The Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center (PAC) is a well-known center for the arts in Erie.

Last year, its more than 100 productions brought in more than 27,000 community members.

The PAC has presented its fair share of top notch entertainment over the years, including the Julliard String Quartet and Great Britain’s Ukulele Orchestra.

It’s also the permanent residence of the Met Opera: HD Live series, the Live from NY’s 92 Street Broadcast lecture series and now the brand new Maria J. Langer Film Series.

This much-anticipated series is replacing the successful Guelcher Film Series.

As the new film series opens this week, the feelings of excitement cannot be masked.

This series will be sponsored by John Langer and will be named after his loving mother, Maria J. Langer.

The film series will start on Wednesday, Jan. 25, with “Bé Omid é Didar (Good Bye).”

This is the story of a young Iranian lawyer who has become pregnant and is searching for a visa to leave her country.

The film shows the obstacles she must overcome to achieve her goal.

The series will also include “The Artist,” “The Descendants” and “The Iron Lady,” which will be shown during the remainder of the school year.

When asked about his reasons for sponsoring the new series, Langer said, “We believe the Mary D’Angelo

Performing Arts Center is a special place in Erie, and while it has had a stellar past, we believe it can have an even brighter future.

“We are encouraged by the vision the Gambles and Dave Livingston have for the PAC, and we embrace this opportunity to support their leadership and passion.”

Langer is a Mercyhurst alumnus of 1995 and was an important part of the Laker Nation by being active in student activities and a valued member of the football team.

He graduated with a degree in business.He sponsored Buddy Guy’s concert last year.

Langer thought it would be an opportune moment to put his mother’s name to the film series because of her love for the arts.Maria Langer is a film, music and arts advocate.

When asked about his sponsorships, Langer said, “In sponsoring Buddy Guy last year and now in sponsoring the Maria J. Langer film series, we feel this is our opportunity to support the college and our community.

“My mom has always been a big film aficionado, and I just thought this would be a good fit for her.”

The fact of the matter is that there is no real change to the film series and its inner workings.

The Guelcher’s decided to no longer sponsor the film series.

This decision comes in conjunction with strategic changes from the college, including the formation of the Institute for Arts and Culture.

This assumes the college’s arts programming while combining a new academic effort.

This will create a hands-on learning experience for the students at Mercyhurst., and so the PAC was looking for a new donor to take the Guelcher’s place.

David Livingston, Ph.D., vice president for advancement, stressed that this will be the same film series our community knows and loves, just with a different name.

He commented that the film series is a very important part of Mercyhurst and the surrounding community.

Whether or not they had found a donor, the film series would still happen without a second thought.

He said that it is vitally important to provide culture in the Erie area, and Mercyhurst was incredibly lucky that

James Langer was so eager to pick up where Bob and Betty Guelcher left off.

The college administration thinks that the film series is a commitment they have to the community and the fact that it will continue to have a name and a donor accompanying it makes it that much more special.

The finest is all that the PAC will accept, and that’s precisely what it will provide for students.

This series with a new name should be a smash hit yet again on the Mercyhurst Campus.

The films show every Wednesday at 2:15 and 7:15 p.m.

Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and $4 for a PC holder.

A student with a Mercyhurst Student ID gets in free.

All films are open to the public, and any foreign films are English subtitled.

This film series is an easy way to be immersed in a culture that many don’t get to experience in a setting that is elegant, yet easy on your wallet.