History of the Secret Rose Theatre

The Secret Rose (1899)

By William Butler Yeats

Far-off, most secret, and inviolate Rose
Enfold me in my hour of hours; where those
Who sought thee in the Holy Sepulchre

Or in the wine-vet, dwell beyond the stir
And tumult of defeated dreams; and deep
Among pale eyelid, heavy with the sleep
Men have named beauty. Thy great leaves enfold

The ancient beards, the helms of ruby and gold
Of the crowned Magi; and the kind whose eyes
Saw the Pierced Hands and Rood of elder rise
In Druid vapour and make the torches dim;

Till vain frenzy awoke and he died; and him
Who met Fand walking among flaming dew
By a grey shore where the wind never blew,
And lost the world and Emer for a kiss

And him who drove the gods out of their liss,
And till a hundred morns had flowered red
Feasted, and wept the barrows of his dead;
And the proud dreaming king who flung the crown

And sorrow away, and calling bard and clown
Dwelt among wine-stained wanderers in deep woods;
And him who sold tillage, and house, and goods,
And sought through lands and islands numberless years,

Until he found, with laughter and with tears,
A woman of so shinning loveliness
That men threshed corn at midnight by a tress,
A little stolen tress. I, too, await

The hour of thy great wind of love and hate.
When shall the stars be about the sky,
Like the sparks blown out of a smithy, and die?
Surely thine hours has come, thy great wind blows,

Far-off, most secret, and inviolate Rose?

The Secret Rose Theatre, established in 1999, is a fully-equipped professional theatre located in the NoHo Arts District of North Hollywood.

We are committed to providing quality theatrical experiences to the entire community through plays, musicals, classes and seminars. Our history of productions continues to grow!

Many Secret Rose Theatre supporters are industry professionals, including actor Paul Newman.

Kaz Mata-Mura and Mike Rademaekers (Directors/Secret Rose Theatre)

Mike, originally from New England, has been in theatre all his life as an actor, director, producer and teacher. Kaz, an award-winning playwright, has worked in numerous theatrical productions as a director and a producer, as well as an actor in both LA and Tokyo.

Together, they envisioned a small theatre that was not just another black box; something intimate yet comfortable, with a stage large enough for actors to really practice their craft.

The theatre was launched with their critically acclaimed production of Madame Butterfly, in March 1999. Since then, they have produced LA's longest running family musical in 2000 "Big Tush, Little Tush", "American Heroes: The Musical Fable of the Wright Brothers" by the late Mark Towner and "Tales from the East" at the LA Convention Center.