Hudson Valley Shakespeare Opens Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center in New York

Hudson Valley Shakespeare celebrated the opening of the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center, its new permanent home in Garrison, New York, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The 451-seat, open-air theater is the focal point of the company’s 98-acre arts complex and is defined by a dramatic mass-timber roof inspired by the shape of a bird’s wing. Thornton Tomasetti provided structural engineering services for the theater designed by Studio Gang, including the supporting pavilions for rehearsal studios, teaching spaces, offices, concessions, and other amenities.

Structural Engineering Shapes the Mass-Timber Theater Design 

Curving over the 6,800-square-foot theater and supported on A-frame columns, the structure creates an immersive setting that connects audiences to the surrounding landscape, with views of the Hudson River, Storm King Mountain, and Breakneck Ridge. 

Working closely with the architect, theater consultants, and timber supplier Art Massif, we developed an efficient glue-laminated wood (glulam) structural system that integrates technical equipment and catwalks within the sweeping multidirectional roof. 

To realize the complex grid-shell geometry, the team refined the design into a system of long-span glulam girders with short-span purlins. The theater’s steel catwalk was also integrated into the structural system as a tension tie. This reduced material use and simplified fabrication and detailing.

Sustainability Goals Shape the New Theater 

The vision for the new theater was guided by a strong commitment to sustainability and nature. The former golf course site is being restored and rewilded, and the use of mass timber throughout the theater supports the project’s goal of achieving LEED Platinum certification.

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