• 1926

    Orlando Little Players

    • 1925 - Founding in December.

    • 1932 - Christmas Pageant.

    • 1932 - Constitution and By Laws.

  • 1934

    Orlando Little Theatre

    • 1934 - Incorporation

    • 1935 - 11 Play Season

    • 1942 - 1946 - Disbandment

    • 1946 - 1957 - Season

    • 1958 - Announcement of Loch Haven Park site

    • 1958 - 1959 - Season

  • 1959

    Montana Avenue

    • 1959 - Move to 813 Montana Ave.

    • 1959 - Name change to Orlando Players Little Theatre

    • 1959 - 1960 - Opening season at Montana Ave. house

  • 1960

    Beginning of Junior Players

    • 1960 - 1961 - Children's Productions

    • 1962 - Joe Brechner, Building Drive

    • 1964 - Evelyn Duclos, first president of Orlando Players Little Theatre, retires president emeritus

    • 1964 - 1965 - Season renovations to theatre include A/C, heat, and new seats

    • 1966 - 1967 - 30th Anniversary of theatre, Loch Haven Intentions

    • 1967 - 1968 - Junior Theatre continues

    • 1967 - First contact with Edyth Bush, early and major supporter

  • 1968

    Loch Haven Park

    • 1968 - Name change from "Orlando Players Little Theatre" to "Central Florida Civic Theatre"

    • 1968 - Architectural Prospectus, Loch Haven Park

    • 1971 - 1972 - Loch Haven Park Layout Plans

    • 1972 - Groundbreaking at Loch Haven Park

    • 1973 - 1974 - Founding board

    • 1973 - 1974 - Edyth Bush Theatre opens

    • 1974 - 1975 - Tupperware Children's Theatre opens

  • 1975

    First Season of Children's Plays

    • 1975 - 1976 - First Season of Children’s Plays presented by Civic Theatre Guild

    • 1975 - 1976 - Civic Theatre hosts the Florida Theater Conference’s 17th annual play festival June 1976 - (host for first time)

    • 1976 - 1980 - Civic Theatre for Young People (TYP) grows, serving K-3rd grade , full Drama Academy

    • 1977 - 1978 - Civic celebrates 50th Anniversary Gala

    • 1978 - 1979 - Starts “Second Stage” mini series, experimental/satirical theatre in Tupperware

    • 1979 - 1980 - Rehearsal Hall added, Drama Academy gets press

  • 1980

    First Field Trips Presented for Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA)

    • 1981 - Study Committee and Building Committee to plan a third performance space

    • 1990 - Anne Densch Theatre

    • 1997 - Full Equity Season

  • 2000

    UCF Partnership - Becoming Orlando Rep

    • 2000 - Glenda Hood and John Hitt formed a community coalition to bring the Orlando Civic Theatre under UCF’s ownership, triggering major renovation and programming changes, and launching it as Orlando Repertory Theatre

    • 2000 - Renovation of building with funds from Orange County

    • 2000 - First season of programming at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre building

    • 2003 - First season of programming at the renovated REP

    • 2004 - Launch of UCF’s MFA in Theatre for Young Audiences, in partnership with Orlando REP, creating a unique graduate-training residency in professional TYA.

  • 2006

    Orlando Repertory Theatre

    • 2008 - Gene Columbus becomes Executive Director, transitioning from Disney to lead Orlando REP at a pivotal time.

    • 2009 - Secured a $200K Bank of America Neighborhood Builder grant, critical to stabilization during the recession.

    • 2012 - Selected by the Kennedy Center Partners in Education Institute, partnering with OCPS to deliver arts-integrated learning.

    • 2016 - In August 2016, Orlando REP became the first arts nonprofit to be recognized by the Orlando Sentinel as one of Central Florida’s Top 100 Companies, honoring its excellence in workplace culture, staff welfare, and alignment with its mission

    • 2016 - Joined the Kennedy Center ELTA initiative, expanding arts-integration programs in OCPS schools .

    • 2020 - Premiered Vote? by Eric Coble, Orlando REP’s first fully filmed, fully streamed theatrical production, created in response to COVID‑19 theatre closures. It streamed on BroadwayOnDemand and aired on WUCF‑TV, bringing civic‑themed theatre into homes and classrooms across the nation.

    • 2022 - Orlando REP partners with TheaterWorksUSA, establishing Orlando as a regional hub for national TYA touring productions; debuts the partnership with Dog Man: The Musical.

  • 2023

    Orlando Family Stage

    • 2023 - Rebranded as Orlando Family Stage to better represent our work and mission.

    • 2023 - Acquisition of MicheLee Puppets, preserving Tracey Conner’s legacy and integrating its educational puppetry into OFS programming.

    • 2024 - Partnered with Gershwin Entertainment to co‑produce A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live On Stage national tour. Featuring local performers and refreshed scenic, costume, and lighting design, this collaboration elevated Orlando’s role on a 32‑city tour.