Get Your Tickets Now To See “Into The Woods” At NTPAC!

By Nora Paine Producing Artistic Director New Tampa Players

On Mar. 28, the New Tampa Players (NTP) theatre troupe once again took the stage at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. This time, NTP is presenting Stephen Sondheim’s beloved musical “Into The Woods,” which intertwines classic fairy tales with deeper themes of human desires and consequences, is taking center stage in a new production that is sure to enchant local audiences. Nominated for ten Tony Awards (winning three) in 1988, this Sondheim masterpiece has been praised for its complex characters, beautiful score, and profound narrative. 

Directed by Karissa Barber, the NTP production is showcasing the talents of local actors, a live orchestra led by musical director, G. Frank Meekins, and more than a dozen unseen costumers, designers, painters, builders and crew members, all working together to bring this timeless story to life. 

Set in a fantastical world where characters from different fairy tales — such as Cinderella, Jack (of Beanstalk fame), Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel — reside in the same village and cross paths in the mysterious forest, “Into the Woods” explores themes of wish fulfillment, moral choices and the unexpected consequences of pursuing one’s desires. The show’s rich score, which includes songs like “No One Is Alone” and “Children Will Listen,” is widely considered one of Sondheim’s greatest achievements. 

The production’s leads, Richard Brown and Hope Lelekacs, are taking on the roles of the Baker and the Baker’s Wife. These two characters are central to the story, embarking on a quest to find ingredients for a potion that will lift a curse placed upon their family. Their journey through the woods is filled with challenges, but it also brings them closer together as a couple and forces them to confront the deeper questions about their lives and wishes. 

“I see the Baker as someone who is stepping out of his comfort zone and putting all of his family’s burdens on his shoulders,” says Brown, who most recently was seen as Seymour in NTP’s fall production “Little Shop of Horrors.” “[The Baker] has no idea what he’s doing but he’s doing it anyway because he feels he has to. So, although he can be funny, I think the sincerity and vulnerability of someone who desperately wants a family should also be there.” 

Lelekacs, a recent graduate of the University of Tampa, is excited about playing the Baker’s Wife, a dream of hers since she saw Brianna Filippelli play her on the New Tampa Players’ stage in 2016. 

“The Baker’s Wife is complex and hopeful,” Lelekacs says. “The driving force in her relationship is balancing love and longing with a contagious belief that life holds more than just routine and work. I admire how she stays practical and grounded, yet isn’t afraid to take risks.” 

Theatergoers can expect a truly community-driven performance, with all of the cast members and production team hailing from Hillsborough County and surrounding areas. The show has been months in the making, with rehearsals beginning in early January and production design and staging evolving throughout February. 

If you’re looking for a magical evening filled with laughter, tears, and unforgettable music, “Into the Woods” promises to be the perfect outing. It’s a chance to experience the magic of theater while supporting local talent, and the cast and crew of your not-for-profit community theater, the New Tampa Players. 

“Into the Woods” will be performed Friday-Sunday, March 28-30, and April 4-6, at NTPAC (8550 Hunters Village Dr., New Tampa). For more info or to purchase tickets online, please visit NewTampaPlayers.org. 

Theatre Beat — The Players’ First Year At NTPAC & Congrats, Kyle & Co.! 

The New Tampa Players received $10,000 from Social Venture Partners of Tampa Bay at the “Fast Pitch” competition for NTP’s Ampersand programming for special needs adults. (Photos provided by the New Tampa Players)

Since the New Tampa Performing Arts Center opened a year ago, the New Tampa Players (NTP) theatre troupe has been on the move. 

If you saw all the New Tampa Players’ shows so far this year, you’ve visited an enchanted castle in France, the hallways of Rydell High, the walls of Duloc, and cities across the USA on tour with the Dreams. (Did you spot all those shows? That was “Beauty and the Beast,” “Grease,” “Shrek,” and “Dreamgirls” — what an amazing year!) 

