Founded in 1974 by Polly Hogan and Ron Ritchell, The Lyric Stage Company of Boston gave its first performances in a humble venue near Copley Square, later moving to a 100-seat theatre over a hardware store on Charles Street. In 1990, the company relocated to its current home in the YWCA building on Clarendon Street.

During its first two decades, Lyric Stage productions ranged from the musical revue Cole to classics by Shaw, Coward, O’Casey, and Pinter, along with neglected works by renowned playwrights. In 1997, the company won an Elliot Norton Award for its production of David Mamet’s Speed-The Plow, directed by Spiro Veloudos. Based largely on the strength of his work on that show, Veloudos was appointed artistic director upon the departure of the founders. Lyric Stage productions under his leadership have ranged from Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers to Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins to John Logan’s Never the Sinner.

The Lyric Stage remains committed to emerging and established Boston theatre artists by producing plays by the most talented playwrights, actors, directors, and designers that Boston has to offer.  Its productions range from classic and new musicals, to recent Broadway and off-Broadway hits.

In 2001, the company offered its most successful production to date: The Curse of the Bambino, by Boston-based playwright David Kruh and composer Steven Bergman. Over the past 10 seasons, Lyric Stage has garnered 18 Elliot Norton Awards and 42 Independent Reviewers of New England Awards.