About the Theatre
The Manatee Performing Arts Center, located in downtown Bradenton, Florida, serves as a cultural cornerstone, offering a diverse array of performances and community programs. Managed by Florida Cultural Group, Inc., the center features two main stages—Stone Hall for Broadway musicals and the Bradenton Kiwanis Theater for intimate dramas. With a mission that extends beyond theater, the center also hosts art exhibits, educational initiatives, and programs like 'Action Through Acting,' which addresses socially relevant issues. This dynamic venue reflects the cultural fabric of the community and provides entertainment, education, and engagement for audiences of all ages.
Upcoming Shows
Cemetary Club
Feb 19 – Mar 1, 2026
Love, Laughter, and Letting Go - The Cemetery Club Takes the StageHeartfelt, humorous, and deeply human, The Cemetery Club invites you into the lives of...
Paddy O'Furniture
Mar 10
Paddy O’Furniture: An Irish Music CelebrationGet ready for a night of foot-stomping fun and Celtic charm as Paddy O’Furniture takes the stage! This high-energy Irish...
BRIGHT STAR
Mar 5 – Mar 15, 2026
Hope Shines Bright - Experience the Soulful Power of Bright StarFrom Grammy Award winners Steve Martin and Edie Brickell comes Bright Star—a sweeping, bluegrass-infused musical...
The Elvis Presley Experience
Apr 7
A Tribute Fit for The KingStep into the spotlight and relive the electrifying legacy of Elvis Presley, the undisputed King of Rock ‘n’ Roll! The...
And Then There Were None
Apr 9 – Apr 19, 2026
Trust No One - And Then There Were None Will Keep You Guessing Until the EndPrepare for a night of edge-of-your-seat suspense with And Then...
Big Fish
Apr 23 – May 3, 2026
Where Imagination Meets Heart - BIG FISH Will Sweep You AwayStep into a world of wonder with BIG FISH, a magical and deeply moving musical...
Review: THE UNFRIEND at Asolo Repertory Theatre
by Shanti - February 21, 2026
What did our critic think of THE UNFRIEND at Asolo Repertory Theatre?...
Review: GRANDMA GATEWOOD TOOK A WALK at Florida Studio Theatre
by Shanti - February 21, 2026
This is a heartwarming and truly inspiring tale that showcases the remarkable journey of a woman. With just a few wooden crates and simple props, the story unfolds to reveal the incredible hardships she faced with unwavering determination. Her resilience and strength in the face of challenges are no...
Review: GIPSY KINGS FEATURING NICOLAS REYES at Van Wezel
by Shanti - February 19, 2026
The opening act was the breakout group without Nicolas Reyes, a classic Gipsy Kings move, warming up the room with the raw power of the ensemble before the legend himself emerged. It also gave notice of the incredible talent of a young soloist....
Review: MJ Brings the King of Pop to Van Wezel
by Shanti - February 04, 2026
This exclusive glimpse into the workings of the man dubbed 'The King of Pop' unveils the top-notch creative squad and sheer explosiveness that fueled his artistic process, serving as a spectacular tribute to his unparalleled legacy....
Review: THE MIRROR CRACK'D at Asolo Repertory Theatre
by Shanti - January 29, 2026
Meeting our favorite celebrities is the stuff dreams are made of and this is exactly what happens in the intriguing story of 'The Mirror Crack'd'. As a fan finally meets their idol, the mystery unfolds. Picture this: the glamorous Marina Gregg, a renowned celebrity, has just settled into a massive m...
Review: RIVERDANCE 30 - THE NEW GENERATION at Van Wezel
by Jacob Ruscoe - January 28, 2026
Marking the 30th anniversary of the phenomenon’s genesis, this production feels especially timely, and its subtitle is entirely apt: the original show began before most—if not all—of the extraordinarily talented cast now carrying the torch were even born....
Review: THE BLUE SKY BOYS at Florida Studio Theatre
by Shanti - January 26, 2026
What did our critic think of THE BLUE SKY BOYS at Florida Studio Theatre?...
