Theater Group Reaches the Pentacle of Success
culture, pentacle theatre, performing arts, theater,
Here’s a round of applause for Pentacle Theatre, which has been entertaining Salem audiences since 1954.
These days, the historic playhouse stages eight shows a year, with each production running for four weeks. Shows can include comedies, dramas and musicals, and range from classic plays to some that have been written recently.
Officials with the Pentacle say that the theater is the major live-performance venue in the mid-Willamette Valley, and the support of residents in Salem and surrounding community has been strong over the years. The goal of the theater is to stage plays that are not only entertaining for the audience, but also challenging for the actors, directors and backstage staff.
The Pentacle began selling season tickets in 1980 and has almost always sold out its subscriptions. More than 20 percent of those season subscribers live in cities outside of Salem.
As part of its overall marketing strategy, the casts of Pentacle Theatre productions provide free dress rehearsal performances for area hospitals, assisted living facilities, high school students and junior-high drama students. In addition, a portion of ticket sales goes directly to local nonprofit organizations.
The 200-seat theater is located on 52nd Avenue just west of Salem, and is housed in a three-story building that dates back to 1963. A $1 million capital improvement campaign currently is under way to renovate the facility, with the lighting, sound system and seats already replaced.
Plans include adding a new roof, upgrading the air-conditioning and heating system, as well as reconstructing a deck that surrounds the entire building. More than 1,000 volunteers are involved with helping with the Pentacle Theatre’s overall operation.
Story by Kevin Litwin
