Theatre Beat — “Dreamgirls,” “Spelling Bee,” “Ember” & “Broadway!” 

Christan McLaurine stole the New Tampa Players’ production of “Dreamgirls” as James “Thunder” Early. (Dreamgirls Photos by Charmaine George)

When I grew up and later lived in New York in and near Manhattan, I was fortunate to be able to see dozens of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and although musicals may not necessarily be everyone’s cup of tea, I came to appreciate musical theatre, as well as stage comedies and dramas, and the incredibly talented people who performed in all of those shows. 

What I will admit that I never expected is that there also could possibly be so many talented people performing in local community theatre. I also have no problem admitting that I probably should have attended at least a few more local theatre performances in the years leading up to the opening last year of the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. 

So, Jannah and I have kind of gone on to sit in the audience of several shows since I was a bit player in the New Tampa Players (NTP)’s opening performance at NTPAC of “Grease.” We were in the audience for the fun and adorable “Shrek the Musical,” but we didn’t stop there. Here is a rundown of the other shows that we either recently saw or plan to see in the coming weeks…and I think you should, too. 

“Dreamgirls” 
The “Dreamgirls” were (l.-r.) Patty Smithey as Lorrell Robinson, NaTasha McKenzie as Effie White & Caron Davis as Deena Jones.

The first stop on our post-”Shrek” theatre journey was the New Tampa Players’ production of “Dreamgirls” at the NTPAC. Like “Grease” and “Shrek,” this award-winning Broadway hit that also spawned a successful movie, also ran for two weekends and six performances and the entire second weekend of the show’s run was fully sold out, while the first weekend had probably fewer than 20 total unsold tickets. 

And, for good reason. While NTP’s “Dreamgirls” couldn’t possibly match the Broadway talent or the voices in the film starring “American Idol” winner Jennifer Hudson, the cast and show were nonetheless super-impressive and talented, especially for community theatre. 

And, although the women who portrayed the Dreams singing group — NaTasha McKenzie as Effie White, 

Caron Davis as Deena Jones and especially, Patty Smithey as Lorrell Robinson — were all excellent singers, dancers and actors, for our money, the dynamically talented Christan McLaurine as James “Thunder” Early stole the show. 

Up next for the Players are auditions for “Singin’ in the Rain,” the song-&-dance musical based on the classic 1952 film starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. The show runs July 19-28 at NTPAC. 

The show combines the talents of director Nora Paine, musical director G. Frank Meekins and choreographer Sarah Walston, the trio who also led the production of “Grease.” 

If you know any talented male or female singers and tap dancers, auditions for “Singin’ in the Rain” will be held in April. Look to these pages for additional information or visit NewTampaPlayers.org. 

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” 
(L.-r.) Richard Brown (William Barfee), Gabrielle Ray (Olive Ostrovsky), Chris Cordero (Chip Tolentino), Jillian Koehn (Marcy Park), Taylor Skolnick (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre) & Dylan Fidler (Leaf Coneybear) made MAD Theatre of Tampa’s “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” a blast from beginning to end. (Photo provided by Mad Theatre)

If you were looking for a fun, hysterically funny and light-hearted musical theatre experience, I hope you got to check out MAD Theatre of Tampa’s “Spelling Bee” at the Shimberg Playhouse at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa. This tiny playhouse was the perfect setting for this Spelling Bee, which was chock full of amazing, talented characters, including Chris Cordero and Dylan Fidler, who played the title roles in NTP’s “Shrek” and “Grease” (Danny Zuko), respectively. 

But, it wasn’t just the six young actors portraying the pubescent spellers who gave amazing performances. The entire cast, led by director Casey Vaughn, music director Megan Zeitler and choreographer Evan Lomba (who played Donkey in NTP’s “Shrek”) all deserve big kudos for a show that truly was a laugh riot. 

Up next for MAD Theatre, which is celebrating 25 years as a performance troupe, are performances of “Urinetown The Musical,” with performances June 14-30, also at the Shimberg Playhouse at the Straz Center. 

For tickets and more information, visit MadTheatre.com.

“Ember: A New Musical” 

One show that I have no idea what my expectations are or should be is the World Premiere of “Ember: A New Musical,” written by Kyle Griffin Fisher, the young man who gave local audiences memorable performances as Kenickie in NTP’s “Grease” and the hysterical Lord Farquaad in NTP’s “Shrek The Musical.” 

According to Kyle’s Facebook page: 

“Discover the dark allure of desires in ‘Ember,’ 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. 

“‘Ember’ 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.” 

