The Phantom of the Opera in Tampa

Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera is performing in Tampa as part of the new North American Tour.  This amazing musical, with new scenic design, choreography and staging, shouldn't be missed!

The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite musicals.  Mike and I first saw it at the Straz Center in 2008 where I fell in love with the thunderous organ cords.  It's back in Tampa for a 5th time.

I was so excited for the opportunity to see the latest production of The Phantom.  Unfortunately, my husband, Mike, already had plans.  I intended to invite one of my sisters but my 10 year old, Dylan, really wanted to see the show with me.  How could I say no to some culture and a musical with my little boy.

Before the show, I explained the background of the story.  I told Dylan that the phantom lived at an opera house in the late 1800s.  His face was disfigured so he wore a white mask to cover up.  It was rumored that the phantom escaped from a freak show and was always treated cruelly.  He fell in love with an opera singer named Christine and just wanted to be loved by someone.



Before the show started with the famous chandelier still covered

This was Dylan's first musical with an orchestra.  Like me, he also loved the powerful organ cords and recognized certain instruments like the flute and triangle.  His school music teachers would be proud.


Ready for Act Two to start

Act Two began with a New Year's Eve masquerade in the Grand Ballroom with incredible dresses and costumes designed by Maria Bjornson.


Original costume design by Maria Bjornson. Photo credit Straz Center

The set design was amazing including a major mechanical piece used as the walkway and stairs to the phantom's lair.  The stairs magically appeared out of the side of the set piece as the Phantom led Christine into his lair.


Katie Travis as Christine and Chris Mann as Phantom

I truly loved The Phantom of the Opera's musical score with the "Angle of Music" being one of my favorites along with the Phantom's theme song.

Dylan and I thoroughly enjoyed The Phantom of the Opera with his only complaint being an uncomfortable chair.  He enjoyed the live orchestra and captivating songs.  I was happy to introduce Dylan to this musical and the arts.

See The Phantom of the Opera at the Straz Center December 17, 2014 - January 4, 2015.

*Disclaimer - Through the Tampa Bay Bloggers, I was given two tickets to see The Phantom of the Opera in exchange for review.  All opinions are my own.

STOMP at the Straz

My husband and I saw STOMP years ago and loved the show.  It's back in Tampa at the Straz Center so we took the opportunity to see this fantastic show again but this time we included our two boys, ages 12 and 9.

STOMP was an explosive percussion performance that appealed to audiences of all ages.  STOMP's eight member group used anything but conventional percussion instruments during their 90 minute show.  They started the show using push brooms to make sweeping sounds and then added tapping and banging sounds.  Needless to say, they broke a couple wooden brooms with their vigorous floor pounding.   The broken brooms were tossed off stage and a replacement broom tossed right back to its user. My boys found this hilarious!

My nine year olds favorite part was what he called the train scene but I think it sounded more like motorcycles.  The lights were off with only the troupe's headlamps lit.  The deep, loud, percussion music rumbled throughout the audience.  Dylan said he could feel the vibrations in his bones.  When the lights illuminated the stage, we saw four group members in bungee seats playing the various items on the wall.  It was amazing how seemingly simple, banging on common household items could create such beautiful music and rhythms.

The STOMP performers continued to amaze us with magical rhythms using matchboxes, wooden poles, garbage cans, zippo lighters, shopping carts, plastic bags, newspapers, inner tubes, paint cans and even kitchen sinks.  There was some boy humor throughout the show.  My boys laughed when four performers pulled the drain plugs on their kitchen sinks that were positioned at waist height.  One guy even shook his sink when he was done...if you know what I mean.

One of my husband's favorite parts was the huge steel drum stilts worn by performers who proceeded to smack the drums with long sticks.

 

My twelve year olds favorite part was a quiet comedy scene involving newspaper.  Who knew how many different sounds newspaper could make by ripping, shaking, crumbling, and folding it.

One of my favorite scenes included zippo lighters.  The theater was dark, then I heard the flick of the flint hitting the striker, saw the flame and finally heard the snap of the lighter closing.  All eight performers had two lighters.  It was like watching a domino light show.  A flame started a one end and quickly made its way through the group on stage.

Our entire family thoroughly enjoyed STOMP!  My youngest son was learning about the different families of musical instruments in school.  He knew right away that the show used percussion instruments (there's that FL education at work).  It was fun for him to see a wide array of real world percussion items.  We had a wonderful and educational evening!

Check out the STOMP performance at the Straz Center April 30 - May 3.

Tickets are available
Friday, May 2 - 8:00pm
Saturday, May 3 - 2:00pm and 8:00pm

Ticket prices range from $49.50 - $69.50.

Disclaimer:  As a member of the Tampa Bay Bloggers, I was given four tickets to see STOMP at the Straz Center in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Flashdance - The Musical

The Tampa Bay Bloggers and I saw Flashdance - The Musical at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts on opening night, February 19th.  I brought one of my sisters as my +1. 

The week before the show we discussed wearing 80s clothes to truely engage in the era of the show.  We reminished about the hideous fashion choices we made in the 80s.  The day of the show, I verified with my friends that they were, in fact, dressing in 80s garb.  I did not want to be the only one stuck in the past!  My friends came through and I think we looked fantastic!

I think I've seen the entire Flashdance movie but I can't quite remember.  I was only 8 when the original movie came out in April 1983.  It was rated R, so a no go for me see. I don't think I could see rated R movies until I was 15.  A couple of us met up at Taps before the show for dinner and drinks.  Then we walked over to the Straz Center.  We sat down and the opening number started with a bang!

Emily Padgett played Alex Owens, the main character who is a welder and an aspiring professional dancer.  Her dancing and athletic physique brought the character to life.  Song after song, the cast delivered!  I sang along with the music and bopped my head to the beat.  Act one ended with Maniac and the infamous Flashdance water scene.

Act two continued with the hits and Flashdance story.  One of my favorite songs of act two was Gloria.  Gloria, Gloria, I think they got your number, Gloria, I think they got the alias, Gloria, That you've been livin' under, Gloria.  The last song was Alex performing her Shipley audition to What A Feeling and then joined by the full company of dancers.  It was an amazing ending to the musical.

Flashdance - The Musical is playing February 19-24 at the Straz Center in downtown Tampa.

Do you have a favorite muscial?

I was given complimentary tickets to Flashdance - The Musical. All opinions are my own.