The hall's own history starts with a woman on foot. Barbara B. Mann went door to door around Fort Myers with her two young sons, raising money to bring culture and touring shows to Lee County. She led the Community Concerts Association for more than 40 years and also headed the symphony and the Alliance for the Arts. The building that carries her name sits on the Florida SouthWestern State College campus in south Fort Myers.
Fort Myers, Fort Myers area
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
13350 FSW Parkway, Fort Myers · 16 upcoming shows
Coming up here
More in Fort MyersThursdayNov 19
FridayNov 20
FridayNov 27
SaturdayNov 28
SundayNov 29
WednesdayDec 9
FridayDec 11
FridayDec 18
SaturdayDec 26
TuesdayDec 29
Show 6 more shows from January 14 onShow fewer
ThursdayJan 14
ThursdayJan 21
MondayFeb 8
FridayFeb 12
ThursdayFeb 25
TuesdayMar 9
Know before you go
The stage
About 1,874 seats face what the hall calls the largest proscenium stage in Southwest Florida. That stage is why the Broadway series is what most people know it for. National tours such as The Phantom of the Opera and Disney's The Lion King have played here. Concerts, comedy and the Gulf Coast Symphony's pops series fill out the rest of the calendar. The auditorium got all fresh seats and flooring in 2013.
Finding the campus
From I-75, take the Daniels Parkway exit and head west. Cross US 41, where Daniels becomes Cypress Lake Drive, turn right on Summerlin Road, then left onto campus at the first light and follow the signs. Coming along US 41, College Parkway and Cypress Lake Drive both connect you to Summerlin. The hall sits near the corner of College Parkway and Summerlin Road.
Parking and timing
Campus parking is free and plentiful, and valet is sold near the door if you would rather skip the walk. A parking map on the hall's site shows every lot.
Winter is the busy stretch in Lee County. When the snowbirds are in town, US 41 and Summerlin both slow down around showtime, so build in a cushion. The Bell Tower Shops and a run of restaurants sit close by for dinner before the show.
Nearby
Fort Myers has two other big rooms on the list. The Caloosa Sound Amphitheater books outdoor shows on the river downtown, and Hertz Arena in Estero handles the arena tours. See everything in Fort Myers and Naples.