Woodstock Playhouse

The Iconic Site of American Theatre & Music History at the Gateway to Woodstock, New York Est. 1938; A Non-Profit Theater

Woodstock Playhouse Points of Importance in the History of Woodstock and National Arts:

- Robert Elwyn, Woodstock Playhouse Founder, was a 5th generation member of a Woodstock founding family who grew up through the Maverick Theatre where he grew to direct and produce summer seasons

- Just as Hervey White emerged from the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony, so did Robert Elwyn emerge from the Maverick Theatre when Hervey White felt that Robert Elwyn no longer represented his brand of theatre

- After Robert Elwyn was told by Hervey White that he would not be allowed to present his planned season in early 1938, Robert Elwyn went to his Uncle, Arthur Wolven, and they, in conjunction with architect Albert Milliken had the Woodstock Playhouse built in 48 days, in time to open his summer season on June 23rd of 1938

- Elwyn’s theater quickly became known throughout the United States, Canada and England as one of the first rural extensions of Broadway bringing both seasoned well-known actors and actresses as Lillian Gish, First Lady of American Film, to the stage along with countless other TCM well-knowns with the addition of rising talent

- In 1941, Elwyn's production of ‘Rain’ at the Woodstock Playhouse, starring Sally Rand the famous bubble dancer who saved the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, was immortalized by Al Hirschfeld, American caricaturist known for his drawings of Broadway celebrities. The Hirschfeld drawing appeared on the covers of the New York Times and New York Daily News Arts sections.

- In 1949 and 1950, Margaret Webster and Eva LaGalliene presented some of the most honored moments in American Theatre as leaders of the Woodstock Playhouse Summer Seasons, photos and historical moments of which have been captured and stored in the United States Library of Congress; stage debuts were made at the Playhouse by Larry Hagman, Anne Meara, Karl Malden and many more during this time period

- In the late 1950s and 60s, J. Edgar Rosenblum had the privilege to lead the playhouse through a new golden age for theatre and the arts which included the presentation of rising folk greats as Peter Yarrow, Tom Paxton, Happy & Artie Traum, Pete Seeger in morning concerts and midnight rambles. Theatre performances at this time including debuts by rising talent of stage and screen including Diane Keaton, Judd Hirsch, Estelle Parsons, Chevy Chase and Peter Boyle

- Annual Woodstock Festivals of Peace, Love and Arts were presented during the late 50s and the decade of the 60s as a town wide arts festival which grew to include Jocko Moffit’s last great sound-out at the Woodstock Playhouse featuring Richie Havens in 1968 – the precursor concert/festival to Woodstock 1969. The 1969 Concert was the next in these series of festivals which finally out grew the town due to genius marketing and the perfect alignment of the stars in the generation of an era in American history that will never be forgotten.

- The playhouse continued through non-profit years under Harris Gordon featuring fine theatrical and Arts presentations through to the early 1980’s when the economic storm, a new owner and cutting of funding to the Arts during the Reagan administration led to the burning of the Woodstock Playhouse on Memorial Day morning in 1988

- Through the donation of the land back to the town by Harris Gordon with the agreement that it was for the rebuilding of the Woodstock Playhouse only, a tremendous grass roots effort by the town, and the final enclosure and guidance by the current leadership of Randy Conti has returned the Playhouse to its nationally recognized status as a regional theater and lauded performance space for headliners such as Patti LuPone, annual festivals, as well as grass roots talent, all through staunch guidance and the toughest of economic times. This past year, the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area has welcomed the Woodstock Playhouse as the first theater to ever be accepted into the HRVNHA.