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BRUNSWICK

The Midcoast Youth Theater has been around since 2004, but patrons have never seen its productions in its own theater. That’s because the space the troupe rented — in the old Methodist Church at 4 Pleasant St., with the hope of turning it into a theater space — needed more work than they realized.

Until the renovations are complete, the company can practice there but can’t open the space to the public.

So, on Friday, the theater is kicking off a fundraising effort, called “Save our Stage.” They’ll be at the Skolfield-Carney Gallery at 157 Park Row during the Friday Art Walk.

IN THE PHOTOS ABOVE, THE MIDCOAST YOUTH THEATER troupe performs Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes,” left, and Frank Loesser’s “Guys and Dolls,” right, in 2012. On Friday, the theater is kicking off a fundraising effort called “Save our Stage” at the Skolfield-Carney Gallery, 157 Park Row, Brunswick.
IN THE PHOTOS ABOVE, THE MIDCOAST YOUTH THEATER troupe performs Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes,” left, and Frank Loesser’s “Guys and Dolls,” right, in 2012. On Friday, the theater is kicking off a fundraising effort called “Save our Stage” at the Skolfield-Carney Gallery, 157 Park Row, Brunswick.
The Midcoast Youth Theater does three shows in the summer — one with elementary school students, one with middle school students, and one with high school students — and then two family shows in the spring and fall.

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One of their largest expenses, according to Music Director Courtney

Babbidge, is theater rental space for the productions.

The troupe mostly does musicals, and from time to time, the cast can be huge.

“When we did the Wiz last spring as a family show, the entire cast consisted of 90 people,” Babbidge said. Most of those are young people.

Most of the players pay a troupe fee to be a member of the company, though no one is turned away if they can’t pay; and ticket prices round out the rest of MYT’s budget.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. The budget pays for professionals, costumes, sets, licensing, and rehearsal and performance space.

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“We’re a nonprofit, so anything left over goes back into programming,” Babbidge said. “But we’re spending a huge portion of our budget on a performance venue. That means we can’t take those funds and make the changes we’d need to make to turn the church into a performance site.”

If the church could be turned into a performance venue, there would be about 100 seats, and the company would save half its space budget.

In the meantime, the company is in rehearsal for “The King and I,” which will be staged at the Crooker Theater at Brunswick High School on December 5, 6, 7, and 8.

To help with the effort, stop by the fundraising event tonight, or visit the website at www.youth-theater.org.


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