One of the goals of the New Tampa Players (NTP) performance troupe has always been to introduce people to the theatre, and make it accessible for everyone.
The Penguin Project will help NTP meet its vision.
The project, a national effort to involve special needs actors in stage productions, is coming to Tampa, as NTP will adopt the Penguin Project for a production of a โJuniorโ version of โAladdinโ which is scheduled to run April 4-6, 2019.
Informational meetings about the production will be held on Monday, November 5, 7 p.m., and on Sunday, November 11, 5:30 p.m., at Family of Christ Lutheran Church on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in Tampa Palms.
As a parent of special needs children, NTP president Nora Paine says she canโt wait to get started, adding that the response already has been greater than she expected, with interest from Bradenton to Brandon to Town N Country.
โWe are well on our way,โ says Paine.
The Penguin Project was founded by Dr. Andrew Morgan in Peoria, IL, in 2004. Dr. Morgan not only had a passion for helping disabled children, which he did as a pediatrician, but also for local community theatre. He saw no reason why he couldnโt combine the two, starting the Penguin Project, which pairs disabled children and adults ages 8-21 with mentors who arenโt disabled.
Dr. Morgan has described the experience of Penguin Project productions as life-changing for the special needs actors who take part.
Paine had been brainstorming ways to incorporate special needs actors into productions, but it was at a theater management conference in Venice, FL, earlier this summer that convinced her to reach out to Dr. Morgan.
โThere were several theaters all around the country there (at the conference) talking about it,โ Paine says. โAfter I heard everyone talk about it, I thought it would be a perfect fit for the New Tampa Players. Thereโs nothing like this in New Tampa.โ
In Penguin Project productions, actors are paired with a same-age peer mentor, who will help the special needs participant learn his or her role.
The mentor, who also has to learn all of the lines and choreography, will perform on the stage with their special needs counterpart, usually in the background of a scene, offering encouragement and whispering lines that may be forgotten. The mentors also help with stage footwork.
โBut, the special needs kids still get to be the stars of the show,โ Paine says, โand they get to have that great theatre experience.โ
The special needs of Penguin Project participants range from Down syndrome and cerebral palsy to learning and intellectual disabilities and other neurological disorders.
โI know there are organizations devoted to specific disabilities that do great things,โ Paine says. โ(With the) Penguin Project, however, it doesnโt matter what the disability is. They take the child where they are and supply the support that they need.โ
The NTP troupe has already done productions with children involved that have some learning disabilities, but Paine thinks expanding that effort will be a good thing for the entire Tampa Bay area.
โI know the need for something like this is great,โ she says.
During the four months of preparation for โAladdin,โ Paine says Dr. Morgan and his team will visit Tampa six times โ including at the informational meetings at Family of Christ โ to provide assistance with the production.
Already, Paine says she has more than 30 interested performers and production workers, and almost as many peer volunteers.
It will be a rewarding experience for both, she says. โItโs a two-way street,โ Paine says. โMentors are going to get a lot out of it. They can teach a lot of skills to the kids with special needs, and also get the reward of being able to help a child.โ
For more information about the New Tampa Players and the troupeโs upcoming productions, visit NewTampaPlayers.org.
Now that the โRestaurant Rowโ on the north side of S.R. 56 has been completed, developers have moved into the retail phase in Cypress Creek.
When Dilip Kanji, the president of Impact Development and developer of the new Hyatt Place Hotel on S.R. 56, told a crowd of local business leaders back in February about a dozen or more retail and restaurant offerings coming to the area known as Cypress Creek Town Center North, there were audible gasps.
Nowadays, those gasps have been replaced by leering eyes, as those stores and eateries begin going vertical.
Located across S.R. 56 from the Tampa Premium Outlets and to the west of the north side of 56โs โRestaurant Row,โ trendy eateries like the Walk-Onโs Bar & Bistreaux and Blaze Pizza, hip green grocers like EarthFare and mega-stores like Burlington and Home Goods are now taking shape.
โWhat is going thereโ is now being replaced by โWhat is that building going to be.โ
More than a decade ago, this advanced transformation of the State Rd. 56 corridor hardly seemed possible, as Sierra Propertiesโ development of the Cypress Creek Town Center Development of Regional Impact was mired in delays, most caused by environmental concerns, that caused some of the plans โ including, at one time, a 1.4-million-sq.-ft. regional mall and movie theater โ to be scrapped and modified. When that happened, the Shops at Wiregrass was almost immediately developed a few miles to the east on S.R. 56.
