Raise The Curtain! Unveiling The 2021-2022 Performing Arts Season
It has certainly been a challenging time for many businesses, but the creative arts have been hit substantially hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many theaters, museums and events began opening cautiously earlier this year, the performing arts venues around Tampa Bay have announced their seasons and the curtains are starting to rise.The resourceful art venues have certainly adapted and evolved throughout the entire pandemic with virtual programming, new health and safety protocols and procedures. However, as President and CEO of the Straz Center Judy Lisi said, “There is no replacement for the magic of a live show.”
The Straz Center
“The lows of the pandemic made us even more grateful for our incredible patrons and donors who believed in us during this challenging chapter,” said Judy Lisi. “The live entertainment industry was shuttered overnight at the start of this pandemic, but it led to great innovation with virtual programming and allowed our Riverwalk Stage to blossom. Our staff is energized and ready to raise the curtain, and because of the lows, we all value the shared experience of watching a show together more than ever before,” Lisi added. “We know our audiences are yearning to return to the Straz,” said Lisi. “We have a fully loaded Broadway season ahead that includes Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Frozen and the return of Dear Evan Hansen. The Straz is back!” Tampa Theatre has been a gem in the heart of downtown Tampa for 95 years. “We reopened March 11, 2021 after a one year shut down,” said John Bell, President & CEO of Tampa
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Theatre. “We feel confident we have done everything right in terms of protocols, procedures and improvements to allow us to re-open responsibly. None of us were trained in pandemic response, so our learning curve on this has been straight up. We partnered with Tampa General Hospital to advise us on these procedures and improvements, which was terrific to have their expertise.” While venues have re-opened, some patrons have not been quick to attend shows and concerts. “I am optimistic this will improve as the film and concert touring industries recover, but for the first six months of our re-opening there have been very few strong films or concerts availTampa Theatre able to book,” said Bell. “We are seeing more booking inquiries and activity from concert promoters and agents on the 2022 calendar, which is encouraging. I do think brighter days are ahead. Maybe that’s the eternal optimist in me, but we’re slowly getting there. I’m expecting a strong 2022, but I’ve also learned over the past 18 months that we just can’t predict with any certainty where we’ll be 6 months from now. Unless we have any more variant or covid curveballs, I’m expecting us to get back to something that feels like “normal” next year.” Last season, The Florida Orchestra performed more concerts for live audiences than any other orchestra in the country – 86 concerts at the The Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater safely. But now, the Orchestra are back in full force. The new TFO season opened September 24-26, 2021 with Music Director Michael Francis conducting Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony with a full orchestra at venues
PHOTO CREDITS: The Straz Center – Rob Harris; Tampa Theatre – Jeff Fay; The Florida Orchestra – Alex McKnight
By Ronda M. Parag