Our Story
Recognizing a gap in the theatre community of the greater Lansing area, the East Lansing Community Theatre was started in 2017 by Mike Stewart. In partnership with the Hannah Community Center in East Lansing, the fledgling company put up three Shakespeare productions in that space during 2017 and 2018. The group also performed at the East Lansing Art Festival in 2018.
In 2019, Mike stepped away from the group for personal reasons. At the same time, the agreement with the Hannah Community Center expired. Suddenly adrift, the remaining members met to decide the direction of the company. After much discussion, we decided to rebrand and take our mission of providing quality and engaging classical theatre projects to the wider Lansing community.
And so we became The Curtainless Theatre! We so enjoyed our time working with the city of East Lansing and are forever grateful for their help and hospitality as we got this group on its feet. We’ve learned so much during our time there and we’re excited to bring that to the entire Capitol region. We’ve got a new name and a renewed sense of purpose! We will continue to bring quality Shakespeare and classical theatre productions to the greater Lansing area, and with an increased focus on community engagement and education, we hope to be able to involve even more of this wonderful community in diverse storytelling experiences that explore universal human experiences and themes.
Our new name, The Curtainless Theatre, holds a lot of meaning for us, both as a Shakespeare/Classical Theatre troupe and as members of the greater Lansing community. The name is a play on The Curtain Theatre, which is the name of the London theater that housed William Shakespeare’s company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, from 1597 to 1599, just prior to the group’s residency at The Globe. Many of Shakespeare’s most revered plays were performed at The Curtain, including Romeo and Juliet and both parts of Henry IV. Shakespeare himself acted on The Curtain’s stage.
The Curtainless Theatre also speaks to the fact that, for now, we are without a permanent home - literally curtain-less! But have no fear! Like the many bands of traveling players that have come before us, we are excited to use this freedom to explore the different venues that the Capitol Region has to offer and bring our love of theatre to a wide range of people.
Lastly, this new name calls back to our mission. With an increased focus on community engagement and educational outreach, we hope to “pull back the curtain” - as it were - on the processes of theatre and the ageless stories that have stood the test of time. We are the first to admit that Shakespearean theatre and other classical offerings can feel intimidating and unfamiliar. However, these stories are still around today because they speak a universal human language - that of shared experience. The themes present in these classic tales remain relevant and sharp. Exploring them through theatre and storytelling provides us with the tools we need to deepen understanding, forge bonds, and bridge divides with our fellow humans.
In 2019, Mike stepped away from the group for personal reasons. At the same time, the agreement with the Hannah Community Center expired. Suddenly adrift, the remaining members met to decide the direction of the company. After much discussion, we decided to rebrand and take our mission of providing quality and engaging classical theatre projects to the wider Lansing community.
And so we became The Curtainless Theatre! We so enjoyed our time working with the city of East Lansing and are forever grateful for their help and hospitality as we got this group on its feet. We’ve learned so much during our time there and we’re excited to bring that to the entire Capitol region. We’ve got a new name and a renewed sense of purpose! We will continue to bring quality Shakespeare and classical theatre productions to the greater Lansing area, and with an increased focus on community engagement and education, we hope to be able to involve even more of this wonderful community in diverse storytelling experiences that explore universal human experiences and themes.
Our new name, The Curtainless Theatre, holds a lot of meaning for us, both as a Shakespeare/Classical Theatre troupe and as members of the greater Lansing community. The name is a play on The Curtain Theatre, which is the name of the London theater that housed William Shakespeare’s company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, from 1597 to 1599, just prior to the group’s residency at The Globe. Many of Shakespeare’s most revered plays were performed at The Curtain, including Romeo and Juliet and both parts of Henry IV. Shakespeare himself acted on The Curtain’s stage.
The Curtainless Theatre also speaks to the fact that, for now, we are without a permanent home - literally curtain-less! But have no fear! Like the many bands of traveling players that have come before us, we are excited to use this freedom to explore the different venues that the Capitol Region has to offer and bring our love of theatre to a wide range of people.
Lastly, this new name calls back to our mission. With an increased focus on community engagement and educational outreach, we hope to “pull back the curtain” - as it were - on the processes of theatre and the ageless stories that have stood the test of time. We are the first to admit that Shakespearean theatre and other classical offerings can feel intimidating and unfamiliar. However, these stories are still around today because they speak a universal human language - that of shared experience. The themes present in these classic tales remain relevant and sharp. Exploring them through theatre and storytelling provides us with the tools we need to deepen understanding, forge bonds, and bridge divides with our fellow humans.
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