Hotspots Central! September 2019

SUNDAY

PABLLO VITTAR

MONDAY

TUESDAY MOST COLORFUL PARADE

WEDNESDAY

G ay M E

PRIDE WEEK EVENTS OCTOBER 6-13 PLUS MORE EVENTS ONLINE

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

EPIC FIREWORKS @ LAKE EOLA SATURDAY

SUNDAY

PARADE & FESTIVAL OCTOBER 12 COMEOUTWITHPRIDE.COM

Central Florida Edition September 2019

Publisher/Marketing Director Peter Clark

Peter@HotspotsMedia.com

Associate Publisher Scott Holland

Scott@HotspotsMedia.com

Accounting Brian Burda Brian@HotspotsMedia.com

Art Director Maria Espinal Maria@HotspotsMedia.com

Graphics

Graphics@HotspotsMedia.com

Frank Mendez

National Advertising

Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Feature Writers

Scott Holland Chris Azzopardi Tom Bonanti D’anne Witkowski Andreus Quinones

Photographers

Tony Fowler Snap Out Loud!

Pat O’Rourke Hannah Jordan

CONTACT US Central Florida Office: 813.253.9107 South Florida Office: 954-928-1862 3500 N.E. 12th Avenue • Oakland Park, FL 33334 Fax 954.772.0142

HotspotsCentral.LGBT

Info@HotspotsMedia.com HotspotsMediaGroup.com Facebook.com/HotspotsCentralFlorida

Hotspots Central is published by HOTSPOTS MAGAZINE OF FLORIDA at 5090 N.E. 12th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinion of HOTSPOTS MAGAZINE or any of its staff. Publication of the name or photos of any living person or organization in articles or advertising in HOTSPOTS MAGAZINE is not to be constructed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person or organizations. All copy, text, display, photos and illustration in the ads are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized, have secured proper written consent for the use of names, pictures, and testimonials of any living person, and Hotspots Magazine may lawfully publish and cause such to be made. Advertisers automatically agree by summiting said ad to indemnify and save blameless the publisher from any and all liability, loss and expense of any nature out of the publication. The deadline for Hotspots th Central is the 20 of every month at 5pm. In the event that an ad is excepted after deadline, the advertiser agrees by submitting such an ad to indemnify and save blameless the publisher from any and all liability, loss and expense of any nature that arise from any error that may be made in said ad. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in whole of this publication without written permission is strictly prohibited. Hotspots is a registered trademark.

on the inside

Central Florida Edition September 2019

Broadway Across Central Florida

A run down on an inspiring collection of Broadway performances in the 1019/20 season coming to Tampa and Orlando.

content:

• What’s Hot Central Florida • Hot Bodies

this month’s features: • Broadway Across CF — Dr. Phillips • Broadway Across CF — The Straz CCenter • Broadway Across CF — The Van CWezel

hot shots • Gay Days • MBA Awards Gala • Parliament House • Metro Inclusive Health

What’s

HOT

...everything you need to plan your month

what’s hot

By Scott Holland

everything you need to know

to plan your month

W

Welcome to the What’s Hot September column where we feature events happening all over Central Florida. Continue reading on to learn What's Hot this month!

event with no cover before 10pm.

The Amway Center presents Disney On Ice: Road Trip Adventures from today through Sunday, September 8.

Hit the road with Mickey

Friday, September 6

Southern Nights Tampa presents “NeiBEARhood Takeover: Dark Alley.” This is a dark Leather event, where fetish gear is strongly encouraged. The event will star DJ Daniel Borrero, and feature a 1am Hottest ASSet Contest. This is a 21+ only

Mouse and his pals for a highoctane ride with exciting twists and turns as they embark on a wild ride to your favorite Disney destinations.

Travel with Moana to the sunsoaked Motunui, set off on a safari to the Pride Lands with Simba. Discover a whole new world as you're swept up in Aladdin's princely parade.

Play at a larger-than-life carnival with Woody and

Forky. For tickets, which start at $18, go to: AmwayCenter.com.

Saturday, September 7

Bill Blumenreich Presents, the winner of America’s Got Talent Season 13 and of America's Got Talent: The Champions, the one and only, Shin Lim. There will be two show times at 2pm and then again at 7pm. Shin Lim is the

2015 world FISM Champion for close-up card magic, and is a self-proclaimed "Sleight of Hand Artist.” Lim admits that he is actually NOT a magician nor a wizard, and has NO intention of lying to

the audience. He performs carefully self-choreographed routines rather than pretending to defy the laws of physics. Combining dexterity, precision and grace, he has distilled a lifetime of training into a devious display of dancing digits. His mindboggling finger moves are so masterful, that the audience is left to wonder what if their eyes have seen is truly possible. Tickets from: $38.75 at Drphillipscenter.org.

Joe Whitaker & The DILF Party presents: DILF Tampa "Damn Daddy" Men's Jock/Underwear Party at Cristoph's! guests are encouraged to wear: jocks, harnesses, leather, etc. Join them for a night of hot music,

thereafter The night will also stars Dj's Kraig Matthews and Franklin Cruel and sexy male dancers and shot boys Daniel Garces Palacio and Fabian Giovanni.

Tashae Sherrington! If you cant make it to see Farrah tonight, she will also be at Southern Nights Tampa tomorrow, Saturday, September 14.

The Amway Center presents J Balvin. Following his widely praised recent back-to-back

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents the 13th Annual Crack Up Cancer Comedy Show. Laugh until your stomach hurts as 100% of the profits go directly to help local cancer patients and their families. In its 13th year, Crack up Cancer Comedy Benefit, continues to delight and bring some of the best laughs at the best prices anywhere. This year will be no different as the show features comics Catherine Maloney, named "Best in the Bay" for 2019, "The Comedy Barbarian" Mike McCarthy,

Thursday, September 12

weekend performances on the main stage at Coachella, reggaeton's leading global ambassador J Balvin (JoseĚ Aďż˝ lvaro Osorio Balvin) announced his highlyanticipated Arcoiris (rainbow) North American Tour. The tour will also feature support appearances by two fast-rising Puerto Rican musicians, Lyanno (Latin trap & reggaeton) and Eladio Carrion (Latin trap & urban). Tickets start at $47 at AmwayCenter.com

Friday, September 13

hot fun and ht men in jocks.

Early Bird Tickets are on sale by visiting theDILFparty.com.

Tickets will be available at the door based on capacity.

Latin Saturdays, "Amor," at Stonewall Orlando presents a Maluma concert ticket giveaway. Showtime, which is at 12am, stars Tasha Long, Jeivy Lalique, and Yeisa Jovovich. Diva Samantha Stone opens the doors at 9pm, with free cover until 10pm and $10

Southern Nights Orlando's #FlexFriday presents, direct from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 and All Stars Farrah Moan. The Drag Shows are at 11pm & 12:30am, and also star Roxxxy Andrews, Maya Andrews, Sassy Devine, &

Saturday, September 14

Dean Napolitano, and national touring comic Jimmy Shubert, whose credits include King of Queens and Entourage as well as many other film and TV credits.

Tickets range from $25-50 for different seating options, with a $100 add-on for VIP treatment including free food and open bar. This is an "R" rated show and parental discretion for anyone under 18 is advised. Strazcenter.org The Parliament House Orlando presents Emoji: The Ultimate Black light experience. If you've never

been to one of their Black Light Parties, you don't know what you are missing! The entire club is transformed into an immersive experience.

Footlight Players revue will be at 10pm & 12am, and DJ Brianna spins until 3am.

Thursday, September 19

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Spymonkey's Hysteria from today until November 3 in the

Jaeb Theater. Hitchcock's Rebecca meets The Pink Panther. Spymonkey's deliciously demented take on the pulp gothic romance overflows with brilliant characters, rip-roaring farce and virtuoso physical comedy.

This is the show which made them an international comedy sensation from Just For Laughs Montreal to Sydney Opera House. A spooky mansion, a plucky young heroine and a handsome English aristocrat.

Add a German butler and a Spanish soap star and you're all set for a night of Hysteria with Spymonkey! Ticket Prices start at $45 at StrazCenter.org.

Southern night Orlando's #RushThursdays presents: Roxxxy Andrews “Life Is The Fairytale You Make It” Birthday Party. Freshman

Lineup at 10:30pm Hosted by Cara Cavalli, and the Main Show is at 12:30am and is hosted by Axel Andrews along with Kaija Adonis and Roxxxy. Spinning will be DJ's Jeff DLux Cowart and Melvin Sledge.

Drinks. For more information, call 407.924.8739.

The Amway Center presents Alan Jackson. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and recently inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Alan Jackson's membership among music's all-time greats is part of a long line of career-defining accolades that include three Country Music Association (CMA) Entertainer of the Year honors, more than 25 years of membership in the Grand Ole Opry, a 2016 Billboard ranking as one of the Top 10 Country Artists of All-Time,

Friday, September 20

Join Hope & Help at the 1st Annual Pride Charity Golf Challenge at 7am presented

by Bowled Over Promotions.

Get your swing on and raise financial support for Hope & Help to prevent new HIV transmissions in Orlando.

The cost to play is $100 per golfer, which includes:18 Holes of Golf, a Gift Bag, Best Ball Format, Lunch at The Hammered Lamb and 2

induction in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Heritage Award as the most-performed country songwriter-artist of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' (ASCAP) first 100 years. Tickets which start at $37 are available at Amwaycenter.com.

Improv Orlando presents Sinbad from today until Sunday, September 22nd.

Ranked by Comedy Central as one of the “100 Greatest Standups of All Time,” he has had audiences laughing for over three decades.

Throughout his incredibly successful career as a

Email WhatsHot@HotspotsMedia.com to have your event considered for “What’s Hot.”

standup comedian, Sinbad has starred in two Comedy

will be unleashing the combustible force that is The Who. On stage, the line-up will be rounded out by familiar Who players featuring guitarist/backup singer Simon Townshend, keyboardist Loren Gold, bassist Jon Button and drummer Zak Starkey, and complemented by some of the best orchestras in the U.S. and Canada. Tickets start at $63 at Amaliearena.com

Thursday, September 26

Central specials and four HBO comedy specials. As an actor, Sinbad has been featured in leading roles in such films as Jingle All The Way and Good Burger, and on the FX super series, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Tickets are $30 at Theimprovorlando.com.

Due to overwhelming demand, Live Nation and S2BN Entertainment has announced a limited run of Phil Collins Still Not Dead Yet, Live! in Tampa at Amalie Arena at 8pm.. Performed by one of the world's most

Sunday, September 22

Amalie Arena presents The Who's North American Moving On! Tour at 7:30pm.

For WHO fans everywhere, the announcement of a brand new tour means only one thing: the world's most untamable rock band is about to deliver the goods once again. Never ones for nostalgia, singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend

acclaimed hit makers with over 100 million record sales and an unstoppable catalogue of Number 1 albums, Phil Collins Still Not Dead Yet, Live! follows his highly successful Phil Collins Not Dead Yet 2018 outing which included multiple sold out dates. The tour will once again feature Phil Collins accompanied by

longtime guitarist Daryl Stuermer, keyboardist Brad Cole, bassist Leland Sklar, percussionist Richie Garcia), 4-piece horns, stellar backup vocalists and Phil's son, Nicolas, who is once again handling the iconic drum beats Phil himself made so famous and compelling a generation before. Tickets are $50 at AmalieArena.com

Friday, September 27

Dr. Phillips Center in Association with Live Nation present Dane Cook in “Tell It

Like It Is� at 7:30pm. Dane Cook has maintained his reputation as one of today's most prolific stand-up comedians, while simultaneously distinguishing himself as a charismatic and versatile actor in a variety of film and television projects. Cook recently returned to the stage with his directorial debut of Troublemaker which premiered on Showtime. The show was filmed in the Fall of 2013 and features Cook's acerbic wit and patented brand of provocative, on-fire comedic insight while exploring the hilarious aspects of everyday life and human behavior. Tickets from: $39.75 at Drphillipscenter.org

Saturday, September 28

Barcodes Orlando, which is celebrating 10 years of

business, features their monthly (last Saturday of every month) Leather Night with host Sir Joey, a Cigar social at 9pm, and leather education and demonstrations throughout the night. As always, plenty of free parking and never a cover charge!

Space Coast Pride is excited to be celebrating their 13th annual Festival & Parade, which represents the central, east coast of Florida and all communities and residents of Brevard County and beyond

by celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and all other individuals (LGBTQ+). The festival is from 1 to 7pm with the parade at 2pm, and they are expecting over 160 vendors, have a new larger stage and a family fun zone area. They've also expanded their week of events that include: a Rainbow Run 5K (Friday September 27 at 6:30pm), Community Beach Day, Pride Painting Night, Social Kick-off Party, and more. Their area has been ignited with growth and their

Pride will continue to be a FREE event thanks to all of the amazing companies that have sponsored them this year. Check their website.

The Amway Center presents Trevor Noah is his Loud and Clear Tour. Trevor is the host of the Emmy Awardwinning “The Daily Show” and celebrated comedian.

Tickets, which start at only $37 are available at AmwayCenter.com

Sunday, September 29

The Hard Rock Live Orlando presents Adam Ant in his “Friend or Foe” tour at 8pm.

The Pop icon performs his landmark, solo album “Friend or Foe” for the first time, live in its entirety with special guests Glam Skanks. Tickets start at $37.50 at Hardrockhotelorlando.com.

hot shots photos by scott holland

Gay Days 2019 Orlando

B

Blockbuster Disney’s Aladdin and recordbreaking new musical comedy Mean Girls will make their Orlando premieres as part of the 2019-2020 Fairwinds Broadway in Orlando series at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The season also includes audience favorites Escape to Margaritaville: The Jimmy Buffett Musical, A Bronx Tale and The Play That Goes Wrong, along with Tony Award-nominated revivals Miss Saigon and

Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady. The season will also feature the return of the musical phenomenon Les Misérables, for one week only.

“The 2019-2020 season builds on the excitement and success of last year, our biggest season yet,” said Dr. Phillips Center President and CEO Kathy Ramsberger. “The opportunity to bring the best of Broadway to our community in both the performances on our stage and the ‘backstage’ educational experiences like Master Classes and Cast Chatbacks, is a way to invite everyone to experience our vision of Arts For Every Life.”

2019/20 Fairwinds Broadway in Orlando series:

Escape to Margaritaville: The Jimmy Buffett Musical

November 12–17 Welcome to Margaritaville, where people come to get away from it all—and stay to find something they never expected. Get ready for a hilarious and heartwarming musical with the most unforgettable songs from one of music’s greatest storytellers. USA Today calls it "A little slice of paradise!" and Entertainment Weekly

Escape to Margaritaville raves, "It will knock your flip-flops off!" So don't let the party start without you.

The Play That Goes Wrong • December 3–8

What would happen if Sherlock Holmes and Monty Python had an illegitimate Broadway baby? You’d get The Play That Goes Wrong, Broadway & London’s award-winning smash comedy! Called “A Gut-busting hit” (The New York Times) and “The funniest play Broadway has ever seen” (HuffPost), this classic murder mystery is chock-full of mishaps and madcap mania delivering “A Riotous explosion of comedy” (Daily Beast) that is “Tons of fun for all ages” (HuffPost)

Disney’s Aladdin • January 22–February 9, 2020 Discover a whole new world at Aladdin, the hit Broadway musical. From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of Aladdin, a t h r i l l i n g n e w p ro d u c t i o n f i l l e d w i t h unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It’s an extraordinary

The Play That Goes Wrong theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite.

Hailed by USA Today as “Pure Genie-Us,” Aladdin features all your favorite songs from the film as well as new music written by Tony and Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Newsies) with lyrics penned by the legendary Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast), Tony Award winner Tim Rice (The Lion King, Aida), and book writer Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer). Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Something Rotten!), this “Fabulous” and “Extravagant” (The New York Times) new musical boasts an incomparable design team, with sets, costumes and lighting from Tony Award winners Bob Crowley (Mary Poppins), Gregg Barnes (Kinky Boots), and Natasha Katz (An American in Paris).

See why audiences and critics agree, Aladdin is “Exactly What You Wish For!" (NBC-TV).

Mean Girls • February 25–March 1, 2020

“By far the funniest musical of the year!”

– Chicago Tribune Direct from Broadway, Mean Girls is the hilarious hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including book writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), composer Jeff Richmond (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and director Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

New York Magazine cheers, “Mean Girls delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor and joyful inside-jokery.” USA Today says, “We’ll let you in on a little secret, because we’re such good friends: Get your tickets now!”

Disney’s Aladdin

Mean Girls

Miss Saigon • March 31–April 5, 2020

“A dynamite Broadway revival.”

- The New Yorker Experience the acclaimed new production of the legendary musical Miss Saigon, from the creators of Les Misérables. This is the epic story of a young Vietnamese woman named Kim. In a bar run by a notorious character called The Engineer, Kim meets an American G.I. just before the fall of Saigon. That encounter will change their lives forever.

Featuring stunning spectacle, a sensational cast of 42, and a soaring score including Broadway hits like “Last Night of the World,” “The Movie in My Mind,” and “American Dream,” this is a theatrical event you will never forget.

A Bronx Tale • April 28–May 3, 2020 “Jersey Boys meets West Side Story.”

- amNewYork Broadway’s hit crowd-pleaser takes you to the

Miss Saigon stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s—where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be.

Bursting with high-energy dance numbers and original doo-wop tunes from Alan Menken, the songwriter of Beauty and the Beast, A Bronx Tale is an unforgettable story of loyalty and family.

Three years ago, Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri teamed up with Academy Award winner Robert De Niro, Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks and Tony Award nominee

A Bronx Tale

My Fair Lady

Les Misérables Sergio Trujillo to create this streetwise musical - based on Palminteri’s true life story.

The New York Times hails A Bronx Tale as “A Critics’ Pick! The kind of tale that makes you laugh and cry.”

My Fair Lady • May 26–31, 2020

From Lincoln Center Theater comes “a sumptuous new production of the most perfect musical of all time” (Entertainment Weekly), Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady, directed by Bartlett Sher. Boasting such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” and “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed?

“Thrilling! Glorious and better than it ever

was! A marvelous and transformative revival.” - The New York Times Les Misérables will be presented as a Season Option playing for one week only October 2227, 2019.

Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, direct from an acclaimed two-and-a-half-year return to Broadway. Set against the backdrop of 19thcentury France, Les Misérables tells an unforgettable story of heartbreak, passion, and the resilience of the human spirit. Featuring the beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars," “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck. “Les Miz is born again!” (NY1).

“We could not be more proud to partner with the Dr. Phillips Center and FTA to bring the best of Broadway right here to downtown Orlando.

The upcoming season is a real treat for Central Florida audiences with a balance of some of the biggest hits in recent years alongside gorgeous revivals of legendary musicals,” said Susie Krajsa, President of Broadway Across America.

FAIRWINDS Broadway in Orlando is presented in partnership with Broadway Across America and Florida Theatrical Association. FTA is a nonprofit civic organization with a volunteer board of trustees established to ensure the continued presentation of quality touring Broadway productions and the promotion of arts education throughout the state of Florida. For more information, visit FloridaTheatrical.org.

For more information visit OrlandoBroadway.com or DrPhillipscenter.org

T

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts is proud to announce the 2019-2020 Bank of America Broadway at The Straz season. The slate includes Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Disney’s Aladdin, the hilarious hit musical Mean Girls from an awardwinning creative team, and the electric Summer: The Donna Summer Musical along with stunning revivals of Fiddler on the Roof,

the 2018 Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical Once on This Island, Miss Saigon and the Lincoln Center Theater production of My Fair Lady. The series also includes Spymonkey’s Hysteria in the Straz Center’s intimate Jaeb Theater.

In addition to the nine-show Broadway series The Straz will also present Jesus Christ Superstar and The SpongeBob Musical.

“I am thrilled that we able to bring such wellloved and much-anticipated shows to the Tampa Bay area this season,” said Straz Center President and CEO Judy Lisi. “We have a truly exciting mix of new shows and stunning revivals of Tony-winning shows. Whether you love the spectacle and romance of the heavyhitters from the 20th century or are inspired by the next generation of Broadway musicals, we’ll have something for everyone. We can’t wait to share the season with you.”

The season features: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory • Oct. 8-13

Roald Dahl’s amazing tale is now Tampa’s

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory golden ticket! It’s the perfect recipe for a delectable treat: songs from the original film, including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of Hairspray.

Willy Wonka is opening his marvelous and mysterious chocolate factory ... to a lucky few.

That includes Charlie Bucket, whose bland life is about to burst with color and confection beyond his wildest dreams. He and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a mesmerizing joyride through a world of pure imagination. Now’s your chance to experience the wonders of Wonka like never before – get ready for Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, the great glass elevator and more at this everlasting showstopper!

Fiddler on the Roof • Nov. 5-10 “An entirely fresh, funny, and gorgeous new production. A reason for celebration!”

– New York Magazine

Fiddler on the Roof Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific, The King and I and 2017 Tony-winning Best Play Oslo, bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick.

The original production won ten Tony Awards, including a special Tony for becoming the longestrunning Broadway musical of all time. You’ll be there when the sun rises on this new production, with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter, based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins. A wonderful cast and a lavish orchestra tell this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family.

Featuring the Broadway classics “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life,” Fiddler On The Roof will introduce a new generation to this uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy! To life!

Once on This Island • Nov. 19-24 “What a delight it is to enter the world of Once On This Island!” raves The New York Times.

Winner of the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, Once On This Island is the sweeping, universal tale of Ti Moune, a fearless peasant girl in search of her place in the world, and ready to risk it all for love. Guided by the mighty island gods, Ti Moune sets out on a remarkable journey to reunite with the man who has captured her heart.

The groundbreaking vision of two-time Tony Award-nominated director Michael Arden (Spring Awakening revival) and acclaimed choreographer Camille A. Brown (NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live) conjures up “a place where magic is possible and beauty is apparent for all to see!” (The Huffington Post).

With a score that bursts with life from Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Awardwinning songwriters of Anastasia and Ragtime, Once On This Island is a timeless testament to theater’s unlimited possibilities.

Aladdin • Dec. 19 – Jan. 5, 2020 Discover a whole new world at Disney’s Aladdin, the hit Broadway musical.

From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of Aladdin, a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It’s an extraordinary theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite.

Hailed by USA Today as “Pure Genie-Us,” Aladdin features all your favorite songs from the film as well as new music written by Tony and Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Newsies) with lyrics penned by the legendary Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast), Tony Award winner Tim Rice (The Lion King, Aida), and book writer Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer).

