Formed in 1992, ABET was the answer to a lack of original scripts and challenging plays like Chekhov, Turgenev, O'Neill, Synge, and O'Casey; plus musicals in their local debut: 1940's Radio Hour, Smoke on the Mountain, Little Mary Sunshine, done elsewhere, but not locally.

Led by Artistic Director Carson Merry Baillie and three drama graduates who had taken her drama workshop, a full season was launched in Sept. 1992.

Since our beginning, we have brought some 15 new scripts to our stage, some by local playwrights, others from as far as Kansas, Virginia, and Seattle,many traveled here to attend their opening night. We still read plays given to us, but have not found exciting ones we could manage in several years.
We are proud of introducing 15 Broadways productions in their local premiere, including two Neil Simon comedies, plays by A.R, Gurney, and young Irish playwrights: Conor McPherson and Martin McDonough, hits in the U.K. and N.Y., but not previously seen here.

ABET has been the happy recipient of grants from the Jacksonville Cultural Council, the City of Jacksonville, the Tom Nehl Fund of the Community Foundation, and private donors; and above all, we would not be in our 12th season if it were not for the backing of our wonderful city: Atlantic Beach!