Past Exhibitions and Events | 2018

Evergreen Centerpiece Family Workshop at MAC Center for the Arts
Newport.  Thinking about decorating for the holidays? Wondering how to make new memories and Fun-lore to pass down to generations?  We have the perfect unique experience to satisfy both!  December 15th from 10:00-11:00 a.m., MAC Center for the Arts welcomes you to celebrate the holidays by creating a beautiful seasonal centerpiece made of local evergreens and festive materials.  This is an activity for family members, friends and neighbors, so come with a parent or uncle, child or best friend.

Instructor, Nancy Nash, will conduct the workshop in the MAC lower gallery. This annual event is usually a sell out, so early registration is suggested.  Workshop is limited to 25 participants and has a nominal fee of $5.00 per participant to cover supplies; ages 9-99yrs welcome.

After you have finished creating your masterpiece, take time to browse through our upstairs gallery and select from an astonishing array of extraordinary pieces of arts and crafts, music and books, jewelry and furniture; the distinctive collection is matchless and supports shopping local.

For more information, visit www.maccenterforthearts.com, call 802-334-1966,  stop by the MAC and pick up a registration form, or email pattyos@earthlink.net. MAC Center for the Arts, a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization and supports Vermont’s Creative Economy.

Evergreen Centerpiece Family Workshop at MAC Center for the Arts

Date: Saturday, December 15th
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Age Range: 9 – 99
Place: Downstairs Gallery at MAC Center for the Arts – 158 Main Street, Newport, VT
Cost: $5.00 per person (to cover supplies)

Workshop size limited to 25 participants.

For more information, visit www.maccenterforthearts.com or call the MAC at 802-334-1966,  stop by the MAC and pick up a registration form, or email Evergreen Centerpiece Family Workshop at MAC Center for the Arts
Newport.  Thinking about decorating for the holidays? Wondering how to make new memories and Fun-lore to pass down to generations?  We have the perfect unique experience to satisfy both!  December 15th from 10:00-11:00 a.m., MAC Center for the Arts welcomes you to celebrate the holidays by creating a beautiful seasonal centerpiece made of local evergreens and festive materials.  This is an activity for family members, friends and neighbors, so come with a parent or uncle, child or best friend.

Instructor, Nancy Nash, will conduct the workshop in the MAC lower gallery. This annual event is usually a sell out, so early registration is suggested.  Workshop is limited to 25 participants and has a nominal fee of $5.00 per participant to cover supplies; ages 9-99yrs welcome.

After you have finished creating your masterpiece, take time to browse through our upstairs gallery and select from an astonishing array of extraordinary pieces of arts and crafts, music and books, jewelry and furniture; the distinctive collection is matchless and supports shopping local.

For more information, visit www.maccenterforthearts.com, call 802-334-1966,  stop by the MAC and pick up a registration form, or email pattyos@earthlink.net. MAC Center for the Arts, a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization and supports Vermont’s Creative Economy.

Press Release

MAC CENTER FOR THE ARTS  presents SHOWFLAKES

Newport.   Friday, December 14, 7:30 pm, Memphremagog Arts Collaborative celebrates the holidays with an original and irreverent musical revue, SHOWFLAKES.  Scripted and directed by Lynn Leimer, who also emcees as the Snow Queen, MAC presents a cast of Frozen Eccentrics dealing with the conundrum of monikers that declare the Yuletide.  Whimsical Winter Wonderlanders include:  Doug Flint as; Elizabeth Cope as Katara; Deb Wesoja as Rivière Geléer;  Lisa Foster as Prissy Pringle; Brian McCrae as Father Frost; Judy Castonguay as Oya; Anita Morin as Talini; Sally Rivard as Suzy Snowflake; Micaela Ortiz as Princess Snow Drift; and Janice Luce as Crystal Ized tickling the ivories.

