About Us
Mission & Vision Statement
The mission of the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket is to entertain, enrich, educate, challenge and to inspire performing artists and audiences of all ages.
The Theatre Workshop is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of Nantucket. Working with members of the community and visiting artists, we will continue to produce a variety of theatrical works, educational programs, and volunteer opportunities.
We will pursue this vision by forging collaborations with other cultural organizations, raising funds to establish a permanent home, and continuing to uphold the highest artistic standards in our productions.
History
In the mid-1950s on Nantucket, an isolated winter community with no television reception and rather infrequent movies, theatre was a natural for home grown entertainment. The informal Nantucket Players gave rise to the formal incorporation of the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket. Joseph M. (Mac) Dixon was named artistic director of the new organization and held that post for 25 years until his retirement in 1981. Since that first curtain went up on Heaven Can Wait at the Straight Wharf Theatre in 1956, Nantucket community theatre has endured.
Androcle's Lion 1962
TWN flourished for years simply as an off-season undertaking, but in 1968, Theatre Workshop ceased its practice of turning the Straight Wharf Theatre over to off-island companies for the summer and undertook its own seasonal productions. While for the most part culturally successful, the summer routine experienced financial fluctuations and ended abruptly in April 1975, when the old theatre on the wharf was destroyed by fire.
Reverting to off-season productions, TWN negotiated with the First Congregational Church for the occasional use of Bennett Hall, then a gymnasium, at 62 Centre Street. In 1980 Theatre Workshop, in cooperation with the church, rebuilt Bennett Hall, installing permanent seats, a lighting booth, rest rooms, and a lobby. Summer operations were restored in 1983, supplementing the off-season productions. And workshop opportunities were made available to the year-round population in the less frenetic winter months. In 2000, with the year-round population of the island nearing 10,000 the First Congregational Church reviewed it's needs for communal space and notified us that Theatre Workshop's access to Bennett Hall would be terminated at some point in the future. The search began for a permanent home. The 2004 closing of Actors Theatre of Nantucket afforded TWN the opportunity to move into the pair of performance spaces at the Nantucket United Methodist Church. After 20 years there, Actor's Theatre of Nantucket's Artistic Director, Richard Cary retired and Associate Artistic Director, Jane Karakula, became TWN's year round Artistic Director. After four very successful winters on the upstairs stage, the needs of the church once again determined TWN's fate and winter performances were no longer possible. TWN is grateful to the United Methodist Church for their continued lease of the basement at 2 Centre St. for the summer months. However the critical need for a permanent, year round performance and rehearsal space is a top priority. Community theatre is an asset to everyone on the island, bringing business to the downtown, entertainment to the community and an artistic outlet to anyone wishing to get involved!
There are many reasons why community theatre is costly. In addition to renting performance spaces from the Nantucket United Methodist Church and the Congregational Church, TWN must rent space for storage and rehearsal. In today's climate, organizations with the scope of TWN require paid staff and technical expertise. Royalty, accounting, insurance, and legal expenses are higher than ever, and Nantucket's island situation elevates production costs that are expensive even for mainland theatres, such as set construction, equipment purchases and rentals, and even electricity. Our revenue stream is derived from box-office receipts, playbill advertising, grants, fund raising events and an annual appeal to the community. We also pursue underwriters for specific productions in an attempt to fully cover operating expenses. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a part of our family of supporters, actors or volunteers, please contact us at 508-228-9001 or e-mail us: productionMGR.TWN@gmail.com.