For registration information, contact The Grand at (207) 667-9500.

The Grand is celebrating 75 years as downtown Ellsworth’s performing arts theatre in 2013, and we have a challenge.  Yep, a money challenge.

We have been given a challenge to raise $30,000 by April 1st.  These funds are to help us celebrate GRAND WEEK in July – an eight-day event of non-stop GRANDness that features live comedy, film, children’s theatre, family entertainment, and more. On July 14th, the week culminates with a reception, live music, and a showing of HOLIDAY – the classic 1938 film starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn that was shown on the very night The Grand first opened its doors!

Contact Zoe Scott to donate to our 75-year campaign … zscott@grandonline.org or (207) 667-5911.

Thank you for thinking Grand …

• Create jobs. The Grand serves all of Hancock County (and beyond) and supports almost 50 full-time equivalent jobs in the region (our patrons support locally owned businesses, which helps them keep people employed).  Combined with other cultural institutions in the region, that number increases to nearly 100 full-time equivalent jobs throughout the county.
• Deliver a strong return on investment, generating almost $100,000 in local and state government revenues.
• Draw vital tourism into the region. What makes this region so appealing for visitors and new residents? it’s because of the unlimited opportunities to experience art, heritage and culture, all in a setting of rare natural beauty.
• Provide highly valued services for local residents. Nonprofit arts organizations in Downeast Maine with a primary mission in the arts show per capita revenues over 1.5 times the national average.
• Leverage additional event related spending by their audiences who contribute vital revenue into restaurants, hotels, retail, and other local businesses. According to the Arts Economic Prosperity Calculator, the typical attendee spends an additional $29.79 per person, per event, to support local businesses beyond the cost of admission.
• Attract new business. International studies show that the communities offering an abundance of arts and culture opportunities are the most sought after for global businesses, new start-ups and the brightest professionals.

Investing in the arts is an investment in the cultural, social and economic good of the place.

Funded in part for its first year by the Quimby Family Foundation, the Downeast Kids Chorus is part of The Grand’s educational programs for regional youth. Choristers will experience the pure joy of singing with their friends and peers with music ranging from traditional folk songs to pop tunes to holiday fare.

“One of the greatest joys in life is belting out a great song with a bunch of your friends,” said director Paul Sullivan, who has been a teacher for youth choruses in Brooklin and Blue Hill, Maine. “The children will learn through experience about singing, musicianship, and performance. By rising to high standards of focused, disciplined work, they will develop confidence in themselves and a sense of teamwork with others. The overall point of the work is to have fun, but we believe that the best fun comes from dedication in achieving big goals,” he said.

The fall 2012 session of Downeast Kids Chorus will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm for eight weeks, beginning Thursday, October 18th. All rehearsals will be on The Grand stage (unless otherwise indicated) and include a 15-minute break for refreshments. There will be no rehearsal on Thanksviging, Thursday, November 22. Parents are welcome at all rehearsals.

The first session will culminate in a performance with Noel Paul Stookey at The Grand on Sunday, December 2nd.

Tuition for the eight-week session is $150 per student. There will be another 8-week spring session of Downeast Kids Chorus beginning in April of 2013.

For registration and information, interested youth and parents can contact The Grand at (207) 667-9500 or email Kristie Billings, Arts Education Coordinator, at: kbillings@grandonline.org.

As you know, in 2010, The Grand restored the glass tower, with the red and black vitrolite glass from the 1930s. The original stainless detail was preserved, polished and replaced – and it’s hard now to remember the black painted plywood that was there in 2009.

The colors of the current Marquee are a dull red and cream … but these are not the original colors. In the art-deco era, color was vibrant and it turns out, after chipping of portions and scanning the layers down to the original metal, that the colors on the Marquee were: A deep teal blue on the panel below the letters, and an aqua blue as highlight & trim – with lovely detail outlined in red neon. Wow.

So – how can the Grand afford to do this? Historic preservation attracts grant funding from organizations who support restoration projects. These include the Belvedere Fund at the Maine Community Foundation, the City of Ellsworth’s façade restoration fund, and the Stephen and Tabitha King foundation’s competitive grant award for preservation. Other funds were raised through special events at The Grand, the 2009 & 2010 fashion show luncheon produced by Jane Bradley and Paula Kee, and the 2011 and 2012 Runway Grand shows featuring Maine designers. Yes, the budget for both phases of The Grand’s tower and marquee restoration are significant – but no money from operations – from annual nor membership donations – were used to fund this important historic preservation that benefits all of Ellsworth. It is part of The Grand’s mission to act as stewards of this marvelous historic asset in our community – and we take our role in this matter as seriously as our mission to provide quality performing arts programs for all residents and visitors in the region.

As with the restoration of the tower, the marquee project will be overseen by Ken Shea of E.L. Shea here in Ellsworth. Bids were sent out to sign companies specializing in historic marquees, and Barlo Signs of New Hampshire will be performing the upgrades. The City of Ellsworth is on board for the various stages of work that will occur between July 1 and August 31 of this year regarding sporadic loss of parking and scaffolding on the sidewalk. The Code Enforcement Officer has acknowledged that all city lighting ordinances will be met.

An exciting new development for the marquee will be the addition of electronic reader boards … and as much as we all enjoy the quaintness of seeing Padraic on the ladder changing the letters every three days, the electronic reader boards will allow us to offer another marketing opportunity for our local business partners – we can include business names and logos that will rotate with the event announcement. Plus, it keeps Padraic off the ladder(!).

We are most grateful for the community’s support of The Grand as we continue to provide opportunities for participation, education and appreciation of the performing arts. The Grand is Ellsworth’s cultural asset – and we count on everyone in the community to keep the lights (and heat!) on at The Grand … by your donation, your membership, and your presence at the theatre for films, for kids shows, for live theatre, for the opera … Bring a friend, share the experience.