We are a non profit community organization in residence at Orange County Community College in Middletown, NY. The intimate Orange Hall Theatre is our home for rehearsals and performances. The theatre is one of the best equipped performance spaces in the area; is fully air conditioned and ADA compliant, with excellent rehearsal facilities. The SUNY Orange campus is conveniently located for all residents of the Mid Hudson Valley (see "Directions" ).

“...we pride ourselves on giving back...”
Economic realities prevent us from adequately compensating all of the many talented people who work with us for their sacrifices, hard work and dedication; we wish we could. We are able to provide volunteers with two comps for each show; complimentary bottled water; coffee/tea at all rehearsals and performances-small things, to be sure, but we pride ourselves on giving back to the people who make SummerStar the success that it is. SummerStar is a respectful, appreciative and productive work place. Our policy has always been to pay stipends to Directors, Designers and Choreographers, when possible.

“...actors chosen for roles, rather than roles chosen for actors...”
Casting is by audition and openly competitive. We believe in fresh faces; our cast lists always include many "new comers." SummerStar is for the audience, not the local theatre clique. Believing that our audience wants to see actors chosen for roles, rather than roles chosen for actors, we have never cast any one actor in more than two consecutive productions. On occasion selected roles are cast in advance. These rare occasions are always openly publicized.

Max is a Professor of Theatre and Communication at SUNY Orange, where he has directed and designed over forty productions from Shakespeare to Beckett to Sondheim. He received his MFA in Directing from the University of Texas at Austin. Most recently appearing in David Mamet's REUNION, Max has acted in over 100 amateur and professional productions, while attaining membership in Actors Equity, SAG and AFTRA. In addition to co-founding SummerStar Theatre, Max founded the Otisville Theatre Workshop in the State Correctional Facility in Otisville, NY.

Max Schaefer