BOCA RATON, Fla. — A new family-friendly mystery is taking the stage in Boca Raton as FAU Theater Lab premieres “Baker Street Beginnings,” a production inspired by the origins of Sherlock Holmes.
The world premiere runs through Sept. 20 at Florida Atlantic University’s Theater Lab and combines live theater, interactive detective activities, and student storytelling workshops designed to engage young audiences.
Matt Stabile, creative artistic director of FAU Theater Lab, said the production imagines how a young Arthur Conan Doyle may have created one of literature’s most famous detectives.
“This is a world premiere family-friendly play,” Stabile said. “We’re the resident professional company here on campus. This is our annual theater for families series, and this imagines how a young Arthur Conan Doyle might have thought up his most famous character, Sherlock Holmes.”
The production blends mystery-solving themes with educational opportunities for local students and families.
Jill Carr, Director of Education, said the theater company also works directly with schools across the community through a creative writing initiative focused on storytelling.
“I go into local schools, teach a creative writing workshop on parts of a story,” Carr said. “Students then write their own story on the given theme. This semester’s theme is ‘mystery solved.”
According to Carr, nearly 1,000 student stories are submitted, with select students invited to participate in a more intensive theater experience where their ideas help shape a play.
“I collect about 1,000 stories, invite 25 to an intensive where they make a play using their own stories,” she said.
Before performances begin, families can also participate in interactive detective-themed educational activities designed to encourage curiosity and problem-solving skills.
“We have some detective science activities pre-show, and we would love for prospective detectives to join us to uncover clues and solve their own mysteries,” Carr said.
Actors from the production also performed a live scene featuring Sherlock-style puzzle solving and riddles during a preview of the show.
The production comes as family-focused live theater experiences continue to gain popularity across South Florida, especially those combining education, audience participation, and original storytelling. Productions like “Baker Street Beginnings” give younger audiences a chance to engage with theater in an interactive, accessible way while introducing them to classic literary characters.
Tickets for “Baker Street Beginnings” start at $25.
More information about the production and showtimes can be found by clicking here.
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