DUBOIS – The curtain went up on four big announcements Friday morning at The Reitz Theater in DuBois.
The board of directors of Cultural Resources Inc., the non-profit corporation that operates The Reitz Theater, announced that some changes and additions will be found in the theater for 2007.
“We’re thrilled that these projects and partnerships have finally come together after months of planning and hard work from everyone,” said Dave Roush, president of the board of directors of CRI and reporter for GantDaily partner Channel 6 News. We are diving into 2007 head-first with a board of directors and volunteer base that is motivated and excited to move things forward. I can’t say enough great things about them.”
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. We are a community theater. Without the community, there is no theater,” Roush said. “In my two and a half years as a reporter, I’ve witnessed first hand the kinds of great things that can happen in a community when private businesses, public programs and schools can come together for the greater good. I’ve tried to apply that thinking here, and I think — so far — it’s working.”
One of the announcements involved CRI rolling out a new logo for 2007, one created by graphic designers Mary and Sesare Ferrari.
The need for the logo arose as the board decided it needed a unifying design that would bring together all of the arts offered at The Reitz. The task of choosing just one was not an easy one for the board, but it was narrowed down from five before the new design was unveiled.
“All the logos had the idea of performance in it,” said Cesare Ferrari.
But, what is a new logo if there is no one there to view performances and take in displays?
Enter: Sharing the Arts.
“Culture and entertainment should be for everybody, not just for people who can afford it,” Roush said. “Hopefully, if successful, this program can help change that.”
Sharing the Arts will draw upon businesses, service organizations and individuals to purchase tickets at face value to allow someone less fortunate to enjoy a show. The tickets will then be distributed, for free, to those who can use them by Central Pennsylvania Community Action.
“We feel our ticket prices are very reasonable for the quality of shows we produce, but at the same time, we understand the reality of things in the DuBois Area, and there are plenty of families struggling around here. They deserve a night out, too,” Roush said.
“If you or your company thinks this is a worthy cause — we’d like to hear from you!” Roush said. :We hope to have a bank of sponsors and be fully up-and-running with Sharing The Arts by this summer.”
Those with some talent to spare are also giving to The Reitz, as noted in the third announcement given Friday.
Jeff-Tech’s Information Technology Academy is partnering with The Reitz to produce publicity banners.
“The skills those young men and women have just blows my mind. To see them — you’d never know they were done by students. The work is so professional,” said Roush. ““It benefits us greatly because we needed a cost-effective way to print banners for our new sign system.”
The banners are produced and sold to the theater for the cost of the vinyl and ink. The I.T. Academy has similar partnerships with other non-profit organizations in the Tri-County area.
Finally, one of the announcements made Friday will keep those who attend events and those involved in them safe in the event of an emergency.
An Automatic External Defibrillators was donated to The Reitz by DuBois Regional Medical Center after Roush learned of two men who had heart attacks at a gym. An AED is credited with saving both of their lives.
“At work, I covered the story of two men whose lives were saved at the DuBois YMCA in a single month, thanks to the Y’s AED,” Roush said. “With clientele and volunteers that are more senior in age, we thought it would be a great fit to help make the theater just a little safer in the event that someone would have a heart attack.”
The device, supplied by the Medtronics Corp., talks the user through each individual step to connect the electrodes, perform the necessary tests and, if necessary, administer a shock.
Similar machines are kept on site at the DuBois YMCA and DuBois Area Middle School.
In order to ensure that everyone who works in the theater is comfortable using the machine, a mandatory training session will be held to instruct the board of directors, theater volunteers and actors basic cardio-pulmonary recusitation and use of the AED. The training is being donated at no cost through a partnership with DuBois Emergency Medical Services.
With all of the new things, CRI and The Reitz are looking ahead to a new season. “The Outsiders” completes its two-week run Saturday with such events as the Singing Lions, Dreamers of Phi Mu Alpha and “The Little Prince” are all on the way.
For information on The Reitz, visit the theater online.