HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) — It’s been a tough year for the Hershey Area Playhouse.

It closed down in 2020 due to the pandemic but Saturday was an opportunity to welcome back people during a reopening celebration that included broadway tunes and audience participation through karaoke.

The Playhouse reopens officially later this summer and board members say the support of the community is a big reason why.

“We are so grateful we would not be here without community members to begin with. Community members keep us going,” Board President, Jen Feldser said. “We are an all community volunteer organization so we need them and I think they need us also to provide that outlet of entertainment and artistic release.”

The first show at the Hershey Area Playhouse will be some enchanted evening, the songs of Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein. It opens on May 21.