As part of an inter-island drama exchange program initiated in October 2004 between Deer Isle, North Haven and Vinalhaven, 53 people from Stonington traveled to North Haven on the Isle au Haut mail boat to see a Sunday matinee performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado earlier this month.
Holley Meade of Seamark Community Arts Center, proposed the idea of an inter-island drama exchange when the Stonington-Deer Isle High School students were rehearsing their production of Antigone in their new theater, The Reach Performing Arts Center (WWF Dec. 2004).
With grant money from the Island Institute’s Community Fund, funding from the schools, Seamark and in-kind donations, Holley’s vision came to be when 11 students and two chaperones traveled from North Haven to Deer Isle to see the play in November. Due to high winds, travel plans had to be changed at the last moment. (The trip came close to being canceled until every student signed up voiced a desire to take the extra time to go by ferry and car — almost quadruple the travel time.)
In May, the program continued. Ten students and adults from North Haven traveled to Vinalhaven to see Vinalhaven’s production of The Wizard of Oz in their new theater, the Smith-Hokanson memorial hall. Again, high winds interfered, and the 40 people who had planned to come out on the SUNBEAM from Deer Isle and Isle au Haut could not make it.
Finally, the weather cooperated and on July 31, 53 students and adults traveled from Stonington by sea, reliving the days when people traveled between islands to see theater and opera and even to dance together. The day included lunch, some time exploring downtown North Haven, a chance to hang out with the cast, still in costume, after the show and even a brief tour of the new Islands Theater at Waterman’s Community Center, conducted by director John Wulp.
This program has been an opportunity for students of theater to see the work of other island communities. It has also enabled audience members, who otherwise may not have been able to participate and enjoy these theatrical productions due to costs or untimely means of transportation, to attend, thereby filling up seats in these intimate theaters and giving the cast members another reason to be their best.