Cortland Repertory Theatre
Origins: In the winter of 1971-72, Dr. James Palmer, associate director of theatre at SUNY Cortland, and David Yaman, a local real estate developer, recognized the need for a quality summer theatre experience for visitors and residents of Central New York. Through the generosity of 23 charter members, Cortland Repertory Theatre was born. The theatre opened on July 5, 1972 in the charming, turn-of-the-century Pavilion at Dwyer Memorial Park on Little York Lake and boasted a young, semi-professional company dedicated to bringing popular plays and musicals to theatre lovers in the area. For six years, the theatre played an eight-week season in rotating repertory, after which the format was changed to five plays running for two weeks each. In 1998, one more production was added to the schedule, with current seasons mostly offering three musicals and three non-musicals.