| 1. | the production of plays, musical comedy, etc., during the summer, esp. 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. |
| summer stock n. Theatrical productions of stock companies presented during the summer. |
summer stock
in American theatre, productions staged during the summer months (the off-season for professional theatre) by professional touring companies at theatres generally located near resort areas. Usually featuring a well-known star, the plays are often Broadway hits of previous seasons or new plays being tested for the Broadway stage. The original concept of summer theatre, dating from the late 19th century, was to combine Broadway talent with young unknown actors, giving them experience in the professional theatre
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