Not every big name plays a big room. Now and then the Florida Theatre and WJCT, the public broadcaster for the First Coast, move a comedy show out of the theater and into WJCT's own studio. Paula Poundstone has played the room, and a space this size suits comics who talk with the crowd as much as at it.
A Studio, Not a Theater
The Soundstage is Studio A inside the WJCT building, a working production space with more than 7,800 square feet of open floor and 30 foot ceilings. There is no balcony and no grand lobby. WJCT lists room for about 350 seated, which feels close after a night in one of the big downtown theaters. The building sits on Festival Park Avenue, directly across the street from the football stadium in the Sports Complex.
Getting There and Parking
WJCT has its own parking lot beside the building, and there is street parking in the Festival Park area around it. The garage the Florida Theatre recommends serves its home on Forsyth Street, not this building, so do not head into the core of downtown by mistake. If a game or a big arena show is on the same night, expect traffic around the Sports Complex and leave early.
Before You Go
- For recent comedy nights here, doors opened an hour before showtime.
- The building offers assistive listening systems for guests who need them.
- Food, drink and age rules are set show by show, so check your ticket for the night's rules.
Tickets
Shows here sell through the Florida Theatre's own box office, so there is no ticket button on this page. Comedy at the main theater on Forsyth Street is a different story, and those nights are listed with tickets on the Florida Theatre page. The arena next door is VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, and the rest of the side of town is in Downtown Jacksonville.