The Comtra Theatre not only gave people a venue to see live performances, but also a stage for performers to experiment and act. It’s presence as a cultural hub in Cranberry Township will be missed.

It’s never easy to see a longtime business or agency shutter its doors, especially for those who have memories of the place.

For more than four decades, the performing arts venue located off Route 19 hosted plays, comedy shows, drag shows, musicals and summer camps.

People who stepped foot in the theater over its 40-year existence probably have memories from their time there — with just a look at the building probably enough to spark a recollection. The Facebook post announcing the theater’s closure garnered numerous comments from people sharing their condolences about its end, as well as their memories from when they visited.

And there is no doubt that keeping a building that has to house a stage and equipment open and maintained is difficult and expensive. Costs like rent, utilities and upkeep probably took their toll on the managers of the theater over the years, and it could only make money when people paid to see shows — not something that is sustainable every day of the year.

With so many people commenting on the sadness of the theater’s closure, and the hole it will leave in the Cranberry Township area community, maybe there is hope that another performance-focused community space can arise in its absence. Comtra existed in a prominent space in the township, but maybe there is a place off the beaten path where artists can express themselves creatively.

Although there are theaters in areas near Cranberry Township, it would be nice to have a performance venue in such a populated area.

Rest in peace, Comtra Theatre. Performers and live entertainment fans in the area will miss you.

— ET