Your Downtown Community Theater
Captivating performances and heartfelt community in downtown Searcy for the last 25 years!
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Performing Arts Center on the Square
Welcome to Performing Arts Center on the Square
Discover the heart of Searcy's vibrant performing arts scene at our community theater, located right in the heart of downtown. Immerse yourself in a diverse range of theatrical productions, from classic dramas to cutting-edge contemporary plays. Our stage is a canvas for local talent to shine, creating unforgettable experiences for audiences of all ages. Join us as we celebrate the power of live performance and the arts to bring our community together.
Experience the Magic of Performing Arts Center on the Square
Trivia Night Fundraiser April 26, 2025
Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery Tickets On Sale Now
Trivia Night Fundraiser April 26, 2025
Bring your friends and your brain power for an unforgettable night of trivia! Gather your team of up to 8 members for our trivia night fundraiser on Saturday, April 26 at 6:00 benefitting Performing Arts Center on the Square. Tickets are for a table of 8 and are $200. Dinner from Burrito Day will be provided with the purchase of your table of tickets. Trivia questions will cover a wide variety of topics and the categories will be announced the week of the event. Fun, door prizes and much more - So come support the arts in Searcy and let's have some trivia fun!
Upcoming Auditions for MainStage
Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery Tickets On Sale Now
Trivia Night Fundraiser April 26, 2025
Mark your calendars for these two upcoming auditions dates! Please make note of the change of date for You Can't Take It With You audition which is now on April 15 at 6:00. Watch our social media and emails for more specific information about these auditions closer to their dates. No experience is necessary to audition and all are welcome - so come out and give community theatre a try!
Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery Tickets On Sale Now
Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery Tickets On Sale Now
Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery Tickets On Sale Now
Tickets are now available for purchase for The Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery! Our current spring session of KidStage students are working hard to bring you this fun show within a show.
A brief synopsis of this play: The players at The Murder Mystery Playhouse are rehearsing a new show, Putting a Little English on It. It’s a not-so-good attempt at a British murder mystery, complete with cheesy dramatic music and British accents. As expected at the final dress rehearsal, the lights go out and a character dies onstage — only this murder wasn’t in the script! The authorities are quickly called, and soon the company finds themselves replaying the death scene. The actors are left scratching their heads at the strange circumstances and also worried that they could be next. It all culminates in a wild surprise ending in which the actors must work together to defeat the murderer before he murders them all.
There will be 4 shows to choose from: April 11 at 7:00, April 12 at 2:00, April 12 at 7:00 and April 13 at 2:00. Come support our KidStage program and see for yourself the dedication and talent these amazing kids have put forth. Click the button below to purchase tickets!
Summer KidStage Registration Now Open!
Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery Tickets On Sale Now
Registration for the 2025 Summer KidStage session is now open! This session will be open to students who are going into 3rd - 12th grades. The 3rd-6th graders will meet on weekdays during the month of June (starting June 2) from 9:00-12:00. The 7th - 12th graders and will meet on weekdays during the month of June (starting June 2) from 1:00-4:00pm, and will be working on the musical Aladdin. Show dates for both groups will be June 27-29.
The rehearsals will be led by 3 student interns from ASU-Beebe theater department and they will be led by our KidStage Director, Casey Rausch. You can reach Casey at PACOTSKids@gmail.com or at 410-474-0365. Kim Cleveland is the theater's Executive Director. She can be reached at director@centeronthesquare.org or 501-368-0111.
Important Dates:
Auditions will be Monday and Thursday, May 19 and 22 at 6:00 - 7:30 (no need to come to both, just pick one day). There will be a brief parent meeting at the beginning of the audition so please parents make sure you plan to stay for approximately 15 minutes, and please make plans to pay at this time if possible. There is no need for students to prepare for auditions - they will be reading from parts of the script. We do our best to cast every child who auditions - so there is should be no fear of "not making it".
Price: The cost for the Summer KidStage session is $175 per student. A $25 deposit will hold your student's spot in this session. If you have multiple students participating in your household, each additional child will receive a $25 discount (Child one - $175, Child two - $150, Child 3 - $125.00). This is a NON-REFUNDABLE payment and must be paid in cash, check or card at your child auditions. Checks should be made payable to PACOTS (please place your child's name on the memo line). Scholarships are available if financial assistance is needed - please email Kim Cleveland at director@centeronthesquare.org for more information about scholarships.
