6 Best Performing Arts in The Tampa Bay Area, Florida

One of the best theater troupes in Sarasota stages productions year-round in varying venues, which include the Historic Asolo Theater on the Ringling estate.

This old-timey, four-screen movie house is one of the few places in the region where you can catch indie and foreign films. It's on the edge of downtown, less than a block from Burns Square's many stylish yet low-key dining offerings, and, unlike your average corporate movie theater, admission doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Beer and wine are also available.

Performing in a historic 1,122-seat, downtown theater, the Sarasota Opera features internationally known artists singing the principal roles, supported by a professional chorus of young apprentices. The season typically lasts from February through March, though a few special events take place throughout the year.

Performers have included members of the Florida West Coast Symphony, Florida String Quartet, Florida Brass Quintet, Florida Wind Quintet, and New Artists Piano Quartet. There are several performance series throughout the year, including Masterworks, Pops, Great Escapes, and Chamber Soirées.

A long-established community theater, having launched such actors as Montgomery Clift and Paul Reubens, this troupe performs comedies, special events, live concerts, and musicals.

With its purple, shell-inspired design, this 1,741-seat hall hosts most of the major acts that come to town as well as local performers. In a given month, you'll find a roster of acts ranging from comedians to musicians and dance troupes. The Roskamp Auditorium has an intimate feel to it; the back row is just 110 feet from the stage. In summer, the hall hosts a free Friday concert series on its lawn that offers lovely Sarasota Bay vistas.