Berks Connect
Theaters and showsHershey, Harrisburg and Lebanon

Gretna Theatre

Mount Gretna, PA · 54 minutes from Reading · $20 to $50 a person

gretnatheatre.org|Day trips from Berks County

Summer season only. The 2027 season runs May 27 to August 8, 2027 at the Mount Gretna Playhouse; the only other listing, A Holiday Offering, has no posted dates.

Gretna Theatre

Plan the day

Drive54 minutes from Reading, 39 miles1 hour 23 minutes from Boyertown · 59 minutes from Hamburg · 47 minutes from Morgantown
Where200 Pennsylvania Ave, Mount Gretna, PAOpen in maps →
OpenSummer only. The 2027 season runs May 27 to August 8, 2027: Bonnie & Clyde May 27 to June 6, Steel Magnolias June 17 to 20, Rock 'N' Roll Reignited June 26, The Color Purple July 15 to 25, Ken Ludwig's Moriarty August 5 to 8.Box office Monday to Saturday 12:00 to 4:00 pm and one hour before a performance (off-season hours subject to change); the playhouse opens 30 minutes before curtain.
AdmissionMainstage and special events: premium seats $48, standard seats $41; students with ID $15; Super Saver last row seats $15 (limit 2 per person); Family Series general admission $11 including fees; veterans and first responders $5 off single tickets; $5 exchange fee (prices posted October 2026)
Plan onFamily Series shows run 1 hour; mainstage running times are not posted.
Good forlittle kids, big kids, teens, adults, couples, a group of friends, older adults

Gretna Theatre is a summer theater company that stages musicals and plays at the open-air Mount Gretna Playhouse in Mount Gretna, PA. The site calls it America's oldest summer theatre, running since 1927.

The playhouse is roofed but open on three sides, so you watch a full musical with the woods of Mount Gretna around it, and 2027 is the company's 100th season. Five mainstage titles run from late May to early August, including Bonnie & Clyde, The Color Purple and Ken Ludwig's Moriarty, plus a Family Series of one hour daytime shows for grades K to 6. The visit page lists five restaurants in the village, the Jigger Shop among them.

Before you go

Parking is free with a short walk up to the theatre entrance; arrive early, since the village gets congested before shows. Performances go on rain or shine under the covered roof, and large overhead fans run on warm nights. Outside food and drink are not allowed; concessions are sold on site. Wheelchair accessible.

Official site →Tickets →

Checked October 8, 2026 on the official site. Hours, prices and seasons change, so confirm there before a long drive.

More theaters and shows worth the drive

Bird-in-Hand Stage
Theaters and showsLancaster County

Bird-in-Hand Stage

Bird-in-Hand, PA · 47 minutes from Reading · $20 to $50 a person

Bird-in-Hand Stage is a live theater on the banquet level of the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord in Bird-in-Hand, PA, playing family shows, comedy and holiday musicals from April through December.

American Music Theatre
Theaters and showsLancaster County

American Music Theatre

Lancaster, PA · 48 minutes from Reading · $20 to $50 a person

American Music Theatre is a 1,600-seat live performance theatre on Lincoln Highway East in Lancaster, PA, staging touring concerts, tribute shows and its own original Christmas Show.

See every one of the theaters and shows on the list →