TUNKHANNOCK — Ron and Kim Whipple, of the Wyoming County Players, who have been working on bringing a new state-of-the-art theater to NEPA since 2011, will soon see their long-time dream come true, thanks in part to a recent donation from Procter and Gamble.

P&G representative Alex Fried presented to the Whipples a check for $12,400 on Tuesday, May 17. The grant will go towards the group’s Starlite Playhouse project. This is the players’ largest donation to date for the project.

The name for the playhouse is in honor of Kim Whipple’s parents, Marvin and Evelyn Sands, who built the first drive-in theater in Northeastern Pennsylvania in 1947 – the Starlite Drive-in. The drive-in was located on what is now Weis Market, near the current Whipple Performing Arts Studio, located at 602 Hunter Hwy., next door to the Skyhaven Airport.

The Whipples plan to combine efforts with other local entertainment and tourism venues in encouraging out of town visitors to “Come for the Day, Stay the Weekend.”

The Whipples have been promoting the arts and educating children in theater since 1979. For more information, go to wyomingcountyplayers.com or visit the Starlite Playhouse and Wyoming County Players Facebook pages.

The Wyoming County Players’ Junior Players and Little Hams, in costume for their ‘Grease, Jr.’ production, surround Kim Whipple, co-director of the Wyoming County Players and Alex Fried, of Procter and Gamble. A grant for $12,400 is the first of two donations promised to the Players for their Starlite Playhouse project. From left, first row, Josey Sobeck, Leilanni Reeves, Rose LoBuono, Jaclyn Gesford, Victoria Reising, Amberli Reeves, Sarah Brown, Sebastian Reeves, George Sobeck and Doug Priestner. Second row, Trejon Turner, Zachary Shafer, Kim Whipple, Alex Fried, Tierney Tyler, Carmella Karcutskie, Fiona Wilson, Dana Nunemacher, Emily Lewis and Rachel Zayleskie. Third row, Mackenzie Tewksbury, Ava Tyler, Jim Priestner, Gary Sands, Natalie Markovitz, Maddie Spila, Christopher Hanna and Reilly Shingler.
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_ABJ-Starlite.jpg.optimal.jpgThe Wyoming County Players’ Junior Players and Little Hams, in costume for their ‘Grease, Jr.’ production, surround Kim Whipple, co-director of the Wyoming County Players and Alex Fried, of Procter and Gamble. A grant for $12,400 is the first of two donations promised to the Players for their Starlite Playhouse project. From left, first row, Josey Sobeck, Leilanni Reeves, Rose LoBuono, Jaclyn Gesford, Victoria Reising, Amberli Reeves, Sarah Brown, Sebastian Reeves, George Sobeck and Doug Priestner. Second row, Trejon Turner, Zachary Shafer, Kim Whipple, Alex Fried, Tierney Tyler, Carmella Karcutskie, Fiona Wilson, Dana Nunemacher, Emily Lewis and Rachel Zayleskie. Third row, Mackenzie Tewksbury, Ava Tyler, Jim Priestner, Gary Sands, Natalie Markovitz, Maddie Spila, Christopher Hanna and Reilly Shingler. Submitted photo

For Abington Journal

Information provided by the Wyoming County Players.