The Auburn Community
Gather to celebrate, learn, grow & have fun
Auburn Public Theater is proud to be a truly public space where all members of our community can gather to celebrate, learn, grow & have fun. We provide a vessel that the community fills with their own events, classes, film screenings & more. We partner with 40+ organizations & schools every year. Our space is also available for rent for birthday parties, weddings, family celebrations, fitness classes & more. Learn more about all the ways our space is available below.
Community Arts Events
Community Open Mic Night
This event brings together film, costume and makeup talent, and some spooky vibes as we cross over the halfway point to everyone’s true favorite time of the year, Halloween!
The main feature of this event is the BIG SCARY DEBUT, first public screening ever, of the Off the Wall & Up Close tv travel show. Leading up to the premier, we’ll showcase a few other local film projects and put on a kick-ass costume contest!
Hey Alec Productions is partnering with Elissa Martin, creator of Glamour and Blood and Altered Eco, to host the costume contest.
Categories for entry include:
- Gore/Costume Makeup
- Cosplay
- Eco-friendly
- Best audience costume
The event will be broadcast via livestream for those who are unable to attend in person but don’t want to miss the fun and the costumes. *the premier cannot be shared outside of the venue and will not be included in any recordings.
Do you have a video project you’d like to share on the screen? We are accepting a total of three 3 – 5 minute videos. Submissions can be trailers, teaser reels, or clips. You must be pre-approved before registering. Accepted video fees ($35) will include 1 entry. Send an email to laura@heyalecrproductions.com to submit yours for review.
The proceeds from this event go towards the filming of Episode 2 of Off the Wall & Up Close. OTW&UC is a travel show that brings together artists, local small business, and art venues to show off up and coming cities, like Syracuse. You support helps all of us succeed with our businesses and art in the area, additional donations and sponsorships are welcomed. Please see our website for more info.
Auburn Public Theater has a cafe onsite, called Cafe 108, come on out early if you want to make it a dinner and a show!
This is an all ages event, however, who knows what type of costumes we will have so please attend or bring children at your own discretion.
Call for Submissions: The Second Annual Cayuga Film Festival
Cayuga Film Festival highlights the work from high school, college, and emerging filmmakers with separate entry categories for each group.
In association with Cayuga Community College and Auburn Public Theater, this festival provides a space for narrative, documentary, experimental and animated short films to be screened and shared with the community.
For more information, visit the Cayuga Film Festival website HERE.
The Deadline for Submission is July 1st, 2022. Submit your film using the link HERE.
The Artist’s Way
The Artist‘s Way provides a twelve-week course that guides you through the process of recovering your creative self. It aims to dispel the ‘I’m not talented enough’ conditioning that holds many people back and helps you to unleash your own inner artist. Janie MicGlire will be the facilitator for widows and widowers, and her group will meet in Café 108. Angela Daddabbo will be the facilitator for the general public, and her group will meet in the studio.
The class is $120 per person, and participants will need their own copy of The Artist’s Way.
Studio Fitness Classes

Eka Yoga with Laura Coburn
Coburn specializes in detailed instruction with an emphasis on healthy alignment and safe practices, leading Hatha yoga classes. Hatha yoga is the most widely practiced form of yoga in America. It is the branch of yoga which concentrates on physical health and mental well-being. Hatha yoga uses bodily postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation (dyana) with the goal of bringing about a sound, healthy body and a clear, peaceful mind. There are a myriad of hatha yoga postures, with even more possible variations, which work to make the spine supple and to promote circulation in all the organs, glands, and tissues. Hatha yoga postures also stretch and align the body, promoting balance and flexibility. Contact Laura Coburn for details.

