The Park Theatre Frequently Asked Questions
Why are we doing this?
The 88 year-old building that is The Park Theatre is part of the Monadnock Region's cultural history. (Although dark for thirty years, it is older than The Peterborough Players, the Wilton Town Hall Theatre and the Peterborough Community Theater. It is the home of genuine decoration from the 1920s Art Deco period of American architecture with near perfect acoustics and four 9' x 17' WPA murals depicting Mount Monadnock done by one of New Hampshire's foremost muralists.)
Theaters give identity and excitement to communities. They provide social and cultural benefit to the regions where they operate. Theaters are cohesive. They ducate and elevate their patrons, their sponsors and their participants.
What does the Theatre do?
The Park Theatre will show movies and present live performances, such as plays and conderts, in a 400-seat, acoustically superb, state-of-the-art theatre.
(There will be lots of movies - old, new, special, festival and affordable - and performances of professional touring companies and some plays of Actors' Circle Theatre, Branch River Theatre, Small Pond Productions, Project Shakespeare, Franklin Pierce University; some of the concerts of Peterborough Children's Choir, Peterborough Chamber Choir, Monadnock Music, Monadnock Chorus, Rousseau's Music, the New England Mandolin Ensemble, The Sinfonietta and Raylynmor Opera; some of the recitals of Monadnock Performing Arts Academy, Mary Jane Wolbers Dance and any other artistic performing group in the Region the needs an acoustically perfect, state-of-the-art spot.)
Who does the Theatre serve?
The Park Theatre serves the 100,000 residents of and 50,000 visitors to the Monadnock Region, including the five cooperative school districts in it and the region's own artistic community.
(The Theatre will also provide performance sites and enrichment programs for public schools in SAUs #1, #29, #38, #63 and #47, Franklin Pierce University and other private schools at all levels throughout the Monadnock Region, along with space for community meetings, business events, SAU Deliberative Sessions, Town Meetings, private gatherings and social activities.)
When will the Theatre open?
The goal to begin constuction that will open the Theatre doors is 2010. Additional construction will continue for several years thereafter to realize the full restoration.
The Theatre is fortunate to have a wonderful, supportive community that has made the reconstruction and re-opening possible. We are just about ready to start restoration.