Review: SOME LIKE IT HOT at Van Wezel
by Shanti - January 26, 2026
What did our critic think of SOME LIKE IT HOT at Van Wezel?...
Review: PARADISE BLUE at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe
by Shanti - January 17, 2026
What did our critic think of PARADISE BLUE at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe?...
Review: ANNIE at Sarasota Players
by Jacob Ruscoe - January 13, 2026
The Sarasota Players’ production of Annie is a bright, big-hearted reminder of why this musical has endured for nearly half a century. From the moment the first notes rang out, the production radiated joy, grit, and that unmistakable sense of optimism that has made Annie a staple of American music...
Past Shows
The Temps, Tops, Supremes & Smokey: A Motown Revue
Feb 10 – Feb 12, 2026
The Temps, Tops, Supremes & Smokey: A Motown RevueThe Motown Sound is now over 60 years old but it remains current and brings excitement and...
Fred Kletts Stand-Up Comedy
Feb 7
Fred Klett, an irrepressible talent whose clean, relatable humor has amassed more than 100 million on-line views. Fred’s master story telling ability captures life’s hysterical...
Once Upon a Mattress
Jan 22 – Feb 1, 2026
Fairy Tales Were Never This Funny - Once Upon a Mattress Brings the Laughter!Think you know The Princess and the Pea? Think again! Once Upon...
Terms of Endearment
Jan 8 – Jan 18, 2026
Laugh, Cry, and Cherish Every Moment - Terms of Endearment on StageExperience a story that speaks to the heart. Terms of Endearment is a deeply...
Fleetwood Max: the Definitive Fleetwood Mac Tribute
Jan 6
The Sound. The Style. The Magic of Fleetwood Mac—Live on Stage!Relive the timeless music and electrifying energy of one of rock’s most iconic bands with...
Frozen
Dec 4 – Dec 14, 2025
Let the Magic Go Live - Frozen: The Musical Hits the Stage!The story that warmed hearts around the world is coming to life in a...
Hello Dolly!
Oct 23 – Nov 2, 2025
The Parade Is Back—And You’ve Got a Front Row Seat! Hello, Dolly! Returns to the StageGet ready to be swept off your feet! Hello, Dolly!...
A Jimmy Buffet Tribute by the Caribbean Chillers
Oct 28
Get Ready for a Tropical Escape You’ll Never Forget!The Caribbean Chillers are more than a tribute band—they're a full-blown island party! Florida’s #1 Jimmy Buffett...
Misery
Oct 16 – Oct 26, 2025
Brace Yourself for a Thrilling Night of Theater - MISERY by William GoldmanFrom the masterful mind of Stephen King comes a chilling stage adaptation that...
Terry Lee Goffee as Johnny Cash
Sep 30
Experience the Man in Black Like Never Before!Terry Lee Goffee doesn’t just sing Johnny Cash—he becomes Johnny Cash. With a voice that rumbles like thunder...
Gutenberg! the Musical!
Sep 4 – Sep 14, 2025
**A Comedy So Outrageous, You’ll Want to Applaud Twice - GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!Get ready to laugh until your cheeks hurt! GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL! is a...
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT
Aug 21 – Aug 31, 2025
Don’t Miss This Epic Theatrical Experience - The Prince of Egypt: The MusicalFrom the creators of Wicked comes a breathtaking theatrical event that’s both timeless...
The Wizard of Oz
Dec 5 – Dec 15, 2024
Family Musical FantasyWe're off to see the wizard! This timeless tale of a Kansas farm girl who travels over the rainbow - only to discover...
Ann Morrison: Merrily From Center Stage
Nov 4
A solo musical based on the memories of Ann’s award winning, Broadway debut as Marry Flynn in the 1981 Stephen Sondheim musical, Merrily We Roll
Merrily We Roll Along
Oct 24 – Nov 3, 2024
Musical ComedySondheim's semi-autobiographical musical turns back the clock on friendship and the high price of success. Spanning three decades in the entertainment business, Merrily We...