Meditation
This Sunday morning class is the perfect way to start a week.
Other Community Events

Rotary Club
Established in 1915, the Auburn Rotary Club is the third oldest Rotary Club in District 7150. Today, with a membership of more than 60 women and men the Auburn Rotary Club continues its rich history by making a difference by raising monies to fund and support international and local projects and scholarships.
Come join us on Tuesdays during our normal meeting times of 11:45 am to 1 pm on Tuesdays at the Auburn Public Theater, downtown Auburn.
Come meet new people and come enjoy lunch on us!
Contact Paul Barrus at 315-237-7859 with your interest.
Weddings, Showers & Special Events
If you’re looking for a unique and uniquely situated venue for your next special event, look no further. We boast a 199-seat Main Stage that is the perfect space to host your wedding ceremony. Every single seat in the house is a great one, because the seating is raked so everyone can see! Across the hall is Stage Right, which comfortably seats up to 75 guests. Our 65-seat Cinema is the perfect space where you can run home movies/photos on a continuous loop throughout your event. For wedding party members, we also have two dressing rooms available directly off our Main Stage, each equipped with its own bathroom/shower and makeup lights and mirrors.
Wedding rental price $2500 + $250 for cash bar staffing (if alcohol service is desired, if not $2500 flat fee) this price includes exclusive use of our entire facility and all day access the day-of your event.
Click HERE to download PDF with more information on wedding rentals.
Wedding rentals available for select dates May – September 2020. Contact Janie Micglire at 315-253-6669 or info@auburnpublictheater.org for availability.
Regular Rentals
Stage a show, screen a film or throw a party!
Auburn Public Theater offers a versatile, affordable venue in the heart of downtown Auburn, New York for rentals ranging from a few hours to several days or weeks. Space rental and staff services at Auburn Public Theater can help assure an enjoyable, successful experience for your group. We’ll be glad to help you plan for the specific requirements of your artistic, social, civic or business event.
Our rental experience ranges from middle school gatherings to fine dining events, book tours to charitable benefits, rap contests to stage premieres.
- Technical services – lighting, sound, computer, backstage
- Concessions and facilities upkeep
- Bar service (cash bar wine/beer)
- Listing in community section of our website.
- Listing in “This Week” section of APT’s Event Newsletter
The building is air-conditioned, with spacious restrooms and full wheelchair accessibility.
Nearby are inviting restaurants from tavern to café to fine dining. Area hotels offer convenient lodging in downtown Auburn and Skaneateles. Parking is plentiful, just steps away on Genesee Street and in the municipal garage directly behind the theater.
Please contact Mo Allyn for scheduling and details at 315 – 237 – 2539 or molly@auburnpublictheater.org.

Main Stage
Raised stage, professional lighting & sound, tiered 199-seat proscenium style theater.

Cinema
65 seats, high-definition digital projection (great for powerpoints, business presentations, & streaming), 7.1-Channel Surround Sound, concession counter. Also available for children’s birthday parties.* ($125/hr)
*children’s cinema birthday parties special discounted rate of $150 for 2 hrs.

Stage Right
Bistro seating for up to 75 people, raised stage with lighting and sound, bar service (wine & beer), catering facilities.
Community Partners
We are proud to have partnered with the following organizations in a variety of ways: events, fundraisers, workshops, youth educational programs, volunteer programs/job training for at-risk communities & more
ARISE
Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce
Auburn Downtown Partnership (BID)
Auburn Enlarged School District
Auburn High School Drama Club
Auburn Regional Media Access (ARMA)
Booker T. Washington Community Center
Calvary Food Pantry
Carol Baldwin Cancer Foundation
Cayuga Community College
Cayuga County Department of Social Services
Cayuga Seneca ARC
Cayuga-Onondaga Boces
Celebrate! Diverse Auburn
East Hill Family Medical Amazing Race
Equal Rights Heritage Center
Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival (MGR)
Grace House
Heroin Epidemic Awareness League (HEAL)
Hillside Children’s Center
IGNITE
Literacy Volunteers
Majorpalooza
Owasco Watershed Association (OWLA)
Partnership for Results
Perform for Purpose
Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center
Seward House Museum
Seymour Library
Skaneateles Early Childhood Center
Skaneateles Chamber of Commerce
Skaneateles Dickens Festival
SPCA of Auburn
The Auburn Citizen
The Auburn Doubledays
The Blue Print ll Group
The Cayuga Museum
The City of Auburn
The Finger Lakes Arts Council
The Gavras Center
The Harriet Tubman Center for Peace and Justice
The Holiday Inn
The New York Institute of Dance Education
The Red Cross of Cayuga County
The United Way
TomatoFest of CNY
Tyburn Academy
Unity House
Weedsport Central Schools Music Program
Westminster Nursery School
Willard Chapel
WRVO Public Media