Which of these theater productions are you most excited for? Adobe Stock / Anna Jurkovska
You needn’t travel to midtown to see excellent theater! Snag tickets to these plays and musicals happening in the Hudson Valley this spring.
Artistry abounds in the Hudson Valley, manifesting across many mediums: music, fine art, architecture, literature, and theater. While it’s easy enough to zip down to Manhattan—the thespian’s mecca—to enjoy a live production, it is quicker, cheaper, and no less mesmerizing to see a show right here in the Hudson Valley. Given our proximity to the Big Apple and the presence of world-class training programs for blossoming theater artists, there are so many plays and musicals to catch around the region—many of which cost less than a trip over the George Washington Bridge. Take a look at our top picks for theater productions this spring, then order your tickets before they inevitably sell out.
Bernhardt/Hamlet
The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck
April 14-23
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In a statement for the program of Sarah Bernhardt’s 1912-13 tour, Mark Twain famously wrote, “There are five types of actresses: bad actresses, fair actresses, good actresses, great actresses—and then there is Sarah Bernhardt.” This play by Theresa Rebeck follows Bernhardt as she prepares to play the role of Hamlet—typically performed by a male actor—baffling critics and misogynists alike.
Miss Saigon
White Plains Performing Arts Center, White Plains
April 14 – May 7
This Olivier and Tony Award-winning musical, adapted from Puccini’s Madam Butterfly, is a favorite among Broadway buffs. In the throes of the Vietnam War, an American GI and a young Vietnamese woman find themselves in a “star-crossed romance” that is doomed from the very start.
The Empty Locket
Online via The DENIZEN Theatre, New Paltz
April 17 – May 21
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This “one-of-a kind interactive whodunnit mystery” by November Christine takes place not at the DENIZEN’s performance space in New Paltz, but right at home in your living room. With clickable clues and immersive audio narrative, you can follow along with the audioplay solo or with a group of friends—all you’ll need is an internet connection.
Bat Boy
McKenna Theater at SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz
April 21-30
Inspired by a 1992 tabloid story about a half-boy, half-bat, this horror-rock musical follows the life of Bat Boy as he struggles to fit into a small town in West Virginia. Will his efforts to assimilate prevail, or will the “narrow-minded townsfolk” drive him away once and for all?
Twelfth Night
PAC Repertory Theater at Purchase College, Purchase
April 22-29
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Purchase College’s theater company, featuring students in its BFA program, presents this romantic comedy by the Bard himself. Twins Viola and Sebastian are separated in a shipwreck, spurring an epic journey chock-full of Shakespeare’s usual love triangles, plot twists, and comedic revelations.
Mad Forest
Martel Theater at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie
April 26-28
Centered around the Romanian Revolution of 1989, this three-act play offers “an incisive portrait of society in turmoil that focuses on two families to reveal what life is like under a totalitarian regime.” The play is free and open to the public but requires advanced registration.
Back County Crimes
Sophomore Acting Studio at Purchase College, Purchase
April 26-30
Harkening back to Thornton Wilder’s famous play, Our Town, this drama comprises “a series of sordid tales of backwoods murder and adultery” as orated by the local physician. This string of vignettes—which rapidly oscillate in tone from comedy to stone-cold drama and back again—marks the debut of Purchase College’s Acting Company 49.
Hello, Dolly!
The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, Rhinebeck
May 5-28
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Speaking of Mr. Wilder, did you know that Hello, Dolly! was adapted from his play, The Matchmaker? Don’t miss this staging of the 10-time Tony Award-winning musical as performed by some of the Hudson Valley’s most gifted thespians. It follows the story of Dolly Gallagher-Levi, the “turn-of-the-century matchmaker” who keeps audiences laughing and crying with each musical revival.
Henry V
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Garrison
May 31 – August 21
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more! To kick off the summer season at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, audiences will watch as Shakespeare’s warrior-prince mounts his crusade for the French crown. This classic gets a twist in the way of casting, as the role of Henry will be performed by Emily Ota.
Just Another Day
Shadowland Stages, Ellenville
June 2-18
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You may recognize actor and writer Dan Lauria from The Wonder Years, but he is truly at his best in this “heart-stirring” new drama. It follows two septuagenarians—a comic and a poet—as they meet on a park bench each day to “exchange wits and barbs, wax nostalgic about old movies,” and figure out just how they know one another… “at least for that day.”
Related: Bookmark These Spring Concerts in the Hudson Valley
