When a fire broke out at Players by the Sea’s building in April, it brought their spring season to a sudden standstill. Smoke and water damage left the building unusable, and with the set built and rehearsals well underway, the fate of their production of Waitress hung in the balance.

Acclaimed actor and director David Alford returns to the Jacksonville stage this summer to star in Lumen Repertory Theatre’s upcoming production of David Mamet’s American Buffalo. The gritty three-man drama opens June 13 in the intimate black-box setting of WJCT Studio B.

A blackout rolls across New York City. Somewhere in the dark, a deli worker dreams of something more, a waitress reads the stars and a young actress rehearses her next big break. Their lives are unremarkable — until they collide.

The Alhambra Theatre & Dining has been voted the No. 1 dinner theater in the United States by readers of USA TODAY, topping the publication’s annual 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

A fire inside the Studio Theatre at Players by the Sea has caused widespread water damage throughout the Jacksonville Beach venue, suspending all operations and programming until further notice.

According to an email and Facebook post by Players by the Sea’s staff and board, the fire occurred while the facility was unoccupied. The sprinkler system activated as designed and successfully extinguished the blaze, but not before causing substantial water damage to the entire building. No injuries were reported.

Two of Jacksonville’s leading arts organizations — Theatre Jacksonville and the Florida Theatre — are teaming up to bring a concert-style staging of the classic Broadway musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum to the Florida Theatre this summer. The production will run for two performances only: Saturday, Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 24 at 2 p.m.

It’s showtime, Jacksonville! Thanks to the FSCJ Artist Series, the ghost with the most is materializing at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts from May 12–17, 2026. This isn’t your average Broadway tour — Beetlejuice is a wildly irreverent, hilariously unhinged, visually dazzling and surprisingly heartfelt musical adaptation of the 1988 Tim Burton classic that’s become a fan favorite in its own right.

The FSCJ Artist Series Broadway in Jacksonville, sponsored by VyStar Credit Union, has unveiled an exciting lineup for its 2025-26 season, promising a thrilling year of comedy, nostalgia and award-winning musical theater.

Jacksonville audiences will get an exclusive chance to experience a critically praised production from London’s renowned National Theatre with WJCT Public Media’s screening of The Motive and the Cue. The screening is set for March 19 at WJCT Studios.

High school students across Northeast Florida will have free access to professional theatre in 2025, thanks to a new initiative by Lumen Repertory Theatre. As part of its mission to engage the next generation of artists and audiences, the company is offering complimentary admission to its Subversive Season productions.

Alhambra Theatre & Dining has finally announced it will stage the Tony Award-winning musical Come From Away as part of its 2025 season to open in late August.

Emmy Award-winning actor Tony Hale is slated to discuss his illustrious career in comedy during a special event hosted by Limelight Theatre at the Lewis Auditorium at Flager College on March 2 at 7 p.m.

Best known for his roles as the quirky Buster in Arrested Development and the beleaguered aide Gary Walsh in Veep, Hale has garnered a following across multiple generations. He is also beloved by younger audiences for his voice work as Forky in Toy Story 4 and Fear in Inside Out 2. In addition, Hale has ventured into authorship with his children’s book Archibald’s Next Big Thing, which has been adapted into a popular Netflix series.

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 December, the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts is set to host the electrifying Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations. This sensational production chronicles the legendary quintet’s rise from the streets of Detroit to the illustrious Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The show runs from Thursday, December 5 through Sunday, December 8, with tickets quickly selling out for what promises to be a powerhouse performance.

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!

Live theatre isn’t just about entertainment. It’s a lifeline for communities, an instrument of change and a platform for unheard voices. But for the folks in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, it’s so much more than that—it’s their heart and soul. Here’s why live local theatre in our region is unmissable.

1. Fueling the Local Economy

The economic ripple effect of live theatre is significant. When theatre patrons come to town, they don’t just buy a ticket. They shop, dine and often stay overnight. These dollars spread across local businesses and provide a real boost. According to Americans for the Arts, a non-profit organization for advancing the arts, the nationwide economic impact of the non-profit arts industry was $166.3 billion in 2015. With a vibrant theatre scene, Jacksonville and Northeast Florida are undoubtedly playing a part in that figure.

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.