In addition to Fisher, the “Ember” cast features fellow NTP performers Dylan Fidler, Makayla Raines, Heather Rich, Kristin Nelson, Zachary Smith, Tripp Peavyhouse and Zane Sarsour. 

Although “Ember” is not an NTP production, all performances will be at NTP’s Uptown Stage in University Mall. This production is recommend for audience members ages 14 and up due to adult language and situations. 

Performance Dates: Saturday, March 2, 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 3, 1 p.m. For tickets & more info, visit NewTampaPlayers.thundertix.com. 

“Broadway Through The Decades: Contemporary Era” 

The Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WCTG) presents Part 2 of its Broadway musical revue series. The show will feature songs from popular musicals of the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s performed in a cabaret-style show. WCTG has teamed up with the Zephyrhills Lions Club to bring new entertainment to the Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel areas. 

Proceeds from the show will go to help WCTG continue to produce performing arts for our community and to the Zephyrhills Lions Club’s sight program. 

“Broadway Through The Decades” will be performed Sat., Mar. 9, 7 p.m., and Sun., Mar. 10, 2 p.m. The Sat. show includes dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the Sun. matinee includes coffee and dessert at intermission. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the Zephyrhills Lions Club (5827 Dean Dairy Rd.) or at WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org.

Señor Tequila — New Menu Items Add To Already Authentic Flavors 

The pollo Tapatio (top), ceviche (below right), Elote (Mexican street corn) (below left) and Xango (fried cheesecake) (Bottom right) dessert are all among our editor’s favorites at Señor Tequila in The Shoppes at New Tampa Plaza on BBD Blvd. south of S.R. 56. (All photos by Charmaine George) 

If it’s been a while since you first visited Señor Tequila — the Mexican restaurant that took over the former Bonefish Grill space in the Shoppes at New Tampa plaza (on Bruce B. Downs Blvd., south of S.R. 56) in May of 2021 — you should probably give it another try. 

Wesley Chapel Señor Tequila owner Alvaro Mellado and his family have opened and been operating all five of the restaurant’s locations — the original of which opened in Winter Springs (in the Orlando area) ten years ago, although Mellado also owns the location on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Carrollwood and opened a new one a year ago in Clearwater. Even so, the Wesley Chapel location recently got an impressive menu upgrade that likely will have it moving up in our readers’ rankings in the 2024 Dining Survey. 

Every restaurant these days seems to have — and many people love — Mexican street corn (“Elote” in Spanish), but photographer Charmaine George and I really enjoyed Señor Tequila’s new version, which covers corn on the cob sections on skewers with mayo, cotija cheese and queso sauce, cilantro and tajin seasoning. 

My favorite new appetizer, however (which should come as a surprise to no one) is the cevichĂ©, which is a new item normally served as a trio of lime-marinated fresh fish, shrimp and octopus, but I had to get mine with fish only, since I’m allergic to the shrimp. Señor Tequila’s version of this favorite adds fresh tomatoes, red onions, avocado and tajin. The fish was tilapia, which isn’t always my favorite, but the flavor was delicate and tangy and the tomatoes and avocadoes were a nice touch, too. 

We also sampled the super-tasty pollo Tapatio (Tapatio is the name given to people from Guadalajara, Mexico, as well as a brand of hot sauce). The dish features grilled chicken breast sauteéd with onions, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and poblano peppers and is served with rice and the Mexican bandera salad (guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo) and your choice of tortillas. The chicken was tender and tasty, but not at all spicy, and the sautéed veggies were excellent. 

Although I’m still more partial to the sizzling chicken and steak fajitas at Señor Tequila, Wesley Chapel marketing rep (and sometime server and weekend bartender) Dafne Dominguez says that among the most popular dishes are the brochetas — skewered steak, chicken, bacon, onions, and bell peppers that are marinated in a special house sauce with chile guajillo (a sweet type of pepper) and is served with rice. Please note that the brochetas are slow-cooked for 20 minutes and since everything at Señor Tequila is made fresh to order, you will wait for it. Please also take into account that if you prefer your steak medium rare to rare, it is hard have it that way on the same skewers as chicken, which has to be cooked all the way through. But, the flavor was excellent. 

Other top sellers at Señor Tequila include the steak Monterrey (skirt steak with a poblano pepper stuffed with shrimp and veggies, topped with creamy habanero pesto sauce), the birria tacos and the monster super burrito with your choice of beef or chicken. 

