Penny Smith Theater

French Creek Community Theatre (FCCT) has entered one of the most thrilling chapters in our 50-year history as we make The Penny Smith Theater and Rehearsal Space at Cussewago Square our new home. ​ While we still plan to performer our large-cast, main stage shows offsite at larger venues, we are inspired by the new opportunities The Penny brings. 

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This extraordinary project gives both FCCT and Meadville Community Theatre (MCT) a permanent home—a 150-seat black box theatre, a 5,000-square-foot ADA-accessible rehearsal facility, costume and set storage, an outdoor theatre venue, and dedicated spaces for design and construction. After decades of renting limited spaces, navigating rising venue costs, rehearsing on the third floor of a 100-year-old building without needed access, and accommodating record-breaking cast sizes, we finally have the opportunity to build a space worthy of the young performers and volunteers who bring our stages to life.

 

This move isn’t simply about improving our facilities, it’s about protecting and expanding the heart of community theatre in Crawford County. With demand for FCCT’s youth programs growing at unprecedented levels, Cussewago Square offers a rare, transformative opportunity. Located in Meadville’s 5th Ward community, just 2 miles from downtown Meadville, PA, the Penny Smith Theatre is joined by Dominico’s, a new fine-dining experience, and Cup ’n Spoon, offering locally loved coffee and frozen yogurt, as well French Creek Arts Collective that features a unique space for supporting the local art community and other future vibrant community partners, the new theatre will anchor a cultural hub designed to uplift our entire region.

 

A fully equipped space will allow us to offer more shows, host workshops and year-round programming, welcome more families, and—most importantly—ensure that the arts remain inclusive and accessible for generations to come. To bring this vision to life, we must now raise the funds necessary to outfit the theatre itself. The building we now occupy is a beautifully restored, but an unfinished theatre space; it still requires seating, staging systems, additional lighting, and essential equipment to become a functional, safe, and flexible performance venue.

 

As a 100% volunteer-run organization committed to keeping participation free and tickets affordable, we rely on community support, donors, and grant funding to meet these needs. Your contribution—whether as a member, parent, alum, business partner, or arts supporter—directly shapes the future of theatre education and cultural engagement in Northwest Pennsylvania.

 

Together, we can open the doors of The Penny Smith Theater and create a creative home that will serve our community for the next 50 years and beyond.