The staff at the Flamingo Resort (4601 34th Street S., St. Petersburg) want to let you know that they’ve found a new purpose for their Blu Room, and it’s a place for you to enjoy a cabaret show or see a play. Yes, the Blu Room, which used to house their Hemingway’s Grille restaurant, is now a theater venue.
The arrangement was given a trial run in July when the Flamingo’s Blu Room hosted a play called Gay/Sex/Life. Then, after the Flamingo’s anniversary, also in July, a cabaret show was scheduled. Both events were very popular and exceeded the room’s 70-seat capacity.
General Manager Lyle Cartwright is excited about the new addition. “My goal at the Flamingo is to take it to the next level,” he said. “The Blu Room really hadn’t been utilized that much, so when I came on with the Flamingo, I took a look at the space and I thought it would be perfect for a small theater. If you remember the Suncoast Resort, it used to have a theater and Gypsy Productions used to do most of the shows there. So this was an opportunity to bring that theater back for people who used to go to the Suncoast but missed having such a venue at the Flamingo.”
f you are curious to see what’s in store for the Flamingo’s Blu Room, make sure you see the next two shows. First, Gypsy Productions and David “Scarbie” Mitchell present Lip-Schtick: One Boy’s Journey To Fabulous And Back. This is a one-man show in which the actor (David “Scarbie” Mitchell) plays two main characters and a cast of five supporting characters. He goes through all seven of these characters (and eleven costume changes) without ever leaving the stage. The show is fast, funny and inspiring. Showtimes are 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 6 and Saturday, November 8, and 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 9. Tickets are $20.
The week after, Scott Daniel and Matthew McGee bring their cabaret act, voted “Best Cabaret” by Creative Loafing Tampa, to the Blu Room stage in Scott & Patti: Disco Nights. Showtimes are 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 15 and Sunday, November 16. Tickets are $20 for this show as well. To buy tickets for either show, call (727) 321-5000.
For more information, visit flamingofla.com.
