One of the many pleasures of the Planet's recent Sensory Overload event was the chance to see the multi-talented performers of Blake School of the Arts in action. This Wednesday, Blake throws a celebration of its own: Tampa Bay Treasures, a gala to honor 20 "Treasured Artists" from the region and to raise funds for Hillsborough County's only arts magnet high school. The "Treasures" were selected by Blake's fine arts faculty and they're indeed a praiseworthy bunch: honorees include photographer Suzanne Camp Crosby, Stageworks' director Anna Brennen, glass artist Duncan McClellan, WMNF's Rob Lorei (who's made an art of radio journalism) and Moving Current Dance Collective's Cindy Hennessy, among many others. All have been invited to show their work or perform, making the benefit a dual opportunity to sample some of the best art being produced hereabouts, and to insure that talented teenagers will get the training they need to join the ranks of treasured artists themselves. Wed., March 29, 7 p.m., Don Thompson Theatre, Blake High School, 1701 N. Boulevard, Tampa, $10, 813-272-3422.
This article appears in Mar 22-28, 2006.