The Hudson Highlands have always done a lot of the heavy lifting for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. For decades, the company performed under a temporary canvas tent on the grounds of Boscobel House and Gardens, relying on the dramatic dip of the river and the silhouette of Storm King Mountain to provide the scenography.
But things are different now. In similar updates, take a look at: Why Sam Neill Wanted You To Forget The Dinosaurs.
In May 2026, the company officially cut the ribbon on its first permanent home: the $41 million Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center in Garrison, New York. This is not just a structural upgrade. It is an artistic revolution. Designed by Studio Gang, this open-air, mass-timber pavilion does not block out nature. It practically invites the wind, the fading sunlight, and the oncoming storms to co-star in the plays.
The inaugural lineup features a searing, deeply intimate production of King Lear running in repertory with a music-filled, joyful staging of As You Like It. If you have been looking for an excuse to leave the city, hop on the Metro-North, and spend a weekend immersed in world-class theater, this is it. IGN has provided coverage on this fascinating issue in great detail.
The House That Timber Built
For years, theatergoers accepted certain compromises at the old Boscobel site. Rainstorms meant shouting over the drumming of water on vinyl. Extreme heat meant sweltering through three hours of early modern English. Obstructed views meant paying for a seat where you spent half the night staring at a support pole.
The new Scripps Theater Center fixes all of that while keeping the open-air magic intact.
Architect Jeanne Gang designed a pavilion that looks like a gently curved wooden wave rising from the hillside. Built using prefabricated laminated timber, the structure features A-frame columns and a shingled canopy that mimics the rolling profiles of the nearby mountains. The three-quarter thrust seating accommodates 451 people, and because of the brilliant engineering, there is not a single bad seat or obstructed sightline in the house.
But the real stroke of genius is the proscenium arch. It is perfectly aligned with the "Wind Gate" of Storm King Mountain and the Hudson River. As the plays begin in the early evening, the audience looks directly through the stage into a sunset that shifts from pale gold to deep, bloody orange. By the time the tragedy peaks, absolute darkness has fallen over the valley, leaving the stage lit only by theatrical spotlights.
It is an extraordinary design feat. The building is on track to become the first purpose-built LEED Platinum theater in the United States, utilizing natural ventilation, low-carbon materials, and solar panels. It is a masterpiece that respects its environment.
A Devastatingly Personal King Lear
Directed by Artistic Director Davis McCallum, this production of King Lear strips away the grand, remote politics of the play to focus on something far more painful: the slow, agonizing collapse of a family.
At the center of it all is Kurt Rhoads, a legendary figure in regional theater who is celebrating his 28th season with the company. Rhoads does not play Lear as a towering, untouchable monument. He plays him as a real, frail man whose mind is slipping away. Early in the play, his demands for declarations of love from his daughters feel less like imperial vanity and more like the desperate, anxious grasping of an aging patriarch who knows his grip on reality is loosening.
The brilliance of this casting goes a step further. The Fool is played by Nance Williamson, who is Rhoads' real-life wife. This marks the 77th play they have performed together. That decades-long partnership pays off in every single exchange. When the Fool mockingly but tenderly guides the unraveling king through the rain, you are not just watching two actors hit their marks. You are witnessing a profound, deeply felt intimacy that cannot be faked. It is devastating to watch, and it anchors the show in a way few other productions can match.
The supporting cast is equally sharp:
- Eric Berryman gives us an Edgar who transforms from a gullible, privileged young man into a raw, shivering "Poor Tom" with visceral intensity.
- Helen Cespedes and Katie Hartke steer clear of cartoonish villainy as Regan and Goneril. Instead, they play the sisters with a cold, rational pragmatism. You see their frustration with their father's erratic behavior, which makes their eventual cruelty feel horribly human rather than monstrous.
- Howard W. Overshown brings a quiet, noble gravity to Gloucester, whose physical blinding mirrors Lear's mental blindness in a parallel arc of tragic revelation.
