Allentown, PA – Pines Dinner Theatre, 448 N 17th Street, Allentown PA premieres "Quarantine: the online musical comedy" as they launch their dinner theater "to-go," effective immediately.With the abrupt closure of live theater across the country, Oliver Blatt, producer and artistic director at the Pines Dinner Theatre recognized that the performance venue, located in Allentown, PA, needed to find a new way to reach audiences. "We'd been wracking our brains, trying to figure out a way to stay relevant and in our guests' minds, ever since we were forced to close our doors due to the Governor's closure of non-essential business," stated Blatt. "And one night, I hit on the idea that if the audience couldn't come to us, why don't we go to them'"
And so, the idea of doing dinner theater "to-go" was born for the Pines. Guests could order their meals online, pick the food up curb-side, and then head home to watch a performance at the Pines via the internet. 
But, the question remained what that exact performance would be. "As Mother's Day approached, we soft opened with a small concert that we had performed and recorded along with the curbside pickup of food," continued Blatt. "The concept was so successful that the kitchen sold of dinners for the first performance!" With this new version of dinner theater successfully tested, it was time to launch a show that would be relevant but still entertaining during the current emotional climate. As the second performance of the Mother's Day concert was streaming, Blatt posed a challenge to the artistic staff at the theater. The challenge was to create and write a show all about the trials and tribulations of dealing with the current stay-at-home orders. It was to be a one act musical, it had to be funny, and it had to be written and performed in the next three weeks.
Guided by Blatt as director and creator, the book and lyrics are by Jen Hope, Kristopher Holz, and Blatt, and music is by Stacy Bechtel and Blatt. The cast features Jen Hope and Kristopher Holz as Autumn and Apollo, two hipsters living the bohemian dream, Oliver Blatt and Amber Blatt as Wally and Karen, a mid-western husband and wife dealing with the challenges of homeschooling two boys, while trying to co-exist with everyone home all the time, and Stacey B. Yoder as Kate, who just as the stay-at-home order broke, decided it was the perfect time to dump her boyfriend. The show follows the cast through their emotional ups and downs as they learn to live with not only their worlds being turned upside down but also as they learn to live with each other. The show is musical directed by Stacy Bechtel, with costumes by Stacey B. Yoder.
The show is being streamed every Saturday evening at 7:00 pm, and Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm, effective immediately. Guests have the option to purchase dinner and show packages, or show only tickets. Dinner and show packages include an entrée, potatoes, and vegetable for up to four guests, along with a streaming code that allows viewing on one device. Show only tickets include a streaming code that allows viewing on one device. Guests purchasing the dinner and show package can pick up their food from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Saturday, or on Sunday from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm on Sunday. All tickets are pay what you wish, with a minimum of $30 for dinner and show package and $6 for show only.
Tickets are available exclusively at pinesdinnertheatre.com. The Pines Dinner Theatre is located at 448 N 17th Street, Allentown, PA 18104.
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