Herman’s wife, Rachael Yoder, will also be joining to direct the school’s spring theater production and take over as the school’s Interact Club advisor.
Prior to coming to Kennebunk, Herman and Yoder spent eight years in New York City growing their non-profit theater company, The Outer Loop Theater Experience, while teaching at various academic institutions.
“The Outer Loop Theater Experience is all about developing and encouraging young and new talent,” Herman said. “We started the company about eight years ago, and the work’s grown since then.”
The couple, just married, expanded their mission recently by heading to Tanzania and setting up a labor clinic in a remote village.
“It all came from a play I created with a group of artists there,” Herman said. “We were trying to connect the arts to a larger world frame.”
The hiring of Herman comes as a newly constructed theater at the high school nears competition. Herman will be overseeing operations at the theater, as well as at the Economos Auditorium, the old high school theater, which is being renovated to become a piece of the larger performing arts center.
“It will be used for businesses that want to do presentations, TED talks, conferences, basically a place for anyone or any group who wants to do a conference type event,” Herman said of the Economos Auditorium.
The new theater will act as a performing arts center for Kennebunk, Arundel and Kennebunkport communities, and Herman said given the facilities greatly expanded use a theater manager was direly needed.
He noted that this is an exciting time for the arts for RSU 21.
“We’re now talking about a proper theater that puts on not just plays and musicals, but brings in dance groups, opera groups, international performance groups, all types of artists.”
RSU 21 Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Kathryn Hawes, agreed that great days are ahead for drama at RSU 21 schools.
“We’re really very lucky to have Michael and Rachael join us at this pivotal moment,” Hawes said. “Their unique combination of energy, experience and vision will foster continued growth and expansion of the arts in our schools and community.”
Herman won’t be teaching classes this year, but over the next couple of months he and Yoder will be pitching ideas to faculty as to what the drama curriculum should look like.
Herman will be directing the Kennebunk High School’s fall production, Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” as well as provide support for Kennebunk’s well known MaineStage Shakespeare performances from the theater company that performs in Lafayette Park.
“The Crucible” opens at Kennebunk High School on Nov. 16 and runs through Nov. 19.
— Staff Writer Ryder Schumacher can be reached at 282-1535, or via email at rschumacher@journaltribune.com.
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