The Lincoln Theater reopened Jan. 29 with a gala “Pay-What-You-Wish” benefit performance of A.R. Gurney’s play, “Love Letters,” starring Suzanne Rankin and Thom Watson.
The event marked the completion of the move into Phase Three of the ongoing updates to the historic Lincoln Theater with the renovation of the hall’s ceiling. The event benefited 2011 Project Graduation at Lincoln Academy.
For four weeks contractor Dale E. Hunt and his crew have been painting and repairing the ceiling on scaffolding built by Zander Lee’s Steel Bolt Construction crew.
Long-time theater member and enthusiast Rod (Rory) Craib said, “It is a pleasure to work with local construction companies. They not only did an exemplary job, they provided those little extra touches that make the end product better than we had hoped.
“When a project takes place in your home and holds so many memories for everyone from the area, the love for shared history always shows in the result,” he said.
Lincoln Hall is actually a two-unit condominium. Susan and Barnaby Porter own Maine Coast Book Shop & Café, and Lincoln County Community Theater (a Maine non-profit corporation) owns Lincoln Theater.
Lincoln County Community Theater (LCCT) has been in the process of a three-phased renovation of the old movie theater, dance hall, auditorium and sometime bowling alley since their purchase of Condo Two in 1998.
Renovating the building, built in 1875, into an effective space for the performing arts has consisted of installing a sprinkler system covering the entire structure, upgrading the heating system, expanding the lobby, adding an office, accessible restrooms and an elevator.
Renovations will include the on-going improvement of the audience and performance spaces. This phase began with the installation of surround-sound and new seating in 2007 and of air conditioning in 2008 and now the completed repair and repainting of the high ceiling in the grand hall.
It was a conscious and difficult decision for LCCT to choose to redesign and restructure the performing and visual arts areas.
To restore, instead of renovate, would have meant leaving inadequate performance spaces, no accessibility (ADA) options and defeated the group’s intent to provide the community with a place to enjoy all the performing and visual arts.
The final redesign will include completely rebuilding the stage and backstage areas, and raking the auditorium seating, carefully planned so that lobby lights and noise will remain in the lobby and not intrude on the performance area.
The new black ceiling adds an element of intimacy as well as prevents reflective light from interfering with special effects and stage lighting.
The new stage itself will eventually be 1-ft. high, with ramps on either side, and backstage reconfigured to allow for construction of sets built behind the main curtain. This change enables LCCT’s live production crews to construct sets without obstructing the movie screen or be visible to the audience.
Nationwide, the average life span of a community theater is between five and six years.
History of Lincoln County Community Theater
In 2011, the LCCT enters its 35th season. In its early days, productions were funded one show at a time, often with various board members signing promissory notes to pay royalties, and hoping to recoup the investment. It didn’t always happen.
What did happen was an organization was born, dedicated to inclusivity, with an ever- increasing band of people devoted to bringing live theater to Midcoast Maine.
Lincoln Academy shared what was affectionately known as the Old Gym with the troupe, and LCCT made sure that Lincoln Academy students, who had no drama department at the time, had parts in every show in which they chose to perform, paint, or run lights.
The vagabond group performed at the Waldo Theater, at The Boothbay Playhouse, even the Boothbay Railway Museum as well as at many school auditoriums over the years, often moving entire shows to new venues in all weather to provide entertainment to the whole county.
Fulfilling LCCT’S mission: “To be a major community resource for the promotion, support, education, and production of all aspects of the performing arts” has allowed the increased growth of the Lincoln Theater.
Lincoln Theater is LCCT’s own home, and a place to share the arts with the community through Elder Outreach, Live in HD telecasts from both the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the National Theater from London, along with guest artists, magicians, concerts, dance and live LCCT performances.
Executive Director Andrew Fenniman is excited to announce, starting with the upcoming Feb. 3 National Theater broadcast of “King Lear,” that Lincoln Theater has been given special permission to offer same day student rush tickets for $5 at the box office starting one hour prior to the show.
Tickets will only be available at the theater and will be given to students through high school age. He anticipates adding extra broadcasts on Saturday afternoons to allow even more students to take advantage of this great price. Extending this “student rush” to the MET Live in HD is currently in the works.
Community support and enthusiasm for each phase of the growth of Lincoln Theater continues to be of paramount importance to its physical improvement and growth.
Membership to, and therefore “ownership” of, the Lincoln Theater is open to all. The Lincoln Theater Board of Directors, which governs the operations, is elected by the membership according to its bylaws.
Especially in hard economic times, it is encouraging to see refurbishment and accessibility bring greater cultural resources to the Midcoast and Damariscotta region.
For more information on Lincoln Theater, and Lincoln County Community Theater, contact the box office at 563-3424. Lincoln Theater is located at 2 Theater St., Damariscotta. Visit them on the web at www.lcct.org.
