Early History

The Historic Howmet Playhouse has been in almost constant operation since its opening in 1916. Built by the renowned Chicago director Frank R. Adams and local business owner James Nufer, its design was copied from Chicago’s LaSalle Theater and was built for professional live theatrical presentations and the new “flickers”, or as we know them today, motion pictures. The playhouse has been greeting White Lake area audiences ever since.

Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp

In 1973 the playhouse was purchased by the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp with the help of a local fund drive and the participation of Whitehall’s largest employer, the Howmet Corporation. The fine arts camp continued to operate the playhouse until August 2006, when the camp built a new modern theater on its campgrounds.

The City of Whitehall

The City of Whitehall, realizing the playhouse’s importance to Whitehall and all of the White Lake area, stepped up, accepted the donated ownership from the fine arts camp, and committed to continue playhouse operations and its annual Summer Theatre Festival.

The Playhouse fills a vital need in this city of 2,900; located two blocks off the main street of a traditional downtown and surrounded by quaint Bed & Breakfasts, restaurants, motels, marinas, and a quiet residential neighborhood, the Playhouse is the center for the area’s arts events and houses one of Michigan’s most well-known professional summer theatre companies.

To learn more about area events, please visit the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce eCalendar.

Future Plans

The City now owns the property with plans to make the Howmet Playhouse a year-around operation. To realize that goal they have hired professional management and mounted a fund-raising campaign to build capital, operating, and endowment funds. Please visit our Support page for further information.

Help keep the lively arts alive in White Lake and the curtain going up in the historic Howmet Playhouse; still your West Coast center of great professional summer theatre and year around entertainment!