Hey there, theatre enthusiasts! I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I am restarting JaxPlays, and this time it’s here to stay!

As some of you may recall, the site was initially built on MediaWiki, which proved to be quite cumbersome to maintain and edit. But now, JaxPlays has a fresh new look and is running on Jekyll with a wiki theme. What a game-changer! Jekyll is a static site generator, meaning it creates simple HTML files that can be easily edited and updated. Unlike a CMS like MediaWiki, Jekyll doesn’t require a database, which makes it faster, more secure, and significantly easier to maintain.

The site is blazing fast now, and I couldn’t be happier with the switch. However, I still need your help! With over 100 years of theatre productions in Jacksonville, there’s so much history to document. If you have cast lists, playbills, show photos, or anything else that can help preserve the rich theatrical heritage of Northeast Florida, please send it my way!

Though I’ve encountered some bumps along the road since starting this project, I’m incredibly excited to tackle it with renewed vigor now that it’s on a stable platform. I’m currently hard at work transferring data from the old site, adding information about shows currently in production, and building automation features like a calendar of currently running productions. I’m also creating pages that showcase all of the productions at each theatre and pages that list each cast and crew member’s credits across the site. Ultimately, I want JaxPlays to be the go-to resource for Northeast Florida theatre – the IBDB of our region!

So, let’s join forces and make JaxPlays the ultimate hub for all things theatre in Northeast Florida. Together, we can preserve the past, promote the present, and advance the future of live theatre in our beloved community.

Keep an eye on this space for more updates, and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, or suggestions. Let’s get the curtains up on this exciting new chapter of JaxPlays!

— Ray Hollister