About our theater — a history in three acts.
Anyone who's ever been to a performance at the Rep has commented on our wonderful building. The Arcade Theater, as it's called, was built in 1908 and proudly displays all the charm and splendor of early Florida. Originally used as a Vaudeville house, this was the very auditorium where Fort Myers resident Thomas Edison saw his first films, along with his friends Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone.
As movies became more popular, The Arcade was converted into a dedicated movie house and a wall was put up to divide the great proscenium stage in half in order to create two screening rooms. By 1989, the once grand theatre had fallen into severe disrepair, and appeared on the brink of its final curtain call.
Realizing the historical and aesthetic value of this building, the City of Fort Myers and famed ballet and film star Mikhail Baryshnikov organized a benefit in 1991. With the money raised, the Arcade was completely restored and the City of Fort Myers was able to rent it out to local organizations — one of which happened to be the Florida Rep. Thanks to the generosity and vision of the City, the Arcade became the permanent home of the Florida Repertory Theatre in 1998.
A Talent-Rich Timeline
2008–2009, A New Decade and a New Century
2007–2008, Our 10th Anniversary!
2006–2007
Main Stage Shows
- Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks
- Moon Over Buffalo
- Greetings!
- Rabbit Hole
- Enchanted April
- The Rainmaker
- Scapino
- Rounding Third
Childrens Theatre Shows
- Thomas Edison, Fire of Genius
- The Imaginators
2005–2006
Main Stage Shows
- Fortune
- A Dash of Rosemary
- My Three Angels
- The Middle Ages
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror
- Broadway Bound
- Tuesdays With Morrie
Childrens Theatre Shows
- Laura Ingalls Wilder, Voice of the Prairie
- The Dinosaur Play
2004–2005
Main Stage Shows
- Dream
- Christmas Survival Guide
- Golf With Alan Shepard
- Mornings At Seven
- The Tale of the Allergist's Wife
- Boys Next Door
- The Sugarbean Sisters
Childrens Theatre Shows
- Pecos Bill and the Ghost Stampede
- Poe! Poe! Poe!
2003–2004
Main Stage Shows
- Sly Fox
- Absurd Person Singular
- All My Sons
- I'm Not Rappaport
- Amy's View
- Deathtrap
Summer Shows
- Lost In Yonkers
- Fools
- The Fat Lady Sings Again
- Biloxi Blues
Childrens Theatre Shows
- I Didn't Know That!
- The Quick and Easy Guide to Thomas Edison
Bonus Shows
- Too Big to Be a Waitress
- The Life of Reilly with Charles Nelson Reilly
2002–2003
Main Stage Shows
- Rumors
- Mouse Trap
- Master Class
- The Foreigner
- Proof
- Ain't Misbehavin'
Summer Shows
- Brighton Beach Memoirs
- Veronica's Room
- The Underpants
Childrens Theatre Shows
- Amelia Earhart
- Stories of Dr. Seuss
Bonus Shows
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch
- The Guys
- A Soldier's Tale
- The Fat Lady Sings
2001–2002
Main Stage Shows
- Over the Tavern
- The Man Who Came to Dinner
- Dinner With Friends
- Dr. Cook's Garden
- Company
- My Way
Summer Shows
- Murder at the Howard Johnson
- Sideman
- Moon Over the Brewery
Childrens Theatre Shows
- Amelia Earhart
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2000–2001
Main Stage Shows
- Over the River
- Inspecting Carol
- Art
- You Can't Take it with You
- Wit
- I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
Summer Shows
- The Affections of May
- Social Security
- Dangerous Obsession
Childrens Theatre Shows
- Tales for the Southern Frontier
- I Never Saw a Butterfly
1999–2000
Main Stage Shows
- Room Service
- Sleuth
- Lost Night of Ballyhoo
- Harvey
- Inherit the Wind
- Red White & Berlin
Summer Shows
- Mixed Emotion
- The Decorator
- Bad Seed
Childrens Theatre Shows
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1998–1999
Main Stage Shows
- Noises Off!
- Our Town
- Breaking Legs
- Having Our Say
- Spider’s Web
- Fascination’ Gershwin
Summer Shows
- The Skin of Our Teeth
- Veronica's Room
- Steel Magnolias