A Day at the Center - Music can be fun!

We had a great time hosting a group of fun, out-going theater students from Trinity School yesterday for our first Day at the Center.

The middle schoolers felt like VIPs with a backstage tour of the Straz Center and workshops at the Patel Conservatory in Tampa.

Did you know there's a small red light in the back of Carol Morsani Hall that marks center stage for the performers? Or that the person who works the extraordinary number of ropes that control the curtains and backdrops is called a flyman?

Kids found out these and other interesting facts as they explored behind-the-scenes at the Straz Center.

"I didn't know that actors sometimes have to wear more than one costume at a time [for quick costumes changes]," said one student.

Teachers, students and chaperones then had a brown bag lunch in Maestro's Cafe before heading over to the Patel Conservatory where they got to see the technical booth of the TECO Theater and then experience an  an acting workshop with Miss Audrey.

Accompanied by music director Jonathan Hack, one student
tries his hand at a solo.

Lots of laughs and giggles ensued as the kids learned how to warm up their bodies and voices. The group jumped right into an improv game that showed them how to think fast on their feet and use their imaginations. Students took turns acting out an activity on demand, like fishing or driving. It was like Who's Line Is It Anyway? and they were all eager to get their turn. For many, this was their favorite part of the field trip.

Finally, the group ended the day with a musical theater workshop, led by theater instructor Jonathan Hack. Students learned the Lambeth Walk from Me and My Girl, accompanied by Hack on piano and his amazing voice talent. A couple of boys even re-invented the song with their own rap version, but laughter and silliness aside, it was a great lesson in vocal pitch and tempo.

As one student put it, he learned that, "music can be fun."

Through their Day at the Center, the students not only got a taste of the wonderful talent of our staff at the Patel Conservatory, they also came away with some performance tips and an overall entertaining experience.

Classes for adults kick off this week

Some great adult classes and workshops start up this week! Join us at the Patel Conservatory and explore your creative side.

On-Camera Acting Workshop - Oct. 7 - 28

This four-week on-camera acting workshop series focuses on audition techniques designed to match the commercial audition experience. Learn skills in audition preparation, improvisation, character development and professionalism. The workshop can help the beginner break into the industry or refresh the seasoned pro for the competitive market. 

Advanced Adult Ballet - Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

This class is perfect for those who have an extensive knowledge of ballet technique or adults who want a class that is challenging and musical but not stressful or stern. Great for current or former dancers, dance instructors, working professionals, or anyone who wants a ballet class that will leave you refreshed and stimulated both physically and artistically .

Ballroom: Latin Rhythms - Oct. 27 - Nov. 17

This four-week ballroom dance workshop series is both a refresher and continuation of Ballroom: Latin Rhythms I. Returning and new students are encouraged to take this workshop series to expound on the principles and styles of Salsa, Bachata, Merengue Hustle, Tango and Cha Cha.

Field Trips at the Straz Center

Field Trip Performance Series
Today kicked off our Field Trip Performance Series at the Straz Center with The Hundred Dresses.

Hundreds of students got to visit the Straz Center for a live performance in Ferguson Hall, which hopefully got them thinking about their own actions towards their peers. Are they tolerant of others, or do they judge or tease people who look or dress or act differently?

The Field Trip Series, with shows throughout the year, are a great way for students to experience the performing arts and provides teaching opportunities.

Upcoming shows:

Bullyproof: The Muiscal - Oct. 26

Zorro - Nov. 1

Jazz at the Straz: Blues, Bop and Hip-Hop - Nov. 2




Day at the Center


Tomorrow we host our first Day at the Center.

A Day at the Center is a new education initiative that provides students and educators with a guided tour of the public and backstage spaces of the Straz Center and the Patel Conservatory.

After the tour, students have a brown bag lunch in Maestro’s Café and participate in a workshop geared towards their grade/age level. Workshops may include dance, theater, music and production.Through these workshops, students and teachers will gain exposure to the performing arts, and strengthen the arts education experience.

Jazz at the Straz this weekend!

Jazz students, and anyone who enjoys great music, check out local jazz legends performing this weekend at the Straz Center.

The first Jazz at the Straz concert features local favorite Fred Johnson with the Jazz Cellar Underground Orchestra.

Enjoy your Saturday evening with us, listening to that smooth jazz vibe in the intimate TECO Theater.

Jazz Cellar Underground Orchestra

Jazz at the Straz is a concert series that supports the jazz program at the Patel Conservatory and culminates in a side-by-side concert with the Patel Conservatory Jazz Ensemble students in the spring. Click here for more information about our jazz music and voice programs.

This weekend's Jazz at the Straz concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the TECO Theater. Click here for tickets.

Try a class for FREE!

We know you want to. You've been thinking about it. So why not come in to the Patel Conservatory and finally give that class a try?

