Setting
the
Stage
B y Jennifer Broz ak
Lorra Brannen and
Nicole (Gasse) Tafe
St. Benedict the Abbot
Church’s theater troupe,
The Abbey Players,
showcases and provides
opportunity for
local youth talent.
The Abbey Players will present “Pirates of Penzance, Jr.”
at 7:30 p.m. on May 5 and 6, and at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on May 7.
The performance will take place in the St. Benedict the Abbot Church’s
Pope Benedict Center. Tickets are available at the door.
For more information, contact Lorra Brannen at 724.825.8753.
92 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Peters Township
O
ne local group is on a mission to give
more area children the opportunity
to sing, dance and act in front of a
live audience.
The Abbey Players is a community
theater troupe sponsored by St. Benedict
the Abbot Church in McMurray. Formed
in 2010 by Nicole Tafe and Lorra Brannen,
the group is open to students in grades 7
through 12 from any area school district.
The group, whose motto is “performance,
prayer and charity,” welcomes any student
who is interested in learning the art of
theater – no auditions necessary.
“It’s true that many local studios have
performance opportunities for students,
but they either cost hundreds of dollars or
are selective,” says Brannen, who directs
the musical theater program at Peters
Township Middle School. “After becoming
the co-director at PTMS and realizing how
much talent was here in PT, we needed to
start an affordable outlet.”
Tafe, a 2003 graduate of Peters Township
High School, agrees.
“It was important to us to create an
affordable theater troupe in the area.
While there are many opportunities in
our community, many (if not most) can
be so expensive that parents cannot afford
to enroll their kids,” Tafe explains. “It
was also important to us that our theater
troupe welcome and give opportunities to
students of every talent level.”
Both Brennan and Tafe have
backgrounds in performance. In addition
to her work with PTMS, Brennan, 46,
has a degree in theater and music from
Edinboro University, while Tafe has a
bachelor’s degree in music education from
Mercyhurst University and a master’s
degree in vocal performance and opera
studies from Carnegie Mellon University.
The two met in 2009 when they were