The Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre is a beloved Lancaster experience. The theatre opened in 1967 by Deborah and Thomas Prather. Deborah and her husband Thomas, always dreamed to own a theatre in Lancaster instead of going to Hazleton, Lancaster, and Harrisburg.

“So, we designed it, built it off of Route 30 in Lancaster. We wanted to go to Lancaster address because of the tourism industry. And so, after the answer to prayers and lots of wishes from friends and contractors, we opened on April 3rd, 1987, with a production of A Chorus Line, “said Debroah.

Will Prather is the son of Thomas and Deborah, and now the Executive Producer of Prather Productions. Initially, he said he did not want to go into the family theater business.

“I wanted to do I wanted to go in the hospitality industry. I was very fortunate that I was accepted at Cornell University's hotel school, and I got a great education and learned a lot about business. And then I took a job in the corporate world, and that didn't last very long, “said Will.

Shortly after, Debroah asked Will if he wanted to return to the business and take over while she retired in 1993.

“36 years later, I'm still here, still running the business, managing growth, managing 300 employees and lots of various challenges that we've encountered as a business. But I've always had the support of my parents. My mom has been incredibly supportive through some really challenging times. But the future is bright for the industry, and I'm just honored to be a second-generation business owner and entrepreneur, “said Will.

According to Will, the overall guest experience is what sets the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre apart from other venues in the area.

“You know, everything from free parking, which is plentiful to a really terrific meal, very Pennsylvania Dutch local flavors, and then a professional production that is on the caliber of anything else you will see in this community. So, when you bring all those things together and offer them at a valuable price and we also are also really known for our service. We have employees that have been with us from the very, very beginning. We're a very caring operation. We take care of our people and in turn, they take care of our guests who really make the magic happen, “said Will.

CLICK HERE to see the upcoming shows from the theatre.

 

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