Sunday, August 26, 2012
Stagedoor Performing Arts, in conjunction with the Village Players, is in production with "The Odd Couple," on stage at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico. The show's only matinee is Aug. 26 at 3 p.m. Remaining show dates are Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.
On stage at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico is "The Odd Couple," staged by Stagedoor Performing Arts in conjunction with the Village Players and starring a cast of seven thespians. Directed by G. Todd Siverling, with production management by Josie Costa, the Neil Simon comedy takes to the stage today, Aug. 26, with a 3 p.m. matinee. Additional show dates are Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. The show, featuring the comedic highlights of a tested friendship between the divorced Oscar Madison (Randy Magruder), a slob, and the divorcing Felix Ungar (Dave Friedman), a neat freak, premiered on Broadway in 1965, followed by both a successful television and film series. In his program notes, Siverling gives notice to Corey Wade, who built "…
Monday, June 18, 2012
Is the James McCabe Theater haunted? That's been the age-old question for community theater veterans and now paranormal enthusiasts from Plant City have been staging investigations, which were discussed at a June 16 fundraiser.
The leading character in the June 16 fundraiser show at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico was the structure itself, which had its birth in 1915 as the Valrico Civic Center and is believed by many community theater veterans to be haunted. Are there ghosts at the James McCabe? "I would say, at this point, we have accumluated enough evidence to say, 'Yes, there's something here,' " said Landon "L.T." Cochran, who founded the Plant City Paranormal Research team in 2007. Plant City Paranormal Research and Fire and ICE Paranormal, in cooperation with United Paranormal International's Historic Preservation Society, were at the theater June 16 to investigate with handheld equipment. The night followed previous investigations of the run-down …
Saturday, June 16, 2012
The spotlight is on the James McCabe Theater, from its 1915 birth as the Valrico Civic Center to its life today as a community theater. Paranormal researchers were to investigate long-held haunting claims at a June 16 fundraiser.
The leading character in the June 16 fundraiser show at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico is the structure itself, which had its birth in 1915 as the Valrico Civic Center and is believed by many community theater veterans to be haunted. Are there ghosts at the James McCabe? That will be asked and addressed today, June 16, at the theater, which has been deemed an historical landmark. _____________ _____________ The building is not in great shape, and over the years many attempts have been staged to raise funds to fix and mend the building, which serves today as the main venue for the Village Players of Valrico. Today's event is another attempt in that regard and features, among other participants, Plant City Paranormal Research and Fire…
Sunday, June 10, 2012
The Village Players concludes its three-weekend run of the Tony award-winning "Avenue Q The Musical" featuring a cast of humans and puppets at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico.
In the end, the puppets stole the show at the closing-night performance of the Village Players production of "Avenue Q The Musical," which featured as well a strong cast of puppeteers and the directorial debut talents of Brian Carpenter and his production crew. At the closing night curtain call June 9 at the James McCabe Theater, Carpenter's daughter, Kerstyn, a student at Hillsborough Community College, made sure her father knew just how special that inaugural effort was. She presented her father with a bouquet of flowers, then told the audience how proud she was of her father, who watched as she, too, made her mark as a director in high school. "This is why we got into theater," Brian Carpenter said on behalf of himself and his wife, …
Saturday, June 2, 2012
The Valrico Village Players continue its three-weekend run of the Tony award-winning musical, "Avenue Q: The Musical!" with June 2 shows at 7 and midnight. Remaining show dates for the adult-themed show are June 8 and 9.
The Valrico Village Players at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico, with a cast of 10, returns to the stage June 8 and 9, with two stagings of the Tony award-winning "Avenue Q: The Musical!" Actress Kat N. Coates has a reminder for the audience: "If the puppets don't hear laughter, they get scared," she wrote on the show's Facebook page. "And she hopes that all of you who come out tonight have an amazing time." Susan Lucas Kazenas, an audience member, posted a stunning review: "I saw the show last night and couldn't stop laughing. The set is great, the cast is perfect for their parts and each did a fantastic job." The show, though, is not for everyone. With its "explicit content" it is "not recommended for young children." The adult-…
Saturday, March 10, 2012
The junior production of "Raise the Roof" took to the stage March 9 with more than 20 acts at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico. The show returned March 10 with mostly older student and adult performers.
“Raise the Roof” returns tonight, March 10, with a variety show featuring mostly adult performers. Last night was one for the kids, though, aptly titled: “Raise the Roof, Junior Edition.” “I just love coming back here and seeing all my friends and I love to sing,” said Julia Harbort, 12, a student at Burns Middle School, whose two song selections were among the more than 20 featured acts for the night’s performance. From “Tangled,” Harbort sang, “When Will My Life Begin” and “Mother Knows Best," her choices made because she loves the Disney movie and because her mother knows best. “Even when she’s wrong, she’s right,” Harbort said. “She’s always right.” Virginia Stacy reprised her role as “Annie,” singing on the James McCabe Theater …
The Diamond sisters are no strangers to the community theater stage. In Valrico for a "Raise the Roof" performance, the girls join their parents, uncle and grandmother in an a cappella performance.
For the Diamond family of Greater Brandon, it just seemed easier to say, "Yes," rather than, "No." So again the family took to the stage March 9 at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico, for the junior production of "Raise the Roof," to perform as "Diamonds Uncut," a group they formed about a year ago after singing together for years. For sisters Carolyn, Mary Brook and Ann Marie those "years" have amounted to essentially their entire lives. Rounding out the group are the girls' parents, Brad and Jenny; their uncle, Eric; and their grandmother, Lynnell. “We're singing all the time as a family and we all blend really well together,” said Brad Diamond, a voice teacher at the University of South Florida. "People had been asking us to do a few…
Friday, February 24, 2012
Peter B. Sanders plays the role of Robbie Hart in the Florida Academy of Performing Arts production of “The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy,” on stage at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico.
The following report is written by Peter B. Sanders, who stars as Robbie Hart in the Florida Academy of Performing Arts (FAOPA) production of “The Wedding Singer: The Musical,” on stage at the James McCabe Theatre in Valrico. The FAOPA is in residence at Music Showcase in Brandon. ______________ What can I say about being in “The Wedding Singer,” the musical comedy? This has long been one of my favorite shows, and I have been singing all of the songs along with the CD for years, ever since my good friend Pedro Amaral introduced me to this uber-fun Broadway show, based on my favorite Adam Sandler movie. Robbie Hart has been a dream role of mine ever since I first heard of the show. He is the lead singer of an 80's cover band! "Yeah," I …
Friday, February 10, 2012
Looking for a Valentine's Day gift? The Florida Academy of Performing Arts, in residence at Music Showcase in Brandon, takes to the stage with "The Wedding Singer." Tickets on sale now.
Get to the heart of the matter this Valentine’s Day season with tickets to “The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy,” on stage at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico. Starring as Robbie Hart, the rock star wannabe considered the best wedding singer in New Jersey, is community theater veteran Peter B. Sanders. The “best,” that is, until his bride leaves him at the altar and every wedding Hart subsequently sings at turns into a disaster. But as the synopsis would have us believe, “life could turn around for Robbie, if he can pull of a dynamite performance and win over Julia, the girl of his dreams.” The show is under the direction of Tammy Modica, with the Florida Academy of Performing Arts (FAOPA), in residence at Music Showcase in Brandon…
Tony Hawkes
10:23 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
Thanks for covering the event! We all had a great time helping a worthy cause. Tony@ops-fl.com (Outcast Paranormal Society) more ›