This off-center, off-beat Holiday Show is  exclusively performed as a fundraiser for MAC Center for the Arts with proceeds going to the continued ADA upgrades to the venue.  Songs you think you know and some you’ve never heard, dancing, chanting, and the jingling of bells will cascade musicality and frivolity in celebration of the Yuletide season. The beautiful exhibit – WINTER! on display through January 19, adds that extra ambiance to the thematic tale. Come early and browse through our eclectic selection of artistry and one of kind gifts.
And did we mention…it’s DESSERT THEATRE! MAC is fortunate to have support from member’s culinary acumen as well as corporate sponsors Keurig and Cabot Cheese to tantalize the palette.
This is a ticketed event and seating is limited. Please stop by our Gallery,  158 Main Street, Newport to purchase your tickets before you’re left out in the cold. For more information, visit our website at www.maccenterforthearts.com or call 802-334-1966.  If you cannot attend this MAC Fundraiser, but would like to contribute to the Handicap Accessibility Project, your donation is tax deductible.

Photos from Peter Pan

Newport City Encore After School Program and the MAC Center for the Arts joined together to offer a musical and theatrical afterschool program first session. It culminated on Thursday, November 1st, with a performance of several numbers from Peter Pan for afterschool attendees and parents. Integrating performing arts in afterschool programs for elementary students is a goal of both programs, and we were very pleased with the success! Thanks to Lynn Leimer and Allen Cubit for leading, and a wonderful group of determined and engaged Newport City Elementary students for kicking off the afterschool partnership!

PRESS RELEASE

11/13/2018 UPDATE- ATTENTION ***** ATTENTION ***** ATTENTION
Now that we have your attention…..The WINTER RECEPTION has been interrupted by WINTER!

The Reception is canceled for this Friday, November 16 due to impending winter snow storm warnings and postponed until Friday, November 23, 5-7 pm (BLACK FRIDAY). Please mark your calendars with this latest update from the NORTH POLE …..Thank you!

MAC Center for the Art announces the final Exhibit for 2018  –  WINTER!

 Newport. MAC Center for the Art presents the final exhibit for 2018 – WINTER!  The show opens November 16, with a reception from 5-7 pm in the lower gallery.  The exhibit is free and open to the public running through January 19, 2019. Gallery is open Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m-5 pm.

While the official start of the winter season isn’t until December 21, you can dive into the crispness and shimmering wistfulness of WINTER! in the warmth of the MAC lower gallery.  Tis’ the season to dream of snowflakes, hot chocolate, and the most wonderful time of the year.  The exclusive show, being curated by Victoria Mathiesen and Andrea Strobach, includes 2D MAC member artwork as well as departure from the norm in that the show will be exhibiting Winter themed work from private collections. Winter wonderland will be celebrated with photographs, paintings, prints, cards, and more adorning the downstairs gallery space. A special performance, SHOWFLAKES, will highlight the whimsey of the snowscapes on  December 14 and just like the weather, a flurry of anticipation is in the forecast for this original musical comedy revue.

MAC Center for the Art is located at 158 Main Street, Newport. For more information, visit the website, www.maccenterforthearts.com or call 802-334-1966.  MAC is a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing our community’s understanding, appreciation and support of the arts, cultural heritage and humanities.

PRESS RELEASE

MAC Center for the Arts Hosts Halloween Mask Making Workshop

Newport.  Join us at MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main Street, Newport and let your imagination run wild creating wild, scary, gorgeous, funny and all around wonderful

Halloween Masks.  Come have fun and create your own special disguise on Saturday October 20th from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. in our downstairs gallery.

Open to students ages 9 – 14 yrs. Workshop is limited to 15 participants. Pre-registration is recommended. $5.00 per participant to cover supplies.  For more information, visit www.maccenterforthearts.com or call 802-334-1966.

PRESS RELEASE

MAC Center for the Arts Fall Exhibition:  Newport! 

As part of the City’s Centennial year, MAC Center for the Arts will hallmark the fete with an exhibition entitled NEWPORT! And will open Friday, September 14, 5-7 pm, with a reception in the Lower Gallery.  This exhibit will feature work by MAC members, as well as, the Plein Air artists.  Donna Walsh has organized the paint outs for Plein Air throughout the summer in the greater Newport area and their creative interpretations will be highlighted in this exhibition.  In addition, some of the iconic images of vintage Newport will be on display to mark this historical 100-year anniversary. The exhibit will run through Saturday, October 27th. This is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.maccenterforthearts.com or call 802-334-1966.

July 29, 2018

Sunny Naughton, Lynn Leimer, Micaela Ortiz, Judy Castonguay from the MAC Center for the Arts at the

Derby Encore Summer Program with Rodeo Roundup Artist in Residency in July

PRESS RELEASE

MAC Center for the Arts 8th Annual ART IN BLOOM

Newport.  The Eighth Annual Art in Bloom will open on Friday, August 10 at MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main Street, Newport with a reception from 5-7 pm. The opening is a ticketed event benefiting the Four Seasons Garden Club and MAC Center for the Arts.  The annual fundraiser, where nature meets art, can also be viewed on Saturday and Sunday, August 11 and 12 and is free to the public. 

This year’s event includes a silent auction supported by Spates the Florist, Derby Village Inn and variety of exemplary artists from MAC including Dianne Laplante, Patty Oliver-Smith, Janice and Ben Luce, Manfred Rieder, Victoria Mathiesen and William Peck. Of note, William Peck’s distinctive walking sticks were recently featured on WCAX’s Made in Vermont.

A summertime favorite, Art in Bloom boasts over 20 floral arrangements that glean their inspiration from the extraordinary artwork currently on display in the MAC Gallery.  Interpretation and unique creativity provide this festival not only with a splendid array of visual delights, but a fete of fragrance. 

Come enjoy this sensory enchantment on both levels of the gallery with the Art in Bloom in the main gallery (August 10-12) and the summer exhibition – Wooden Horse Arts Guild’s 6th Annual Photo Fun Challenge Exhibit in the lower gallery (continuing thru September 8).

MAC Center for the Arts and Four Seasons Garden Club are non-profit 501 (c  ) 3.  For tickets or more information, please call 802 334 1966, visit the web – www.maccenterforthearts.com and/or www.fourseasonsgardenclub.org or purchase your tickets directly at MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main Street, Newport VT. 

Friday Night, July 13 MAC was the place to be during the Friday Night shuffle. Performing artists

Saige Green and Phoenix Malanga were singing in front of MAC. Donna Walsh, a MAC artist was

painting plein air accross the street. Nice weather, free watemelon from Newport Natural and quite a few strollers. Fun!

Photo credits Iso Marks & Donna Walsh

Press Release

MAC Center for the Arts announces ACT 1 WORKSHOP – YANKEE DOODLE DANDY
MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main Street, Newport, VT announces the second in a series of theatrical workshops in 2018 with the premiere Children’s Theatre Academy – ACT 1.  Reserve the date, August 4, from 12:30-4:30 for YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, tailored for ages 6-12 years old, and held in the lower gallery.

Yankee Doodle Dandy will explore the history of the song as it tells the 21st century folktale of why the feather stuck in Yankee Doodle’s hat and why it’s called “macaroni”. The original script with music under the direction of Sunny Naughton and Lynn Leimer, will have the young people hone their acting and singing skills; learn Americana choreography with Show Captain, Micaela Ortiz.  Finesse red, white and blue costuming and props with musicality and the culminating event will be a full performance at 4:00 pm for friends and family.  

Each participant will receive a certificate of participation. Additionally, ACT 1 tee-shirts are available for sale. All are welcome, no experience required –  just the love of creativity and fun is what defines this memorable afternoon of stars and stripes.

Pre-registration is required. Registration deadline is July 31.  Cost is $25 per student or $40 for 2 siblings/friends.  Scholarships are available upon request. The theatre workshop is limited to 15 participants and is a first come, first service basis.  Visit the MAC Center for the Arts to pick-up a registration form or go to the website, www.maccenterforthearts.com.  For more information, please call 802-334-1966. All questions regarding the day of the event should be directed to ACT 1, Lynn Leimer at macartspr@yahoo.com.

MAC Center for the Arts presents a unique musical duo to jazz up the second installment of the Downtown Friday Night Shuffle. Come hear Saigelyn Green and Phoenix Malanga and enjoy their dynamic musical stylings, Friday, July 13, from 5:30-8:00.

Saigelyn Green is a senior at the University of Southern Maine in the Music Education program. She graduated from NCUHS 2015 and most recently had a composition featured in the 50th Anniversary Concert. Many community members have heard Ms. Green perform with Northsong and a variety of other music showcases throughout the greater Newport area..

Phoenix Malanga graduated from NCUHS in 2017. He is a consummate guitarist and well known for the variety of bands he has played in throughout the Northeast Kingdom. Mr. Malanga will be a music major at Bennington College this fall.

For more information, 802-334-1966, MAC Center for the Arts or Jay Peak | Four Season Resort | Vermont

PRESS RELEASE 

LIBERATED LIBRETTO: A Frolic with Gilbert and Sullivan – CHAUTAUQUA FINALE 

Newport.  The Goodrich Memorial Library presents Liberated Libretto: A Frolic with Gilbert and Sullivan as the finale performance in their CHAUTAUQUA series in celebration of the Newport Centennial.  MAC Center for the Arts brings a tour du force of talent July 6, at 7 pm in the upstairs auditorium at the Goodrich, Main Street, Newport

Anita Morin, Sally Rivard, Allen Cubit, Ron St John III and Lynn Leimer with Janice Luce on piano showcase the humor and history of the dynamic G&S duo with favorites such as Modern Major General from Pirates of Penzance, Three Little Maids from the MIKADO and When I Got Out of Doors from Patience.  The revue captures the satire as well as the musicality that made the operettas famous.

For those curious about the Chautauqua terminology, it was an adult education movement in the United States highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries which originated on the shores of the Chautauqua Lake, NY. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, entertainers, preachers, and specialists of the day. Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was quoted as saying that Chautauqua is “the most American thing in America”. Music was important to Chautauqua, Opera became a part of the Chautauqua experience in 1926 when the American Opera Company (AOC), an outgrowth of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, began touring the country. Under the direction of Russian tenor Vladimir Rosing, the AOC presented five operas in one week at the Chautauqua Amphitheater. By 1929, a permanent Chautauqua Opera company had been established.

So, in keeping with that genre, Liberated Libretto will affectionately honor the creativity and uniqueness of Gilbert and Sullivan.  This festooned revue, directed and choreographed by Lynn Leimer, showcases not only the vocal talents of the ensemble, but their propensity for comedy.  Join this acclaimed sextet at the Goodrich concluding the week-long Centennial events and enjoy the legendary music of Gilbert and Sullivan…and there will be a special guest appearance you won’t want to miss.

For more information, contact the Goodrich Memorial Library, 334-7902 or visit the website at www.goodrichlibrary.org.  This performance is free and open to the public. Seating is limited

Press Release

MAC Center for the Arts announces ACT 1 WORKSHOP – YANKEE DOODLE DANDY
MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main Street, Newport, VT announces the second in a series of theatrical workshops in 2018 with the premiere Children’s Theatre Academy – ACT 1.  Reserve the date, August 4, from 12:30-4:30 for YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, tailored for ages 6-12 years old, and held in the lower gallery.

Yankee Doodle Dandy will explore the history of the song as it tells the 21st century folktale of why the feather stuck in Yankee Doodle’s hat and why it’s called “macaroni”. The original script with music under the direction of Sunny Naughton and Lynn Leimer, will have the young people hone their acting and singing skills; learn Americana choreography with Show Captain, Micaela Ortiz.  Finesse red, white and blue costuming and props with musicality and the culminating event will be a full performance at 4:00 pm for friends and family.  

Each participant will receive a certificate of participation. Additionally, ACT 1 tee-shirts are available for sale. All are welcome, no experience required –  just the love of creativity and fun is what defines this memorable afternoon of stars and stripes.

