December saw Golden Globes, Rock and Roll, and some local moves of note.
New Class at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
New inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame include Pearl Jam, Joan Baez, Tupac Shakur, Journey, ELO, Yes, and Chicäó»s Nile Rodgers. Some of those picks have inevitably stirred controversy. In particular, the lifetime achievement award for Rogers, which leaves the rest of his band out in the cold for the 11th year, reflects some problematic power dynamics in the selection structure.
New Shakespeare Funding for Jobsite Theatre
Creative Loafing reports that Tampaäó»s Jobsite Theatre has gathered a total of $20,000 in new funding to bring Shakespeare to middle and high-school students. The grants came from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and the Saunders Foundation.
Golden Globe and SAG Nominations
The most nominated and talked-about films for this seasonäó»s first round of major awards dropped in mid-December. Casey Affleck and Manchester by the Sea topped the Screen Actorsäó» Guild awards. Other major nominees at SAG and the Golden Globes include Barry Jenkinsäó» Moonlight, Mel Gibsonäó»s Hacksaw Ridge, and the surprise hit La La Land, which some say is a favorite for Best Picture. The nominations will have a major impact on the Oscar nominations, to be announced in January.
Hockey Fighter Doc Debuts in Tampa
A promising new film got a special Tampa Theatre screening earlier this month. Ice Guardians is a documentary about perhaps the most legendary figures in hockey äóñ enforcers. Specialists in the bare-knuckle boxing thatäó»s the officially-unofficially sanctioned heart of the game, the film follows next-generation enforcers training in MMA and jiu jitsu.
Peter and the Starcatcher is a Convoluted Treat for Adults
Julie Garisto, writing here, praised the performances in FreeFall Theatreäó»s production of this Peter Pan prequel. The Tampa Bay Timesäó» Andrew Meacham agreed, and also highlighted great sets and music äóñ though he found the kitchen-sink approach of the story itself a little overwhelming.
