The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical at Straz Center Tampa

On Tuesday night, Gabe and I headed over to Staz Center in Tampa to see The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical off-Broadway. The adaption of the best-selling Disney-Hyperion novel by Rick Riordan, celebrates being different and urges kids to find the strength in themselves. Both children and adults can learn from this messaging.

I was not personally familiar with the story prior to attending the off-Broadway musical at Straz. It's a story about a teenager named Percy who was kicked out of his fifth school. He quickly finds out his troubles have stemmed from teh fact that he is a half-blood - the son of Poseidon, god of the sea and a mortal mother. Reminded me a bit of Harry Potter!

Throughout the show, various mythical monsters try to kill Percy and he is sent off to Camp Half-Blood, a summer refuge for kids like him. Annabeth, the daughter of Athena; Gover, the satyr; and Luke, son of Hermes.

Percy was blamed for stealing Zeus' lightning bolt and along with the other Half-Bloods, he went off on a quest to clear his name and preventing a war between the gods.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical will conduct a pre-show lottery beginning two and a half hours prior to each performance.
Lottery details:
• 20 tickets available at $20 per performance
• Entries will be accepted at the Ticket Sales Office beginning two and a half hours prior to each performance.
• A Straz representative will distribute entry cards; entrants print name and number of tickets (1 or 2) on card and return to rep who will then place it in the box.
• Two hours before curtain, names will be drawn at random for a limited number of tickets.
• Only one entry is allowed per person and two tickets per winner. Cards are checked for duplication prior to drawing.
• Winners must be present at the time of the drawing and show valid ID to purchase tickets.
• Tickets are subject to availability.

Showtimes for The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical at Straz Center Florida are as follows:
Click here to buy tickets
July 10 7:30pm
July 11 7:30pm
July 12 8pm
July 13 2pm & 8pm
July 14 1pm & 1:30pm

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Rock of Ages - Straz Center Tampa

The Sunset Strip has arrived in Tampa Bay. Broadway's best party Rock of Ages is celebrating it's 10th anniversary on tour and we got to see it last night at Straz Center. From the beginning, I knew we were in for a great time.

This was the perfect Broadway show to see for the last week of my 30's. I grew up with this music and sang along to songs such as “Every Rose Has It's Thorn,” “I Wanna Know What Love Is,” “Here I Go Again,” “Don't Stop Believin’,” and more! I promise this - the tenth anniversary production will have you ready to rock!

Rock of Ages has been nominated for five Tony Awards® and was quick to jump into my top 5 Broadway shows we've seen.. There were times where I forgot I was watching Broadway and thought I was at a concert.

The musical follows the story of a small-town girl who left home to be an actress and a city boy who has dreams of becoming a famous singer. The love story with some drama along the way features a group of rockers who work together to save a local bar - and save the music. There was a ton of laughter and singing from the audience along the way.

You can see Rock of Ages at the Straz through Saturday and tickets start at only $25! Click here to purchase tickets.
June 13 7:30
June 14 8:00
June 15 2:00 and 8:00


I received tickets to Rock of Ages through my partnership with Tampa Bay Bloggers. All opinions are my own.

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A Bronx Tale on Broadway - Straz Center Tampa

On Tuesday night, my husband Gabe and I went to see A Bronx Tale on Broadway at Straz Center in Tampa. It was a much needed date night out as I've been dealing with some health things that I will write about soon - along both of us being crazy busy at work. Having National Broadway shows less than 30 minutes from us is one of the things we love most about living in Tampa Bay.

A few of my co-workers raved about A Bronx Tale so we were excited to see it. Especially being it's called "Jersey Boys meets West Side Story". The second the show began, Gabe looked over at me and said "this is the intro of Jersey Boys" (we've seen Jersey Boys twice on Broadway).

Something I didn't realize ahead of seeing the show was that there was a movie adapted from the original play. A Bronx Tale was written in 1989 and during the original Off Broadway, Robert De Niro came to see the show, he took it to the big screen in 1993, where he starred in and directed the movie. A Bronx Tale was his film directorial debut and he is now the Director of this Broadway hit.

The musical takes place in the 60's, when everything was in the Bronx was all about Joe DiMaggio and Babe Ruth. A Bronx Tale story is about a young boy named Calogero (also known as C), who gets taken under the wing by Sonny, the neighborhood mob boss.

