“Perseverance, dear my lord, keeps honour bright”
― William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida
Mission Statement
The Curtain Theatre provides free outdoor theater during the summer in Old Mill Park. Our focus is on Shakespeare and other classics. We do so out of love for great drama, and in the belief that the gathering of audience and artists around great plays in this intimate and beautiful setting adds immeasurably to the quality of life in the community. Our productions, in an amphitheater nestled among the redwoods, entertain all ages, from first-time viewers to Shakespeare buffs. Our history shows that each year we introduce new and diverse audiences to a life-affirming engagement with great theater.
Cast of our first production, As You Like It.
A brief history of The Curtain Theatre
Our organization was originally formed in 2000 by Mill Valley arts producer John Leonard, set designer Steve Coleman, and artistic director Mikel Clifford to celebrate Mill Valley’s centennial with a production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
With city sponsorship from the Mill Valley Arts Commission and Parks and Recreation Department, along with generous community donors, we have continued to produce free summer shows in the city’s beautiful Old Mill Park Amphitheater.
In 2010 the board established the Curtain Theatre as a non-profit, named after one of London’s first public theatres. The Curtain was home to Shakespeare’s company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, until they constructed the Globe in 1599. Like our own Curtain Theatre, the 1577 original featured an open-air stage and a conspicuous shortage of curtains.
Open auditions are held in early Spring and announced on our web page. All genders and ethnicities are encouraged to participate.
Steve Coleman’s set from Summer 2009.