But wait, there’s still more: 

City of Tampa Awards NTP $75K For Penguin Project & Ampersand Theatre Programs 

Last month, the Tampa City Council approved a grant for $75,000 to enrich NTP’s Penguin Project and Ampersand Theatre programs. 

Penguin Project is a national theatre program for children and young adults with special needs. NTP started its chapter in 2018, making it the first such program in Florida. Each year, the Players produce a Penguin Project musical with 40-45 artists with special needs. 

In 2023, NTP spun off Ampersand Theatre, a new theatre troupe concept for adults with disabilities. The program began with a summer intensive serving 25 artists, and it continues this month with a special Penguin Project/Ampersand Theatre collaboration on “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Rehearsals have been in progress for months, and the performances will be held the weekend of April 19-21. All of the artists and mentors (almost 100 performers altogether!) invite you to join them for a night of joy. 

Tickets for “Joseph” are available at NewTampaPlayers.org. 

NTP Wins 2nd Place at Social Venture Partners Of Tampa Bay “Fast Pitch” Competition 

The Ampersand artists won 2nd place in the 2024 Social Ventures Partners of Tampa Bay “Fast Pitch” Competition and will receive $10,000 for NTP’s Ampersand programming. The troupe competed against six other nonprofits in the Tampa Bay area, including WellFed Community, EmpowHERment, Girls Rock, the Florida Dream Center, NAMI Pinellas and Water Smart Tots Foundation. 

The Fast Pitch Competition program provides funding and strategic consulting to innovative nonprofits addressing critical issues in the Tampa Bay region. 

Auditions For “Singin’ In The Rain” 

NTP is hosting auditions for our summer musical: “Singin’ in the Rain.” The performances this summer will be at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center as usual, but if you come out for the auditions on April 27, April 29, April 30, and May 1, make sure you head for NTP’s blackbox theater and rehearsal space at University Mall —Uptown Stage. All New Tampa Players performers are local community members. 

Visit NewTampaPlayers.org or see the ad below for more information! 

Recapping Kyle Fisher’s “Ember” 

Fraud investigator by day and actor by night, New Tampa resident Kyle Fisher (who played Kenickie in NTP’s “Grease” and Lord Farquaad in NTP’s “Shrek: The Musical”) set out to answer the question “What is the cost of a wish?” His journey finding the answer to that question made its world premiere at Uptown Stage last month in “Ember: A New Musical.” 

The embers of Ember (no, I could not resist that pun!) began many years ago. Fisher can’t name a specific date he started working on the show apart from his habit of writing down any inspiration or line of music or dialog that comes to him. The first song to form was “Wish,” with the tagline “What do you wish for?” This song became the foundation for the rest of the musical, as it came together over nights of pizza and workshopping with choreographer Makayla Raines and actor Dylan Fidler, both of whom also have performed in multiple NTP shows. 

Ember is a spellbinding musical that explores the boundaries between dreams and damnation. In a world where the mundane meets the magical, farm boy ‘Guy’ yearns for adventure. When the enigmatic demon ‘Sequins’ offers to fulfill his deepest desires in exchange for his soul, Guy plunges headfirst into a Faustian bargain. The tale is a captivating journey of redemption and unexpected alliances. Can a demon, driven by ambition, rediscover forgotten compassion and love? Will Guy, armed with newfound powers and a heart full of hope, conquer the challenges laid before him? In “Ember,” the stakes are high, the magic is potent, and the battle for the soul takes center stage. 

Through the workshopping and production process, Fisher’s characters grow and evolve. The character that underwent the most transformation was Sammy, played by Ashleigh Dudek. 

“Between the first draft of the script and first performance of the show,” Fisher said, “Sammy gained a solo, a new feature, and a huge amount of screentime, and I’m so glad the character ended up where it did. Ashleigh is a super talented actor and vocalist and it would’ve been devastating to me to have her in any less.” 

What is next for Kyle Fisher and the cast of “Ember?” They are on all on a much-deserved, much-needed break. 