The story follows C as he grows up to be a teenager, having to choose the life he wanted, between his straight-arrow father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. The story took a Westside Story twist when he fell for his African-American classmate, Jane. A Bronx Tale is an unforgettable story of loyalty and family.

Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro and Tony® winner Jerry Zaks direct this streetwise musical – based on Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri’s story that The New York Times hails as “A Critics’ Pick! The kind of tale that makes you laugh and cry.”

A Bronx Tale will be in Tampa through this Sunday, February 2nd. Click here for tickets!

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The Play That Goes Wrong - Straz Center Tampa

When we were in NYC two weeks ago, we attended our first Broadway on Broadway show. We came away with a new found appreciation for Straz Center. We've always been impressed by the amazing shows Straz brings in every year but I had no idea how vast in size Carol Morsani Hall is! While in NYC, we attempted to get tickets for a show called The Play That Goes Wrong, which was co-produced by J.J. Abrams. I'm a huge fan of everything J.J. has done. New York didn't work out for us but this show happened to be coming to Straz as part of their Broadway in Tampa series and we had an opportunity to see it!

The Play That Goes Wrong is far different than any show we have ever seen. The best way I can explain it is that it is two shows in one. The cast is trying to put on a show and everything goes wrong, but they have to stay in their "actor" character.

Prior to the show starting, we had quite a surprise by one of the actors jumping up on the set of seats directly in front of me, screaming at one of the technicians. Everyone was in full character and we knew then, we were in for a show.

Before the show began, the stage was full of people trying to repair the set. Things kept breaking and before you knew it, the show had already started. Then we realized one of the balconies was lit up and had a set of it's own - it belonged to the AV tech, which was part of the show.

The story is a classic "who dunnit", a Murder at Haversham Manor. From start to finish, things went from bad to disaster and the entire night was full chaos and mishaps.

This show has received rave reviews. The New York Times called it a “a gut-busting hit”, The Daily Beast called it “a riotous explosion of comedy”, and HuffPost called it “the funniest play Broadway has ever seen”. I laughed so hard during this show, my abs hurt the next day.

Expect things like an AV guy who messes up constantly through the night, the leading lady goes unconscious multiple times and has to have tech's jump in to cover her, a dead body who refuses to stay still, sets that break through the night, and total chaos from the second you take your seat.

It was a fun night out and we enjoyed seeing this show! Showtimes are running through Sunday, October 21st.

Click here to buy tickets for The Play That Goes Wrong
Wednesday, October 17, , 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 18, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 19, 2018 | 8 p.m.
Saturday, October 20, 2018 | 2 p.m.
Saturday, October 20, 2018 | 8 p.m.
Sunday, October 21, 2018 | 2 p.m.
Sunday, October 21, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.

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CHICAGO at Straz Center Tampa

On Tuesday night, my husband Gabe and I went to the opening night of Broadway’s CHICAGO at Straz Center Tampa. I became a fan of CHICAGO in 2002 thanks to the Academy Award®-winning film movie starring Richard Gere, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones (the movie was based on the stage musical). At that time of my life, I had never been to a Broadway show (aside from Annie when I was 5 years old) and seeing CHICAGO quickly became a bucket-list for me.

From the opening act, the songs and dance captivated the audience. I recognized the majority of the songs from the movie and the cast did an amazing job with them. This is a true musical, where the show goes from song to song. The singing and dancing was non-stop and CHICAGO dazzled me. What I loved most about the show is that CHICAGO has a bit of everything - fame, fortune, lust, betrayal, love and of course "all that jazz"!

One of the very unique parts of this musical is how they integrate the orchestra. The CHICAGO orchestra is actually part of the show and the main part of the set. The cast interacts with them throughout the night and it was really neat to see them play.

If you aren't familiar with the story of CHICAGO, it is based around two woman named Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart who were arrested for different murders (Velma murdered her sister and husband and Roxie murdered her lover). The girls end up with the same lawyer, thanks to the jail Mamma, who makes side money for selling their fame to the press. The story follows their lawyer as he decided to take on both cases which ends up becoming a media circus of headlines. The women fought for the spotlight and pulled a ton of tricks not to be outdone against one another, all for the final prize of fame and fortune (and of course to be freed).

