Sarasota's Florida Studio Theatre extends "Spamalot" again

  People in the Bradenton-Sarasota area obviously like "Spamalot" a lot.
   The Florida Studio Theatre production of the Monty Python-inspired musical was originally supposed to run through Jan. 15. Then it was extended until Jan. 19. 

FST's "Spamalot"
(Photo by Maria Lyle)

   Now FST has added another full week of "Spamalot." It's now slated to run through Jan. 25 at the Gompertz Theatre at 241 N. Palm Ave. in Sarasota.
   The show, by John Du Prez and Python's Eric Idle, is essentially a reworking of the film "Monty Python and the
Holy Grail," with some other classic Python bits, a lot of pokes at the conventions of musical theater and some hilarious songs. It's a load of fun.
   Tickets are $42-45. Curtain times vary. Call 941-366-9000 or go to www.floridastudiotheatre.org for more details.
   Here's a review of the production: www.bradenton.com/2013/11/28/4856767/spamalot-succeeds-in-sarasota.html

Sarasota Ballet offers a beautiful, original "Nutcracker."

   Going to see an unfamiliar version of "The Nutcracker" is  a bit of crap shoot. There are many more bad stagings of the classic ballet than good ones, and attempts to "reimagine" it fail much more often than they succeed.
   That makes the experience of the Sarasota Ballet's "John Ringling's Circus Nutcracker" all the more rewarding. Its ideas are interesting and its execution is gorgeous.
   This is the second year for this "Nutcracker," which so far has not been performed anywhere else in the world. There are two more performances today (Saturday, Dec. 21).
   The story has been moved to New York City in the 1930s, where art deco architecture and Depression-era fashion offer a different visual palette than we're used to to seeing in "The Nutcracker." The characters John Ringling and his family, shortly after the death of Mable Ringling.

A scene from ""The Nutcracker"

   The translation works, and the story fits the familiar E.T.A. Hoffman outline without much a stretch.
   The choreography by Matthew Hart is tasteful and clever -- he incorporates ballroom dance styles of the era and Michael Jackson-esque pseudo-gangster reference into the ballet -- and the sets and costumes by Peter Doherty are lovely.
   Performances from the entire cast, from principals all the way through to the very young students dancers, are confident and meticulous. And the Sarasota Orchestra plays Tchaikovsky's music -- perhaps the most familiar classical music of all time -- beautifully.
   Given all that's great about this staging, it feels odd to say that its curtain is a major flaw. But before both act one and act two, the audience has to look at a curtain dominated  garish, amateurish and just plain ugly image of the Nutcracker's face It serves an interesting function in the opening of each act, and it's easy to see why someone thought it would work, but since the audience has to look at something so creepy for 20 to 30 minutes, it's a significant scar on a production that's otherwise pristine.
   Once the curtain has been raised, though, this "Nutcracker" is a marvelous thing to see and hear.
   Remaining shows are at 2  and 8 p.m. today, at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets are $15-$100. call 941-359-0099 ext. 101 or go to www.sarasotaballet.org.

Alfie Boe cancels March 6 Tampa concert

   Alfie Boe's March 6 concert at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa has been canceled. The announcement from the Straz Center did not give a reason and didn't indicate that the show would be rescheduled.  

Alfie Boe

  If you bought tickets with a credit card, you should get a refund automatically. If you paid for tickets with cash or a check, you should receive a refund check within the next week or two.
   The box office number is 813-229-7827. The website address is www.strazcenter.org.

Carolina Chocolate Drops play Tampa Feb. 1

   The Carolina Chocolate Drops seemed to come out of nowhere when they caused a sensation with their 2010 album "Genuine Negro Jig." They went onto win the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album that year, and since then they've cemented a reputation for their mix of virtuosity, innovation and respect for musical tradition.
  

The Carolina Chocolate Drops

They'll be in Tampa Feb. 1 for a concert at Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
   They start with material culled from the Piedmont region of the Carolinas, and re-interpret it, highlighting the central role African-Americans played in shaping American popular music.
  Tickets are $24.50 plus service charge. Call 813-229-7827 or go to www.strazcenter.org.

Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota extends "Spamalot"

    The Florida Studio Theatre production of "Monty's Python's Spamalot" is very funny.
It's also very popular.

FST's "Spamalot"

  So the people at FST have extended the run for a few days. It's now slated to run through Jan. 19 at FST's Gompertz Theatre, 241 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. 
   Tickets are $42-$45. Curtain times vary. Call 941-366-9000 or go to www.floridastudiotheatre.org for more details.
   Here's a review of the production: www.bradenton.com/2013/11/28/4856767/spamalot-succeeds-in-sarasota.html

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2013/11/28/4856767/spamalot-succeeds-in-sarasota.html#storylink=cpy

Grant and Gill perform together in Sarasota

   Amy Grant and her hubby Vince Gill often perform Christmas tours together, but they don't usually do concerts together otherwise. This spring though, they'll be co-headlining a tour that's coming to Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota on March 21.
 

Vince Gill

   Grant and Gill will perform alongside each other for the entire show, playing and singing from each other’s extensive catalog of hits.

   Their four-piece band features steel guitar wizard Paul Franklin (who's featured on Gill's new album “Bakersfield”) and drummer Greg Morrow, keyboardist Tony Harrell and bass guitarist Mike Brignardello, all from Grant's backing group.

   Together, Grant and Gill have sold more than 56 million albums and won 26 Grammys. Grant is in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Gill is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

   Tickets are $60-$85. For more information, call 941-953-3368 or visit www.vanwezel.org.

Ohio Players perform for free in Tampa

 The Ohio Players will headline will perform at the 14th Annual Black Heritage Throwback Saturday Music Fest in Tampa on Jan. 18. 

The Ohio Players

   The two-day music festival is set for Jan. 18-19 at Curtis Hixon Park at 600 N. Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa. It runs 10 a.m.-7 p.m. each day. The Ohio Players are headlining the Saturday lineup, so you can expect them to take the stage between 4:40 and 5 p.m.
   The Ohio Players were one of the biggest funk bands of the 1970s, creating such hits as "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster." They're still a popular concert draw -- they played in St. Petersburg this past June with Kool and the Gang -- and they take pride in performing without computer enhancement or sampling. In August they were inducted into the first class of the R&B Music Hall of Fame.
   For the full festival lineup and other information, go to www.TampaBlackHeritage.org.