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Three Picks: 'Bright Lights, Big City'; Megan Hilty and Marcello Giordani

 
From left, Amy Marie Stewart, Sarita Amani Nash, Nick Lerew, Kara Konken, Lucas Wells, Heather Cleveland Krueger, Scott Daniel and Clinton Harris star in the rock musical Bright Lights, Big City.
From left, Amy Marie Stewart, Sarita Amani Nash, Nick Lerew, Kara Konken, Lucas Wells, Heather Cleveland Krueger, Scott Daniel and Clinton Harris star in the rock musical Bright Lights, Big City.
Published Feb. 27, 2015

Bright Lights, Big City

If anything could make the nightclub and cocaine whirl of Jay McInerney's 1984 novel Bright Lights, Big City feel more stimulating, it's music. The story of one man's spiral into the excesses of New York City takes the stage at Freefall Theatre with artistic director Eric Davis directing Paul Scott Goodman's rock musical adaptation. In classic Freefall style, the team is turning the black box theater into a 1980s nightclub setting, with high-top table seating for the guests. The production stars a veteran of the national tour of Spring Awakening, Lucas Wells, as Jaime, plus Scott Daniel, Nick Lerew, Clinton Harris, Kara Konken, Sarita Amani Nash, Heather Cleveland, Amy Marie Stewart and Katie Berger. And Michael Raabe, currently working on Off-Broadway's Disenchanted in — where else? — New York, will direct the show's music. Bright Lights, Big City runs Saturday through March 22 at Freefall, 6099 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg. $21-$46. (727) 498-5205. freefalltheatre.com.

Megan Hilty

We may not have Marilyn Monroe anymore, but we do have a star proficient in channeling her image in Megan Hilty. The bold, blond Broadway alum and star of NBC's Smash and Sean Saves the World brings her vocal stylings to the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Her concert lineup includes Broadway favorites plus songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Cole Porter and fellow bombshell Dolly Parton. And obviously, Hilty will sing Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend. $55-$100 (top price includes a meet and greet). 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater. (727) 791-7400. atthecap.com.

Marcello Giordani

If you prefer arias over show tunes, there's a mighty compelling option this weekend. For one night only on Saturday, witness stunning Italian tenor Marcello Giordani in a solo engagement with Opera Tampa. Giordani, coming off a starring role in Aida at the Metropolitan Opera, has a resume that includes Carmen, Turandot, Tosca, Cavalleria Rusticana, I Pagliacci and Faust, to name a paltry few. The performance is at 7 p.m. in Carol Morsani Hall of the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa. $49.50-$99.50. Superserious opera fans might want to return at 4 p.m. Sunday to watch Giordani give Opera Tampa's New Voices singers a master class, open to the public for $15. (813) 229-7827. strazcenter.org.

Contact Stephanie Hayes at shayes@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8716. Follow @stephhayes.