Erie Playhouse

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Click here to support the Erie Playhouse during the COVID-19 shutdown

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(UPDATED March 24, 2020, Erie, PA)

Dear EP Family, Friends, Sponsors and Patrons:

For over 100 years, the Erie Playhouse has continuously provided the Erie community with live entertainment, performing arts classes, Youtheatre camps, and educational outreach throughout the county. With the exception of a pause in 1942 during World War II, we at the Playhouse have never closed our doors and never stopped fulfilling our mission of enriching the lives of patrons and the community by engaging, educating, and entertaining patrons through the power of the performing arts. We have never stopped…

In this unprecedented time in our world’s history, the Erie Playhouse must announce, with great regret and sorrow, that we are now on a hiatus and temporarily closing our doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our incredible, dedicated, and creative staff are facing a temporary lay off until the time comes when we can reopen to the public. After long financial and strategic planning sessions with a specialized taskforce, we have deemed it vital to the financial future of the organization that we pause the employment of all staff, with the exception of our Executive Director and Business Manager. They will continue our necessary operations to communicate with the community regarding our status, as well as continue to fundraise and ensure the health and vitality of our beloved organization.

We will continue to connect with you via PLAYtime live streams and other digital entertainment outreach that we will be working on with volunteers and board members. During this critical time for the future of your Erie Playhouse, we ask for any help that you can give. Immediate ways to help are donating as you are able, purchasing a choice card or gift card to be used when we reopen, purchasing tickets for our upcoming raffle, and donating back the ticket cost of any cancelled performances.

During this uncertain time, we are all saddened and unsure about what the future holds, but we also know we are resilient and will make it through by continuing to care for each other, supporting our community, and remaining vigilant in following the directives put in place by local, state, and federal governments. We will return and we cannot wait to share with you the joy and spectacle of shows like Something Rotten and Kinky Boots, the beautiful examination of family and love with The Secret Garden, the hope and celebration of life with Tuck Everlasting, and our exciting plans for our 2020-2021 105^th Season. Together, we will persevere. Together, we will make it through this time. Together, we will reunite on the other side. The light is always on at the theatre and we look forward to the day we watch it shine more even more brightly. Together.

For more information about how you can help the Erie Playhouse, please go to our website (erieplayhouse.org) or email our Executive Director, Kate Neubert Lechner, at kate@erieplayhouse.org.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP