Seattle Musical Theatre

Mission

Seattle Musical Theatre exists to engage and entertain our community by producing new and traditional musicals; this theater nurtures local talent by providing training and artistic development opportunities for children, youth and adults from all walks of life.

Description

Seattle Musical Theatre (SMT) was founded as Seattle Civic Light Opera (CLO) in 1977 by a group of
Seattle opera enthusiasts, including Joan Galstaun and Barbara McHargue. With a keen interest in offering theatre to North Seattle communities, they pooled personal resources, located a venue above a music store in Northgate, (Heritage Theatre), and launched CLO's first season with German composer Johann Strauss' "The Gypsy Baron". By 1978, the venue was running at capacity so the troupe moved to the 750-seat auditorium in the Jane Addams School in Lake City. In response to audience requests, CLO began including musicals as part of their 1980 season. CLO remained at the Jane Addams stage through 2002 but a school remodel forced them to relocate. From 2003 to 2008 CLO operated, temporarily, from the Shoreline Community Center; it was during this time (2006) that a rebranding campaign for SMT was launched. In 2008 the new Seattle Musical Theatre moved into Building 47 of the Historic Magnuson Park.

In 2020 the theatre in Magnuson Park was closed for the pandemic.  The HVAC system will need to be upgraded before the venue can reopen.  

In 2022 the company will produce "In the Heights" at the Cornish Playhouse (Seattle Center) and will offer a public benefit preview on May 30th.  The project is cosponsored by Latino Theatre Projects.