TAMPA — After a decade of producing bold, original world premieres, LAB Theater Project is celebrating its milestone 10th anniversary season with something unexpected — an encore.
For the first time in its history, LAB will revisit a previously staged production: “So Long Life,” written and directed by Owen Robertson, LAB’s founder and producing artistic director. The show runs Nov. 20 through Dec. 7, at LAB’s intimate Ybor City venue and will be staged in the round and on a working bar, creating a fully immersive theatrical experience.
“This play has always been close to my heart,” says Robertson. “So Long Life was one of those rare scripts that connected deeply with audiences the first time around—its humor, raw honesty and sense of shared humanity. Bringing it back now, surrounded by the bar, by the audience, feels like the right way to celebrate 10 years of storytelling.”
LAB Theater Project is at 812 E. Henderson Ave., Tampa. Showtimes are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 3 p.m. General admission tickets are $31. Visit labtheaterproject.org.
In a once-vibrant theater bar now faded with time, former stage actor Ned Masters battles Alzheimer’s as his daughter Maggie struggles to care for him while putting her own life on hold. Old friends, Sam and Mary stand by, offering humor and support, even as memories and reality blur. When a young man named Charlie arrives with a shocking connection to Ned’s past, long-buried secrets rise to the surface. Blending Shakespearean echoes with raw family drama, So Long Life is a moving and unflinching exploration of memory, forgiveness, and the ties that bind us — whether we choose them or not.
Originally produced eight years ago at the Silver Meteor Gallery, “So Long Life” quickly became a local favorite. This new staging invites audiences to become part of the story itself, with the bar serving as both set and gathering place — an experience that’s equal parts theatre and community.
In keeping with the spirit of “So Long Life,” LAB Theater Project is proud to partner with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, a nonprofit organization that provides free, confidential 24/7 support for individuals and families in crisis.
For the second weekend of performances — Saturday, Nov. 29, 3 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 30, 3 p.m. — a portion of all ticket sales will be donated directly to the Crisis Center to support their mission of ensuring that no one in our community has to face crisis alone.
“The Crisis Center embodies the compassion this play celebrates,” Robertson said. “They meet people where they are — often at their most vulnerable. Theatre, at its best, does the same thing.”
For information about the Crisis Center of Tampa, visit crisiscenter.com.
Since 2015, LAB Theater Project has premiered more than 40 brand-new plays, launching the careers of playwrights and performers while providing Tampa Bay audiences with the rare thrill of seeing stories that begin right here.
Visit labtheaterproject.org to see what’s premiering next.