I could clearly see how CHICAGO is the recipient of six Tony Awards®, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy®, thousands of standing ovations and now the No. 1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history.

CHICAGO Showtimes at Straz Center Tampa
click here to buy tickets
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 20, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 21, 2018 | 8 p.m.
Saturday, September 22, 2018 | 2 p.m.
Saturday, September 22, 2018 | 8 p.m.
Sunday, September 23, 2018 | 2 p.m.
Sunday, September 23, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.

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Waitress the Musical at the Straz Center

I am going to take you on a trip down memory lane. In 2007, I had the opportunity to attend the Sundance Film Festival with my (then) job. We sponsored one of the booths at a VIP party and it was one of the coolest experiences I had while working. That year, the movie Waitress premiered with Kerry Russell as the main actress (who I was a fan of from the Felicity days). Waitress was all the hype of the festival.

Fast Forward 11 years later (ouch). I saw a promo for Waitress in NYC featuring songs written by Sarah Bareilles. I have a work playlist that I listen to daily, which includes Sara, Norah Jones, Dido and a few others. To say I'm a huge fan of everything Sarah Bareilles touches is an understatement. She's a constant at my parents dinner party and I know every one of her songs by heart. Waitress AND Sarah Bareilles - major fan girl moment for me.

I'm fortunate to live in an area that has a fantastic traveling Broadway lineup. This week, from April 24th - April 29th, Waitress the Musical will be at Straz Center Tampa. I had a chance to check it out last night and was very impressed. I was curious to see how they would bring Waitress to Broadway, given it's storyline. It was very well written and the stage set was super impressive. I felt at times I was watching a movie, not at a live production. The talent was absolutely incredible and left me jaw dropped at many times throughout the show.

Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, this irresistible new hit features original music and lyrics by five-time Grammy® nominee Sara Bareilles ("Brave," "Love Song"), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Finding Neverland). "It's an empowering musical of the highest order!" raves the Chicago Tribune.

This is a story inspired by Adrienne Shelly's beloved film, Waitress. This show tells the story of Jenna (played by Desi Oakley) who is a waitress and expert pie maker. She is in a loveless, abusive relationship and ends up pregnant. The story is based around her wanting to enter a baking contest which would give her a chance at winning $20k and start a new life. Plus there is a new doctor in town who shows her what being happy looks like. It's a darker story (abuse, affairs, etc) but on stage, it was hilarious and engaging. It was a very good show and I would suggest seeing it!

"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 Tampa showtimes
Click here for tickets
April 24th 7:30
April 25th 7:30
April 26th 7:30
April 27th 8:00
April 28th 2:00, 8:00
April 29th 2:00, 7:30

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Beautiful - The Carole King Story, The Straz Center

One of the things we miss most about living in Ybor City is the proximity to The Straz Center. Both my husband Gabe and I love going to Broadway shows and we definitely took advantage of being less than 5 minutes away in the 5+ years we lived in Ybor. Now that we live in New Tampa, our visits have been less frequent.

I had the opportunity to go see Beautiful - The Carole King Story last night at The Straz Center. This show tells the story of Carole Kings remarkable rise as teenage song writer to Rock n Roll hall of fame. Last night also happened to be World Theater Day!! Perfect timing :)

Goosebumps. You guys.....this show. If you are in Tampa, buy tickets now. Beautiful runs through this Sunday, April 1st.  If you aren't in Tampa, find a location near you that has this show on tour (Fort Meyers & Jacksonville, you're next). Beautiful - The Carole King Story quickly stole my heart and top spot for favorite Broadway musical.

I grew up listening to Carole King. She was and still is one of my parents favorite singers. On Saturday's, we would always have musical chore days. This did nothing to excite me to do chores, but listening to music over the vacuum and hearing my parents sing is something I will always remember. Due to this, hearing Carole King reminds me of doing laundry. These days, Carole King is one of the artists on rotation during my Mom and Step Dad's dinner parties.

I laughed and cried throughout this show. Memories, both beautiful and sad came to mind throughout the 2 hours. Carole King's songs are something most generations would recognize, including “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got A Friend”, and BEAUTIFUL.

