Own a piece of theatre history

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Center Theatre is pleased to announce the auction of several one-of-a-kind pieces of Center Theatre history in conjunction with its annual fundraiser.

    “When the new digital projector was installed earlier this year, the old 35 mm projector was removed and dismantled into various pieces,” says Executive Director Angela Bonacasa. “Center Theatre Board Member Mike Kagan has been participating in the ECHO Lake artist collaborative in Pennsylvania for over six years, where found objects are turned into decorative or functional works of art and auctioned to benefit various organizations. Mike has wanted to start something similar in Piscataquis County, and after seeing the pieces of the 35 mm projector, realized that they could be transformed into works of art that could be sold to support the theatre.”  
    After working with Bonacasa and Chairman of the Board Tim Magee, Kagan sent out invitations to various artists of different media, furniture makers and others with a creative spirit. A core group formed and gradually added members, eventually consisting of Kagan (wood turner), Toby Hall (wood turner and farmer), Alan Bray (renowned artist), Rollin Thurlow (wooden canoe and boat builder), John Wentworth (furniture maker), Ben Cabot (wood turner and lawyer) and Park Pino (artist and cause advocate). The East Sangerville Grange served as ground central for the efforts.
    “Collaboration is all about exchanging ideas freely and allowing others to enhance your idea,” says Kagan. “The goal is to have the output be more than any one of the individuals could ever imagine creating.  When the ideas begin to come out and then each person feeds off of one idea and enhances it, the fun really begins.”
    The result of this collaboration has so far resulted in two tables, both of which will be auctioned only at the Center Theatre Mystery Fundraiser on Sep. 13. The tables are constructed from projector parts as well as locally harvested cherry and maple. The tables feature the projector’s large, blown glass lamps in the beautifully turned pedestals, and the 35 mm reels with northern white cedar for the tops, among other unique features.
    Tickets to the Center Theatre Fundraiser are available by calling the Center Theatre Box Office at 564-8943. The fundraiser will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13. For more information about the fundraiser or other events, please call the Box Office at 564-8943 or go to the Center Theatre website at www.centertheatre.org. The Center Theatre is a non-profit performing arts center dedicated to making the arts a part of life in the Maine Highlands.