Enter the new Hudson Valley Shakespeare theatre and its first-ever, timber-shell home
Studio Gang unveils the Samuel H Scripps Theater Center at Hudson Valley Shakespeare, a design conceived to immerse its audience in both plays and the setting
Designed to blend with its natural setting, the new Hudson Valley Shakespeare theatre by Studio Gang is about to open its doors – and audiences will soon be able to immerse themselves not only in some great theatre but also in the rolling green hills and leafy vistas that surround the much-loved company's home. Officially titled Samuel H Scripps Theater Center, the project, six years in the making, is a dedicated indoor-outdoor setting to house the organisation's open-air productions in their first-ever permanent home.
Tour the new Hudson Valley Shakespeare theatre
While the project was launched in time for the summer season, the building was conceived to support the company's year-round operations. Studio founder Jeanne Gang and her team worked on the design so it can aid with wider campus circulation and a wealth of important back-of-house areas that are so integral to a theatre's functionality. The team worked on rehearsal, performance, education, and amenity spaces, as well as implemented several technical updates and reworked accessibility points to ensure diverse audiences are accommodated.
The project's jewel remains its brand-new main stage, tucked under a curved, timber-framed grid shell, which echoes the context's natural terrain and soft planting. Spanning some 6,800 sq ft, the 451-seat theatre comes with new dressing rooms, a green room, wardrobe facilities, and offices, alongside retail and support spaces.
'It’s been so rewarding to help shape this next exciting chapter for Hudson Valley Shakespeare,' said Gang. 'My Studio shares with HVS a deeply held commitment to creating spaces that bring people together and connect them to nature. This new theatre not only preserves and enhances the unique qualities of HVS’s open-air performances but also provides state-of-the-art facilities that support actors, staff, and audiences alike. The building’s curved mass timber structure harmonises with the natural beauty of the site while modelling a more sustainable future for cultural and performing arts spaces.'
Landscape architects Nelson Byrd Woltz artfully wove the building into its setting, as part of a 2020 masterplan they created for the broader, 98-acre site. It includes from pathways and picnic areas to native meadows and strategies that support the area's natural biodiversity.
'Today marks the realisation of a vision years in the making for Hudson Valley Shakespeare. A permanent home that is rooted in language, landscape, and community allows us to welcome more people into the shared experience of live performance. For our artists, audiences, students, and neighbours, this campus creates new possibilities for gathering, learning, and experiencing the arts in one of the most extraordinary settings in New York,' said Davis McCallum, artistic director.
'The Samuel H Scripps Theater Center was made possible by two extraordinary acts of generosity: Christopher Davis’s vision in conveying this 98-acre landscape to HVS, and Wendy Scripps’s lead philanthropic support, naming this theatre in honour of her father, Samuel H Scripps. We are also deeply grateful to the many donors to the Rooted Campaign whose generosity helped turn this shared dream into a reality. Together, their support reflects a collective belief in the power of theatre to bring people together, and to deepen our connection to the natural world.'
The first season in the Scripps Theater Center begins 10 June 2026 with William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, directed by Miriam Laube
