Florida Theatre’s attendance ranks high

Photo: courtesy of the Florida Theatre

Pollstar, a trade publication reporting on the concert industry, has released its 2018 year-end charts. It ranks the historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre’s attendance during 2018 as among the Top 100 theatres worldwide.  With attendance of 134,053, the Florida Theatre was #56 overall on the Top 100 Theatre Venues chart, and #6 for theatres under 2,000 seats.

The Florida Theatre’s attendance surpassed all other Jacksonville venues, including Veteran’s Memorial Arena, which ranked #134 on the arena chart with attendance of 120,255; Daily’s Place, which ranked #53 on the amphitheater chart with attendance of 102,466; and Moran Theatre at the Times-Union Center, which ranked #90 on the theatre chart with attendance of 91,020.

The only North Florida venue that hosted more people this year was the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, which ranked #46 on the amphitheater chart with attendance of 150,669. The Florida Theatre seats 1,918. Veteran’s Memorial Arena seats 15,000. Daily’s Place seats 5,500. The St. Augustine Amphitheater seats 4,100, and Moran Theatre at the Times-Union Center seats 2,979.

Overall Pollstar reports that the concert industry is healthy, even though fewer tickets were sold this year. According to Pollstar, in 2018, total tickets from the Top 100 (tours) reached 59,811,438, an 11.1 percent decrease from last year. Ticket prices, however, were higher this year on average. In 2017 the average ticket price was $84.63, yet this year’s average is $94.31, an 11.9 percent increase.

According to Florida Theatre president Numa Saisselin, “Every decade from the 1960s through the 2000s is represented in the Top 10 tours, and that is representative of the Florida Theatre’s schedule as well. In the last year we promoted more than 100 performances.”  “About one-third were acts that were new to us, and two-thirds were artists we have a continuing relationship with.  Part of our success is keeping the schedule’s balance correct, but another part is the historic theatre we manage.  Anyone can promote a concert, and you can call an open field a venue, but there’s only one Florida Theatre. It’s a great venue.”

The Florida Theatre’s 2017 season is sponsored by Community First Credit Union.  For a complete list of upcoming season events, visit the link below.

LOCATION: Florida Theatre
      128 E. Forsyth St.
      Jacksonville, FL 32202
      (904) 355-2787 (ARTS)

‘Let’s Go Science Show’ is coming back to JAX

Why not ease the children back into school by exposing them to some science fun.  “Let’s Go Science Show” plays at the Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts for one performance only!  If you missed them a couple of years ago, don’t let it happen again.  Get your tickets today!

The wacky and talented Professor Smart and Dr. Knowitall join forces for an educational, entertaining, exciting, and experiential extravaganza.  Professor Smart shrinks his head, has toilet paper flying, juggles, and has peoples’ hair standing on end, all while demonstrating principles of physics.  Researcher and comedic sidekick Dr. Knowitall keep all the facts straight.

During Let's Go Science Show, kids learn science concepts through impressive and memorable demonstrations.  They learn about air pressure, figure out flight, see awesome optical illusions, are shocked by static electricity, see experiments with falling masses, grasp gyroscopic properties, and get a handle on the scientific method.

“Let’s Go Science Show”
DATE: Sunday., January 13, 2019
TIME: 2 p.m.

LOCATION: Wilson Center for the Arts
      Florida State College at JAX So. Campus
      11901 Beach Blvd.
      Jacksonville, FL 32099

TICKETS: start at $9 plus applicable fees and are available at the Artist Series Box Office between 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday–Friday, at (904) 632-5000 or online 24/7.  Parking is always free at the Wilson Center.  Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by calling (904) 632-5050 or emailing groupsales@fscjartistseries.org.

‘Pavlo’ will be in Orange Park this January

A Dream-of-a-Lifetime Concert from Greece to Jacksonville! Hot off the heels of his PBS-TV concert smash hit, “Live in Kastoria”, Pavlo will perform music from his extensive catalogue at the Thrasher-Horne Center for only two performances on January 12, 2019.

