Our STORY

"Once upon a time, a young group of rough and tumblin' rapscallions from Cali decided to form a theatre company that with great passion, preparation, and maybe a little bit of luck, managed to take hold in Lake Elsinore and the surrounding valley, making a splash in the theatre scene and providing entertainment in local theaters, cultural centers, schools, and even on a home-built backyard stage. As most young artists who meet a modicum of success, the gang decided to hitch up and head out east to the bright and shiny beacon, NYC, to see just what kind of mischief and magic they could stir up in the theatre biz. Originally comprised of 15 members, the company settled in Astoria, Queens where we rapidly grew to an excess of 50 passionate artists.

In 2014, the Ophelia Theatre Group successfully renovated a seldom-used and outdated dance studio at the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens into a 75-seat black box theater, which they utilized to rehearse and perform original works, published works, new play readings and variety events.  Ophelia also volunteered to provide theatre classes and performance opportunities for the children at the Boys and Girls Club. Ophelia largely diversified their professional and creative development on the East Coast, branching out to more immersive theatre creations, custom-made entertainment for youth and families in the area, and even breaking into the independent film industry with two award winning short films honored at local film festival the Sparrow Film Project. Additionally, Ophelia was a co-producer on Edinburgh Fringe hit “Your Alice” in 2018.

In 2020, the Ophelia Theatre Group celebrated its 17th birthday, and officially relocated its home base back to Lake Elsinore, California, while maintaining a creative presence in New York, where they still continue to research and cultivate new works within the constantly evolving performance scene in NYC. Under the mission statement "Character above concept, story above all else," Ophelia is dedicated to providing quality theatre coast to coast.