In an age of over-priced, high-tech spectacle it is a delight and a charm to come across a theatre company that touches our sense of wonder with dazzling modest means, a theatre that spins gold from straw. —Ross Wetzsteon, Obie Awards founder

The Mettawee River Theatre Company has been dramatizing myths, folk tales and legends from diverse cultures for over 45 years. Our original theatre productions incorporate masks, puppets and giant figures with music, movement and text. Each summer, from 1975 to 2022, our step van was crowded with an array of creatures and characters, from sublime gossamer deities to heroic peasant women to scurrilous dragons, from wisecracking cockroaches to philosophical turtles. They eagerly spilled out onto public lawns, bringing our productions to rural communities of upstate New York and New England—where access to live professional theatre is limited—as well as making forays into New York City. The tours have come to a close, but Mettawee continues to appear at parades and other special events.

Exhibits & Events

Find out about our current and upcoming events, exhibits, and performances.

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Ralph Lee

Learn more about the master mask and puppet-maker, and Artistic Director of the Mettawee River Theatre Company.

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Past Projects

Explore the archive of our summer shows from 1975 to 2022!

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