Save room for dessert, because not only does Señor Tequila serve delicious lava chocolate cake and flan, but also the ever-popular fried ice cream (with vanilla ice cream rolled in corn flakes, topped with caramel), as well as mine and Charmaine’s new favorite — the Xango (pronounced “Chang-o”), which is creamy cheesecake wrapped in a pastry tortilla and fried until golden brown, covered with cinnamon and caramel. Decadent! 

Señor Tequila’s full, premium liquor bar also is now featuring new bartender-created drinks, including a “True Blue” organic margarita, an Añejo old fashioned, sangritas (house frozen margarita with a sangria floater) and many more. The bar features a huge selection of tequilas and mezcals, from the usual favorites to top shelf and even many rare finds — and Happy Hour is Mon.-Fri., 3 p.m.-5 p.m.. 

Señor Tequila (1640 BBD Blvd.) is open every day for lunch & dinner and delivery through Doordash is available. For reservations (not required), orders or more info, call (813) 428-5411, visit TheSenorTequila.com. 

Lima Peruvian Cuisine — New Specials, Same Delicious Food! 

Please tell owner Oscar Escudero that you want his new CevichĂ© Lima added to his regular menu, which already features favorites like the Lima Wrap sandwich (below, right) and the Tallarin Saltado de Mariscos (bottom). (All photos by Charmaine George) 

If you’ve somehow still never sampled Peruvian food — despite having an outstanding Peruvian restaurant right here on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. — I implore you to go visit Lima Rotisserie Chicken & Peruvian Cuisine in the Publix-anchored New Tampa Center. 

Lima, which is owned by Oscar Escudero, who was raised in Lima, Peru, continues to add amazing new dishes, thanks to Oscar’s passion and his happy supporting cast. The food at Lima is a fusion of Peruvian and Chinese cuisines, since Peru is on the west coast of South America and located directly across the Pacific Ocean from China, which means that in the same place you can find several varieties of authentic Latin cevichĂ©, you also can find wok-sautĂ©ed lo mein-style noodle and fried rice dishes. 

If that sounds too good to be true to you, trust me, it’s not. And, if that combination doesn’t make your mouth water, trust me, it should. I named Lima my Favorite Latin Restaurant in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel for 2023 because no other place in either of our areas offers a wider variety of uniquely spiced and tasty dishes. And, feel free to research why Peruvian food has been named as the best Latin American cuisine and among the favorite cuisines in the entire world by several trusted sources. 

If you like pot roast, you should definitely try Lima’s Asado de Res con Ensalada Rusa.

Speaking of unique, not only does Lima offer vinegar-and-lime-marinated cevichĂ© options like shrimp, mussels and calamari, as well as my favorite CevichĂ© de Pescado (raw white meat fish), Oscar recently added — as a special only, at least for now — his own twist on the classic dish that he calls CevichĂ© Lima, which adds a savory golden pepper sauce to the fish and two types of corn kernels, as well as a generous helping of flash-fried calamari. The sauce is so delicious that not only does it give the cevichĂ© itself a delightfully different flavor, with just a hint of spice, it also may be the best dipping sauce for fried calamari I’ve ever tasted. I told Oscar that I would tell my readers to ask — no, make that demand — that he add CevichĂ© Lima to the regular menu, so please feel free to do just that! 

Speaking of new specials that definitely should be added to Lima’s regular menu, Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I also got to sample Oscar’s Asado de Res con Ensalada Rusa, which is slow-cooked-to-incredibly-tender beef tenderloin in a brown gravy of its own juices, with a side of Russian-inspired potato-and-beet salad. Jannah, who saw the purple color of this entrĂ©e’s side dish and immediately thought she wouldn’t like it, said the beef tenderloin was better than my mom’s brisket (pot roast) recipe, which might have started an argument between us if I didn’t kind of agree with her! And, although my wife didn’t love the beet-and-potato salad, Charmaine and I agreed it was pretty delicious, too. Feel free to also beg Oscar to add this one to the menu. 

Other dishes that aren’t new to the menu that we sampled for the first time on our most recent visit include the Lima Wrap sandwich, which is a tasty chicken salad wrap that adds small tomato wedges and cilantro, which gives the chicken salad an unusual zing. The fries were a perfect complement, even though I would order them extra crispy next time. But, since we had some of the CevichĂ© Lima sauce left over, we all dipped a lot of the fries in both that sauce and the gravy from the Asado dish until all of the fries were gone. Yum! 

