I have auditioned for them several times and was fortunate enough to be a part of their 2012-13 season. I was in their production of Behind the Gates by Wendy Graf. I made some wonderful friends during this production and have been back time and again to see other shows as an audience member there.
Throughout the years, I have continued to attend performances at this venue and will continue to audition when time allows.
During the pandemic, they are providing us at home, with online content. At the moment, Job-side Productions will have their first show at the Straz Riverwalk Stage which has open air seating. Feel free to read up on their safety precautions.
Don’t hesitate to visit their website and make a donation. The arts are vital and the pandemic caused houses to close their productions early, some weren’t even able to have an opening night.
Stageworks holds a very special place in my heart. It was the first theatre that took a chance on me when I got back from New York. Anna Brennen, saw me at a FPTA audition and the rest is history.
Stageworks offers theatre to school-age children and I was part of their Rainbow Tribe, a program for at-risk youth. I did three productions for them and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
After that, I was given the opportunity to perform in main stage productions and have made the best of friends, I even call some of those beautiful people, family. In my second main stage production, I delved into the history and culture of the Dominican Republic and portrayed a beautiful character that touched me personally, as a Dominican American.
Stageworks recently announced their next season and as always, it reflects the time we are in. It provides talent an opportunity to use their craft, while maintaining the safety guidelines that are vital during this pandemic.
Please don’t hesitate to check out what they are up to at this time.
Photo: Zander MoralesPhoto: Desiree Fantal for Stageworks
Went to my local Publix this week and got my yearly flu shot. I’m fortunate that it’s covered by my insurance and Publix always adds a silver lining to a not so pleasant experience (I’m a baby when it comes to shots) by giving me a $10 Publix gift card. It’s for a limited time.
I’ve been fortunate and haven’t had the flu in years, hoping that’s the case again this year.
Although I don’t like getting shots, I do like getting freebies and that is why this post qualifies as a favorite thing.
When I graduated from AMDA (American Musical and Dramatic Academy) in the 1990’s, I came back home to Florida. I wanted to get back to New York and knew that I needed to audition, audition, audition, and I needed to get as much time as I could on stage, so that I could practice and hone the craft I spent two years working on.
Carrollwood Players was one of the first places I went to. I auditioned several times before getting cast in my first show there, Private Lives.
St. Petersburg Times – Photo: Dirk Shado
Carrollwood Players is a community theatre company that will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2021. Over the years I have been back to Carrollwood in several productions and have made some wonderful friendships. They provided me with the opportunity to audition, rehearse and perform.
One aspect that I enjoyed is I was able to play roles that would not have been open to me in other places because I did not look the part. I was also able to direct a one-act play and co-direct a staged reading; providing me the opportunity to branch out from being on stage and work behind the scenes.
As the pandemic put a halt on live productions, theatres are trying to keep their door opens and many have taken on virtual productions in the interim. Some have started to open their doors to the public, in a limited capacity.
As for me, I won’t be gracing any stages anytime soon but hope you check out Carrollwood Players and donate what you can, I know, it will be appreciated.
I have always been a huge fan of key lime pie. There’s something about the combination of super sweet and tart that I can’t resist.
My Hubby got me a key lime pie this year on my birthday. He told me about it a week before my birthday and I could not stop thinking about it. When my birthday rolled around, I even did a little dance in honor of it.
My intent is always to try to support local businesses, as they are part of my community. How happy was I when Hubby did research and found Mike’s Pies. If you get the chance, look them up, local retailers in the Tampa Bay area sell their pies.
As I walk to the water
through the soft warm sand,
I reach the shore
and the water laps at my feet,
burying my toes.
The sun warms my skin
and feels like a long and much-needed hug.
My mind started playing tricks on me
as I looked out at the horizon.
Photo by Tim Foster on Unsplash
Soft words in a deep voice envelope me,
with my giggles as a little girl clinging to her Papi, wearing swim trunks and a white undershirt.
He never cared for the water but took pleasure as I enjoyed soaking in the sun and splashing around in his arms.
Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
As a woman, I watch the waves and miss my Papi.
Strolling the shore,
I see the billows of white when the waves crash,
and think of everything that has passed since that day.
As that afternoon came to an end,
we left the water,
my big family enjoying this rare gathering
that would not happen often enough.
