DON'T MISS…
Patton Oswalt Comedy’s most eloquent complainer rears his giant baby head in Tampa to dispense enviable wit and whacked-out analogies that will make you laugh till you pee your sweat pants — like the ones Oswalt swore he would never wear in public. Now a family man, his jokes revolve around relatable but scary topics like the Birthday Clown from Hell and his daughter’s Tiananmen Square moment. Sat., Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m. Stray Center’s Morsani Hall, Tampa. $30-$50. strazcenter.org.
Molly Ringwald The queen of 1980s John Hughes flicks will headline a screening/speaking engagement to commemorate the 30th anniversary screening of The Breakfast Club. Ringwald, a cult icon for the disenfranchised youth of the Reagan/Bush decade, still has that alluring and aloof je ne sais quoi. She has performed on Broadway in Enchanted April and Cabaret. Cool trivia: She turned down the Julia Roberts role in Pretty Woman and Demi Moore’s lead in Ghost. Sat., Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. Capitol Theatre, Clearwater. $60-$175. atthecap.com.
Mel Brooks… Back in the Saddle Again! “Oh, sweet mystery of life!” At last, he’s found us! If you love to laugh, you love Mel Brooks. He is the the Yoda of comedy — he even paid homage to the sci-fi guru as Yogurt in his 1987 Star Wars spoof Spaceballs. The affable film director, screenwriter, comedian, actor, producer, composer and songwriter — a young 89 now — will pay a visit to Tampa this October. Expect Brooks to reminisce about his prolific career, his marriage to late, great actor Anne Bancroft, and his films, including The Producers, Young Frankenstein (No. 13 on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 funniest American movies) and, of course, Blazing Saddles, which will be presented on the big screen followed by a live conversation and audience Q&A with Brooks. Wed., Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will cost $49-$99 go on sale Fri., Aug. 21, and are available online beginning at 10 a.m.; by phone and in person at noon. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $300, which include prime seats and a photo-op with Mel Brooks. Tickets may be purchased by calling 813-229-STAR (7827) or online at strazcenter.org.
John Cleese & Eric Idle: Together Again At Last … For The Very First Time Considered godfathers of offbeat, modern comedy, Cleese, Idle and their Monty Python cohorts helped pioneer an irreverent clever, absurdist style of comedy that has influenced countless comedians and sketch comedy troupes. In their solo careers, they have collaborated often, writing, performing and producing both together and individually pop culture staples like the musical Spamalot, the smash film A Fish Called Wanda, BBC's Fawlty Towers and the Beatles parody The Rutles. In the show, Cleese and Idle will blend scripted and improvised bits with storytelling, musical numbers, exclusive footage, aquatic juggling and the usual audience Q&A. We're told no two shows will be quite the same, each performance of Together Again At Last… For The Very First Time, will be like seeing it for the very first time. The show will make a stop at the Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater on Wednesday, Oct. 14, and Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $59.50 (plus service fees) and go on-sale this Friday, June 19, at 10 a.m. at rutheckerdhall.com, 727-791-7400 or the Ruth Eckerd Hall Box Office.
Also on the radar…
Phillippe Diederich and Kimberly Karalius The USF Master of Fine Arts grads will read from their first novels — Dietrich: Sofrito; Karalius: Love Fortune and Other Disasters. Professor Rita Ciresi, director of the creative writing masters program at USF, praises them as “outstanding storytellers who know the value of revision.” Fri., Sept. 4, at 6 p.m. at USF Graphicstudio, 3702 Spectrum Blvd., Suite 100, Tampa. english.usf.edu.
Martin Lawrence Delivering both wise-ass charisma and affable approachability, Lawrence has gone from sitcoms to Hollywood blockbusters but still takes time to tour every year or two. Sat., Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. $39.50-$110. Straz Center, Tampa. strazcenter.org.
One Man Breaking Bad Miles Allen plays Walter White, Jesse, and all of your favorite characters from the erstwhile AMC drama about a modest high school teacher turned meth dealer. The fast-paced show funnels all five seasons of the Emmy-winning AMC series into a single night of satirical hijinks. The show runs Fri.-Sun., Sept. 17-19, 7:30 p.m., in the Jaeb Theatre of the Straz; $39; strazcenter.org.
The Vault of Souls Dark and sinister interactive performance art with an upscale twist in the 92-year-old Exchange National Bank on Franklin Street, which opens its repository for the first time to provide a backdrop for some spooky shenanigans. Select dates in October; $100 per person for adults (18 and up only). Reservations requested; TheVaultofSouls.com.
Final Draft: St. Pete Stories Keep St. Pete Lit and St. Petersburg’s Green Bench Brewing Co. capitalize on our love of beer and literature with a new writing competition inspired by Green Bench’s locally and historically inspired brew titles. Submissions due 5 p.m. on Tues., Sept. 15. The top three winners and two honorable mentions will have their work read and receive awards at a Nov. 4 showcase. keepstpetelit.org/finaldraft.
Tampa Tattoo Arts Convention Offering freaky and fascinating demos, and great illustrations on display, the confab of ink artists features a slew of celebrity guests from reality competition shows such as Ink Master. Sept. 12-14. $20 a day, $40 for 3-day pass. Tampa Convention Center, 333. S. Franklin St., Tampa.
