Carrollwood Players Theatre Brings New Works to the Stage

CARROLLWOOD, FL — For a tiny, hole-in-the-wall theater with a cool, funky, off-Broadway vibe, Tampa’s Carrollwood Players Theatre (CWP) has been creating buzz as a hotspot for the development of new plays and musicals.

The mostly volunteer-driven group, Tampa’s longest-operating community theater, has presented two world premiere productions written by local playwrights so far this year, and is about to open its third.

According to the theater’s managing director, Jim Russell, “community theaters aren’t known for producing new works, and we want to be an exception. It can be risky for small, amateur groups to stray from the mainstream favorites, but we’re getting a great response. The first two locally written premieres we presented this year completely sold out. Our patrons are into it.”

2023 isn’t the first year CWP has gone out on a limb with new, locally written works. They presented “The Curse of Frankenstein’s Castle" by Tampa playwright Joe Pauly in 2017, and “Arnie and the Itch” by Tampa playwright Marc S. Sanders in 2018.

“Medium Well Done,” by Tampa playwright Jim Moss, and “I am Jacques Dutronc,” by Russell, were the first two plays in the theater’s 2023 collection of new works.

Coming in July, CWP’s popular One-Act Festival will feature a collection of short plays, all written by Tampa-based writers.

This December, the theater will present a hilarious twist on a holiday classic. "A Christmas Carol Gone Wrong," written by Pauly and Sanders, will answer the question, "What would happen if everything that could go wrong with a community theater production of 'A Christmas Carol' did go wrong?"

“Through the support of the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, we are fortunate to receive funding from the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, and this is one way we can give back to the local arts community," Russell said. "It’s about telling new stories our theater goers want to hear, while providing a venue for local writers who want to tell those stories.”

The next new play to be presented is a psychological thriller written by Tampa playwright, actor, director and composer Gabriel Flores. “The Devil’s Staircase” opens in CWP’s Black Box Theatre on May 5, with five performances through May 13. CWP also produced Flores’ original musical “Paper Walls” on its Mainstage in 2021.

“The Devil’s Staircase” is set in Tampa, with many iconic Tampa locations and events featured in the script, such as the Tampa Museum of Art, Bayshore Boulevard, the University of Tampa and even the water taxi. A Gasparilla party is the setting for one of the scenes in the play.

The story revolves around a Tampa golf pro who has it all, but wants more. When he enters into a lurid affair, his social standing is suddenly threatened and he will do anything to preserve it. As the battle between morality and lust escalates, a simple question becomes terrifying: How much of what happens to us in life is fate?

“Anyone who loves a good thriller that really gets into your head will love this play,” Russell said.

Flores, who is also directing the play, added that audiences can expect a lot of “mind games” from the characters. “There are unexpected turns and the pressure keeps building until the very end,” he added. Stage Manager Natasha Iglesia described the spine-tingling story as “disorienting and haunting, but with some great light-hearted comedy moments as well.”

“The Devil’s Staircase” features an all-volunteer cast, including notable CWP audience favorites Kimberly Epstein, who played Sally Bowles in CWP’s production of “Cabaret” in 2021, A. Genaro Garcia, who played Leo Bloom in their 2019 production of “The Producers,” and Jim Gunning, who most recently portrayed Monsignor Ryan in CWP’s sleeper hit production of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”

Barbara Carter, Mike Bringuier, Tia Brooks, Benjamin Strickhouser and Max Milner also star in the play.

Video - Playwright/Director Gabriel Flores works with his cast at a rehearsal for "The Devil's Staircase."

Performances of “The Devil’s Staircase” are on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. from May 5 through 13. Tickets are $18-$20. Due to the up-close, intimate nature of CWP’s Black Box Theatre (there are only 45 seats), so ticket availability is limited. Tickets can be purchased online at here.