Actor Brianna Larson has a long history with the histrionic young girls in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible.” She played the subservient, naive, lonely Mary Warren in New York City, then the manipulative temptress Abigail in Sarasota. Miller’s tale of the Salem Witch trials (as a parallel to McCarthyism), however, turns on the unwavering honesty of Elizabeth Proctor who ultimately lies to save her husband, John, who has committed adultery. Her portrayal of Elizabeth, in ThinkTank/TampaRep’s finely wrought production, is a marvel of restraint. Ms. Larson understands that, especially in the intimate Stageworks space where the play was produced, that the stark contrast to the young girl’s hysteria was her secret weapon. As the dramatic tension builds, a lesser performer might be tempted to embrace theatrics. Larson instead opts for quiet intensity with breathtaking effect. You could hear a pin drop, before the audience gasps. And that makes great theater. tamparep.org—Jon Palmer Claridge
Running a not-for-profit professional theater is not for the faint of heart. When freeFall was unable to open its season as announced due to unexpected illness, there was a scramble to find a replacement on short notice. Luckily, award-winning Broadway actor-singer, Chester Gregory was available and simply unmissable—a virtuoso’s turn on every level. Joy was the order of the day as he seduced the audience with many charming personal anecdotes and a cavalcade of Motown hits. One minute as Smokey Robinson, then Motown’s founder Berry Gordy (his role on Broadway and on tour), then Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and even after 90 minutes—running up and down the aisles with James Brown’s “I Feel Good”—a sense of euphoria swept the crowd and we all felt good too. Very good, indeed. freefalltheatre.com—Jon Palmer Claridge
This 185-capacity room features relaxed table seating, subdued lighting and sound quality par excellence. It’s an uber-comfortable space. But none of this vibe would matter if the Side Door didn’t present top-notch performances. Programmed by Palladium director Paul Wilborn, the room puts on a slate of eclectic concerts by local, regional and touring acts. On any given night, you can check out jazz (a lot of it), blues, rock, Latin, roots-country, folk, comedy and, yes, cabaret, in an intimate setting alongside attentive patrons, most of whom are there for the show. mypalladium.org—Eric Snider
Bevins isn’t the kind of comedian you see grinding it out every weekend at random venues in Tampa. Like a seasoned pugilist, he picks his spots. Then you look at his resume and you see multiple comedy albums (when they were a thing), a Dry Bar Special (which is a thing now), headlining spots at Coconuts and McCurdy’s, and regular trips to Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club in Las Vegas. Oh, and he’ll headline the 17th Annual Crack Up Cancer benefit show at Floridian Social later this year. He kind of does what he wants when he wants, and after performing his energetic and opinionated stand-up for decades, Bevins has earned that right. dannybevins.rocks—Michael Murillo
The Tampa Bay area never hosted a full-fledged stand-up comedy festival until this year, when the Sunshine Comedy Festival brought together comedians from around the country for a series of shows and performances in different venues, with plenty of locals as well. While it had its share of first-year issues, it also garnered a lot of praise for pulling off a complicated event and collecting a solid lineup of talent. While its status is up in the air for the future, we’re glad that comedians across the country got to experience our area as a festival-worthy destination. sunshinecomedyfest.com—Michael Murillo
Comedian Tom Wise runs this Dunedin open mic, which features an attentive crowd (a rarity among mics), hit-and-miss comedy (a guarantee at mics) and a full slate of comedians. Wise also breaks up the experience by adding in a professional to do a short set, guaranteeing the audience will get to hear a few tried-and-true jokes each time they come out. Like all mics, we can’t always vouch for the comedy, but Wise runs a solid mic with something of value for both the comedians who sign up, and the audience that watches them. @tomwise1 on Facebook—Michael Murillo
As a small-market team with a poor attendance record, the Rays have always been inclined to shed payroll—especially when, like this year, making the playoffs seems all but out of reach. The salary dump leading up to the July 30 trade deadline was especially aggressive (or egregious, depending on your point of view), but probably necessary. The Rays jettisoned No. 1 pitcher Zach Eflin (due $18 million next year), this year’s top hitter, Isaac Paredes, and fan favorite Randy Arozarena. Count among them a few lesser names who were also moved. The pundits say the Rays did well in getting back a bushel of prospects. But that’s little consolation for fans whose Arozarena jerseys are now obsolete, not to mention that “Randy Land” in left field needs rebranding. mlb.com/rays—Eric Snider
In 43 minutes on These Days, Natalie DePergola saw Seth Adam Lynn sum up their six-year journey as Katara. The album is easily one of the best instrumental records of the year, and the April release show was even better. The harp-drum outfit—joined onstage by bassist Sebastian Siaca, Anthony Santaniello on guitar, percussionist Pat Hernly, and saxophonist Nick Bredal—says so much without uttering a single word. And when Katara did need vocals, Guianna Brantley was happy to step in to sing and rap all while soundman JJ Revell mixed the show to perfection. Majestic, magisterial, Katara represents the best of our local music scene—and sounds even better with its friends along for the ride. @wearekatara on Instagram—Ray Roa
