Sticks of Fire spoke to Jobsite Theater’s Chairman, David Jenkins about the group’s beginnings and their future direction. This is the second in a short series.
Previous installments:
introduction
How it started
In the late 90’s, a handful of kids in their mid twenties were hanging out in Ybor City. They listened to local bands, went to gallery openings, met a multitude of scenesters, and drank a lot of beer. David Jenkins and Michael Caban recruited a couple of these local artists to put on a couple one-act plays, and asked all their friends for support.
Michael and John Murphy have run the Silver Meteor Gallery for years, and in 1998 gave Jenkins & Co. a place to perform. The rockers and artists they had been supporting came to see the spectacle, as did many Ybor denizens. The local papers sent critics, and got something they did not expect: Excellent performances all the way around.
The bare-bones, acting-intensive shows felt good to Jenkins, and were a big hit with audiences and critics. Perhaps most surprising, the small stint not only covered expenses, they actually made a bit of money!
More successful shows followed at Silver Meteor, and Jobsite moved to the bigger Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in 2000. In 2003, the troupe was offered resident status at the Shimberg Playhouse, where March of the Kitefliers opens Friday.
Coming next: Tampa – City of the Arts
