With a tagline of "always pushing the boundaries of what theater can be," Creative Works of Lancaster champions the power of performance.

"We believe that theater can be a powerful force for good - building community, sparking connections and cultivating joy and wonder - and we want people to know that there are many ways to experience theater that go beyond buying a ticket and sitting quietly in a dark building looking up at a proscenium stage," said executive director Lydia Brubaker. "It can happen anywhere, be accessible and relatable for everyone."

Creative Works of Lancaster became a nonprofit in 2010 after a few years of grassroots organizing with a group of creative people in Lancaster, Brubaker said. Original board members were Brubaker, Anne Kirby, Daniel Klotz, Jenn McMorris and the late Douglas Campbell.

"The project started with plans for a community arts center, with creative co-working space, rehearsal and studio space, performance and gallery space and a cafe, but we switched gears when the economy collapsed and decided to be nomadic and create theatrical events in various spots around the city," Brubaker shared.

The group's mission is to nurture and promote creative opportunities throughout the community in order to provide "exquisite moments of surprise and delight in an ever-challenging world," she said.

Creative Works of Lancaster performs three to six times a year.

"The whole city is our stage, and we're always looking for new spots that inspire us or feel like the right place for a particular performance," Brubaker stated. The group has performed in more traditional venues, such as Zoetropolis, West Art and the Green Room Theatre at Franklin & Marshall College, but it has also used space in restaurants, shops, schools, public parks, barns, churches, hotels, parking lots, cemeteries and more.

The organization's mascot is named E.E. (for the Exquisite Explorer) and is always shape-shifting and changing outfits, representative of the nonprofit's evolving works.

"We do original plays by local playwrights, sock puppet parodies of classic films, The 24-Hour Plays: Lancaster, site-specific performances designed for particular locations and traveling performances where the audience moves from one place to another," Brubaker said.

Some past highlights have included inviting audiences to eat hot dogs and do camp activities with the troupe, setting willing audience members up on awkward dates for a Valentine's Day performance and creating a theatrical escape room set in an Antarctic research station.

"We just got done with a busy fall, celebrating our 15-year anniversary with the Net Gala, our send-up of the Met Gala, and premiering  'Dead Inside,' a new play by local playwright Gwen Tulin, and  'Dye Hard: The Siege of Sockatomi Plaza,' our latest sock puppet parody by playwright and former Creative Works board member Erich Goldstein," Brubaker said. The group is taking a short break but is also busy planning its 2026 season, which will include a new sock puppet show for the Lancaster Fringe Festival in May.

To keep live theater accessible to everyone, Creative Works of Lancaster uses a "pay what you decide" ticketing model, letting audience members decide what the experience was worth to them or what they can afford after a show is over.

"We're creating brand-new theater by artists in the community. There are so many talented, creative people in the area, and while there are many other great theaters that provide opportunities for people to work on established plays and musicals, we want to give people opportunities to collaborate on new work, take chances and bring their ideas to life," Brubaker said.

Originally from Lancaster, Brubaker has been involved in regional theater for two decades. She directed new plays in college and enjoys collaborating with playwrights, but she also participated in Odyssey of the Mind, a creativity and problem-solving competition for students, and put on puppet shows as a child. Creative Works of Lancaster provides an opportunity for Brubaker to maintain an active creative life and work with other creative people. She particularly relies on board chair Joanna Underhill, a longtime friend and theatrical collaborator, for keeping the organization thriving.

"She's been active in the Lancaster performing arts scene since 1996, and she's the one who first brought up the idea of doing  'Sock Puppet Psycho,' our very first sock puppet show," Brubaker said.

Brubaker hopes audiences will continue to support the nonprofit's work, and she encourages newcomers to check out a performance.

"Expect the unexpected!" she said. "We know it can feel risky to see something new, but you can be assured that our goal is for you to have a good time and to be surprised and delighted by something you're not going to see anywhere else. You'll share an experience with other people in the community, knowing that a lot of hard work, creativity and heart went into making it happen."

To learn more about Creative Works of Lancaster, follow the organization on Facebook or Instagram or visit https://creativelancaster.org. There is also an opportunity on the website to make a tax-deductible donation to support the group's projects and artists.