Central PA Theatre and Dance Fest to Showcase Local Performing Arts

The Central PA Theatre and Dance Fest returns to downtown State College Thursday through Sunday with nearly two dozen events showcasing more than 100 local performing artists.

Now in its sixth year, the festival was founded by Cynthia Mazzant and Elaine Meder-Wilgus through the their nonprofit theater company Tempest Productions to highlight the region’s professional and pre-professional theater, dance and other performing arts groups throughout an immersive weekend.

The festival gets underway on Thursday with a kick-off Party from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on the 100 block of South Fraser Street. The party will feature food, dance, street performers and crafts.

Attendees will have an opportunity to see special preview performances, learn a dance, hula-hoop, juggle and more, with 10 performing arts groups making appearances.

From Friday through Sunday, performances and workshops will be held at:

• 3 Dots, 137 E. Beaver Ave.
• The Blue Brick Theatre, 209 W Calder Way
• The State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave.
• Tempest Productions, 140 Kelly Alley
• Webster’s Bookstore Cafe, 133 E. Beaver Ave.

Free events also will be streaming online through Facebook and YouTube.

Here’s a look at the weekend schedule:

Friday

11 a.m., Vintage Jazz Master Class, VanDance with Michele Dunleavy, Tempest Studios ($20)

1 p.m., Laurencio Carlos Ruiz, theLASTree Toy Puppet Theatre, 3 Dots

1 p.m., The Lyric Voice with Jim Colbert, Mary Rohrer-Dann, and Camille Yvette-Welsch, Webster’s Bookstore Cafe

3 p.m., Jon Vickers Jones on Dylan Thomas, Webster’s Bookstore Cafe

7 p.m,, Black Cat Belly Dance Presents Nile Raqs: A Showcase of Egyptian Belly Dance, The State Theatre ($12)

7 p.m., Happy Valley Improv, Blue Brick Theatre ($15)

7:30 p.m., Macbeth: Something Wicked This Way Comes, Tempest Productions, Tempest Studios ($25)

9 p.m., Open Mic Stand Up Comedy, Blue Brick Theatre ($5)

Saturday

11 a.m,, Writers on Writing with Jim Colbert, Cynthia Mazzant and Mary Rohrer-Dann, Webster’s Bookstore Cafe

11:30 a.m., Adam Swartz Puppet Workshop, Tempest Studios ($10

1 p.m., The Rainbow Fish and Where the Wild Things Are, Central PA Dance Workshop Children’s Ensemble, The State Theatre ($5-$12)

3 p.m., Adam Swartz Puppet Show, Tempest Studios ($10)

4 p.m., Sock & Buskin Theatre, The Vagina Monologues, Blue Brick Theatre ($15, mature audiences)

7 p.m., Happy Valley Improv Youth Program Showcase, Blue Brick Theatre ($10)

7:30 p.m., Macbeth: Something Wicked This Way Comes, Tempest Productions, Tempest Studios ($25)

8:30 p.m., Laurencio Carlos Ruiz, Kitchen Cabaret, 3 Dots (ages 18+)

Sunday

Noon, Writers on Writing with Tara Caimi,  Michelle Rodino-Colcino and Cindy Simmons, Webster’s

1 p.m. Improv Workshop, Happy Valley Improv, Blue Brick Theatre ($15)

3 p.m., Macbeth: Something Wicked This Way Comes, Tempest Productions, Tempest Studios ($25)