From the President/CEO
and Chairman of the Board
Holiday Greetings!
One of the aspects of this
season that we love most is
how many families include
the performing arts as part
of their holiday traditions –
especially trips to see
JUDITH LISI
Nutcracker. Our exquisite
President/CEO
production has become a
Tampa highlight, and this
year, we welcome four
incredible talents from New
York City Ballet and Miami
City Ballet to dance the roles
of the Sugar Plum Fairy and
her Cavalier in alternating
GARY SASSO
Chairman
performances. To learn more
about these dancers, see the special feature
article on pp. 6-7. Next Generation Ballet’s
Nutcracker runs in Morsani Hall Dec. 21-23.
Tampanians with a air for the irreverent
will be delighted to know irreverence
incarnate returns as The Book of Mormon
recruits more fans Dec. 5-10 in Morsani
Hall. This Broadway blockbuster lampoons
and lambasts everything from religion to
Orlando in a feel-good musical formula that
is both offensive and howlingly funny.
Phantom fans get a special treat this month as
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to the famed
opera-house drama plays out on Coney
Island in the fantastical tale Love Never
Dies. What happens when The Phantom and
Christine nd each other 10 years later? Find
out in Morsani Hall Dec. 12-17.
No matter what time of year, our Club Jaeb
artists rock the night away. This month, The
Grahams, a roots-country power duo, show
up on their jingle horse on Dec. 18 bringing
a sound that blends Taj Mahal with Ry
Cooder.
From all of us at The Straz, may you and
yours enjoy a peaceful, sparkling holiday
season.
David A. Straz, Jr. Center
for the Performing Arts
Board of Trustees
Allison Adams
Johnny Adcock
R. Troy Atlas
Yvonne Yolie Capin
Santiago Corrada
Theodore J. Couch, Jr.
Victor Crist
Gina d’Angelo
Douglas J. Dieck
Jeff Eakins
Jonathan Ellen
Ignacio A. Ferras, III
Michele M. Freedle
Tampa Bay
Performing Arts Center Foundation
Board of Directors
A.D. “Sandy”
MacKinnon, Chairman
R. Kent Bailey
Don DeFosset
John Jaeb
Helen Kerr
Jack Kirkland
Judith Lisi
Frank L. Morsani
Frank J. Rief, III
Gary Sasso
Hinks Shimberg
Martin L. Silbiger
William E. Starkey
David A. Straz, Jr.
Susan Sykes
Bill West
Jerry Williams
The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts
is owned by the City of Tampa and operated by
the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.,
a not-for-profi t organization.
MAYOR
Bob Buckhorn
TAMPA CITY COUNCIL
Yvonne Yolie Capin, Harry Cohen, Guido Maniscalo,
Charlie Miranda, Frank Reddick, Mike Suarez,
Luis Viera
Ryan Freking
Judy L. Genshaft
Jeffrey Gibson
Gordon Gillette
Bill Goede
Terry Igo
Don E. Jones, Jr.
Kasey Shimberg Kelly
Jack Kirkland
Scott Kizer
Marty Lanahan
Zena Lansky
Tom Lee
Barry Levine
A.D. “Sandy” MacKinnon
Gene Marshall
Mildred Mathias
Gene McNichols
Steven H. Mezer
Frank L. Morsani
Vera Muzzillo
Rick Nafe
Erika Noonburg-Morgan
Robert Norman
Adam Palmer
Pallavi K. Patel
Royce W. Reed
Dennis R. Rogero, Jr.
Alfred Rogers, Jr.
Ann McKeel Ross
Gary Sasso, Chairman
David Scher
Hinks Shimberg
Jeff Sikorske
Martin L. Silbiger
Lisa Simington
Rick Simonetti
Sharon Stein
Catherine Lowry Straz
Cindy Stuart
Chuck Sykes
Susan Sykes
Ronald Vaughn
David B. Weinstein
Bill West
Todd Wickner
PRESIDENT’S
COUNCIL
Helen Kerr
Helen Torres