McCallum relies heavily on the environment to build tension. There are no massive, high-tech wind machines or projection screens here. When the storm hits, the production lets the natural wind rustling through the Hudson Highlands do the work. The sound design by Darron L West and lighting by Jeff Croiter work with the elements, not against them, turning the darkening sky and the cool night air into active storytelling tools.
The Joyful Antidote of As You Like It
If King Lear leaves you emotionally shattered, the company’s production of As You Like It is the perfect remedy.
Directed by Miriam Laube, this staging turns the Forest of Arden into a sanctuary. Laube abandons a strict historical setting in favor of an "imagined wild world" that draws direct inspiration from the surrounding highlands. Here, the exiles do not just hide in the woods; they find themselves, throwing off the stiff, repressive rules of the court to embrace a chaotic, musical freedom.
Helen Cespedes, pulling double duty after playing Regan in Lear, is a magnificent Rosalind. She brings a sharp, contemporary wit to the role, making her disguise as the young man Ganymede feel less like a silly theatrical trope and more like a liberating exploration of identity. Her chemistry with Keshav Moodliar's Orlando is electric, filled with the sweaty, nervous energy of a youthful crush.
The music is what really elevates this production. Rather than relying on pre-recorded tracks, music supervisor Carl Howell (who also plays Amiens) leads the ensemble in creating the acoustic, folk-infused score live on stage. The actors play instruments, sing, and stamp their feet, making the sound feel like a natural, spontaneous outgrowth of their characters' joy.
By the time the play reaches its exuberant finale, which features no fewer than four weddings, the boundary between the stage and the audience has completely dissolved. You are left feeling lighter, happier, and thoroughly charmed.
Planning Your Pilgrimage to Garrison
This is not a theater experience where you arrive ten minutes before curtain, sit in the dark, and immediately head home. The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival is designed to be a slow-cooked, full-day event.
If you are planning to make the trip, here is how to do it right.
The Travel Logistics
Garrison is incredibly accessible from New York City. You can take the Metro-North Hudson Line from Grand Central to the Garrison station. The ride takes about 70 minutes and offers gorgeous, continuous views of the river. From the station, the theater campus is a quick, ten-minute rideshare away. If you are driving, the campus is located at 2015 Route 9.
The Picnic Tradition
Do not skip the pre-show picnic. The gates to the 98-acre campus open 90 minutes before showtime, and visitors are actively encouraged to spread out blankets, pour some wine, and enjoy the views of the highlands before heading to their seats.
You can pick up fresh bread, local cheeses, and charcuterie from the shops along Main Street in nearby Cold Spring. Alternatively, the on-site concession tent offers a great selection of local wines, craft beers, and light snacks.
What to Pack
Because this is an open-air theater, you need to be prepared for the elements:
- Layer up: Even in July and August, the temperature in the highlands drops rapidly once the sun goes down. Bring a light jacket or a cozy sweater.
- Bug spray: Mosquitoes are active at dusk near the river. Keep a bottle of repellent in your bag.
- Rain gear: The performances will proceed through light rain. Bring a poncho or a waterproof jacket, but leave the umbrellas at home so you do not block the views of the people sitting behind you.
Turn It Into a Weekend Getaway
To get the most out of the trip, don't rush back to the city on the late-night train. Book a rental or a boutique hotel in Garrison, Cold Spring, or Beacon, and build a full weekend of culture and outdoor adventure around the shows.
Spend your morning hiking the nearby Osborn Loop Trail for panoramic views of the river, or take a quiet stroll through the formal gardens at Boscobel. In the afternoon, explore the independent shops and galleries in Cold Spring, then head back to Garrison for a late-afternoon picnic and an evening of Shakespeare under the timber canopy.
This is regional theater at its absolute peak: confident, deeply human, and in perfect harmony with the majestic terrain that surrounds it. Secure your tickets, pack a picnic, and get up to the highlands.
