Live theater creates magic. The moment the curtain rises, the lights go up, and the music starts, the audience begins a journey of drama, comedy, music, or all of the above. Often, the venue itself adds to the whole experience, and the east end has a host of truly historical, magical, and community-oriented local theaters that shine under the bright lights.
Montauk Playhouse Community Center
240 Edgemere St, Montauk, NY
Years back, while summering in Montauk, Edward Albee financially supported the idea of a Montauk Playhouse. Its mission was to create “A flexible, multi-use event space that provides arts and education space for the Montauk Community.” Located on the grounds of the Montauk Manor, sadly, Albee did not live long enough to accomplish his dream of producing plays there.
John Drew Theater of Guild Hall
Guild Hall
158 Main St, East Hampton, NY
Soon, the John Drew Theater of Guild Hall will reopen. It has been rebuilt, refurbished, and restructured for an optimal theater experience, yet its historic interior character remains intact. Having performed there, this author knows the venue adds an authentic Hamptons energy to any performance. The host of theater stars who have performed on this stage through its almost 100 years of existence is the stuff of legend. Actors Eli Wallach and Blythe Danner were always local favorites because of their east-end presence.
Bay Street Theater
1 Bay St, Sag Harbor, NY
Then, there is the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. This theater’s history is the story of fabulous productions with terrific stars. Years back, Emma Walton Hamilton and her husband, Stephen Hamilton, lined up sought-after Broadway talent to grace the stage for Summer Productions. For almost a decade, Bay Street’s Artistic Director, Scott Schwartz, has brought the theater into the 21st Century with creative, innovative productions and a host of classic musicals and dramas.
Southampton Cultural Center
25 Pond Ln, Southampton, NY
In Southampton, two venues are now producing live theater. The stage of the Southampton Cultural Center produces plays on their Main Stage from theater groups like Bonnie Grice’s “Boots on the Ground Theater Company,” as well as Abby Russell’s Comedy Club. The center has a long history of serving the Southampton Community with top-level local theater.
New to the scene are shows at the Southampton Arts Center. This beautiful venue performs “radio plays” and play readings orchestrated by east-end theater icon Michael Disher, who before the pandemic, was the Artistic Director of the SCC.
Westhampton Performing Arts Center
76 Main St, Westhampton Beach, NY
When talking about live theater venues in the Hamptons, no article is complete without mentioning the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. It is a beautiful venue for live performances from folks like Wayne Newton, Peter Asher, and John Sebastian, who have all performed there in the last few years.
However, the ultimate theatre of the Hamptons is the individual ocean beaches, where everyday folks entertain themselves. The ocean performs a new live show every day, sometimes with breaking whales, other times passing dolphins, and always with a chorus of seagulls.
Quogue Community Hall
125 Jessup Ave, Quogue, NY
A favorite venue for those in the know is the Quogue Community Hall, home of the Hampton Theatre Company. Using a host of local actors, the Hampton Theatre Company, with its exceptional sets, transforms the Quogue Community Hall into riveting, entertaining local theater with dramas and musical productions.
