You come in off the street, through the doors of the theater. You sit down. The lights go down and the curtain goes up. And you’re in another world. — Robert Caro

As October 2012 rolls in, so have the rain clouds and cooler air. This first week of October also brings us some good excuses to cozy up inside for a few hours and enjoy some live, artistic entertainment!

Starting this Thursday, Oct. 4, comes Touchstone Theatre’s original musical comedy, The Pan Show: In Pan We Trust. Touchstone summarizes the play: “When a ragtag coalition of nations decides to save America from itself, they recruit the only satyr capable of leading the charge.” This production is filled with pure originality, hilarity, political satire, and immense fun. The Pan Show runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Oct. 4-13.

Thursdays at Touchstone Theatre are “pay-what-you-will at the door,” including this Thursday’s premier of the second Pan installment (another valid reason to settle inside and support some local entertainment!).

While the cold rain and grey skies keep you inside, you have the perfect excuse to also check out the Pennsylvania Playhouse’s production of Curtains, which also opens this week. This classic murder mystery musical comedy transports you to 1959 Boston, Massachusetts. It illustrates the late 50s musical theatre scene, accompanied by police detective action and a hint of romance.

On Friday, October 5, the curtains go up for… Curtains… at 8pm; the show continues on weekends through to the 21st.

We are proud to be partners with these two Eastern Pennsylvania Arts Alliance (EPAA) Members who are two solid contributors to maintaining the local arts energy and community.

Supporting the arts is key to a well-rounded, enriched community. The arts provide color to life. The nonprofit Americans for the Arts neatly shares the needs of abundant art opportunities in communities:

The arts are fundamental to humanity and have the power to transform lives.
Arts education develops well-rounded children and citizens.
Artistic expression connects people from around the globe.
The arts, broadly defined, are essential to a thriving community, creating a sense of place and fueling social and economic growth.
In order to thrive, the arts in America—and broad access to them—need an investment of a mix of public, private and consumer resources.
So ditch the movies for one rainy weekend, and instead celebrate your local arts and enrich your entertainment experience.