The 5 & Dime

In 2011, a group of artists and friends in Jacksonville, Florida came together with a bold vision: to make a difference in the city’s cultural arts community. With that goal in mind, they founded The 5 & Dime, a theatre company that would offer opportunities for artists of all disciplines to showcase their talents in a supportive environment. The founding members, including Caryl Butterley, Evan Gould, Judy Gould, Staci Cobb Grant, Lee Hamby, Craig Leavitt, Zeina Salame, Josh Taylor, and Josh Waller, started with a simple question: “Why not us?”

Since its inception, The 5 & Dime has staged as few as two and as many as 12 productions in a season, often on borrowed or rented stages. In 2017, the company opened its own venue on Adams Street in downtown Jacksonville, providing a permanent home for its productions. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, The 5 & Dime made the difficult decision to go without a home stage.

Despite the challenges, The 5 & Dime has continued to thrive, producing over 40 shows to date and receiving recognition for its contributions to Northeast Florida’s cultural landscape. The company has been nominated for and won multiple awards from organizations such as Folio Weekly and the Jacksonville Cultural Council.

Through its commitment to supporting and showcasing talented artists, The 5 & Dime has made a lasting impact on the Jacksonville arts community, and its founders’ bold question of “Why not us?” has been answered with resounding success.