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
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NEC Theatre Department

Glenn Stuart gstuart@nec.edu

Theatre Productions

The Open Door Theatre Company is delighted to announce that we will present our first production in the Rosamond Page Putnam Center for the Performing Arts, August: Osage County by Tracy Letts.

Production dates

July 14 and 15, 7:30pm
July 16, 3pm

Brutal and hilarious, August: Osage County shook audiences to their core when it first exploded onto the American stage. A vanished father. A pill-popping mother. Three sisters harboring shady little secrets. When the large Weston family unexpectedly reunites after Dad disappears, their Oklahoman family homestead explodes in a maelstrom of repressed truths and unsettling secrets. Mix in Violet, the drugged-up, scathingly acidic matriarch, and you’ve got a play that unflinchingly—and uproariously—exposes the dark underbelly of the modern American family.

This production will be the Open Door’s first in the Rosamond Page Putnam Center for the Performing Arts. It is directed by Fred Robbins, and features Open Door veterans Liz Robbins, Alex Picard, Katie Coe, Ian Harte, Ian Allan, C.J. Smith, Greg Stuart, Russ Rattray, Adam Boisselle and Michell Bibeau and introduces our newest company member Amanda Leigh. Stage Manager, Kayla Morello. Scenery and lighting will be designed by Glenn Stuart.

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.

New England College — Rosamond Page Putnam portrait by Professor Patrick McCay

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