Broadway Comes To Tampa Brings Back Favorites For 14th Show

By Matt Wiley

Saddlebrook Resort & Spa in Wesley Chapel is a ritzy joint, but on Saturday, May 11, it will have all the glitz and glamour of New York City’s “Great Whie Way,” as the stars of the Broadway stage come back to town for one night only.

For the 14th year, the New Tampa Players (NTP), Inc., presents the “Broadway Comes to Tampa” (BCTT) dinner gala, which literally brings the stars of Broadway’s most famous stage productions to Saddlebrook, located off S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel, to perform their hits for a small crowd in an intimate, dinner theatre/concert atmosphere.

“This being our 14th year (doing BCTT), I’ve decided to bring back some of our most requested performers,” says NTP president Doug Wall. “All of the stars are different from last year.”

Returning to the BCTT stage after a year’s hiatus is Neil Berg, Wall’s cousin and renowned Broadway and Off-Broadway composer, who in years past has provided narration and the musical accompaniment for the event. He missed last year’s event to accept the prestigious Ellis Island Congressional Humanitarian award, which certainly was a worthy excuse. Berg is the composer of the off-Broadway musical “The Prince and the Pauper,” as well as the Broadway-bound adaptation of the classic 1993 buddy movie “Grumpy Old Men,” which starred Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.

In addition to bringing back some favorites, Wall says he also has brought a new face to the event. Rebecca Pitcher, a Columbus Opera competition winner who is best known for her portrayal of Christine Daae in the classic “Phantom of the Opera,” as well as for her role as Johanna in “Sweeny Todd.”

This year’s BCTT also will feature Capathia Jenkins, who has appeared on Broadway in “Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me” and “The Civil War,” as well as on TV in “30 Rock” and “The Sopranos;” Danny Zolli of “Jesus Christ Superstar” fame, who most recently was named lead singer of “The World Rock Symphony Orchestra;” and Rob Evan of the platinum-selling band the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, who also has appeared on Broadway in the original cast of “Jekyll & Hyde,” performing in the lead role in front of more than 1,000 audiences. Also returning to BCTT is Carter Calvert, best known her role in the Tony-nominated “It Ain’t Nothing But The Blues.”

BCTT veteran Greg Wall, Doug’s brother, will once again be bringing his saxophone skills to the stage, which he also has lent to numerous film scores.

Although Saddlebrook certainly is a premier venue for such an event, NTP has been working for the past several years to secure a permanent home for its stage productions and special events, which the theater troupe has been planning on constructing on the land located across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the entrance to Hunter’s Green. “Red tape” and funding issues have both played their part in preventing the construction of the theater thus far, but Wall says that NTP is still working towards having a home of their own and BCTT is the main fund raiser for the project each year.

To help raise funds, the event also will feature a silent auction and a raffle, with the Grand Prize winner receiving an all expenses-paid trip to New York City to see two Broadway shows.

“Broadway Comes to Tampa” is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Saddlebrook Resort & Spa (5711 Saddlebrook Way, off S.R. 54). Tickets cost $175, or $1,750 for a table of ten and are available by calling 386-6687 or online at BroadwayComesToTampa. com. For tickets and other questions, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact Doug Wall at DNW122@aol.com.

 

WCH & WRH Included Among The ‘Most Challenging’ High Schools In The U.S.

High school can be tough, especially when preparing for college with advanced classes. And, due to the number of students participating in advanced classes, Wesley Chapel’s two high schools have each earned themselves a spot on the Washington Post’s annual list of “Most Challenging (Traditional) High Schools.”

Wesley Chapel (WCH) and Wiregrass Ranch (WRH) High were both among the 10 Pasco County high schools that made the national list, which ranks the best of the more than 22,000 traditional high schools across the U.S.

The list is based on a formula that considers how many students graduate, as well as how many Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced International Certificate (AIC) tests are given over the course of a year. The number of tests taken is divided by the number of graduates, which produces a “Challenge Index” score. A score of 1.000 means that for as many students that graduated from a school, the same number of advanced tests were taken. The schools are then ranked by their index score, with the highest being the most challenging school.

WRH finished with an index score of 1.751, ranking the school 1,251st in the nation and 232nd in the State of Florida.

“It is great to see us on the list,” says WRH assistant principal Robyn White. “Each year, we strive to have more students taking AP courses and, ultimately, the AP exams. Given the size of the school and the ratio they use to name these schools, it is an honor to be listed.”

White says that the school currently has 19 AP classes for students to choose from, and that the school is planning on adding another AP class for the 2013-14 school year.

“This year, we are giving more exams than ever before,” White explains. “So next year, not only should we make the list, but we hope to move up several spots We will continue to strive to give our students a well-rounded education and provide AP courses in areas of student interest.”

Meanwhile, WCH finished with an index of 1.235, ranking the school 1,768th in the nation and 314th in the State.

“(Making the list) feels fantastic,” says WCH principal Carin Nettles. “It’s a nice list to be a part of.”

Nettles says that, since WCH doesn’t have an IB program, most of the advanced tests taken at her school were AP tests.

“We always try to push the kids to push their limits, academically,” she explains. “WCH is always trying to achieve and be the best that it can be. This definitely adds to that. Our goal will definitely be to make the list again next year.”

Congrats to our Wesley Chapel-area high schools and their students! Keep up the hard work!