WESTBROOK — Managing a theater that’s also part of a school requires balance and creativity.
Jamie Grant, general manager of the 1,000-seat Westbrook Performing Arts Center, must make the auditorium available for school productions and municipal functions, but his job description also requires that he make the auditorium available to outside groups.
That’s harder all the time, as more individuals and arts presenters inquire about rentals. “My job is to make both things work together,” said Grant, who boasts “the most technologically advanced theater in the state.”
It opened in April 2010 as part of the new Westbrook Middle School. About 30 dates each calendar year are reserved for school and municipal events, from concerts and plays to the mayoral inauguration.
Grant complements those events with rentals. His best client is Portland Ballet, which this season will present three performances in Westbrook. Portland Ovations, which hosts most of its shows at Merrill Auditorium, is going to Westbrook for two shows in its current season, including Compagnie Käfig on Feb. 11.
“This is our quiet time of year right now, but from March through the end of June every weekend is taken, with a handful of weekday dates here and there,” said Grant. “I think people are figuring out that we’re here and what we offer.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.