NETWORK Comes to PCS Theater

PCS Theater has announced the regional premiere of Network, adapted for the stage by Lee Hall from the Academy Award-winning screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky. Directed by Thomas-Robert Irvin, this thrilling satire on the power and perils of mainstream media will run from January 31 to February 15, 2025. PCS is the first community theater to produce this electrifying adaptation, offering audiences a rare chance to experience the story that has shocked and entertained viewers for decades.

Originally released as a 1976 film starring Faye Dunaway, William Holden, and Peter Finch, Network was hailed as a prophetic satire of television news, entertainment, and corporate ambition. The film’s iconic catchphrase—“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”—became a cultural touchstone, predicting a world where the media’s pursuit of ratings overshadows moral and ethical boundaries. This stage adaptation remains startlingly relevant, exposing the frenzied intersection of news, profit, and public opinion in an era dominated by a 24/7 news cycle.

“Network has always been a piece ahead of its time,” says Director Thomas-Robert Irvin. “Even now, our world is grappling with the exact dilemmas that Chayefsky so boldly predicted—where the line between news and entertainment is blurred. We’re thrilled to bring this story to our community and spark conversations about media influence and personal responsibility.”

Bryan Cranston won a Tony Award in 2018 in the original Broadway Production of Network, playing aging news anchor Howard Beale. Beale shocks the nation when he announces on live television that he will commit suicide on air. As corporate executives clamor to exploit his meltdown for ratings, Beale’s growing on-screen mania collides with a ruthless pursuit of commercial success—raising incisive questions about truth, sanity, and the insatiable hunger for spectacle.

“When Tom pitched us this idea 14 months ago, it was practically a no-brainer,” said PCS Theater Producing Director Anthony SanFilippo, who also plays the role of Frank Hackett in the production and by day works as a member of the Philadelphia media. “Certain stories hold up well over time. Fifty years later, Network doesn’t just hold up well, it proves that it was ahead of its time as it isn’t as much a satire anymore as it is a story of our news-consuming reality in 2025. To be the first theater to bring this to an audience in the fifth-largest media market in America is both exciting and a privilege.” 

Cast & Creative Team

• Howard Beale – Kevin McPeak

• Max Schumacher – Eric Jarrell

• Diana Christiansen – Sandy Lawler

• Frank Hackett – Anthony SanFilippo

• Harry Hunter – Eric Crist

• Ed Ruddy – Paul Kerrigan

• Nelson Chaney – Mark Dixon

• Arthur Jensen – Glen Macnow

• Louise Schumacher – Cathy Gibbons Mostek

• Ms. Schlesinger – Susan Bolt

• Sheila – Lauren Kerstetter

• Jack Snowden – Stephen McDonnell

• Continuity Announcer – Juptej Singh

• Warm-Up Guy – Gavin Wycuff

• Jensen’s Secretary – Liz Corcoran

• Hackett’s Secretary – Anne Marie Scalies

• Lounge Singer – Victoria Heppard

• Technicians – Shawn Weaver, Jackie Washco, Sharon Kolankiewicz

• Terrorists (on video) – Jack Forney, Autumn Scouten

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