Maybe it’s the tranquility of the lake or the beauty of the mountains, but there’s something about the village of Eagles Mere that has always inspired creativity. As far back as 1896, people gathered at the Eagles Mere Chautauqua to enrich themselves with education, the arts, and nature. Later, the town’s hotels regularly hosted concerts and plays for their guests. Alvina Krause, the legendary drama professor from Northwestern University, even ran a summer stock theatre in Eagles Mere for over twenty years.
Today, the town’s artistic spirit lives on through the Eagles Mere Friends of the Arts (EMFA). This nonprofit organization presents professional concerts, live theatre, art classes, and other cultural programs every summer. In 2024, they hosted nearly forty events, over half of which were free to attend.
Summer 2025 marks EMFA’s fiftieth anniversary, a milestone to celebrate the organization’s growth and set their sights on the future.
“We’ve been steadily building arts within the community and seeing that it’s an incredibly important piece to how the community develops,” said Joan Celestino, co-chair of the fiftieth anniversary committee. “I’d like Eagles Mere to be known as a place where people can come and look at art, purchase art, do art, and attend performance art.”
Yet, the power of the arts extends beyond Eagles Mere Borough. In a rural area far from the big-city theatres and galleries, EMFA strives to serve the entire Sullivan County community. Whether you’re a local, a summer resident, or a weekend visitor, EMFA welcomes you to experience the arts firsthand.
Founded on a Love for Music
During the height of Eagles Mere’s resort era, there was no shortage of entertainment. But when the grand hotels closed after World War II, the music and shows disappeared along with them.
Community members Deborah Reeder and Priscilla Ryan realized that the town missed the performances of the past. In 1974, the women, who were both acclaimed musicians, organized a classical music concert at the Presbyterian Church. The show was a success. It became clear that music should be a annual tradition.
Reeder and Ryan banded together a group of volunteers and officially formed EMFA in 1975. The first season featured two concerts: The Philadelphia Trio and The Philadelphia Chamber Singers. Shortly after, Reeder and Barbara Sonies founded Music in the Mountains, an annual summer intensive for chamber music students. The program was so impactful that alumni still return each year to perform a reunion concert.
Originally, the group hosted events in churches and at private homes. Porches and lawns became the stage (when Mother Nature cooperated). The organization ultimately needed a permanent home, and in 1982, they built the David A. DeWire Center in partnership with the Eagles Mere Athletic Association and the Eagles Mere Fire Company. Today, the facility boasts a stage with professional lighting, a high-end piano, and plenty of space for performances and classes. The columns outside showcase a colorful mosaic, which was a safe, socially distanced project during the pandemic. Over 100 people of all ages helped to piece it together.
At first, EMFA focused solely on classical music. Although they still pay respect to their roots, they’ve added genres like jazz, folk, indie, and more to the concert lineup. They also launched free outdoor concerts on the Village Green, which are especially popular with families. With a wider variety of shows, they have grown their audience to new levels.
“We have to put something onstage that’s really a draw to get people in our seats,” explained Bryn Smythe, program chair and co-chair of the fiftieth anniversary committee. “Sometimes there’s three events going on [in Eagles Mere] in one night, and we’re still getting a sold-out show with everything else going on. That’s incredible.”
Although a lot has changed in the past fifty years, the commitment to high-quality music always remains the same.
Continuing A Legacy of Theatre
Eagles Mere boasts a long tradition of theatre. In the early days of EMFA, the Savoy Company from Philadelphia presented Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Then from 1984 to 2011, summer residents Ann Klotz and Seth Orbach organized the Ensemble Theatre Community School, a children’s theater workshop that performed several plays per season.
The tradition of theatre continued in 2012, when artist Leo Sewell was creating a life-sized sculpture of a rhinoceros. A reading of Eugene Ionesco’s surrealist play Rhinoceros was the perfect way to reveal the new piece to the public. Harriet Power, a director and theatre professor at Villanova, and Bob Hedley, director and former chair of Temple’s theatre department, organized a community reading where the locals played the roles. It was so well-received that they continued to hold annual readings for the next six years.
In 2018, Power and Hedley started introducing one- and two-person shows to the DeWire Center. They often connected with actors in Philadelphia and encouraged them to come perform in Eagles Mere.
“There are people who love the arts, but they’re not going to go to Philly or New York,” said Power. “To be able to do professional-quality theatre here is meaningful. Summer is a good time because the actors are less busy. It feels like a win-win all around.”
The plays prove that a small cast can still have a huge impact. In 2023, EMFA presented the comedy “The Forever Question.” The show consisted of two actors who played a total of eleven roles combined.
“I will say, from almost half a century of directing, I have never had a response to a play like this,” said Power. “People started laughing as the lights came up.”
Staging a play is an enormous effort, but EMFA rises to the challenge. The annual play continues to be a summer staple year after year.
Fostering Creative Conversations
Another longtime program is Brain/Food, a weekly series that brings people together to enjoy a potluck and share new ideas. The program started over twenty years ago, primarily focusing on book discussions. Over the years, they’ve expanded to independent films, a poetry night, lectures, and more.
“We try to focus on Eagles Mere people or Sullivan County people to do our presentations,” explained Mark Beaugard, who co-chairs Brain/Food with his wife, Betsy.
Local speakers have included writers, dancers, directors, and producers. Other presenters have spoken about their careers in fields like art, science, and technology. The program truly gives people “food for thought” as they discover new perspectives.
Growing the Visual Arts
EMFA’s art classes are one of the newest additions to the summer schedule. The classes grew out of Endless Arts in Eagles Mere, a series of arts weekends previously held in the fall. The program later merged with EMFA and transitioned to offering summer classes for adults and older teens.
Students can try their hand at a variety of mediums, from painting and drawing to photography and fiber arts, just to name a few. The classes range from one-day sessions to multi-day series, which are perfect for trying out a new skill.
“It’s a little more flexible. It doesn’t take the whole day,” said Gerry Mann, instructor and member of the art education committee. “Get your day started with some art.”
Last year, all the instructors were from Sullivan County or the Williamsport area. Instructors receive eighty-five percent of the proceeds from class fees.
“That’s what we’re trying to do—to support the artists and teachers who work here and to help stimulate our creator economy,” said Adelaide Ferguson, EMFA co-chair. “We’re getting very good registrations for our classes.”
Overall, the visual arts provide a rewarding, hands-on experience for all artists, from the beginner student taking their first class to the expert instructors sharing their skills.
Join EMFA for Their 50th Season
As an all-volunteer organization, EMFA’s efforts are nothing short of extraordinary. This year, the entire summer schedule will honor the anniversary.
“For the fiftieth, the board has decided not to try to get one big act and instead up the quality of everything throughout the season. This really fits with Eagles Mere particularly well because so many people come here for small bits of time,” explained Celestino.
The programs are open to the public. You do not have to be a member to attend; however, membership is a wonderful way to show your support for the arts and help EMFA continue their mission.
Many events are free, while others are ticketed. Five percent of ticket proceeds go toward helping to reduce the price for others, such as nonprofit workers, students, and seniors with PA ACCESS cards.
The full schedule is available on emfoa.org. You can also follow Eagles Mere Friends of the Arts on Facebook for updates.