A new president of the Waldo Theatre Board of Directors is looking to guide the organization out of debt and back into the community’s hearts.
Chris Powers, 28, of Waldoboro, joined the board early last December and took on the role of president in late March, he said in an interview April 22.
Powers has been working in theater since age 12, primarily doing behind-the-scenes tech work and lighting. In recent years he has served as the stage manager for youth shows at the Waldo and has helped build sets.
Powers said he has been told his outlook goes beyond a focus on the shows themselves and extends to the future of the Waldo as a whole.
“I’m just kind of trying to get the theatre back out in the community,” he said humbly.
Power said he does not have much business experience, and will be relying on other board members who do to help him in that arena.
“I definitely couldn’t do this without them,” he said.
According to Powers, the Waldo Theatre has been somewhat “closed off” to the community in recent years with a static group of people performing and a static group choosing the shows. He aims to change that, and is starting by directing the board’s committees to seek out community input and participation to make the nearly 80-year-old theatre a source of pride in town.
“Without Waldoboro, Waldo Theatre wouldn’t exist, so we need to reach out to people and perk people’s interest in coming to the theater again,” Powers said.
Powers sees his role as president as one of keeping people focused, well-informed, and moving in the same direction.
“The board all loves this theatre and wants to see it grow, but nothing ever works when everyone is going opposite directions,” he said.
Powers and the board as a whole are faced with overcoming not only challenges with interest but with finances.
“Right now, we’re pretty far in debt, so unfortunately a lot of funds are needed to get our doors open and keep them open,” Powers said.
As fundraisers, the theatre is currently selling ads to local businesses which will be printed in a book to be handed out with programs at shows and selling coupon books for Flagship Cinemas, but the board is also trying to get as many acts up on the stage as possible, he said.
This Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26, the theatre will feature “The Vagina Monologues.”
Ninety percent of local profits for the show will go directly to New Hope For Women and Hospitality House, according to a recent press release on the show. The remaining 10 percent is earmarked to build shelters and safe houses in Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt, and Iraq.
Powers said six shows are planned for the remainder of 2014: “The Threepenny Opera” in June, “Avenue Q” in July, “Rocky Horror Picture Show” in August, “The Wizard of Oz” in September; a double feature of an original one-act and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in October, and a youth show of “Peter Pan Jr.” in November.
The theatre may also host comedians and a hypnotist, and Powers said he is working with Jeff Hurd, of The Narrows Tavern, to bring some musical acts to the stage as well.
“It seems like people are interested in building the theatre up, so hopefully the energy is there and the commitment’s there,” he said.
For more information, find the Waldo Theatre on Facebook.