The Bay area has plenty of venues serving comedy fans, but Side Splitters continues to stand out by sticking with their formula across two locations in Tampa and Wesley Chapel: A diverse calendar of nationally-touring acts, frequent use of local talent at various positions, and regular open mics to keep the scene growing. Throw in a number of benefit shows each year and you have a solid anchor for Tampa Bay's growing comedy community. sidesplitterscomedy.com—Michael Murillo
Arts & Entertainment
Finalists: Patrick Wilson, Arianna Williams
Winner: Dunedin Fine Art Center
Finalists: Morean Arts Center, FloridaRAMA Gallery
Finalists: Pride and Passion at Tampa Museum of Art, Suenos at The Dalí Museum
Winner: Gasparilla Festival of the Arts
Finalists: Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Creative Pinellas
Few performers can take a Broadway warhorse and make it sound brand new, but Matthew McGee does just that with “Some People” from "Gypsy." Where Merman belted, Lansbury crackled, and McDonald soared, McGee refracts the anthem through his own prism—funny, furious, and defiantly alive. He strips away decades of diva baggage and lets us hear the song as freshly as if Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim had written it yesterday. It’s a thrilling reminder that the Bay Area’s most beloved chameleon doesn’t just perform—he reinvents. freefalltheatre.com—Jon Palmer Claridge
Winner: MiniM
Finalists: The Wandering Hours, Whale Feral
Winner: Crossfire Creek
Finalists: The Wandering Hours, The Applebutter Express