LIVE WITH PHASE 5
* 2006-2011 Straz Center
(Previously the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center) Jaeb Theater House drummer. Resident
Company percussionist. Performed regularly in Morsani Hall, Ferguson Hall; The Shimberg
Playhouse; & the Patel
Conservatory/Teco Theater.
* 2012-Present : Freefall Theater, St. Petersburg, drummer/percussionist
* 2012-Present: American Stage in the Park, drummer/percussionist, American Stage Theater, St. Petersburg, FL
* 2021-Present: Drummer for the Geoff Proud Band: https://www.geoffproudmusic.com/* Performs regularly with Central Florida's premier special events bands "Phase5" http://www.phase5band.com/ and"DeLeon Entertainment":http://www.deleonentertainment.com/
* Additional Theater work includes: Stageworks Theater, Ruth Eckerd Hall, The Suncoast Broadway Dinner
Theater, M.A.D. Theater, Center for the Arts at River Ridge, and the TOTA Music Conservatory, & Tampa Prep* Top-of-the-line equipment including: acoustic DW, Yamaha, DrumCraft, &
Pearl drums; Zildjian cymbals; Roland SPD-20; Roland TM2 drum module; Cajon, Dumbek, Djembe, Bongos, Bodhran, full orchestral or band percussion, and comprehensive theater sound effects both digital & acoustic.* Reads music; owns custom in ear monitors (IEMs); Full acoustic drum microphone pack if needed.* Studio Credits Include: Title track of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Marty Balin's (Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship) 2011 album "Blue Highway" and "Oz, A New Musical". * Accompanied Broadway's & "X Factor" alum. Rachel Potter, Broadway's Trent Armand Kendall, Dove award winner Travis Cottrell, and songwriter Randall Goodgame. * Theater Tampa Bay Judges'
Special Citation Award Recipient 2012-13 Season UPCOMING
PERFORMANCES:
*Every Thursday: With "Geoff Proud Band", Doc Ford's Jungle Terrace, 5:30-8:30pm
*Every Sunday: With "Geoff Proud Band", Doc Ford's on the St. Petersburg Pier 1-4pm
"Beauty & The Beast" with American Stage (In Demen's Landing Park), St. Petersburg, FL Mar. 27 - May 5, 2024
With Geoff Proud Band, Tiki Tims Pub & Grill, St. Petersburg Saturday May 18, 2024 2-5pm
With "Phase5" (Wedding) Oxford Exchange, Tampa, FL May 25, 2024
With Geoff Proud Band, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, St. Petersburg, FL Fri. May 31, 2024 7-11pm
"Sponge Bob The Musical", Straz Center, Ferguson Hall, Tampa June 21-22, 2024
With "Phase5" (Wedding) Hotel Haya, Ybor City,/Tampa, FL Sept. 7, 2024
With "Phase5" (Wedding) Longboat Key Club, Longboat Key, FL Sept. 28, 2024
With "Phase5" - Corporate Event, Ponte Vedra Inn, Jacksonville, FL Oct. 18, 2024
With "Phase5" (Wedding) Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg, FL Oct. 26, 2024
With "Phase5" (Wedding) Jacksonville, FL Nov. 2, 2024
With "Phase5" (Wedding) Gasparilla Inn, Boca Grande, FL Nov. 8, 2024
With "Phase5" (Wedding) New Smyrna Beach, FL Nov. 9 2024
With "Phase5" (Wedding) Longboat Key, FL Jan. 18, 2025
Press
"...Michael Raabe's musical direction is superb, and his band is as tight as it can be: with Raabe, and Jeremey D. Silverman on keyboards; Paul Stoddart on guitar; Joe Grady (or TJ Glowacki) on bass; and the unbeatable Burt Rushing on drums"- Broadway World, Apr. 14, 2019, Review "Mamma Mia", American Stage in the Park
"...Best of all is the magic of music director Deborah D. Lynch. The vocals are stirring and the band quite wonderful. ....The rest of the
band includes Michael Batton on guitar, Maribeth Radtke on violin and viola, Bobby DeAngelis on reeds, Michael Smith on trumpet, Micahel Ven De Mark on the electric bass, and the stalwart Burt Rushing on drums."
- Peter Nason, Broadway World, June 18, 2017 Review "Company", M.A.D Theater, Straz Center's Shimberg Theater, Tampa
"Alan Jay Corey's musical direction is tops, and the band quite strong: Thom Guthrie on keyboards, Dave Pate on reeds, Victor Mongillo on horns and Burt Rushing on the drums."
- Broadway World, April 18, 2016, Review "Monty Python's Spamalot", American Stage, St. Petersburg
"...seem to have aimed at and reached theatrical perfection; and the three-man combo of keyboardist Michael Sebastian, bassist Joe Grady and drummer Burt Rushing couldn't be better. The show received a standing ovation at the matinee I attended, and for once I stood too."
- Mark Leib, Creative Loafing July 1, 2009 Review "Respect, A Musical Journey of Women", Jaeb Theater, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (Straz Center)
"..Rocky Horror benefits from the best band
in town, with music director/keyboard player Michael Raabe leading Paul
Stoddart(guitar), Joe Grady (bass) and Burt Rushing (drums).
These guys rock hard, and sound designer Kyle Easley deserves credit for a mix
in which each instrument can be heard clearly."
- John
Fleming, Tampa Bay Times, Performing Arts
Critic Apr. 17, 2012 Review "The Rocky Horror Show", American
Stage In the Park
"..Musicians Michael Raabe on piano and Burt Rushing, who plays a slew of percussion instruments, deserve special mention. The musicians supply a running gallery of sound effects worthy of an NPR radio show, consistent with the numerous fun elements of this show.".
- Andrew Meacham, Tampa Bay Times December 7, 2015 Review "Peter & The Starchatcher", Freefall Theatre, St. Petersburg
"..Further,
the onstage musicians are splendid: Michael Raabe on piano and accordion,
Nicholas J. White on guitar and mandolin, Diane Volpe on violin, Irv Goldberg
on bass, George Linakis on clarinet, and Burt Rushing on
percussion."
- Creative Loafing Sept. 26, 2013 Review "Fiddler on the Roof", Freefall Theater
"Kudos to Musical Directior Michael
Raabe, who also leads the excellent, well balanced, 3 piece band on piano, with
Bobby Brennan on electric bass and
Burt Rushing on percussion." - Broadway
World, Feb. 6, 2014 Review "Disenchanted", Straz Center, Tampa
"The music is superb. The onstage four-piece orchestra, led by musical magician/pianist Michael Raabe and featuring Burt Rushing's percussion, Mary-Cathryn Zimmer's cello and Diane M. Volpe's violin, is stellar." - Broadway Word, October 13, 2014 Review "Into the Woods" Freefall Theatre, St. Petersburg
Best of all is the magic of music director Deborah D. Lynch. The vocals are stirring, and the band quite