“Pavlo” is known for bringing every audience to their feet. Enjoy a night of incredible musicianship; laughter; storytelling and of course, the infamous Guitar Give-Away!  As most fans are aware, Pavlo gives away the very guitar he performs with every night to a lucky audience member.  Opa!

  ‟Pavlo in Concert”
DATE: Saturday, January 12, 2019
TIMES: 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.

LOCATION: The Thasher-Horne Ctr.
      St. Johns River State College
      283 College Drive
      Orange Park, FL 32065

TICKETS: $46 +Tax.  They may be purchased in person, online at THcenter, or by calling (904) 276-6815 between 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday – Friday.  The Thrasher-Horne Center is a performing arts venue and conference center owned and operated by St. Johns River State College.  It is located on the Orange Park campus at 283 College Drive in Orange Park, Florida.

**Please note: This is an external event and any Thrasher-Horne Center season promotions or discounts may not be applicable. **

‘Les Misérables’ returns to JAX - don’t miss it!

Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, “Les Misérables” will be at the Times Union Center, for only 8 performances.  As recalled, the last time Les Misérables showcased in JAX was during May of 2012; well you’ll have the opportunity to experience this magnificent show because it’s returning to Jacksonville. Florida once again.  To date, Les Misérables remains the 5th longest-running Broadway production of all time.

The new production was conceived in 2009 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary, with record-breaking productions in the U.K., Australia, Korea, Japan, Spain, France, Manila, Singapore, São Paulo and Dubai. The North American Tour traveled across the U.S. for two years then played a five-month engagement in Toronto before returning to the Imperial Theatre on Broadway in March 2014 for over 1,000 performances. The new production is currently playing to sold out houses across North America and in Mexico City with a new U.K. Tour beginning November 2018.

With glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking production of Les Misérables, which broke box office records during its pre-Broadway tour, has left both audiences and critics awestruck, cheering “Les Miz is born again!” (NY1).

Les Misérables originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on October 8, 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on December 4, 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on April 3, 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses and is the only version of the original production left in the world.  The original Broadway production of Les Misérables opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987 and transferred to the Imperial Theatre on October 17, 1990 running for 6,680 performances.  The original US National Tour began in November 1987 and visited over 150 cities before closing in St. Louis, MO in 2006.  Broadway audiences welcomed Les Miz back to New York on November 9, 2006 where the show played the Broadhurst Theatre until its final performance on January 6, 2008.

About the Show: Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit.  Featuring one of the greatest scores of all time, with thrilling and beloved songs including: “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars," “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” “Do You Hear the People Sing” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.  Along with the Oscar-winning movie version, it has now been seen by more than 130 million people in 44 countries and in 22 languages around the globe.  Les Misérables is still the world’s most popular musical, breaking box office records everywhere in its 33rd year.

Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer from the original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, additional material by James Fenton and original adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.  The original Les Misérables orchestrations are by John Cameron with new orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke, Stephen Metcalfe and Stephen Brooker.  The production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo with costumes by Andreane Neofitou and Christine Rowland, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter, musical staging by Michael Ashcroft and Geoffrey Garratt and projections by Fifty-Nine Productions. Music Supervision is by Stephen Brooker and James Moore, with casting by Kaitlin Shaw for Tara Rubin Casting.

Les Misérables
DATES:      TIMES:
Tues. Jan. 22, 2018  7:30 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 23     7:30 p.m.
Thurs. Jan. 24    7:30 p.m.
Fri. Jan 25      8 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 26    2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 27   1:30 p.m. & 7 p.m.

LOCATION: Times Union Center Performing Arts
       Moran Theater
       300 West Water St.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202

TICKETS: (Vary) and start at $42.  They may be purchased at the box office from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, by calling (904) 632-5000, or online 24/7.  Discounts for groups of 10+ may be available by calling (904) 632-5050.  Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice.