|
Original Weathervane Barn Succumbs to Fire |
 |
 |
 |
|
Written by Mary Whithed
|
|
On the night of October 9th, the old Weathervane Theatre, the Red Barn that graced the landscape as you crested the hill from Whitefield since 1858, burned down in a fast-moving fire. With nine fire departments battling the blaze, the heroic fire-fighters were able to save the new Theatre building (built in 2002) from being lost as well.
 In the hours and days following, word spread quickly by phone, e-mail, and Facebook postings. The current Weathervane staff, alumni, Board of Directors, volunteers, and long-time theatre supporters were all deeply saddened at the loss of a place that held so many dear memories. But something wonderful happened, too. People began to look through their old photographs and post them for others to see. A string of "Do you remember when..." began to make the rounds among Weathervaners past and present. Jacues Stewart, Taryn Herman, and Joanne Jacarusso threw a Barn Bat party at the Inn- a wake of sorts- to celebrate the many joyous, funny, ridiculous, and inspiring moments that took place in the old building and to acknowledge its passing. People came together, in body and spirit and we were reminded that the Weathervane is not a building but the people who put their talents and passions and hearts into sharing the art of theatre.
Read more in our Online Newsletter |
|
|
2 Best 2008 NHTA Awards to Rent! |
|
|
|
|
Written by Gibbs Murray
|
NOTE: NHTA: New Hampshire Theatre Awards in Manchester NH @ Palace Theatre 2/6/2009 gave awards in plays/musicals to professionally designated theatres and community theatres; nominations were selected from all (professional) theatres : each of whom had to select 2 productions-- pre-production, to be be reviewed. Weathervane selected (in June 2008) VIOLET and RENT. Both productions went into rehearsal in August 2008.
Managing Director Lyn Winter attended/presented awards the at Palace Theatre Friday night, and endured every amateur NH theatre group reprising their 'finest' moments. Let me first say that I'm delighted that Lyn's presence was shared by Kit Carter, WV Board att'y and the Carter family, John and Jean Wissler, WV Board members,patrons. It is significant that the judges of the NHTA commission(?) identified and awarded Weathervane Theatre's RENT the Best Musical production in New Hampshire in 2008 and Jacques Stewart as the Best Director (RENT). As a measure of Weathervane's artistry, one only need to have seen Kevin Smith Kirkwood's (award-winning) performance as Angel in that production.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Richard Portner Resigns 40-Year Tenure at the Weathervane Theatre |
|
|
|
|
Written by Gibbs Murray
|
 In 1968, Tom Haas, founding father and artistic director of the Weathervane Theatre, introduced me to a young couple from Minnesota who were teaching assistants at Emerson College in Boston where Tom was a professor in the Theatre department. Tom felt strongly that Richard and Terry Portner would be the perfect compliment to our fledgling summer theatre (ad) venture. Both had strong theatre backgrounds and had done The Pajama Game on a USO tour in Germany; Terry played Babe and Richard was Heinzie—and production coordinator for the tour. Both had served in similar capacities at Deertrees, Emerson's summer theatre in Maine.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Mary Jane Chase Receives First Drummer Boy Award |
|
|
|
|
Written by Rhonda Picou
|
Longtime Weathervane board member and Best Friend of the WVAA, Mary Jane Chase, was the recipient of the very first Drummer Boy Award this summer. In an informal ceremony following the Alumni Show, Gibbs Murray and Jacques Stewart presented MJ with the award, in honor of her many years of dedicated service to the theatre.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Alumni Weekend Returns to Whitefield |
|
|
|
|
Written by Amanda Brewster
|
|
8th Annual Alumni Show a Success
Taking in the antics on the Weathervane stage from the vantage point of the downstage right "wings" has been an off and on habit of mine since 1990. Original barn to new barn for ten seasons, I have watched my summer family transform into characters of all sorts. Every Alumni Weekend I have attended, I find myself, at some point during the show, in the downstage right wing, watching a different cross section of those summer families perform, and marveling at what I see and hear.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 Next > End >>
|
|
Page 1 of 2 |
