Uptown Entertainment Shoots Video Short in Borough ? Uptown! WC

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Local group seeks to add a performing art space to West Chester?s repertoire
By Sarah Alderman ? April 7, 2012, 5:45 am

Eric Freeland and Rick Davis, of Springhouse Films, set up to capture members of the Chester County Pops Orchestra (Chesco Pops) performing in the windows of The Painted Plate on Market Street in West Chester.

Members of Chesco Pops perform for the cameras in The Painted Plate. ??all the world may be a stage, but isn?t it time West Chester had a theater??

When it comes to Chester County nightlife, West Chester is the indisputable power player. There is one gaping deficiency, however, and that is the lack of a dedicated performing arts space. There are bar venues where those of age can see live music, and Fennario?s for the underage crowd, sure. Yet the town lacks a proper stage for ballet performances, or a theater troupe, or orchestral music.

Enter Uptown Entertainment Alliance. The group has an aggressive vision, but one that Borough residents are rallying to support: acquire a building in the historical walking district which can house a multi-use center for the arts.

In preparation for their sold out Red Carpet Premiere Event on April 14th, the group commissioned [Springhouse Films for] the filming of a movie trailer highlighting the need for performing space in town. In one scene, a ballerina dances at the Chestnut Street parking garage. Later that night, the crew caught an orchestra performing in the window of The Painted Plate. The tongue-in-cheek message is delivered clearly and with humor: all the world may be a stage, but isn?t it time West Chester had a theater?

Jim Salvas, a representative of the group?s marketing committee shared his vision and the organization?s goals. ?We have hopes of securing a significant venue for the theater and will likely restore a historic structure for this purpose? he explained. So where would this venue be, ideally? ?Right now, candidates include the old County Courthouse, the Post Office on Gay Street and the National Guard Armory on High Street.?

These are all prime parcels, and some of them not even really on the market. Jim elaborates ?Of course, we don?t yet have the money to buy one of these facilities, nor have any of these agreed to sell, but we have hopes. The Post Office, for instance, is actually listed for sale by the government, but no price has been put on it yet.?

If you?re interested in learning more about how to support the initiative, you can visit their website at http://uptownwc.org/donate. The Red Carpet Event, though sold out, does offer a waiting list with tickets priced at $50 a pop. The event will be hosted at the Chester County Historical Society, doors will open at 7:30 p.m. More information is available by calling 610-692-4800.

Vice President of the organization and man-about-town Tom McEvoy was thrilled with the results of last night?s movie trailer shoot. ?This all started about a year ago, with four of us in my backyard having cocktails thinking ?this is just ridiculous that we don?t have a theater.?? Unlike so many brilliant cocktail hour ideas that die as quickly as they?re born, the group has taken steps to give their initiative legs. Now they hope, for the good of the Borough?s visitors and residents, to give those legs a stage to perform upon.

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