Straz Center for the Performing Arts: A Complete Guide to Tampa's Premier Cultural Campus

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida, is the cultural crown jewel of the Tampa Bay region and the second-largest performing arts complex in the Southeastern United States. Spanning a 9-acre site along the east bank of the Hillsborough River at 1010 North W.C. MacInnes Place, this 335,000-square-foot arts complex welcomes an average of 600,000 visitors each year. Owned by the City of Tampa and operated by the not-for-profit David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., the campus houses five distinct theatrical spaces ranging from grand multi-tier halls to intimate black boxes, making it an expansive destination for Broadway tours, grand opera, community drama, and arts education.

What is the history of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts?

The venue originally opened its doors in July 1987 as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, constructed at a cost of $57 million to establish a major cultural anchor in downtown Tampa. In 2009, the facility was renamed the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in honor of the Tampa banker and philanthropist David A. Straz Jr. (1942–2019).

Over the decades, leadership at the center has steered substantial creative and physical growth. Judith Lisi served as the chief executive officer for 30 years through September 2022, after which Greg Holland stepped into the role of president and CEO in October 2022. The complex generates an estimated statewide economic impact of $100 million annually and accounts for 100,000 hotel room nights each year, supported by a workforce of 110 full-time and 250 part-time employees.

To keep pace with modern stagecraft and audience expectations, the Straz Center underwent an extensive multi-million-dollar renovation in 2018. This project introduced new wood flooring on the stages, cooler and energy-efficient LED stage lighting, and improved backstage dressing rooms for visiting performers. Looking ahead, the venue is actively developing its campus through the BOUNDLESS campaign, planning future transformations visible across the downtown waterfront near the Cass Street Bridge.

What are the performance spaces and theaters at the Straz Center?

One of the Straz Center's greatest architectural assets is its multi-theater layout, allowing multiple performances across different genres to run simultaneously on any given afternoon or evening.

• Carol Morsani Hall (2,610 seats): The flagship auditorium of the complex, Morsani Hall is built to accommodate major national Broadway tours, large-scale concerts, and lavish opera productions. With multi-tier seating and modern theatrical capabilities, it delivers grand spectacle on a massive scale.
• Ferguson Hall (1,042 seats): Offering a mid-sized proscenium setting, Ferguson Hall bridges the gap between intimate drama and large hall productions. It provides clear sightlines and balanced acoustics for medium-scale musical performances, dance, and theater.
• Jaeb Theater (268 seats): Designed for intimacy, the 268-seat Jaeb Theater brings the audience close to the action. It serves as a home for resident company productions, smaller musical revues, and character-driven plays where close facial expressions and subtle dialogue shine.
• Shimberg Playhouse (130 seats): With just 130 seats, the Shimberg Playhouse is the center's black-box style performance space, ideal for experimental work, contemporary plays, and community-focused projects that thrive in a focused, unadorned environment.
• TECO Theater: This flexible hall configures its seating as needed to accommodate educational showcases, special presentations, community gatherings, and versatile stagings.

What shows and seasons play at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts?

The Straz Center programs a diverse, year-round calendar that spans national blockbusters, classical masterworks, and cutting-edge local theater.

• Broadway at the Straz: The Bank of America Broadway at Straz Center season is one of the complex's marquee offerings, presenting major touring productions such as Hamilton, holiday engagements like 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, and touring hits like Buena Vista Social Club. Theatergoers can purchase multi-show season tickets or take advantage of the venue's "Build Your Own Season Package" option.
• Broadway Genesis Project: Established in 2009, this forward-looking initiative presents premieres of brand-new musicals and plays, providing a developmental launchpad for productions working toward prospective runs on Broadway.
• Opera Tampa: Producing grand opera in the region, Opera Tampa presents classic repertoire, including seasons centered on Italian masterworks such as Puccini's Tosca, offering subscription series to classical music devotees.
• Jobsite Theater: Serving as an artistic mainstay at the complex, Jobsite Theater stages compelling plays in the intimate Jaeb Theater. Key creative leadership includes Jobsite producing artistic director David Jenkins and Straz Center chief commerce and marketing officer/executive producer Summer Bohnenkamp, who have collaborated on hit productions including Stephen King's Misery.
• Family Programming: The venue regularly schedules the Kid Time and Wee Folk Series, providing toddler-friendly introductions to the performing arts.

What arts education programs are offered at the Patel Conservatory?

Education forms a core component of the Straz Center's mission through the Patel Conservatory. Offering classes during the school year and beyond, the conservatory trains students of all ages and experience levels across three primary artistic disciplines: dance, theater, and music.

The conservatory provides a creative home for beginners exploring an artistic hobby as well as aspiring pre-professionals honing their technique. Supported by charitable contributions and community donations, the Straz Center's education wing extends beyond its studio walls, facilitating school visits and awarding scholarships to deserving arts students throughout the region.

Where is the Straz Center located, and how do you get there?

The Straz Center is located at 1010 North W.C. MacInnes Place in downtown Tampa, Florida (ZIP code 33602), situated along the scenic east bank of the Hillsborough River. Its downtown riverbank location places it near the Cass Street Bridge, offering waterfront views from its campus plazas.

Visitors driving to the center can access the complex directly via downtown Tampa's street grid. For those purchasing tickets in person, the venue offers free parking at the Straz Center's Arrival Plaza while transactions are made at the ticket window.

