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
Auditions for Smoke on the Mountain
You Can't Take It With You tickets available NOW!
You Can't Take It With You tickets available NOW!
*******Audition Notice*******
Show: Smoke on the Mountain
Date/Time: Tuesday, May 13th at 6:00pm
Location: Center on the Square, 219 W Arch Ave, Searcy
Performance Dates: August 7-9 - 7:00pm; August 9-10 - 2:00pm
Directors: Ryan Gibbons and Hope Hargrove
Those auditioning should be prepared to sing the song Amazing Grace as a solo and if possible, in groupings with harmony. Auditions will also consist of cold readings from the script (Sides will be provided at the auditions). Auditions Forms will be available at the time of the auditions - please be prepared to list all schedule conflicts for May 26 - August 10 on the form.
Smoke on the Mountain tells the hilarious and heartwarming story of a Saturday Night Gospel Sing at a country church in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1938. The show features two dozen rousing bluegrass songs played and sung by the Sanders Family, a traveling group making its return to performing after a five-year hiatus. Pastor Oglethorpe, the young and enthusiastic minister of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, has enlisted the Sanders Family in his efforts to bring his tiny congregation into “the modern world.” Between songs, each family member “witnesses” – telling a story about an important event in their life. Though they try to appear perfect in the eyes of a congregation who wants to be inspired by their songs, one thing after another goes awry and they reveal their true – and hilariously imperfect – natures. By the evening’s end, the Sanders Family have endeared themselves to us by revealing their weaknesses and allowing us to share in their triumphs.
We will also possibly be needing bluegrass instrumentalists for this show (guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass, fiddle). If you are interested in filling one of these roles, please email director@centeronthesquare.org.
Still have questions? Email us at director@centeronthesquare.org and we will try to get you an answer!
You Can't Take It With You tickets available NOW!
You Can't Take It With You tickets available NOW!
You Can't Take It With You tickets available NOW!
Our upcoming MainStage show You Can't Take It With You is coming up soon with show times set as May 29 at 7pm, May 30 at 7pm, May 31 at 2 pm and 7pm and June 1 at 2pm.
"You Can't Take It with You" is a comedic play about the Vanderhof family, a group of eccentric and lovable incompetents, who live a carefree life. The play explores the clash between their whimsical lifestyle and the "normal" world represented by Tony Kirby, Alice's boyfriend and a Wall Street executive. Ultimately, the play suggests that true wealth and happiness lie not in material possessions, but in the joy of living a simple, fulfilling life with loved ones. This classic is one you are not going to want to miss!
Tickets available starting Friday, May 2! Click the button below to get yours today. Cost for tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors/military, $8 for child/student.
Summer KidStage Registration Now Open!
You Can't Take It With You tickets available 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
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
