The Ophelia Theatre Group was founded in 2003 by playwright/producer, Sarah Bennett, in her hometown of Lake Elsinore, California. Composed of a group of young fellow actors she%u2019d met in school along with many other %u201Ctheater kids%u201D in the area, they began by renting spaces and performing original works as well as classic favorites. It wasn%u2019t long before they were able to expand and begin doing larger budget dramas, Shakespeare, and even take on large scale musicals. Over the years the company became a staple of the community working with the local Woman%u2019s Club, Elks Lodge, and the public school system by providing entertainment for fundraisers, benefits, and educational programs.
By 2010 the Ophelia Theatre Group had produced dozens of full length productions and was looking to tackle a new challenge. Four of the group%u2019s key members had already moved to New York and were taking advantage of the many artistic opportunities the city had to offer. After visiting them there, they decided it was time for the company to make the move as well, and in 2011 ten more of Ophelia%u2019s members uprooted from Southern California and made NYC their new home.
Once established with apartments, jobs, etc., (no small feat in New York,) Ophelia got started right away developing a sketch comedy show they presented in their neighborhood in Astoria, Queens. Since then they%u2019ve already produced one published piece and two originals in Manhattan and Queens, and they%u2019re just getting started. The Ophelia Theatre Group looks forward to a rich and rewarding presence in New York where they can continue to bring their own original personality and artistic ideas to their community of theatre lovers and fellow artists. Thank you so much for visiting us and we hope to see you soon!
