About Us
Located between two mountains in the picturesque town of Millersburg, PA, lies almost 100 years of movies, bands, musicals and art. Just steps from the Susquehanna river and a short drive from the beautiful Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art is the Twin Valley Players Colonnade Theater.
The original Colonnade property was purchased by Lester G. Holtzman and the original theater opened in July 1919, during the "silent" film era. The Colonnade went through a number of improvements through the years, including the addition of sound after "talkies" became dominant.
In March 1956, the Colonnade was sold to Melvin and Ada Troutman. Their son, Marvin - the former CEO of Cinema Center Inc. - owned and, along with his family, managed the theater for more than 50 years.
With the death of Ada Troutman in 2000, the Colonnade closed. It then was donated by Marvin Troutman to the Twin Valley Players in 2008. The local theater group worked tirelessly to bring the local cinema back to working order and finally in 2013 reopened the doors to the delight of the entire area.
The original Colonnade, built as a single screen facility was not sound structurally and could not be retained. However vestiges of the buildings days as a popular movie house have remained. The outside marquee with it's raised "C" has been refurbished and placed inside as part of the concession area. Vintage projectors, film reels, candy racks, tickets and posters are all located inside the lobby.
We are now a leading venue in the central PA area for movies, live shows, music and art. We strive to bring the best content from local artists and musicians to the national talent of actors and directors from brand new first run films and the classics from previous eras. We take entertainment very seriously and always have top notch shows, no matter what medium. The Twin Valley Players Colonnade prides itself in its ongoing efforts to propel the arts in Upper Dauphin County and all of Pennsylvania.
Board of Directors
Nathan Troutman (President)
Randy Stamm (Vice-President)
Michelle Cooper (Treasurer)
Kathy Boyer (Secretary)
David Eagleson
Walter Finch
Jack Geyer
Brandi Geyer-Wilbert
Angela Grassmyer
Brock Harris
Lora Kobel
Dave Mattis
Whittni Shaffer
Richard Slade
Our Advisory Board Members (non-voting):
Jaime Lyter
Dan Hooper
Andrew Trotman
Brandi Tobias
June Hockenberry
David Wright
We have been performing the arts since 1970, and have expanded the organization significantly during that time. We offer an annual summer musical, an annual children's theater camp, a year-round performing "Roadshow", a lobby art gallery, guest speakers, band concerts, bus trips to New York City to see Broadway shows, and more! We fund annual scholarships, as well as contribute financially to local and national charitable organizations.
The Twin Valley Players formed in 1970 for the purpose to promote the dramatic arts and the arts of literature, painting, music, dance, and to promote patronage of these arts in the local community. The theater produced its productions in local facilities empowering performers of all ages and diversity. The organization solidified their ongoing patronage by guarantying the quality of performances and providing a place for all people to volunteer for Community Theater.
The organization became incorporated in 1983. Another dimension became part of the out reach for the theater when the Roadshow formed. This entity became the ambassador for the organization to take novice performers and train them to give small performances to the public. The popular group consists of performers ages 5yrs. to 70yrs. learning all aspects of music. The group received endless bookings that reached 100 performances from 1987-92. The group then reached 501(c) (3) status in 1993. It continues performances throughout the local communities up to the present.
For the last 47 years the Twin Valley Players have contributed to these community organizations: local ambulances groups, Oklahoma City bombing victims, Tall Cedars, local school programs, Popcorn Hat Players, After Hours Band, veterans and senior centers. The group established a scholarship program in 1990, and have presented tens of thousands of dollars to many talented college bound high school students.
Message from our Past-President
The Twin Valley Players is continuing to grow and expand each year. What initially started as a community theater in Halifax, PA, has become known regionally as a first rate Community Theater, providing what many of our patrons have said is on par with professional dinner theater in the region. The annual musical regularly costs more than $25,000 to stage, with additional moneys needed each year for the various other projects with which we are a part. The organization has been moving forward in the public eye, as well as behind the scenes. The volunteer board works to improve its function and effectiveness through on-going revisions and development of policies and procedures, and the organization continues to reach out with cooperative efforts with other non-profit organizations. This is an exciting time in the life of the organization, and we look forward to the growing cultural and educational impact we will have on the region.
- Jack Geyer, Jr., TVP Board Past-President