You Can Make A Difference!
At Performing Arts Center on the Square, our mission is to provide a space for creativity and artistic expression and provide opportunities for everyone to learn and enjoy the art of theater. Support our mission by making a one time donation or a monthly donation today! As a 501c3 nonprofit, we are sustained by donations from supporters like you. Together, we can continue to make the magic of theatre accessible to everyone in our community!
Volunteer with Us
Get involved with the Performing Arts Center on the Square by volunteering! We are always looking for passionate individuals to assist with various roles, from ushering and costumes to set design and promotional activities. Volunteering is a fantastic way to meet new people, learn about theater production, and support the arts in our community.
Our History
On August 20, 1999, a performance of Neil Simon's 'Rumors' opened for an audience of 55 people at 111 Arch Street in Searcy, Arkansas, and a great tradition began impacting a small town.
Opening a dinner theater in a town of 14,000 people proved to be an adventure for founder, Lana Hallmark, who had recently retired from teaching drama at Searcy High School. As the proprietor of a for-profit organization, Hallmark directed shows and organized caterers for nearly four years before she invited community leaders to participate with her in further developing the organization. In April of 2003, the non-profit 501(c)(3) Performing Arts Center on the Square, PACOTS for short, began with a board of twelve members. Hallmark was named Executive Director and continued to shoulder most of the responsibilities for running the business and the productions until 2011.
All of that came to a screeching halt when the Covid-19 Pandemic began in March of 2020. Like many other theaters around the world, PACOTS shuttered its doors, hoping that one day they would become open to the community once more. After being closed for a year, the theater re-opened in the Summer of 2021, with a few changes. The largest change, due to the ongoing pandemic, was the decision that Performing Arts Center on the Square would no longer be a dinner theater, at least for the time being. Instead, it would be a regular community theater, with hopes to expand and grow in new directions.
Performing Arts Center on the Square now has volunteer directors, two part-time paid staff positions, as well as a Board of Directors. The Board directs administrative functions, fundraising activities, special events, and orchestrated the purchase and renovation of a new facility in 2012. The theater currently has a Board of seven members, with the current Chairperson of the Board being Ryan Gibbons.
The theater offers a variety of plays and musicals throughout the season, utilizing local talent, directors, and volunteers from Searcy and White County and the surrounding areas, giving participants an opportunity to study and grow in their knowledge and theater experience. In addition to the regular-season schedule, Performing Arts Center on the Square offers technical, performance, and learning opportunities through our KidStage program.
KidStage began in the summer of 2000 with eight students, and now is a year-round program with sessions offered in the Spring, Summer, and Fall! Children from 4th-12th grade are split into age appropriate groups where they learn performing skills, audition techniques, and technical aspects of show production including set building, costuming, stage make-up, lighting, sound, and more! Each class culminates in a production to showcase what they have learned along the way.
Local businesses have supported the efforts of Performing Arts Center on the Square and its contribution to the overall quality of life in the region by sponsoring shows and events, purchasing advertising, and promoting the productions to their employees. The theater is also open as a venue to the community to host events such as, but not limited to, concerts, banquets, stand-up comedy routines, and more!
Since its inception, Performing Arts Center on the Square has become a Searcy tradition, a place to meet new people, develop friendships, be entertained, entertain others, and give back to the community. The Board of Directors is honored to serve this region of the state by sustaining the performing arts for everyone to enjoy.
Our Mission
Performing Arts Center on the Square will nurture artists, technicians, volunteers, and audience members by providing opportunities for them to study and enjoy the art of theater. It will have a significant impact on the level of arts participation in the community by undertaking a wide range of artistic endeavors.
Contact Us
Have a question that you don't see the answer for?
For inquiries about venue availability or our upcoming events, or simply need help with a question, please send us a message and we will do our best to get back to you within 24 business hours.
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Performing Arts Center on the Square
219 West Arch Avenue, Searcy, Arkansas 72143, United States
