Turn on The Lamp

“The Lamp Theatre — There’s Magic Inside” is more than a clever marketing slogan; it embraces the theater’s history and the spirit in which it is moving forward as well. Andi Cartwright, the theatre’s business and marketing manager, said The Lamp opened in 1937 when Irwin was a bustling coal and railroad town, the second movie theater in the borough. “The Aladdin opened up the street in 1927,” Cartwright said. “There was a contest to name the new theater and someone came up with The Lamp for Aladdin’s Lamp.” Cartwright said the theatre was a second-run movie theatre until it closed in 2004.

’ From 1967 until it s closing it was operated by the family of Abe and Hazel Beter, whose granddaughter, Terri Yercisin, is now on the board of directors. “They were partners with another couple, then they bought that couple out,” Yercisin said. Yercisin recalls helping her grandmother in the ticket booth when she was young. “My mom and my aunt took over when my grandmother died,” Yercisin said, noting that she often worked at the theater along with two of her three brothers and several of her female cousins. “It was a lot of fun. We all worked. We would clean between the matinee and the evening show,” Yercisin said. “It was fun to have your friends come. It was always a meeting place.” The theater continued to hold a special place in the community’s heart but eco-, nomically, it was difficult to stay in business. “When you’re a single-screen theater in a multi-screen world, it’s hard to compete,” Yercisin said. Shortly after the theater closed, the property was taken over by the Westmore-land County Cultural Trust which had plans to renovate the building for live theater productions as well as movies. Restorations had begun on the building, including installation of a new roof and upgraded electrical panels when the building next door caught fire and the fire spread to the theater. “The firefighters had to fight the fire from the roof and water damaged the new electrical panels,” Cartwright said. In 2013 the borough of Irwin acquired the property from the Westmoreland County Cultural Trust and a group of volunteers got together to renovate the building, relighting the Lamp so to speak. “The number of volunteers was just phenomenal. Many of them felt they had a connection to the theater and wanted to keep it alive,” Cartwright said. Cartwright said volunteers showed up to help clear debris, scrape ash from the walls and begin the renovation process. “It opened in 2015 in the fall and there was a grand opening in 2016,” Cartwright said. Work continues to be done on the 350-seat facility. The box office was recently redone, with expanded customer space and the addition of an old marquee sign for the 1940 film “Down Argentine Way” starring Don Ameche and Betty Grable. The sign had been stored in the attic of the building after being located during renovation work behind the bulkhead in the lobby where it had been walled up for decades, Cartwright said. “It’s a throwback to the history of the theater. That was one of the biggest movies of 1940. One of our volunteers made the marquee frame for it. It just finishes off the lobby,” Cartwright said. The Lamp is much bigger than it had been, with lots on either side of the original theater now incorporated for the box office, concession stand and an outdoor courtyard. The concession stand and courtyard were made possible through a donation by the C. Harper family. The concession stand is the former Ritter’s Diner, which was moved to the site from Pittsburgh. Cartwright said there are plans to rent the area for birthday parties and other events. The theater regularly hosts musicians, live theater and specialty movie nights which draw capacity and near capacity crowds. The space has been renovated to include a deeper stage area than was originally needed when it was a moviehouse and wide, padded seats with drink holders and handicapped accessible spaces. “There’s not a bad seat in the house and the acoustics are great,” Cartwright said. Numerous events are planned over the next month, including performances of Cabaret by Stage Right! from Greensburg Feb. 28-March 1, concerts by The Clarks March 6, 7 and 8 and presentations by forensic pathologist and lecturer Dr. Cyril Wecht March 13-15. Activities for the theater move off site March 20 when the annual fundraising gala, Black Tie and Pearls, is held at Stratigos Banquet Centre in North Huntingdon. Cartwright said tickets for the gala are discounted through Feb. 29 and are still available for sale. The Roaring 20s affair will feature entertainment by the Kenny Blake Trio with special guest Etta Cox and DJ Jess. The evening will include dinner, dancing, auctions and prizes. Yercicin said one of the auction items this year will be a bat signed by former Pirate Bill Mazeroski. Cartwright said a painting depicting The Lamp in the 1940s done by artist Adam Maeroff will also be auctioned. Cartwright noted that the theater is a nonprofit organization with only two paid staff members and it relies on the gala and donations for much of its annual support. While the theater needs the support of the community, it is obvious that it provides support to the town as well. “Because of the draw here it saved this end of town,” Cartwright said. “There’s a new high-end restaurant going in across the street. The apartments above it rented immediately.” More information about the theater and upcoming events is available on the theater’s website, lamptheatre.org or by calling 724-367-4000.