Prelude to a Kiss

"For better or for worse" takes on a whole new meaning in this bewitching romantic fantasy. A couple meets, marries and then a chance kiss at the wedding from a mysterious old man changes everything.  Click here for more information and to view the cast list.  Pictured are Al Braun (Old Man), Matt Fuchs (Peter) and Renee Bennett (Rita).

July 9-12, 15-19

Sponsored by: Erie Bank, Regional Assets and Goerie.com

The Wedding Singer

The hit movie starring Adam Sandler, turned Broadway blockbuster musical, opens at the Erie Playhouse July 31. This ingenious musical adaptation will transport you back to the 80's when hair was big and collars were up.  The brand new score brilliantly captures the "pop sound" of the 80's.  Click here to view the cast list and purchase tickets online.

Sponsored by:  Hamot, WJET-TV, BOB-FM, Goerie.com, Regional Assets

July 31 &  August 1 (Premiere Weekend)

August 6-9 12-16

Summer Play Series

The 2009 Summer Play Series will be held August 7-9 at Gannon University's Schuster Theatre. This year's plays include The FP: A Modernization of the Frog Prince and Q3 , a delightful sci-fi adventure! Both shows are written by Erie native Craig Kosnik and directed by Hannah Jaskiewicz, Kyle Blount, and Craig Kosnik. Show times are Friday 11 AM and 7 PM, Saturday 2 PM and 7 PM, and Sunday 2 PM. Tickets are $3.25 per person or $10.50 for a family of four. No reservations necessary.

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Get the best seats for the biggest hits!  Season tickets for our 2009-2010 season are on sale now!  Stop by the theatre to pick up your season brochure or click here to view our season of hits including Irving Berlin's White Christmas: The Musical, Chicago, Rent, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Tuesdays with Morrie and more!

Broadway is 432 miles away. The great performances are right here!

Reverend's Uncork'd...The Second Coming

They're back and ready to entertain you with their special gift of song and church humor. Reverends Don Baxter, Shawn Clerkin, Dave Edmunds, Hayes Moses, Derrick Ulmer and Father Mike DeMartinis will sing their favorite Broadway hits and share their most memorable church humor on stage outside under the revival tent at the Sunset Inn Sunday, August 30th.
Click Here for more information and how to purchase tickets.

Youtheatre News

The Erie Playhouse Youtheatre 17th Annual Summer Theatre Encore! Camp will be held on July 13th-18th.

Encore Camp is for those of you who have spent at least two summers with us. During  Encore! Camp week,  we will rehearse and perform an entire musical! This year we will be working on Godspell, Jr.!

Camp will be held Monday through Friday, 9:30am to 3pm at the Cathedral of Saint Paul on West 6th Street, and the Erie Playhouse. The final performance will be performed on the Mainstage of the Erie Playhouse on the Saturday of camp week for our families.To register Click Here!

Erie Playhouse Showstoppers! If you're looking for a talented song and dance group to perform at your next meeting or event Click Here!

Marquee Madness Strikes the Erie Playhouse!

Plans are well underway for our facade renovation at the Erie Playhouse. As part of this "face lift," our marquee will also be renovated. The marquee renovation will provide an opportunity for theatre patrons, friends and Playhouse family to own a piece  of Erie Playhouse history by sponsoring a light bulb for $25. If you sponsor four or more bulbs, your name will be up in lights!

Click Here to learn more and order your bulbs today! 

Erie Playhouse Facebook Friends can sponsor bulbs online!

From the Executive Director

Dear EP Family,

As always, EP family members have stepped up when asked to help out and I want to thank some of you now!

…Thanks to the EP volunteers who "posed" for the 2009-2010 season brochure. We are very proud of this piece and can’t wait until you all have your own copy. You have enjoyed all of these talented people on the EP stage – Krista Lamb, Leah Walters Johnson, Sarah Emerson, Christopher Dearbeck, Al Braun, June Braun, Sara Niland, Matthew Fuchs and Cassie Unger. A special thanks to EP Photographer Rick Klein for capturing their enthusiasm. Brochures are available for you to pick up starting with opening night of Prelude to a Kiss on July 9th.

…Thanks to Jean Clemente, Steve Ropski, Jerry Villella and Michael Watts for joining the EP staff in moving sets, costumes and props from the Directors Circle on 10th & State to our theatre shops on East 12th. You’re the best!

…Thanks to Youtheatre dad and Coach Richard Estes and Coach Buckley Cook for volunteering to lead the EYSA Erie Playhouse Triple Threats Soccer Team. I had the opportunity to see the seven and eight year olds play at Frontier Park and they were great! It’s evident that the kids have learned what it is to be a good sport, play for the team and share their team spirit. The Erie Playhouse applauds you - here’s to the rest of your successful season!

…Thanks to the cast, crew and band of Altar Boyz for performing two shows on Sunday, June 21st, making up for the lost show on Saturday, June 20th, AND thanks to the campers and parents of Camp Week One who could adjust their schedules to perform with campers from Week Two because of the same flooding issue.

…And last but not least, thanks to EP House Manager Michael Evans, Assistant Business Manager Carolin Lynn, Box Office staff member Karen Etter and board-member Ken Dias for going above and beyond during our flooding troubles. We would not have made it through the days and nights without your help. You rock!

