In the 1930s, members of student-run Theater Intime, initiated summer theater at Princeton. From the late 1920s until the 50s students called the summer company the University Players. The University Players operated from Hamilton Murray Theater for years. In 1968, the group became semi-independent from the University under the name "Summer Intime",and in the late 70s it was renamed Princeton Summer Theater. Every summer a new company of Princeton students forms to present a season of four main stage shows and a children's show. Dedicated to training future leaders of the theater world, Princeton Summer Theater offers students and young professionals experience working in every area of theatre production, from performance, to design, to marketing, to theater management. In recent years the company has also included members from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, Rutgers University and Rider University. Notable alumni include John Lithgow, Bebe Neuwirth, William Hootkins, Geoff Rich, Mark Nelson, Winnie Holzman, Bretaigne Windust and Henry Fonda. Hamilton Murray Theater was dubbed a "jewel box of a theater" by Stuart Duncan of the "Princeton Packet".
Current season
The current 2019 season is the 50th season of Princeton Summer Theater in its current form. This year's season consists of:
1928 1929 1930 1931 In July 1933 a fire devastated the theater, starting in the basement and burning up the entire stage. It was renovated over the summer. 1948 1949 In 1951 and 1952, no productions were staged due to the Korean War. 1953 1954 1956 1957 1958
Summer Intime
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
Princeton Summer Theater
1980
In 1981 the theater was dark. In 1982 and 1983 the summer company was known as Newstage at Intime
1982
1983
1984
1985
In 1986, a company from outside PST occupied The Hamilton Murray Theater.
1987
The theater was dark in 1988 and 1989.
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
During 1999 and 2000 extensive renovations carried out to the theater leaving it "dark".
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Princeton Summer Theater took a hiatus during the 2014 summer in order to make renovations to the theater.