Arcade Theater

The Arcade Theater — branded today as the Historic Arcade Theatre — is a landmark performance venue in the Fort Myers River District of Southwest Florida. It was built in 1915 by brothers Harvie and Gilmer Heitman and originally operated as a vaudeville house and movie theatre. According to local historian T.M. Jacobs, the Arcade hosted vaudeville acts, magic shows, local talent nights and plays in its early decades. After a long period in which the building sat dark, Florida Repertory Theatre took over the property in 1998 and restored it as the company's principal stage. Today the Arcade Theatre is a beautifully restored 393-seat proscenium theatre with natural acoustics, a full concession bar in the main lobby, and a historic house that serves as the flagship venue of Florida Repertory Theatre, described by The Wall Street Journal as "One of America's Top Repertory Companies!" Florida Rep produces a wide variety of comedies, dramas and musicals at the Arcade, drawing more than 87,000 people to the Fort Myers River District annually. The company also operates the smaller ArtStage Studio Theatre, which opened in 2009 and was renovated with support from board member Arthur "Art" Zupko to seat up to 120 patrons. As a venue brand, the Arcade Theatre is inseparable from Florida Repertory Theatre, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) professional regional theatre. Its season programming includes classics, thrillers, regional premieres and musicals, with productions staged in repertory across the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage Studio. The Arcade's identity blends early-twentieth-century entertainment history with contemporary nonprofit regional theatre, making it both a heritage building and an active commercial and cultural brand in Southwest Florida.

The Arcade Theatre was built in 1915 by brothers Harvie and Gilmer Heitman in Fort Myers, Florida. It originally operated as a vaudeville house and movie theatre. Local historian and writer T.M. Jacobs noted that "the Arcade originally hosted vaudeville, including magic acts, local talent nights, and plays." For much of the twentieth century the building served as an entertainment venue in the Fort Myers River District, but it eventually fell dark for years. In 1998, Florida Repertory Theatre took over the building and restored it as the company's principal performance space. The restored venue is a 393-seat proscenium theatre with natural acoustics and a full concession bar in the main lobby. Florida Repertory Theatre, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) professional theatre company, has since produced its mainstage seasons in the Historic Arcade Theatre, presenting comedies, dramas, musicals and regional premieres. The company also opened the ArtStage Studio Theatre in 2009; that venue was later renovated with support from board member Arthur "Art" Zupko to offer up to 120 seats, a larger stage and a new lighting system. By the 2020s, Florida Repertory Theatre was celebrating more than 28 years of professional live theatre and preparing its 2026–2027 Season 29. The Historic Arcade Theatre remains the organization's flagship stage and a recognized heritage landmark in Southwest Florida.

• 2026

  Florida Repertory Theatre prepares Season 29 (2026–2027) with productions in the Historic Arcade Theatre.

• 2024

  Season Twenty-Seven (2024–2025) productions staged in the Historic Arcade Theatre and ArtStage Studio Theatre.

• 2009

  ArtStage Studio Theatre opens with The Santaland Diaries.

• 1998

  Florida Repertory Theatre takes over the Arcade Theatre building after years of it being dark.

• 1915

  Arcade Theatre built by brothers Harvie and Gilmer Heitman as a vaudeville house and movie theatre.

A restored historic vaudeville and movie house serving as the flagship venue of Florida Repertory Theatre, a nonprofit professional regional theatre in Southwest Florida.

• Historic Arcade Theatre mainstage season

  A season of comedies, dramas, musicals and regional premieres staged in the 393-seat Historic Arcade Theatre.

• ArtStage Studio Theatre productions

  Smaller-scale productions in a renovated studio venue seating up to 120.

1. 1Home - Florida Repertory Theatre - Professional Live Theatrefloridarep.org
2. 2Production History | Florida Repertory Theatrefloridarep.org
3. 3About Us - Florida Repertory Theatrefloridarep.org
4. 4Our Stages | Florida Repfloridarep.org
5. 5Arcade Theater - Wikidatawikidata.org