Group plans relaunch of Connellsville theater
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
The scenes “Le Miserables” and “Hairspray” will feature (front from left) Eve Wable, Linsay Pegg, Gwen Jones, (back from left) Dayton Nicholson and Samantha Nicholson. ON THE COVER: Featured in the scene “Hard Luck Life Ladies” are (from left) Ann Nicholson, Pam Wable, Liz Jones and Shirley Rosenberger.
Michael Rohlf will direct the production of “Broadway… Recently!” to be featured Oct. 3,4,5 and 6 at the Connellsville Community Center’s Edwin Porter Theater.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
(From left) Anna Strauser, Ben Pimental, Kristen Tunney, Tommy Murphy, Marina Stefano and Jeremy Lowery will highlight the scene “Good Morning Baltimore.”
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
CONNELLSVILLE — Michael Rohlf has memories of performing in shows at the Edwin S. Porter Theater in Connellsville 35 years ago.
Beginning Thursday, he will return to the theater; however this time, he will sit in the director’s chair as his personal production company Jonaleka Productions, will present “Broadway … Recently!”
“Someone notified me of the possibility of this (the theater) opening again,” Rohlf said. “Through theater circles there was talk of it, and wanting a theater group to do theater in there again.”
The theater, which was formerly the Connellsville High School auditorium, was restored a few years back with money from the state Community Development Block Grant and at the urging of Christine F. “Chris” Wagner, who at one time served as a city councilwoman.
Since its restoration, the fate of the theater has been a topic of conversation among city officials, as well as groups who have wanted to revive the theater.
The current theater manager, John Hamman, said he views the “Broadway … Recently!” production as a relaunch of the theater, as the musical will be the first to grace the theater’s stage in many years.
“The first we need to do is to show we’re willing to put on shows,” Hamman said. “This is going to show that to the community.”
Hamman said he first became involved with the theater last fall. An electronics technology teacher at the Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center, Hamman involved his students in improving the sound and lighting equipment at the theater.
Some of the improvements included rewiring, and resetting lights and the sound boards.
“A large number of students in my class have really taken this on — above and beyond what I expected,” he said.
Hamman now hopes that the community as a whole will take hold of the theater and what it has to offer — beginning with the production of “Broadway … Recently!”
The musical revue will feature selections from recent Broadway hits such as Hairspray, Rent, Footloose, Legally Blonde, Wicked and others.
“It’s a ton of beautiful music, with theatrical twists,” Rohlf said. “It is going to be music that is acted as well as sung.”
The performance will also feature local talent.
“There are about 25 locally talented people that are very committed to seeing this come off,” Rohlf said.
Featuring local talent and local directors in future shows is a goal of Hamman’s.
“We’re looking for people to come in and direct shows,” he said. It’s not limited to any one person, one group. We want the community involved – it’s their theater.”
“Broadway Recently!” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. from Oct. 3-5, and at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 6.
Tickets are $10. For tickets, or for more information, call 724-626-0300.
“I’m hoping we can get enough community support, and have a lot of people in the house,” Hamman said. “I think they’re going to be treated to a very fantastic show.”
To keep the theater going into the future, Hamman and Rohlf agreed that having a strong showing of community support at the theater’s relaunch is crucial.
“We’re hoping to kick the theater off with this production, with later hopes of providing big musicals and other shows,” Rohlf said. “Fayette County has no working (community) theaters — this would be the only one. Hopefully it will go. So we need everyone we can get to go see local talent.”
A preliminary schedule is planned for the rest of the year, with a performance of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” set for October; a performance by the The Clarks in November; and a Christmas extravaganza set for December.
“This is the first step of many more — that’s our hope,” Hamman said. “But we need this one to be successful.”