A person with grey hair tied in a bun is pictured smiling while speaking at a microphone, with a projected "Ybor City" graphic visible in the background.
Ray Roa at Centro Asturiano de Tampa in Ybor City, Florida on July 19, 2025. Credit: Photo by Keir Magoulas / c/o Tampa Bay History Center

Since its inception in December 2023, The Commodore’s “Salud and Happy Days” series has worked to celebrate Tampa by getting locals to tell stories onstage before improv comedians act out scenes based on what comes out in the interview.

The series has welcomed the likes of “The Tampa Natives” host Mario Núñez, journalists Paul Guzzo and Maggie Duffy, lawyer Ron Weaver, Tampa City Councilman Guido Maniscalco, plus the Cuban sandwich triumvirate of Jeff Houck, Dr. Barbara C. Cruz and the late Andy Huse.

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s Editor-In-Chief Ray Roa kicks Salud off in 2026 and will do his best not to bomb this Friday as he navigates an unscripted evening build around his 15 years covering the Bay area.

Tickets for Salud and Happy Days happening Friday, Jan. 9 at The Commodore are still available for $18.11 including fees.

Salud and Happy Days: Comedy Inspired by Stories about Tampa

Time Fri., Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m.

Location The Commodore, 811 E. 7th Avenue, Tampa

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This article appears in Dec. 25 – 31, 2025.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...