What should you know about box office policies and tickets?

Planning ahead ensures a smooth arrival at the Straz Center box office:

• Box Office Hours & Purchasing: The Ticket Sales Office is open Tuesday through Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., as well as 90 minutes prior to showtimes. Patrons can purchase tickets by phone at (813) 229-STAR or (813) 229-7827, by mail, by fax at (813) 222-1080, or online. Accepted payment methods include VISA, MasterCard, Discover, cash, and personal checks (provided checks are written at least two weeks prior to the performance).
• Will Call: When picking up held tickets at the Will Call window, the original ticket purchaser must present a valid photo ID.
• Ticketing Fees and Policies: Standard ticketing handling and service fees average 17.5%, helping to cover operational, maintenance, and theatrical restoration costs. All ticket sales are final, with no refunds or exchanges permitted.
• Ticketing for Children: Every guest, regardless of age, must have an individual ticket to enter. The center strongly recommends that children under five years of age not attend regular performances outside of the designated Kid Time, Wee Folk Series, or specific toddler-friendly productions. Broadway productions are not considered toddler-friendly. For select toddler-friendly events, lap ticket policies may vary for infants under 18 months.
• Cameras and Recording: The Straz Center enforces a strict policy prohibiting cameras, recording devices, and photography of any kind inside the theaters.
• Operation Tickets: If you hold tickets you are unable to use, you can donate them to the venue's Operation Tickets program at least five business days before showtime. In return, the Straz Center issues a tax-deductible donation receipt equal to the face value of the tickets.

What dining options and hospitality amenities are on site?

Guests attending performances at the Straz Center have access to several dedicated on-site food, beverage, and hospitality amenities:

• Dining Concepts: On-site venues include Maestro's restaurants, the Canopy Bistro, SteamHeat Café, and traditional lobby concession stands. Straz Center gift cards can be redeemed at Maestro's dining locations, though they are not valid at general bars, Canopy Bistro, SteamHeat Café, or standard concession stands.
• Premium Experience Lounge: Available during select performances inside Carol Morsani Hall, patrons can upgrade their evening by purchasing access to the private Premium Experience Lounge.
• Luxury Boxes: Morsani Hall also features a Luxury Box program for patrons seeking dedicated box seating and hospitality services.

What are the best tips for first-time visitors to the Straz Center?

To make the most of your visit to the Straz Center, keep these practical tips in mind:

1. Arrive Early: Factor in downtown Tampa traffic and give yourself time to walk through the riverfront campus, pick up Will Call tickets, or visit the concessions before the curtain rises.
2. Respect Late Seating Policies: Late seating is strictly subject to the discretion of house management, visiting companies, and performers. Anyone causing an auditorium disturbance may be asked to leave.
3. Check Age Suitability: Many dramatic works and Broadway tours contain mature language or adult themes. Review show content ahead of time, especially when planning outings with older children.
4. Buy Directly: Avoid secondary ticket brokers to guarantee fair pricing and valid admission. The Straz Center does not honor unauthorized third-party resales.

Straz Center for the Performing Arts vs. a Home Musical

Attending a performance at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts and hosting a Home Musical offer two fundamentally different ways to experience the magic of musical theater, each with its own artistic rewards.

A visit to the Straz Center immerses you in the full grandeur of modern theatrical production. In a venue like Morsani Hall, audiences enjoy massive scenic backdrops, automated fly systems, high-powered LED lighting rigs, full pit orchestras, and the electric buzz of sharing a Broadway blockbuster with 2,600 fellow theater lovers. The Straz Center also provides institutional variety: on any given weekend, you can choose between grand opera, an experimental play in the Shimberg Playhouse, or a touring musical comedy. However, that scale comes with traditional theater logistics: purchasing expensive tickets and processing fees, navigating downtown traffic, sitting rows away from the performers, conforming to formal theater etiquette, and adhering to strict no-recording rules.

In contrast, Home Musical turns theater into a deeply personal, communal event. Home Musical brings one-act, roughly 60-minute one-person musicals directly to living rooms, backyards, churches, art galleries, and other non-traditional spaces. Instead of driving downtown and sitting among thousands of strangers, you gather your own circle of friends, family, or neighbors in a comfortable, relaxed setting. There are no box office fees or ticket purchases—hosting is completely free. Sightlines are never an issue when the performer is standing just a few feet away, engaging directly with the room. Furthermore, while the Straz Center strictly prohibits cameras and recording devices, Home Musical actively encourages guests to film and share their favorite moments online.

While a living room cannot reproduce the hydraulic stage lifts, expansive cast sizes, or multi-tiered architecture of a major arts center, it strips away the distance of a traditional auditorium. Choosing between a night at the Straz Center and hosting a Home Musical comes down to the experience you want: the grand, high-tech spectacle of a regional performing arts complex, or the unforgettable, close-up intimacy of a live musical performed right in your own space.

Sources

• [Straz Center Official Website](http://www.strazcenter.org/)
• [About Us - Straz Center](http://www.strazcenter.org/about-us/)
• [Straz Center for the Performing Arts - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StrazCenterforthePerforming_Arts)
• [Theaters and Seating Charts - Straz Center](http://www.strazcenter.org/your-visit/theaters-and-seating-charts/)
• [Tickets & Events - Straz Center](http://www.strazcenter.org/tickets-events/)