New Tampa Performing Arts Center

On March 25, 2023 after a 20 year journey, the New Tampa Players gave its first performance on the stage of the beautiful, brand-new New Tampa Performing Arts Center-our new home.

We celebrated this momentous day and remembered Doug Wall, New Tampa’s arts advocate and one of the founders of New Tampa Players.

Doug’s dream was for New Tampa to have a thriving arts community. He especially loved how big musicals make an opportunity for adults and kids to work together toward a common goal. Doug directed many New Tampa Players shows, including Annie and Pippin. He advocated continuously with representatives, community and business leaders for New Tampa Players to have a stable, affordable home here at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center.

In 2017, Doug lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. At Doug’s funeral, Janine Hartfield’s eulogy included this quote from Terry Pratchett:

“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away”

Doug lives on today in New Tampa Players—a thriving, diverse community theater—and in the New Tampa Performing Arts Center.

We are so grateful that Doug’s family could be with us last night to see Doug’s dream come to fruition.