Cape Coral’s long-time community theater is ready to kick off yet another slate of shows for a program that has run for more than six decades.

Cultural Park Theatre Company’s 62nd Broadway Series opens Sept. 20 with “The Big One-Oh!,” followed by “Carrie The Musical.”

A long-standing tradition in the Cape, program directors and CPT thespians are excited to bring shows to life on the community theater stage.

“We have a really interesting lineup of shows this season,” said CPT Marketing Director Shaelyn Crabtree. “So I think we’re going to bring in a completely different audience, so we’re looking forward to that.”

“The Big One-Oh!”runs from Sept. 20 to 29, and is an adaptation of Dean Pitchford’s novel.

“It’s perfect for all audiences,” Crabtree said. “The cast is majority children. It’s about a little boy’s 10th birthday party. He has a ton of imaginary friends, and it kind of shows the journey of how he made real friends, his troubles at home… and tells a really good story while being super entertaining.”

The highlight of each year’s calendar for CPT, its Broadway Series has taken a bit of a difference course this year, where both popular shows and shows written by local playwrights are coming to life.

“This season, we do have a few ‘Broadway-style, or bigger shows, but everything else is from a local playwright, or a brand-new playwright,” said CPT Executive Director Robin Murray. “When it comes to our theater, we need to do a little more of a mixture of shows, and I really felt I wanted to start bringing in local talent. It’s amazing to see those writers come to the forefront that may not have the opportunity elsewhere.”

Crabtree added, “We wanted to make sure we hit all of the different age groups and categories this year. So we made sure we had stuff for kids, teens, and a lot of stuff for adults. We have shows that are humorous, while others are more pushing the envelope (Carrie; Something Rotten) and touch on difficult subjects.”

CPT’s 62nd Broadway Series includes:

– “The Big One-Oh!” – Sept. 20-29

– “Carrie The Musical” – Oct. 28-27

– “Sealed for Freshness” – Nov. 15-24

– “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer JR” – Dec. 11-15

– “Grandma’s Murder Club” – Jan. 24 – Feb.2

– “Something Rotten! The Musical” – Feb. 21 – March 2

– “Southern Fried Funeral” – March 21-30

– “When Bullfrog’s Sing Opera” – May 23 – June 1

CPT is for actors and individuals of all skill levels — those who want and have the ability to play lead roles, as well as supporting roles and even behind-the-scenes. Auditions are held throughout the season for each individual show.

“Cultural Park is completely about community, making friends, and seeing your next-door neighbor on stage,” Crabtree said. “It’s very family-friendly here, and bonds are made forever. Come out not just for the acting experience, but the social experience as well.”

CPT’s staff is full of theater knowledge and have long-time experience in the realm of the arts. There are also countless volunteers that help make CPT run year-round. Not only is CPT affordable when compared to local theater, but that the shows they put on are high-quality.

“The talent level here is incredible,” Crabtree said. “And you’re going to see a lot of familiar faces on stage, and I think that’s what’s fun about community theater. It gives the audience a personal connection to the cast as well.”

Tickets for shows are $26 for adults, $22 for seniors, $16 for students (under 20), and $12 for children. Group rates are also available ($20; 10 or more), as are season tickets for $175.

Tickets are available for purchase online at https://0sculturalparktheatreorg.thundertix.com and at the theatre’s box office.

Cultural Park Theatre is at 528 Cultural Park Blvd.