But once the hurdles were cleared, the transformation of S.R. 56 west of I-75 began, with the Tampa Premium Outlets and restaurants like Fordโs Garage and Chuyโs lining the road that has become the what some might call the main artery running through Wesley Chapel, which definitely has a strong pulse.
New Tampa Plastic Surgery, a premier cosmetic surgery โboutique,โ has been helping New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents look and feel their best since 2011.
Specializing in the aesthetic plastic surgery of the face, breasts and body, Board-certified plastic surgeon Peter Fakhre, M.D., rejuvenates and enhances the natural beauty of his patients with the latest cutting-edge surgical and non-surgical procedures.
Dr. Fakhre also has been named one of the top doctors in the country by Vitals.com (a medical review forum for consumers). According to the website, Dr. Fakhre was named a โVitals Top 10 Doctor.โ Of more than 870,000 doctors nationwide, Dr. Fakhre has been recognized as being in the top one percent, of all physicians, as determined by patient ratings.
Located in the Windfair Professional Park off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC), New Tampa Plastic Surgery sees patients from all across Pasco and Hillsborough counties.
And soon, youโll be able to check out Dr. Fakhreโs new office at 2525 Cypress Ridge Blvd, behind the Mercedes dealership off S.R. 56. It is set to open in early 2019.
Dr. Fakhre and his staff help everyone who walks through their doors feel welcome; their primary goal is to make the patient feel comfortable while exploring his or her best options for plastic or reconstructive surgery (as well as non-surgical alternatives, in some cases) in a professional and confidential environment.
You can see the results of Dr. Fakhreโs work when you visit NewTampaPlasticSurgery.com. Although his work definitely speaks for itself, he also is highly recommended by his patients.
In a physician review on Vitals.com, Dr. Fakhreโs patient Jane Gibbons said, โPlastic surgery? More accurately โ Surgical Artistry! Dr. Fakhre is a master of his craft. He not only is an accomplished surgeon, (he also) is a man of integrity who listens, counsels and guides his patients toward the goals they are seeking. (He) then satisfies those goals with skill and precision!โ
She continues, โDr. Fakhre works with his patients to determine the best surgical and non-surgical options that will achieve the desired outcome. As a bonus, his office staff is compassionate, efficient and shares his philosophy that everyone deserves to look their best. Unquestionably, Dr. Fakhre is the best that Tampa Bay has to offer!โ
Dr. Fakhre, who is one of the few plastic surgeons in the Tampa Bay area to be double-Board-certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and by the American Board of Surgery, explains, โThere are many things that are important in achieving successful outcomes in plastic surgery: an understanding of the patientโs desires, their physical examination, realistic goals, sound surgical technique, attention to detail and outstanding postoperative care, all of which contribute to success in cosmetic plastic surgery.โ
He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from the University of South Florida in Tampa, graduating summa cum laude. He then elected to attend the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. It was while he was at U-F that Dr. Fakhreโs surgical talent, aesthetic eye and love for plastic surgery were realized.
Dr. Fakhre then completed a general surgery residency at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, where he scored in the 98th percentile in the American Board of Surgery in Training Exam, the highest among all of the residents in his program.
He was involved with numerous publications and research projects, which have been presented at a number of scientific meetings, including the distinguished American Society of Plastic Surgeons. During his surgical training, Dr. Fakhre was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Mayo Clinic Medical School and served as Chief Resident in Surgery in his final year of surgical training.
Dr. Fakhre was then privileged to match at his first choice of Plastic Surgery fellowship programs at the prestigious Methodist Hospital, where he again excelled, scoring the highest in-service exam score among all plastic surgery residents in his program and serving as Chief Resident during his final year of plastic surgery training.
โI had the wonderful opportunity to train with members of the original group of plastic surgeons that invented the breast implant, as well as facial and body plastic surgeons whose surgeries have been featured on The Discovery Channel,โ Dr. Fakhre says. โWorking in such an environment provided great exposure to a large volume of both primary and revision cosmetic surgery cases. This experience was priceless and Iโm happy to bring this type of training to the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area.โ
This training and his own expertise helped Dr. Fakhre earn the highest score possible, in the 99th percentile among Plastic Surgeons in plastic surgery of the breast, on the American Board of Plastic Surgery written examination.
In addition to refining his surgical skill and technique during his plastic surgery training, Dr. Fakhre also volunteered his time with Operation San Josรฉ and traveled to Guatemala on a cleft lip and palate surgical mission. There, he helped deliver surgical care to many cleft lip and palate patients who otherwise may never have received the treatment they needed.
Dr. Fakhre says that he was happy to return to the Tampa Bay area after his training and currently lives in Seven Oaks with his wife of 15 years and three sons, who keep them busy and entertained.
