Seton Hill University will host a conversation with Pam Tomassetti, a Seton Hill University alumna and cast member of the original production of “Into the Woods” on Saturday, October 31, at 2 p.m., in the William Granger Ryan Theatre, located in the Performing Arts Center, 100 Harrison Avenue, Greensburg, Pa. This event is open to the public and there is no fee to attend. For more information, call 724-552-2929.

Tomassetti was a cast member in the original production of “Into the Woods,” which opened at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, Calif., in 1986. Tomassetti, of Toledo, Ohio, will discuss her experience working with Stephen Sondheim, composer of the music and lyrics, and James Lapine, author of the book, who are recognized as masters of contemporary musical theatre. Tomassetti will share memorabilia from the show also.

Tomassetti earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre performance from Seton Hill University and her Master of Fine Arts degree from The Catholic University. Her regional credits include the world premiere of Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego, Calif., “Passion Play” at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., “Le Liaisons Dangerous” at Portland Repertory Theatre in Portland, Ore., “Romeo & Juliet” and “Comedy of Errors” at the Monterey Shakespeare Festival in Monterey, Calif., and “Assassins” at the Los Angeles Theater Center in Los Angeles, Calif. Tomassetti worked under James Dunn, Brenda Hubbard, James Lapine, and Des McAnuff, current artistic director of Stratford Shakespeare Festival. In January 2010, Tomassetti will appear as Emma in “Betrayal” with the Glacity Theatre Collective in Toledo, Ohio.

Seton Hill University’s Theatre Program will present the musical “Into the Woods,” with book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim from October 30-November 7. Tickets are $16, with student and group rates available. Call the Seton Hill Theatre Box Office for tickets at 724-552-2929 or purchase tickets online at www.setonhilltheatre.com.

Performances: October 30, 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.; October 31, 8 p.m.; November 1, 2 p.m.; November 3 and 4, 10:30 a.m.; November 5, 6, and 7, 8 p.m.

Venue Information: All Seton Hill Theatre performances are held in the William Granger Ryan Theatre in Seton Hill’s new Performing Arts Center, 100 Harrison Avenue, Greensburg, Pa. The Performing Arts Center is a disabled accessible and climate-controlled facility. Parking is free in four nearby Greensburg parking areas: the Bell Parking Garage on North Otterman Street (across the street from the Performing Arts Center), the Hellman-Ghrist lot on North Main Street, the Albert Grillo lot on Seton Hill Drive, and the Wib Albright lot off West Otterman Street.

Ticket Information: Single admission tickets are $16. Seton Hill students (with valid ID) can purchase tickets for $5. Non-Seton Hill students (with a valid school ID) can purchase advance tickets for $13. Students from any school can purchase rush tickets five minutes before curtain, subject to availability, for $5 (with valid school ID). Groups of 16 or more can purchase tickets at a rate of $11 each with a reservation and advance payment. Purchase a season subscription and receive one ticket to each of the four productions for $56, or choose a “Flex” subscription for $78 that includes six ticket vouchers that may be used in any combination for any of the shows in the 2009-10 season. Order tickets online at www.setonhilltheatre.com, by phone at 724-552-2929, or by mail at SHUPAC Theatre Box Office, Seton Hill University, 1 Seton Hill Drive, Greensburg, Pa. 15601-1599. Box Office Hours (by telephone): 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Extended hours on performance days: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Saturday, and 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Sunday.

“Dinner and Show” packages that include meals at the Red Star Agave Grill restaurant in Greensburg’s historic train station. Subscribers can add even more to their theatre experience with dinner at the Red Star Agave Grill before the show while enjoying the flex plan for ticketing. The Red Star is located directly adjacent to the Seton Hill Performing Arts Center in the beautifully restored Greensburg train station. “Flex” Dinner & Show subscribers will receive a special Seton Hill University Theatre Dinner & Show coupon to present upon entering the Red Star. Theatre patrons will then receive a special Dinner & Show menu. Ticket price includes a special menu meal, a non-alcoholic beverage, tax and gratuity. Individuals ordering any items in addition to what is included with the Dinner & Show will be responsible for the additional charges. The “Flex” Dinner & Show subscription is only available for evening performances. The cost for a subscription, which includes four dinners and shows, is $176. A subscription is also available for six dinners and shows for $258.

Seton Hill University’s new Performing Arts Center is 73,000 square feet of everything a performing arts major needs to move from student to professional. The Center houses two dedicated, flexible performance spaces, the Carol Ann Reichgut Concert Hall and the William Granger Ryan Theatre. The Center also includes a performance studio, new classrooms, rehearsal rooms and technical areas that include the best equipment for learning and performing, from Steinway pianos to the latest in lighting, sound, video and acoustics. The Center is located in downtown Greensburg, putting it squarely in the middle of the city’s cultural district yet still only minutes from Seton Hill’s main hilltop campus.

The Seton Hill University Theatre Program has a long history of educating theatre majors for careers in the professional theatre while playing a vital role in the educational life of the campus. Seton Hill’s Theatre Program offers four full-length productions (as well as a number of shorter works) each year that generate audiences of over 3,500 and speak to topics addressed in courses across Seton Hill’s curriculum. For more information on the Theatre Program at Seton Hill, please visit www.setonhill.edu or call 724-552-2934.