STAGE RIGHT INC

I can’t say enough good things about this company! I had the pleasure of working with them in the musical, Local Singles. Everyone was so welcoming and professional. It was such a great experience! I’ve also enjoyed the numerous shows I have attended. I am enrolling my son in their program and I know he will love it!

I am a resident of Greensburg and thoroughly enjoy going to the theater with friends. Stage Right has always been a local staple putting on excellent productions of well known musical classics for us to enjoy. Stage Right has really spread its wings under the direction of Chris McAllister in the past year. They have begun supporting local artists, as well as collaborating with other local theater companies, which I do not recall ever seeing in the past.

In January, Stage Right and 5 other theater companies joined forces at The Lamp Theater to put on a tribute to Stephen Sondheim. I was also invited to attend a performance of "Local Singles” at The Lamp Theater in Irwin. This original musical was so entertaining, with both a great dialogue and musical score! It was so refreshing to see Stage Right taking a risk and supporting local artist, Nick Navari, and his work. I am looking forward to seeing more collaborative efforts such as the upcoming performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Split Stage Productions. Congratulations to Stage Right for taking a step forward in demonstrating what true leadership and collaboration in a community can build.

First, I want to commend Christopher McAllister and Meghan Scalise for their drive and commitment to Stage Right. They were the driving force that kept access to quality education by professional performing artists and the dream of so many children alive in Westmoreland County in the past two+ years. They have transformed Stage Right, with the help of dedicated staff, the board of directors, parent volunteers, and generous donors.
Chris and Meghan have ensured that all educators and volunteers have the proper clearances to work with and around children. The provided staff development such as whistleblowing policies, child abuse and mandated reporter training and diversity and inclusion training as part of the newly developed employee handbook. Stage Right has hired a licensed mental health counselor to be available to students and staff at no additional fee to identify and assist with any interpersonal or individual struggles. And they have continued to keep up with the ever changing demands of the COVID epidemic safety protocols, while producing high quality, age appropriate, student and professional performances.

My role has been so much more than volunteer over the years. My children, stepchildren and foster children have all been a part of Stage Right over the past 15 years. I have seen the ups and downs, goods and bads. I have carpooled, painted sets, sewn costumes, sold concessions, stayed up late nights running lines, bought tickets to 3 different nights of the same show, listened to children laugh and cry over parts lost or gained. The hardest part was watching as a place that once felt like a family, turned against each other and people that supported them for years. But as a mother, volunteer, donor, and a professional in the mental health field, I have never been so impressed with the tenacity and professionalism shown by Chris, Meghan, and the staff that stayed and supported Stage Right. They fought and persisted and have built Stage Right into something even better than it started out to be.

I have been involved with Stage Right for many years in many different capacities including as a parent and volunteer. I have seen first hand not only how much good they do for the community as a whole but I have also witnessed the work they do with individual children. I personally know children, who before they came to Stage Right, had been severely bullied and felt extreme anxiety and hopelessness. I firmly believe Stage Right saved their lives. Stage Right creates a safe space where children can be themselves and learn skills that they take into adulthood no matter what career they chose including self-confidence, public speaking, working as part of a team and so much more. For those, like my children, who choose a career in the arts, they provide top notch training along with valuable real life performance experience, working side by side with professionals, that has helped my children and many others get accepted into some of the top programs in the country for Acting and Musical theater. These are programs that have a .05-.06% rate of acceptance. I highly recommend Stage Right for any child.