Merrily From Center Stage
Oct 28
Merrily From Center Stage recalls a very specific time in 1981 when the legendary musical theater team of Hal Prince, Stephen Sondheim and George Furth...
The Fantaskicks
Sep 19 – Oct 6, 2024
A Romantic MusicalThe Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in the world and with good reason: at the heart of its breathtaking poetry and subtle theatrical...
Anything Goes
Aug 8 – Aug 18, 2024
Set Sail for Laughter, Love, and High Seas Adventure as Our 76th Season Sets Sail with the Cole Porter Classic!Music, dance, laughs, and the age-old...
Disney's The Little Mermaid JR. Show
Jul 19
A hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages performed by our youngest stars.In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave...
Disney's Finding Nemo KIDS
Jun 28
Explore the big blue world with this lively musical based on the beloved Pixar movie featuring our young stars!Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS is a 35-minute...
Disney's Winnie the Pooh KIDS Show
Jun 14
Disney's Winnie the Pooh KIDS ShowPooh Bear and all of his friends from the classic children’s books and animated film band together to rescue their...
Kiss Me, Kate
Apr 25 – May 12, 2024
MPAC is Sizzling with Comedy Magic this Spring! Kiss Me, Kate shines as one of Broadway’s most sparkling achievements. This is the winner of the first-ever...
MPAC Youth Education Presents CELEBRATE BROADWAY!
May 11
Come on along and listen to the great music of Broadway! CELEBRATE BROADWAY!Come join Manatee Performing Arts Center’s Spring Education Program’s performance as we celebrate Broadway...
Parade
Mar 7 – Mar 17, 2024
This musical drama takes place amid religious intolerance, political injustice and racial tension, Parade explores the endurance of love and hope against all the odds.
The Glass Menagerie
Feb 29 – Mar 10, 2024
A cramped apartment. A family struggling with its past. A Gentleman Caller who brings hope. Join us for Tennessee Williams’ astonishing play about dreams...
Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!
Jan 25 – Feb 4, 2024
The Hamilton of its day! Oklahoma! is the groundbreaking musical that set the stage for all that followed! It kicked off a Golden Age of American...
Crimes of the Heart
Jan 11 – Jan 21, 2024
Meg just left one.Lenny never had one.Babe just shot one. The Magrath sisters sure have a way with men! The Pulitzer Prize-winning show follows the story of...
She Loves Me
Nov 30 – Dec 10, 2023
Performance Dates:Thursday, November 30, 2023 from 7:30 PM-10:00 PMFriday, December 1, 2023 from 8:00 PM-10:30 PMSaturday, December 2, 2023 from 8:00 PM-10:30 PMSunday, December 3,...
The Drowsy Chaperone
Oct 26 – Nov 5, 2023
“A Musical Within a Comedy”When a die-hard theatre fan plays his favorite cast album, the characters come to life in this hilarious Tony Award-winning musical...
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Oct 1 – Oct 31, 2023
The story is a mixture of adventure, love, hate and sex. The audience is introduced to a newly engaged couple, Brad and Janet, who encounter...
The Rocky Horror Show
Oct 19 – Oct 31, 2023
“Let’s Do the Time Warp Again!”In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion...
Songs for a New World
Sep 14 – Sep 24, 2023
Performance Dates:Thursday, September 14-24, 2023Thursday, September 14, 2023 – 7:30 PM – 9:15 PMFriday, September 15, 2023 – 8:00 PM – 9:45 PMSaturday, September 16,...
Something Rotten!
Aug 10 – Aug 27, 2023
Welcome to the Renaissance!Two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway.Set in the...
Seussical KIDS Show
Jul 21
Transporting audiences from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus, the Cat in the Hat, our narrator, tells the story of Horton, an elephant...