Beautiful - Photo rights Carnegie Hall. Sarah Bockel as Carole King

I had a total ugly cry moment during "You've Got A Friend". This was one of my Dad's favorite song and he used to sing it to me. When he passed away at the age of 52, we played James Taylor's version of this song at the funeral. My Step Father requested the song to dance with me at his and my Mom's wedding (my parents were still alive when my Dad passed away). Although I was a mess, it was such a beautiful part of the musical - and yes, I am crying writing this.

Four Friends. (l to r) James Clow as Don Kirshner, Andrew Brewer as Gerry Goffin, Sarah Bockel as Carole King, Jacob Heimer as Barry Mann and Sarah Goeke as Cynthia Weil

If you aren't familiar with Carole Kings story (honestly I wasn't!), she started her career in writing hits for some of the biggest acts in the music industry alongside her then husband Gerry Goffin who she met in college. The pair were teamed up with Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann and the two pairs frequented #1 on the Billboard top 100. They wrote more than two dozen chart hits, many of which have become standards. Growing up, Carol dated Neil Sedaka in high school and "Oh! Carol" was written about her.

Beautiful - Queens College Sarah Bockel as Carole King and Andrew Brewer as Gerry Goffin

When Carole and Gerry divorced, she then became the singer we all know her as today, one who still holds one of the most successful solo acts in music history. She is a longtime friend of James Taylor, who happens to be one of my top 5 artists and has collaborated with more music acts to even try and list out. It's easy to say without Carole King, the music scene wouldn't be what we know it as today.

This show is incredible. You will sing along with it and leave with a giant smile on your face. Beautiful - The Carole King Story will be playing the following dates and times at The Straz Center. Click here to buy tickets
3/28 7:30
3/29 7:30
3/30 8:00
3/31 2:00, 8:00
4/1 2:00, 7:30

Special thanks to Tampa Bay Bloggers for providing us tickets to the show. As always, all opinions are my own. 

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The Illusionists - Witness the Impossible™ at Straz Center Tampa

Last night, my husband Gabe and I saw The Illusionists - Witness the Impossible™ at Straz Center in Tampa. It was an incredible show which at times kept you at the edge of your seat or splitting your sides from laughing. A mix of comedy, magic tricks, death-defying stunts and acts of breathtaking wonder, The Illusionists dazzled an audiences of all ages last night. Both Gabe and I are huge fans of America's Got Talent and it was great seeing this in person, as we both saw them on TV a few years back.

The Illusionists - Witness the Impossible™ was an amazing show which has seven starts, each masters in their own field of magic. All night, we kept wondering "how did they do that?!". The stars included:

The Manipulator, Yu Ho-Jin. Considered a rising superstar in the world of magic, Ho-Jin was recently named the 2014 “Magician of the Year,” by Academy of Magical Arts and was the first Asian to win the Grand Prix at the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques, also known as the “Olympics of Magic.”. At the end of the night, Yu Ho-Jin paid special tribute to the Tampa Bay Lightning with a "Go Bolts" illusion.

The Anti-Conjuror, Dan Sperry. Described as Marilyn Manson meets David Copperfield, Sperry combines the art of magic with the macabre and is one of the top 10 most-Googled people, thanks to a legendary America’s Got Talent appearance. He was quirky, funny and scary all at the same time.

The Trickster, Jeff Hobson. Hobson is the epitome of glamour and showmanship. Don’t be fooled by his innocent appearance, he has audiences laughing long after the curtain goes down. Jeff played with the audience and even stole three watches from viewers without their knowledge - he did give them back at the end of the night.

The Escapologist, Andrew Basso. Italy’s star escape artist, Basso considers Houdini his hero and is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular illusionists. He is the only person in the world to perform Houdini’s famous Water Torture Cell with absolutely no covers. Andrew held his breath for over 3 minutes to perform Houdini's tower cell trick.

The Inventor, Kevin James. Known for innovative illusions, James is an inventor, comedian and collector of the strange and unusual. He is one of the most prolific inventors of magic in the world and has created some of the most celebrated illusions of the last century. Kevin made it snow in the audience at the end of the night.

The Warrior, Aaron Crow. A strong and silent type specializing in weapon magic, Crow has mastered some of the most dangerous acts without saying a single word. Belgium’s international magic sensation and a first place finisher at the World Championships of Magic, he uses swords, paintball guns and powerful crossbows to keep fans on the edge of their seat. Last night, we watched as he shot an apple off the head of an audience member. Her diamond wedding ring was inside of the apple and with a perfect shot, the ring was around the arrow on the target.