Pre-registration is required. Registration deadline is July 31.  Cost is $25 per student or $40 for 2 siblings/friends.  Scholarships are available upon request. The theatre workshop is limited to 15 participants and is a first come, first service basis.  Visit the MAC Center for the Arts to pick-up a registration form or go to the website, www.maccenterforthearts.com.  For more information, please call 802-334-1966. All questions regarding the day of the event should be directed to ACT 1, Lynn Leimer at macartspr@yahoo.com.

NEWPORT’s FRIDAY NIGHT SHUFFLE

MAC Center for the Arts in concert with Jay Peak Resort have found a recipe for a celebration of community spirit extraordinaire, the Friday Night Shuffle.  In support of the local shuffling, Northeast Kingdom vacationers and locals will experience something surprisingly new and different.

“MAC Center for the Arts is very excited to partner with Jay Peak in this venture. As an anchor on Main Street, we are always looking for ways to get local people and visitors alike to come downtown and browse our Gallery as well as the other wonderful shops and restaurants,” Iso Marks, President of the MAC Center for the Arts, enthusiastically quipped.
Join the greater Newport area Merchants and Restaurants for unique opportunities, delightful discounts, foodies’ favorites, and of course, SHUFFLING.  Shuffling is encouraged from venue to venue as you bring your own special energy to June 15, July 13, August 10, September 14 to infuse a festive frenzy to our otherwise bucolic atmosphere. Stroll the waterfront, take in an exhibit, listen to music, soak up the ambiance of Newport as it celebrates its Centennial landmark.
Steve Wright, Jay Peak Resort, President and General Manager said, “We have vested interests in supporting Newport and helping it to thrive. Not only do many of our guests look for opportunities to stretch out and explore when they’re on vacation, but many of our employees live and work there and supporting causes that impact them is at the core of who we are and what we’re about.” Rob Boskind’s stunning photography is featured on the poster for this four-month event.

Pam Ladds, Newport VT Rocks shared, “What happens when 1st Friday grows, and Newport has events other Fridays too …. we get The Shuffle.  Don’t race…park and stroll slowly down Main Street. Chat, dance, sing, eat, drink and be merry shopping.  Hoping that lots of people get involved and reclaim our City.  We’d love people to come up with fun things for kids to do during the early evening; like painting rocks and have tables set up for kids of all ages.” The imagination and creativity of this project certainly has legs.  

Participating businesses include: MAC Center for the Arts, Ciderhouse Restaurant, East Side Restaurant, Great Outdoors, Inspired Yoga, Jasper’s Tavern, Lago Trattoria, Le Belvedere, NEK Soaps and Stuff, Newport Jewelers, Newport Natural Foods, Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center – Butternut Mountain Farm Maple Shop; Jocelyn and Cintas’s Bakery; Eden Cider and Tasting Bar, Pick and Shovel, Sugar Mountain Fudge and Candy Shoppe, The 99 Gallery, Goodrich Memorial Library and Tim and Doug’s Ice Cream.

For more information, visit the Jay Peak Website, jaypeakresort.com, watch for updates and join the FRIDAY FRIVOLITY!

“The Show is EXQUISITE!” remarked one of the patrons.  Amanda Weisenfeld, President of the Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild and Kelly Doyle MAC and NEKAG member discuss the unique artistry during the recent opening of MAC Center for the Arts latest exhibition, curated by MAC’s Victoria Mathiesen and Andrea Strobach, entitled A COMMON THREAD–Stitches and Stories from Fiber Artists Near and Far. A Vernissage kicked off the celebration of this dazzling array of color, technique and imagination. This show is truly unlike any other that has been presented before, as every piece is created by Fiber Artists. From felting to quilting; weaving to stitching, Japanese Shibori (a fabric dying technique) and unique clothing and head pieces – artists from NEKAG, MAC, Independent Artists and Community Members participated in this brilliantly dynamic show. This exhibit will be running until July 28and is free to the public. MAC, 158 Main Street, Newport is Open 10-5 M-Sat and after Memorial Day 10-5 M-Sat /10-3 Sun. For more information visit or call 802-334-1966. Photo Credit: Iso Marks

Press Release April 27, 2018

MAC Center for the Arts presents

A Common Thread

Stitches and Stories from Fiber Artists Near and Far

 Newport.  MAC Center for the Arts presents a new exhibition, A COMMON THREAD – Stitches and Stories from Fiber Artists Near and Far. Opening Reception will be May 11, from 5-7 in the lower gallery; free and open to the public.

