It is hard to imagine a more perfect way to spend a summer evening. Experience musical theatre in the delightful setting of the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse! Located at Emerson Park amid the towering trees, sprawling lawns, and Victorian-style buildings on the shoreline of sparkling clear Owasco Lake; this beautifully renovated, early 20th century carousel building is home to the region’s largest professional musical theatre. The 501 seating capacity of the Preston H. Thomas Theater welcomes both recent Broadway releases and revivals of stage classics.
The picturesque locale is home to the The Rev Theatre Company, which features professional musical productions from May to October. It is Summer Stock at its finest!
You will find another charming and unique home for the The Rev Theatre Company productions at The Carriage House behind the historic Case Research Lab. In this intimate venue, The Rev Theatre Company hosts THE PITCH, which provides a showcase for original plays. Once known as The Museum Playhouse, the 19th century carriage house first became a home to community theatre in 1941. Doors closed on the theatre after productions were moved to the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in the early 1970’s. In 2011, the theater was completely renovated and once again opened to the public, featuring a cabaret-style theater and stage and public venue.
Downtown Auburn, a city clearly dedicated to the arts, provides more theatre entertainment at The Main Stage at Auburn Public Theater. Located in the center of Auburn’s thriving nightlife, the theater presents national musicals, touring acts, live music, non-musical plays, and comedians in an intimate 200-seat theatre.
The venue is also the home to Auburn Public Cinema, a 65-seat art house cinema with the highest quality digital projection and HD sound that screens independent, documentary, foreign, classic and family films.
While many small cities across America continue to struggle to remain relevant and viable, Auburn is a city that has found an identity as a thriving theatre community. Combined with the natural beauty and recreation residing in The Finger Lakes Region, arts and entertainment make this scenic city a great place to call home – even if you’re new here.