Extraordinary Give: Increase impact of your EPAC donation Friday

Lancaster County’s Extraordinary Give event takes place this Friday. It’s an EXTREMELY important day for the Ephrata Performing Arts Center, and it’s easy to understand why.

A recent editorial in the Intelligencer Journal/LancasterNew Era called the Ephrata Performing Arts Center “a theater that consistently punches far above its weight.” In other words, EPAC may be a nonprofit, community theater, but it presents high-quality, visionary work that always has audiences buzzing.

That editorial writer knows what everyone who comes to see the musicals and plays presented at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre knows: EPAC truly lives its mission of producing “THEATER THAT MATTERS,” show after show, year in and year out.

Producing theater you can’t see anywhere else in the area takes the kind of creativity that burns in the staff, creative teams, actors, stage managers, crew members, technical artists and various volunteers who put it all together and place it before the audience year-round.

But it also takes money. Frankly, it’s hard for artists to talk about money, and to ask for money. But the fact is that EPAC needs funds to continue to entertain you, to move you, to make you laugh and to make you think with the plays and musicals the EPAC family works so hard to bring to you.

Through the Extraordinary Give, the Lancaster County Foundation offers a date and place for hundreds of area nonprofits to earn donations, from midnight to 11:59 a.m. on November 22. As one of those nonprofits, EPAC is then eligible to receive part of an ADDITIONAL POOL OF MATCHING FUNDS, BASED ON HOW MUCH IS DONATED TO US ON FRIDAY.  If we earn 1 percent of the total donations given to all organizations that day, we’ll receive an additional 1 percent of that pool of matching money.

So, on that day of days, the more money you give, the more money EPAC gets toward fulfilling its mission as an arts organization.

Do you see why that day is SO VERY IMPORTANT to this theater? It’s not often that your donation to EPAC can be instantly multiplied in its impact! The Extraordinary Give offers you that opportunity.

So, please set aside a few moments this Friday, Nov. 22 – you have 24 hours in which to schedule those moments! – to make at least the minimum donation of $25 to EPAC through the Extraordinary Give. We need your help, and EPAC will be so thankful, blessed and appreciative to have your support that day!!

Please bookmark the EPAC donation page, so you’ll be all ready for the event on Friday.

After you make your donation, please follow our progress on the Extraordinary Give leaderboard all day long, and follow our progress on Facebook, Twitter and other social media that day.

In the end, YOU will be the beneficiary, since the money EPAC earns will go toward producing all the shows you’ll enjoy here, and maintaining the Sharadin Bigler Theatre so you can watch those shows in comfort.

Thank you, in advance, from the whole EPAC family!

-- by Merv Wright, EPAC fan and volunteer

'Assassins': Dark mirth and a musical meditation on our history

"Assassins" runs now through Nov. 2 at the the Sharadin Bigler Theatre

Have you ever thought about why some of America’s infamous assassins, and would-be assassins, did what they did?

Playwright John Weidman and composer Stephen Sondheim obviously did. They thought about it A LOT. The result is an edgy, scary, profound and darkly funny piece of musical theater called “Assassins.”

In part, the show is about American history, seen through an artistic lens, with plenty of artistic license. Where else but in a piece of art could you see assassins from varied periods in American history interacting on stage, all at once, and discussing their deeds and motivations with each other?!?

In part, the show is a meditation on the so-called American Dream, and what happens when that dream is not fulfilled in the life of someone who’s emotionally or mentally unbalanced.

In part, it’s a chance for assassins from John Wilkes Booth (Lincoln) to Leon Czolgosz (McKinley) to Charles Guiteau (Garfield) to explain their actions to the audience and to try to give their lives posthumous meaning (though three of the would-be assassins are still alive, off stage).

And, in total, it’s a marvelous evening at the theater. It’s especially so with the FANTASTIC cast assembled by director Edward Fernandez, and the voices and music directed by J.P. Meyer – who also happens to be EPAC’s board president. I was completely blown away (so to speak) by what I saw, even during the rehearsal process!

A confession: “Assassins” is probably my favorite show. The book, music and lyrics are amazing – so much more so because, before this show existed, it would be hard to have imagined someone creating such a delightful musical out of such dark material.

This show is definitely not for kids. There are very scary, unhinged individuals on stage, and there are guns going off at regular intervals (and capital punishments from a bygone era). It’s about famous killers, after all.

But for those who love to see a show that makes you laugh, tear up and think, while having the time of your life getting to know a group of verrrrry interesting individuals –– “Assassins” is right up your street!

This show is not performed very often; looking at the Sondheim Review’s list of productions around the country, EPAC’s is one of the very few being presented this year. How very, VERY fortunate we are to have this theater right in our community … a theater that brings us shows like this, while also delivering new takes on classics like “Fiddler on the Roof” (coming in December).

