Renaissance Theatre Company To Present THE OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY and MEAN GIRLS At Temporary Downtown Orlando Venue

Renaissance Theatre Company will move into a temporary home at 54 W Church Street this holiday season through a short-term lease granted by the City of Orlando. The venue, formerly occupied by Fringe ArtSpace and Mad Cow Theatre, will host the Ren’s December remount of THE OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY and the regional premiere of MEAN GIRLS beginning in January.

THE OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY

Opening December 5, The Office Holiday Party will continue its immersive format in the new downtown location. Guests will enter the annual Gripp & Pfister celebration as honorary co-workers, encountering characters such as Karen from HR and Sheila while exploring the space, musical moments, and the production’s interactive environment.

MEAN GIRLS

Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey and adapted from the hit film, will open January 16. “The timing of all of this feels a little like kismet,” said Ren staff member Abby Cash, who is slated to choreograph the production. “I've always loved this show so when we saw that it became available for licensing recently, we applied as quickly as we could. Even though it's not really the kind of show we would typically produce in our normal venue, it's perfect for this downtown space.”

The Ren’s home venue unexpectedly closed on September 19, 2025, following an annual fire inspection, despite having passed all others since opening in 2021. The closure interrupted the company’s largest annual production, Nosferatu, and resulted in financial losses exceeding $500,000. The extended permitting review tied to the immersive nature of Ren’s work has kept the venue dark. Board Member Chris Kampmeier and more than 350 donors have contributed over $55,000 to support the nonprofit during the shutdown. “While safety has always been a priority for us, we don't do theatre in the traditional way, and we're learning now how to work within city code in order to keep a fresh and innovative product. We'll get to the other side of this and we'll be stronger for it,” Kampmeier said. The Plaza Live and the Beacham Group have provided interim performance space, and donations remain open at rentheatre.com/donate.

Co-Founder Donald Rupe noted the uncertainty around the permitting timeline. “One of the more challenging aspects of this has been not really knowing how long this process will take. The fine folks in Permitting are helping us where they can, but it's one of those things that just takes time, so we haven't been able to plan ahead and that's been really tough.” Throughout the closure, the Ren has continued to pay its 60 staff members and artists, though the absence of live performances has eliminated revenue from ticket sales and concessions. “Theatre people are scrappy, and we've worked quickly to keep the momentum of the Ren going and to continue to provide a space for our community.”

Rupe also highlighted the city’s rapid assistance. “The swift decision by the city and its Community Redevelopment Agency to support the arts community by helping us find a temporary home says a lot about our local government's commitment to culture in Orlando. Though this type of programming isn't necessarily what we normally do or want to do for the long haul, this will allow us time not only to get through the permitting process but also to plan ahead into 2026 and beyond,” he said. Mean Girls will remain scheduled at the downtown venue even if the Ren returns to its original space earlier than expected. The Ren will vacate the city-owned venue at the end of March.

Founded in 2021 by Donald Rupe and Chris Kampmeier, Renaissance Theatre Company operates a theatre in Loch Haven Park that opened in Summer 2021. The company focuses on original work, fair compensation for artists, sustainability, and cultivating diverse audiences. Its recent achievements include the immersive production Nosferatu and two Off-Broadway presentations in 2024: From Here and Ain't Done Bad.

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