HELP US BUILD THE NEXT 100 YEARS
For nearly 100 years, The Sarasota Players has been a place where our community comes together to perform, learn, laugh, connect, and be inspired.
Generations of Sarasota-area residents have walked through our doors to take the stage, see a show, learn a new skill, volunteer, make lifelong friendships, or simply experience the magic of live theatre.
Our theatre renovation is an important step toward ensuring that The Sarasota Players can continue serving our community for generations to come. By renovating our new facility, Payne Park Auditorium, we can create a space that allows us to produce exceptional performances more comfortably and effectively while welcoming even more people to experience the arts.
This project isn’t about luxury upgrades or unnecessary extras. It’s about making a thoughtful, practical investment in the place where our community takes the stage.
The renovation focuses on essential improvements that will strengthen the functionality, safety, and longevity of our theatre. These improvements will directly impact our ability to produce shows, support performers and production teams, provide educational opportunities, welcome audiences, and continue growing our community programs.
Every improvement is designed with one question in mind:
A renovation requires a community that believes in the future of the arts and understands the role a theatre can play in a thriving community.
Your support helps us make these critical improvements without taking resources away from the programs, productions, education, and community experiences that happen here every day.
By investing in the renovation, you’re helping us protect our operating funds while giving our theatre the foundation it needs for the future.
A gift to this project can be more than a donation. It can become part of the history of The Sarasota Players.
Naming opportunities offer a rare chance to create permanent recognition within a beloved community institution.
Whether honoring your family, celebrating someone special, recognizing a business, or demonstrating your commitment to the arts, a naming opportunity allows your generosity to become part of the theatre itself.
Your name can become part of the place where future generations make their own memories.
Ask us about available naming opportunities and the different ways you can leave a lasting mark on The Sarasota Players.
We believe in being good stewards of every dollar entrusted to The Sarasota Players. That’s why this renovation is focused on practical improvements with measurable impact.
The Payne Park Sprint has one simple promise: 180 days. Zero overhead. Every dollar renovates Payne Park Auditorium. The Payne Park Sprint is intentionally designed to be focused, transparent, and efficient. No campaign funds will be used for administrative overhead, campaign salaries, studies, unrelated operating expenses, or other soft costs. Every dollar raised through the campaign will be dedicated to approved renovation expenses at Payne Park Auditorium.
Q: How is this campaign different from past fundraising efforts? This is a six-month, renovation-only campaign with no soft costs. Every dollar goes directly to construction materials, equipment, and renovation work.
Q: How do I know my donation will be used responsibly? All funds are deposited into a designated account at Gulfside Community Bank. Money is released only for approved expenses related to renovation.
Q: What exactly am I funding? Renovation priorities include seating upgrades, lighting and electrical improvements, flooring, lobby modernization, accessibility enhancements, acoustics, and safety updates.
Q: Will my gift support staff, overhead, or administrative costs? No. This campaign strictly prohibits soft costs. Only renovation expenses are eligible for disbursement.
Q: Will I receive updates? Yes. Monthly renovation progress reports and photo updates will be shared publicly. Q: Are naming opportunities available? Yes, seats, lobby features, lighting and sound components and more. Q: Is my donation tax-deductible? Yes. The Sarasota Players is a registered nonprofit organization.
A theatre is more than a building. It is a gathering place.
Community theatre creates opportunities for people of different ages, backgrounds, and experiences to work together toward something bigger than themselves. It gives people a place to belong, a place to create, and a place to share stories.
BRINGS GENERATIONS TOGETHER
From young performers taking their first steps on stage to longtime volunteers with decades of experience, community theatre brings people of all ages together around a common goal.
CREATES A SENSE OF BELONGING
Actors, directors, designers, technicians, ushers, volunteers, and audiences all play a role. Together, they become part of a theatre family.
STRENGTHENS LOCAL IDENTITY
Community theatres tell stories that matter to the people who live here. They provide a space where local talent, experiences, history, and culture can be celebrated.
ENCOURAGES DIALOGUE
Theatre gives audiences an opportunity to see complex issues through another person’s eyes. It can spark conversations, challenge assumptions, and encourage people to think differently.
PRESERVES STORIES AND CULTURE
From Shakespeare and classic works to contemporary plays and new works, community theatres help keep the tradition of live storytelling alive—and create opportunities to tell new stories of our own.
The impact of theatre doesn’t end when the curtain falls.
For the people who participate, theatre is an opportunity to develop skills that extend far beyond the stage.
CONFIDENCE & COMMUNICATION
Performing, directing, stage managing, designing, and collaborating teach people how to communicate, lead, problem-solve, and work as a team.
CREATIVITY & SELF-EXPRESSION
Theatre gives people permission to imagine, experiment, take creative risks, and discover their own voices.
RESILIENCE & COLLABORATION
Putting together a production requires hundreds of people to solve problems together, adapt when things don’t go according to plan, and support one another.
A PLACE TO BE SEEN
Community theatre can provide a welcoming environment where people can find their people, build friendships, and participate without needing to be the “best” in the room.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Young people who participate in theatre gain opportunities to practice leadership, creativity, public speaking, responsibility, and teamwork—all while building confidence and discovering new possibilities for their futures.