And, although the Tallarin Saltado de Pollo (flamed diced chicken breast with sliced onions, tomatoes, scallions, julienned peppers and cilantro blended with pasta and Peruvian-style soy sauce) is still Jannah’s favorite dish at Lima, she and Charmaine both also raved about their first sampling of the Tallarin Saltado de Mariscos, which is the same dish, but with shrimp, calamari, mussels and clams, instead of chicken. And, although I couldn’t sample it because of my hated shellfish allergy (I could eat the calamari and clams, but not in the same dish as the shrimp and mussels), Charmaine said that all of the seafood was cooked to perfection and the flavors all blended amazingly well together. There also is a Tallarin de Carne, which replaces the chicken or seafood with tenderloin tips that I also love. 

Tallarin Saltado de Mariscos.

Similar wok-sautĂ©ed style dishes also are available without the pasta — replaced by sides of both white rice and French fries — in Lima’s Lomo Saltado, as well as in Oscar’s Arroz Chaufa (fried rice) with the same protein options as the Tallarin and Lomo Saltado. These also are excellent, but there’s just something about the way the pasta blends with the Peruvian soy sauce that makes it my preferred choice. 

And yes, Lima does feature its perfectly spiced rotisserie chicken, available as chicken-only or with side dishes that include some of the best black beans and rice in town. Other sides include pico de gallo, a zesty house salad, yuca fries and tostones (twice-fried green plantain slices). 

Other appetizers include Papa (boiled potatoes) or Yuca Huancaina (covered with cold yellow pepper cheese sauce) as well as tostones topped with chicken salad, tenderloin tips or shrimp, and choros a las Chalaca (mussels on the half shell topped with pico de gallo). There also are several soups on the menu, including Aguadito (cilantro chicken soup) and two different types of mixed seafood soups. And, there is a variety of other sandwiches, as well as a Lima Bowl (jasmine rice topped with black beans, romaine lettuce, pico de gallo and Lima chicken salad with cilantro house sauce). 

The Cake de Maracuya is light, refreshing and delicious.

Save room for dessert, too, as Lima has a number of new options we hadn’t sampled before, including the refreshing and light passion fruit Cake de Maracuya and Tres Leches de Lucian, which has hints of coffee and caramel. Kids will enjoy Lima’s chicken tenders with fries and Salchipapas, which are fries topped with diced all-beef hot dogs and a choice of sauces. Domestic and imported beer (including Peruvian Cusqueña and Sierra Andina) and sangria also are available for adults. 

Lima Peruvian Cuisine (19062 BBD Blvd.) opens every day at 11:30 a.m. and stays open until 8 p.m. Mon.-Thur., 9 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. & 7 p.m. on Sun. For more info, call (813) 304-0205, visit LimaTampa.com, or see the ad on pg. 43 for 10% off any take-out or dine-in order. Delivery also is available through DoorDash and Uber Eats. 

Get Your Tickets Now To The Last Weekend of “The Putnam County Spelling Bee!”

If you like your musical comedies to be fun, with great songs and maybe a little bit of vulgar language, you should get your tickets now to “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” the laugh riot being presented tomorrow — Thursday, February 9 — through Saturday, February 10, by Mad Theatre of Tampa at the Shimberg Playhouse at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa.

The show — the first of MAD Theatre’s 25th anniversary season — which promises some audience participation in the craziest Spelling Bee (with six mid-pubescent spellers, all played by young adults) ever, features a super-talented ensemble cast that includes two lead characters from recent New Tampa Players (NTP) productions — Chris Cordero (who played Shrek in “Shrek The Musical”) and Dylan Fidler (who played Danny Zuko in “Grease”), as well as choreography by Evan Lomba (who played Donkey in NTP’s “Shrek”). The MAD Theatre show’s director is Casey Vaughn, with music direction by Megan Zeitler and artistic direction by Tony Gilkinson.

And, after checking out one of the show’s rehearsals — which included at least two spelling words I’m ashamed to say I couldn’t spell — I can assure you that “Spelling Bee” is not only fun and funny (the dialogue won both the Tony and Drama Desk awards in 2005 for Best Book of a Musical by Rachel Sheinkin), but also chock full of great, catchy songs, with the fresh and vibrant score by William Finn. 

But, tickets (starting at just $20) are going fast, so to get yours, visit StrazCenter.org or MadTheatre.com.

All Remaining Performances Of The New Tampa Players’ “Dreamgirls” Are Now Sold Out!

After seeing the New Tampa Players production of “Dreamgirls” at the New Tampa  Performing Arts Center last weekend, I can understand why all three remaining performances this weekend are already sold out!

Anyway, here are some pictures from last weekend. Look for more info In upcoming issues of the Neighborhood News!

Visit NewTampaPlayers.org to get on the waiting list!