As the State Theatre closes its centennial season, administration looks to the future
With its centennial year programming of live theater, comedy, concerts, classic films and the ever-popular “Nutcracker Ballet,” the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown is moving into its second century.
“Our season runs from October to May,” said Erica Miller, executive director. “We’ll be announcing our 2023-2024 season sometime in mid-summer. We’re looking to book a variety of new and fun shows, both for our current audience as well as for those who don’t visit on a regular basis, especially the younger audience.”
The theater usually draws between 14,000 and 18,000 ticket buyers each year, according to Miller, who’s held various positions at the theater for more than a quarter of its existence.
Programming usually includes three to four monthly events, plus a classic film. According to Miller, some months have much heavier programming; others are lighter such as January and February, due to the colder weather.
Most of the theater audience is from Fayette County, augmented by patrons from Washington and Westmoreland counties and Morgantown. To disseminate information about coming events, the theater staff advertises in local newspapers, social media, radio and television. It also mails out brochures to area patrons.
“We’re an attractive venue because we have some great restaurants in town, and parking is easier and less costly,” Miller said.
Classical films will continue to screen this summer, as will two stage productions by the Main Street Theatre Company. These include “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat” (July 7-9) and “Kinky Boots” (July 28-30).
“I think it’s important to screen classic films because it’s a way to allow everyone, regardless of their economic bracket, to enjoy the State Theatre,” Miller said. “It also ties in with our original purpose as a venue for film.”
“Because our area is financially challenged, it’s also important to offer quite a few cultural events to the general public and at a reasonable cost,” Miller continues. “People in the area may not have the means to go outside the county to enjoy a live performance.”
Annually, the State produces “The Nutcracker” ballet. “Last year, around 140 dancers of all ages took to the stage in what’s become a holiday tradition,” Miller said. Director and choreographer, Donna Marovic, changes the choreography annually, and we modify the scenery and costumes from time to time.”
The theater opened on October 20, 1922, as a movie palace and vaudeville house as part of the B.F. Keith Circuit. Designed by the preeminent architect of the day, Thomas Lamb, the State was the largest and finest theater in the area when it opened.
“The theater once had a pipe organ to accompany the silent films,” Miller said. “Eventually, it was moved to a barn, which subsequently burned down.”
After vaudeville’s demise, the theater continued as a film palace, premiering such films as “Gone With the Wind” and “The Heiress.” In the 1970s, when the multiplexes were in vogue, the theater closed for a time. The theater reopened in the 1980s as the State Music Hall and became a concert venue featuring performances by such artists as Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, B.B. King and Kool and the Gang. In 1989, the Greater Uniontown Heritage Consortium purchased the theater, which became a non-profit under the new name, the State Theatre Center for the Arts.
Over the years, stars like Toby Keith, George Carlin, Melissa Manchester, Ben Vareen, Larry the Cable Guy, the Smothers Brothers, Loretta Swift of M.A.S.H. fame and the Martha Graham Dance Company have graced the State Theatre stage.
“People have told me they came to see and hear big bands here, so Tommy Dorsey may have once performed at the State as well,” Miller said.
Although the theater has seen significant renovations over the years, the exterior has remained faithful to the original. The marquee, however, has changed several times, but the latest rendition is meant to resemble the original.
According to Miller, the lobby was remodeled in the early 2000s, and new seats were installed around the same time. The color of the paint in the lobby has changed, but a good deal of the color of the mezzanine ceiling and the balcony has remained the same, as has the mural in the balcony.
“The State is unique, “Miller said. “We have some projects coming up to help ensure that the building will still be around another hundred years. In the future, we’d like to add air conditioning. Thankfully, local organizations and businesses are helping us see that we’ll be technologically able to continue to present live theater.”
During COVID, the theater shut down in March 2020. The theater was able to reopen in the spring of 2021 with some dance recitals.
“COVID was a difficult time for us,” Miller said. “We had several bookings we had to postpone, canceled some events and returned presale money back to our patrons. Some of our audience, however, donated their money back to the theater.”
The State operates with three full-time and two part-time employees, plus several occasional employees. Suzanne Baron Hess is the box office manager, Andy MacDonald is the technical director and Ken Kephart is the cleaning person.
“As a non-profit, we rely on donations and grants,” Miller said. “We also get some support from business sponsorships and ads in our program booklets. However, the best way for an individual to support the theater is to buy tickets for our shows and events.”