SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) – There’s a new act in Sharon. The Area Community Theatre of Sharpsville (ACTS) has a new home inside what used to be Sacred Heart church.

The stage for performances will go right where the Sunday sermon was delivered. It won’t take a big miracle to make it happen.

“The major obstacle is how we’re going to fit in this building,” said Tom Perman, spokesperson for ACTS. “We’re not planning on changing the structure itself. We’re just trying to put a stage in here and be able to seat just under 300 people.”

The pews are being disassembled, but the character will remain. Some of the wood will be incorporated into the stage design, and other features will remain, such as the ceiling woodwork.
A final design is still being drawn for the stage and house.

“I knew that we needed a space that was big enough for growth but not too big enough to maintain,” Perman said. “I think we found the right space in a great condition that’s reasonable for what we’re trying to offer.”

The lights are already shining bright on a smaller place for rehearsals and performances. ACTS spent 10 years in Sharpsville but is ready for the big stage in Sharon.

“We want to show them that we’ve grown. Obviously, this space will show this. We want to show them that we were just as strong as we were prior to, and we want to invite more,” Perman said.

ACTS would like to attract more talent. Every show needs a different cast. It had just started performances of Oklahoma when the pandemic interrupted. It’s done 40 small plays and musicals in the last 10 years. The Area Community Theatre of Sharpsville is hoping that it’s almost Show Time again.

“We don’t know when go-time is going to be, but we will be ready when go-time is,” Perman said.

If the state allows, maybe there will be some performance in the fall. Along with larger shows, the building offers more opportunities for workshops, rehearsal space and to be able to operate year-round.