Gamut Theatre Group Brings Classic Stories to Life With a Modern Twist
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Asia Tabb
Aired; June 30th, 2025.
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In the heart of downtown Harrisburg, Gamut Theatre Group is doing more than just putting on plays — it’s reimagining the way stories are told and connecting them to the community it calls home.
Founded in the early 1990s with the launch of Popcorn Hat Players Children’s Theatre and the Harrisburg Shakespeare Company, Gamut has grown into a multifaceted professional theater that now includes TMI Improv, the Stage Door Series, and the Gamut Theatre Academy.
“Gamut Theatre Group is a professional theater company in downtown Harrisburg,” said Marcus McGhee, a member of the company. “It is a combination of a few different companies… all under the umbrella of Gamut Theatre Group.”
From its origins with founders Melissa and Clark Nicholson to now, Gamut has remained dedicated to one central mission: telling classic stories in new and exciting ways. “We always are making sure that we are telling these old stories and bringing new life to them,” McGhee said.
One current example of that mission in action is their upcoming production of The Ugly Duckling, which opens July 9. “We’re putting a fun twist on things and setting it in the 1980s,” McGhee said. “The moral is still the same, but we have these fun things that we add on top just to breathe new life into it.”
Hope MacKenzie, another core member of the Gamut team, emphasized the company’s deep ties to the Harrisburg community and its efforts to make storytelling reflective of local culture. “We did A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Free Shakespeare in the Park and set it in Harrisburg,” she said. “We also have a partnership with Sankofa African American Theatre Company to help tell local Harrisburg Black history.”
That dedication to representation goes hand-in-hand with Gamut’s commitment to cultural humility and continuous reflection. “Although these are classic stories that have been around for a very, very long time… they can connect with people from all different walks of life,” McGhee noted. “We find ways to make these things current.”
And beyond performance, Gamut’s educational programming reaches thousands each year through touring shows, classes, summer academies, and their youth acting company. For McGhee, that mission is personal.
“Growing up, I didn’t have much access to arts education,” he shared. “Being able to be an educator myself is very important because I know the power of art… it gives a deeper sense of self and teaches young people to embrace all aspects of themselves.”
With a creative blend of old and new, community partnerships, and a heart for education, Gamut Theatre Group continues to be one of Harrisburg’s most treasured cultural institutions — telling timeless stories in ways that resonate with today.
