The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, commonly known as the P.A.C. or even just
as The Center, is located downtown Tampa. The scenic nine acre site is situated
along the east bank of the Hillsborough River. As the largest performing arts complex
south of the Kennedy Center, the 290,000 square foot Center provides an outlet for
a wide variety of world class events. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center boasts
one of the nation's leading Broadway series and is nationally respected for producing
grand opera, as well as presenting a wide variety of concerts, performances and
events. More than 600,000 patrons attended more than 850 performances, classes and
other events at the Tampa Bay PAC in 2006.
The Center opened in 1987 and provides an environment for a wide variety of events.
The building is owned by the City of Tampa, and is run by Tampa Bay Performing Arts
Center, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The annual budget is around $30 million.
The performing arts complex consists of five different theaters, a rehearsal hall,
boutiques, and on-site restaurant and banquet facilities. The five individual theaters
at The Center are Carol Morsani Hall which seats 2,500, Ferguson Hall which seats
1,000, the Jaeb Theater which seats 300, the TECO Energy Foundation Theater which
seats 250 and the Shimberg Playhouse with a mere 130 seats. Each hall is equipped
with audio, lighting and backstage equipment to serve general performance needs.
All of the halls are fully accessible to patrons with disabilities. An infrared
listening system for the hearing impaired is available in Carol Morsani Hall, Louise
Lykes Ferguson Hall and the Jaeb Theater.
With the recent addition of the new Patel Conservatory, The Center has added 45,000
square feet for its extensive education programs. The Conservatory features 20 studios,
including two dance studios with sprung floors, a sound/lighting laboratory, technical
theater workshop, rehearsal hall, costume shop, isolation/sound booth, state-of-the-art
black box theater and media arts/TV studio.
The Carol Morsani Hall is definitely the centerpiece of the complex and the biggest
with the ability to seat 2,552 patrons. The hall's proscenium is 60 feet high with
a playing depth of 55 feet and a total stage width of 120 feet. When combined with
an 11-story high backstage area, the enormous Carol Morsani Hall onstage and backstage
areas easily accommodate major productions of Broadway musicals, operas, ballets
and orchestral concerts. The traditional horseshoe shaped opera house has continental
seating on four levels: orchestra, mezzanine, balcony and gallery. Excellent sight
lines combine with perfect acoustics to create a magnificent venue that rivals the
great classical theaters of the world.
Ferguson Hall is ideally suited for plays, musical concerts and dance events. The
elegant 1,042-seat Louise Lykes Ferguson Hall boasts comfortable orchestra seating
and two tiers of curving balconies, creating a unique blend of intimacy and spaciousness.
With a 40 foot wide by 30 foot high proscenium, a total playing depth of 50 feet
and a total stage width of 80 feet, plus orchestra pit and concert wall, the Ferguson
Hall offers flexibility that suits many tastes from local plays to corporate meetings.
The Jaeb Theater is the first of three much smaller theatres at the complex. With
only 292 seats, the Jaeb theatre is intimate, but certainly not dinky. The Robert
and Lorena Jaeb Theater is named for the Jaebs, whose gift to the Capitol Fund Drive
in 1985 helped establish the endowment fund for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
The Jaeb Theater's stage is 40 feet wide by 20 feet deep. The audience area can
be configured to stadium or cabaret seating for plays or cabaret shows, as well
as recording sessions, television productions, seminars and business meetings.
The TECO Energy Foundation Theater is a 3,500-square-foot theater that dominates
the west end of the first floor of the Patel Conservatory. The room is two stories
of open space with glass walls and windows on two sides. Blackout curtains convert
the rehearsal space into a performance space. There is no permanent stage and all
furnishings are portable for maximum flexibility. This unique space is just another
example of the many offerings of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
The Shimberg Playhouse is the smallest theater on the campus. It seats 130 patrons
and is named after Hinks and Elaine Shimberg. The Playhouse, located between The
Center Store and the Jaeb Theater, is an intimate venue for local and national artists,
such as poets, musicians, dancers, comedians, performance artists and small theater
companies. This specially designed, flexible "black-box" theater allows for varied
configurations of traditional or three quarter seating, as required by the production.
All persons, regardless of age, must have a ticket to attend any performance at
the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Food is not permitted in Carol Morsani Hall
or in Ferguson Hall. Bottled water purchased at the venue is allowed into almost
all shows and theaters at The Center. Policies on other drinks and food vary by
show and by theater. Check with the bartender or server for the most current information
for your specific show. Because of Fire Department regulations, no smoking, lit
matches or lit lighters are allowed anywhere inside the Tampa Bay Performing Arts
Center.
The Center's annual events include the Broadway Ball, Best of Tampa Bay, Eggstravaganza
and a facility wide Open House in the fall. The Center is also the annual host of
the Broadway Theater Project and International Thespian Society's Florida State
Thespian Festival. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is definitely a staple in
the Tampa Bay's entertainment and arts district. The many theatres offer options
and numerous amenities for guests. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is a definite
shining gem in the Tampa Bay community!
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