Accessing Entertainment at the Manatee Performing Arts Center

By Simone Knego | June 2023

The Manatee Performing Arts Center is an important cultural hub for the Bradenton/Sarasota region, offering a wide range of artistic and cultural experiences to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The center is the home of Manatee Players, a community theater troupe that will be celebrating their 75^th anniversary in October. The Manatee Players program was started by a small group of women from the Bradenton Woman’s Club who sought an opportunity to raise funds for their organization through a program activity. This led them to organize a show that was presented at the Bradenton Women’s Club. 

This event, which happened during Christmas season in 1947, received tremendous support from the community, with many people participating in the production and others coming to watch live theater. Due to this overwhelming response, the event developed into its own 501(c)(3) in 1948 and the organization moved into its first facility in 1953. The Manatee Performing Arts Center opened in March 2013, and the Manatee Players now operates under the legal name of the Florida Cultural Group, Inc.

Over the years, the organization has continued to evolve, providing greater access to live entertainment, culturally-based events, and performance-based education. 

According to Janene M. Amick, CEO of the Florida Cultural Group, “As a fully operational performing arts center, we produce and present our own productions and contract traveling artists. Additionally, we have several educational programs that showcase the talent of young and older artists. We have concerts featuring local artists, studios presenting their recitals, and even movies. With something happening most weekends, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy at least once a year.”

During the pandemic, they had to cancel many mainstage productions. However, their organization is resilient, thanks to their board of directors, senior team, and dedicated volunteers who were determined to help support our community’s mental well-being despite the challenges. After just two and a half months of working from home, they began brainstorming ways to provide entertainment while adhering to state guidelines. The performing arts center decided to hold free outdoor concerts and movies in partnership with Realize Bradenton and Bradenton Kiwanis, ensuring everyone wore masks and maintained social distancing and meeting its mission of being a safe place to gather. Additionally, the organization held four full-length mainstage productions (with actors donning shields) and two concerts that were offered live on stage and simulcast outside on a large screen and on Vimeo for people to enjoy in the comfort of their homes. Though it took almost a year to return to a traditional setup, they prioritized supporting artists and showing them that they are essential in the community. 

“We firmly believe that live entertainment has a profound impact on one’s emotional well-being and wanted to bring it back as soon as possible,” says Amick. This year, individual tickets for the Manatee Players season go on sale on July 5. Manatee Performing Arts Center will be, once again, pushing itself regarding the number of opportunities to come and enjoy live entertainment. They’re bouncing back to right where they were pre-COVID. They are going to have six mainstage musicals, small drama productions, concerts, and movies. They will also have seven different youth education projects, two DraMature (senior troupe) productions, and at least thirty venue rentals. 

During the summer months of June and July, the Manatee Performing Arts Center offers traditional theatrical programs to kids and teens. At least 40 students participate daily in learning theater skills that directly correlate with life skills necessary for personal growth and academic success. They conduct two-week intensive theatrical production camps, where students learn to work collaboratively as a team, project their voice, use a microphone, and work behind the scenes. On the last Friday of the camp, students showcase their newfound skills in a ticketed performance, which is often their first time performing in front of an audience. 

In August, Something Rotten! will run at the performing arts center. “It’s an entertaining show with a multi-generational cast that will tickle your funny bone and immerse you in another time period,” says Amick.

The Manatee Performing Arts Center is committed to giving back to the community. They have organized a program called “For Kids By Kids,” offering free access to dress rehearsals on a first-come first-serve basis for kids in our community from organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs, Palmetto Community Center, YMCA, 59^th Street Park, and others. This program provides an opportunity for kids to see other kids their age and gain inspiration to take classes or participate in future productions. Amick shared, “It is a joy to see this program evolve, and we never know who in the audience may be inspired to try theater themselves after seeing someone who looks like them perform.”

Penguin Players, welcomes people aged 23 years and above with disabilities, including cognitive, learning, motor, hearing and visual impairments, genetic disorders, and neurological conditions. The program operates on a peer mentor system where each artist is paired with a peer who does not have a disability, aged 23 years and above. The peer mentors work alongside their partners throughout the rehearsal process and on stage, with responsibilities such as memorizing their partner’s lines, songs, and blocking. During the production, the mentors are costumed to match or complement their partners and participate in group production numbers. They are trained to remain in the background and provide direct assistance to their partners only as needed. Participants must be willing to commit to two rehearsals a week for 15 weeks. For younger artists aged 8-22, the Penguin Project is available. The motto of this program is “Our Penguins may not be able to fly but that doesn’t keep their spirits from soaring.”

The center also focuses on partnerships with community organizations. Its Action through Acting is a series of community-focused, theatrical productions selected to increase awareness of socially relevant issues. The theme of each production highlights a crucial issue affecting our community and can be an impetus for meaningful conversations. Action through Acting serves as a platform to give voice to Affiliate Partners, their mission, community programs, and the individuals they serve. There is no cost for Affiliate Partners, as this is another way the Manatee Performing Arts Center serves the greater community.

“We invite you to invest in our bounce-back endeavor as we strive to return to pre-COVID levels of events,” says Amick. “To achieve this, we require support from individuals through both box office ticket sales and donations as we physically construct all our sets. Due to the recent surge in construction costs, the impact of a financial investment would be significant in facilitating our financial recovery. Your contribution can go a long way in ensuring our financial stability.”

There are various volunteer opportunities available at the performing arts center. They welcome individuals interested in sewing, box office reception, ushering, carpentry, painting, social media, and other programs. Additionally, they offer an excellent opportunity for students to learn the art of reviewing productions. They will receive free access to shows and training on how to write reviews that can be published in different papers. This is especially important as there are fewer and fewer opportunities in the journalism field for high school students to gain this experience. They believe in keeping this art alive and encourage interested individuals to get involved.

To learn more about the Manatee Performing Arts Center, please visit www.manateeperformingartscenter.com.