Pontine Theatre Receives $4,000 Grant

Thanks to a $4,000 grant from the Lincoln Financial Foundation, Pontine Theatre is presenting a new touring program, "Isles of Shoals: Eternal Sound of the Sea" at assisted living communities, senior centers and nursing facilities throughout New Hampshire. The Isles of Shoals, an archipelago of nine rocky isles located six miles off the New Hampshire and Maine coast, were announced to the Western world in 1614 by Capt. John Smith, of Pocahontas fame. Over the years since they have served as a base for fishermen working the bountiful waters of the Gulf of Maine, a haven for the occasional pirate, and a summer retreat for artists and the well-to-do.

Pontine's program includes a selection of scenes from the company's original stage production and features the writings of two prominent New England authors, Celia Thaxter and Nathaniel Hawthore, who, in various works, explore the rich history and folklore of the islands. Through storytelling, tabletop toy theatre, projected video and shadow play, Pontine brings the legend and lore of the Shoals to life onstage.

Pontine's program will serve the needs of seniors who are unable to travel to enjoy cultural events. The company will bring the program to eighteen New Hampshire facilities in May and June 2014:

• The Arbors Senior Care, Bedford NH
• The Boulders at Riverwood, Exeter NH
• Birch Hill Terrace Retirement Community, Manchester NH
• Emeritus Sprucewood Retirement Home, Durham NH
• Havenwood Heritage Heights Community, Concord NH
• Harvest Hill Retirement Community, Lebanon NH
• The Hunt Community, Nashua NH
• The Huntington Senior Living Community, Nashua NH
• Kendal of Hanover, Hanover NH
• Langdon Place, Dover NH
• Partridge House Assisted Living, Hampton NH
• Rivermead Retirement Community, Peterborough NH
• Riverside Rest Home, Dover NH
• Rockingham County Nursing Home, Brentwood NH
• Summerhill Assisted Living , Peterborough NH
• Suncook Senior Center, Suncook NH
• Wentworth Home Assisted Retirement Living, Dover NH
• Woodcrest Village Assisted Living, New London NH

Seniors are a growing, but often neglected segment of our population. While many seniors are still active participants in their communities, others have been restricted by the need to enter assisted care facilities. These seniors face not only physical and cognitive challenges; they also often battle depression and a sense of isolation from the larger community. Arts programs, such as Pontine's, help to keep seniors connected with the larger community and with their own cultural heritage.

Activity directors at these facilities see enormous value in bringing arts programs to their residents. However, the cost of live performance is prohibitive to most retirement and nursing homes. Funding from the Lincoln Financial Foundation will allow Pontine to substantially subsidize its costs, making the program accessible to senior audiences throughout the state.