So Many Surgical Options So many of us have things we would like to change about our bodies. Time, age and weight changes all take a toll on the body and these factors can affect your appearance and self-image. Dr. Fakhre says that cosmetic plastic surgery is a way to help you look and feel better. โWhen we are happy with our appearance, we feel more confident,โ he says.
New Tampa Plastic Surgery offers a plethora of cosmetic surgery procedures for women and men, including breast enhancement (augmentations, lifts and reductions), tummy tucks, face and neck lifts, eyelid surgery, liposuction and more. Known for his technical skill, eye for beauty and superior aesthetic practice, Dr. Fakhre will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan to achieve your desired outcome and to make the โnew youโ a reality.
โCosmetic plastic surgery allows the surgeon to combine artistry with sound surgical techniques to produce superior results,โ says Dr. Fakhre.
Breasts, for instance, are often at the core of a womanโs femininity and self-confidence. Dr. Fakhre explains that breast surgery is one of the most personal decisions a woman can make. โBreast augmentation surgery can increase your self-confidence and satisfaction with your body,โ says Dr. Fakhre. โBy increasing or restoring breast volume, we can help our patients achieve a better-proportioned body.โ
Dr. Fakhreโs breast augmentation patients are first educated about implant size and types, so they can make informed decisions about which would best satisfy their personal goals. He says that the two main implant types available are still silicone and saline and that the implant selected depends upon a variety of factors.
Currently, the most common implants that Dr. Fakhre uses are silicone implants, which he says look and feel more natural than their saline counterparts.
Breast lift surgery removes excess tissue and repositions the breast and/or nipple to a more youthful position. This procedure is often chosen by women desiring to restore form to their breasts or reclaim their โbefore-babyโ appearance. And, although breasts are intertwined with the feminine profile, women are not the only ones who have breast surgery. In fact, Dr. Fakhre says that he has helped many men feel better about their appearance with reduction surgery for men with female-looking breasts (also known as gynecomastia).
Liposuction, โMommy Makeoversโ & More Another popular cosmetic surgical procedure at New Tampa Plastic Surgery is liposuction, which can improve the bodyโs contour by removing fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise. Liposuction restores proportionality and minimizes problem areas. Dr. Fakhre says that if you find yourself shopping for clothes to hold your tummy in or help slim your thighs, liposuction may be your answer. He adds that liposuction offers significant results with minimal downtime.
โIn fact, many (liposuction) patients recover over a weekend and return to work on Monday,โ he says. A full โMommy Makeoverโ also is a popular procedure sought by women who want to get back to the body they had before they had children. Dr. Fakhre says that the most common โMommy Makeoverโ combines a breast lift (with or without breast augmentation for reshaping), a tummy tuck to tighten the midsection that was stretched during pregnancy and liposuction to remove unwanted fat deposits.
Dr. Fakhre, who also has surgical privileges at Florida Hospital Tampa and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, says that he performs most of his surgeries at Tampa Bay Surgery Center, located at the corner of Dale Mabry and Fletcher Avenue, although he adds that he does perform minor procedures in his office as well. Wherever he performs his artistry, however, his satisfied patients are a testament to his experience and training.
โFrom the moment I walked through the door in his office I was always greeted on a first-name basis, which made me feel like I wasnโt just another patient to get in and out,โ Christina Vargas wrote in her patient testimonial about her experience with New Tampa Plastic Surgery. โThe whole process โ from scheduling my appointments to the day of the procedure, even my recovery โ went so smoothly. I highly recommend Dr. Fakhre. I give him 10 stars!โ
Non-Surgical Options, Too New Tampa Plastic Surgery also is a true cosmetic boutique, offering skin care and other non-surgical cosmetic procedures, in addition to plastic surgery. Many of these non-surgical procedures โ such as Botox and dermal fillers, Latisse eyelash lengthening and thickening and chemical peels that rejuvenate and energize the skin to beautify your natural state and more โ often provide the results a patient is looking for, and are less โinvasiveโ than surgical options.
Board-certified nurse practitioner Christina Ahrens (in photo on previous page, with Dr. Fakhre) has more than 12 years of experience in dermatology and plastic surgery and performs all of the non-surgical procedures at New Tampa Plastic Surgery.
