Olney Theatre Center - About - Performances Spaces

Mainstage

The majority of Olney Theatre Center productions are presented in this 429-seat modern theater. The Mainstage opened in August of 2005 and is a facility with stadium seating on two levels and advanced acoustics. Designed by the firm Hart Howerton, the theater was an 8.5 million dollar project. It was designed to be in the spirit of Shaker architecture to match the other facilities on OTC's campus and to pay homage to the roots of the Olney community.

Historic Stage

This 440-seat theatre is the original stage at Olney Theatre Center where productions have been presented since 1938. It contains a 30-foot wide by 35-foot deep proscenium stage, complete with orchestra pit. (The space has the capacity to thrust the stage over the pit an extra 10 feet.) When the theater was originally built, it was constructed around a large tree, which was situated in the front right of the house (i.e., the audience) and rose up through the roof. In addition, because Olney Theatre was not air-conditioned (and was originally a summer stock theater), wooden shutters on either side of the house would be opened before each performance to allow cross-ventilation in the theater. Although these features are long gone, many original items remain, including the peach basket shades over the house lights and the wooden doors leading into the theater. Today the Histroic Theatre is primarily available for rentals. Click here for information about renting.

Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab

In 1999, Olney Theatre Center opened the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, the first component of its Millennium Campaign to expand the campus into a true cultural center in Montgomery County. The lab is a 48 square foot black box with a 22-foot ceiling, which serves as both a performance and rehearsal space. The lab is used to present our Jazz at Olney series as well as occasional mainstage productions.It is also available for rental. Click here for information about renting.