Penobscot Theatre Company Unveils Makeover of Historic Home

The faint smell of fresh paint still lingers at the Bangor Opera House, where Penobscot Theatre Company has just completed a series of renovations designed to increase the efficiency of its historic home and elevate its audience's experience.

"One of our old oil-fired furnaces died in the fall of 2015," explained Executive Director Mary Budd, "and that really kick-started this effort to modernize. We launched a capital campaign to support a number of improvements, and our patrons and the philanthropic community responded generously."

With leading support from the Grants to Green program and the Quimby Family Foundation, last fall the company upgraded its HVAC to a high-efficiency system powered by natural gas. Over the course of last season, it invested in state-of-the-art LED theatrical lighting, which enriched productions while lowering energy costs; and made numerous repairs to tighten the building envelope, realizing a 20 percent decrease in draftiness from the prior year.

"All of these improvements contribute to a better experience and they will certainly strengthen our bottom line," said Budd, "but the changes our patrons will likely appreciate most happened this past month as we finally replaced our old, worn-out, awful seats and beautified the audience seating area." Hundreds of theatre lovers responded to the company's "Push for the Tush" last season, and each of the new seats is donor-sponsored. Funding from the seat campaign also allowed the company to refinish the original wood flooring, replace threadbare carpet, and install elegant lighting fixtures to illuminate fresh wall colors and decorative accents.

Deb Dall Designs was instrumental in managing the project, and Budd credits the "five-star" local businesses that helped transform the space: ABM Mechanical Electric Division, Bangor Paint & Wallpaper (paint), Bud's Painting by Pomroy, Design Perspectives Group, Osher Environment Systems, Quality Flooring Installations of Maine, Robin Garcia of Roger Campbell Floors, and Sherwin Williams (carpet). The project also attracTed Grant funding from the C. Walder Parke Foundation, Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust, Belvedere Fund for Historic Preservation and Davis Family Foundation.

"It is fitting that we're opening our new season with The Fabulous Lipitones," said Producing Artistic Director Bari Newport, "because this place has never looked or felt more fabulous! We are excited to share it with all those who made the improvements possible and many others who have yet to experience the magic of Penobscot Theatre Company."

Penobscot Theatre Company is America's Northeastern-most professional, year round theatre company, owners of the historic Bangor Opera House,a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, producing a wide variety of plays and musicals each season. For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season, visit www.penobscottheatre.org.

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