Once on This Island

Disney’s Aladdin Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Something Rotten!), this “Fabulous” and “Extravagant” (The New York Times) new musical boasts an incomparable design team, with sets, costumes and lighting from Tony Award winners Bob Crowley (Mary Poppins), Gregg Barnes (Kinky Boots) and Natasha Katz (An American in Paris). See why audiences and critics agree, Aladdin is “Exactly What You Wish For!” (NBC-TV).

Mean Girls

says, “We’ll let you in on a little secret, because we’re such good friends: get your tickets now!”

Miss Saigon

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical Mean Girls • Feb. 18-23, 2020

Direct from Broadway, Mean Girls is the hilarious hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including book writer Tina Fey (30 Rock), composer Jeff Richmond (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and director Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naıv̈e newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

New York Magazine cheers, “Mean Girls delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor and joyful inside-jokery.” USA Today

Miss Saigon • March 24-29, 2020 “A dynamite Broadway revival.”

- The New Yorker. Experience the acclaimed new production of the legendary musical Miss Saigon, from the creators of Les Misérables. This is the story of a young Vietnamese woman named Kim who is orphaned by war and forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I. named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he’s fathered a son. Featuring stunning spectacle and a sensational cast of 42 performing the soaring score, including Broadway hits like “The Heat is On in Saigon,” “The Movie in My Mind,” “Last Night of the World” and “American Dream,” this is a theatrical event you will never forget. “The new miss Saigon soars to the rafters!” - NY1 Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

May 5-10, 2020 “The audience reaches a fever pitch. if you’re lookin’ for hot stuff on Broadway, you’ve come to the right place. Summer delivers the seasonal sunshine with toe-tappingly familiar songs, stellar performances, shiny costumes, and a reminder of the impact of its subject on the music industry at large.”

—Entertainment Weekly She was a girl from Boston with a voice from heaven, who shot through the stars from gospel choir to dance floor diva. But what the world didn’t know was how Donna Summer risked it all to break through barriers, becoming the icon of an era and the inspiration for every music diva who followed. With a score featuring more than 20 of Summer’s classic hits including “Love to Love You Baby,” “Bad Girls” and “Hot

Stuff,” this electric experience is a moving tribute to the voice of a generation.

My Fair Lady • June 2-7, 2020 From Lincoln Center Theater that brought you The King & I and South Pacific, comes “a sumptuous new production of the most perfect musical of all time” (Entertainment Weekly), Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady. Director Bartlett Sher’s glowing production is “thrilling, glorious and better than it ever was” (The New York Times). “Every so often a revival comes along that reminds you how indispensable great theater can be” (NY1).

Boasting such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “On the Street Where You Live,” My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed?

My Fair Lady

The Broadway series also features:

Spymonkey’s Hysteria • Sept.17-Nov. 3.

Hitchcock’s Rebecca meets The Pink Panther.

Spymonkey’s deliciously demented take on the pulp gothic romance overflows with brilliant characters, rip-roaring farce and virtuoso physical comedy. This is the show which made them an international comedy sensation from Just For Laughs Montreal to Sydney Opera House.

A spooky mansion, a plucky young heroine and a handsome English aristocrat. Add a German butler and a Spanish soap star and you’re all set for a night of HYSTERIA with Spymonkey!

“One of the funniest pieces of theatre you will ever see, performed by four of the greatest clowns working in Britain.” Time Out (UK) Directed by Cal McCrystal, the comedy genius behind James Corden’s Broadway smash One Man Two Guvnors.

Hysteria In addition to the nine-show Broadway series The Straz will present 2 other Broadway Shows that can be added to your Broadway season package or can be purchased individual, they are:

Jesus Christ Superstar • May 26-31, 2020

Jesus Christ Superstar is an iconic musical phenomenon with a world-wide fan base. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, a new mesmerizing production comes to North America. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader

Jesus Christ Superstar (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and awardwinning choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.

With music and lyrics by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas.

Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Gethsemane” and “Superstar.”

as Broadway’s best creative minds reimagine and bring to life the beloved Nickelodeon series with humor, heart and pure theatricality in a neonsparkly “party for the eyes and ears” (Daily Beast). Be there when SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face catastrophe – until a most unexpected hero rises to take center stage. This “creative explosion” (Broadway.com) is “nothing short of genius” says Theatermania, so bring the entire family to celebrate friendship and cooperation and learn about the power of unity and inclusion.

Get ready to enjoy the “Broadway Extravaganza” (The New Yorker) that New York Magazine calls “effervescent candy-for-thespirit.” Explore the depths of theatrical innovation in Nickelodeon’s The SpongeBob Musical, 2018 Best Musical winner of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, where the power of optimism really can save the world.

For more information, email the Straz Center at tickets@strazcenter.org or call the Straz Center Ticket Sales Office at 813.229.STAR (7827) or outside the Tampa Bay area at 800.955.1045 or visit strazcenter.org.

