Couple produces new dinner-theater company in Uniontown
When Michael and Melissa Gallagher married two years ago, they reached for the stars as they began to discuss their dream of starting a dinner-theater company. The couple wanted to launch their theater company in Uniontown because they were familiar with the city from Michael Gallagher’s previous theater experience.
“We love Uniontown,’ Melissa Gallagher said.
And it didn’t take long for their dream to become a reality. Last summer, Becker’s Shadyside Inn in Uniontown hired Gallagher’s Stagecoach to the Stars, the name the couple selected for their theater company, to produce children’s, family and inspirational theater shows.
The company works exclusively with the Shadyside Inn, located at 999 N. Gallatin Ave., to produce shows although Gallagher’s will do private parties and banquets.
The company is currently rehearsing for its upcoming production of “Alice in Wonderland,” which will take place at noon Saturday, April 26, and 1 p.m. Sunday, April 27.
A little girl on an adventure, a white rabbit with a pocket watch, a mad tea party and a Cheshire cat add up to a delightful children’s theater production in time for the Easter season at Becker’s Shadyside Inn in Uniontown.
“It’s a classic, a standby, and very beloved. And we thought it would be great to do this month because of Easter. The story of Alice and the rabbit is appropriate for Easter,’ said Melissa Gallagher.
The couple lives in Finleyville. Michael Gallagher is a native of Elizabeth. Melissa Gallagher lived in Nashville before coming to this area.
A graduate of the Pittsburgh Playhouse Academy, Michael Gallagher has worked as a model and has even posed for an Elvis calendar. He has acted in the Pittsburgh area and previously worked in dinner theater at Shadyside Inn with Marantha Productions.
A pastor’s daughter, Melissa Gallagher studied music in college in Nashville. She worked there as a professional singer and pianist and with an acting troupe.
“I sang with Amy Grant, Roy Acuff and Ricky Skaggs. They all went to my church,’ Melissa Gallagher said.
The Gallaghers are proud of the actors in their company. They include Scott Nunnally, who was in the film “The Mothman Prophecies’ with Richard Gere and a VHI special called “The Jackson Five.’ David D’Angelo is a model for GNC. Jessica Fike is a professional singer, who has worked often in the Uniontown area.
For “Alice,’ Fike will play the title character. Melissa Gallagher will portray the Cheshire Cat. Michael Gallagher is the White Rabbit. D’Angelo is the Mad Hatter. Admission includes a light lunch and show.
Darrell Becker of Shadyside Inn is very pleased with the Gallaghers.
“This is an on-going thing. Every last Saturday and Sunday of the month, we offer shows for children,’ Becker said.
He noted that Shadyside first began offering dinner theater in the late 1980s, stopped for a few years and then tried some other things before hiring Gallagher’s Stagecoach to the Stars last summer.
The company began offering family dinner theater once a month. For example, the May production will be “The Andy Griffith Show.’ Then Becker explained that Gallagher approached him about doing inspirational dinner theater. They began offering these performances once a month. May’s performance will be “Jesus of Nazareth’ and will include pre-show singing by Melissa Gallagher and Fike, and a dance by Ellen Gardner.
The Gallaghers and Becker then decided to try children’s programming. Their first production was “Beauty and the Beast’ in January.
“We never expected this response. The first one we had 150 kids show up and had a hard time fitting everyone in the room,’ Becker said. “That’s when we broke it into Saturday and Sunday shows.’
In February, Shadyside offered “Sleeping Beauty’ with 75 children showing up for each performance, Becker said. “Spiderman’ was the March production with 110 and 108 children showing up for the performances.
The May performance will be “Toy Story.’ Melissa Gallagher said the company also has plans but no dates have been set yet for productions of “Shrek,’ “Cinderella’ and “The Incredible Hulk.’
“Our focus has always been family-value oriented. These plays, hopefully, offer something they can take home with them,’ Becker said.
Asked about the audiences in Uniontown, Melissa Gallagher said, “They’re really down to earth, wonderful people. They respond with laughter. They often come up to me after the show and say ‘Thank you so much.”
Becker said, “When I looked out at the first play, I saw 150 kids and their look of anticipation. The kids go through the emotional highs and lows as the play goes on. … Just to watch how into the play the kids are makes it all worthwhile. It’s a great thing to see kids enjoy themselves.’
For more information, call Becker’s Shadyside Inn at 724-438-0931.