BY ELYSSA GANSER
February 23, 2016
At a casual glance The State Theatre may seem like any other performing arts center, but a look behind the beautiful façade reveals a vibrant hub of cultural opportunities resulting from a rich history of community support.
The theatre was opened in 1938 by Warner Brothers as a movie theatre, quickly sparking enthusiasm in the community. As the years went on the theatre lost its glamour and eventually closed in 2001. In 1999 however, community members saw this historical gem as a place worth saving. The community wanted to revitalize it into a performing arts center, owned and operated by the public. The original owners of the 1939 theatre, Sidney and Helen Friedman, saw the vision the public wanted to create and happily turned the building over to the community, along with a monetary gift.
Significant renovations gave the dilapidated theatre a rebirth, transforming it into a community hub for the performing arts that still embodies its historical structure. The theatre finally reopened in December 2006 and serves as a reminder of what a community can do when it comes together.
Now, the theatre hosts locally produced performances, satellite simulcasts of presentations from around the world, independent films, and nationally touring musicians. Some of its most popular events include: an annual charity event featuring several local bands, the Banff Film Festival of outdoor sports and adventure, the live simulcast of the Metropolitan Opera HD cinema season, and the annual showings of the film It’s A Wonderful Life leading up to Christmas. With such a wide range of productions hosted year-round, The State Theatre has something for every audience!
Since The State Theatre is community-owned, the Centre County residents get to assist in the selection and production of the shows. Committees made up of community members advise the theatre on what shows to select when building its calendar. Committee members also get to plan and produce several community performances each year.
The State Theatre embodies what it means to be a community, and is a cornerstone of State College. It presents a place for the community to come together and see each other on the stage!
To learn more about upcoming shows, donate to the theatre, or find out how you can get involved go to http://thestatetheatre.org/
Elyssa Ganser is a senior majoring in Public Relations at Penn State. She is excited to see what lies ahead as she starts this new chapter in her life. Elyssa discovered her passion for writing after working for School Nutrition Magazine last summer, where she wrote articles and edited content for upcoming editions of the monthly magazine.
