New ‘Main Street Theatre Company’ to kick off first season at State Theatre
Submitted photo
The cast for 鈥淭he 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee鈥� rehearses for this weekend鈥檚 show. It will be the first for the newly-formed Main Street Theatre Company at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown.
Submitted photo
鈥淭he 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee鈥� is the first performance from the Main Street Theatre Company at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown.
The newly formed Main Street Theatre Company is bringing more performances to Uniontown with their first show scheduled this week.
Although the name is new, the company an extension of the Summer at the State at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown.
Beginning nine years ago, the Summer at the State became the resident theater company created to bring professional-caliber shows to the Fayette County venue.
鈥淥ur mission for Summer at the State has always been to make the arts accessible to people directly in our community,鈥� said John Wagner, the artistic director for Summer at the State, and now, the Main Street Theatre Company. 鈥淲e believe that every community, no matter the size, should have the same opportunities that are found in major cities.鈥�
Wagner said he鈥檚 noticed a big change in the performance touring industry, the biggest being that most touring musicals were only making stops in major cities while skipping over smaller towns and venues like the State Theatre.
鈥淲hat that meant for our community was, you had to travel outside of our community to see or participate in the arts,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is not a possibility for everyone, and it left a hole that needed to be filled.鈥�
With the success of the summer shows, Wagner said he and others with the company were thinking of how they could create more opportunities for locals to directly engage in the arts, which led to the Main Street Theatre Company.
Wagner said the new company provides an oopportunity to produce more shows each year, and create a theater training program for kids and teenagers in the area.
鈥淎nd it goes beyond being in a show or taking classes. It is as simple as coming to see a production,鈥� Wager said. 鈥淥ur season will now include a fall show, a winter show, as well as our 鈥楽ummer at the State鈥� series in July, which is two more shows.鈥�
The plans to expand have been going on for a year, but Wager said it became official in July. The company鈥檚 first show, this weekend, is 鈥淭he 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.鈥�
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 think of a better way to kick off this season,鈥� Wagner said.
He said the show is a hilarious tale of high school-aged overachievers, their hopes, their dreams and their angst as they compete for a slot in the National Spelling Bee. Overseen by adults still stuck in adolescence themselves, they sing their stories, use unique spelling techniques and learn that losing doesn鈥檛 necessarily make you a loser.
鈥淭his is a funny and heartfelt musical that is fun for everyone,鈥� Wagner said. 鈥� It is a fast-paced show that is full of great music. It provides the perfect escape for everyone from our everyday lives.鈥�
He said the show is crafted in a way that no two performances are the same, it鈥檚 written so that bits and pieces of the text can be altered to remain relevant and, in addition, four volunteer audience members are selected to participate in the Bee at each performance.
鈥淚f you鈥檝e ever dreamed about being onstage, now is your chance,鈥� Wagner said.
The show runs at 7 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. this Sunday. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased by calling the State Theatre鈥檚 Box Office at 724-439-1360, or by visiting their website at https://statetheatre.info.
The other shows scheduled for the company鈥檚 2022-2023 season include 鈥淎 Chorus Line鈥� in January, and 鈥淛oseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat鈥� and 鈥淜inky Boots,鈥� both in July.
Wagner said he hopes the new theater company will benefit other businesses in downtown Uniontown, as more things will be happening throughout the year, offering more reasons for people to visit the area and patronize local businesses.
鈥淎 dinner and a show is the perfect combination,鈥� he said.
For more information on the productions and offerings of the Main Street Theatre Company, visit their website at www.MSTCUniontown.org or their Facebook page, MSTCUniontown.