Celebrate JAZZ FM’s 1st B-day This Weekend At Nelsons
2010’s First Mega-party This Weekend

By Rob Taylor

Back in the late 80’s WMCE was an on-campus AM, closed circuit station that played all types of rock. By 1989 it went to FM and changed it format to classic rock during the week with classical and ethnic music on Sundays. In 1991 the Mercyhurst president Dr. William Garvey once again changed the WMCE’s format to all classical music with a couple hours of rock on the weekend.

One year ago WMCE made its biggest and most successful change yet. The powers that be decided that the Mercyhurst station would become the first station in Erie to play nothing but jazz. In that moment WMCE became 88.5 JAZZ FM and the vision of Erie radio changed.

Friday night, February 5th, JAZZ FM is holding a party at Nelson’s Tavern at the corner of 11th and State Streets to celebrate their first birthday. The party will start at 7:00 PM and go all the way through till 2:00 AM with an after party starting at 10:00 PM. From all reports it is supposed to be the biggest party in town with a Jazz Jam featuring local musicians, JD Jazz and several celebrities serving drinks for the night.

At 10:00 PM the main party will end but a rocking after party will start with drink specials and Ahimsa Beat playing from 10:00 until whenever.

The Jazz FM Facebook page says all that has to be said about their B-day party. “If you are looking forward to Friday night, why not drop by Nelson's starting at 7 as we celebrate our 1st year of playing jazz full time in Erie. Love to meet 88.5 JAZZ FM listeners, jazz fans and anyone who wants great entertainment. FREE event. From 7-9: Jazz Jam with local musicians, JD Jazz, Celebrity Bartenders, Gift Basket Raffle and Ahimsa Beat at 10pm! Thanks for everyone's support.”

TNA Finally Coming To Erie

By Rob Taylor

People…guess what. There was an announcement this week that the Erie Civic Center will, for the first time ever, be hosting what is becoming the biggest wrestling promotion in the United States…TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Wrestling.

by doing a live, three hour broadcast starting one hour before Raw’s 9:00 start time. A TNA spokesman said that this was done for two reasons…first to show the WWE that they aren’t the only wrestling powerhouse in town and second to announce the return of the legendary Hulk Hogan to the ring.

This promotion has become home to dozens of wrestlers including the best of the best in the business who have fallen out of favor with Vince McMahon and the WWE. They include Hulk Hogan, Rick Flair, Sting, Kurt Angle, The Dudley Brothers (known as Team 3D), “Big Papa Pump” Scott Steiner and Kevin Nash.

TNA will be at the Erie Civic Center on Friday, March 12 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $52.00, $36.00 & $20.00. You may buy them by calling (814) 452-4857 or (800) 745-3000 or you can visit the Tullio Arena box office, Ticketmaster outlets or www.ticketmaster.com.

A3 Announces New Season

Fully established + expanding audience = Expanded Season
All An Act Theatre expands 2010 Season to 7 Shows

The local theatre troupe has a fresh variety of shows to offer area theatregoers the coming year including four comedies, one farce, one drama, and a musical.

Founded in 2004 by Managing Director Larry Lewis and Artistic Director David W. Mitchell, the 2 local performer/directors had one goal in mind: to make live theatre more accessible to the Erie Community by providing quality theatre at an affordable price. Their hope is to not only reach people who had never seen a live show before, but make it affordable enough that those who already go to see live theatre can go more often. You can see an All An Act Production for less than a trip to the movies.

In 2007, Mitchell and Lewis were able to secure the use of the theatre space in Columbus Square 652 West 17th Street, with the help of Kitty Cancilla of Community Shelter Services. “They were very accommodating to our needs and we are accommodating to theirs.” Lewis says. “They’ve provided us a space to produce our shows and we try to inform our audiences of the great work they do for the less fortunate in our community.” Additionally, $1.00 of every admission goes to Community Shelter Services. CSS provides shelter, help and hope to Erie’s Homeless. All of the funds donated stay in Erie to help our community’s less fortunate. To date, the theatre has raised over $ 4,000 for Erie’s homeless.

Mitchell says ”2009 was a banner year for us. We successfully completed our second full season of 6 shows including “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” , “No Sex Please, We’re British!” “Rounding Third”, “Primal Fear” , the Classic musical “Cabaret”, and “Whose Wives Are They, Anyway?”. Plus continue to co-sponsor The Footlights Theatre Program, a summer theatre program for Erie Youth, with the YMCA , City of Erie, and Erie School District. Our attendance has risen 44% this year and we’re aiming even higher for 2010.”

Aiming higher also means adding an additional show. The 2010 Season will consists of 7 shows including the classic comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace”, a 3 woman comedy “The Smell of the Kill”, Ray Cooney’s hit farce “Not Now, Darling!”, Neil Simon’s romantic comedy “Barefoot in the Park”, the intense “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”, the musical “Assassins”, and the comedy “The Love List”.

Mitchell adds “Additionally, we’re adding a new Director to our production staff. KC McCloskey, a former student of mie and my right hand on almost anything I direct will make her directoral debut this June with Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park.” Until now, Mitchell and Lewis have exclusively shared directing duties. “KC has been working with me for 11 years.”, said Mitchell. “While working on Primal Fear last year, I relied on her eyes while I was performing. Finally, I turned to her and said ‘You’re ready, if you want a show, it’s yours.” Needless to say, she jumped at the chance and I’m very excted to give her the opportunity.”

