In a recent conversation with Anne Schindler on First Coast Connect, JaxPlays Executive Director and theatre critic Ray Hollister offered an inside look at what’s lighting up local stages this holiday season and what’s on the horizon in the New Year.

This holiday season, Jacksonville’s historic Florida Theatre is set to sparkle with the return of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the show makes its sixth appearance at this beloved venue, scheduled for a special one-night event on November 11, 2024. The musical promises to deliver a dazzling blend of nostalgia and family fun, proving yet again why it’s a cherished tradition for many.

Escape into the enchanting world of Disney’s Frozen at the Moran Theater, where magic unfurls on stage from April 27 to May 4, 2024! Brought to you by the FSCJ Artist Series and VyStar Credit Union, the Tony-nominated musical invites audiences to a spectacular journey through the frost-kissed kingdom of Arendelle.

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!

Hey folks,

Ray Hollister here, lead editor and developer of JaxPlays.

I started JaxPlays on January 9, 2020. Perhaps not the best timing. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Needless to say, things did not go as we expected for local, live theatre that year or the next.