Arts, Culture, and Laying Roots
Arts, Culture, and Laying Roots Here in Lancaster
With hundreds of years of history to its name, the town of Lancaster is known as one of the oldest inland cities in the United States. Originally founded in the 1700s, Lancaster has since evolved to represent a uniquely profound combination of past and present. With the very same gridded street patterns that defined its development centuries ago, Lancaster has managed to establish a rich local heritage situated somewhere between Victorian architecture and modern urbanization. And while rural landscapes and a well-known Amish population may have once defined our area, it is becoming strikingly clear that Lancaster is where people want to be long-term.
In fact, in an article written for the New York Post titled “This Small Town in Amish Country is the New Brooklyn,” journalist Raquel Laneri remarked,“Forget the Hudson Valley. New Yorkers looking for a quiet respite from city life without sacrificing culture, design and a rich culinary scene should look further west, to Lancaster, Pa.” She continued, “...downtown Lancaster doesn’t resemble its Amish surroundings so much as it does a mini-Brooklyn: teeming with art galleries, indie boutiques and restaurants, without the pretensions of the Big Apple.”
However, it’s not just New Yorkers who are choosing to lay roots in and around our city. As Laneri mentioned in her article, Lancaster is a place of incredible culture. And so it only makes sense that local actors and members of the art world are purchasing homes here.
Adam Dienner, a theater performer with over a decade of experience, originally grew up in Strasburg, in Southern Lancaster County. Despite a few years on the road touring with a national performance group, Dienner knew that when it came time to settle down, Lancaster was where he’d be. “It's an area that has everything,” he shared. “I have Amish relatives, and I still love the beautiful farmland and countryside views. Today, my wife and I live in the northern part of Lancaster county in Ephrata. However, I lived in Lancaster City for nine years and during that time, I fell in love with everything about the downtown scene.”
Echoing the sentiment is Lindsay Bretz-Morgan, a theater performer, director, and producer, who has been living in Lancaster City for the past five years. “The performing arts community in Lancaster is strong,” she said. There’s immense talent here and incredible support from people who appreciate what we’re doing.”
Similarly, Meredith Stone, a local performer who returned to the area after college, expressed her surprise at Lancaster’s transformation. “I grew up in Lititz,” she said. “When I moved back to the area, I realized how much positive change there’s been to the theater, music, and restaurant scenes. At the time I left, it felt like there wasn’t much going on in Lancaster. However, the renaissance that’s taken place has stunned me. Today, there’s so much culture, art, music, dining options, and diversity. I am proud to be planting roots here."
“We are one of the few counties in this region that have this many theatre companies within such a small radius,” revealed Dienner. “On any given weekend, I can go see a theatre production or a live music performance and not have to drive far to do it.”
In fact, according to Stone, even performers from other areas are taking notice. “The industry in Lancaster has brought so many people here that may never have come otherwise,” she said. “Professional actors from larger cities come here to work because they know the quality of art is highly regarded, and that there’s a ton of local talent within the area.”
So perhaps it’s no wonder that like Dienner and Stone, Bretz-Morgan recently purchased her first home with the help of local mortgage broker Mark Pontz. “Lancaster just “feels right” for me,” she said. “It’s a city full of friendly people, great restaurants, and lots of culture and energy! Not to mention, networking is something that’s always been important to me. Between working at The Belvedere Inn and Central Market, teaching, performing, and directing, I come into contact with a lot of wonderful people, and to be honest, I think that’s how I’ve been able to easily promote what we’re doing. Last November, I had the pleasure of producing my first show at Zoetropolis (“The Rocky Horror Show”) and we sold out weeks in advance! From there, I decided to push the envelope further by bringing “The Vagina Monologues” to production in March. The show involved a lot of adult conduct and some nudity, and yet the response was incredible. We even raised over $2,000 for The Milagro House Women and Children’s Center!”
So what’s next for the flourishing creative community here in Lancaster? “As long as the arts scene is alive and well, we will continue to keep growing,” said Dienner, who is set to play Reverend Shaw in an upcoming production of Footloose at Popovsky Performing Arts Studio. For Stone—who considers the Ephrata Performing Arts Center home—getting back on stage in a COVID-19 postponed production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime” will be an exciting step back into the theater world.
“At this point, I think the theater scene has still been pretty ‘safe’ and could use more controversial shows,” revealed Bretz-Morgan. “However, my plan is always to keep pushing forward. Frank Zappa once said that ‘The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work unless it’s open,’ and so I think it’s important for us to continue to do that for people in Lancaster.”
By Sam Maracic