The cast, crew, musicians and creative team are almost halfway through the run of “Assassins.” Please honor this rare gem they’ve created by coming to the Sharadin Bigler Theatre to see the show before it ends its run Nov. 2. Call the box office at 717-733-7966, or visit the website to order online. While you’re there, check out the fantastic season EPAC has in store for you in 2014!

-merv wright

'The Glass Menagerie' will touch your soul

"The Glass Menagerie" is a little more than halfway through its run.
You still have six chances to see this wonderful production of this Tennessee Williams classic, which illuminates the human condition and touches the soul.
The show has earned its rave reviews from critics and audience members ... now it's up to you to REWARD yourself with a ticket to this show, and let this wonderful production wash over you.
Director Rich Repkoe and the creative team have put together a fantastic production that holds surprises for audience members who THINK they've seen "The Glass Menagerie" before. If you love this play, as I do, you will consider it a gift to be able to see these actors bring Williams' story to life.
I felt so privileged to be able to see such a high-quality production of this show, which brings new layers of understanding to these characters and their story, right here in Ephrata. Right here at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre. 
All four talented "Glass Menagerie" actors -- Timothy Riggs, Karyn Reppert, Megan Baum and Brian Viera -- are perfectly cast. They will absolutely transport you to the Wingfield home for a couple of hours, and make you privy to their relationships, challenges and personal concerns. And they will break your heart, get under your skin and have you thinking about their performances for days.   
Tennessee Williams understood human behavior as well as any playwright around; his prodigious gifts are evident in this play. The dialogue will make you laugh, and the story will put a lump in your throat -- and probably tears in your eyes -- before the actors take their bows.
You can read some of the great reviews of the show are the links shared here.
"The Glass Menagerie" runs through Sept. 21, with shows Saturday night, 9/14, at 8; Wednesday and Thursday, 9/18 and 9/19, at 7:30; Friday, 9/20, at 8, and Saturday, 9/21, at 2 and 8 p.m. 
Visit EPAC's newly redesigned website, or call (717) 733-7966 for tickets.
And don't forget your Kleenex!

 - merv wright

"Guys & Dolls": A lively, tuneful, funny American classic

Bob Checchia, Lynne DeMers-Hunt and Nick and Stacia Smith are Nathan Detroit, Miss Adelaide, Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown in EPAC's "Guys and Dolls."

It's no surprise that Entertainment Weekly recently declared "Guys and Dolls" the most popular American musical of the past 100 years. It's no fluke that the show has been revived on Broadway nearly every decade since it opened in 1950. And it's no accident that this lively and tuneful musical has won a bushel-and-a-peck-full of Tony Awards over the years.

As part of its 2013 season of honoring American playwrights and composers, the Ephrata Performing Arts Center is presenting this high-energy, big-hearted show beginning tonight, on stage at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre.

Watching one of the final rehearsals of the show last week – a show I've seen many times on stage and on celluloid – I was reminded what a well-crafted, funny and thoroughly delightful show "Guys and Dolls" is.

I'm glad the cast couldn't hear me quietly singing along with every one of those catchy, clever Frank Loesser showtunes – from the title song to "Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat," and from "Adelaide's Lament" to "Luck Be a Lady."

And despite having seen this show so many times, I found myself laughing at a lot of the dialogue. I was surprised all over again by the clever conversations and assorted bon mots book co-writer Abe Burrows created for gambler Nathan Detroit, nightclub star Miss Adelaide and the circle of colorful characters with whom they pal around. And watching Sarah Brown and Sky Masterson meet cute, flirting as they swap Bible verses, is a delight.

As always, I was reminded how great this theater troupe is at wrapping its artistic heart around a well-worn American classic – putting that unique EPAC spin on the proceedings and bringing out new flavors in the piece. Under Ed Fernandez's direction, with choreography by Irving Gonzalez, this big, talented cast fills the stage with dancing gamblers and slinky “Hot Box Dolls,” marching missionaries and hot Havana couples gyrating to a Latin beat.

The Grand Themes of Relationships are played out in the main couples’ interactions: Nathan and Adelaide, a guy who can’t commit paired with a doll who can’t help lovin’ that man, along with Sky and Sarah, a case of opposites attracting.

 You’ll love the supporting characters, too, from gambler Nicely Nicely Johnson to Big Jule the Chicago thug to mission counselor Arvide Abernathy.

My advice: Even if you’ve seen “Guys and Dolls” before, open your heart to this EPAC production. It’s a feast for the eyes, the ears and the funny bone. And if you've NEVER seen this show before – what in the heck are you waiting for?

Call (717) 733-7966 to secure a seat in the theater and be thoroughly entertained with an American classic in the hands of a committed group of actors, crew and creative team members. Enjoy!

