Gettysburg Community Theatre opened its doors Saturday night to an overflowing house as performance artists and theater-lovers from the surrounding area and beyond came to sneak a peek at shows appearing at GCT and in the wider Central PA through 2027.
“Songs of What’s To Come” — an exciting cabaret that included teaser scenes from the theater’s 2027 lineup before it was released to the general public — reached beyond presenting a GCT season reveal; it embraced the true spirit of a wider performing arts community by promoting shows at kindred venues (as well as at GCT) and paying tribute to dedicated PA actor and “friend to everyone” Drew Derreth, who passed away in June. [A familiar face at GCT, Derreth appeared onstage there last as the Escapologist in Matilda the Musical (January 2026).]
The evening marked an exciting new chapter for GCT with the unveiling of a new logo (designed by Troy Dean and his creative team at Graphcom) that now hangs on a banner above the theater’s front door.
Its design was inspired by the legendary Ghost Light, a single bulb that is left burning onstage after everyone leaves.
According to legend, playhouses are notoriously haunted, and the Ghost Light allows resident ghosts — which some say are spirits created by the actors’ energy that linger in the rafters — to wander around safely at night. According to GCT Artistic Director Carrie Conklin, the Ghost Light is “tradition and practicality in one: a light left on so that the space is never truly dark and the story never really stops.”
On Saturday evening, GCT opened its doors an hour before Curtain with a reception in the bar. As the lights rose at showtime, Conklin assumed emcee duties gracefully, delivering a warm welcome to the house and introducing several GCT board members.
Over the course of the evening, she announced that GCT will perform outdoors for the first time (“Romeo & Juliet: Shakespeare in the Park”) in 2027 and that the little theater is collaborating with other storytellers in The People Project 2026: Generations and Crossroads at Gettysburg College’s Majestic Theater on Oct. 14.
Sequins, costumes and showman-style evening wear set the tone for a magical evening of song, dance and theater with 26 stand-alone performances. Beautiful backdrops were projected on the upstage wall, and Conklin, who teaches voice and piano at GCT, accompanied most of the musical numbers on keyboard as well as performing vocally.
After the warm-up announcements, the cabaret took off with a performance by the cast of “Rocky Horror Show” (opening at GCT Oct. 9) of the cult classic Time Warp to the audience’s delight.
Spotlighting the remaining 2026 GCT season included charming performances of a very funny skit by members of GCT’s Improv Troupe — “Improv Show: Come Laugh With Us” will be presented Oct. 24 — and song and dance numbers from “Airness (Opening Nov. 6) and Cinderella (Dec. 11).
The big reveal of GCT’s 2027 lineup consisted of teasers from the following shows:
Sondheim Tribute Revue
How to Train Your Dragon: The Musical JR.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Grease (Senior Show)
A soon-to-be-announced adult musical
The 39 Steps
Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play! JR (Summer Camp)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare in the Park)
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins JR (The Penguin Project)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical
Bruce Moore plugged tap dancing classes that he teaches at GCT with a marvelous performance of I Can Do That from “Chorus Line.” And Bevin Durant-Fidler (lead singer of Honey on the Rocks) delivered a breathtaking performance of Someone to Watch Over Me from “Crazy For You” that will be performed at the York Belmont Theater.
A charming mix of other performances highlighted popular shows to appear at venues other than GCT.
In order of appearance, starring in the cabaret were Lucy Pratt, Ana Rosenbrien, Matt Hirsch, Lucy Heaton, Jaylene Sanchez, Katie Myers, Leah Watson, Ella Scott, Karen Land, Marc Faubel, Avery Walker, Jamie Bowman, Carrie Conklin, Lisa Cordiano, the band Honey on the Rocks, Eric Walker, Lisa Cordiano, Joshua Naderi, Jessy Rinquist, Brody Rummel, Jamie Bowman, Audrey Trax, Ikey Heaton, Lindsey Rinquist, Giovanni Traino, Randi Walker, and Anna Straus.
There were as many standouts as there were performances.
After each teaser, Conklin asked the audience to name the show it came from and then announced when and where that show would open. (The cabaret lineup was kept so secret with separate rehearsals that even the performers were unaware of who they would be sharing the stage with, which made for an even more memorable evening for everyone onstage and off.)
In a poignant tribute to “everyone’s friend” Drew Derreth, a beautiful recording of What A Wonderful World by Derreth spoke to his talent and passion, and Conklin waxed eloquently about the love Derreth put into GCT while expecting nothing in return.
“He always said we need to remember to give one-way love no matter what happens,” she said.
As the finale to an evening full of wonderful talent, secret surprises, infectious joy, and a bit of poignant reflection, Conklin led the audience in singing We Go Together from “Grease” before thanking everyone for attending.
“We are a wonderful community,” she said.
Look for the new GCT logo on the exterior of 49 York Street. For tickets to upcoming performances and more information about the community theater, visit gettysburgcommunitytheatre.org.
For more information or to purchase tickets to “The People Project,” visit the Majestic Theater online.
Photo Caption: Members of the cast of “Rocky Horror Show” perform ‘Time Warp’ as the opening number in “Songs of What’s To Come.”