Fisher explained, “When I finally get back into it, the first thing (to work on) are edits. Although the show got a lot of praise, I think I can deliver an even better experience, and I’ve got a small army of people who are willing to help. From there, I think there are still one or two songs that deserve a spot in the show cooking up in my head, but we’ll see how it all shakes out with cutting the show down. I’d hate to spring a new song onto the cast before any potential cast album.” 

For behind the scenes footage and the latest news on “Ember” and Kyle, follow them on social media: Tiktok.com/discover/ember-musical, Facebook.com/people/Ember-A-New-Musical/61551728386782/ or Instagram.com/embermusical/ 

Check Out ‘Shrek: The Musical’ At The New Tampa Performing Arts Center! 

By NORA PAINE 

NTP Producing Artistic Director 

Source: IMDb, original Broadway cast poster 

Remember that terrifying-but-secretly-lovable ogre, his annoying-but-lovable donkey, and that captive princess hiding a secret or two? Dreamworks’ classic movie “Shrek,” loosely based on a book by William Steig, was one of the biggest animated hits of all time: a funny, irreverent send-up of fairy tale clichĂ©s, with catchy music, iconic voice acting, and — underneath it all — a heart of gold. “Shrek” spawned several sequels and a hit Broadway show: “Shrek The Musical,” with twenty original songs. “Shrek The Musical” is coming to the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) for two weekends — October 20-22 & 27-29. 

The New Tampa Players (NTP) theatre troupe has been operating for 20 years and more than 70 productions, but “Shrek The Musical” will be only the second Broadway musical the troupe has presented at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC), the beautiful, 350-seat facility located across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the main entrance to Hunter’s Green that opened its doors earlier this year. 

As we have already come to expect from our NTP, “Shrek The Musical” will have a shockingly-talented local cast, a live orchestra and gorgeous costumes, sets, and lights. NTP’s previous Broadway musical, “Grease,” completely sold out the last four of its six performances in July, with a waiting list of 60, so if you want to catch everyone’s favorite green ogre, you should pick up those “Shrek” tickets right away. 

“Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek
.” — thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists being rescued. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and more than a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. And luckily, there’s one on hand, and his name is Shrek. 

Shrek the Musical’s cast of 30 includes residents from New Tampa and the local area, including Chris Cordero (photo below) as Shrek, Brianna Filippelli-Peterson as Fiona, Evan Lomba as Donkey, and Kyle Fisher as Lord Farquaad. Cordero, Filippelli- Peterson and Fisher were featured performers in NTPAC’s dedication performance in March, and if you were lucky enough to catch “Grease,” you saw Fisher as Kenickie. 

Chris Cordero will play the titular ogre.

NTP also has assembled an amazing artistic team with newcomers Karissa Barber, Megan Zietler and Victoria Zisi as director, music director, and choreographer, respectively. 

For Barber, Shrek is a passion project and very dear to her heart. 

“Shrek is about loving yourself and finding your people in life,” she says. 

Cordero, as the titular ogre, agrees wholeheartedly with Barber, “Most of the characters have to learn not to judge a book by its cover. Everyone has their own story, their own dreams and things that make them special. This show is about acceptance, vulnerability and love. These themes are universal to everyone, and everyone will find something in this show that will touch their hearts.” 

“Shrek The Musical” is funny and fast-paced with a warm heart. Seeing familiar characters brought to life on stage (along with some truly stunning costumes and effects) makes the show exciting and accessible for kids, parents, grandparents, and anyone who enjoys a musical good time. Similar to the animated film, “Shrek the Musical” is considered appropriate for ages 12 and up, due to mild language and some crass humor. Some jokes will be over the younger kids’ heads and, as always, parents should use their own judgement. 

Mark your calendars and get your tickets now for “Shrek The Musical” on Fri. & Sat., Oct 20-21, both at 8 p.m. & Sun., Oct. 22, at 3 p.m.; it also will be performed Fri.-Sat., Oct. 27-28, at 8 p.m., & Sun., Oct. 29, at 3 p.m., all at the beautiful New Tampa Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased at NewTampaPlayers.org.