The Futurist, Adam Trent. Trent shatters stereotypes and brings a new generation of magic to fans fusing technology, illusions, dancing and comedy with classic techniques. Adam performed a few tricks through the night, including a light show that left you wondering.

The Illusionists - Witness the Impossible™ is produced by Simon Painter, Tim Lawson, MagicSpace Entertainment, Road Show Entertainment LLC and The Production Office. Conceived by Simon Painter, the show’s creative team also includes Executive Producer Tim Lawson, Director Neil Dorward and Creative Director Jim Millan.



The Illusionists - Witness the Impossible™ is at Straz Center Tampa through May 31st and tickets range from $56-$82. Click here for show times and to purchase tickets.

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Disney's Beauty and the Beast comes to the Straz Center Tampa

A tale as old as time came to life last night in Tampa Bay. Disney's Beauty and the Beast charmed the Straz Center as kids of all ages were enchanted by the Disney musical adaptation based on the 1991 Best Picture Oscar Nominee.

This romantic broadway musical is perfect for all ages. I was in Middle School when Beauty and the Beast was released and it is still one of my favorite Disney animated movies. My husband and I attended the show with our friends Ashley and Ryan who moved to Tampa last summer. This was their first and surely not their last visit to the Straz Center.

It was amazing seeing all of our favorite songs come to stage. Ashely and I found ourselves fighting the urge to sing Be Our Guest. The cast did an amazing job bringing all the unforgettable characters to life.

Prior to getting into our amazing seats, we visited Straz's coffee shop "Steam Heat" and found they had themed drinks for this showing. How delicious do these drinks sound! I personally liked "The Gaston".

The sets, costume and production numbers did not disappoint. I had very high expectations going into this show and they were more than met. My husband proclaimed this was his second favorite broadway show. I can easily say it is my favorite production to date.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast tickets range from $35-$130 a seat and the production will be inTampa through May 10th. Running time is approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, including one 20 minute intermission. Click here for more information


Beauty and the Beast at the Straz Center Tampa
May 6th 7:30pm
May 7th 7:30pm
May 8th 8:00pm
May 9th 2:00pm
May 9th 8:00pm
May 10th 1:00pm
May 11th 6:30pm

Tickets were provided to me through my partnership with Tampa Bay Bloggers. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Pippin Comes to Straz Center Tampa Bay #BroadwayInTampa #PippinOnTour

Pippin the Musical - its Broadway with a side of Motown, Cirque Du Solei, SNL and quite possibly the best stage act I have ever seen. When my husband and I found out we were going to a showing of Pippin at Straz Center, Tampa last night, neither of us knew much about the show. I knew it was the 2013 Tony Award Best Revival of a Musical but that is about where my history of this production ended.

Between the talent of the cast, including "Leading Player",  Sasha Allen (a finalist from Season 4 on The Voice) to the jaw dropping acrobats, I was blown away. The new production came straight from Broadway and is directed by Tony Winner Diane Paulus.

Pippin was hailed as "an eye-popping, jaw-dropping extravaganza" and there is no better way to describe it than just that. We have been fortunate over the past two years to see quite a few traveling shows at The Straz Center and this was hands down the best I've ever seen.

There were times during the show that I found myself hysterically laughing. What sets this story apart from all others is a mix of acrobatics, magic, comedy and pure talent. If you are unfamiliar with the story (as I was until last night), it based on the premise of a mysterious performance troupe which is led by the Leading Player (Sasha Allen). She tells the story of Pippin, a young prince on his search for meaning and significance. He goes through the show feeling directionless with life until The Leading Player inspires him. Words really can't describe this show
Pippin is noted for many Broadway standards including, Corner of the Sky, Magic to Do, Glory, No Time at All, Morning Flow and Love Song. While I didn't know any of the songs due to the fact we've never seen Pippin before, many people around us sang throughout the night.

If you go see one show this season at The Straz, make Pippin it. You will not be sorry! We received Press tickets for review through my partnership with Tampa Bay Bloggers. As always, all opinions are my own.

Pippin at The Straz Center

Pippin will be at Straz Center Tampa from April 14 - April 19. Click here to purchase your tickets today!

