The Umbrella

A Broken Umbrella Theatre is a New Haven-based ensemble that creates original, site-specific theatrical experiences. Every production is inspired by the culture and history of New Haven, connecting audiences to real moments from our city's past through song, dance, spectacle, and storytelling.

We are an all-volunteer company. Our ensemble members write, improvise, design, build, sew, act, direct, and more. We believe in the power of the ensemble to bring about great change in our community.

We create original theatrical experiences that celebrate and explore the history, culture, and people of New Haven. Through site-specific performances in unexpected spaces — parks, tunnels, warehouses, pizza shops, and theaters — we transform familiar places into stages for discovery.

Every ABUT production begins with research. We dig into New Haven's history — visiting archives, talking to residents, exploring neighborhoods — until we find a story that resonates.

From there, the ensemble develops the work collaboratively through improvisation, writing workshops, and design sessions. The result is always an original piece that could only exist in New Haven.