History

Heartwood Regional Theater Company (HRTC) was founded in September 2003 with the primary purpose of promoting the theater arts experience in the lives of children and adults of Midcoast Maine.  To achieve this vision, Heartwood has focused on youth and adult theater education, an annual performance schedule open to the public, and collaboration with professionals, students, adults, community members, community groups, and educational institutions. The creation of full theater arts/education facilities, with music, theater, rehearsal, technical, performance, and classroom space is the far reaching vision of this organization.

Over its history, Heartwood has engaged roughly thousands of audience members, volunteer and professional performers, musicians, and technical artists, and has built a strong reputation as an important artistic force in midcoast Maine.

Performances

Heartwood provides audiences with a full range of exciting and challenging productions encompassing many performance genres. Some of our past productions incllude: 

  • Molly Sweeney
  • Les Miserables
  • Susannah - the first presentation of an opera in the Midcoast region in recent memory
  • Antigone
  • Blood Wedding
  • Man of LaMancha
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Christmas Carol
  • All My Sons
  • The Unvarnished Truth
  • Spoon River Anthology - an on-site performance with over 50 participants
  • Thom Pain (based on nothing)
  • The Snow Maiden - an original production created by Heartwood
  • Copenhagen
  • Grand Design - world premier of an original work
  • Sweeney Todd
  • Into the Woods
  • The Crucible
  • Gilgamesh - world premier of an original work
  • Godspell
  • Thoroughly Modern Millie
  • The Glass Menagerie
  • Romeo and Juliet
  • Das Barbecü - summer touring production
  • Once On This Island
  • Enemy of the People
  • A Little Night Music

 

Heartwood also offers “Literature on Stage,” a staged reading series presented in conjunction with Skidompha Library, in Damariscotta.  The series featured:

  • Eleemosynary by Lee Blessing
  • The Sunset Limited by Cormac McCarthy
  • The Cure at Troy, by Seamus Heaney

 

Education

Theater arts education for children and adults remains a central component of HRTC programs.  Through Heartwood programs and performances, students and adults have opportunities to learn technical theater, voice, movement, dance, character, ensemble, and other fundamentals from professional artists across the state.

The summer camp program continues as an integral part of Heartwood’s educational offerings.  Participation in this camp has increased every year, attracting theater students from all over Midcoast Maine, as well as many out-of-state visiting students.  As part of this program, Heartwood brings in nearly a dozen visiting artists to create two, three, and four week experiences, with sessions in Shakespeare, stage combat, improvisation, acting, vocal performance, dance/movement, performance etiquette, physical comedy, storytelling, and more. Camp sessions include programs for young students, beginning intensive students, older intensives, and adults.

Artists and instructors who have collaborated with Heartwood to provide theater arts education include Mark Bedell, John and Carol Farrell, Lee Faulkner, Laura Graham, Mandy Houtari, Debi Irons, Alison Machaiek, Karen Montanaro, Antonio Rocha, Shamou, Steve Urkowitz, Dixie Weisman, and many others.

Collaboration

Heartwood began collaborating with professionals, students, adults, community members, community groups, and educational institutions in 2004, as a way to gather resources, and discovered the power of theatrical unity through these profound experiences.  The unexpected outcome has been an emphasis on relationships that has resulted in transformational growth.  Collaboration has become the essence of the Heartwood experience for artists, instructors, musicians, students, and audience members alike.

Some relationships formed over the years include:

  • Lincoln Academy in Newcastle
  • Skidompha Library in Damariscotta
  • Flamenco guitarist Juanito Pasqual
  • Wiscasset Schools in Wiscasset
  • Bates College Dance instructor Sarah McCormick
  • Puppeteers John and Carol Farrell of Figures of Speech
  • Waldo Theater in Waldoboro
  • Music group Castlebay
  • New York actor/writer Pierre-Marc Diennet
  • Lincoln County Community Theater in Damariscotta
  • Mime/dance performer and instructor Karen Montanaro
  • Chocolate Church Arts Center in Bath
  • Percussionist Shamou
  • Movement/dance performer and instructor Debi Irons
  • Fight choreographer Mark Bedell


Financial support for Heartwood comes from foundations, donors and sponsors throughout Maine.  Heartwood has received grants from the Maine Community Foundation, Libra Foundation, Davis Family Foundation, Maine Arts Commission, and others. In addition, companies like Dead River Company, Chesterfield Associates of Westport Island, CHR Realty Brokers Suzanne Weiss and Nancy Carleton of Bath, Damariscotta Hardware, Newcastle Publick House, Savings Bank of Maine, The First, and many others have sponsored programs, productions and educational initiatives throughout Heartwood's history.

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