The SpongeBob Musical • July 21-

26, 2020 A legendary roster of Grammy Award winners. A visionary director and a Tony Awardwinning design team. One of the world’s most beloved characters.

Turn them loose on stage and what do you get? The bold, original musical The New York Times declares, “Brilliant!”

“Wonders pour from the stage in a ravishing stream of color and invention” (Time Out New York)

The SpongeBob Musical

hot shots photos by scott holland

Miss Comedy Queen 2019 Parliament House

T

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is thrilled to announce its 50th Anniversary Season Subscription Series, featuring an inspiring collection of Broadway performances in the 2019/20 season.

Mary Bensel, Executive Director of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, expresses her enthusiasm for the upcoming season: “I am proud to announce the Subscription Series for

our Golden 50th Anniversary Season at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The 2019-2020 Broadway Series features 10 shows with 7 Sarasota premieres. These include the Sarasota premieres of the critically-acclaimed musicals, Come From Away, based on actual events that took place on September 11, 2001 and the days that followed, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Both shows are winners of Tony and Drama Desk Awards and immediately gained sell-out audiences following their Broadway openings. Also included in our lineup of Sarasota premieres are Waitress, A Bronx Tale and An American in Paris. In addition, we are thrilled to bring back to our audiences two blockbuster hits, The Book of Mormon and Les Misérables. Please join us in celebrating our 50th Anniversary Season!”

The Broadway Series includes: Escape to Margaritaville • December 2

A change in attitude, is headed to your latitude.

Welcome to Margaritaville, where people come to get away from it all — and stay to find something they never expected. Get ready for a

Escape to Margaritaville hilarious and heartwarming musical with the most unforgettable songs from one of music’s greatest storytellers – Jimmy Buffett. USA Today calls it "A little slice of paradise!" and Entertainment Weekly raves, "It will knock your flip-flops off!" So don't let the party start without you. Jimmy Buffett’s Escape To Margaritaville is more than a musical. Set your mind on island time.

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical

December 13-15 The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation.

Featuring a stunning array of beloved songs

Beautiful

“

‘The Carole King Musical’ tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom...”

written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil, including “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got A Friend” and the title song. Beautiful has a book by and Tony Award-nominee and Academy Awardnominated writer Douglas McGrath, direction

by Marc Bruni, choreography by Josh Prince, and took home two 2014 Tony Awards and a 2015 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.

Beautiful is currently playing to huge crowds at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on Broadway.

Waitress • January 24-26 Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, this irresistible new hit features original music and lyrics by six-time Grammy

nominee Sara Bareilles ("Brave," "Love Song"), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam), choreography by Lorin Latarro (Les Dangereuse Liasons, Waiting for Godot) and direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Hair, Pippin, Finding Neverland).

Inspired by Adrienne Shelly's beloved film, Waitress tells the story of Jenna - a waitress and expert pie maker. Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town's new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life.

"Waitress is a little slice of heaven!" says Entertainment Weekly and "a monumental contribution to Broadway!" according to Marie Claire. Don't miss this uplifting musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.

Waitress

A Bandstand

Bandstand • February 4-5

The soldiers came home to a new America.

They made the music that inspired the nation.

From Andy Blankenbuehler, winner of the 2017 Tony Award for Best Choreography and the 2016 Tony Award for Hamilton, comes Bandstand—the new musical that explodes with the most high-octane, heart-stopping and best dancing on stage today.

In 1945, as America’s soldiers come home to ticker-tape parades and overjoyed families, Private First Class Donny Novitski, singer and songwriter, returns to rebuild his life with only the shirt on his back and a dream in his heart.

When NBC announces a national competition to find the nation’s next great musical superstars, inspiration strikes! Donny joins forces with a motley group of fellow veterans, each an astonishing musician. Together, they form a band unlike any the nation has ever seen. Along the way, they discover the power of music to face

An American in Paris the impossible, find their voice and finally feel like they have a place to call home.

An American in Paris • March 16 In post war Paris, romance is in the air and youthful optimism reigns. Gershwin’s soaring melodies are matched by gravity-defying dance as the world rediscovers the power of love in this breathtaking production. Hoping to start a new life, World War II veteran Jerry Mulligan chooses newly-liberated Paris as the place to

Tale is an unforgettable story of loyalty and family. Based on Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri’s story, this streetwise musical has The New York Times hailing it as “A Critics’ Pick!

The kind of tale that makes you laugh and cry.”

A Bronx Tale

Come From Away make a name for himself as a painter. But Jerry's life becomes complicated when he meets Lise, a young Parisian shop girl with her own secret - and realizes he is not her only suitor. Winner of four Tony Awards and inspired by the Academy Award-winning film, this exquisite production features your favorite Gershwin songs including “I Got Rhythm,” “Liza,” “'S Wonderful,” “But Not for Me,” and “Stairway to Paradise.”

