Winter Park Playhouse secures permanent Orange Avenue home

Credit: via Winter Park Playhouse

After months of uncertainty, Winter Park Playhouse will remain in the space it has called home for more than two decades.

After receiving grant funds from Orange County Tourism Development Tax, Winter Park formally purchased the theater’s space at 711 N. Orange Ave. this week. The nonprofit professional musical theater has called the spot home for the past 23 years.

Winter Park Playhouse’s future came into question in February 2023, when the building’s owners decided to sell the property. To preserve the nonprofit’s place in the community, the city of Winter Park partnered with the theater to apply for TDT funds, citing the $1.9 million economic impact and 30,000 guests it attracted each year.

Winter Park was in turn allotted $8 million by Orange County last fall to purchase and renovate the space.

Now that the permanent home is secured, the TDT funding will also be used to employ major renovations to the building, including a 50 percent increase in seating capacity and upgrades designed to elevate the audience experience.

While the renovation continues, the playhouse will continue to perform its MainStage Musicals and Spotlight cabarets at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center/Orlando Shakes theater complex.

Founded in 2002, the Winter Park Playhouse is a local mainstay, known for its lineup of musicals, cabarets and special events.

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