MAINSTAGE OPTIONS FOR FESTIVAL 2010

Thursday, April 8, 2010

3:00-5:00pm Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Tampa Theatre), produced by District 13, Troupe 3814, American Heritage Center for the Arts, Jim Usher, director.
The rare instance of a musical thriller, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s chilling, suspenseful, heart-pounding masterpiece of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime tells the infamous tale of the unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19^th century London seeking revenge against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. His thirst for blood soon expands to include his unfortunate customers, and the resourceful proprietress of the pie shop downstairs soon has the people of London lining up in droves with her mysterious new meat pie recipe! Sophisticated, macabre, visceral and uncompromising, “Sweeney Todd” nevertheless has a great sense of fun, mixing intense drama with howlingly funny moments of dark humor: audiences find themselves laughing hysterically one moment and gasping in surprise the next.

7:30-9:30pm Is He Dead? (Ferguson Hall), produced by District 01, Troupe 4967, Ft. Walton Beach High School, Christa Whittaker, director.
Jean-Francois Millet, a young painter of genius, is in love with Marie-Leroux but in debt to a villainous picture-dealer, Bastien Andre. Millet, threatened with debtor’s prison, realizes the only way he can pay off his debts and marry Marie is to die, as it is only dead painters who achieve fame and fortune. Millet fakes his death and prospers, all the while passing himself off as his own sister, the Widow Tillou. Now a rich “widow”, he must find a way to get out of a dress, return to life, and marry Marie.

7:45-10:00pm Hair (Morsani Hall), produced by District 05, 5 various high schools,, Ken Rush, director.
HAIR the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. A phenomenal score includes Aquarius, Good Morning Sunshine, Hair, I believe in Love, and of course, Let The Sunshine In. Come join our tribe and let 32 amazing young people take you back to 1968 and experience love, freedom, and the power of the flower at our be-in….Peace!

8:00-10:00pm Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Tampa Theatre), produced by District 13, Troupe 3814, American Heritage Center for the Arts, Jim Usher, director.
The rare instance of a musical thriller, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s chilling, suspenseful, heart-pounding masterpiece of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime tells the infamous tale of the unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19^th century London seeking revenge against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. His thirst for blood soon expands to include his unfortunate customers, and the resourceful proprietress of the pie shop downstairs soon has the people of London lining up in droves with her mysterious new meat pie recipe! Sophisticated, macabre, visceral and uncompromising, “Sweeney Todd” nevertheless has a great sense of fun, mixing intense drama with howlingly funny moments of dark humor: audiences find themselves laughing hysterically one moment and gasping in surprise the next.

Friday, April 9, 2009

6:00-8:15pm Death of a Salesman (Tampa Theatre), produced by District 05, Troupe 4276, Dr. Phillips High School, Karen J. Rugerio, director.
Death of a Salesman is an American classic whose universal themes read like today’s headlines. Marital infidelity, dysfunctional families, personal struggles for success-Miller’s characters strive for an American Dream that offers the shallow promise of happiness through material wealth. Two performances, each with a different and unique cast- one white, one African-American- offer unique perspectives on this iconic story of American life. Attention! Attention must be paid to such a play.

7:30-9:30pm Alice in Wonderland (Ferguson Hall), produced by District 13, Troupe 3383, South Plantation High School, Jason Zembuch, director.

South Plantation’s Alice in Wonderland is no children’s cartoon about a white rabbit scurrying around, late on his way to nowhere. It’s not about a happy little girl scampering about, making new friends. Instead, it presents a much darker world through which we explore the nature of addiction and self-image distortion.

7:45-10:15pm Sweet Charity (Morsani Hall), produced by District 06, Troupe 5341, Cypress Lake High School Center for the Arts, Jason Loete, director.

“Do you wanna have fun?” The genius of Bob Fosse, Cy Coleman, and Neil Simon bursts onto the stage in this sleek, sassy production including all the great songs and dances (BIG SPENDER, IF MY FRIENDS COULD SEE ME NOW) that made the show the classic that rocks to the RHYTHM OF LIFE.

9:00-11:15pm Death of a Salesman (Tampa Theatre), produced by District 05, Troupe 4276, Dr. Phillips High School, Karen J. Rugerio, director.

Death of a Salesman is an American classic whose universal themes read like today’s headlines. Marital infidelity, dysfunctional families, personal struggles for success-Miller’s characters strive for an American Dream that offers the shallow promise of happiness through material wealth. Two performances, each with a different and unique cast- one white, one African-American- offer unique perspectives on this iconic story of American life. Attention! Attention must be paid to such a play.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Afternoon matinee at the Tampa Convention Center (time TBA) of Awesome 80's Prom, produced by District 14, Troupe 6272, J. W. Mitchell High School, David O'Hara, director. - General Admission, No advance tickets. First come, first served.

2006 Improv Theatre Award for “Best Interactive Show” winner, “The Awesome 80’s Prom” is a new blast-from-the-past party in the style of “Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding”, set at Wanaget High’s Senior Prom….in 1989! Characters from ‘80s movies are at the Prom, competing for Prom King and Queen. The audience decides who wins!