The exclusive showcase of fiber arts is a cornucopia of visual delights demonstrating a wide range of accomplishment and skill.  A myriad of the traditional and contemporary, the practical and the whimsical, all of which tell a personal story.  Some of those stories will accompany work on exhibit.

This was an open invitational to fiber artists working in Northeast Kingdom as well as to members of MAC working with the ‘threads’ so familiar and beloved by all who work in this medium. Some of the remarkable artists that will be on display include: Donna Jean Safford, Andrea Strobach, Bonnie Nash, Carolyn Ferrara, Pat Lipinski, Pixie Durand, Sharon Diner, Michelle Marsh, Kelly Doyle, Pippa Drew as well as artists from Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild.

 “History is no more than a thin thread of the remembered stretching over an ocean of the forgotten” – Milan Kundera 

This contemporary fiber show is full of examples that blur the lines between fine art and fine craft; updating or innovating traditional practices and materials or by incorporating other disciplines into fiber. The exhibition includes works in weaving, felting, surface design, knitting, art quilts and art to wear and will be on display from May 11 – July 28.  Come witness the fabric of our lives.  For more information, please stop in during regular hours MAC, Winter Tuesday –  Saturday 10-5 and Summer (after Memorial Day) Monday – Saturday 10-5; call 802 324 1966; or visit our website at www.maccenterforthearts.com

MAC Center for the Arts, a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization, supports Vermont’s Creative Economy through the sale of our member’s work at our 4,000 square foot Main Street gallery. In addition to our gallery store and seasonal opening receptions, we offer a full calendar of special events, performances, visiting and original exhibits, classes and workshops. All are open to the public and most are free to attend.

Photo credit; Pippa Drew
Caption: one of the unique designs on exhibition during A Common Thread; large blue shibori,
The Queen of the Night, as a triptych with its companion pieces.

MAC Center for the Arts recently held a Poetry-fest in celebration of April’s National Poetry Month. Several local poets attended and read their prose to a captive audience.

Patty Oliver-Smith reads to the audience from Peggy Sapphire’s prose. Bradleigh Stockwell reads his orignal poem entitled 05855

MAC Center for the Arts bids farewell to the colorful Fence Project that has been on display for the past two years. Whether you viewed it as ribbons or rags, it was a community driven artistic statement that juxtaposed the hardscape behind the chain link. Panels produced by MAC as well as The Memphremagog Watershed Association, NEK Velo, Newport Recreation, and other panels that represented the Farmer’s Market, the Hebard Building’s Fish and a New England Postcard will be archived in our memories as the City of Newport readies for the Centennial Celebration.

Distance photo Tom Perry of Madame Archetype’s Panoply assists in disassembling the giant labyrinth of fabric. Photo Pam Ladds (back to camera) and Victoria Mathiesen, work the scissors to quickly snip out the murals.

Photo credit – Iso Marks

Press Release April 9, 2018

 Memoir Workshop at MAC – Photos and Our Memories

A Memoir Workshop drawing on the memories and stories behind photographs of life events, places, family, friends, or other significant people in our lives through prose narratives or poetry will be offered April 28, 1:00-4:00 pm at the MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main Street, Newport in the Lower Gallery. 

Do you have a photograph that brings back an experience of an important person, place or event in your life?  Is it your grandmother? An old lover? You in your first-grade class? Is it the house you grew up, a boat on a lake or a cityscape?  A wedding, a parade a trip to a place you’d never been before?   

Local authors, Patty Oliver-Smith & Peggy Sapphire will mentor this workshop, guiding the writers to use photographs as the records of personal experience, helping each writer to gain insight through the writing process into the significance of those memories in the fabric of their lives.  Through a series of writing exercises exploring and reflecting on sensory images, metaphors and the context of the photos, writers will be drawing on their memories and stories to produce a piece of writing in either a prose narrative or a poem.

