EPHRATA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Each year, EPAC provides 7 Mainstage Productions including two fully produced Young Performers productions, a Queer Voices Staged Reading Festival, special events, and our Center Stage Theatre Camp. All of these are fully produced with professional production teams, while our casts are primarily volunteer actors from our community. Each year, EPAC has over 200 community members audition for shows, ranging in age, diversity, and careers – truly making us a theatre built on community.

Our productions provide a unique theatre experience unmatched in the region. Our thrust stage and limited-capacity seating provide an intimate experience, pulling you further into the performance. Audience members experience the moment alongside the actors, fully experiencing the show in never-before-seen ways.

EPAC can trace its roots to nearly 70 years ago, when it was originally known as the Legion Star Playhouse; the first theatrical productions in our community took place in a pavilion in Grater Park. In 1953, Broadway producer John Cameron started summer stock productions and continued to produce theater in Ephrata for almost twenty years in what became known as “The Playhouse in the Park.” After Cameron left the area, a group of volunteers continued to produce plays, expanding to become a not-for-profit organization in 1979. The first season presented under the name Ephrata Performing Arts Center was in the summer of 1980. Since then, EPAC has broadened its season from traditional summer productions to present plays, musicals, special events, and other performances throughout the year. EPAC has seen and continues to see many talented individuals on its stage, with many current Broadway actors crediting the theatre for their early experiences, including Tony-Award winning actor Johnathan Groff, Drama Desk Award winner Elisio Roman, and Catherine Walker.

Each year, over 15,000 unique theatregoers attend performances here at EPAC from across Pennsylvania including Lancaster, Berks, Chester, Montgomery, Chester, Philadelphia, Delaware, Bucks, Pike, Carbon, and Lehigh County. Beyond Pennsylvania, patrons come from across the United States, including Maryland, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Virginia, Arizona, Texas, Washington, and California.

As a theatre built on community, EPAC is dedicated to ensuring that everyone can experience the magic of live theatre. In line with our mission to foster an inclusive environment, we offer several discount ticket programs to ensure that all individuals, regardless of financial means, have access to our performances. These programs include Pay-What-You-Can, Student Rush, Senior/Veteran Discounts, and free tickets to our volunteers, which provide affordable opportunities for those who may otherwise lack access to live theatre.

Pay-What-You-Can Community Night takes place on the second performance date of each mainstage show at EPAC. On this night, patrons have the option to purchase tickets through a donation to the theatre, rather than the standard ticket price. Individuals are also invited to attend for no donation, and can still enjoy the same high-quality, community-driven performance that EPAC is known for. In 2024, over 200 Pay-What-You-Can tickets were distributed, demonstrating the critical need for accessible and affordable theatre.

Theatre education is essential, and exposure to diverse performances is a key component. To make EPAC’s shows accessible to young audiences and performers, we offer $15.00 Student Rush tickets with a valid student ID for any performance. In 2024, more than 150 individuals took advantage of this program.

EPAC is proud of its legacy of providing accessible theatre that engages and resonates with our audience. EPAC is the community’s theatre, and we are steadfast in our commitment to stand by that community and create welcome for patrons of all ages and economic status.

EPAC’s mainstage youth productions and theatre camps have been providing a safe and creative place for children and teens to grow and flourish in the performing arts for over 20 years. Our campers thrive in EPAC’s supportive and inclusive environment, having the opportunity to be a part of the production process alongside their peers. Access to theatre education is crucial, providing campers with a strong sense of self-esteem and sense of belonging. By working together on a full-scale musical production, campers collaborate as a team. Additionally, they learn critical skills such as time management, public speaking and multi-tasking. Many of our young performers grow to perform in EPAC’s Mainstage productions and beyond, becoming valued members of Lancaster County’s larger arts community. EPAC also offers opportunities for campers to engage with behind-the-scenes duties of our junior productions, including stage crew or serving as a spotlight operator.

EPAC has long been committed to providing thought-provoking, challenging theatre. Our community has come to know us as a theatre that is unafraid to take risks, bringing boundary-pushing theatre to our community. Shows like The Color Purple, Parade, Cabaret, Pure Glitter, Bull in a China Shop, and The Laramie Project. We are steadfast in our promise of exceptional theatre that engages and resonates with our audience, producing shows such as The Guys on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Lincoln and Pioneer fire companies.