Hippodrome State Theatre

Professional State Theatre in Downtown Federal Building

The Hippodrome is Gainesville's resident professional theatre, housed in a historic federal building downtown. Alongside its mainstage productions, art-house cinema, and visual art gallery, the Hippodrome runs a youth education program covering theatre, movement, film art, and stagecraft.

Programs for Kids

Classes and camps are taught by working theatre artists with years of education experience. Programs include:
- Year-round theatre classes for young people
- Movement and acting fundamentals
- Film art and stagecraft
- Summer camps with two age-appropriate plays culminating in a full Mainstage production
- No prior experience required

What's Included

• Access to the Hippodrome's professional Mainstage for camp showcase
• Faculty drawn from working theatre and education artists
• Multi-discipline instruction (theatre, movement, film, stagecraft)
• Historic downtown federal building venue

Experience

Strong fit for serious young actors who want exposure to a professional theatre environment. The Mainstage culminating performance gives summer campers a real-stage payoff rather than studio-only showcase.