Tarpon Art Guild announces October exhibit
TARPON SPRINGS — A reception for the October Backwall Exhibit will take place on Saturday, Oct. 10, 5 to 7 p.m., at Tarpon Art Guild, 161 Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs.
The exhibit will feature fall paintings, exploring themes related to “seasonal changes to Day of the Dead,” and “gothic grays to harvest gold.” The reception will include snacks and wine. Attendees will have an opportunity to meet the local artists.
NTPAC 2026-2027 season is underway
TAMPA — The New Tampa Performing Arts Center kicked off its 2026-2027 season with its annual Arts Fest, which featured performances by Tampa City Ballet and Anna Dance Academy, offering audiences an early look at the season’s artistic range.
October programming continues New Tampa Players’ run of “Come From Away” from Oct. 16-25. The uplifting musical is based on a true story from the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. When U.S. airspace was closed, 38 planes carrying nearly 7,000 passengers were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, a small town in Canada. The local residents suddenly found themselves caring for thousands of unexpected visitors — providing food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and emotional support.
Broadway Open Mic Night will take place Oct. 26 with free admission and live piano accompaniment. On Oct. 30, The St. Pete Collective will present “The Music of James Taylor,” a tribute concert highlighting the singer‑songwriter’s signature sound.
NTPAC’s lineup expands throughout November and December with acts like Mixtura, led by bassist and composer Alejandro Arenas, on Nov. 1; followed by Reflections Chamber Ensemble, Theatre for Young Audiences productions, and a lively holiday lineup.
Experience all that the NTPAC has to offer with 2026-2027 season events like New Tampa Jazz Nights in collaboration with Tampa Jazz Club, the Steinway Signature Series presented in collaboration with Steinway Tampa Bay, and the “Unplugged” series.
Tickets are on sale now. For information, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org. NTPAC is at 8550 Hunters Village Road in Tampa.
Off-Central Players to stage ‘Constellations’
ST. PETERSBURG — The Off-Central Players will present a production of Nick Payne’s “Constellations,” running Oct. 15-25, at The Off-Central, 2260 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg.
Tickets range from $20 to $40. Visit www.theoffcentral.com.
Payne’s inventive and moving exploration of love, possibility, and the choices that shape our lives will be the second production of The Off-Central Players 2026-2027 season. The production is directed by Sarasota-based Travis Ray, who helmed last season’s production of “White.” It is an intimate look at family dynamics, something everyone can relate to. The production stars Logan Franke (Marianne) and Keith Batchelor (Roland).
“Constellations is a beautiful exploration of love, choice, and countless possibilities,” said Ray. “In directing this production, I’m excited to invite audiences into a theatrical world where Marianne and Roland’s relationship unfolds across multiple realities — sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but always deeply human.”
The production is paired in the Off-Central Players adjoining galley space with a new exhibition by St. Petersburg artist Becca McCoy, “Everything is Fragile: An Exploration in Cyanotype.”
Fall Ukulele Festival set
LARGO — The Tampa Bay Ukulele Society will host its Fall Ukulele Festival on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7, in downtown Largo.
The event is open to the public and free.
The festival will begin on Friday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m., outdoors at Horizon West Bay, 440 West Bay Drive, Largo. The performance schedule is as follows:
7 p.m. — Moondog
8 p.m. — Victoria “Viggy” Kolasinski
8:30 p.m. — Tom Hood & The Tropical Sons
9:30 p.m. — Steven Espaniola
10 p.m. — Coconut Groove
An information table will be on site, along with a chance drawing for a Kala ukulele. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Attendees may bring a folding lawn chair. Free parking is available in the on-site garage, with entry from First Avenue Northwest.
The festival will continue on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Central Park Performing Arts Center, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo. A full day of live music is planned. The event also will feature free beginner lessons, play-along strumming sessions, and merchants selling ukuleles, accessories, T-shirts, crafts, and more. A ukulele swap meet will offer used instruments for sale. Sellers who want to consign a uke should arrive at 10 a.m. to register. TBUS will do its best to find a buyer.
The festival schedule is as follows:
10 a.m. — Vendors open (all day)
10 a.m. — Ukulele swap meet registration (sell or buy)
10 a.m. — Free beginner lessons (bring your ukulele or borrow one)
11 a.m. — Play-along jam session
Noon — Live performance by Moondog
1 p.m. — Live performance by Tom Hood & The Tropical Sons
2 p.m. — Free beginner lessons (bring your ukulele or borrow one)
3 p.m. — Play-along jam session
The festival is presented by the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with more than 4,000
members. Net proceeds help TBUS support its education, entertainment, and community service programs.
For information, visit www.tampabayukulele.com.
West Coast Players to present ‘The Book of Will’
CLEARWATER — West Coast Players will present Lauren Gunderson’s “The Book of Will,” running Oct. 9-25, at the WCP Theatre, 21905 U.S. 19 N., Clearwater.
Performances are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25. Call 727-437-2363. Visit wcplayers.com.
America’s most produced playwright has gifted us with a script that explains, through a combination of historical and fictional characters, why today we can leaf through the collected works of William Shakespeare — something we cannot do for his contemporaries or successors. Three years after Shakespeare’s death, his closest friends hear a badly botched version of “Hamlet” at a nearby theater, and they realize that Shakespeare’s words are starting to fade into obscurity. They decide all his original plays need to be found or recreated and published into a book, a definitive collection of his works. So, they set out to compile as many of his manuscripts as possible, going head-to-head against a shady publisher, a drunken poet, shrinking resources, and their own mortality.
Two actors will take on the roles of Will’s friends, Heminges and Condell. The remaining eight cast members take on 24 different people to tell the convoluted story of bringing the good idea of saving Will’s work to fruition.
Directed by Melody Craven, the cast includes Jimmy Chang, Michael Crockett, Kim Florio, Anna Hoyt, Richard Isaacs, Braeden Kirby, Alex Redmond-Marshall, Stu Sanford, Bobby Torres, and Michelle Wallace.
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