Lewis adds “We’re like a small family here at All An Act, Dave’s been directing at Erie’s theatres for 20 years, I have for about 10. The majority of our actors, box office and stage crew are volunteers whom we’ve known for many years and met working at other theatres. We all have a real passion for our work here at A3. We all pitch in and build the sets, design our website, playbills and flyers, run lights and sound, and stage manage. And we’re frequently adding new people to our family with every new performer and volunteer we add to our little troupe.”

Full information and brochures as well as season ticket information, information on The Footlights Summer Theatre Program for Erie Youth, and video slideshows of past productions can be obtained by visiting their website at www.allanact.net. Season tickets and brochures are also available by calling 450-8553.
2010 Season **All show subject to change pending availability.

February 12– February 28 “Arsenic and Old Lace” by Joseph Kesselring

Directed by Larry Lewis

Mortimer Brewster, a marriage-hating drama critic must deal with his crazy family as he debates whether or not to marry the woman he loves. His two spinster aunts have taken to murdering lonely old men by poisoning them with a glass of home-made elderberry wine laced with arsenic and burying them in the cellar.

One of his brothers believes he is Teddy Roosevelt and the other received plastic surgery to conceal his identity and now looks like horror-film actor Boris Karloff! A classic comedy hit!

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:30 PM Sundays @ 3:00 PM

March 19-April 11 “The Smell of the Kill” by Michele Lowe

Directed by Larry Lewis

Nicky, Debra, and Molly have tolerated one another during monthly dinner parties for years. While their unseen spouses play golf in the dining room, the women reveal that all three marriages are on the brink of disaster.

Nicky's husband has been indicted for embezzlement, Molly's husband is stalking her and Debra's husband is leaving her for another woman.

When the men mistakenly lock themselves in a basement meat locker, the women are faced with a life-or-death decision: should they leave the men out in the cold or let them thaw?

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:30 PM Sundays @ 3:00 PM

April 23 – May 9 Ray Cooney’s “Not Now, Darling!”

Directed by David W. Mitchell

In a London Fur Shop, innocent Arnold Crouch struggles to keep things on an even keel, despite the philandering of his partner, Gilbert Bodley.

Gilbert is trying to win the affections of his would-be mistress by "selling" her husband an expensive mink for a fraction of its real worth.

As luck would have it, the husband seizes the bargain for his own mistress—Suspicious wives, mistaken identities, scantily clad women stuffed into closets, and a continuous barrage of rapid fire jokes all become part of the hilarity!

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:30 PM Sundays @ 3:00 PM

June 10- 27 Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park”

Directed by KC McCloskey

Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds. He's a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer and she's a free spirit always looking for the latest kick. Their new apartment is her most recent find… too expensive with bad plumbing and in need of a paint job.


After a six day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie's loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their upstairs neighbor Velasco.

Everything that can go wrong, does. Paul just doesn't understand Corie. As she sees it, he's too boring and she just wants him to be a little more spontaneous, running "barefoot in the park" would be a start.

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:30 PM Sundays @ 3:00 PM

September 3rd - 19 “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” by Dale Wasserman

Directed by David W. Mitchell

A charming rogue contrives to serve a short sentence in a mental institution rather in a prison. While committed, he clashes with the head nurse, takes over the yard and accomplishes what the doctors has been unable to do; he makes a presumed deaf and dumb Indian talk.

He stages a revolt to see the world series, and arranges a rollicking midnight party with liquor and chippies.

For one offense, the head nurse has him submit to shock treatment. The party is too horrid for her and she forces him to submit to a final correction...

"Cuckoo is captivating." N.Y. Post. "Scarifying and powerful." N.Y. Times

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:30 PM Sundays @ 3:00 PM


October 9-25 Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Assassins”

Directed by David W. Mitchell

This most American of musicals lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States, in a one-act historical "revusical" that explores the dark side of the American experience.

From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a nightmarish rollercoaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and in an intense final scene inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream.

“Bold, original, surreal, disturbing, thought-provoking and alarmingly funny”

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:30 PM Sundays @ 3:00 PM

November 12-28 “The Love List” by Norm Foster

Directed by Larry Lewis

Leon and Bill concoct a list of the top ten best qualities in a mate. When this allegedly ‘Ideal Woman’ actually arrives on the scene, the men quickly learn that their list could use a few revisions.

Be careful what you wish for--especially in choosing a mate. This old adage leads to hilarious results in Foster's sparkling new comic hit.

“Sharp, snappy and irresistibly funny.”

“Funny, sophisticated and sexy.”

“Outrageously funny. Brilliant writing!”

*All proceeds from the November 28th performance benefit Community Shelter Services Christmas Drive!

Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:30 PM Sundays @ 3:00 PM

All An Act Productions is located at 652 West 17th Street in Erie Pa. Tickets for all shows are $10.00 for Adults and $5.00 for Students & Seniors. Season Tickets and full schedule information is available at www.allanact.net or by calling 814-450-8553