Crosley Estate

Our venue is the stunning Powel Crosley mansion, also known as Seagate, built by entrepreneur Powel Crosley, Jr.  He originally had a fishing camp on Siesta Key and was urged to build a mansion near his friends on Sarasota Bay.  Contractors constructed the home in an unbelievable 120 days at a reputed cost of $350,000.

Powel Crosley, Jr. was an entrepreneur. While he never made more than $50 a week before he was 30, by age 33 he had amassed a fortune selling auto parts through the then-unheard-of medium of direct mail. When his son wanted a wireless radio, Powel perfected and manufactured the first low-priced crystal set – the hugely successful "Harko.” Powel ventured into radio broadcasting to sell more radios and at 500,000 watts he had the most powerful station in the world (WLW in Cincinnati). In 1934 he bought the Cincinnati Reds baseball team and in 1935 he engineered night baseball (prior to this games had been played during the day due to lack of stadium lighting). By the end of his life, he had invented, developed, manufactured or produced the first economy car, televisions, the Shelvador refrigerator, the first 4-wheel disc brakes, 35mm cameras, several airplanes and much more.

The Crosleys lived in the home until Gwendolyn passed away in 1939.  In 1991, Seagate was purchased by the Manatee County Commission to prevent this historic home from being lost to urban development.

No other local theatre company can claim a home quite like ours!

Near the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport, the Powel Crosley Estate sits on Sarasota Bay just south of the new University of South Florida campus on North Tamiami Trail/US 41. The address of the Crosley Estate is One Seagate Drive, 8374 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.  It is one-half mile north of the University Parkway and US 41 intersection. University Parkway is exit # 213 off Interstate 75. 

The Crosley Estate offers plenty of free on-site parking. Handicap accessible parking is available.

Limited concessions (such as wine, coffee and other non-alcoholic beverages) are offered at each performance.  No carry-ins allowed.

Please refer to the Tickets page of our site for seating information.