Quincey Reese, Editor in Chief; Jonathan Heinbaugh, Photography Manager; Grace Bender, Staff Writer

   Penn-Trafford’s Drama guild often puts a spotlight on students during their school years, but the performing arts are not limited to students at the high school. Several local theaters have set the stage for providing the same opportunity to community members in and around the P-T scene.

  Locally, there are multiple  theaters to choose from that range in all shapes and sizes. This includes Trafford’s performing arts center The Theatre Factory, which offers opportunities to people who are looking to both participate and view theater.

    Susan Kurey, the Board of Directors member at The Theatre Factory, said that they usually present six main shows each year in which people of all ages and backgrounds can participate.

     Shows already offered this year at The Theatre Factory have been dramas such as “Last of the Boys,” a tale of Vietnam War veterans, and light-hearted musicals such as Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein.”

    Board member Frankie Shoop explained, “I think it is important for people to know that what we are doing here is the real deal. We as a theater put on great shows that people need to see.”

     Looking at the season ahead for The Theatre Factory, there are a handful of shows left for the students of P-T to both audition for and see. The musical “Nuncrackers” opened its run on Dec. 7 and continued until Dec. 16. Following this was the opportunity to audition for the comedy play “Fuddy Meers” on Dec. 17 and 18.

   P-T senior Jeffrey Backus, who has been involved in multiple school and community theater productions for six years, said that The Theatre Factory is where he has performed the most.

    “I really like The Theatre Factory. That’s the one I’ve kept coming back to,” Backus said.

    He added that shows at The Theatre Factory, and community theaters in general, are different than the ones done at P-T. While the rehearsal period for the Drama Guild takes up several months, community theaters usually allow for only a month to rehearse and perform.

    P-T senior David Carver said that this shorter rehearsal time makes the process challenging, but also more rewarding.

  “There’s nothing better than the opening night feeling whenever you have been learning the show and your lines for three weeks and you finally nail all of it,” he said. “When the audience gives you a standing ovation, it’s incredible.”

    Both Backus and Carver said that community theater performances allow for more creativity because of the boundaries present in a school setting.

    While both agreed that these limitations are necessary for school performances, Carver said that he likes to switch back-and-forth between doing community and P-T shows as a result of them.

    “I like both [experiences] the same. They are both so much fun. I get in these moods where I want a break from school [theater] or I want to be with my school friends in the Drama Guild. It’s nice to switch over,” Carver explained.

    According to Backus, local theaters also tend to be smaller than the P-T auditorium, which impacts the way that the cast advertises the show to the public.

    “The Theater Factory has about 128 seats. This one [at P-T] has over a thousand, so there’s a big difference in getting people to come, since you really want to fill the auditorium,” he elaborated. “Then there’s the unpredictability of what’s going to happen depending on directors and casts.”

    Senior Dallys Clark said that she has mostly worked with the community theater Stage Right! outside of P-T shows.  She said that despite the number of people in attendance, the experience of performing has been worthwhile.

  “I’ve been in shows where there’s been maybe 10 people in the audience, and I’ve also been part of shows that have almost sold out or sold out completely,” Clark said. “The numbers, to me, aren’t what matter. Having a little kid come up to you, give you a hug after the show, and say ‘I loved it so much!’– to know that you’re leaving an impact on somebody is the most satisfying thing.”

  Backus added that the uncertainty in community theater comes from not knowing who the other cast members or director will be. He explained that with school theater, the same participants typically return each year, meaning that there is more of an idea of what to expect.

    “Some are more dedicated than others, and you really don’t know how dedicated the people are going to be to a certain show unless you know them,” he said. “In community theater, the directors are whoever auditions to direct it, so it just depends on who you have and what resources they have at their fingertips. That’s the gamble with community theater.”

    Despite the differences and challenges that come with participating in local theater shows, Clark said that they find it to be a rewarding supplement to P-T’s Drama Guild.

    “Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but it’s really cool to be a part of it and see everything come together in two completely different ways,” Clark said.

 Another theater dedicated to entertaining local audiences is the Greensburg Civic Theatre.

    Margaret Ryan, the costumer for Greensburg Civic Theatre, has also performed in numerous shows and served as Secretary, Vice President and President. In addition to this, she said she has designed and built sets, done props and worked on marketing.

    Ryan started with the GCT when she was in the chorus of “Hello Dolly” at the Palace Theatre in 1999. She then joined the GCT Board of Directors in 2001.

  “We’ve seen attendance fall and then sometimes rise, but remaining financially stable has been difficult since the recession of 2008,” stated Ryan. “The technology has changed over the years which is pretty cool with lighting and sound and especially social media.”

    Beyond the technological progressions, Ryan said that bringing people into the art of theater has grown more challenging with the increase in the types of entertainment available.

    “I think that the most drastic change is that while there are still so many people involved in theater, there are so many other things for people to do that theater is competing for people’s attention,” Ryan said.

    The Greensburg Civic Theatre’s season runs from October through May. It does overlap with other theaters in the area, but it also produces some of its shows when other community theaters are closed.

    “GCT is resident at the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center so we share our space with other organizations and events unlike some theaters that have their own space,” Ryan explained. “Like all community theaters we depend on many volunteers.”

    Ryan stated that social media has had the benefit of giving the theater new ways to advertise and share the experience of the art with a wide audience, but that more commonly the shows themselves are not enough to provide full financial support. Often times, those involved have to do additional fundraising and grant writing to remain viable.

   “Theater can be entertaining and inspiring,” said Ryan. “It allows us to share common experiences, but it can expose us to cultures and experiences outside our own to get us to think about how the world is and maybe how we can change it for the better.”

    Ryan said she believes that putting on productions teaches valuable life skills in time management, organization, dealing with stress and learning how to get things done, for “the show must go on.”

    She also thinks that it allows people to explore their own creativity and inventiveness, and learn from their mistakes.

    “There are few things as satisfying as knowing you have put on an awesome show,” said Ryan. “To see many children and young people grow up in the theater family and become awesome adults is a testament to what is best about being involved in theater.”

    No matter which theater is in question, student participants from P-T and the community have been making the most of the opportunities each has provided.