This community is a vibrant hub for live performances, offering an array of opportunities for both audiences and performers. With institutions like the Canyon Theatre Guild producing full-scale productions each season, locals can enjoy live shows without the hassle of driving into the big city.
Santa Clarita also supports youth and teen engagement through workshops and productions by groups like ESCAPE Theatre, making it a nurturing environment for aspiring artists of all ages.
Additionally, venues such as the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center provide sophisticated spaces for diverse theatrical experiences, contributing to a flourishing local arts scene that emphasizes community involvement and arts education.
Canyon Theatre Guild
Nestled in the heart of Old Town Newhall, the Canyon Theatre Guild has been a cherished community theater since 1970. It serves as a vibrant arts hub, offering a diverse slate of live performances including plays, musicals and comedy shows.
It’s mission is to make the world a better place by entertaining, educating, enlightening and enriching our community through quality live theater, said TimBen Boydston, executive and artistic director.
“Our core values are artistic and organizational excellence, community service, to appreciate families, to value our volunteers, and to supply quality education through our Youth Workshop Programs,” he said.
The guild has a strong volunteer base of more than 500 local artists and community members passionately involved in year-round productions.
“Our organization is unique because of its hundreds of volunteers that work with us each season,” Boydston said, “and our dedicated and talented staff that create so many opportunities for our youth through our workshop programs.”
The Summer Youth Workshops have been welcoming students for more than 25 years, and “our programs have been recognized for their excellence by both parents and the public,” said Boydston, adding that the Canyon Theatre Guild reserves 10% of all of their workshop slots for scholarships for students based on economic need.
“As one of the finest summer workshops in the SCV, our students are instructed on singing, dancing, acting and working together,” he said, further noting that participants “get the full experience” of putting on a show on the main stage.
“Our students learn skills in team building and working together toward a common goal. Students that have participated in our programs find that they lose stage fright and find the confidence and ability to speak to groups of people. These skills serve them well for the rest of their life.
Above all, “we believe that theater is important to our community, our society and our country,” Boydston added. “It is important to remember that theater can give us the healing power of laughter and the catharsis of tears. It can make us better people.”
Upcoming shows include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, A Christmas Story, South Pacific, The SpongeBob Musical and Driving Miss Daisy. Canyon Theatre Guild is located at 24242 Main Street in Newhall. For more information, call (661) 799-2702; email [email protected]; or visit www.canyontheatre.org.
ESCAPE Theatre
ESCAPE Theatre is a vibrant youth and teen musical theatre company dedicated to developing young performers’ skills in singing, dancing, and acting while fostering self-esteem, discipline, creativity, and teamwork in a fun, supportive environment.
Each year, ESCAPE produces two full-scale musicals at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center, engaging more than 300 talented local youth, plus a smaller summer production and several camps at their studio.
Their four-month training process emphasizes not only the final performance but also the growth and learning of each participant, including voice projection, stage presence and performance techniques.
The theatre is led by Kyle and Elizabeth Burson and is known for its large-scale productions featuring live orchestras, elaborate sets, and costumes, making it a cornerstone for youth theatre in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Upcoming performances include Li’l Abner, Matilda, A Little Mermaid and Shrek.
Escape Theatre performs at the College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center and at their Black Box Theatre at 26639 Valley Center Drive, #109, in Santa Clarita. For more information, call (661) 360-6769; email [email protected]; or visit www.escape
theatre.org.
Olive Branch Theatricals
Olive Branch Theatricals is a vibrant nonprofit theater company dedicated to bringing people together through the magic of live performance, making theater both welcoming and inclusive for everyone — from families with young children to lifelong lovers of the stage.
Located in Valencia Town Center, Olive Branch’s pop-up venue, simply called The Olive Branch, fuses the excitement of the stage with the lively energy of shopping and dining nearby, inviting passersby to step out of the ordinary and into a world of song, laughter, and storytelling. The theater glows on show nights, lights drawing a friendly crowd: seniors, veterans, families with giggling children, seasoned thespians, and first-timers alike.
Musette Caing Hart, the passionate CEO, often reminds the community that “art is for everyone,” and it shows in every detail. Olive Branch offers sensory-sensitive performances to open the experience to all, and productions always ensure the youngest audience members are engaged, with interactive scripts and invitations to join the fun.
Beyond entertainment, Olive Branch Theatricals reaches deeper. They support fellow arts organizations, provide acting and dance classes, and discount tickets for those in need, living the belief that theater is most powerful when everyone has a place in the audience or on stage.
Upcoming shows include Alan Ball’s Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.
Olive Branch Theatricals is located at the Valencia Town Center, 24201 Valencia Blvd, Suite 2283, in Valencia. For more information, call (661) 505-8733; email [email protected]; or visit www.olivebranchtheatricals.com.
Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts
The Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts, located on the campus of Newhall Elementary School, has a rich history dating back to 1925. Originally part of Newhall Grammar School, its auditorium was a communal gathering spot where silent film cowboy William S. Hart screened his movies to local children. After a mysterious fire in 1939, the auditorium was rebuilt in 1941 in stunning Art Deco style with the help of community donations and the Works Progress Administration.
Throughout the mid-20th century, the auditorium served as a venue for performances, graduations, and community events. However, by 1975, the growing need for classrooms led to its conversion into a warehouse, and the theatre fell into disuse.
Following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the space was rediscovered, sparking a community-driven restoration effort led by parents and supporters who raised funds to revive the theatre for performing arts education.
In 2011, a bond measure passed to fund a comprehensive restoration, and after a groundbreaking in 2016, the theatre reopened as the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts in late 2017.
The restored theatre preserved its original Art Deco proscenium while incorporating modern stage technology, seating more than 500 people. Since reopening, it has become a vibrant hub for local schools and community groups, hosting a variety of performances including live theatre, music, dance, film screenings, and more.
The theatre’s mission is to nurture and inspire youth and community through performing arts, offering a world-class venue that blends historic charm with contemporary capabilities. It continues to grow as a vital cultural and educational resource in Santa Clarita, bringing generations together through the power of performance.
Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts is located at 24607 Walnut Street in Newhall. For more information, call 661-291-4016; email [email protected]; or visit newhallfamilytheatre.com.
Dig Deep Theatre
Dig Deep Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit theatre company with a passion for telling stories that dig deep into the human experience.
Founded by Shawnee Badger, a Valencia native and CalArts acting student, the company began during the COVID-19 pandemic by presenting plays virtually on Zoom, allowing actors from diverse locations to connect and perform together.
Their first in-person production was Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park” in 2022 at The MAIN Theater in Newhall, a light-hearted and uplifting show aimed at making audiences laugh after pandemic hardships.
Dig Deep Theatre focuses on meaningful, uplifting narratives and offers opportunities for adult actors to explore their craft deeply and authentically. Their productions have included well-known plays like Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie (2024), David Auburn’s Proof, and Kenneth Lonergan’s This Is Our Youth. The company is recognized for bringing high-quality theater to Santa Clarita, often featuring remarkable performances and innovative staging.
They are also active in community events, such as fundraising efforts and hosting a 5K run/walk event called the “Dig Deep Dash” to support their work.
Dig Deep Theatre performs at The MAIN at 24266 Main Street in Old Town Newhall. For more information, email [email protected]; or visit www.digdeeptheatre.com.
