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Liz McMahon, 39Director
Lucid Stage
“Creative, warm, bright, enthusiastic, and committed,†in the words of her Forty under 40 nominator, Liz McMahon of Portland is co-founder of Lucid Stage on Baxter Boulevard.
Lucid, which opened in October 2010, is a multi-use, nonprofit performance, rehearsal, educational and gallery space for many local arts organizations, including theaterin- residence Mad Horse. As Lucid’s director, McMahon is indeed “a mainstay of Portland’s creative community,†says Ellen Murphy, who has known McMahon for several years.
“Liz and Adam Gutsgell founded Lucid to be an accessible and affordable arts venue, and it’s proven very successful – without any public funding, which is unusual for arts centers,†Murphy commented.
McMahon grew up in the Boston area and attended Simmons and Emerson colleges, graduating with a degree in literature. She moved to Maine in 2000 on a friend’s recommendation, and found that she loved Portland, with its dynamic arts and cultural activities, just as the friend had predicted. A favorite spot for McMahon and Ruby, a dachshund mix who is Lucid’s official theater dog, is the city’s East End Beach.
As always, McMahon is planning new ventures. One goal is to help build a single collaborative performing arts group for Maine – centralized in a Web site, convening at social events as well as performances, and sharing resources.
For Lucid, she says, “My longterm vision is just to continue with our mission of being inclusive, bringing people in and connecting them creatively. I also want to expand into more programs that involve arts education, and add dedicated dance studio. Portland needs a space for dancers to rehearse and perform. “ Speaking of which, McMahon is a performer, too, with The Blue Lobster Troupe, a “true community chorus; anybody is welcome to join,†and acting with improv ensemble Defenders of the Funny. She cofounded both groups.
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