About | Lawnchair

About
LawnChair Theatre

“Things won are done; joy’s soul lies in the doing.”

Welcome to LawnChair Theatre.

What began in 2006 as a Port Chester summer youth theatre project has evolved into much more. LawnChair is a true community theatre, an organization in which the community is as important as the theatre. Over the past 15 years, our project became a mission.

We believe in theatre’s power to shine a light on our common humanity, to raise the level of empathy in our world. We feature multi-generational casts and blend professionally trained and amateur performers. Our goal is to contemporize Shakespeare, and other classic playwrights and authors, without rewriting them.

We love this company, the work, the play, and, especially, the people. We love our audiences, and we’re grateful for our supporters and sponsors.

We hope you will join us, whether as artist, crew, audience, or sponsor. Thanks for checking us out.

Peter Green (he/him)
Co-Founder & Artistic Director

Summer with LawnChair Theatre is a great adventure, a traveling circus.

I don’t remember exactly what inspired us to go on the road in the first place, but it’s now part of the DNA of our company.

We rehearse, plan, build our sets and costumes outdoors. It’s a beautiful way to spend summer evenings. Then, one midsummer’s night, we carefully pack up a rental truck and hit the road.

It goes like this. We arrive at a park, unload the truck, assemble the set, sound, lights, wardrobe tents and “house”. The actors get ready, then perform for the local audience at sunset. After the show, in the dark, we re-pack the truck. Every company member participates in load-out. We head to a local watering hole to celebrate. Then we do it again, seven times in two weeks. Each performance is unique to its location. Each location presents us with a set of creative challenges and opportunities.

The effort it takes to make this happen every summer is huge and hugely rewarding. It also makes for a great community.

We hope you will join ours.

Carin Zakes (she/her)

Co-Founder & Executive Producer

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Our Team

Meet some of the people working behind the scenes to make LawnChair happen every year!

Founders & Executive Producers

Peter Green

Peter is an early graduate of SUNY Purchase's BFA Acting program. His NYC theatre credits include The Medicine Show Theatre Ensemble, The Manhattan Punchline Theatre and Playwrights Horizons. Peter has been acting, directing, and teaching in Westchester and Fairfield Counties since 1997.

Carin Zakes

Carin was a founding faculty member and director at the famed Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Camp. She has directed Off-Broadway. Since 1998, Carin has directed dozens of plays and musicals, working in community theatres in Westchester and Fairfield County.