Pre-registration is required by April 22; class size is limited to 15 participants with a nominal fee of $10.  Paper and pen will be provided, but feel free to bring your own journal and favorite writing implement. For more information, please stop by the MAC or call 802-334-1966 or visit our website at www.maccenterforthearts.com.

UPDATE April 6, 2018
MAC Center for the Arts is POSTPONING the Act 1 Theatre Workshop – Yankee Doodle Dandy from April 14 until August. Please watch for further updates.  If you have any questions, please contact 802-334-1966, www.maccenterforthearts.com, or email macartspr@yahoo.com.

ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE March 25, 2018
MAC Center for the ARTS announces ACT 1 WORKSHOP – YANKEE DOODLE DANDY
MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main Street announces the second in a series of theatrical workshops in 2018 with the Premiere Children’s Theatre Academy – ACT 1.  Reserve the date, April 14, from 12:30-4:30 for YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, tailored for ages 9-12 years old, and held in the lower gallery.

Yankee Doodle Dandy will explore the history of the song as it tells the 21st century folktale of why the feather stuck in Yankee Doodle’s hat and why it’s called “macaroni”. The original script with music under the direction of Sunny Naughton and Lynn Leimer, will have the young people hone their acting and singing skills; learn Americana choreography with Show Captain, Micaela Ortiz; Finesse red, white and blue costuming and props with Show Captain, Judy Castonguay; with the culminating event of the day – a full performance at 4:00 pm.  Each participant will receive one of the coveted ACT 1 t-shirt and certificate of participation. All are welcome, no experience required- just the love of creativity is what defines this memorable afternoon of stars and stripes.

Pre-registration is required. Registration deadline is April 10.  Cost is $25 per student or $40 for 2 siblings/friends.  Scholarships are available upon request. The theatre workshop is limited to 12 participants and is a first come, first service basis.  Visit the MAC Center for the Arts to pick-up a registration form or go to the website, www.maccenterforthearts.com.  For more information, please call 802-334-1966. All questions regarding the day of the event should be directed to ACT 1, Lynn Leimer at macartspr@yahoo.com.

Celebrate National Poetry Month at MAC’s Vermont Poetry Festival

Newport. Are you a Vermont Poet?  If you are a Vermont poet or poetry lover, come out of your winter cocoon and join us for a National Poetry Month tribute to Vermont poets, past and present, well-known or unknown on Saturday, April 21st from 1:00-3:00 pm at the MAC Downstairs Gallery, 158 Main Street, Newport. Free to the public.

Read one (or more) of your own poems or choose a favorite from among our many Vermont poets to read or recite. For instance: Robert Frost, Ruth Stone Sidney Lea, Ellen Voigt, Galway Kinnell, Major Jackson, Verandah Porche and many more! Depending on the number of sign-ups, Poets/Readers will have up to 10 minutes to read.

Sign-up and registration to read deadline is March 31st.  For more information visit our website at www.maccenterforthearts.com or call 802-334-1966.  Celebrate the spoken word.  This event is free and open to the public.  We invite anyone interested to come share the enjoyment of listening – no sign-ups necessary.

And Remember: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, If you don’t join us at MAC for Poetry Month, We hope it’s not because of the FLU!

MAC CELEBRATES Small Art!

Newport.  MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main Street, celebrates SMALL ART! Come explore the Teeny Tiny Wonders of the Artistry of the Diminutive.  A Member show highlighting miniature paintings, drawings, photography, print making, mixed media, collages and a plethora of petite; even dainty pottery and jewelry as well.  Dimensions of artwork are at the max – 10″ x 10″, so no need to bring a magnifying glass. But you will truly enjoy being Gulliver to our Lilliputian artworld exhibit.  Join us at the MAC for the Opening Reception on Friday, April 6, 5-7pm, as we kick off this unique venture into the minutia.  The Exhibit runs till Saturday, May 5. All are welcome, this exhibit is FREE to the public.

