From Falmouth to Provincetown, live theater on Cape Cod has a long and storied history. Since its inception in the roaring 1920s, countless famous actors have graced the stages of the region, with performances ranging from raucous musicals to heartfelt dramas and cutting-edge experimental works. In fact, one of the great literary lions of American playwriting, Eugene O’Neill, began his career in Provincetown.
Cape Playhouse; 820 Main Street, Dennis
Any story about live theater on Cape Cod must begin at the beginning, at Cape Playhouse, the first theater to open here. Located on what is now a campus that includes an art-house movie theater, the Cape Cod Museum of Art, and a restaurant, Cape Playhouse opened its doors in 1927. The owner, Raymond Moore, had an abandoned meetinghouse dragged to his recently purchased parcel of land and converted it into the theater which remains today. The first production was The Guardsman starring Basil Rathbone and Violet Kemble Cooper. An as-yet unknown Bette Davis worked as an usher, returning the following season to act. Other famed actors gracing the playhouse have included Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart, and Shirley Booth.
Current fare typically includes a mix of musicals and old standards. The 2025 season kicks off with Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. Rent will follow immediately afterward, then Anastasia: The Musical and Come from Away before the season closes with Joan.
The Academy of Performing Arts; 120 Main Street, Orleans
The Academy of Performing Arts (APA) celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025. The historic building that houses the theater was built in 1873 and originally served as the town hall in Orleans. In 1975, it was converted in an arena-style “theater in the round” with seating wrapping around three sides of the stage.
As its name implies, APA has a scholastic side, with professional performing arts training offered for students up to the age of 17. Its theater roster tends toward lighthearted classics, many of which are musicals. Highlights of the 2025 season include Grease, Godspell, Young Frankenstein and Into the Woods.
Cape Rep Theatre; 3299 Main Street, Brewster
Established in 1986 by a group of artists who wanted to present more avant-garde productions than the upbeat works often presented by summer stock companies on Cape Cod, Cape Rep continues to push the envelope with their selection of productions.
The company moved into its current home in 1997. What was once Camp Monomoy, a children’s summer camp, now includes the 129-seat indoor theater, an amphitheater that offers children’s theater throughout the summer, and the Cape House, a historic home at the Old King’s Highway entrance to the campus.
Cape Rep’s 2025 season opens with Every Brilliant Thing in May, with Sunday in the Park with George closing out the season in August.
Cape Cod Theatre Company | Harwich Junior Theatre; 105 Division Street, West Harwich
Financial difficulties some time ago brought about a theatrical marriage of sorts with two well-established local theaters, Cape Cod Theatre Company and Harwich Junior Theatre, sharing stage space, personnel and a vision, one that includes polished, professionally presented plays and musicals in an intimate theater. The sheer number of shows staged every year is admirable.
As a nod to the Harwich Junior Theatre, several of each year’s show are family friendly, including 2025’s The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, and The Hobbit. Skewing more for grown-ups are The Marvelous Wonderettes, Broadway, Ballet, Beyond, and Clue.