06/02/2025
Dear Friends of All An Act Theatre,
It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce that on Wednesday May 28, 2025, the Board of Directors of Community Shelter Services has voted to NOT restore the theatre space in their building and instead focus on their mission of helping the homeless in Erie County.
We are heartbroken to receive this devastating news.Immediately after the fire In April of 2024, we were told by the Executive Director that they were going to “get us up and running as soon as possible”and that we would have a “brand new theatre.” -A board member also told us at that time that their intention was to restore the theatre. In November of 2024,after the restoration of the historic ceiling, we were told that the restoration of the theatre would take at least a year to complete.
Both All An Act Theatre and C.S.S. were insured by Erie Insurance and the investigator on our side determined that the fire was caused by an electrical outlet behind the furnace that had nothing plugged into it.Therefore, there was no liability on All an Act Theatre for the damage. The claim that the cause of the fire was undetermined is unsubstantiated.
Additionally, we were told by the staff that the initial fire alarm was presumed to be false and shut off, allowing the fire to burn twenty minutes longer than needed, until smoke began to billow out from the theatre and clouded over a security camera. Only then was the fire department called. That delay caused significant damage to our scenery and equipment (approximately$35,000) and increased the risk of harm to the residents of the shelter. It is only blind fortune that no one was injured and that only property was destroyed.
As you are all aware, over the course of the last 17 years that we have resided in their theatre space, we have raised over $90,000 for Erie’s homeless through the performances of our productions. We have held benefit performances for their causes and promoted and informed the public of any clothing, coat, blanket, or various other drives they have held, raised money for their Christmas drive, donated tickets to their many fund raisers, arranged special performances for their highest donors and The Barber Center, and allowed the shelter residents to see our shows free of charge. When the shelter’s furnace needed to be replaced a few years ago, our patrons raised an additional$3,000 for them.
Additionally, after the pandemic, we used a Federal Grant we received to update the outdated theatre furnace, install new tile and carpeting, and a new stage floor to the tune of $25,000 at no cost to C.S.S.
Although we are completely blindsided by their decision, which leaves a giant hole in our theatre community, All An Act Theatre is determined to rise from the proverbial ashes. We will continue to look for a new venue, so we can continue to bring our brand of entertainment to the Erie Community. If any of you know of a space that may be available, please reach out to us. Having no space to perform will eventually put us out of business for good.
Community Shelter Services is still, at its heart, a valued community asset and a charity that does a lot of good for the people of Erie County. We wish them success in accomplishing their mission of providing shelter, help, and hope.
