Powerhouse Theater, Theater in Poughkeepsie, United States

The Powerhouse Theater is a converted power station on the campus of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, used as a black box performance space with movable seating. The layout can be rearranged from one production to the next, placing the audience and performers very close to each other.

Vassar College switched from gas to electric lighting in 1912, and the power station designed by Lord & Co. was built next to the Main Building to supply it, operating until 1954. Chicago architect Robertson Ward Jr. converted the structure into a theater in 1973, naming it after Hallie Flanagan, founder of the Vassar Experimental Theater; critic Brooks Atkinson spoke at the opening.

The summer program brings theater artists together to develop new works and try out unconventional staging ideas in the space. Some of those productions have gone on to be performed in well-known theaters across the country.

Performances take place both during the school year and as part of summer workshops and readings on the college campus. Checking the schedule in advance is a good idea since the program changes depending on the season.

The building's official name honors Hallie Flanagan, who founded Vassar's Experimental Theater program; at the 1973 opening, critic Brooks Atkinson spoke and scenes from her 1926 works were performed. The theater also shares its name with the summer program that fills it each year.