Disney's Frozen KIDS
Jun 30
Disney’s worldwide phenomenon is taking our stage by (snow)storm!You’ll love this fanciful and heartwarming stage adaptation of the celebrated animated film. Join Anna, Elsa, Olaf,...
Disney's The Lion King JR.
Jun 16
Disney's The Lion King JR. is the inspiring coming-of-age “tail.” The African savannah comes to life on stage with Simba, Rafiki and an unforgettable cast...
Sunset Boulevard
Apr 27 – May 14, 2023
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s SUNSET BOULEVARDBased on the Billy Wilder film, the musical version of Sunset Boulevard is a tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition....
DraMature Presents "A Hollywood 1940's USO Radio Musical"
May 9 – May 10, 2023
Travel back in time with DraMature to the 1940's era of Bob Hope, USO tours, and radio plays. This show is filled with songs, skits,...
Annie KIDS
May 6
Much like its protagonist, Annie KIDS is equally full of pluck and positivity. This adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical follows little orphan Annie as...
Driving Miss Daisy
Apr 5 – Apr 23, 2023
This Pulitzer-winning play was the most successful play to be put on in the Bradenton Kiwanis Theater and is returning to bring this heartfelt tale...
COMPANY
Mar 2 – Mar 12, 2023
Sondheim's game-changing musical is a sophisticated and honest look at modern adult relationships.Robert’s 35th birthday has arrived and his friends join him, but they constantly...
Go Ask Alice
Feb 1 – Feb 5, 2023
Go Ask AliceA raindrop just splashed on my forehead," Alice wrote in her diary, "and it was like a tear from heaven. Am I really...
NEXT TO NORMAL
Jan 19 – Jan 29, 2023
An unflinching look at a suburban family struggling with the effects of mental illness. NEXT TO NORMAL is an emotional powerhouse that addresses such issues...
THE MUSIC MAN
Dec 1 – Dec 18, 2022
In River City, Illinois, the town was promised a marching band by a salesman named Harold Hill. What they dont know is that he is...
Pets! The Musical
Nov 9 – Nov 20, 2022
This critically-acclaimed musical review consists of 22 musical scenes dealing with the very special relationship between people and their pets. It's clever, user-friendly and suits...
Gypsy
Oct 20 – Oct 30, 2022
The Mother of All Musicals! The jewel of Broadway's Golden Age, Gypsy boasts an incomparable score, a brilliantly conceived book, and one of the greatest...
RENT
Sep 14 – Oct 2, 2022
La Vie Boheme!Jonathan Larson's iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning musical that shaped a generation of audiences and taught us all to measure our life in love.Set in...
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Aug 11 – Aug 21, 2022
Power, sex, ambition, greedIts just another day at the office in this classic satire of big business. Big business means big laughs in this delightfully...
TITANIC-The Musical
Apr 28 – May 15, 2022
Epic and majestic-with moments of heartbreaking intimacy-TITANIC-The Musical captures the triumph and tragedy of the hopeful passengers on the ill-fated Ship of Dreams.Based on real...
THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES
Mar 16 – Mar 27, 2022
You don't want to miss this musical that has gorgeous costumes, toe-tapping music and fantastic choreography! THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES stands out among musicals because...
CHAPLIN
Jan 20 – Jan 30, 2022
He came to America an unknown. He left amidst scandals and controversy. In between, Charlie Chaplin became one of the best-loved and most famous entertainers...
I Do! I Do!
Apr 22 – May 9, 2021
The story of a marriage is at the center of I Do! I Do!, an intimate and nostalgic work by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones...
The Long Reunion
May 26 – May 28, 2018
WORLD PREMIERE - Three friends from a seaside high school meet for a 25th anniversary graduation luncheon. Their lives have not turned out according to...
NINE the musical
Jan 11 – Jan 28, 2018
Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Dec 1 – Dec 18, 2016
Back by Popular Demand following its sold-out 2010 engagement....
Videos