WMNF Birthday Luau Take a trip back in time to a Shangri-La of stylish ladies and gents sipping mai tais and swinging’ to Les Baxter records. Stolen Idols, The Johnny Zoom Hi-Fi Show, WMNF’s Flee provide the entertainment, with buffet and cocktails from the party’s hep venue, Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe. Mon., Sept. 14, 6-9 p.m., 5119 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. $25; tickets available at wmnf.org.
ARTofficial Intelligence: The Fourth Annual St. Pete Robot Exchange Enjoy some futuristic fun with artists Derek Donnelly, Jon Suarez, Brandy Stark, Zulu Painter, Aurailieus Artist, Frank Strunk III; live music by Hussar and others, and a virtual reality experience by HD Interactive. Fri., Sept. 18, 9 p.m.-3 a.m. $10 online, $15 at the door. 535 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg. nova535.com.
UN Peace Day Hootenanny Celebrate the United Nations’ International Peace Day in the idyllic setting of Sacred Lands at Jungle Prada, St. Pete. Includes live music by Jun Bustamante, John Clarke, Rebekah Pulley, Will and Constance, and Dylan Cowles. Mon., Sept. 21, 7-10 p.m. 1640 Park St. N., St. Petersburg. Free; potluck and Unicef donation requested. un.org/en/events/peaceday.
Creative Loafing’s Best of the Bay Party Join CL in celebrating the awards’ 25th anniversary at the event’s swankiest digs to date: The Mahaffey in St. Pete, which happens to be celebrating an anniversary of its own this year: the big 50. Wed., Sept. 23, 6-9 p.m., The Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Pete, $25, themahaffey.com.
TIGLFF 2015 Opening Event: Lea DeLaria The Palladium Theater is headquarters for this year’s Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and the fest headliner will be Lea DeLaria of Orange is the New Black. The performer is known both for her keen sense of humor and her impressive singing voice. Sat., Oct. 3, 6 p.m., 253 Fifth Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Festival runs through Oct. 10. tiglff.com.
Vaivén: Six Visual Journeys between Spain and the U.S. Visual essays explore the interplay between Spanish and American culture with reference to identity, migration and heritage. Presented in collaboration with the Spanish Embassy’s Cultural Office during Hispanic Heritage Month. Opens Oct. 2 with a reception at 6 p.m. at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts. fmopa.org.
Localicious St. Pete’s multi-event-locally-sourced food-gasm returns Oct. 16-25. Features food and drink vendors, restaurants, breweries, growers, markets, community gardens and more. keepsaintpetersburglocal.org/localicious.
Bo Burnham The babyfaced musical comedian sports talent beyond his years (he turns 25 this Saturday). Thurs., Oct. 15, 8 p.m., Straz Center, Tampa. $39.50, strazcenter.org.
Mesmerizing Mermaids and Creepy Creatures: Florida’s Bizarre Roadside Attractions Author/historian Rick Kilby presents a fun look at the bizarre attractions showcased by roadside proprietors. Thurs., Oct. 22, 7-9 p.m. Roadside Attraction Vintage, 13836 Walsingham Road, Largo; $20; $30 includes an autographed copy of Kilby’s book, Finding the Fountain of Youth: Ponce de Leon and Florida’s Magical Waters. carols-roadsideattraction.blogspot.com.
Florida Orchestra Masterworks: Vivaldi's Four Seasons Feeling a little crushed by modern times? Go for Baroque with new conductor Michael Francis and violinist/leader Lara St. John. Selections also include Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 2 and Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. Fri., Oct. 23, 8 p.m., at the Straz; Sat., Oct. 24, 8 p.m., at the Mahaffey, and Sun., Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. $15-$45. floridaorchestra.org.
America’s Got Talent! Live See Season 8 comedian Taylor Williamson, Season 9 vocalist Emily West, Season 8 comedic hand balancing duo The KriStef Brothers and the “junk rock” performers Recycled Percussion from Season 4. Wed., Nov. 4, 7 p.m. Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St, Clearwater. $35-$60. atthecap.com.
Lewis Black The acerbic commentator is keeping busy post-Stewart days on The Daily Show. Recently he’s been seen on Teachers Lounge, an award-winning comedy web series co-created by Ted Alexandro and Hollis James, and raising funds for the Rogosin Institute. Sat., Nov. 14, 8 p.m. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. $48.75-$125. rutheckerdhall.com.
Shaping Sound Straz’s 2015-16 dance season begins with “an electrifying mash-up of dance styles and musical genres,” led by So You Think You Can Dance’s Travis Wall. Wed., Nov. 18, 8 p.m. at the Straz Center’s Morsani Hall, $39.50-$50. strazcenter.org.
Fairy Home Companions: A Comedic Satire The fellas in Una Voce will get their ho-ho-ho on with hearty ha-has this Christmas. The all-male vocal troupe will re-create a live radio show with sponsor jingles, skits, holiday music and special guests. WoodWorks, a professional marimba quartet, will headline. Fri., Dec. 11, 8 p.m., The Palladium, St. Petersburg; Sun., Dec. 13, 3 p.m., HCC Mainstage Theatre, Ybor City. una-voce.org.
This article appears in Aug 13-19, 2015.