This year on August 12, we need your support during Erie Gives 2025!
The award-winning Erie Playhouse was founded over 100 years ago with a focus on performing quality live theatre for the Erie community. Our mission is to educate, entertain, inspire, transform, and support the community through theatre – and we can’t do it without you!
🎭 Inclusive. Professional. Grateful. Impactful. Passionate. 🎭
“The magic, friendships, and inspiration we have experienced have created lasting memories. We are just one family that owes so much to the Playhouse for making our community a better place to raise our children, to impact those around us, and to inspire our community partners to help each other. We need the Playhouse to help us continue to make connections.” – Steve and Melanie Ropski, 2025 Annual Fund Chairs
Our 109th season of world class theatre is packed with soaring tales and epic adventures including WAITRESS, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, THE DA VINCI CODE, CATS, MY FAIR LADY, THE ELEPHANT MAN, and DISNEY’S FROZEN! Youtheatre is in full swing with PETE THE CAT, THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH JR., and EMMA! A POP MUSICAL! Plus with PLAYtime, camps and classes – the Playhouse has something for everyone!
Since 1983, we’ve been in our current home at 13 West 10th Street, the former Strand Theatre, which was built as a movie house in 1947. Our 12,000+ square foot theatre has seating for 424 patrons plus handicapped accessible seating and restroom facilities. The proscenium style stage is perfectly suited to the theatre’s busy schedule.
What can your support do?
🎭Your $25 donation helps fund:
– two cans of paint
– wig caps & hair pins for the run of a show
– laundry detergent and supplies for a run
– the glue sticks used in a show
– all the thread used in one production
🎭Your $50 donation helps fund:
– the styling and maintenance of one wig
– covers the cost of one box of screws for set construction
– provides a supply of music stand lights so the pit musicians can play without struggling to see sheet music
🎭Your $100 donation helps fund:
– the cost of one U-Haul rental to transport sets and costumes
– replacement parts for regularly used instruments in need a tune up for the highest quality of sound
– the Swarovski crystals used on Mr. Mistoffelees’ unitard
– the ostrich feathers on grizabella’s coat collar
🎭Your $150 donation helps fund:
– the average cost of one men’s suit
🎭Your $200 donation helps fund:
– the typical amount to buy fabric to build one women’s costume
– sound program needed for a Keyboard player to enrich the quality of the orchestra – making the sound as close to the original Broadway production as possible
– zippers and notions (hooks & eyes, snaps, zipper stops, buttons, etc.) in a typical show
🎭Your $500 donation helps fund:
– the lumber for the set construction of one production
🎭Your $700 donation helps fund:
– drop rentals (the background visuals on stage)
🎭Your $750 donation helps fund:
– one new light for the theatre
🎭Your $1000 donation helps fund:
– dry cleaning expenses for one production
– the makeup budget of CATS
