Kelly Colleen McMahon

Kelly McMahon, managing director of the Academy Theatre, was thrilled the students could help out the organization. She credited Larry Guerrieri, a board member, with coming up with the idea to ask CCCTC for help. And while the work has just begun, McMahon said she is pleased thus far.

"From the first day they made such a difference in the space. It is looking great!" she said.

Even better is the bottom line. McMahon estimated that the cost of materials for sprucing up the vacated space would be about $3,000. But the benefits of introducing more young people to the Academy Theatre and providing them with an opportunity to give back to their community are priceless.

"I believe that community involvement can go further than giving students a sense of philanthropy and civic duty," McMahon said.

Kelly McMahon, the new managing director of the Academy Theater, stands on the balcony overlooking the theater's stage.The Meadville resident is busy working to strengthen the Academy's programs and build connections with other theater groups to boost the venu's profile. / JIM STEFANUCCI/Meadville Tribune

Published July 11, 2007 11:32 pm - The luck of the Irish is sure to be with Kelly Colleen McMahon as the new managing director of the Academy Theatre works to bring the story of the historic arts venue to the public's attention.
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The luck of the Irish is sure to be with Kelly Colleen McMahon as the new managing director of the Academy Theatre works to bring the story of the historic arts venue to the public's attention.
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In fact, when making the announcement of her hiring, Academy Theatre Foundation President Dan Crandall said, "Kelly has the right combination of theater experience, education, business acumen and enthusiasm to take the Academy to the next level."
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McMahon, who studied psychology at Westminster College, has master's degrees in theater arts from the University of Pittsburgh and drama and theater studies from the National University of Ireland.In January of last year, she founded Ninth Wave Theatre in Galway, and also served as its producer and director.She remains the company's artistic director and, although she moved back to Meadville around Thanksgiving, "I did want to continue to do shows in Galway but not live there full time."

To enjoy (and appreciate) the best of both worlds, she remains connected there while living here and operates a sort of "exchange student" program to bring Irish talent to the States and vice versa.She even envisions taking some Academy talent (one performer or two at a time) to the Emerald Isle for a production or training.

After adjusting to her new position and formulating her yet-to-be-shared slate of suggestions, she plans to present her ideas to the board later this month or in August."They would like to be a venue for more events and would like to see more community groups use the space as a performing or meeting venue," she said.

To that end, she will reach out to various groups - the Kiwanis Club, for instance - and pursue the possibility of hooking up with them for special programs or events at the Academy.

Academy Theatre managing director Kelly McMahon said the Gala was once extremely popular. But while the event itself "hasn't waned in popularity, people have more to do now," she said.
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"We did a lot of work this year," McMahon said.
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Tickets are available by invitation only, but McMahon said anyone can call the Academy at 337-8000 daily between 4 and 6 p.m. to request an invitation.

McMahon said the event is formal.

Kelly McMahon, Managing Director

The luck of the Irish is sure to be with Kelly Colleen McMahon as the new managing director of the Academy Theatre works to bring the story of the historic arts venue to the public's attention.

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– Kelly McMahon, Managing Director, Academy Theatre, Meadville, PA.