Versatile lineup stars at Tarpon Springs arts center
By JOHN FLEMING
Published September 19, 2004
Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center fills a vital niche in the Tampa Bay area's cultural landscape by presenting a well-balanced lineup of ethnic, folk and classical music and dance. Its 2004-05 season includes the Irish accordion band Bohola, soprano Sabrina Coleman Clark's tribute to Marian Anderson and the Middle Eastern music group Divahn.
Hello, Dolly!, staged by the center's community theater company, opened the season and has a final performance today. Excellent fiddler Laura Risk and percussionist Paddy League give a concert of Celtic music Oct. 1. Highlights of the season also include legendary folk singer Glenn Yarborough, the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin (which has the audience vote before the concert on what the group is to play), a pair of Gilbert and Sullivan productions (The Mikado and Patience), Miami's Maximum Dance Company and Irish acoustic band Lunasa.
The Performing Arts Center has joined with the opera program at St. Petersburg College to form the New Century Opera, whose first production will be Mozart's The Magic Flute in April. Tarpon Springs composer Constantine Grame's opera The Spoiler, or Demotic Democracy, a political farce, will be premiered in November.
The center (denoted by PAC) is in City Hall (the former Tarpon Springs High School) on Pine Street between N Ring and Grosse. A few performances are at the Cultural Center (denoted by CC), Pinellas Avenue between Court and Lemon streets. Call (727) 942-5605.
Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center 2004-05 season
October
Oct. 1, PAC, Laura Risk and Paddy League, Celtic music, $12-$14
Oct. 2, CC, Wild Rice, comedy, $10-$12
Oct. 8, CC, Ian Frost, Bill Studdiford present The Three Romantics: Byron, Shelley and Keats, $10-$12
Oct. 10, PAC, The Emperor's New Clothes, GMT Productions, $10-$12, $6 children
Oct. 15, PAC, Magical, Musical Memories, Peter Columbo, $10-$12
