Scenes from ABC Action News’ “Good Morning Wesley Chapel” segments on June 14: (above) Anchor Deiah Riley visits with our friends from Retro Dogs and Bakery X at the KRATE at the Grove Container Park (below right).(below left) Roving reporter Sean Daly visits Pasta di Guy. (bottom right) Co-owner Adel Youussef of the Garden of Eden Olive Oil Co. at the KRATEs was featured in a segment. (bottom left) Daly interviews the owners of Sorbo Wesley Chapel coffee shop. (Above photo by Charmaine George; the others are screenshots from the “Good Morning, Wesley Chapel” segments).
Great job, Deiah & Co.! On June 14, WFTS-TV “ABC Action News” anchor Deiah Riley brought her roving “Good Morning” show back to Wesley Chapel, as she set up on the main stage at the KRATE at The Grove Container Park from 6 a.m.-10 a.m.
There were the usual great previously recorded segments with the likes of North Tampa Bay Chamber president & CEO Hope Kennedy and members of the Boyette family (one of the original citrus farming families that settled in the Wesley Chapel area) being interviewed, as well as a discussion of whether “Downtown Wesley Chapel” will actually be located in Avalon Park or the Wiregrass Ranch community and a feature about the increased amenities at the Wesley Chapel District Park.
But of course, what got our attention the most were the live dining segments with Riley interviewing the owners of several of the KRATEs, and roving reporter Sean Daly (right) visiting with some of the better- and lesser-known eateries in Wesley Chapel, including (top photo) the new Retro Dogs, Garden of Eden Olive Oil Co., Bakery X (middle right), Sorbo Wesley Chapel coffee shop (bottom left), Moschella’s Italian Eatery & Market, Florida Ave. Brewing Co., Pasta di Guy (top left photo) and several more.
Although there are, of course, so many other places in Wesley Chapel, I really enjoyed this full morning of local businesses being featured on TV. Again, great job! — GN
Congratulations go out to co-owners Victor (at right in top photo) and Armando (not pictured) Ramos and general manager Cristina Casimiro (left in same picture) of Azteca D’Oro Mexican Restaurant, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in The Shops at Wiregrass on a rainy June 29.
The authentic Mexican restaurant celebrated with live DJ Rico Smooth (below left) and an outdoor bar in front of the restaurant at 2000 Piazza Ave, Unit 170.
“We were packed earlier today,” Victor said, “but once the rain hit, it definitely kept away a lot of people, even though it let up.”
We tried to help out by posting on our Facebook page that the anniversary party was still going on — which reached about 5,000 people — but thankfully, Azteca is still open every day for lunch and dinner (we love the made-tableside guacamole, the chicken taquitos and fajitas) and still has mariachi and Latin DJ music every Thursday night and more DJ music every Saturday night. .
For more info, call (813) 527- 6033 or visit Aztecadoro.com.
Melanie Bierweiler plays Lina Lamont and Kyle Billington is Don Lockwood in the New Tampa Players’ production of “Singin’ in the Rain,” which has six performances the weekend of July 19-21 and July 26- 28 at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. (Photo courtesy of New Tampa Players)
As someone who previously performed a tiny part in a New Tampa Players (NTP) production, I can only tell you how much hard work it took to make community theater look and sound as good as it does when it finally hits the stage.
What I can’t tell you is how much hard work it takes to blend together more than 30 cast members — some of whom sing only, others who dance only and still others who do both — and how to make it all come together seamlessly on stage after only a few weeks of rehearsals.
But, based on my experience performing in NTP’s production of “Grease” — the first Players performance held at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. last summer — I have no doubt that director (and NTP producing artistic director) Nora Paine, musical director Frank Meekins and choreographer Sarah Walston will make it happen when NTP presents the classic musical “Singin’ in the Rain” at the NTPAC for two consecutive weekends — July 19-21 and 26-28.
Although Meekins was both director and musical director for “Grease,” Paine was the producer and stage manager for that show and Walston was the choreographer. In other words, the trio is comfortable working together, “and we all had an interest in working on ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ together,” Meekins says. “So, it all just kind of worked out. Although the tap dancing definitely makes it more challenging, we’re all very excited about this show.”
According to Wikipedia, “‘Singin’ in the Rain’ is a stage musical with story by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown. Adapted from the 1952 movie of the same name, starring Gene Kelly (and directed and choreographed by Kelly and Stanley Donen), the stage musical’s plot closely adheres to the original film.”
