If you didn’t already know, Polk County is riddled with theatres – and no, we’re not talking about movie theatres. We’re talking about musical theatre, drama, stand-up comedy, concerts, and everything else in between. For months, lights were dimmed, stages were collecting dust, and more importantly, your fellow Polk County residents who rely on in-person attendance have struggled.
The ripple effects of COVID on the entertainment industry has traveled nationwide, affecting theatres of all sizes – from Broadway to our little town of Lakeland. Because of this, a movement titled #SaveOurStages was created by NIVA – The National Independent Venue Association. The goal of this movement is to “generate significant awareness, advocacy, and donations for the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund, directly supporting our most vulnerable venues experiencing catastrophic revenue loss.”
On a more local level, thousands of theatres across the nation signed up to join NIVA including 40+ theatres/venues in or around the Greater Tampa + Orlando areas, including three in Polk County.
Local NIVA members include The Pink Piano, Gram Parsons Derry Down, and La La Land Liquor & Lounge. As we move forward, some theatres are in the process of reopening and have upcoming events you can attend + help productions and theatre members to get back on their feet.
If you’re looking for local theatres in Polk County to support during this time, here are a few that you can find locally:
- TheatreWorks Florida | 8 E. Cypress St. | Theatre Works Florida is a professional theatre company located in Davenport. At this time, all productions have been postponed until Sept. 2021.
- Theatre Winter Haven | 210 Cypress Gardens Blvd. | Theatre Winter Haven hosts over 120 performances and brings $7.5 million dollars to Polk each year. At this time, Stadium Events are ongoing with the next event occurring tomorrow.
- The Polk Theatre | 121 South Florida Ave. | Perhaps the most famous of the theatres alongside the Ritz, Polk Theatre has reopened and is maintaining COVID-19 safety precautions including reserved seating 6ft apart, limited capacity, a mandatory mask rule, and more.
- Ritz Theatre | 263 W Central Ave. | Located in Winter Haven, the Ritz was built almost 100 years ago in 1925 and is set to host the Dwight Icenhower Blue Christmas Elvis Tribute this December.
- Haines City Community Theatre | 303 Ledwith Ave. | Nestled in Haines City, this theatre provides entertainment with a professional cast every time. Unfortunately, much like TheatreWorks, this theatre is remaining closed until at least 2021.
- Lakeland Community Theatre | 121 S Lake Ave. | The show must go on at the Lakeland Community Theatre – Tickets are currently available for purchase for Elf: The Musical this December.
- Lake Wales Little Theatre | 411 N. 3rd St. | Lake Wales Little Theatre made the decision this year, due to COVID-19 concerns, to cancel the Children’s Production for Season 43, however, according to their Facebook, “A Night of Musical Theatre” is still scheduled to run in November.
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