Note, Risley Theater is currently closed through the end of the 2026-2027 academic year while the space continues to undergo evaluation.
Risley Hall room B12 wasn't always a theater. It started out as a ballroom from when the building was an all women's dormitory. In 1974, a collection of Risley residents voted to turn the ballroom into a theater and, in true Risley fashion, they took it upon themselves to make their vision a reality, and Risley Theatre was born.
The theater found its footing and became an accessible place for students on campus to perform their passion. As time went on, more infrastructure was slowly added, and the space continually improved.
Historically, the Risley Theatre has served as both a theatrical production company, producing several productions a semester, and as a student-run theatrical management organization, assembling the rich variety of programming that takes place in Risley Theater each semester. Cornell Student Organizations such as the Cog Dog Theatre Troupe, the Whistling Shrimp, and Midnight Comedy have performed in Risley Theater. The Risley Theatre Subcommittee (T-Sub) is a registered student organization at Cornell University who helps to organize the productions in the space.
The Risley Theatre Subcommittee refers to the organization and the Risley Theater refers to the space!
