Sarasota Players Prepare for New Theater and Centennial Celebration

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As the Sarasota Players prepare to open a new home in Payne Park Auditorium later this year, the community theater group is putting a renewed focus on the shows it stages and reconnecting with the local audience that has helped it near a centennial celebration. Theater leaders are working to overcome a perception that the Sarasota Players had gone out of business.

Why it matters

The Sarasota Players is one of the longest-running community theater groups in Florida, with a history dating back nearly 100 years. Its move to a new performance space and efforts to reengage the local community are seen as crucial to maintaining its legacy and relevance in the region.

The details

The Sarasota Players is preparing to open a new home in the Payne Park Auditorium later in 2026 after previously operating out of a different venue. As part of this transition, the theater group is working to put a renewed emphasis on the shows it stages and reconnect with the local community that has supported it for decades. However, theater leaders have noted that some in the community mistakenly believe the Sarasota Players had gone out of business in recent years.

• The Sarasota Players is preparing to open its new home in the Payne Park Auditorium later in 2026.
• The Sarasota Players is nearing a centennial celebration of its founding.

What’s next

The Sarasota Players plans to hold a centennial celebration in the coming years to mark nearly 100 years of community theater in the region.