Your Downtown Community Theater
Captivating performances and heartfelt community in downtown Searcy for the last 26 years!
Your Downtown Community Theater
Captivating performances and heartfelt community in downtown Searcy for the last 26 years!
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 coming up for Peter and the Starcatcher
We’re thrilled to announce our next production: Peter and the Starcatcher! Tony-winning Peter and the Starcatcher upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). A wildly theatrical adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson’s best-selling novels, the play was conceived for the stage by directors, Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, and written by Rick Elice, with music by Wayne Barker. From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair... and the bonds of friendship, duty and love.
Show Dates: November 13–16 & November 20–23
And guess what? Auditions are coming up!
September 2 & 4 at 6:00 PM (come to one date only) at Center on the Square, 219 W Arch Ave, Searcy, AR
If you are interested in auditioning, please fill out this short google form: https://forms.gle/19eo6GU5nfxCyhsf7
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.
We will get back to you soon!
Performing Arts Center on the Square
219 West Arch Avenue, Searcy, Arkansas 72143, United States
