A Space for Inspiring Performances

Rosamond Page Putnam Center for the Performing Arts

The Putnam Center is a 350-seat multi-level facility. New England College students use this space for theatre and dance performances as well as attending music performances and town hall meetings with U.S. presidential candidates.

Contact Us

The Putnam Center for Performing Arts

10 Weare Road, Henniker

Box Office: 603.428.2382
Buy tickets
NEC Theatre Department

S. Alex Picard spicard@nec.edu

Glenn Stuart gstuart@nec.edu

Upcoming Theatre Productions

Fall show: Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl

October 21 and 22 at 7:30pm
October 23 at 3:00pm

Sarah Ruhl reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists, and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story.

“Rhapsodically beautiful. A weird and wonderful new play – an inexpressibly moving theatrical fable about love, loss and the pleasures and pains of memory.” – The New York Times

Spring show: TBD

April 7 and 8 at 7:30pm
April 9 at 3:00pm

One Night Staged Reading of Student Works
April 28, 7:30pm

About the Rosamond Page Putnam Center
for the Performing Arts

Opened in spring 2020, this state-of-the-art facility was made possible by a generous $3 million gift from Tom and Barbara Putnam, the Putnam family, and the Putnam Foundation. NEC has enjoyed a 60-plus-year relationship with the Putnam family.

Rosamond “Ros” Putnam spent most of her life in Keene, New Hampshire, pouring her heart and soul into performing in and supporting local theatre throughout southern New Hampshire. The Putnam Center serves as a permanent memorial to her lifelong commitment to theatre and the arts.

The Putnam Center boasts more than 18,000 square feet—including a 350-seat theatre, lobby, box office, control room, dressing rooms, and mezzanine—encompassing three floors. It is home to NEC’s theatre program and offers an inspiring space for students to practice their craft.

In addition to theatre performances, the possibilities within the Putnam Center are endless. NEC hopes to use the Center for a variety of community events such as a film series, author readings, or programs led by surrounding communities and schools.

One thing is certain: The road to the White House begins in New Hampshire. NEC will continue to host presidential candidates for town hall events and even dreams of hosting a presidential debate.

About NEC’s Theatre Company

What We Believe
Theatre teaches people what it means to be human. We provide the stage on which to learn. Theatre moves beyond self-expression into a place where civic and environmental connections— and the personal connection to those elements—are the responsibility of the artist. Whether it’s through the works of Shakespeare, Brecht, or Tony Kushner, our Theatre Department poses the fundamental question: What does it mean to be a human engaged with the world in which we live? We teach our students that theatre is meaningful and can change the world.

About Our Program
At NEC, theatre majors are involved in productions in their first semester. Students engage in hands-on practical experiences in every course, with most offered in the beautiful Rosamond Page Putnam Center for the Performing Arts. Every member of the theatre department has a voice in crafting program direction, from management and graphic design to performance specialties like acting, directing, theatre history, play analysis, stagecraft, lighting, Shakespeare, and more.

Explore the Theatre Program