What an exciting time this is to serve as president for the Board! A year or so back, our CEO, Steve Caffery, commissioned us to “shepherd the theatre into the future.” I think at that time, many of us felt a twinge of anxiety, recognizing the importance of that request, but the appeal also gave us the incentive to really pull together and take a long, hard look at where the Capitol is today, and where we want it to be tomorrow.

The completion of the 4th Street Theatre was a huge step toward increasing sustainability of the Capitol. The new venue makes it possible to bring in a whole new kind of entertainment, and to draw in a new audience. The new Production Center has ensured that the high end shows we already present will appear just as the producers intended. No longer do we leave staging elements sitting outside, no longer do we have to use the orchestra pit as an elevator. The physical changes brought on by the expansion have moved the Theatre to the Gold Standard of presenting venues, and the performances reflect it.
Keeping our eyes on the future, we know that we need to continue growing in the capacity to fill more community needs. Our programming must be attractive to a wide range of individuals, and I think we’ve really hit the mark with this year’s lineup. Shrek the Musical, Spamalot, and Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein are household names for kids from 5 to 95, and our fourth show, In the Heights, is a Tony Award winning musical that has played to rave reviews across the country and will remind you of Oklahoma and West Side Story – just in a different locale. Our add-on, Capitol Steps will perform just in time to lighten the mood right before you cast your ballots and the holiday season will come alive as we and the Yakima Symphony Orchestra present The Nutcracker.

The Capitol Theatre is a part of Yakima, and it will take the support of the entire community to make sure that it always remains that way. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for being part of our future.

See you at the show!

Karen Hyatt
Capitol Theatre Board President