The Palace Theatre
Center for the Performing Arts

If you thought the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, Pennsylvania was just for the residents of Westmoreland County, guess again. First opened as the Manos Theatre on September 2, 1926, the Palace Theatre serves as a major, cultural force not only for local residents, but for people from all parts of the United States. “In fact, people have come from 42 states to attend a broad range of live entertainment here,” said Teresa Baughman, Director of Marketing and Programming.

In 2007, the theatre booked 84 shows and hit a total audience attendance of 50,000. The theater is large enough with about 1,350 seats to accommodate audiences for top-headliner performances, but is intimate enough for audiences to appreciate every last bit of performing talent. Top stars who have performed here include Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, Wayne Newton, Lily Tomlin, Bob Newhart, Lou Rawls, Judy Collins, Neil Sedaka, Ben Vereen, Bill Cosby, Bernadette Peters, Harry Belafonte, Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan, George Carlin and Paul Anka.

The Palace Theatre is home to the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra and is a regional venue for the River City Brass Band. And local arts groups regularly mount productions throughout the year. Some of these include the Laurel Ballet, Stage Right, Greensburg Civic Theatre and Greensburg Central Catholic High School. The roster of popular entertainers who have played here includes Kevin James, Connie Francis, The Oak Ridge Boys, Penn & Teller, Frankie Avalon and Keb Mo.

In the Megan’s Suite, guests enjoy refreshments before the show and during intermission. The most recent renovations also include new rest rooms for men and women on the main floor and mezzanine levels, drinking fountains and an elevator.  These projects are restoring The Palace to its original state of old-world beauty with modern day improvements, making it one of the finest theatres of its size and type in the country.

Much of the original Manos Theatre remains the way it was in the 1920’s when it was designed by Leon H. Lempert & Son of Rochester, New York, including the candlelight chandelier in the lobby, the golden Grecian marble, and black-and-white floor tiles. In the mid -1990’s, the original opera boxes were replicated and were completed by painting the hand-cast, decorative moldings and hanging velvet swags. Two original murals were refurbished near the theatre’s loge seats, but a third mural remains hidden, painted over earlier on the ceiling above the orchestra pit.  

Headline Shows for 2008
July 15 Golden Dragon Acrobats from China: This group is recognized the world over as the premier Chinese acrobatic touring company of today. The acrobats put on a show that makes for great family entertainment. The company is committed to the highest of production values and an attention to artistic details unequaled in the art form.  World renowned impresario Danny Chang and choreographer Angela Chang present a show of breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty featuring award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, and ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques.

July 26 Weird Al Yankovic “Straight Outta Lynwood” 2008 Tour: This show debuted at Number 10 on the Billboard album charts, and gave Al his very first Top-10 album. White & Nerdy erupted on the Billboard singles charts at number 28 (as the “Hot Shot Debut”) and then rocketed to #9 the next week, making it Al’s first Top-10 single.  “Weird Al” and his band entertains audiences with parodies of Chamillionaire, Green Day, Usher, R. Kelly, Taylor Hicks and other hot artists, summer concert audiences don’t want
to miss.

Wednesday, August 6 Edwin McCain Acoustic Trio: This ensemble’s music blends folk, soul and rock and has won the attention of millions with the Top 10 smash I’ll Be and the Top 40 hit I Could Not Ask For More. A man with a romantic soul, he invests life’s everyday moments with a poetry all his own. “I take whatever happens to me between records and spend time thinking and feeling it through, and then I draw on the lessons I’ve learned and try to find the music in it,” he says.  This is the same method he’s used ever since he first picked up a guitar and decided he wanted to become a wandering troubadour. He highlights his intimate concert with a blend of southern soul and acoustic storytelling.

September 20 An Evening with Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood: This is sure to be one of your most exciting comedy events of the year. If you like Whose Line Is It Anyway on TV, you’ll love two of the Emmy nominated show’s stars, Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, in person. Their high-profile presentations have played to sold-out venues all over the country. And they’re back by popular demand and have teamed up to deliver an evening of their sensational improvisational comedy.

The Work of The Westmoreland Cultural Trust
The owner of the Palace Theatre, the Westmoreland Cultural Trust, functions as an asset of the community. “As such, the Trust takes a special interest in helping Westmoreland County become a destination point for the region through its revitalization efforts. In particular, we focus on supporting the performance arts and entertainment,” said Michael J. Langer, President.

A prime example of such revitalization efforts is the restoration of the 70-year-old Lamp Theater in Irwin, Pennsylvania. This includes a new roof, renovations, a new stage, movie screen, electrical wiring, lighting, sound system, marquee and plumbing, including Americans With Disabilities Act-certified restrooms. The theater is expected to open late in the summer or fall 2008. The Westmoreland Cultural Trust dates from 1969, when Katherine Mabis McKenna, a well known philanthropist, provided the design and the funds to erect the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center (GG&CC). She wanted to create a memorial to her departed son, Mennel, and to catalyze her vision of an educational and cultural civic center. She donated the building to the City of Greensburg to enable people within the Greensburg and Westmoreland County region to use it as a premier meeting center and multipurpose facility.

In 1992, the Board changed the focus and name of the governing body to The Westmoreland Trust, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, formed to manage and operate the GG&CC and to serve the community on a larger scale. The governing body determined that the most effective way to keep Mrs. McKenna’s dream alive and provide necessary services to the region would be to expand the focus of the trust to include taking on a leadership role in the development and enhancement of the cultural life and economic well being of the Westmoreland County region.

Today, the Westmoreland Trust manages community assets, presents arts and entertainment, provides support services for presenting arts and organizations, and develops an historical, cultural and entertainment district. To achieve its goals, the Trust collaborates with other arts and cultural organizations to ensure the continuation of the enhanced cultural life. The Trust achieves this by raising funds to help these organizations meet their needs, such as providing them with affordable office space.

The Trust’s collaborations with organizations like The Laurel Ballet, Greensburg Civic Theatre, the Westmoreland Symphony, River City Brass Band and the Apple Hill Playhouse benefit the community by bringing art and culture to the area, and by creating an enduring community spirit and source of regional pride. The Trust has also created and maintained many successful partnerships with city, county, state and federal governmental agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals from across the region.mg