On Saturday, people attending the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland were able to relive the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, 20 years after her death in a Paris car crash.

The Paramount Players performed “Diana: The Musical” for the crowd that night, following a show the prior day for area schools.

Set to open on New York’s West End later this year, the play is in its early stages and the Paramount was one of a handful of theaters across the country who landed the chance to perform it in advance.

“Diana” was directed by Melanie Cornelison-Jannotta, who had directed about 100 plays for the theater, in 2010 and regularly puts on productions throughout the year.

Recently, the group has performed “All Shook Up,” “Cabaret” and others, and is set to perform “Little Shop of Horrors” and “The Little Mermaid” in coming months.

Having a productive local theater group in the region is an asset many may take for granted.

In addition to providing entertainment and live theater that many areas of similar populations do not have, the Paramount Players provide a venue for locals interested in acting and music to share their talents.

We appreciate what Cornelison-Jannotta has brought to the Tri-State and encourage all to get out and see a show.