The Naples Players’ has received the prestigious Grand Aurora Award for Best Rehabilitation Project for its $22 million theater renovation. Spanning 12 states and more than 60 categories, the Aurora Awards celebrate excellence in architecture, interior design, and construction across the Southeast.
It’s all about the audience experience, says Naples Players CEO and Executive Artistic Director Bryce Alexander.
“Audiences have been over the moon about the new experience,” said Alexander. “People walk through the doors and go, ‘Oh my gosh, this is a world-class place in the middle of little Naples, Florida.”
In addition to the Aurora Award, the renovation was recently highlighted on the nationally broadcast series “America by Design.” The feature showcased how the project redefines the role of a theater in modern society not just as a performance space, but as a cultural hub for education, wellness, and community partnerships. Viewers across the country were introduced to TNP’s innovative design, its 700-strong volunteer community, and its mission of building community through exceptional access to the power of theater.
Overlooked in the din of the glitz and fanfare is TNP’s library.
“In the recent era, it's been tougher for the schools to carry plays or dramas or things that deal with difficult subjects,” Alexander observed. “And so, our library is open to the public to access plays, musicals or textbooks related to arts and culture.”
Alexander would love to have everyone see The Naples Players' extreme makeover. So, it’s conducting free daily tours at noon and 5 p.m. to provide guests with an inside look at the cutting-edge redesign.
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The Grand Aurora Award for Best Rehabilitation Project – Commercial & Industrial is the highest honor presented by the Florida Home Builders Association’s Aurora Awards. The award is an extraordinary distinction. It means The Naples Players’ renovation is among the most innovative and impactful projects in the region.
“This recognition affirms our vision that a theatre can be both a cultural and community landmark,” said CEO and Executive Artistic Director Bryce Alexander. “The Aurora Award underscores the importance of not only preserving but reimagining community spaces in ways that inspire creativity, sustainability, and connection.”
The Naples Players is the only LEED-certified theater in Florida. BUILD LLC led and David Corban Architects designed the sustainable, LEED-certified renovation.
To secure that certification, TNP didn’t break any rules, but it certainly had a hand in rewriting a few.
“We worked with the city to adopt new standards for the kinds of plants that could be provided outdoors in the landscaping,” noted Alexander. “It's all local flora. It's all saltwater inundation-proof. So, if we ever have any flooding, the plants don't have to be ripped out and replaced. They don't need regular mulching. They don't need regular pruning. And so, we're able to not only demonstrate the quality of local artists, but local flora. It's a good example of what happens when private nonprofits work with the community to influence the local government to do something that benefits everyone."
The reimagined facility now boasts three fully modernized performance venues—the 452- seat Kizzie Theater, the 106-seat Price Studio Theater, and the 106-seat Glass Theater. Each is equipped with advanced lighting, sound, and staging systems to enhance both professional productions and educational performances.
“But most importantly, those spaces are accessible to our community in ways that other organizations can't,” Alexander commented.
Alexander is especially proud of the Kizzie Theatre’s new sensory room.
“We built a sensory room into the main Broadway theater so that any family impacted by autism or Down syndrome or sensory processing can actually purchase a private booth, control their own temperature, lighting and sound,” noted Alexander. “There's a private entrance, private bathrooms, so that any family can access any of the performances.”
New rehearsal halls, classrooms, a library, and gathering spaces expand opportunities for education, and TNP recently started Southwest Florida's only full-time Performing Arts Academy in the renovated facility.
“The rehearsal halls, classrooms all have sprung floors,” Alexander added. “We have a cafe that's open for our volunteers during the day and then for our patrons at night. We have a state-of-the-art costume shop, we have a state-of-the-art scene shop, all within one facility. At so many organizations, you have your scene shop up north and you have your costume shop somewhere else and you're driving between these places. This organization is in one spot. It allows the community to access any of those departments and truly fulfill our mission of building community together.”
The shift in technology and acoustics is unparalleled.
“We invested a huge amount of money in working with acousticians from around the state that designed a unique wall system that allows the theater to sound very acoustic even in an age where everything is very amplified,” Alexander said.
There’s not a seat in any of the three theaters that has an obstructed view.
“There're no columns. There're no railings. There's nothing in the way,” Alexander observed. “Every seat is very accessible. There are more accessible seats in our theater than any other theater of our size in the state.”
A number of the improvement are pragmatic, like the tension grid in both black box theaters.
“The grid exists above the audience's heads and allows anyone to walk over the open area of the theater to hang lights or sound,” Alexander noted. “It's a wonderful teaching laboratory. It doesn't require ladders. It doesn't require rolling lifts. It doesn't require any of that. And so, we are able to implement the technical elements of the theaters much more efficiently.”
While TNP, its staff and volunteers take tremendous pride in the Grand Aurora and the national attention that’s come from the "America by Design" feature, Alexander’s overarching hope is that community members from around the state will understand the value of what the theater is doing to lead the nation in arts and change a national perception of the value of art.
About The Naples Players
The Naples Players (TNP) is a nationally recognized community theater dedicated to building community through exceptional access to the power of theater. Located in the heart of downtown Naples, TNP engages more than 700 volunteers annually, reaching over 70,000 audience members and students through high-quality productions, inclusive education programs, and innovative community partnerships. With a newly renovated, LEED-certified facility, TNP continues to serve as a cultural hub and leader in how theaters can impact their communities.
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.
