Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival Rebrands As The Rev Theatre Company

The Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival/Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Inc. rebrands as The Rev Theatre Company.

The Rev Theatre Company will replace the 'Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival' moniker. All venue names, programs and initiatives will remain the same. Producing Artistic Director, Brett Smock states, "'The Rev' is short for many words. For us, it refers to the infusion of energy and to a turning, like the carousel that once inhabited our theatre. The word also references our deep reverence for our history and our community. We have evolved tremendously over the years. We are not just a Festival, not just a Playhouse, not just a Youth Tour - we are a nationally recognized arts organization with extensive programming and education initiatives. Most of all, we are a theatre company and so, for the first time in our history, we proudly adopt that title as we enter into our next 60 years. 'The Rev Theatre Company' brings cohesion, respect and vibrancy to our brand."

The company began operations as the Auburn Children's Theater, and later the Auburn Civic Theater. Beginning in 1971, the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse began productions in Emerson Park. In 2012, the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival was born. The Playhouse will continue to serve as the company's flagship venue, offering its signature series, "Broadway in the Finger Lakes."

Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre will transition throughout the 2019-20 school year into The Rev Theatre Company, upholding the tradition of arts and education excellence by continuing to travel to over 70 school districts throughout New York State, to bring education and live theater to over 70,000 students. The education division will continue to offer classes and aim to expand the education of, and passion for, theatrical performance in the area.

In addition, The PiTCH will continue offering a unique, experience-driven developmental stage for the writers of new musicals. In the summer of 2020, The PiTCH will open its ninth season with its 70th new musical in development.

Smock concludes, "We will be the same theatre with the same commitment to excellence. Same art, same venues, same values."

Headquartered in Auburn, NY, The Rev Theatre Company is a dynamic arts organization committed to creating theatrical experiences at the highest levels of artistic integrity. It leverages the power of the arts as a tool for entertainment, education, social awareness and cultural development in its community and in the region. The Rev is situated in the picturesque Finger Lakes wine region of Central New York. Four hours from NYC and situated between Syracuse, Rochester and Ithaca, The Rev is one of the largest producing musical theatre organizations in New York State, outside of New York City.