Papi looked out and smiled at the water,
a bit of sadness and a bit of joy.
He loved spending time with my sister and me that day but did not like the ocean calling him back to what he considered home as a child.
As a woman, I watch as the tides come in
and wonder if I have never loved the water as an adult
because it reminds me of a time that is long gone.
As I take a deep breath,
I smell the salt
and feel the thickness of the air through my nose
and into my lungs.
The sounds of the birds
and the ocean saying goodbye
as I turn away and leave,
never wanting to return.
A brutal comedic quartet about four real women who lived in France during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe De Gouge, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle: hang out, murder Marat, lose their heads, and try to beat back the extremist insanity in revolutionary Paris.
In the Time of the Butterflies, En El Tiempo de las Mariposas, is based on the novel by Julia Alvarez as adapted by Caridad Svich.
Directed by Karla Hartley and Jorge Acosta.
Synopsis: The beautiful and inspiring story of the life of the courageous, martyred Mirabal sisters, who inspired resistance cells throughout the Dominican Republic under the tyrannical rule of Gen. Trujillo’s regime in 1960.
Select Performances will be in Spanish!
—
Basada en la novela de Julia Álvarez según adaptada por Caridad Svich.
Dirigida por: Karla Hartley y Jorge Acosta
Sinopsis: La obra cuenta la historia hermosa e inspiradora de la vida de las valientes y martirizadas hermanas Mirabal quienes inspiraron resistencia en la República Dominicana bajo el régimen del General Trujillo en 1960.
January is here, and the credit card bills are starting to arrive. All those Christmas gifts purchased, gas money, and possibly airline tickets, are coming in and it can be daunting for several months.
Well, if you are willing to take a little time before, during, or after you shop in the new year, these apps will let you earn a rebate. Most have a gift card option of some sort, but if you’re like me, green is what you want so you can pay your bills and call it a day.
Okay, I love ibotta to earn cash back on groceries, restaurants, and retail shops.
This app is super simple to use. Find the store you are shopping at, scroll through the products that have rebates available, tag the items that interest you and when you shop, scan the barcode with your phone to make sure you have chosen the right product. After checkout, scan your receipt and all of the items you have chosen should be seen. If something didn’t tag, no worries, you can go back and select it. After you have $20 in rewards, you can have your money sent to your PayPal account.
I have earned $252.45 in rebates through ibotta. During the holidays, I used the app, combined with other discounts at retail and online stores.
ibotta offers you opportunities to earn individual and team bonuses. Your team consists of friends who also use ibotta. If you would like to be a part of my team use the referral code qcfxkog when you sign up, and I earn a referral bonus that will help me earn cash for the new year. Once you sign up, you can also earn referral bonuses by inviting friends to join your team.
Ebates is handy during the holidays and when you purchase big-ticket items online. Although Ebates is known for online rebates, some brick-and-mortar stores allow rebates if you link your credit card. The rebate will automatically appear in your Ebates account after a few days.
The important thing to know about Ebates is that you must use the link they provide to the store to earn the rebate. They pay every three months and you have to have a cash-back balance of $5.00 or more. The money is sent to your PayPal account.
I’ve earned $70.61 in cash-backs with Ebates. Remember, the key is to check your Ebates app for potential rebates on big-ticket items, the savings can be substantial.
Sometimes, your purchase through their link will not appear in your account. In those cases, ask Ebates to track the purchase, they will follow up with the company and keep in touch via email about the progress. It can take awhile, but if they are able to get the rebate, it’s worth it.
Ebates also offers a “Refer a Friend” bonus. If you would like to help me earn a bonus, click on the Ebates that are hyperlinked in this post.
This app works a lot like ibotta, but the platform is different. The products are not broken down by stores, and when scrolling through, you will notice that some products can only be purchased at a specific store, to earn the rebate.
The savings can be substantial and unlike the other two apps I have discussed, Checkout 51 sends out a check with your rebate amount after you’ve earned $20.00 or more. I have earned $26.20 through Checkout 51. Checkout 51 also offers contests and bonuses on occasion to help you earn. Click the hyperlink to download the app for Checkout 51.
Hope these apps save you money. They have been helpful to me and require very little of my time.
What are some of your favorite money-saving apps? Share in the comments below.
Isabel Natera 