Belle Theatre

Christmas shows abound in Southwest Florida theaters, but The Belle Theatre in Cape Coral has prepared a program like no other. Belle will celebrate the season with caroling, cocoa, cookie decorating and "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

This week, theatergoers have 17 productions from which to choose, including one new play and performances of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker by Gulfshore Ballet and Sarasota Ballet.

Southwest Florida has a number of couples who perform regularly on stage. One such romance is Ryan Porter Craig and Cassie Sampson. They're on stage at The Belle Theatre in "Rent" through August 11.

Belle Theatre's Peyton McCarthy commands the stage in Grounded as an F16 fighter pilot who is reassigned to fly drones from a windowless trailer in the desert outside Nevada after she becomes pregnant. McCarthy rises to the challenges presented by this ambitious one-woman show.

As theaters in Southwest Florida enter a new season in the wake of Hurricane Ian, the performing arts community has more attendance challenges ahead after two years of struggling through the pandemic, local theaters say.

Belle Theatre Director of Theatre Education Dana Alvarez chosen as one of six theatre educators from around the world to participate in the 11th Annual Freddie G Fellowship in New York.

Belle Theatre in Cape Coral presents a production of the original Broadway musical "Newsies." Performances run June 11-19.