Our History

Fort Bend Community Theatre was founded in 1989 in Sugar Land, Texas by Frank and Karen Letts, based on the following mission statement: "Our purpose is to promote the arts and education of the arts in our community. Our goal is to provide children and families the opportunity to participate in the arts as we accomplish our goal." Productions were originally staged in a local church, but as support grew, so did the need for an exclusive location.

In 1991, Fort Bend Community Theatre relocated to Westwood Mall and Tarra McCain joined the Letts’ to further the education of children, teens, and adults in the pursuit of excellence in the dramatic arts. Community involvement flourished, and Fort Bend Theatre increased its local outreach to such worthwhile audiences as the Ronald McDonald House, Texas Children’s Hospital, M.D. Anderson Hospital, and Richmond State School.

As Education Director, Tarra McCain broadened FBT’s outreach to include daytime shows, and in 1996 became FBT''''s Artistic Director, added enriching educational programs designed to travel to local schools, including a Drug Awareness Program, an original play of "Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad”, and a May Musical celebrating Hispanic Heritage.

With the closure of Westwood Mall in 1998, Fort Bend Theatre returned to its roots in Fort Bend County, where it is currently located at 2815 N. Main, Stafford, Texas. Sadly, the founders moved from Texas in August 2000, leaving a tremendous gap to be filled. Mrs. McCain position as  Artistic Director grew to Executive Artistic Director, allowing for her to continue and further the theatre. 

As Executive Director, Mrs. McCain strove to continue to "raise the bar" of excellence with each new artistic endeavor.

Under her direction, new growth, enrichment and expansion of the arts included the following:

• Collaborative works with other fine arts and educational institutions, including the University of Houston
• Acting and Musical Theatre classes were increased in size and variety
• Entertaining shows for businesses and organizations were contracted and continue to be made available
• An original scriptwriting contest was created, further promoting local artists and their works
• New scripts have been performed at FBT each year, and several of our local playwrights have gone on to win awards
• FBT and Tarra McCain have both won numerous awards for costume design, set design, and youth performances from Texas Non-Profit Theatres
• Community involvement and awareness has multiplied, with new outreaches to Missouri City SnowFest, Richmond PecanFest, Ft. Bend Literacy League, Stafford Historical Society’s Holiday Lighting Ceremony and Fourth of July Parade, and Sugar Land’s SugarFest
• Increased annual outdoor performances including Sugar Land Town Center
  
• Large musicals have been performed twice a year at the Stafford Centre, greatly expanding our audiences
• A Teen Club, called E.N.C.O.R.E. (Exciting New Creators of Radacious Entertainment) wrote original scripts, cast, designed and directed their own shows

Over one hundred productions and over 200,000 excited audience members later, Fort Bend Theatre continues to thrive, expand, and strive for excellence and education in the arts, while offering unique opportunities for cultural enrichment to all of Fort Bend County.