Set in Hollywood in the waning days of the silent screen era, “Singin’” focuses on romantic lead Don Lockwood (played by Kyle Billington), his sidekick Cosmo Brown (Rhett Ricardo), aspiring actress Kathy Selden (Olivia Carr, who played Sandy in “Grease”), and Lockwood’s leading lady Lina Lamont (Melanie Bierweiler), “whose less-than-dulcet vocal tones make her an unlikely candidate for stardom in talking pictures,” again, according to the “Singin’” entry in Wikipedia.
The stage show had its world premiere in 1983 at the London Palladium, where it ran for more than two years, and has spawned a Broadway production and many stagings worldwide. It has been called, “The greatest movie musical of all time.”
According to NTP’s NewTampaPlayers.orgwebsite, “Each unforgettable scene, song and dance is accounted for, including the show-stopping title number, complete with an onstage rainstorm! Hilarious situations, snappy dialogue and a hit-parade score of Hollywood standards make ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ the perfect entertainment for any fan of the golden age of movie musicals.”
All of the photos on these pages were taken during rehearsals for the New Tampa Players production of “Singin’ in the Rain,” which will have six performances at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center over two weekends — July 19-21 & July 26-28. (Photos by Charmaine George & Gary Nager)
Meekins says that in addition to the title number — “And yes, it will be raining,” he says — many of the songs are well-known, memorable and can be considered “show stoppers,” including “You Are My Lucky Star,” “Would You” and especially “Broadway Rhythm.”
“The title song is actually performed twice — once by Don Lockwood at the end of the first act and the second time by the entire cast (at the close of Act 2), all of whom who will be singing and dancing together in the rain,” Meekins says. “I
know it will be amazing to see this cast come together for that finale. All of the cast members have different levels of experience, but I have no doubt that it will all come together.”
Get your tickets now for “Singin’ in the Rain” at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd., off Bruce B. Downs Blvd.). The show (presented through the generous support of Hillsborough County and Florida Arts and Culture and with special arrangement through Music Theatre International) will be performed Fri.-Sat., July 19-20 and July 26-27, at 8 p.m., and at 3 p.m. on Sun., July 21 & 28. Tickets cost $21-$35 and are available at NewTampaPlayers.org.
For more information, call (813) 543-6252 or see the ad below.
The crowd for the R&B Only Night at the KRATE at The Grove Container Park on June 28 was still building as the music started. (Photos by Charmaine George)
For everyone on local Facebook community pages who claimed that not just the R&B Only Nights, but also the KRATE at The Grove Container Park itself, were “over,” let’s just say that, in the words of Mark Twain, “the reports of (their deaths) are greatly exaggerated.”
On June 28, neither the heavy rains that started shortly after the gates opened at 5 p.m. and continued off and on for two+ hours and kept the music from starting promptly at 7 p.m., nor the new $5 pre-sale (and $10 day-of) admission fee that was implemented for the first time for that evening could “dampen” the enthusiasm of the people who have loved the R&B event for more than a year now — nor keep them away.
While waiting for the rain to subside, the Grove’s VP of operations Vance McAllister told the Neighborhood News that there were already about 3,000 pre-sold tickets at $5 a pop when the online sales shut down at 11:59:59 on Thursday night.
“Although we really have no idea exactly how many people attended these before, since we didn’t sell tickets or control entry to the event,” McAllister said, “we heard estimates of as many as 8,000 people at the May event, so we knew something had to be done. We love this event as much as the people who have been showing up for it do, so we knew we had to do something to keep it safe for everyone.”
A couple of issues ago, we mistakenly told you that the R&B Only Nights at the KRATEs were being produced by Tim Hancock’s Jazz Tyme Productions, but that was an unintentional mistake on my part.
The R&B Nights actually are being produced by Nico Brown of Nico Brown Productions and Nico called me to let me know of my mistake before the news hit that he was going to begin charging admission fees to attend his super-popular R&B Nights beginning with the June 28 event.
Nico Brown (Source: Nico Brown Productions Facebook page)
Since the moment he announced on Facebook that he was going to start charging admission, Nico had been dealing with a lot of backlash but even more support, especially from The Grove management and the KRATEs.
