Sands/Athens Theaters

About me:

Sands Theater Center is a not-for-profit theater staging 5 plus shows every year. Housed in the Cultural Arts Center in DeLand, FL, STC is home to Storybook Theater Company which especializes in Education. While having tours throughout Volusia County and beyond, Storybook also hosts classes throughout the year for child and adults. Sands Theater Center stages 4 productions on the mainstage and 3 productions on our black box theater each year. Our newest addition DeLand Theatre Fest is a 10-day celebration of theatrical presentations, showcasing orginal plays and bringing together an impressive array of artists.

The Athens Theatre is one of the few existing examples of a classic American theatre in Central Florida. Once the centerpiece of DeLand, the Athens Theatre is a jewel of Italian Renaissance architecture. This historic theatre was designed in 1921 by prominent Orlando architect Murray S. King and first opened its doors on January 6th, 1922. On January 5th, 1922, the eve of the theater’s opening, the DeLand Daily News declared the Athens to be “Florida’s Handsomest Theatre” and “a gem of architecture”. Once the entertainment centerpiece of West Volusia County, the showplace evolved through the decades from a vaudeville theater, to a movie house, a place for community theatre and prom parties, a dinner theater, a video game room, a restaurant, a pizza, beer and movie house, and a teen night spot. Dozens remember it as the site of their first date, first kiss, and even as the place to go for a midnight matinee after the high school prom. Today, theatre and film festivals are on the agenda. Classic movies and independent art films, concerts, dramas, musicals, and other live performances are just a few of the programs that will be offered along with lectures and educational activities for students and adults.