Piknik Theatre Opens Permanent Branham Amphitheatre for $65K Season

A $65,000 investment. One permanent home. That’s the financial and physical reality facing Piknik Theatre as it prepares to open its doors to the Steamboat community this summer.

The Branham Amphitheatre, located just off Amethyst Drive on the Strawberry Park School campus, is no longer a concept or a construction site. It’s built. And for the first time in 19 years of doing Shakespeare in the Yampa Valley, the theater company isn’t just renting a space or setting up temporary chairs. They have a roof over their heads.

“This is our 19th season... and we get to open a permanent home, which is pretty cool,” Celina Taylor, the executive director named last August, told the Pilot. “It’s not just for us to use, it’s for the whole community to use, which feels nice.”

Let’s look at the logistics. The season kicks off July 5 with a professional cast performing Romeo & Juliet and an original musical prequel titled “Fair is Foul.” The schedule is tight: noon matinees and 6 p.m. evening shows on opening day, followed by performances through July 23. It’s a three-week professional run, but the effort to get there is substantial. Taylor notes that planning takes many months, and they’ve partnered with the Denver Theatre Ensemble to bring in professional talent.

Here’s where the math gets interesting for folks watching the budget. By having actors rehearse in Denver first, Piknik saves on housing costs. They’ll actually perform a week’s worth of shows in the Front Range before the troupe moves to Steamboat. It’s a smart cost-cutting measure that leverages the rural location’s lower overhead while still delivering professional-grade theater.

The total investment to bring this specific 2026 season to life is approximately $65,000. That number covers the production, the venue use, and the talent. To celebrate the new infrastructure, the company is hosting its first-ever Summer Gala on July 19. This isn’t just a party; it’s a fundraiser. Sponsors get VIP tickets and early access, but the money raised goes directly back into supporting the productions.

The venue itself is the real story here. The Branham Amphithere is a fixed asset. It doesn’t blow away in the wind. It doesn’t require the same level of temporary setup as previous years. Taylor says the goal is expanding access to professional theater in a rural community. For context, Steamboat has had theater for decades, but it’s often been transient. This changes the baseline.

Imani Williams is already in the mix, seen rehearsing Twelfth Night at Yampa River Botanic Park in July 2019, but the new energy is centered on Clayish Coldiron, the new artistic director, who envisioned the Denver partnership. The result is a season that starts July 5 and runs through late July, with reserved seats and gala tickets going on sale June 1.

There’s also a four-week student camp focused on performance and design, ensuring the next generation gets access to this new space. But the immediate impact is on the local taxpayer and the local theatergoer. You’re not just buying a ticket for Romeo & Juliet; you’re supporting a permanent cultural infrastructure project that has finally moved from blueprint to brick and mortar.

The bottom line? The Branham Amphitheatre is open. The cost to run this specific season is capped at $65,000. The benefit is a permanent, high-quality venue that reduces long-term logistical headaches and raises the profile of the Yampa Valley as a serious destination for professional performing arts. If you want to see it, buy your ticket. If you want to support it, sponsor the gala. The building is there. It’s time to use it.