On June 28, with virtually no one yet in attendance after 6 p.m. (when previous R&B Nights were normally already packed) and with the rain coming down hard, then subsiding, then pelting him (and anyone else outside) again, Nico was still hard at work setting up the event — knowing that not only was the rain eventually supposed to end but also that he had at least 3,000 people who pre-paid the $5 admission fee by the night before to enjoy his first paid R&B Night.
When the rain did finally break for the remainder of the evening sometime after the intended 7 p.m. start time, Nico and his crew were scrambling to get the sound equipment set up for DJ Control. By sometime after 7:30, DJ Control not only got the music started, he also introduced saxophonist Marlon Boone, who got the early attendees going right away with some jazzy R&B sounds. Later in the evening (although we weren’t still on hand to verify it), DJ Psycho and guest vocalist Rubi Mar also were expected to hit the main stage.
But, everything else that both Nico and The KRATEs promised on their respective Facebook pages would be different about this first paid R&B Night also came true: there were 22 Pasco Sheriff’s Deputies on hand and the only way to get into the event was through the gates, which had plenty of tennis-ball-green-shirted attendants on hand to either take the $5 prepaid tickets or sell $10 day-of admissions. In addition, there was a clear path set up down the center aisle between the KRATEs on both sides between the stage and the admission gate (photo below left) and another blocked off path behind the first sea of personal chairs brought in by those early attendees.
Did anywhere near the estimated 8,000 people who attended in May or the 3,000 who prepaid their admissions end up showing up? I can’t answer that. All I can say is that those who were there seemed to once again have a great time, enjoying the music and each other, checking out the food from the KRATEs and dancing.
In other words, it was still very much R&B Only Night at the KRATEs, so don’t miss the next one on Friday, July 26, 7 p.m.!
Click HERE ToEnter Our 2024 New Tampa Reader Dining Survey & Contest & To Win $200 In FREE Dining!
Although our 2023 Reader Dining Survey & Contest was super successful, we’re changing up the format for this year’s contest yet again.
Instead of putting up different categories every issue, we’re going back to showing you the lists of every local or small chain restaurant in a number of categories in both Wesley Chapel and New Tampa and asking you to name your favorites in each category. One difference is that unlike previous years, you can skip as many categories as you like, but we’re grouping the lists of restaurant by type. Here are those categories:
1) Your Five Favorite (overall) Restaurants in New Tampa (NT)
2) Your Favorite American Restaurant in New Tampa
3) Your Favorite Pizza Place in NT
These same categories also appear on the Wesley Chapel ballot. Both entry forms also include lists of places that ask you to pick your Favorite in New Tampa (NT) AND Wesley Chapel, often (but not always) because there aren’t enough in a certain category in just one of our distribution areas. Here are those other categories:
4) Your Favorite Mexican Place in NT/ WC
5) Your Favorite Latin (but not Mexican) Restaurant in NT/WC
6) Your Favorite Chinese Place in NT/WC
7) Your Favorite Japanese/Sushi Restaurant in NT & WC
8) Your Favorite Thai or Korean Restaurant in NT/WC
9) Your Favorite Italian Food in NT/WC
10) Your Favorite Greek or Mediterranean Restaurant in NT/WC
11) Your Favorite Indian Place in NT/WC
12) Your Favorite Breakfast Place in NT/WC
13) Your Favorite Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt or Gelato Place in NT/WC
14) Your Favorite Bakery in NT/WC
15) Your Favorite Coffee Shop in NT/WC
We’re providing the list of places, although we’ve left out the large national and regional chains (with more than 50-60 total locations), because you have to write (or type) the names of your favorites in the spaces provided and we’re pretty sure you know those if they’re your favorite in a category — and yes, you can still include them (we just wish you would focus on local).
Fill out as many categories as you like, but please don’t put the same name in every category, because those votes won’t be counted and if a restaurant is on our Wesley Chapel list, your vote won’t count if you write the name of that restaurant in any New Tampa-only spaces and vice-versa. You can submit both New Tampa & Wesley Chapel ballots without being DQed. Click HERE to fill out the Wesley Chapel Reader Dining Survey & Contest form!
We have upped the prizes for this year — the Grand Prize is now $200, plus prizes of $100 and $50, chosen at random from among all correctly-filled-out entries received by email or on our NeighborhoodNewsOnline.net website (Note-no U.S. Mail entries will be accepted for this year’s contest!) by Friday, October 18.
