The Emelin Theatre, located in Mamaroneck, New York, and founded in 1972, is the oldest continuously operating performing arts theater in Westchester County. Its mission is to bring the best in live performing arts to Westchester and other nearby communities and to promote a cultural life that entertains, educates, and invigorates. The Emelin, well-known for its high-quality and affordable programs, is one of the few performing arts venues in this region which offers a broad mix of entertainment appealing to all ages and tastes, produces its own theater performances, and attracts diverse audiences throughout Westchester County and beyond. Due to its strategic location in central Westchester, the Emelin also attracts theatergoers from New York City, New Jersey, and lower Connecticut.
Improving Quality of Life: Key Accomplishments
While we take great pride in our longevity and use our 36 years of experience to achieve our goals, the Emelin is constantly evolving, growing, and experimenting with new art forms, new ideas, and emerging artists. Among its key accomplishments, the Emelin:
-- Serves nearly 33,000 patrons from Westchester County and beyond.
-- Brings a broad array of great programming, performances and entertainers to Westchester. Artists who have appeared on the Emelin stage inclue Paula Cole, Dar Williams, Idina Menzel, Isaac Stern, Richard Goode, Richie Havens, Jon Faddis, Stanley Turrentine, Odetta, and Richard Shindell, to name only a few.
-- Keeps ticket prices affordable while at the same time increasing the number of performances.
-- Attracts nearly 13,000 children and devotes one third of its programming to children and families, which establishes it as Westchester’s preeminent presenter of live children’s theater and workshops.
-- Enables over 4,000 children from nearly 40 different schools in this region to experience culturally diverse theater arts programming through reduced price or free tickets offered as part of its School Outreach Program.
-- Presents a highly successful, sellout Film Club series which screens independent films before their general release and features discussions with directors, actors, and producers associated with the films. This popular series has more than tripled our subscription base.
-- Plays a vital community role by providing the use of its facilities for various civic events, such as the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Cable TV awards and the annual Martin Luther King awards ceremony, sponsored by The Mamaroneck-Larchmont Human Rights Commission.
-- Brings in extra revenues to the local economy through event-related spending and enhanced real estate values. Many theatergoers are taking advantage of the Emelin’s Preferred Merchants Program, which offers discounts at local restaurants and businesses as a benefit to all flex-pass subscribers to the Theatre.
-- Raises over 50% of its budget from ticket sales and workshops, compared to a 40% average among other non-profit theaters.
Benefits to the Community
The Emelin contributes to both the cultural life and the economy of its surrounding local municipalities. In addition to providing a culturally diverse array of live performance opportunities for adults, teens, and children, the Emelin provides the use of its facilities for various civic and community-related events. This past season the Emelin hosted 10 community events, including Library events, League of Women Voters meetings, Larchmont-Mamaroneck Cable TV awards, and the annual Martin Luther King awards ceremony, sponsored by The Mamaroneck-Larchmont Human Rights Commission. The Emelin brings in extra revenue to the communities in terms of jobs, event-related spending, and enhanced real estate values. Many theatergoers are taking advantage of the Emelin’s Preferred Merchants Program, which offers discounts at local restaurants and businesses as a benefit to all flex-pass subscribers to the Theatre.
