Kids from Imagine NEPA put on a production of “Goldilocks and the Other Bears” at Pocket Park on Depot Street in Clarks Summit as part of the Bears in the Summit celebration.
Fred Adams | For Abington Journal
Samantha Christ, co-owner and Technical Director at Imagine NEPA describes the many things that are offered at the South State Street location in Clarks Summit.
Fred Adams | For Abington Journal
Jessica Mason laughs as she tells a story of an experience doing improv at Imagine NEPA on South State Street in Clarks Summit.
Fred Adams | For Abington Journal
Gary Rozman talks about some of his experiences with doing improv at Imagine NEPA as Jessica Mason listens inside Imagine NEPA on South State Street in Clarks Summit.
Fred Adams | For Abington Journal
CLARKS SUMMIT — Imagine NEPA came to Clarks Summit’s downtown area earlier this year, offering theater classes for all ages as well as workshops and summer camps.
Owners Katie Lane and Samantha Christ, best friends for over a decade, said the business has been well received by area families who appreciate its theatrical, creative approach.
When Lane first became aware that the space was open, she dismissed the idea for lack of funds.
But, when landlords of the space contacted her with enthusiasm for her theater idea, she reached out to Christ.
Christ told her, “We can do this,” and so the two friends, who first met each other when Christ was a student at Keystone College and needed a place to stay to do summer theater in 2005, moved forward.
The two first reached out on social media to see if there was a market for the business, and collectively the community came back with a “yes.”
So far, the business has been holding its own, with Christ and Lane confident that the business will grow.
Happy place
Jessica Mason said her daughter, Makayla, 7, who has a love for both science and performance art, stepped into the studio and found her happy place.
“Its the absolute niche of her interests,” she said. “For her this place has been just a dream and she loves it here.”
When Makayla Mason was provided with the opportunity to select two summer camps, both of those camps happened to be Imagine NEPA camps.
“I told her that the summer was wide open and she could select two camps from the area,” said Jessica Mason. “She did a musical theater based camp, with a performance at the end, and the second was the science camp.”
Mason, a third grade teacher, appreciates that previous to owning the business, Lane had been a teacher for over a decade.
“I can see through the teacher lens and I can see this is someone who has a curriculum and has a goal in mind as to what they want the kids to experience. It’s very organized,” she said. “We couldn’t be happier.”
Adult improv
Jessica Mason, however, not only enjoys cheering her daughter and her friends on from the audience, but also performing herself.
Mason joined Imagine’s adult improv, and it was also a perfect fit. Mason said that when she was younger she had always loved theater, but had set it aside for nearly a decade as she got busy growing her family and her career.
Now Mason enjoys not only performing improv, but building friendships with the other actors.
Like Mason, Gary Rozman also found Imagine NEPA when he signed up his son, Devon, for classes.
Rozman, who is new to the area, said those who love theater tend to seek out like-minded people.
Rozman, who has extensively participated in amateur theater before, said “I knew settling into a new area, that if I were to somehow — despite questionable talent — ingratiate myself into the performing community, I’d be set.”
Now, he performs with the theater’s adult improv group, whose interactive performances bring laughter to audiences.
“The audience throws out suggestions and the actors create the scene on the spot. It tends to be really comedic, really funny, because either what is happening on the stage is so outrageous and so hilarious, or it goes off the rails, because the audience has given you something that is just too hard,” Mason said.
Looking forward
The theater started strong in May and had a summer filled with successful camps.
Although regular class attendance has been down a bit in June and July, Christ attributes the decline simply to summer vacations, and is looking forward to an influx of participants as the school year opens.
The business has also recently begun hosting themed birthday parties, which Mason said is very consistent with the vibe and creativity of the business.
For more information about Imagine NEPA, go to their website at imaginenepa.com.
