Top 10 Best Theatre Houses in the US

There are many theatre lovers out there in this world. A theatre house which is also known as a playhouse is a place where different kinds of theatrical plays are performed. There are many theatre houses in the United States and in various cities, the regional theatres come up with some of the best classic productions, American or world premieres, new revivals, etc.

It is really exciting to watch a theatre play. So, while you are in the US, make it a point to visit these top 10 theatre houses of the US.

Theatre Houses in the US

Cleveland Play House

This theatre house is in Cleveland, Ohio and it celebrated its 100th anniversary in the year 2015. Cleveland Play House is the first professional and regional theatre house in the United States. In the past years, this theatre house is known to produce 1300 productions to date and even more than that. All these works of this play house have been watched by more than 12 million people. 

Many renowned people like Margaret Hamilton, Alan Alda, and Paul Newman made their debut from this playhouse. In fact, this playhouse also launched the first community-based theatre education initiatives of America. Cleveland theatre house now conducts the Annual New Ground Theatre Festival.

Arena Stage

Arena Stage is located in Washington D.C. and is known to have a really long history of excellent theatrical plays. It was founded in the year 1950 and this theatre house was the first one who received the most esteemed Outstanding Regional Theatre Tony Award.

Not only this, but Arena Stage is also known to be the first regional playhouse to bring the show ‘The Great White Hope’ to Broadway. This playhouse moved to several places before finally getting located at the Mead Center situated at the American Theatre.

A lot of renowned actors have played in the stages of this playhouse that includes Jon Voight, Kevin Kline, and James Earl, Jones.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre

The Berkeley Repertory Theatre is located at Berkeley, California and is best known for launching the world premiere ‘American Idiot’ directed by Michael Mayer during the season of 2009-2010. This theatre house has also hosted a huge number of Broadway shows from the year it started i.e., in 1968. The ground floor program of this playhouse uses commissions and workshops in order to create new works. 

But not only this, but this theatre also creates original productions. From the year 2001, this playhouse has helped many students by conducting workshops, fellowship programs, and original productions. Berkeley Repertory Theatre also received the Outstanding Regional Theatre Tony Award in the year 1997.

Paper Mill Playhouse

This playhouse is at Millburn, New Jersey. Actors like Rob Marshall, Newsies and Kristin Chenoweth started their career from Paper Mill Playhouse. In the year 1795, this was actually a paper mill that later on converted into a theatre company established by Antoinette Scudder in the year 1934. Unfortunately, a new theatre was launched after the fire burned down the previous one in the year 1980.

‘Can’t take it with you’ was the inaugural production of the new theatre that was a hit and even went to the Broadway.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company

This theatre company is located in Chicago, Illinois. In the year 1974, this playhouse produced its first show and came a really long way since then.

During that time the founders who were a group of high school graduates came up with their play ‘And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little’. They performed it at the Unitarian Church in Deerfield, Illinois. 

Now the Steppenwolf Theatre Company is known to produce 16 shows every year. In fact, this playhouse is also home to many unique plays and remarkable performers like Joan Allen and John Malkovich made their debut from this playhouse.

Recently, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company hosted its pre-Broadway show starring Michael Cera ‘This is our youth’.

Yale Repertory Theatre

Located at the New Haven, Connecticut, this theatre house was found in the year 1966 by the dean of Yale School of drama. It was honored with 8 Tony awards and was also sent to the Broadways for 40 nominations.

The Yale Repertory Theatre is lodged at Yale University and this theatre house also features a program known as the Binger center for the new playhouse. 

This program supports the new kinds of works that are produced in the world of theatre. The works include Marie Antoinette to the premiere of the notes from the Underground. This regional playhouse also received the Tony Award for being such a great regional theatre house in the year 1991.

Guthrie Theatre

This theatre is in Minneapolis, Minnesota and this season is perhaps the last one for the artistic director Joe Dowling who is known to lead this award-winning playhouse through a lot of changes during the tenure of 20 years.

During his tenure, Joe Dowling formed training programs for the actors by associating with playwrights and even worked to get various world premieres to this theatre house. 

The World stage series is unique programming with the help of which the Guthrie Theatre house was eager to take the audiences beyond Minnesota by bringing together theatre houses from several other companies all over the world to Minneapolis.

La Jolla Play House

This playhouse is in San Diego, California and was its founders were Gregory Peck, Mel Ferrer, and Dorothy McGuire. La Jolla Play House was founded in the year 1947 and it was a non-profit theatre house.

In fact, this playhouse received 35 Tony awards for its outstanding productions that were also sent to Broadway and it included Memphis, Jersey Boys, the Starcatchers and Peter, Sideshow and How to succeed in business without really trying.

This play house has got four theatres hosting 75 world premiere productions. It received more than even 300 awards for its theatre productions that included a 1993 Tony Award for being the outstanding regional playhouse.

American Repertory Theatre

This theatre house is in Cambridge, Massachusetts and has become really famous for producing some of the best Tony awards hit productions. The 2012 production of “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” and “Pippin” won the Best Revival of a Musical.

This theatre started to excel from the year 1980 and it was the time when Robert Brustein launched this theatre as a part of Harvard University. 

This theatre has a 2nd stage that is located at the Harvard Square and it presents tap dancing, aerial shows, comedy shows etc. This theatre has committed to bringing more excellent productions to its stage like Finding Neverland that ran successfully in Cambridge.

Alliance theatre

Alliance theatre is in Atlanta, Georgia which received the outstanding regional theatre Tony Award in the year 2007. It was founded in the year 1968 and became the largest and the leading regional theatre of the southeastern region.

This theatre is known for a huge number of world premieres and original productions like “The color purple to Aida” to “Bring it on: The Musical”. 

This theatre company is also involved with works such as the Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, a contest for the young writers. Alliance theatre house produces at least 10 shows every season.

Top Theatre Houses

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