Michael D. Palm Theater
Giving Telluride a taste of the finer things in life, the Michael D. Palm Theater offers live productions, the showing of world-class events on the big screen, artistic series and dance classes for the local community. The Palm is committed to making the arts accessible for all, and the culture of opera, ballet, and even Shakespeare can be celebrated at the Palm.
Named for the late philanthropist and local, the Palm Theater lives on as a legacy for the Telluride town. Mr. Palm’s love of the performing arts has been manifested into a local theater that brings a cornucopia of production to the box canyon. A 30,000 square foot venue, the Palm contains 587 seats, all with excellent views of the stage. Main level and balcony seating are available. A world-class lighting and sound system add to the excellence of this theater.
The Palm Theater strives to bring in national touring companies that some folks in larger areas only dream of taking part in. At an average of $30 per ticket, with scholarship pricing available, the arts are an offering to all in Telluride. From dance troupes and concert pianists like George Winston to Shakespearean simulcasts out of London, like Othello, or the Cirque de Soleil, an experience at the Palm can turn an ordinary night into one of excitement and grandeur.
Home of the local Met Opera series, the Metropolitan Opera’s Emmy and Peabody award-winning series of live-performance transmissions happens regularly in Telluride. Similarly, Sparky Productions, founded and directed by local actress and writer Jennie Franks, brings in televised productions of the U.K.’s National Theater. How lucky are Telluride residents to experience the magic of the big stage in their own backyards- and what a treat for visitors who happen to catch such an evening.
The Palm Theater is also home to the local dance company. Here exists a competitive ballet program for classes aged preschool through adult. Formerly headed by the acclaimed Valeria Madonia, now creative director Shirley Fortenberry, along with other instructors, lead classes giving Telluride dancers opportunities for seasonal classes, recitals, workshops and special training. Ballet is a focus of the program, but other dance classes like jazz, tap, and hip-hop are offered. Many of the local festivals, like Mountain Film and Telluride Film Festival, utilize the Palm theater as an ideal venue for premiering movies. As an added benefit the Telluride School District often gets the pleasure of joining in on special screenings.
The Palm Theater includes family memberships in its continuance of funding the venue and bringing in the superior acts that it does for Telluride. Contributions anywhere from $50 on up allow donors to receive Palm Theater perks while maintaining the existence of the theater’s purpose. Business memberships are also available in support of the Palm. For more information on the calendar of events, or to read more about dance program, see the website telluridepalm.com.
Artistic Director Scott Doser, Facility Manager Kathy Jepson or Technical Director Tree Priest can answer questions about events, scheduling, tickets and more.