A theatrical experience encompasses so much more than merely watching actors perform a play or musical on stage. Theaters across the country are implementing measures to make the experience more immersive. At Fort Myers Theatre, that starts the moment audience members come inside.
“As you enter the theater, the audience actually walks onto the stage,” noted co-founder and Producing Artistic Director Michelle Kuntze. “You feel as an audience member that you are a part of the show, that you are breathing and living in the stage, and nothing compares to that experience of just feeling like you are in the show, you are there and you are a part of it.”
In most theaters, the stage is elevated. Not so at Fort Myers Theatre, where the stage is at ground level and the seating is elevated, much like bleachers in a football stadium or basketball arena, except the seats are plush and cushy.
“The audience gets to look down at the actors,” said Kuntze. “So it’s a different perspective than anything else in our area and it’s really unique.”
The immersive quality of the show doesn’t end once the actors take their final bows.
“After the show, what’s really fun is that the audience is invited to come onstage with the actors, take pictures, meet and greet, and really become a part of the show,” Kuntze said. “Kids can go up on the stage, meet Dorothy if you’re seeing ‘Wizard of Oz’ or Annie. So it really does allow the audience to be a part of the show.”
These and other measures make going to a musical or play at Fort Myers Theatre a singular experience.
Next up at the theater is “Masquerade,” a contemporary musical about fitting in and bullying. It’s onstage June 19 to 22.
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The viewing experience is enhanced at Fort Myers Theatre by the theater’s size.
“There’s only a hundred seats,” Kuntze observed. “Every seat provides an unobstructed view of the stage, the set and the actors. Not only is the set painted, but so is the stage floor. This enables you to see all the action, even if it’s in the back. The first row is literally on the stage floor, so patrons seated there feel like the show is being performed just for them.”
Fort Myers Theatre strives for optimal production value. The lighting is top notch and the theater’s state-of-the-art sound system is enhanced by the theater’s small size and top-to-bottom configuration.
Kuntze and her creative and technical teams take pride in making the theater a great venue for the whole family, although the theater does provide adult-oriented programming like “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Rent” and “tick, tick ... Boom!”
“If you’re looking for a date night, it’s great for couples,” said Kuntze. “But depending on the show, it’s also a great place for grandparents to take their grandkids to see live theater.”
The casts are also family friendly.
“We have wonderful actors of all ages,” Kuntze noted. “People that are retired and may be coming back into the theater after having performed when they were younger. We have college students from FGCU and Florida SouthWestern State College. We have really talented middle and high school students. It’s really a really great mix of all ages performing and coming together to create this amazing community and really magical work on stage.”
Kuntze traces the theater’s origins back to 2019. They signed a lease for their space on San Carlos Boulevard just in time for the start of the pandemic. But they weathered the pandemic, along with hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton.
“You don’t want to miss Fort Myers Theatre,” Kuntze said. “It is a magical place for all ages. Whether you’re on vacation or just looking for a place to be completely entertained, every seat’s a great seat and you’ll be missing out if you don’t come out.”
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
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