Manchester Life 2024 | Page 60

SEPTEMBER 27-29 , 2024
VERMONT VOICES : KRISTINE LEWIS
by Southern Vermont College . She called me out of the blue , we started talking , and she told me that they were in possession of an arts center that had multiple gallery spaces and a 311-seat theater . She knew that I had produced all around the country and that I had been to the region when I came to Williamstown Theatre Festival years earlier . She told me that I had to come up for the weekend , and I fell in love with the theater , the area , and its lovely people . The theater is wonderful – the sightlines are fabulous , and the backstage area is fantastic , as well . I don ’ t ever want the theater to go away . The caring and kindness that theater brings to a community helps everyone .
Q : Multi-purpose cultural centers like MACC hold the power to bring people together through a variety of creative
pursuits , and MACC ’ s artistic , dance , and theatrical programming and workshops speak to that . What can people expect from the upcoming season , and what are some of your favorite highlights ?
A : We ’ re going to change all the galleries every three months . We started off the spring with “ Vermont Landscapes ” with Jim Coe and several other talented Vermont artists , including John MacDonald and George Van Hook . The exhibit was complemented by Corey Pitkin ’ s incredible pastels . That ’ s all changing on July 24 , when we ’ re going to change the exhibits in our galleries . Don Trachte , Jr . is helping us open a covered bridge gallery upstairs , and Lyman Orton will be lending us some fantastic paintings from his collection . Don Trachte , Jr . also curated an amazing Norman Rockwell exhibit for us that focused on a long-lost Rockwell painting . For the covered bridge exhibit , we ’ re going to have books on every covered bridge in the United States and Canada . It ’ s going to be very exciting , and I ’ m looking forward to opening all of the galleries again for the summer . Berkshire Dance Company is bringing a dance showcase to our theatre , and I ’ m teaching three ballet classes a week myself . We put on a production of Fiddler on the Roof with Oren Gradus . In terms of youth community theater productions , we ’ re bringing in Drowsy Chaperone Jr ., local director , Lynn Sweet , will direct , Aladdin , and 101 Dalmatians , which will be directed by Lauren Biasi . All of the productions are set aside for different age groups . As the season progresses , we ’ re looking to bring in touring musicians , such as Laurie Morvan , who performed last season . We want to continue to offer

ART IN THE VALLEY

SEPTEMBER 27-29 , 2024

Distinctive three-day , juried , indoor fine art and craft exhibition .

Location : Old School Community Center 1 School Street , Wilmington , VT 05363

www . artinthevalleyvt . com 802-299-9114 artinthevalleyvt @ gmail . com

Proceeds to benefit The Old School Community Center

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