Weekend spotlight: Powerful women, strong girls and ‘Idiots’

Powerstories Theatre’s mission, carved in stone 26 seasons ago, is to produce plays that both celebrate and empower women, from their historical and ongoing struggles in a male-dominated society to their glorious, world-changing achievements.

Jennifer Blackmer’s Predictor, described by the playwright as an “absurdist comic romp,” is the new Powerstories show, opening Friday and running through July 26.

It happens to be the powerful and very true story of Meg Crane, who invented the home pregnancy test in 1967, giving women’s bodily autonomy a giant step forward. It chronicles the years between her groundbreaking invention and the sale, four years later, of the patent.

During which time she endured skepticism, interference and outright hostility from the (primarily male) pharmaceutical community.

Wrote Off Off Online about a 2025 New York production: “Predictor does succeed in reclaiming a piece of ‘herstory,’ and with their mastery of the play’s vaudevillian spirit, the cast ably supports Blackmer’s effort to inject entertainment into the historical record.”

The show is presented at Stageworks Theatre, 1150 Kennedy Ave. in Tampa. Visit this link for showtimes and tickets.

Meg Crane herself will be present July 24 (7 p.m.) and 25 (2 p.m.).

Jobsite Theater’s production of the rock musical “American Idiot” debuts Friday. Image: James Zambon Productions.

American Idiot, the Tony-winning, sung-through rock musical featuring the songs of Green Day, was memorably produced by St. Pete’s American Stage in 2022. Now it’s Jobsite Theater’s turn – the Tampa company (in the Straz Center’s Jaeb Theatre) opens its own American Idiot Friday (preview performance tonight); it’ll run through Aug. 9. Find the showtime schedule and purchase tickets at this link.

Cast member Cody Farkas joins us in the Arts Alive! podcast studio Friday.

Wendy Graf’s chilling drama The Cross and the Saber is entering its final weekend at LAB Theater Project in Ybor City. For showtimes and tickets, visit this link.

This week, the Catalyst spoke with actress Katie Davis of the Tampa Repertory Theatre production of Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise. The show continues through July 26 at the Shimberg Playouse, in Tampa’s Straz Center. Tickets and all showtimes are here.

Bash of the Titans, freeFall Theatre’s comic musical homage to the cheesy but well-loved 1981 film Clash of the Titans, is continuing through Aug. 2. Find all showtimes and tickets at this link.

Girls Rock St. Pete’s annual summer concert takes place Saturday at Jannus Live. Photo provided.

Girls Rock Saturday night

Girls Rock St. Pete is back at Jannus Live Saturday. The nonprofit dedicated to empowering girls, women and the gender-expansive through artistic expression, i.e. forming punk bands and performing rather loudly) has been capping off its summer camp with a big concert since 2016.

As Executive Director Jesse Miller says on the website: “Girls Rock St. Pete empowers girls to take up space, use their voices and to see each other as allies instead of competition.”

Saturday’s family-friendly 6 p.m. event (get tickets here) will feature performance from 10 all-girl bands, along with a silent auction, appearances by Jen Msumba, Adriana Sparkle with Hex Appeal and surprises.

Concert calendar

Friday at Benchmark Arena: Country singer Megan Moroney. Publicity photo.

Friday at Benchmark International Arena: Country music’s Megan Moroney, whose third album, Cloud 9, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and the Billboard 200 Albums chart early this year. Tickets are at this link.

From the mean streets of L.A., 1980s and ‘90s hard rock band Warrant (Cherry Pie) hits the outdoor stage at Ferg’s Pavilion Friday. Lead singer and songwriter Jani Lane died in 2011. Firehouse and Pitbull Toddler are on the 7 p.m. bill as well. Find tickets here.

Moody Blues co-founder John Lodge passed away last October (read the last Catalyst interview with the bass-playing singer/songwriter here). Friday at the Capitol Theatre, it’s a musical celebration of Lodge’s life featuring his touring group, the 10,000 Light Years Band, and late-period Yes vocalist Jon Davison. Find tickets for the 8 p.m. show here.

Saturday at the Palladium Theater: Jazz saxophonist Eric Darius, who grew up in Tampa, and his band. The 7 p.m. concert is a benefit for the Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation; find tickets at this link.

Lynyrd Skynyrd and Loverboy play the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre Saturday. Here’s the Catalyst interview with Skynyrd singer Johnny Van Zant. Tickets are here.

And here’s our interview with Men at Work founder Colin Hay, who brings a new version of the band to the BayCare Sound Saturday, with Toad the Wet Sprocket and Shonen Knife. Tickets are here.

Vocalist Allison Nash performs at Sunday’s Al Downing Jazz Association Honors at the Palladium Theater Side Door Cabaret, the annual celebration of the finest in bay area jazz. The event begins at 4 p.m., and tickets are at this link.

Coming soon

July 20 The Fixx at the Capitol Theatre

July 22 Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire at Benchmark Arena

July 22 Jo Koy at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center

July 23: Daniel Caesar at Benchmark Arena

July 24 Lecuona Reimagined: A Musical Journey feat. Arencibia & Rodriguez at the Palladium Side Door Cabaret

July 24 Classic Albums Live Eagles Greatest Hits at the Capitol Theatre

July 25 An Evening of Blues with Steve Arvey & Reverend Billy C. Wirtz at the Palladium Side Door Cabaret

July 26 Adam Ray at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center

July 28 The Black Keys at the BayCare Sound

July 31 The Final Set: A Palladium Send-off with The Crew at the Palladium Side Door Cabaret

July 31 “The Art of Banksy” (exhibition) opens at the Straz Center, Morsani Hall

Your Weekend Spotlight appears every Thursday in the Catalyst’s CREATE section. 

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