Kean
Theatre benefits
Free Care Fund, community
By Vanessa Orr
 In
When St. Barnabas Charities built the Kean Theatre in 2001, their goal
was to use the venue to raise money to support the St. Barnabas Free
Care Fund, which provides free care to patients in the St. Barnabas
Health System regardless of ability to pay. What they may not have
expected, however, was that the Theatre would become such an asset to
the surrounding communities, whose residents flock to the Theatre for
free movies, locally produced theatrical productions, oldies concerts
and more.
“This theater is a showroom, a nightclub, a corporate meeting place
and more,” said Tom Madden, who has served as the theater manager
since 2002. “We offer an eclectic mix of entertainment, ranging from
Shirley Jones, the Poverty Neck Hillbillies and the Tamburitzans, to
mainstage theatrical productions that we produce right here."
The Theatre is also available to rent, which enables local
organizations from the Act One Theater School to UPMC Health Plan to
find the appropriate venue for classes or meetings. All of the money
generated from such rentals, as well as ticket sales to performances,
goes into the Free Care Fund.
“The Free Care Fund is our reason for existing,” said Madden. “Last
year, the Theatre and other fundraising activities raised $6.2 million
for the Fund, and the year before, we raised $5.7 million.”
The Free Care Fund is used to provide care for patients at St.
Barnabas Nursing Home, Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas and The Arbors
at St. Barnabas. Since its founding in 1900, St. Barnabas has remained
loyal to its mission of never turning away a patient because of an
inability to pay.
Named for the late Edward Kean, the Theatre was established through a
donation by Kean’s wife, Bethel. Former residents of Valencia, the
Keans had been supporters of the St. Barnabas Health System for many
decades. No expense was spared when building the 350-seat theater,
which features plush carpeting, chandeliers and a state-of-the-art
sound system.
“A lot of the performers who come here call us the ‘Baby Benedum’,”
said Madden. “I believe that the Kean Theatre rivals any hall in the
city in terms of the lighting and sound systems. In fact, Shirley
Jones told us that this was the nicest venue she’s played in 35
years.”
All of the Theatre’s mainstage productions are produced in-house, with
local cast members and Madden directing. “We put out a very high
quality product,” said Madden, a screenwriter and director who
formerly served as the managing and artistic director of the Holiday
House dinner theater in Monroeville. “Our plays attract 300 people a
night, or 600 people over a weekend run.
“The level of talent in this area is very good,” he added, noting that
the first audition he held for a Kean Theatre production attracted 11
actors. This year’s production attracted 130 actors to audition.
In addition to plays, performances and movies, this year the Kean
Theatre will add musicals to its entertainment offerings. They will
also increase their play run from one weekend to two weekends in order
to accommodate increasing attendance.
As the Theatre has continued to expand its offerings, its audience has
grown proportionally. Its free movie series, which takes place on
Tuesdays at 2 p.m. and Wednesdays at 1 p.m., usually attracts between
100 and 200 people per day. The Theatre also offers a buffet lunch on
the second Tuesday of the month that usually sells out.
“We’ve been coming to the free movie program since it started,”
explained Jane Anderson from the Steeplechase neighborhood in
Gibsonia. “It’s a great place to spend an afternoon. We see a lot of
the same people here each week, and afterwards we go to King’s for
dinner.”
“When it’s an ‘R’ rated movie, all of us old people show up,” laughed
her husband, Bob. “We’ve also come to the dinner theater here as well
as some of the shows.”
The Kean Theatre’s biggest attractions so far have been the Poverty
Neck Hillbillies and the Kean Idol Competition, an amateur talent show
that started a couple of years ago. “We had one of our biggest houses
in history at this year’s finale,” said Madden of the event in March.
The 2007 Kean Idol, set for this February and March, will be the
biggest yet. Four days of performances have been added and more than
250 competitors are expected.
As for the future, Madden hopes to add more jazz and rhythm and blues
shows to the roster, as well as musicals and comedies. “We really like
attracting a diverse crowd,” he said of the audiences that range from
young country music fans to residents of St. Barnabas’ retirement
communities.
This exciting venue not only benefits the recipients of the Free Care
Fund, but those living in the North Hills as a whole.
The Kean Theatre is located in The Washington Place at St. Barnabas,
5847 Meridian Road. For more information, visit www.keantheatre.com or
call 724.444.KEAN.
UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE KEAN THEATRE
Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre
Murder Most Fowl
October 27 and 28:
6 p.m.
Billy Price
Rhythm & Blues and Deep Soul Music
November 4: 8 p.m.
Laughter on the 23rd Floor
Neil Simon’s Broadway hit
November 17 and 18:
8 p.m.
Johnny Angel & The Halos Christmas Show
Doo-Wop at its Best
December 16: 8 p.m.
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