โWe are fortunate to have Christina as part of our team,โ says Dr. Fakhre. โShe does an outstanding job in the treatment of our patients.โ
For your free cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. Peter Fakhre, call New Tampa Plastic Surgery at (813) PLASTIC (752-7842). The office is located at 2541 Windguard Cir. For a full menu of services, visit NewTampaPlasticSurgery.com. And, be sure to check out the ad on page 13 of this issue and โLikeโ New Tampa Plastic Surgeryโs Facebook.com page so that you can be notified of the officeโs monthly promotions on various services.
State House District 63 candidate Fentrice Driskell is hoping to return incumbent Shawn Harrisonโs seat to Democratic hands in the General Election on Tuesday, November 6.
There was never any doubt, at least in her mind, that Fentrice Driskell was going to one day run for office.
It was just a matter of when.
Well, when…is now.
In February, Driskell filed to run for the Florida House District 63 seat currently held by Republican and long-time New Tampa resident Shawn Harrison.
District 63 includes New Tampa, as well as Carrollwood, Lutz and the Lake Magdalene and University of South Florida areas to our south and east.
Driskellโs entry into the race was greeted with great enthusiasm by many Democrats, who consider it one of the most flippable State House seats.
Shawn Harrison
Harrison won the seat in 2010, lost it to Mark Danish in 2012, then reclaimed it in 2014. In 2016, Harrison held off Democratic challenger and fellow former Tampa City Council member Lisa Montelione by 1,363 votes, or 51-49 percent.
โIโve known for quite some time I would like to run one day,โ Driskell says. โI thought it would be later in life, though. But, the 2016 election motivated me.โ
Driskell was almost immediately endorsed by prominent local Democrats like Betty Castor, Alex Sink, Pat Kemp and State House Democratic Leader, State Rep. Janet Cruz, after throwing her hat in the ring.
Driskell felt that womenโs voices were missing from the political debate, and felt like public schools, where her mother taught for 35 years, were under attack. She saw a political landscape dominated by acrimony and inertia, instead of focusing on providing affordable housing, a safe and clean environment and economic policies that would benefit everyone.
โAfter the 2016 election, I really decided that if I donโt like the way things are going, I can either keep talking about it or do something about it,โ Driskell says. โI started attending candidate trainings and really thinking about some of the issues I care about the most.โ
Driskell said her passion for government was ignited while she attended Lake Gibson High in Lakeland.
During her junior year, she attended Florida Girls State, a week-long workshop that focuses on government, politics and Americanism.
โIt completely changed my trajectory,โ Driskell says.
She graduated from Lake Gibson No. 1 in her class and attended Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, where she was the schoolโs first African-American female student body government president.
She graduated from Harvard and then Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C., and has been president of the George Edgecomb Bar Association for black lawyers in Tampa. She is currently a partner and business litigator at the Carlton Fields law firm near Tampa International Airport.
When she decided to run and looked at the open races, she saw District 63 as a perfect place to bring what she says will be an inclusive style of representation.
โI looked at the level of representation that District 63 is getting and felt I had something better to offer,โ Driskell says.
According to the Lakeland native, District 63 is roughly 38 percent registered Democrats, 32 percent Republicans and 30 percent unaffiliated.
โWhen you have a district that balanced, you have to be able to lead from a place that is reflective of that and inclusive of everyone,โ Driskell says. โMy opponent has moved too far to the right for this district.โ
Driskell (see ad on pg. 6) has attended a few New Tampa town halls, and organized some meet-and-greets in local communities, most recently in Arbor Greene, and hopes to strike a chord with local voters, who trended Democratic in 2016.
โWeโve been able to build a lot of great momentum and enthusiasm around our campaign,โ Driskell says. โWhat weโve found is that people want to talk about the kind of bread-and-butter issues that affect us every day, like schools, gun safety, keeping kids safe. Because we have been able to engage them directly, people are excited to have the opportunity to have a representative who will listen to them.โ
Big Easy Bucha is available in all Publix stores. Austin Sherman shows off his original product โ with flavors such as Jazz Juice and Streetcar Sipper โ and its first-to-market kombucha โshots.โ
When Austin Sherman graduated from New Tampaโs Wharton High School in 2001, he headed to the nearby University of South Florida to pursue a degree in communications.
At that time, he wouldnโt have guessed heโd be where he is now โ leading a company brewing kombucha, a fermented, probiotic tea that is increasing in popularity and market share, with products in many major grocery stores, such as Whole Foods and Publix.
Austin and his wife, Alexis Korman, who co-founded Big Easy Bucha in New Orleans four years ago, expect to sell 3 million bottles in 2018.
And, with the way theyโre growing, Austin says theyโll sell 10 million bottles next year.
Itโs not how Austin envisioned his future. He left college in 2005 to join a commercial real estate firm in Seattle. He remembers it being a busy, stressful time, while he worked hard.