See you at the theatre for Prelude to a Kiss and The Wedding Singer!
 

Almi

DID YOU KNOW? …the Erie Playhouse is currently securing business and corporate sponsors for our 93rd Season? Flexible sponsorship packages range from $1,000 to $7,500 with a wide variety of benefits for your organization, employees and customers. With over 39,000 people coming to the EP each year, the theatre is a good place to get the word out about your business while supporting a worthwhile nonprofit organization. Our $50,000 goal for sponsors is achievable with your help. Currently, we have secured $24,000 in sponsorships. Please call Almi and Teri at the theatre (814-454-2852, ext. 8) to discuss partnering with us!

Mark your calendar for August 21st from 1-2pm for a 2009-2010 Season Preview at WQLN

Come and fill the lobby of WQLN for a live-broadcast lobby concert highlighting songs from the much-anticipated musicals in our 93rd Season. Songs from Chicago, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Peeved, The Wiz, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Music Man and Rent and more will be sung by some of your favorite EP singers. More info to come in the August E-newsletter!
 

Wing News

The Wing invites you to shop for books, music, DVDs, Starbucks coffee and more at Barnes & Noble on Thursday, July 16th! A percentage of your purchase on that day with voucher will benefit the Erie Playhouse. Shop between 9 AM and 10 PM, or make plans to join us for these special events on July 16th from 6 - 8 PM:

Register to win tickets to see The Wedding Singer (7/31 - 8/16) at the Erie Playhouse or many other valuable prizes. Prizes will be awarded every 20 minutes!
From 6 - 7 PM, cast members from The Wedding Singer will be performing several numbers from the Broadway hit. Based on the Adam Sandler movie, The Wedding Singer features a brand new score which captures the "pop sound" of the 80's!
And from 7 - 8 PM, the Erie Playhouse Showstoppers will present a Broadway song and dance review. These talented kids are ages 12 - 18 and are sure to delight!

All of your purchases at Barnes & Noble (5909 Peach Street) on July 16th with the voucher will benefit the Erie Playhouse. Vouchers are available at the box office or from the Playhouse website. The Wing is grateful for your support and we hope to see you there!

Playhouse Family News

Wedding bells chimed for Leah Walters and Brent Johnson on June 19th as they "tied the knot" in an evening ceremony at the Ambassador Conference Center.  Many EP family members were in attendance and had a marvelous time.

Former Youtheatre performer Amanda Lanzillo was chosen as the graduation speaker for commencement ceremonies at the Mahindra United World college of India on May 24. Amanda completed a two-year high school diploma and earned an international baccalaureate diploma at the international boarding school. She is also a graduate of Mercyhurst Prep. This fall, she will begin studies at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Kevin Hurst is "living the dream" in NYC. This former EP performer spent two weeks interning as a production assistant for the company that produces the Tony Awards, which aired last month. Friends and family (Kevin too) were thrilled to see his name appear in the on-screen credits for the Tony Awards.

Another former EP performer is "living the dream." Stephanie Gandolfo, daughter of Jim & Tammy Gandolfo, is an acting intern at the New London Barn Playhouse in Connecticut. With six musicals on the season, she will be very busy, especially as she was named dance capt. for the first two shows. Congrautulations!!

At the July 1st annual Art Lottery and Scholarship event hosted by the Northwest PA Artists Assocaion at the warner Theatre, Sam Droney, a veteran of numerous YT appearances, was one of three prestigious $1,000 scholarship winners. Sam had to submit slides of his work, recommendations and an essay to a scholarship panel made up of well-known and long-established local artists to win this scholarship, which he will use to study art at Edinboro University.

Congratulations to Brian and Meghan Marshall on the birth of their third son Liam Thomas, born on May 6.  LIam joins Connor and Seamus in the ever-growing Marshall dynasty!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 22 and get ready to party at the Erie Playhouse Family picnic.  More information will be coming soon.

Are you interested in capturing all those special theatre moments? Attend a scrapbooking workshop run by Nancy Hilbert. In addition to the traditional scissor and glue project, there is a digital version as well. For more information contact Janice Wittmershaus at 838.7474 or visit the Creative Memories website

Mark your calendars for Erie Playhouse Night at the SeaWolves Wednesday, August 5. The cast of The Wedding Singer will be in attendance to kick-off the festivities! Tickets will be available at the box office beginning July 13.

Actors Wanted! Paid Acting Job!

NYU Graduate Film Student seeks actors for short video project. This project, a short narrative of seven to ten minutes in length, will be produced in the Erie area. I would like to work with local actors who will be available during the summer, late August specifically.

As of now, I am looking for the following:

(1) Female (early/mid 30s) petite, fit with a quiet curiosity
(1) Male (late 30s/early 40s) handsome, fit, and appealing

Experience with jogging/distance running a huge plus.

Actors will receive:

· Small payment for completion of film (Amount TBD)
· Transportation compensation
· Copy of final film (DVD)
· Credit in final film
· Notification of any film festival screenings

If you are interested and available, please contact John (and send a recent photo/resume) for more information about the project at the following email address: Jr1674@nyu.edu