Now is your perfect opportunity! The Patel Conservatory offers "Try a Class for Free Week" Sept. 27 through Oct. 2. Get your body moving in one of our adult dance classes, or let your preschooler explore in Making Music Magic or Creative Drama.  How about picking up that instrument you haven't touched since high school? Check out our Jazz Ensemble or Rock School classes.

Now is the time! Classes are available for children and adults of all ages, in music, theater and dance. Explore your own potential, reach for your dreams, discover new talent and create magic. It's all right here within reach at the beautiful downtown campus at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.

Already enrolled at the Patel Conservatory? Don't be shy, tell a friend! If you refer a friend and they enroll, you'll get one month free! So share with your friends how much you enjoy the programs at the Patel Conservatory. (start by sharing this link on your FB page, or Tweet it!)
View a complete list of classes here, then simply register to try or observe your favorites by calling 222-1002. We'll see you next week!

Never stop learning

Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out Jayne Trinette, a winner in the Patel Conservatory’s recent Tampa’s Got Talent, in her Tribute to Lena Horne at American Stage.

As an actor and singer with Broadway experience under her belt, Jayne Trinette thought no one but New York theater professionals could train her.

Trinette, 40, relocated from New York to Ybor City two years ago with her husband. She teaches acting classes at the Ybor Art Studio. 

Last year, when Trinette was developing the idea for a cabaret show with American Stage, she enrolled in the Patel Conservatory’s Musical Theater Cabaret class.

“I know how to be in front of people and sing, but putting a show together where you can musically arrange things to work for you, I needed to gain that experience,” said Trinette. “Ashley Fisher taught me elements I was not aware of...she gave me expert advice on things like how to put the show together and engaging your audience. I feel empowered by that.

Once I took the classes, I knew exactly how to go about it.”

Pianist James Crumbly Jr. was the accompanist for the class.

“He can play anything. I thought, it just keeps getting better,” said Trinette, who ended up partnering with Crumbly for A Tribute to Lena Horne.

Trinette was so enamored with the Patel Conservatory that she signed up for several more classes. This past summer, she enrolled in six classes, including two dance classes, the cabaret class, Jazz Voice Ensemble and On-Camera Acting.

Excited to hone her skills, Trinette hadn’t counted on the advantage of having a performance at the end of each class. Most classes at the Patel Conservatory include a final performance to put into practice the skills acquired.

“I just wanted to take classes and learn some things, I had no idea we’d be having a performance. It was a big plus,” she said.

It was her classmates who encouraged Trinette to participate in Tampa’s Got Talent. She assumed scholarships would be awarded to children and hadn’t counted on winning anything.

To her surprise, she found out on her 40th birthday that she’d won a voice scholarship.

“It’s wonderful to be rewarded for your hard work,” said Trinette. Though acting and singing are her profession, she considers herself a lifelong student.

“Whatever job you have, always go to workshops, always go to seminars. Learn what you haven’t learned before, and learn with people who are as excited about it as you are.”

Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned professional like Trinette, there’s always room to grow and new experiences to explore at the Patel Conservatory.

Trinette's Tribute to Lena Horne continues this weekend, Sept. 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. at American Stage in St. Petersburg.

Seeing is believing!

At the Patel Conservatory, we can tell moms that we have the best facilities and the best instructors. But why take our word for it when you can hear it directly from another mom?

“I have nothing but rave reviews for the program and all the teachers,” said Dianna McHugh, whose 5-year-old daughter Kaitlin started in the Dress Up and Dance class and is enrolled in Creative Movement. Both classes are introduction classes for the Patel Conservatory Youth Ballet.

“As a parent, I like that [the Patel Conservatory] has a more structured way of teaching dance,” said Dianna. “I know the kids are little, but [the teachers] take it seriously. They talk about ballet as an art form, even at the young age of 3.”

Even though kids are learning proper techniques from the start, they’re having a great time.

“Kaitlin got to dance with the bears and the dolls, it was so fun for the little ones, but at the same time, you can see their progress. And once you get through it, you see the approach is perfect.”

As Dianna put it, what better place to take your kids for classes than a performing arts center? With the Patel Conservatory’s location at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and our exceptional music and dance studios and theaters, students truly feel like they are a part of something greater. They develop an appreciation for and become a part of a cultural community.

For McHugh, who commutes from Westchase, being a part of that performing arts community is priceless. “You can’t compare that to anything else.”

She appreciates the fact that beginners and advanced students alike get the professional experience and exposure that can only be found at the Straz Center.

“You try to explain it to people, but you just don’t understand until you see it,” she said. “Last spring, Kaitlin had her first experience on stage in the Little Mermaid, and we were just blown away.”

Registration is currently open for preschool classes in dance, music and theater. So take it from another mom, and come see for yourself!