TampaRep Announces 2021-2022 Season

After a nearly two-year hiatus, Tampa's professional repertory theatre plans a return to indoor, in-person programming with a varied season of shows.

"While the shows themselves may not fit neatly into any specific theme - other than being meaningful, inspiring stories - our focus this year at TampaRep is to Come Back Together. After being separated for so long from both our audiences and creatives, we are now collaborating with more people and organizations than ever before," states Emilia Sargent, Producing Artistic Director and CEO of TampaRep.

EVERY BRILLIANT THING by Duncan MacMillan with Jonny Donohoe is a delightful, interactive story that embodies universal struggle and the power of hope to transform and inspire the human spirit. "The Gobioff Foundation generously sponsored our outdoor June production of EVERY BRILLIANT THING, and response to that show was so overwhelmingly positive that we decided to bring it back in the fall - this time indoors at HCC Ybor," notes Sargent. Ned Averill-Snell will once again share his immense talents with Tampa theatregoers as The Narrator.

In true repertory theatre fashion, TampaRep will present a second show in the same space on the same night in September/October. Alternating times with EVERY BRILLIANT THING will be OPEN by Crystal Skillman, which playfully and imaginatively emphasizes the magic of human connection, as well as the transformative power of love to heal and open our hearts and minds. K Sotakoun, who was seen onstage most recently at American Stage and Jobsite, will be the guide through the evening as The Magician. An additional partnership with The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay will help us provide context and support services for the themes addressed in these two shows.

In November/December, TamapRep will team up with ThinkTank Theatre to present two stories at Stageworks: THE GIVER adapted by Eric Coble from the Newberry Award-winning novel by Lois Lowry, and THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME adapted by Simon Stephens from the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon. THE GIVER reminds us all of the importance of individual choice within society and the critical need to remember and learn from our past.

In the heartwarming adventure story THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, we see the world through the eyes of brilliant young Christopher as he leverages his gift for logic to solve a crime despite his struggles with the sounds and stresses of everyday life.

And in February '22, KING LEAR, a timeless story with themes which are still relevant over 400 years later, finally comes to Tampa. Originally set to perform in May of '20, this long-awaited production will mark the beginning of an educational collaboration between TampaRep and the USF School of Theatre and Dance. Starring Michael Mahoney as Lear, the production will be a tribute to the artistry and leadership of TampaRep's late artistic director C. David Frankel, honoring his casting and intent for the piece. In addition, Frankel will be memorialized with an annual scholarship at USF.

A sixth production is slated for June '22, and will be announced at TampaRep's annual fundraising event, the FriendRaiser on August 28th. Tickets for all shows, including the RepPass (TampaRep's flexible use ticket) and admission for the FriendRaiser, can be found on the website http://www.tamparep.org.

Acknowledging that the world is still suffering from the Coronavirus pandemic, TampaRep will continue to abide by the guidelines and recommendations of the CDC in regards to health and safety, and reserves the right to require masks, social distancing, and/or proof of vaccination to help protect the audience, actors, and staff.

Purchase tickets by visiting http://www.tamparep.org