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Looking forward: The month of January in the arts
January’s entertainment calendar is jam-packed, although not with today’s top pop stars or A-list celebrities. Unless you count Cher among the latter.
No, the original single-named superstar diva herself won’t be visiting us (although, even at 78, she appears unstoppable). Coming to Tampa’s Straz Center for the Performing Arts Jan. 14-19 is The Cher Show, a touring production of the Tony-winning jukebox musical from 2018.
Including 35 songs from across the decades (everything from “I Got You Babe” to “Believe”), The Cher Show presents three different incarnations of Cher, from over the decades, with actor/singers portraying Sonny Bono, Gregg Allman and others – including costumer Bob Mackie, Cher’s longtime gown-maker.
The “three Chers” are portrayed on this tour by Catherine Ariele, Ella Perez and Morgan Scott.
Tickets for the Straz Center/Morsini Hall run are available at this link.
And how about these?
Steve Martin (left) and Martin Short: Jan. 10 at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Publicity photo.
Steve Martin and Martin Short. The veteran actor/comedians are still front page news thanks to their hit Hulu series Only Murders in the Building. Martin and Short have been touring as a duo for close to a decade, and can always be counted on for an annual visit to the bay area. Catch them Jan. 10 at Ruth Eckerd Hall.
Styx. With guitarists Tommy Shaw and J.Y. Young still holding down the fort, the contemporary edition of the multi-platinum Midwestern rock band continues to burn up the road. The show is Jan. 11 at The Baycare Sound, with Loverboy opening.
Shen Yun. The touring song-and-dance spectacle depicting pre-Communist culture in China returns every year with a cast of hundreds. At the Mahaffey Theater Jan. 17-19.
Jim Gaffigan. One of America’s most beloved standup comedians returns to Tampa, where he taped a Netflix special in 2023. This time (Jan. 4) Gaffigan will be onstage at Amalie Arena.
The Florida Orchestra
Violinist Geneva Lewis joins TFO for Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto Jan. 11 and 12 at the Mahaffey Theater. Also on the program: Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody No. 1.
Dancing in the Street (Dec. 17 and 19, Straz Center Ferguson Hall) is an all-Motown concert featuring vocalist Michael Lynche.
Cellist Inbal Segev guests for Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, Jan. 24 at Straz Center Morsani Hall, and Jan. 25 at the Mahaffey Theater. Also on the program: Bizet’s Carmen Suites 1 & 2, Kodaly’s Dances of Galant and Gabriela Lena Frank’s Elegía Andina.
The Florida Orchestra accompanies Opera Tampa for Candide Jan. 31 and Feb. 2 at the Straz Center.
Enchanted Stories includes Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and more Jan. 31 at the Church of the Ascension; Feb. 1 at Tampa Theatre; Feb. 2 at Palladium Theater.
On theater stages
Pre-Cher Show, the Straz Center’s Broadway series brings back Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations Jan. 3-5.
American Stage’s This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, a whimsical drama by Frances Kruckemeyer, runs. Jan. 22-Feb. 9.
It’s January, which means Jobsite Theater is in full-on Shakespeare mode. A production of MacBeth runs Jan. 15-Feb. 9.
LAB Theatre Project returns Jan. 9-26 with Green Cheese, the story of a “game night” gone bad, by Guy R. Newsham. It’s described as God of Carnage meets Trivial Pursuit.
Georgia Mallory Guy and Julia Rifino take on the roles of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, respectively, in the Off Broadway comedy Matt & Ben by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers. It’s at freeFall Theatre Jan 23-25.
Jerry Meyers’ Two Across (with Debbie Yones and Michael Gregory as strangers who meet on a train in the middle of the night, and bond over crossword puzzles) opens the year for the Off-Central Players Jan. 30-Feb. 9.
Mamma Mia! – the national tour – is back at the Straz Center Jan. 28-Feb. 2.
American Stage returns to the great outdoors (i.e. Boyd Hill Preserve) Jan. 30-Feb. 23 with Don’t Feed the Animals.
PowerStories Theatre brings Cadillac Crew to The Studio@620 Jan. 30-Feb. 9.
The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine brings “Swan Lake” to the Mahaffey Theater Jan. 4. Publicity photo.
And these, too
Jan. 3 Swan Lake from the State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine at the Mahaffey Theater.
Jan. 7 Tabajara Belo and O Som Do Jazz at the Palladium Side Door.
Jan 8 Los Lobos at the Capitol Theatre.
Jan. 9 Judy Collins at the Capitol Theatre.
Jan. 9 Sarah Silverman at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center.
Jan. 10 Willy Porter at the Palladium Side Door.
Jan. 1. Jeff Dunham at Amalie Arena.
Jan. 10 Seals & Crofts 2 (Brady Seals at Lua Crofts) at the Capitol Theatre.
Jan. 11 Randall Bramblett at the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center.
Jan. 11 Paula Poundstone at the Capitol Theatre.
Jan. 14 Pink Martini at the Straz Center.
Jan. 15 Chamber Series #2: Janacek & Rachmaninoff at the Palladium Theater.
Jan. 16 Al DiMeola at the Capitol Theatre.
Jan 17 Keb’ Mo’ at the Capitol Theatre
Jan 18 Marty Stuart & the Fabulous Superlatives at the Capitol Theatre.
Jan 19 Marcia Ball at Skipper’s Smokehouse.
Melissa Etheridge plays The Baycare Sound Jan. 25. Photo by Bridge Burke.
Jan 22 Hot Tuna Acoustic at the Capitol Theatre.
Jan 23 Bill “Sauce Boss” Wharton at the Palladium Side Door.
Jan 23 Paul Thorn and Marc Broussard at Ruth Eckerd Hall.
Jan 23 Dweezil Zappa at the Capitol Theatre.
Jan 23 The Moth Mainstage Live at Tampa Theatre.
Jan. 25 Joshua Redman at the Central Park Performing Arts Center.
Jan 25 Kathleen Edwards at Bayboro Brewing
Jan 25 Melissa Etheridge with Lisa Loeb at The Baycare Sound.
Jan 25 Jeff Arcuri at Ruth Eckerd Hall.
Jan 26 Al Stewart and Livingston Taylor at the Capitol Theatre.
Jan 26 James McMurtry at Skipper’s Smokehouse.
Jan. 26 Mike Epps at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center.
Jan. 29-Feb 2 Riverdance at Mahaffey Theater.
Jan 31 Jim Brickman at the Capitol Theatre.
