THE POWER OF ARTS & COMMUNITY

Susquehanna Stage began ten years ago, as a small but committed group of creative people gathered to discuss the possibility of a new community theatre group in Lancaster County. Believing that one must “bloom where they are planted,” they looked no further than our little river town of Marietta, PA and worked to secure a lease with the Marietta Community House for the large brick building on the property. After an incredible ten years and continuous support from the Marietta Community House, we have made an exciting leap towards the future! Susquehanna Stage will continue to create unique, high-caliber theater experiences in our new home beautiful stone church at 133 West Market Street, Marietta PA! In August, 2018 Susquehanna Stage officially founded the new Marietta Center for the Arts. 

The goal for the Marietta Center for the Arts (MCA) is to be able to enrich the community of Marietta beyond just the arts. With a much larger space, the building allows for Susquehanna Stage to offer their regular season of plays and musicals as well as ample opportunity to host other events such as live music, open mic nights, local artist displays and even offer rental space to host private events. Most importantly, one of the main focuses of the MCA is to provide an educational component to the community offering classes such as voice, art, movement, dance and more to both kids and adults of all ages! 

The MCA will not only host Susquehanna Stage‘s productions and Arts Alive! Summer Camp, but it will also bring a new focus on year-round educational opportunities. These classes & workshops give students the freedom to express themselves in an emotionally and physically safe and fun environment. We emphasize the process of creating theatre and encourage students to share what they have learned in all aspects of their lives. Students will focus not only on material developed for the stage, but also from the worlds of music, dance, material art, literature, and history. Our goal is not only to nurture an appreciation for live theatre, but also to help students develop on a personal level by focusing on communication, teamwork, self-discipline, positive self-image, responsibility and respect, awareness of the senses, use of imagination and creativity, as well as, the exploration and control of emotions.

The MCA is quite large compared to the building where Susquehanna Stage performed over the past ten years. The original structure of the MCA was built in 1853 but has had additions put on over the years; it is approximately 12k square feet in total with a rich history and endless possibilities for the future! The first-floor main entrance to the building offers two performance spaces. The first space is the Gallery Stage, which is a more intimate setting for plays, kids’ shows, staged readings, open-mic nights, art shows, and other opportunities. The Gallery Stage also provides a beautiful space for the community to rent for any event they can dream –such as corporate meetings, rehearsal space, bridal showers, social galas, fundraisers, and more. The main stage theatre is named after one of our most generous donors, the Eater Family Foundation. The Eater Theater will be able to house larger audiences and grander productions. Construction is set to begin in this space beginning January 2019 and is scheduled to open with Susquehanna Stage’s 2019 Grand Summer Theatre production of EVITA in July 2019. The downstairs area of the building has two enormous spaces. One side is dedicated to costumes, a sewing room, fitting rooms, and prop area, while the other side of the building will be the home of our many art education classes.