Our Vision
Ancram Opera House presents a mix of contemporary theatre, alternative cabaret, and community programs. Located in the Hudson River Valley in a former grange hall converted into an intimate and flexible space, AOH offers a unique opportunity to directly engage, up close, with visionary theatre artists at the top of their field yet rarely seen in our region.
Inspired by the aspirations of the grange movement, the Ancram Opera House creates meaningful encounters through the performing arts that forge connection and community. We believe performances—experienced in our small, intimate space—offer the possibility for real exchange, instill a sense of place and contribute to healthier and happier lives. Our hall fosters an audience’s immersion with a performance to make it complete and the potential for personal growth that the arts provide. We also look to Ancram's pastoral character to nurture fervent artistic creation.
Values
Discovery--Every play is built around a question. We embrace inquiry throughout rehearsal and performance, and what emerges in response.
Inclusiveness--We convene audiences and artists of diverse backgrounds to inform our evolving understanding of one another and ourselves.
Intimacy--Theater offers opportunities for self-discovery; the shared experience of a performance in our small space makes these revelations all the more nuanced and pronounced.
Relevance--We reflect the local world we know through the work while also investigating stories from around the globe with a local audience.
Synergy--We support artists, their process and drive to create, yet recognize the central role audiences play in the ultimate realization of any work.
Playfulness--Each production presents a chance to try something new, float an idea, test new methods or break rules.
Immediacy--The Ancram Opera House is noted for its excellent acoustics. We are especially interested in the capacity of listening to engage on multiple levels.