Founded in 1977 as a Summer Music Theater. SMT is now in its 28^th year as a professional theater and has become an integral part of our area's cultural heritage.

SMT is the largest professional theater within a 100-mile radius and the only major resident musical theater company in the Southeast.

The company is a not-for-profit organization operating on a fiscal year (October-September), with a current operating budget of more than 2.5 million.

Ticket sales only cover approximately 35% of the annual budget; the remainder must be raised through contributed sources such as foundations, government agencies, corporations and individuals.

Since its inception more than 1 million theatergoers (an average of 48,000/per yr.), residents and visitors to Daytona Beach, have attended one of the more than 250 productions on the SMT stage.

Throughout the year, SMT offers more than 184 performances at modest ticket prices that average $28/per (children's productions $6/per).

Our Arts Education and Community Outreach Programs bring the magic of live theater to more than 12,000 local students, disadvantaged and minority populations, as well as senior citizens each year. SMT professionals teach in local middle and high schools, as well as conducting theater-based sessions with cast and crew, special performances, workshops, and lectures. More than 1,000 complimentary tickets are distributed to local school children through Title I and other programs.

SMT has two major theatrical seasons: Summer, the larger of two, features five major musical productions complete with full pit orchestra as well as a children's production. Summer productions are held at DBCC Theater Center (498 seats) to accomodate the orchestra, as well as SMT Downtown (576 seats). The winter season, produced solely at SMT Downtown, features three intimate productions. The winter also focuses on expansive education and outreach programming. An average summer production costs approximately $120,000 to mount.

The year-round staff of 20 swells to nearly 200 during production season when professional directors, actors, designers, musicians and choreographers are brought in from Broadway, television, film and leading educational institutions.

SMT operates its own scene and costume shops, which are a hallmark of its productions. During the production season more than 15 stitchers, milliners and stylists create 500-600 original costumes while more than 60 carpenters, painters and technicians labor in the scene shop. So fine are these creations that many are rented out to other theaters across the country, as are the sets and props created here by SMT's designers and staff. Unfortunately, at this time, rentals only meet part of the annual expense of maintaining these two shops.