ARTS & CULTURE
On Stage
This Spring our professional theaters are on double duty and we,
the lucky patrons, are all the better for it! Here’s what freeFall and
American Stage are up to:
freeFall Theatre Company continues its highly successful “Ghost
Lone Star
Spirits. It is the second part of an innovative two-theater play
swap in partnership with the Hippodrome in Gainesville. Marie &
Rosetta closed on Feb 16 at freeFall and now moves to Gainesville.
Conversely, Lone Star Spirits leaves the Hippodrome and comes to
freeFall (it opened on Feb. 29). When Marley returns to her small
dad, ex-boyfriend and town founder, a ghost, create BIG chaos - the
Looking ahead at freeFall’s season of spirits, on April 25 the classic
Dear World premieres. Based on The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean
Giraudoux, and with music by Jerry Herman, this tale set in 1940s
Paris tells the story of Madame Aurelius, an outcast living in the
basement of a Parisian bistro. When oil is discovered beneath the
know who I’m rooting for. Runs through May 24.
www.freefalltheatre.com
American Stage, over decades, continues to mark each Spring
with the greatly anticipated American Stage in the Park. This
season Footloose: The Musical promises to delight young and old,
families, couples, girlfriends and diehard fans of Kevin Bacon, Kenny
Loggins and Sammy Hagar. To tweak your memory, city boy Ren
McCormack moves to a rural town where spiritual life is strictly
controlled by a preacher whose many rules make everyone, well,
40 StPeteLifeMag.com March/April 2020
kind of sad. Ren makes waves, especially over a rule that forbids
of youth - their ability to enact change and mold their own futures.
Directed by Stephanie Gularte, it runs April 15 - May 17. You can also
reserve a spot for the Gala Under the Stars on April 17. Bring your
dancing shoes...
Mainstage: The 21st Century Voices program provides a platform for
playwrights to develop and submit their work for curated staged
readings each year during American Stage’s New Play Festival. One
lucky selection goes on to a full mainstage production, usually for
the following season. The latest 21st Voices mainstage selection
comes from playwright-in-residence, actor and local fave, Natalie
Symons. The People Downstairs, set in Symon’s favorite backdrop of
love, loss, loneliness and the healing power of laughter. Having seen
several of Symon’s plays, and marveling at her ability to endear
characters and dialogue to an audience’s heart, I sincerely look
forward to seeing it. www.americanstage.org
Museum Happenings
The Carter G. Woodson African American History Museum,
in partnership with The Florida Orchestra, hosts the Woodson
Concert
Series. There
are two
dates left in
the “Telling
themed series,
and at pay
what you can
admission,
you really
NOT to go.
On March 29, the TFO String Trio featuring William Grant Still will
present a Brahms tribute. Then, on May 3, TFO Asst. Principal Cello
Lowell Adams joins pianist Grigorios Zamporas for a tribute to
museum and both concerts start at 3pm.
www.woodsonmuseum.com
BY CINDY STOVALL
/www.freefalltheatre.com
/StPeteLifeMag.com
/www.americanstage.org
/www.woodsonmuseum.com