OUR MISSION

Founded in 1972, the Emelin Theatre is a non-profit organization that brings world class performing arts to Westchester County. Promoting a cultural life that entertains and educates our audience, the Emelin presents numerous world class events including all genres of music, comedy, dance, and family theatre, plus a broad range of independent and contemporary film. Well-known for our high-quality and affordable programs, the Emelin is one of the few performing arts venues in our region offering such a broad mix of entertainment appealing to all ages and tastes, attracting audiences from Westchester County and beyond.

The Emelin Theatre for the Performing Arts is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization.

About the Emelin Theatre:
A Family Gift, A Community Treasure

In 1970, Arthur C. Emelin made a remarkable gift to the community which had been his home for many years. He donated $360,000 to the Mamaroneck Free Library for the construction of a theatre. The architects chosen for the job were Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates of New York City, known for their innovative economical theatre designs. In just two years, in November 1972, Mr. Emelin and his wife Mildred took to the stage of the newly completed theatre to hear it dedicated as, “a showcase for the performing arts that will entertain, educate, and invigorate the entire county.”

Located on the Sound Shore of Westchester County at 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck, NY, the Emelin was established as a nonprofit organization in 1991 and holds a long-term lease agreement on its venue with the Mamaroneck Public Library until at least the year 2070. Renovated in 2021, the venue has 264 fixed seats; over 200 orchestra seats, plus 45 mezzanine seats, 14 of which are ADA compliant. Both stage and audience areas are wheelchair accessible and assisted listening devices are available. Concessions are sold at the lobby bar. The venue has undergone two major renovations; the first in 2012-13 to renovate the lobby, and the second in 2021 to prepare for the theatre’s reopening after an 18-month temporary closure due to the COVID pandemic and in preparation for its 50th Anniversary in 2022. The recent renovation included upgrades in sound and lighting equipment, HVAC systems, new seating with greater accessibility, new stage curtains, carpeting, new artist hospitality area, fresh paint, and updated artist dressing rooms and bathrooms.

In the past 50 years, The Emelin Theatre has hosted over 10,000 performances across genres such as theatre, music, dance, comedy, film, children’s theatre, and family entertainment. It has established itself as one of Westchester’s most prominent performing arts center, and in recognition of its activities, has received support from the New York State Council for the Arts, ArtsWestchester, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Town and Village of Mamaroneck, the Village of Larchmont, regional corporate sponsors, foundation, and thousands of friends.

With the ongoing support of business, government, and arts-loving individuals from across the region, what starts as a generous family legacy has become an enduring asset to the community, a wellspring of cultural enrichment, and a celebration of all the performing arts have to offer.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

ALL ARE WELCOME!

At the Emelin Theatre for the Performing Arts (Emelin), we endeavor to be a fair and rewarding place to work and engage with the performing arts in Westchester County, and to be a positive and transformational force in our community and beyond. We are committed to stand-up for equity, diversity, and inclusion across our organization and community. As a source of cultural enrichment in our community for fifty years, we recognize that building an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment is central to both our relevance and sustainability in the community we serve and love.

• EQUITY means recognizing that not everyone starts at the same place, addressing inequities in access and opportunity, and allowing for full and fair participation in the arts.

• DIVERSITY means acknowledging and respecting human qualities that are different from our own and outside the groups we are a part of or with which we are associated. These qualities include but are not limited to: ethnicity, race, color, national origin, sex, gender and gender identity or expression, age, sexual or relationship orientation, socio-economic status, family structure, religious commitments, political perspectives, experiences and (dis) ability status.

• INCLUSION means honoring and accepting the gifts, backgrounds, experiences, and wisdom that every individual brings with them, including our staff, artists, board members, donors, audiences, volunteers, and community members.

At the Emelin, we strive to create a culture of inclusion where the performing arts are available to our entire community, especially our most vulnerable residents, and ensuring the opportunity for our neighbors to thrive, succeed, participate in, and contribute to the progress and success of the Emelin Theatre.

At the Emelin, we recognize and value individual differences, and we acknowledge structural and systemic racism and other access barriers that prevent full and fair participation of people outside the dominant culture and power dynamics. We strive to break down those traditional barriers and equalize access to the arts for all.

At the Emelin, we are committed to providing fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement and to creating space for culturally diverse voices to be heard and power to be shared.