Orlando Family Stage Brings the Enchantment of Family Theater to Life

This is the second newsroom story in a series highlighting local arts and culture organizations awarded Cultural Tourism Grants from Orange County.

For nearly a century Orlando Family Stage has been inspiring families with beloved musicals, captivating theater, unforgettable summer camps, and so much more. Nearly 54,000 audience members attended performances in 2024 and more than 1,100 kids participated in its Youth Academy Programs.

Exposing kids to the arts goes far beyond entertainment. No one knows this better than Chris Brown, executive director of Orlando Family Stage (formerly Orlando Repertory Theatre). Located in Loch Haven Park – a cultural corridor for Orange County – this gem has operated for decades as Florida’s only full-time professional theater for young audiences, offering enriching programming that fosters creative expression.

“Children need art and culture experiences early on in their life. That’s when their brain is developing, and they learn empathy and human nature,” said Brown. “It teaches them about their voice, and how to use that in the world.”

It’s only fitting that Orlando Family Stage’s overall mission is to “empower young people to be brave and empathetic by creating quality theatrical experiences.”

With a full-time focus on youth, Orlando Family Stage has secured a niche within the community with theatrical experiences and professional productions just right for its audience. They continually dedicate resources to deliver spectacular programming that keeps kids engaged and excited about the arts.

“Some people may talk down on us because we are a place for children. But we actually have the biggest responsibility,” he said. “If we do our jobs, these kids will be arts patrons for the rest of their lives.”

Orlando Family Stage might not be what it is today without the ongoing support and funding from the Orange County Tourist Development Tax. They were one of 40 local recipients recently honored with grants totaling $4.6 million at the second annual Orange County ACT Awards. Orange County’s office of Arts and Cultural Affairs contracts with United Arts of Central Florida to steward the grant application process and oversee the program that supports organizations with projects that bring visitors to Orange County. Orlando Family Stage was awarded $175,000.

“We are insanely blessed to have local government that has these kinds of dollars. It is actually quite rare,” Brown said. “It’s a beautiful thing we have going here.”

As Orlando Family Stage readies for its Centennial Celebration in 2026, Brown reflects on a defining moment of his tenure.

Fresh in his role as executive director, and eager to unveil his vision for Orlando Family Stage, Brown was soon faced with the unexpected challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent drop in attendance.

“It was a really frustrating time. I was very much tested as a leader,” he said. “We made hard choices.”

They remained nimble, launched new lines of business, conducted more research, clarified their mission and eventually rebranded. Slowly but surely the tightly knit team found innovative ways to encourage new audiences.  Brown said, “It reflects the resilience of this place. We have survived for nearly 100 years.”

While public audiences are still down around 30 percent nationwide, Brown was encouraged with the success of its recent holiday production A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage which exceeded public projections and became the highest grossing show in its history.

Orlando Family Stage’s popular youth summer camps have expanded beyond the Loch Haven campus into UCF, Lake Nona, the Villages and Dr. Phillips communities to meet demand.

Remaining shows this season include Dragon’s Love Tacos The Musical, Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical, Toddler Story Strolls, Baby and Me and Dinosaur Dance Party.

“It’s part of our nature to keep evolving,” Brown said. “The best is yet to come.”

Visit www.orlandofamilystage.com for more information.