Performing Arts in the Tampa Bay Area

When most tourists travel to the Tampa Bay area they think more of the water and things to do at the beach then about the performing arts, but there is quite a bit more that is available. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center has over 300,000 square feet of area and is the largest arts center south of Washington DC. There are a lot of cultural events that happen in the different halls that are available here, and the schedule and events change quite a bit to keep things fresh and exciting.If you want to watch a movie in a classic setting there is the expansive 1,500 seat Tampa Theatre. This is a restored palace from the mid-1920s and is a nice spot to watch some of the more popular cult movies/foreign films/classic movies/and they also have concerts once in a while that sound nice in the acoustic setting.There are symphonic presentations that are held in the Tampa Bay area by the Florida Orchestra, and also by some of the areas dance companies. During the winter from January through March there are free band concerts that are held within the area of William’s Park located in the downtown St. Petersburg area and are always very popular. You can also head to Straub Park is located right next to the Museum of Fine Arts. This area also has a beautiful view of the Inner Harbor, and this is where many of the events happen in St. Petersburg.You can also sit down and watch some plays that include off-Broadway and Broadway shows. One of the more classical settings is the American Stage Theater is located on Third Street in St. Petersburg, and also you can go to 31st St. and head to the St. Petersburg Little Theatre where you will see some of the more major productions that happen from September through June. There is a local theater group in Tampa called the Carollwood Players that perform a variety of different small production plays and has a reputation of being very professional.At the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center you can enjoy some of the best Broadway shows that are brought to you by the Tampa Bay Broadway Series and watch some of the top Broadway shows as they travel through Tampa Bay. About an hour away is Walt Disney World, and is a fun trip to enjoy many of the quality productions that they do in case you wanted to get out of the Tampa Bay area for a day or two.