Melbourne Civic Theatre

Melbourne Civic Theatre, then known as Indian River Players, was born in 1951 and is the oldest community theatre in Brevard County. It was incorporated as a Florida Not For Profit Company in 1965. Its first production was Big Hearted Herbert in February of 1952. MCT (then IRP) staged its first three seasons in the municipal auditorium at Trailer Haven. In 1953, Indian River Players began renovation of a partially burned Navy Mess Hall and turned it into a theatre that was their home for over 23 years. When maintenance costs became too high Indian River Players decided to join the effort to renovate the Henegar Center changing its name in 1988 to Melbourne Civic Theatre to further identify itself with the community it serves.