Tips & Trips
Seaside Rep Sets The Stage For Creative Vacations
When most people think of a beach getaway, they picture sun, sand and water, plus a week’s worth of warm summer fun. But seasoned South Walton visitors know they can add professional-quality live theatre performances to the list of things to do on their vacations, thanks to the Seaside Repertory Theatre.
“It’s actually become a tradition for a lot of people”, says Brook Stetler, the theatre’s artistic director. “We recognize the same families in the audience year after year, and kids will send us pictures they’ve taken of cast members in our shows. It’s nice to know we’re becoming a part of people’s vacation photo albums.”
It’s the culmination of a dream that began back in the spring of 2001, when a group of local artistic visionaries decided South Walton needed a first-rate theatre company. The Rep brought on a small group of local volunteers and talented professionals, then forged a strong relationship with the award-winning theatre program at Florida State University in nearby Tallahassee. Slowly but surely, The Rep developed into a regional artistic powerhouse, and now entertains more than 25,000 people every year.
That may be due to the wide variety of performances and venues that the Seaside Repertory Theatre (locally known as “The Rep”) plays every season. From the whimsy of kid-friendly shows like River Rat and Cat outdoors at the Alys Beach Amphitheatre to the hysterical Hitchcockian farce The 39 Steps at The Rep’s own 75-seat theatre in Seaside’s Central Square, from a series of intimate concerts to six days a week of storytelling, the Seaside Rep has essentially become the cultural center of South Walton.
Of course, even The Rep’s biggest fans realize the top draw for South Walton’s visitors will always be the natural beauty of its sugar-white beaches and the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico. “But The Rep gives South Walton a bounce of creative energy that both residents and visitors can share in,” says Stetler. “Basically, Seaside Rep helps keep South Walton from being your typical sleepy beach town by providing a fun, creative vibe that other small coastal destinations just don’t have.”
For an up-to-date listing of scheduled Seaside Rep shows and concerts, or to purchase tickets, go to www.seasiderep.org or call (850) 231-0733.
Modified: April 30, 2012 3:28 pm
