big, Bawdy Burlesque, one of two Angel shows scheduled for extended runs, it's a salute to classic vaudeville sketches, chorus lines and nostalgic songs and jokes.
Feb. 27-March 28: Holy Cannoli, a comedy, where strict Italian-American parents are in for a shock when they visit their daughter and her roommate.
April 9-May 16: The "It" Girl, a musical comedy tribute to the 1920s movie star, Clara Bow. The show reinvents the 1927 film that earned Clara herself the nickname of the "It" girl.
Shows are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 6 p.m. Sundays and 1:30 p.m. some weekdays and Saturday (call for specific dates). Doors open two hours before each show for partial sit-down and buffet dinner and cash wine and beer bar.
Individual tickets for dinner and show are $34.50; show only, $21.95. Season tickets for the last five shows are $148, all plus tax and tip. Group rates are available.
In addition, the Angel Cabaret has special shows on holidays and Martin Preston's annual tribute to Liberace on Jan. 2-4.
Call (727) 847-0019.
RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATRE
After two years of extensive exterior remodeling and renovation, Richey Suncoast Theatre will spend the coming year planning for interior updates for both the auditorium and the stage.
The coming season features three musicals - one of them a Florida premiere - a comedy, a drama and the annual Christmas Show. The theater is at 6237 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey.
Sept. 11-28: The King and I, Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical about a staid teacher from England who tries to "reform" the assertive, polygamous king of Thailand. Songs include Shall We Dance, I Whistle a Happy Tune.
Oct. 23-Nov. 9: Harvey, the comedy about a big rabbit named Harvey that can be seen by only one man.
Nov. 28-Dec. 7: Christmas Show, a traditional tribute to the holiday season.
Jan. 15-Feb. 1: Rain, the story of Miss Sadie Thompson, a San Francisco prostitute who goes to a tropical island hoping to start over, but is thwarted by a do-good preacher who tries to save her soul.
Feb. 26-March 14: Fear of Filing, a musical spoof of an Internal Revenue Service collector and one very reluctant taxpayer; this is its Florida premiere.
May 13-30: The Wizard of Oz, the musical about a little girl from Kansas who gets caught in a tornado and ends up in the magical kingdom of Oz.
Except for Christmas Show, productions open on Thursdays and continue for the following three weekends. Shows are at 8 p.m., except Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
Individual tickets are $13. Season tickets to the five regular shows are $60. Add the Christmas Show for $10, a total of $70 for six shows.
The box office is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and an hour before each show, starting two weeks before each show opens.
Call (727) 842-6777 starting Aug. 27.
ARIPEKA ELKS
The Aripeka Elks calls its dinner shows the best bargain around. For $20 to $22, you get a dinner prepared by the Elks themselves and a show.
The lodge is at 9135 Denton Ave., Hudson.
Oct. 25: "Sweet Dreams of Patsy Cline," starring Leanne Williams;
Nov. 15: Steve Solomon, comedian; opening act, Julis Okah;
Dec. 13: The Crests, starring Tommy Mara;
Jan. 11: John Davidson;
Feb. 7: "Tribute to Tom Jones," starring Rob Prospect;
March 13: New Odyssey musical group.
Tickets are available at the lodge from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Dinner is at 6 p.m., shows at 7:30 p.m. Call (727) 868-2994.
There's also a bargain show starring comedian/singer Crazy Carol on March 25. Dinner and show is $13.
RICHEY COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA
Richey Community Orchestra's 2003-2004 season is light and light-hearted, with myriad guest stars and musical favorites.
Nov. 23 "Tribute to Lerner and Loewe," with guests John and Mary K. Wilson and their son, Paul. Selections include highlights from Camelot, My Fair Lady, Brigadoon and Paint Your Wagon. Tickets are $10; the concert is at 3 p.m. at the Center for the Arts at River Ridge, Town Center Road, New Port Richey.
Dec. 21: "Holiday Pops Concert," guest performer to be announced; at 3 p.m. at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Little Road, New Port Richey. Tickets are $10; desserts and beverages will be for sale.
Jan. 25: "Big Band Dinner Down Under Concert," with hits of Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond, Bobby Darin and others sung by Australian crooner Marty Thompson. The dinner show is at 1 p.m. at Spartan Manor, Massachusetts Avenue, New Port Richey. Dinner and show, $25.
Feb. 21: "The French Connection," with guest Cindy Hite. Songs include An American in Paris, Clair de Lune, La vie en Rose. The concert is at 3 p.m. at the Center for the Arts at River Ridge. Tickets are $10.
March 28: "Southwest Saga," with guest star, violinist Elan Chalford. Songs include Hoe Down, Theme from The Cowboys, Yellow Rose of Texas; at 3 p.m. at the Center for the Arts at River Ridge. Tickets are $10.
April 25: "It's About Time," featuring music with unusual rhythms, like 5th of Beethoven, Take Five, Mission Impossible Theme. Guests are John Lamb, Charly Raymond and Eddie Graham. The concert is at 3 p.m. at the Center for the Arts at River Ridge. Tickets are $10.
Tickets go on sale Oct. 1. For a free brochure and information, call Denise at (727) 919-3866.
