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Edgy, Alternative Live Theatre Comes to Carrollwood
Carrollwood Players, Tampa's longest operating community theatre, introduces intimate black box venue with alternative productions for $10.
Carrollwood Players Theatre, Tampa's longest operating community theatre group, recently announced a full season of upcoming alternative productions in its intimate, 50-seat CWP Black Box venue.
The non-profit theatre began presenting unique staged readings in the space last year, after clearing out a furniture storage area and converting it to a performance space.
"The Black Box gives local actors and audiences the opportunity to experience works of theatre that might not normally be presented on a community theatre's mainstage," said Producer Jim Russell. "Our staged readings are different. We present an almost fully staged production, with action, lights, sound, a set, and costumes - it's not just actors sitting in a row reading the play from scripts on music stands."
Find out what's happening in Carrollwood-Northdalefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Tickets for almost all of the Black Box productions are available for just $10, and while most of the space's offerings are staged readings, each year a select number of fully produced shows are presented. Past examples include the hugely popular Same Time Next Year and the original musical revue, Jukebox Saturday Night. Later this season, the stirring drama, Agnes of God, will be presented as a full production.
Currently, The Curse of Frankenstein's Castle, a staged reading of local playwright Joe Pauly's spoof of monster movies, is playing to sold out audiences, with David Mamet's edgy, gritty drama, American Buffalo, coming on November 4th, 5th and 6th, and A.R. Gurney's American classic, Love Letters, playing for one night only on Sunday, November 13th.
Find out what's happening in Carrollwood-Northdalefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Popular local playwright, director, and actor Michael Cote directs the venue's 2017 opener, Almost Maine, Jan. 15th and 22nd, followed by director Jessica Mazza's presentation of The Vagina Monologues on Feb. 3rd, 4th and 5th.
Other performances in the newly announced line-up include the recent Broadway sensation, Hand to God, a special premiere production of the New York-bound original musical, If I Embarrass You, Tell Your Friends - Belle Barth is Back, Charles Busch's The Divine Sister, and more.
Details and tickets for all shows can be found on the Carrollwood Players website.