WALK AMONG THE SHADOWS, HANSEL AND GRETEL & More Set for Acorn Production's 2013-14 Season

Acorn Productions is pleased to announce that they have hired two new staff members for the coming season, and expanded the job descriptions of two current staff members as part of a staff reorganization that better allows the company to operate its educational programs and production season. The new staff structure will better provide the support necessary to produce Acorn's season, comprised of three children's theater presentations by the Fairy Tale Players, the company's annual Jewish-themed holiday show, the 13th edition of the Maine Playwrights Festival, and more ongoing free performances by Naked Shakespeare. Additionally, the Acorn Acting Academy will offer four semesters of classes and summer camps as well as the second year of our Acorn Shakespeare Conservatory. Acorn has also just begun a new partnership with the Westbrook Community Center that involves afterschool educational theatre classes and performances through the 21st Century Grant program. For more information, contact Acorn Productions at 854-0065 or visit www.acorn-productions.org.

In light of changing economic conditions, Acorn Productions' board and staff have spent the past season reviewing the company's profile and analyzing programs in order to ensure it remains financially viable while continuing to meet the needs of the Greater Portland community. One of the more significant resulting from this process is that beginning this fall, founder Michael Levine will no longer be serving as Acorn's Producing Director, but will instead move into a role as a member of the Acorn Board of Directors. Acorn has hired local director Whitney Smith as a part-time Managing Director to continue to oversee and market Acorn's programs, as well as the company's studio space in Westbrook. After nine years of running the Westbrook Middle School drama program, long-time Acorn member Keith Anctil will be Acorn's Director of Children's Programming. Karen Ball, the Assistant Director of Training, becomes the co-director of Naked Shakespeare along with veteran company member Michael Howard. Additionally, Acorn plans to hire a guest Artistic Director for the Maine Playwrights Festival. Separating the organization's administrative and artistic staff will enable Acorn to better serve the needs of the company's variety of programs by enhancing the focus on each individual component of its work.

Acorn Productions' mission is to invigorate the community of performing artists in Southern Maine. Acorn seeks to nurture new performance pieces, develop artist collaboratives, train new talent, and make the arts accessible to a wide spectrum of the general public. Acorn accomplishes these goals by mounting annual festivals that are open to a variety of artists as well as professional performances by local actors in both traditional and non-traditional venues. Acorn also offers educational programs, including acting classes and workshops, and offers fiscal sponsorships to grassroots organizations or individual artists seeking to become more active members of the performing arts community.

ACORN PRODUCTIONS 2013/14 SEASON

WALK AMONG The Shadows (co-production with Spirits Alive!) - October 24 to 31
THE THREE PIGGS - November 9 to 24
THE DYBBUKS OF PARK SLOPE (Working Title for an original play) - December 5 to 29
ALADDIN AND THE MAGIC LAMP - March 15 to 30
MAINE PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL (St. Lawrence Arts Center) - April 21 to May 4
HANSEL AND GRETEL - May 3 to 18

FALL 2013 LINEUP OF CHILDREN'S CLASSES

FREE ACTING WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS (Monday, September 16 from 6:30 to 9pm)
FREE ACTING WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDREN (Tuesday, September 17 and Thursday, September 19 from 4 to 5pm)
ACTING CLASSES AND PRODUCTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS (begins the week of September 30)
ACORN SHAKESPEARE CONSERVATORY AND YOUNG ACTORS SHAKESEPARE CONSERVATORY (begins the week of September 30)

Call 207-854-0065 or visit our website (www.acorn-productions.org) for details, pricing and to register.

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