Empire Stage, Fort Lauderdale

About Empire Stage

Empire Stage is a 50-seat black box theater in Fort Lauderdale's Flagler Village, founded by producing partners David R. Gordon and Garet Scott. The programming leans toward offbeat comedies and dramas with a queer slant — past productions include Bent and Tru alongside world premieres of new plays — staged in a room so small that no seat is more than a few feet from the actors. The DIY charm is the draw: regular chairs and a few couches, complimentary wine in a lobby that feels more living room than box office, and the sense of catching theater before it's polished for a bigger house. When the in-house company isn't producing, outside groups rent the space, which keeps the calendar full year-round. It's one of the few genuinely intimate, queer-leaning stages in the area — worth a look for travelers who'd rather spend a night on new work than at another bar.