โEvery dollar I made, I would invest in more real estate,โ he says. โI was 25 years old, with a couple of million dollars in real estate. Then, I woke up one day and it was all worth nothing.โ
The real estate bubble had burst. Over time, the firm he worked for let its employees go and shut its doors, and Austin came back to New Tampa to figure out what to do next.
He landed a job as a bartender at the old Ciccio & Tonyโs in Tampa Palms, where he met people like Dan Costello.
โDan was one of my favorite customers,โ Austin says. โHe was very active in the beverage and salty snack business, and I found that fascinating.โ
Austin was living with his younger sister, Chelsea, who was studying to be a nurse. It was Chelsea who learned how to brew kombucha. Many people drink kombucha because of the health benefits associated with its probiotics.
โIn nursing school, all of my peers were super health conscious,โ says Chelsea. โSome were brewing kombucha; and we all were drinking it. We were trying to be health forward for our patients.โ
Austin Sherman and his sister, Chelsea, before Whartonโs prom in 2001, when the siblings were growing up in Arbor Greene.
Chelsea taught Austin how to brew kombucha, which he had been introduced to in Seattle.
โI had been in bartending and mixology, so I knew how to put ingredients together and get a desired result,โ says Austin. โI made my first batch with pineapple and elderflower.โ
He began experimenting with different flavors and made small batches to pass out to his friends and family.
He moved to New Orleans, where Alexis was living and working as a writer.
In 2014, they officially launched their company in New Orleans and called it Big Easy Bucha.
โI really didnโt have a vision of what this could become,โ Austin says. โAt that time, it was just a hobby.โ
Just four years later, itโs so much more. The friends and family he used to pass out samples to are not only his customers, theyโre also his biggest supporters โ and some are even employees.
Chelsea left nursing to work full-time as a marketing associate for the company.
Meanwhile, Dan Costello has served as an advisor and has just transitioned to the role of president of Big Easy Bucha.
Austinโs best friend from high school, Ted Krawsck, lives in Wesley Chapel and says heโs now a Big Easy Bucha โone-a-day-er.โ
Ted says he was surprised to discover the positive effects kombucha has had for him.
โIt had huge health benefits,โ Ted says. โAs someone with stomach problems, I instantly started feeling better. My stomach felt completely different.โ
Austin says he and Alexis had tried other brands and were put off by the flavor, so they wanted to be a โgatewayโ drink for people who are new to kombucha.
While the kombucha trend started in the west, Big Easy Bucha is focused on the growing markets in the southeastern United States.
โBig Easy Bucha is definitely based on the Southern palate, with flavors that are very fruit forward,โ such as strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, and satsuma โ a citrus fruit similar to a Mandarin or clementine orange, Chelsea says.
Austinโs favorite flavor is still that first combination he put together in his first brew in Tampa, pineapple and elderflower. Now, that combo is known as Big Easy Buchaโs โJazz Juice.โ
A highlight of the companyโs story so far is that last year, Big Easy Bucha was successful in getting its products into Publix stores.
โItโs really hard to do,โ says Austin. โIโve been a customer of Publix my entire life. I remember shopping at the store on Cross Creek Blvd.โ
He adds that in the year that Big Easy Bucha products have been sold at Publix, the chain has opened 50 new stores, for a total of 1,196 Publix stores nationwide. Whenever a new Publix opens, it stocks Big Easy Bucha.
โItโs been fun,โ Austin says. โWeโve been able to grow in Publix.โ
He thinks Publix likes working with Big Easy Bucha, too.
โWeโre known to Publix as innovators,โ Austin explains. Recently, a Publix buyer suggested an idea for a new product โ a kombucha โshotโ for people who want the probiotics and healthy organic acids of the drink, but donโt want to have to drink a full 16 ounces.
โWithin four weeks, we had samples for them,โ says Austin. โCoke and Pepsi canโt move that fast. It takes them a year to get it through research and development and another two years to get to market, if they decide to make the product.โ
Now, the four-ounce shots also are available at all Publix stores and Big Easy Bucha is the first kombucha company making the product, which are called Lilโ Easy Kombucha Shots.
โItโs the same strength and efficacy, in a fun and festive shot format,โ explains Austin. โWeโre in New Orleans, so everythingโs festive (here).โ
To buy Big Easy Bucha, visit any local Publix store and look for it in the refrigerated aisle, next to the juices. For more information about the company, visit BigEasyBucha.com.
One of the goals of the New Tampa Players (NTP) performance troupe has always been to introduce people to the theatre, and make it accessible for everyone.
