Our History:
Since its inception over forty years ago, Princeton Summer Theater has provided the Princeton community with great works of theater produced by the stars of tomorrow. PST is dedicated to training the up-and-coming leaders of the theater world and offers students and young professionals experience working in every area of theater production, from performance, to design, to marketing... and everything in between.
Housed in the charmingly intimate Hamilton Murray Theater, PST has helped launch the careers of hundreds of young artists while bringing high-quality, affordable theater to the Princeton area. Some of PST's notable alumni include Tony Award-winning actress Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago), Tony award-winning producer Geoff Rich (Avenue Q), and Hollywood veteran William Hootkins (Star Wars, Batman).
In 1968, seeking to continue their theatrical endeavors into the summer months, Princeton University students and Theatre Intime members Charles Bernstein, Geoff Peterson and Jon Lorrain founded the organization that we now call Princeton Summer Theater. The Hamilton Murray Theater had never before housed a successful student-run summer repertory company, but these bold youngsters were not to be deterred. They organized an ensemble, and Summer Intime was born. It was a huge success, prompting Princeton University to install a much needed air conditioning system in the Hamilton Murray Theater.
Summer Intime prospered for many years, and soon a board of theater- and community-savvy trustees was assembled to advise students involved. Eventually, the company's name was changed to Princeton Summer Theater. The current Princeton Summer Theater board of trustees counts among its members William Lockwood, Special Programming Director of McCarter Theater; Michael Cadden, Chairman of Princeton University's Program in Theatre and Dance; Geoff Rich, Executive Director of The New Group Theater; and Geoff Peterson, founding member of Summer Intime.
A one-million-dollar renovation of the Hamilton Murray Theater halted PST's production for two seasons in 1999 and 2000. But in 2001, a group of devoted students led by Amanda Brandes (currently Director of Internal Affairs for the Dorset Theatre Festival and a PST trustee) revived the company and reintroduced Princeton Summer Theater to the community. The newly renovated theater has seen improved attendance and great critical success every year since. As Princeton Summer Theater continues to grow -- this summer presenting a more ambitious season than ever -- it remains committed to making challenging, entertaining plays accessible to the Princeton community and hopes to do so for many summers to come.
