summer stock

American  

noun

1. the production of plays, musical comedy, etc., during the summer, especially in a suburban or resort area, often by a repertory company.

2. summer theaters collectively or their productions.

   Summer stock usually begins about June 1.

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Etymology

Origin of summer stock

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

After several years of off-Broadway productions, summer stock, and roles in TV dramas like “Naked City” and the “Twilight Zone,” Duvall landed his first Hollywood role in 1962.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

But the BRC said non-food retailers had been "discounting heavily to shift their summer stock, particularly for fashion and household goods".

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2024

He also made stage appearances without Gorme, including a starring role in a 1962 summer stock version of “Pal Joey.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 7, 2024

After graduating in 1948 from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan, he worked as a waiter and house painter, acted in summer stock and had small parts on television.

From New York Times • Feb. 2, 2024

I could probably have nailed one corner of it into the floor and disappeared within, performing all of Fiddler on the Roof as if under a summer stock tent.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle