For over 60 years, the Henderson County Performing Arts Center has been dedicated to providing exceptional entertainment and education to the East Texas region. Initially known as Athens Little Theatre, our organization thrived for approximately 25 years under the leadership of a volunteer Board of Directors and committed community members who acted, designed, built sets, created costumes, and did whatever it took to bring the magic of theater to life.
In 1980, Athens Little Theatre became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and we have proudly operated as such ever since, continuing our mission to enrich lives through the power of the performing arts.
Our mission statement: We Entertain. We Educate. We Change Lives.
WE ENTERTAIN.WE EDUCATE. WE CHANGE LIVES
UPCOMING SHOWS
HCPAC PRESENTS
JULY 10-19, 2025
In Bikini Bottom with his best friend Patrick, his neighbor Squidward and friend Sandy Cheeks. When he makes it to his job at the Krusty Krab restaurant, he tries to hint his desire to become the manager to the owner, Mr. Krabs. But, it may be too late for him to obtain the managerial position when a violent tremor suddenly rocks the entire town. A news report reveals that the tremor was caused by the nearby Mount Humongous, a volcano that will soon erupt, throwing the town into a panic. Is the end coming or will SpongeBob save the day?
Auditions for SpongeBob will be April 18 and April 19
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HUMBLE INSURANCE PRESENTS
SEPTEMBER 11-20, 2025
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a 1955 three-act play by Tennessee Williams. The play is an adaptation of Williams’ 1952 short story “Three Players of a Summer Game.” One of Williams’ more famous works, the play won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955. Set in a plantation home in the Mississippi Delta of a wealthy cotton tycoon Big Daddy Pollitt, the play examines the relationships among members of Big Daddy’s family, primarily between his son Brick and Brick’s wife Maggie.
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HCPAC PRESENTS
OCTOBER 23-26, 2025
Based on Bram Stoker’s 1987 novel, Dracula comes to the HCPAC main stage just in time for Halloween. The play is anchored with a prologue and epilogue delivered by Renfield, a mysterious, insane asylum patient under the spell of Count Dracula, a vampire who is equal parts debonair and violent. When the young Lucy begins to transform into a vampire, her best friend Mina summons a psychiatrist to examine. When Dracula’s lawyer and Mina’s fiancé Harker returns from Dracula’s castle in a state of shock, his journal paints a picture of the full extent of Dracula’s power. As the stakes get higher, the group must fight time to defeat evil. Dracula is under the direction of Joclyn Ewers.
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HCPAC PRESENTS
December 10-20, 2025
With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone's hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations... and even befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt! She finds a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.
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Help us keep the light shining at HCPAC!
The Ghost Light Campaign ensures we can continue bringing vibrant performances, educational programs, and community events to life.
Your support keeps the arts thriving in our theater. Donate today and be part of the magic!