Theatre

We are excited for Theatre Season 55 here at Polk State College.  For the past few years, we safely produced continuous theatre during the pandemic, including play readings, a cabaret show, and several fully produced shows including Love Letters, The Great Gatsby Radio Play, The Importance of Being Earnest, A Doll’s House Part 2, and finished off last season with our previously postponed production of the musical Next to Normal.

Polk State Theatre is back to holding performance and technical classes in our Winter Haven Fine Arts facility and will produce three shows in our upcoming season!

The Polk State Theatre program is led by faculty members with many years of experience in acting, directing, producing, and teaching. Under the instruction of these faculty members, Polk State Theatre students each year perform a challenging slate of shows, from classic comedies and musicals to Shakespearean dramas.

Polk State Theatre performs its main-stage productions in the College’s 485-seat Winter Haven Fine Arts Theatre.  Intimate performances take place in the same space ON STAGE in our “black box” arrangement for about 100 audience members.  We also occasionally perform studio performances in the 1,600-square-foot Studio 117, which opened in 2012. Sets are built in a spacious on-campus workshop that rivals the facilities of university programs and professional theatre companies.

The program enjoys the support of area theatre professionals, who lend their expertise in lighting, set design, and other aspects of production. These partnerships deepen the learning for students and enhance the viewing experiences for audiences.

Polk State Theatre students have gone on to finish their education at many of the state universities and other nationally recognized programs.  In addition, many of our current students and graduates have found work at local entertainment venues and theatres.  Because of our knowledgeable faculty, challenging performance schedule, and regional reputation for excellence — among educators and theatre professionals alike — Polk State Theatre has seen its students and alumni succeed in achieving their theatre goals.

We are looking forward to what the future holds!  Come and join us!