The Catalyst Top Ten: April in the Arts

So March came in like a lion and went out like a lamb. Or was it in like a lamb and out like a lion? Who cares? The only impression March really made, in this Covid-crazy stretch of the continuum, was that the temperature vacillated between chilly and broiling, sometimes on the same day. No rhyme, no reason, just like everything the pandemic touches.

And, predictably, little in the way of live arts, performing or otherwise.

And now, here comes April, promising more of the same. Same stuff, different month.

Rest assured, however, there are highlights, things to look forward to in April. And, of course, many events are announced at the last minute, so stick with the Catalyst for daily updates.

April’s Top Ten

Jobsite’s “Henry V.”

1. Henry V. It’s going to be interesting, to say the least, to see what the creative wizards at Jobsite Theater come up with for this Shakespearean adaptation. The cast is full of bay area heavy hitters, including Roxanne Fay, Ned Averill-Snell, Adam Workman, Brian Shea and Katrina Stevenson. With original music by Jeremy Douglass. Opens April 9 in the socially distanced Jaeb Theatre (Straz Center). (previews April 7 and 8). Website.
2. The Florida Orchestra. The gang’s been back at the Mahaffey since October, playing to a capped capacity of 500 patrons per show, and doing very well, thank you. This month: Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto Featuring Jeffrey Multer (April 10 and 11); Mozart and Beethoven Coffee Concert (April 14 and 15); and Fly Me to the Moon (jazz standards and big band classics) (April 17 and 18). Website.
3. Leonard Bernstein’s New York. With a “boy meets girl” storyline, Emanuel Carerro and Julia Rifino sing the classic Big Apple melodies by the great Bernstein, with lyrics by Sondheim, and Comden and Green. It’s freeFall Theatre’s fourth “drive-in” concert experience, opening April 2 (this Friday). Here’s what you need.
4. Tampa Bay Symphony. The area’s other classical aggregate, conducted by Mark Sforzini, returns to the Palladium Stage April 11 and 13 with More Chamber Delights, a program of music by Tchaikovsky and Richard Strauss. Website.
5. Brian Regan. One of America’s most popular standup comics is back on the road, and will stop in at the Mahaffey Theater April 16. His new Netflix special, filmed during the pandemic at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, is called, appropriately enough, On the Rocks.
6. NUDE. Just what it says, original works from 50 local artists celebrating the human body, opening April 10 at Mize Gallery. Because of the subject matter, gallery owner Chad Mize decided it would be a good idea to cancel his usual virtual show-opening tour.
7. The Return of Grand Opera. Eight singers and a 13-piece orchestra, live onstage at the Palladium, for a socially distanced audience – St. Petersburg Opera Company returns with Barber’s “A Hand of Bridge,” the Three Tenors, and music from The Pearl Fishers, La Bohème, Carmen, Don Giovanni and more (April 30, and again May 2). Website.
8. Butterfly’s Flight. Opera Tampa performs on the Straz Center’s Riverwalk Stage. It’s a narrated concert adaptation of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. April 22-25. Website.
9. Palladium Live! The theater’s livestream concert series (sans live audience) continues this month with La Lucha, with James Suggs and Ken Peplowski (April 9); the long-awaited return of Beacon: An Evening of Dance (April 16); Daniela Soledade and Nate Najar (with band) (April 23). Website.
10. Ruth Eckerd Hall/Capitol Theatre. It’s a safe bet that most, if not all of the April concerts and events currently listed on Ruth’s calendar get postponed until later in the year, as that’s been the M.O. there since mid-pandemic (set ‘em up and move ‘em back). Sometimes, however, the show goes on, so always check the website for the latest. Here’s what’s currently scheduled: Mindi Abair with Bernie Williams at the Cap (this Saturday, April 3); Riverdance, April 16 and 17 at REH; Dirty Dozen Brass Band, April 17 at the Cap; Marshall Tucker Band with BlackHawk, April 23 at REH; Dave Mason, April 23 at the Cap; Orleans, April 24 at the Cap.9.