Ever since high school, I have enjoyed musicals and local theater. I personally like to sing, but you were more likely to find me backstage, bossing everyone around as a stage manager, than performing myself. I still enjoy this art and am glad that we have many options for seeing performances while celebrating our talented community in the Volusia County area.
For my birthday in April, my husband and I went to see “RENT” at the Athens Theatre (124 N. Florida Ave.) in DeLand. It was a sweet moment for us as we saw the musical when it came out in movie theaters in 2005 when we were still just friends! The performers made the story come alive and the theater itself is an experience! Everything from the regal balcony seats to the snack bar’s partnership with “Pat and Toni’s Sweet Things” is perfect. RENT will be performed through May 5 and the new season of shows will kick off with “Beauty and the Beast,” starting July 24.
Apparently, theater is a common theme for my birthday as I attended the performance of “Clue” by the actors of the Daytona Playhouse at the Lillian Place Heritage Center (1000 S. Peninsula Dr.) in 2022. For that event, we were able to tour rooms of the historic Lillian House, searching for clues, while interacting with actors playing Mr. Green or Miss Scarlett, etc. It’s impressive that the cast was not just memorizing their lines but taking on a whole persona! The actors of the Daytona Playhouse will be back in their own building (100 Jessamine Blvd.) this May to perform “Sense & Sensibility.”
Another theater in Daytona Beach is at Daytona State College’s (DSC) News-Journal Center (221. N. Beach St.). The space itself houses two theaters and holds many events throughout the year to showcase the college’s music, performance and production majors. I have previously watched DSC students perform “Sister Act” and they will host “A Night of Improv” on May 5. It is impressive to see how talented these younger actors all are!
Lastly, The Little Theatre in New Smyrna Beach (726 East 3rd Ave.) has a long history of putting on fabulous plays and musicals. Growing up, my grandparents would drive us down from Ohio to visit their friends, ECC’s own Karin Jenkins and family, at The Little Theatre. While I do not remember which shows I watched being performed then, I do recall visiting a short time ago to see “Hello, Dolly!” Recently, “Almost, Maine” was performed, with “Walter Cronkite is Dead” opening on May 16 for a short run through May 19, and then “Matilda The Musical” will start on July 18.
In a time when programs and funding for arts in schools seems to be in constant flux, it’s reassuring to know that there are local theaters where our friends in the community can still showcase their skills. The performance of “RENT” we just saw actually features a DeLand High School senior! You will no longer find me backstage at any musicals, but I will be happily singing along in the audience and giving a standing ovation for local artists!