A Bronx Tale • April 21-22 Broadway’s hit crowd-pleaser takes you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s—where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. Bursting with high-energy dance numbers and original doo-wop tunes from Alan Menken, the songwriter of Beauty and the Beast, A Bronx

Come From Away • April 28-May 3 The true story of the small town that welcomed the world. Broadway’s Come From Away has won Best Musical all across North America!

The New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.

Don’t miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and helmed by this year’s Tonywinning Best Director, Christopher Ashley.

Newsweek cheers, “It takes you to a place you never want to leave!”

On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all.

These 3 additional show are return favorites to Sarasota: The Book of Mormon • January 7-12

This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the “Good Word.” Now with standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America, The Book Of Mormon has truly become an international sensation. Contains explicit language.

Les Misérables • February 26-March 1 Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schö nberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misé rables, direct from an acclaimed two-and-a-half-year return to

Broadway. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck, cheering “Les Miz is born again!” (NY1). Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misé rables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Featuring the thrilling score and beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars," “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.

Seen by more than a 130 million people in 44 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, Les Misé rables is still the world’s most popular musical, breaking box office records everywhere in its 33rd year.

The Color Purple • March 10

The Color Purple is the 2016 Tony Award

The Book of Mormon

Les Misérables winner for Best Musical Revival! Hailed as “a direct hit to the heart” (The Hollywood Reporter), this joyous American classic about a young woman’s journey to love and triumph in the American South has conquered Broadway in an allnew "ravishingly reconceived production that is a glory to behold” (The New York Times).

The Color Purple

To purchase tickets call the box office at 941-953-3368 or 800826-9303 or visit their website at: Vanwezel.org.

hot bodies

By Tom Bonanti

S

Summertime is the ideal season to show off that fabulous body. If you’re feeling a little doughy and reluctant to take it all off, here are six strategies to help you get shredded in no time at all!

Ironically, the first step toward getting leaner and maintaining a killer metabolism is to begin your day with a healthy and substantial breakfast. If you skip this first and most important meal, your body will likely go into a starvation mode and you’ll begin to store fat like crazy. Plus, without the right fuel in the AM you’re bound to feel tired and sluggish by midday. That means you’re more likely to hit the couch than the gym after work. A healthy breakfast of 3 parts carbohydrates, 2 parts protein and 1 part fat first thing in the

Six Ways to Get Shredded This Summer

morning is the best strategy for staying lean and fueled all day long.

Secondly, you must stay hydrated because water plays an essential role in all bodily functions. If you’re even 2% dehydrated you’ll suffer performance issues in the gym.

Aim for 8-10 tall glasses per day and when you train in the summer heat, go for a gallon a day. Tip: even before your coffee, chug a tall glass of water first thing every morning!

Thirdly, if you want to shed fat, but continue to build lean muscle then you’ve got to incorporate more protein into your meals.

Protein requires your body to expend more calories in the digestion process. It also helps regulate blood sugar, provides nitrogen to the brain, and allows muscles to take in amino acids needed for growth and recovery from training. Besides lean chicken, fish, beef and low-fat dairy you may want to consider using a low carb, low sugar whey protein to help

you get those extra protein calories.

Fourthly, performing weight training before cardio will ensure that you’re at your strongest when you’re pumping heavy iron. Lifting weights that are challenging depletes glycogen stores so that when you jump on the tread mill or go for a run after hard training, you’ll be more likely to burn fat for energy helping you to get leaner than if you did cardio first.

Fifthly, many guys train abdominals relentlessly thinking that endless crunches and contortions will bring them that sexy six pack.

In order to burn off the layer of fat over your abs you’ve got to train all muscle groups hard and consistently. Never underestimate the importance of your dietary strategy, i.e. portion control, cutting back on carbs and fats, and eating more protein.

Finally, try a little coconut oil. This supplement contains medium chain triglycerides, it helps with brain health, increases energy and decreases appetite. I haven’t tried it yet, but many guys report great results by taking a tablespoon of coconut oil first thing in the morning. Give it a try and let me know what you think?

Tom Bonanti is a certified personal trainer and massage therapist (MA#40288) with his own one on one facility www.pumpnincgym.com in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact trainertomb@aol.com or call Tom (954) 557-1119 to schedule a massage or training session today.

hot shots photos by j.d. casto photography

MBA Pride Awards Gala Orlando

Hookups =

Visit www.squirt.org to hook up today

hot shots photos by tony fowler

Kink, An Art Affair

Metro Inclusive Health