Gulfshore Playhouse to Welcome Naples Hospitality Professionals
Published on November 12, 2026
Complimentary performance of A Christmas Carol recognizes the people who make Naples feel like home
NAPLES, FL - The people who make Naples a welcoming destination year-round will have an opportunity to experience an evening of hospitality themselves when Gulfshore Playhouse hosts Hospitality Night on Tuesday, November 17, during the first preview performance of its 2026-2027 season production of A Christmas Carol.
Created to recognize the people who help shape the Naples community, Hospitality Night invites professionals from hotels and resorts, restaurants and bars, salons and spas, and retail establishments to enjoy an evening at the theatre as complimentary guests of Gulfshore Playhouse. The event offers a chance for those who spend their working lives welcoming others to step away from their daily responsibilities and experience the hospitality they extend to residents and visitors throughout the year.
The evening is made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor who established Hospitality Night as a way to thank the individuals whose work helps make Naples such a special place to live and visit. The event is reserved specifically for hospitality professionals, is available by invitation and requires advance reservations. Seating is limited.
“Hospitality is at the heart of what makes Naples such a special place,” said Kristen Coury, Founder, CEO and Producing Artistic Director of Gulfshore Playhouse. “These are the people who welcome our guests, create memorable experiences and make visitors feel at home. We’re thrilled to welcome them to Gulfshore Playhouse, give them an
opportunity to enjoy an evening where they can simply sit back and be our guests, and share with them a fantastic production of A Christmas Carol.”
Adapted and directed by Coury, A Christmas Carol offers a brand-new interpretation of Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday story. The production brings together Broadway and regional theatre artists to create a Victorian London filled with ghosts, holiday spirit and the enduring themes of generosity, compassion and community that make the story a holiday favorite.
Hospitality Night also offers guests an opportunity to experience the home of Gulfshore Playhouse, a 40,000-square-foot facility at the corner of Goodlette-Frank Road and First Avenue South. Now in its third season in the newly constructed theatre, Gulfshore Playhouse has established itself as Naples’ home for professional theatre, producing Broadway-caliber work specifically for Southwest Florida audiences.
Media Invitation
Members of the press are invited to attend Hospitality Night on Tuesday, November 17, at Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples. The performance begins at 7:30PM. Media are asked to coordinate in advance with Heidi Overman, Marketing Manager at hoverman@gulfshoreplayhouse.org to arrange interviews and photo opportunities.
The evening offers several potential story angles, including:
• A community appreciation story: The people who make Naples feel like home receive an evening dedicated to them.
• A local philanthropy story: An anonymous donor creates an opportunity to recognize an essential part of the Southwest Florida community.
• A hospitality industry story: Hospitality professionals share their experiences serving residents, seasonal visitors and tourists, and what this recognition means to them.
• A cultural story: Hospitality workers experience a professional theatre production and the exquisite Gulfshore Playhouse.
• A young professionals and community leadership story: The Gulfshore Playhouse young professionals group, the Act One Ambassadors, spearheaded the effort to invite Naples-area hospitality professionals to Hospitality Night, bringing together emerging community leaders to recognize and thank the people who make Naples a welcoming place to live and visit.
Gulfshore Playhouse leadership, including Kristen Coury, and participating hospitality professionals will be available for interviews and photo opportunities before and after the performance. Media may also arrange to capture the atmosphere of the evening and speak with guests about their experiences.
Reporters interested in covering the event are encouraged to contact Heidi Overman, Marketing Manager, in advance to confirm attendance, arrange interviews and coordinate photography or video access. Interview requests with hospitality professionals can be coordinated ahead of the event whenever possible. Heidi can be reached via email at hoverman@gulfshoreplayhouse.org.
Please note that photography and video access inside the auditorium during the performance is not permitted.
About Gulfshore Playhouse
Gulfshore Playhouse is passionately committed to enriching the cultural landscape of our region by producing professional theatre to the highest artistic standards and providing unique educational opportunities to diverse groups of people in a spirit of service, adventure, and excitement. The work of Gulfshore Playhouse is inspired by a belief in the magic of theatre to expand the imagination, challenge the senses, provoke discussion, and revitalize in its audiences an understanding of our common humanity. This belief drives the care with which Gulfshore Playhouse treats its artists, audiences, students, staff, and members of the greater community.
Gulfshore Playhouse is now producing in the state-of-the-art Baker Theatre and Education Center. Located at the corner of Goodlette-Frank Road and 1st Avenue South, the gateway to downtown Naples, the facility houses a 350-seat mainstage theatre and a 125-seat studio space, in addition to numerous events, rehearsal, and educational spaces. Naming opportunities are still available.
For more information about Gulfshore Playhouse, visit www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org or call 239-261-PLAY.