Upstairs/Downstairs at the Tampa Bay Hotel

Live Theater - Most Sundays September-mid-November 2011
and January-May 2012 at the Tampa Bay Hotel

Step back in time and enjoy these living history vignettes that bring turn-of-the-century Tampa Bay Hotel staff members and guests to life. Based on original research conducted by the Henry B. Plant Museum, the characters in our one-person shows are based wholly or in part on actual Hotel staff and guests. Recreating the attitudes and mores of a bygone time, along with the sorrows and joys of their existence, characters Arthur Schleman (hunting and fishing guide), Otis Freedman (head waiter), Maggie Stroud (laundress), Pauline Smith (telegraph operator), Colonel Theodore Roosevelt (former Lt. Col. of the Rough Riders), Henry Dobson (Spanish-American War soldier) and First Lady Edith Roosevelt present their individual perspectives on what it meant to be part of Plant's luxury resort. The Museum presents Upstairs/Downstairs at the Tampa Bay Hotel each Sunday at 2:00 p.m. September 11-November 13, 2011 and January 8-May 29, 2012 Schedule of Performances (Subject to change without notice.)

Theodore Roosevelt video: A glimpse of what you will experience on Sunday afternoons during Upstairs/Downstairs at the Tampa Bay Hotel (1min.)

September

• 11 - Maggie Stroud
• 18 - Edith Roosevelt
• 25 - Arthur Schleman

October

• 2  - Theodore Roosevelt
• 9  - Henry Dobson
• 16 - Pauline Smith
• 23 - Otis Freedman
• 30 - Theodore Roosevelt

November

•  6  - Pauline Smith
• 13 - Arthur Schleman
• No performances Nov. 20- Jan. 3  Visit the Victorian Christmas Stroll.

January

• 8  -  Henry Dobson
• 15  - Maggie Stroud
• 22 - Theodore Roosevelt
• 29 - Otis Freedman

February

• 5   - Edith Roosevelt
• 12 - Pauline Smith
• 19 - Otis Freedman
• 26 - Maggie Stroud

March

• 4   - Edith Roosevelt
• 11 - Theodore Roosevelt (Picnic in the Park)
• 18 - Arthur Schleman
• 25 - Henry Dobson

April

• 1   - Pauline Smith
• 8 -  Otis Freedman
• 15 - Henry Dobson
• 22 - Pauline Smith
• 29 - Maggie Stroud

May

• 6   - Arthur Schleman
• 13   - Edith Roosevelt (Mother's Day)
• 20 - Theodore Roosevelt
• 27 - Henry Dobson

NEW CHARACTER – Roosevelt Rides Again – Premiers October 2, 2011 in Music Room

Theodore Roosevelt, former Lieutenant Colonel of the Rough Riders, circa 1900

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt (ret.) returns to the Tampa Bay Hotel to relive his experiences leading up to the U.S. invasion of Cuba.  As Lt. Col. of the Rough Riders (as fine a collection of cowboys and blue bloods as one could ask), Roosevelt casts his critical eye on the military preparations for the war with Spain.  Theodore talk of the army camps, the condition on the troopships and his time spent with his wife, Edith, at the Tampa Bay Hotel.  His recollections are made through the lenses of a commissioned officer, family man and indomitable spirit.  So saddle up for a thrilling ride as Roosevelt rides again! Actor Michael Norton plays Theodore Roosevelt.

REGULAR CHARACTERS

Arthur Schleman, Hunting and Fishing Guide, 1895 

The dashing Tampa Bay Hotel hunting and fishing guide is adapt at trapping all kinds of game and hunting on horseback to avoid rattlesnakes. Mr. Schleman is a true storyteller who has definite opinions about everything from horseless carriages, called motorcars, to past and current events.  He can recite poetry by heart and is a would-be gentleman of means.  Actor Dan Khoury plays Arthur Schleman.

Pauline Smith, Telegraph Operator, 1913

Polly hails from Georgia and presents attitudes and aspirations of a new woman- that is, a woman with a career. Polly explains the beginning of the 20^th century as a world of rapid technological and social changes. She touches on the dilemmas inherent in the role of the professional woman. Actor Barbara Eakers plays Pauline Smith.

Otis Freedman “The Bishop”, Head Waiter, 1905

Otis represents the professional black man of the era. He knows the “downstairs” viewpoint of the social goings-on at the Tampa Bay Hotel from behind –the-scenes perspective. He knows how polite society should behave; not every member can pass his “soup test.” Otis is a self-educated, intelligent man who overcomes the confinements of his station in life. Actor Ed Walker Jr plays Otis Freedman.

Maggie Stroud, Laundress, 1920

Maggie is a lively and ambitious woman who has a story or two to tell about famous guests at the Tampa Bay Hotel including her favorite, Sarah Bernhardt. As a personal maid, Maggie has seen some of the finer things in life. As for the not so fine, she has her dreams and her religion that keep her hopeful. Actor Rose Bilal plays Maggie Stroud.

Edith Roosevelt, Guest and First Lady, 1901

Edith Roosevelt visited the Tampa Bay Hotel in 1898. Her husband, Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, was in town with his famous Rough Riders waiting for word to leave for Cuba and fight in the Spanish-American War. Later, as First Lady, she assumed her duties with dignity and character. Actor Lynne Locher plays Edith Roosevelt.

Henry A. Dobson, Spanish-American War Soldier, 1898

Henry A. Dobson, 1^st Sergeant, Company D, 1^st D.C. Volunteers was 20 years old when he was encamped with his regiment in Tampa prior to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War. Dobson documented his daily experiences in numerous personal letters home. Enthusiastic and eager, he shares his opinions about the army and Tampa with insight, honesty, and humor. Actor Daniel Rosenstrauch plays Henry Dobson.

Reservations are not necessary, but due to the intimate theatre space in the Museum, performances are not recommended for groups larger than 10.

Each performance lasts approximately 30 minutes and is complimentary with your admission. For more information, call Curator of Education, at (813) 258-7304.

Upstairs/Downstairs at the Tampa Bay Hotel is sponsored in part by the Arts Council of Hillsborough County and the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. This production was recognized in 2000 with the National Award of Merit by the American Association of State and Local History.