The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe of Florida, Inc. (WBTT) was founded in December 1999 as a not-for profit 501(c)(3) organization in Sarasota, Fla., by local actor, singer, director, song writer and playwright Nate Jacobs. It is the only professional Black theatre company on Florida’s west coast and one of just three in the state.

The mission of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) is to produce professional theatre that promotes and celebrates African American history and experience, engages a broad base of patrons and audiences, supports the development of a dynamic group of aspiring artists, and builds confidence in youth of color.

Through the years, WBTT has presented a variety of productions locally, around the State of Florida, and as far away as Switzerland and Germany. The company has gained a reputation for high-quality, thought-provoking, and electrifying performances, and has received numerous awards and recognitions. Sarasota Magazine readers named WBTT Best Performing Arts Group many times and in 2019 Sarasota Magazine editors named the newly renovated Binz administration building Best New Arts Party Space. The popular venue, including indoor space and a rooftop terrace, hosts special events for a wide range of organizations. WBTT has enjoyed tremendous growth from a grassroots organization to a successful not-for-profit, professional theatre with a five-show season at its theatre campus which went through renovations concluding with the opening of its state-of-the-art theater building in January 2020.

Since its inception, WBTT has mentored and inspired many youths of color through participation in the company’s productions. It has provided a platform for artistic individuals who might not otherwise have had an opportunity to cultivate their interests and talents. Numerous aspiring professional artists trained in the WBTT performing arts program have gone on to work with regional theatre companies around the country, and to perform in the highly selective cruise ship industry. In addition, the company has provided a springboard for national and international careers, with appearances on Broadway and as far away as Shanghai.

WBTT’s mainstage season runs from October through May. Productions include original musicals created at WBTT such as Ruby and Soul Crooners, Broadway musicals such as Dreamgirls and Once on This Island, and thought-provoking dramas such as Fences and A Soldier’s Play.

In the summer of 2013, WBTT was selected to present its original show, The Soul Crooners, at the prestigious National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF). As one of the audience favorites in the festival, the show’s success inspired its sequel, Soul Crooners 2, which was invited to Winston-Salem, NC for the following festival in 2015; all four performances were sold out. During the opening gala, Jacobs was presented with the prestigious Larry Leon Hamlin Producer Award. Two more original shows by Jacobs, How I Got Over: A Gospel Musical (2017) and Soul Man (2019) were performed to wide acclaim during the bi-annual event and, in 2022, WBTT returned to the festival with The Soul Crooners featuring Sistas in the Name of Soul. In the summer of 2024, WBTT brought two shows to the festival, now known as the International Black Theatre Festival – the original musical Soul Crooners: Solid Gold Edition and the one-act play Float Like a Butterfly – and collaborated on a third, the one-act play, From Birmingham to Broadway.

WBTT has brought a powerful presence of diversity and inclusiveness to the region’s cultural landscape. It has been dubbed the “miracle theatre” because of its unique ability to attract broad-based community support.  

Other offerings that distinguish the organization include: “WBTT Voices,” community forums in which the public can dig more deeply into the people and issues that have shaped the African American experience in our country; the “Young Artists Program,” through which Troupe members can showcase their talents with one-person shows; “Jazzlinks,” which brings history lessons to life for area students; the “New Playwrights Series,” for emerging minority playwrights; and “Stage of Discovery,” a free 5-week summer musical theatre intensive program serving minority students, ages 11-18 where students are coached in acting, singing, dancing, improvisation, and writing by creative professionals. The program culminates in a public performance of an exciting musical.

After a highly successful 24^th season, WBTT is now celebrating its 25^th Anniversary with the 2024-2025 mainstage theatre season titled “25 Years of Black Heritage.”

For more information and to purchase tickets visit westcoastblacktheatre.org.