The show runs evenings through Aug. 10, with a matinee added on closing day.
Thanks to 12:34 MicroTechnologies for sponsoring the show; to Dr. Lew and Michelle Storb as opening-night sponsors, and to Drs. Karen and Evan Cooper and Dave Dierwechter and Marcia Stoner for sponsoring  the after party.

- Mary Ellen ("Merv") Wright

Make summer theater memories at EPAC!

The cast of EPAC's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" -- a perfect play to see on a summer night.

When I was a kid in State College, PA, my parents took me to a lot of theater in the summer.  I thank my lucky stars so often that I had parents who gave me such a wonderful gift – a gift that has kept on giving, and led to my lifelong love of theater.  If we weren’t going to see a summer-stock or student production on the Penn State campus, we were headed to the old Boal Barn Playhouse to see some entertaining, community-theater production of a drama, comedy or musical.

 My dad would pick up the tickets in the silo, converted into a box office. We’d sit together in that little theater-in-the-round converted barn, and fan ourselves with our programs against the heat.  If a musical was playing, the pit orchestra would perform from the old hayloft.

 It was magical.

Not long after I moved to Lancaster more than a quarter-century ago, I discovered what was then called the Ephrata Playhouse in the Park – now EPAC.  In its pre-renovation days, the theater reminded me a lot of the Boal Barn -- a converted barn venue that presented great summer fare for the theater lover. I was even lucky enough to perform in the ensemble of one of those shows about 20 years ago, and forged friendships with members of the EPAC family that I treasure to this day.

Now, I’m a volunteer  for EPAC, as well as an audience member. Whenever I walk into the theater – even though it has been renovated and air-conditioned and its season expanded to a year-‘round performance schedule –  the place still gives me a nostalgic feeling about my childhood summer nights, spent at the theater with my parents.

 (Heck – I can even talk about the Boal Barn with folks like Tricia Corcoran, an EPAC regular, and mother of Quinn Corcoran – a cast member in EPAC’s current production, “Brighton Beach Memoirs.”  Tricia performed at the Boal Barn Playhouse when she was a student at Penn State!)

Having a beautifully written play like Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” for older kids and their parents to see together in the summer is a true gift to the community – as is the offering of theater events appealing to a wide range of tastes, from “Guys & Dolls” to “Angels in America,” and from “Fiddler on the Roof” to “Assassins.”

The cast and crew members who volunteer hours and hours of their time to this EPAC enterprise want you to see what they’ve created together. They want you to step up to the ticket window, to buy a cold drink and a snack, to settle into your seat with your friends and loved ones, and to have a shared summer experience around the theater stage.

“Brighton Beach Memoirs” is a perfect summer show – funny and touching, and filled with well-drawn characters, the mysteries of the cusp of adulthood, and familial love and conflict.

You have five more chances to see it, in air-conditioned comfort  – Wednesday through Friday nights, and both a matinee and nighttime show on Saturday. Visit the website, or call (717) 733-7966 for tickets.

Make some summer memories at the theater today. EPAC is the perfect place to do that.

-- Mary Ellen (“Merv”) Wright

EPAC veterans shine at "Pirates" benefit

Johnathan Groff, center, and Eliseo Roman, to the right of Eric Idle, performed at the "Pirates of Penzance" tribute gala in Central Park June 11.

Eliseo Roman is on the right, among those taking bows after "Penzance."

Is Eliseo Roman (center background) having a moment with Glenn Close?

Jonathan Groff takes a bow at the end of "Pirates," and gets some cheers from Martin Short in the background!

Check out these photos of the curtain call of "The Pirates of Penzance" performance/gala/tribute to the late Nora Ephron in Central Park on June 11. Jonathan Groff played Frederick, and Eliseo was in the ensemble.

Both men are Lancaster County natives, and both are alumni of Ephrata Performing Arts Center. 

Jonathan, whose EPAC performances included "Bat Boy" and "Honk," went on to Broadway in "Spring Awakening," and has done film and TV. He'll soon star in a new HBO show, set in San Francisco.

Eliseo, who performed in "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Secret Garden," "The Fantasticks" and "Anything Goes" at EPAC, went on to Broadway, as well, in "In the Heights" and "Leap of Faith." He performs with "Broadway Inspirational Voices," and has done recent performances in L.A. and Atlanta of new musicals "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Zorro."

Meryl Streep hosted the Central Park "Pirates" tribute to Ephron, which also starred Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, Martin Short and Eric Idle. Check out additional photos from the curtain call on that magical night!

-- Merv Wright

Terry Bradshaw pays tribute to Ephrata -- AND EPAC!

EPAC got a shout-out from a Super Bowl winner!
At about 1:50 on his "Today in America" segment on Ephrata, host Terry Bradshaw pays tribute to the professional quality of EPAC's performances.
You can see the video here.
You can learn about Terry Bradshaw's "Today in America" series here, and find out when and where it airs on television at this link.
Thanks, Mr. Bradshaw!