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Community Little Theatre is proud to announce that we have received a grant from the Maine Arts Commission in support of our original production, A NEW HOME. This funding will play a vital role in advancing our commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Specifically, it will support the cost of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation for two performances: the Sunday, November 2nd matinee at 3:00 p.m. and the Saturday, November 8th evening performance at 7:30 p.m.. We are especially grateful for this opportunity to ensure that members of the Deaf and hard of hearing community can fully experience and engage with this production, which seeks to honor and reflect the diverse voices of our community.
To find out more about the Maine Arts Commission, please visit them here https://mainearts.maine.gov/ .
Curtain Call Choreography is a musical theater dance workshop series held at the Lewiston/Auburn Community Little Theatre in Auburn, Maine. Each month, CLT will bring in a guest choreographer to focus on a specific style of dance through the lens of musical theater.
This month's theme was called "You've Got Rhythm!"! The class focused on basic tap technique and short combinations, followed by a longer piece of choreography to "I've Got Rhythm" from CRAZY FOR YOU.
Our guest instructor for this session of Curtain Call Choreography was Kate Whalen! Kate has been teaching Tap at Collective Motion Arts Center and Casco Bay Movers. In addition to teaching, Kate has always been very active in theatre beginning with her first show in 1985. She has performed on stage in countless shows and has enjoyed being a director and choreographer, most proudly taking on both of those roles for Lyric Theatre Company’s Mary Poppins in Vermont. In Maine, she has choreographed and directed shows with Lyric Music Theater and Portland Players. She has also performed with both groups as well as with
Schoolhouse Arts Center and City Theater. Kate was thrilled to share her love of dance, especially the joy of Tap, with Community Little Theatre!
Thank you, Kate Whalen, and all of the participants in our "You've Got Rhythm" for making this a truly enjoyable and educational event!
Lewiston / Auburn Community Little Theatre is humbled and honored to share that CLT is going to be the proud recipient of a $30,000 grant from The Isabella J. Gendron Foundation, specifically to support Paul Caron’s 86th Season Opener of “A NEW HOME” later this year.
Isabella was a member of CLT, having appeared as an Orphan in OLIVER! back in our 2014/15 season. She was lost to her family and communities, much too soon in 2024. In her memory, her father John and his wife Sara, have created the Isabella J. Gendron Foundation to continue to reflect her spirit and values through acts of community outreach.
Paul Caron’s show, “A NEW HOME”, is indeed a celebration of our local community and our shared histories. “A NEW HOME” honors the rich history and vibrant spirit of our community, celebrating the stories of its people—from our indigenous ancestors to our New Mainer neighbors. This grant will cover the production expenses for “A NEW HOME”, enabling the team to tell these important stories with the production value they deserve, and allowing CLT to raise more funding through ticket sales to continue to serve our mission.
John and Sara, thank you can never be enough, but thank you. To you and to The Isabella J. Gendron Foundation for granting us this opportunity to honor Isabella’s memory through “A NEW HOME”: a heartfelt celebration of resilience, connection, and hope for the future of Lewiston, its citizens and its neighbors. We hope to do Isabella proud.