Show Dates & Times
Tues. 7:30 p.m.
Wed. 7:30 p.m.
Thurs. 7:30 p.m.
Fri. 8 p.m.
Sat. 2 and 8 p.m.
Sun. 2 and 7:30 p.m.

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The Phantom of the Opera - Straz Center Tampa

I received tickets to Phantom of the Opera from my partnership at Tampa Bay Bloggers for this review. As Always, all opinions are my own.

On Friday night, my husband and I had a chance to check out The Phantom of the Opera at Straz Center in Tampa. The Phantom of the Opera was one of the very first shows I saw on broadway when I was in High School. This show is the reason I fell in love with broadway productions and I couldn't wait to see it once again as an adult. We had high expectations going into this show and left beyond satisfied.

Tampa welcomes Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Anderw Lloyd Webber's North America tour of The Phantom of the Opera from December 17-January 4th.  The Phantom of the Opera was stunning and I have never seen a show with such incredible stage design. I found myself at many times thinking we were watching a movie vs. being at a broadway production.

There were so many special effects including the dropping of show’s legendary chandelier, which hung over the audience. What amazed me most was the scenery changes right in front of your eyes without you realizing it was happening. There was an orchestra of 52 who played all of the recognizable songs from the production, including Music of the Night, All I Ask Of You and Masquerade.

The Phantom of the Opera, North America tour is overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh along with:
Scenic design by Paul Brown
Tony Award®-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson
Lighting design by Tony Award®-winner Paule Constable
New choreography by Scott Ambler
New staging by director Laurence Connor

You can follow along online at @StrazCenter and @PhantomOnTour # PhantononTour



The Phantom of the Opera, Straz Center Tampa
Show Dates & Times
click here for tickets
Dec. 17 - 7:30pm
Dec. 18 - 2pm and 7:30pm
Dec. 19 - 8pm
Dec. 20 - 2pm and 8pm
Dec. 21 - 2pm and 7:30pm
Dec. 22 - 7:30pm
Dec. 23 – 7:30pm
Dec. 24 - 2pm
Dec. 26 - 8pm
Dec. 27 - 2pm and 8pm
Dec. 28 - 2pm and 7:30pm
Dec. 30 - 7:30pm
Dec. 31 - 8pm
Jan. 1 – 7:30pm
Jan. 2 - 8pm
Jan. 3 - 2pm and 8pm
Jan. 4 – 2pm and 7:30pm

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Oh What A Night! - Jersey Boys at Straz Center, Tampa

I wanted to take a quick second and wish my amazing fiance a happy birthday! Poor guy has to work all day and night but we were able to celebrate early by attending opening night of Jersey Boys Musical at the Straz Center in Tampa. It. Was. Amazing.

JERSEY BOYS, the Tony®, Grammy ® and Olivier Award-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. While I am very familiar with the Four Seasons, I found my self shocked as to how many hit songs they have and sang through half of the musical. Sorry to those who sat beside me. "Sherry", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Rag Doll", "Oh What a Night", "Can't Take my Eyes Off You", and many more.

I loved learning the story about four blue-collar kids became who became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. The hit songs I mentioned above - they wrote them all. Before they were 30 years old, they sold over 175 million records worldwide.

Besides the amazing performance, I was very impressed with the stage. I spent my childhood and high school years in drama, so I pay special attention to the stage, set up, props, etc.

I can honestly say that last night will not be the last time we will see this show. It was by far the best traveling performance I have ever seen. No wonder Times Magazine proclaimed that Jersey Boys "will run for centuries" and tonight, #JerseyBoys broadway will surpass the record held by 42ND STREET to become the 13th longest running show in Broadway History. Congrats! The JERSEY BOYS creative team comprises two-time Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff, book writers Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, composer Bob Gaudio, lyricist Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo. The show contains smoke, gun shots, strobe lights, drug references, sexual situations and authentic “profane Jersey language.

Jersey Boys the Musical is in Tampa through April 13th with two shows on Saturday and Sunday. Here's a fun fact - Hayden Milanes, who plays Frankie Valli, was born and raised in Tampa! Tickets run from $48-$116 and can be purchased by clicking here.
Wednesday, April 9, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 10, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 11, 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 12, 2 & 8 p.m.
Sunday, April 13, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

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