For more information, please visit our website, www.maccenterforthearts.com or call 802-334-1966. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5 (Just a reminder: MAC won’t start summer hours until Memorial Day weekend).

MAC Center for the Arts – ACT 1 Theatre Workshop “Rodeo Roundup”

Recently the MAC Center for the Arts, Newport held a children’s theatre workshop for youngsters ages 5-8 years old.  The thematic workshop – Rodeo Roundup – covered script writing, costume construction, designing WANTED posters, and learning many Western Dances and Songs. After only 3 hours, the Bronco Busting Buckaroos performed the original short musical The Legend of Cotton Eye Joe for friends and family.  Each member of the posse received an official recognition award and an ACT 1 Tee Shirt.  Thanks to community businesses – Vista, Kingdom Market, Brighton Elementary School, Heron’s Path, and Linda Lee Monogram for supporting this event

Back Row (l to r) Workshop Mentor, Sunny Naughton; Show Captain, Micaela Ortiz; Natalie Lawson, Avery Drown, Naomi Walsh, Natash Leonard; Show Captain, Abby Gonyaw; Workshop Mentors, Lynn Leimer and Judy Castonguay

Middle Row: (l to r) Ruthie Lawson, Jitter Niles, Bella Niles, Jenna Walsh, Meadow Clowery

Front row kneeling (l to r) Penelope Longe, Amelia Drown, Jocelyn Gunther, Alice Loan

Newport.  Just when you think you’ve had enough of winter, MAC Center for the Arts comes to the rescue with a unique event…Le Junque due Jour Sale on March 24th. The Everything Must Go Sale will be replete with FUN for shoppers of all ages when you show up to our Second indoor yard sale.  The best part is that everything is only 99 cents! No Kidding!
Come one, come all to 158 Main Street, Saturday, March 24, 10-3 (no early birds please) to a Festival of Junque (junk). We want all the Cabin Fever bargain hunters to come to our downstairs gallery and get busy SHOPPING.  There are one of a kind items that are ready to find a new home.  All proceeds benefit the MAC Center for the Arts and the continuing arts programming. For more information, please visit our website, www.maccenterforthearts.com or call 334-1966. MAC is a 501(c) (3) non-profit.

MAC Announces First ACT 1Workshop for 2018-Rodeo Roundup

Newport.  The MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main Street, in partnership with ACT 1, the Northeast Kingdom’s Premiere Children’s Theater Academy, is thrilled to announce plans for 2018.

Calling all Cowboys and Cowgirls, Saturday, March 3, 2018 ACT 1 will debut RODEO ROUNDUP, for 5 to 8 years, a half day of theater learning, songs and fun under direction of the Broadway duo – Lynn Leimer and Sunny Naughton, in the lower gallery.

From 12:30PM to 4:30PM on March 3rd, the young cowpokes will be led through exploratory activities to learn about all aspects of storytelling and songs of the Old West culminating in a short performance for family and friends at 4:00PM. 

Rodeo Roundup will teach participants about learning music and movement for the stage in addition to creating costume pieces and decorating the space to reflect the Wild, Wild West as they imagine it. Character work will be a major theme throughout the afternoon as the students learn what it’s like to have some Rootin’ Tootin’ fun and bring their unique personalities to the performance as an ensemble.

Judy Castonguay will help the buckaroos design their costumes; Show Captains, Micaela Ortiz and Abby Gonyaw, will choreograph and teach dance moves and lead the little ones through their bronco busting adventure. 

Cost for the afternoon is $25 for one participant and $40 for a pair. Scholarships are available upon request. Registration includes water, materials and an ACT 1 t-shirt in addition to professional training. All are welcome, no experience required- just the love of creativity is what defines this memorable afternoon.

Registration deadline is February 26th, please stop MAC by or visit the website. All questions regarding the day of the event should be directed to ACT 1, Lynn Leimer at macartspr@yahoo.com.   Space is limited to 20 participants. For more information and registration, call 334-6598or maccenterforthearts.com.   The next workshop is April 14 for 9-12 years – Yankee Doodle Dandy.