Last month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s veto of state arts funding sent shockwaves through the theater communities of Northeast Florida. The veto eliminated over $400,000 in funding earmarked for nine theater and opera companies in Duval, Clay, St. Johns and Nassau counties. A combined total of nearly $3.4 million had been requested by 45 arts organizations in these counties.

The Alhambra Theatre & Dining’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat dazzles with its vibrant retelling of the classic Biblical story of Joseph, favored for his prophetic gifts and his radiant coat. Betrayed by his jealous brothers and sold into slavery, Joseph endures trials in Egypt, rising from despair to triumph through his extraordinary ability to interpret dreams. This vibrant production, with its eclectic musical styles, stunning choreography and brilliant costumes, beautifully captures the themes of forgiveness and redemption.

ShakesBeer: A Brewery Tour returns with its unique blend of Shakespeare, interactive storytelling and brewery tour, creating a boisterous, booze-infused celebration of the Bard’s works. The talented ensemble of Jas Abramowitz, Josh Andrews, Rina Hajra-Gjoka, Katie Johnston, Amy Love, Nicole Maahs, Hayley Smith, Christopher Watson and Brian Niece, transforms local breweries into impromptu stages, delivering a show that is part theatre, part game show and entirely entertaining.

Greenlight Theatre Company’s Cabaret centers on the burlesque theatre called the Kit Kat Club in 1930s Berlin, Germany, where American novelist Cliff Bradshaw meets and falls in love with the excentric cabaret singer Sally Bowles, as the shadow of Nazism begins to fall over the city.

Cabaret at the John McManus Mainstage Theatre transports audiences straight into the heart of the Kit Kat Club. VIP tables adorned with low-lit lamps, champagne bottles and glasses along the front rows create a vibrant, club-like atmosphere, perfectly capturing the era’s essence. With this immersive setup, the audience feels swept into the the events of Cabaret rather than just watching it.

Boeing Boeing at the Alhambra Theatre & Dining, is a high-flying farce that catapults audiences into the comedic chaos of Bernard, a smooth-talking and insanely chauvinistic bachelor juggling three fiancées — all flight attendants on different airlines. The unexpected arrival of his school friend, Robert, coincides with the airlines introducing newer, faster jets, disrupting the stewardesses’ flight plans and unraveling Bernard’s meticulously scheduled life in a delightful turbulence of confusion and comedy.

Following the rollicking success of Southern Fried Funeral in 2022, St. Marys Little Theatre brings audiences back to the bayou bliss of New Edinburgh, Mississippi, with its sequel, Southern Fried Nuptials. The play is as delightful and comforting as a warm Southern evening, filled with the laughter and eccentricities one would expect from a family wedding set in the heart of the South.

Trouble in Mind at Players by the Sea is a compelling, provacative and sometimes hilarious dramatic comedy that whisks audiences to the backstage world of 1950s New York City. The play centers around Wiletta Mayer, a talented, veteran Black actress who, after years of playing secondary characters, finally lands a lead role in a Broadway-bound play. Her excitement quickly sours when she discovers that her character perpetuates biased stereotypes.

Presented by the FSCJ Artist Series at the Moran Theater in the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts, Disney’s Frozen elevates the original film with a more complex narrative, dynamic stagecraft, stunning costumes and powerful performances.

In a limited engagement at the Adele Grage Cultural Center, The Near Disaster of Jasper and Casper mesmerizes audiences with its unique blend of fairy-tale whimsy and sharp modern humor. This solo show, masterfully written and performed by Jason Woods, is a brilliant display of theatrical craftsmanship.

First Date is a hilarious and charming musical that follows the story of Aaron (Mitchell Wohl), a nervous investment banker, and Casey (Mary Elizabeth Schubert), a quick-witted artist, who are set up on a blind date at a bustling New York City cafe. Throughout their evening, their inner anxieties and hopes burst into life with the unexpected interventions of their ex-partners, overbearing relatives and a gaggle of imaginary advisors who appear out of the ether to dish out advice, often comically unsolicited.

In the world of musical theatre, it’s rare to find a production that invites its audience to simply sit back, relax, and enjoy a good laugh and a few drinks while being serenaded by the sounds of the ocean. The Alhambra Theatre & Dining’s latest offering, Escape to Margaritaville, does just that, enveloping its audience in a tropical paradise from the moment they step into the venue.

Escape to Margaritaville is a musical getaway, woven with the iconic tunes of Jimmy Buffett, that transports its audience to a tropical paradise where the party never ends.

Six burst onto the stage Tuesday night at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts and instantly captivated Jacksonville’s theater-goers.

Six stands out for its incredibly original storytelling style, a departure from traditional musical theatre. Rather than transporting the audience to a distant realm, the characters—Henry VIII’s six wives—take to the stage right here, right now, in Jacksonville, sharing their life stories through an unforgettable concert.

In the shadowy corners of Limelight Theatre’s Koger-Gamache Studio Theatre, Wait Until Dark draws the audience into a world where darkness is both a literal and metaphorical challenge.

In Frederick Knott’s gripping tale, Susy Hendrix, a blind woman, becomes entangled in a perilous scheme with three con men seeking a doll filled with drugs. As the plot thickens, Susy’s sharp wits become her primary defense in a suspenseful battle of survival.

The Alhambra Theatre & Dining’s latest production of Oklahoma! injects refreshing vibrancy into the beloved classic. Under the bright lights of this intimate venue, the cast and crew reinvigorate the timeless tale with a blend of passionate performances, awe-inspiring musical direction and exhilarating choreography that makes the audience want to jump out of their seats.

Lumen Repertory Theatre’s A Small Fire, directed by Brian Niece, delivers a profound exploration of human resilience and the intricate web of relationships, set against the backdrop of a harrowing existential crisis that threatens the very core of one’s being. The nuanced script and expert performances dissects the relational dynamics that both bind and challenge us, with an emotional depth that resonates profoundly.

Stepping into the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is like entering a different realm – one where misty fog and beautiful lighting set the stage for an evening of Poe’s timeless tales.

Theatre Jacksonville’s latest offering, Just Desserts: A Musical Bake-Off, whisks audiences away to the kitschy world of a local baking competition, rife with colorful characters vying for the sweet taste of victory.

Director Jason Collins crafts a vivid portrayal of Anne Frank’s life at Theatre Jacksonville, shedding light on the indomitable human spirit during one of history’s darkest periods.

Hey there, theatre enthusiasts! I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I am restarting JaxPlays, and this time it’s here to stay!

As some of you may recall, the site was initially built on MediaWiki, which proved to be quite cumbersome to maintain and edit. But now, JaxPlays has a fresh new look and is running on Jekyll with a wiki theme. What a game-changer! Jekyll is a static site generator, meaning it creates simple HTML files that can be easily edited and updated. Unlike a CMS like MediaWiki, Jekyll doesn’t require a database, which makes it faster, more secure, and significantly easier to maintain.

The site is blazing fast now, and I couldn’t be happier with the switch. However, I still need your help! With over 100 years of theatre productions in Jacksonville, there’s so much history to document. If you have cast lists, playbills, show photos, or anything else that can help preserve the rich theatrical heritage of Northeast Florida, please send it my way!