New Hampshire Artist Roster

Pontine Theatre Theatre AIE;CAP;TA;AH Pontine Theatre taps the history of New England in its innovative productions. Using masks, puppetry and movement, Pontine offers: "Dearly Earned", which uses text drawn entirely from primary historical sources (letters, poems, and newspaper articles of the day) to tell the story of 19th century New England textiles mill workers. Other plays included: "Home is Heaven" a staging of 32 poems by Ogden Nash; "Cornish Castles" an original play exploring the life and work of NH painter, Maxfield Parrish; "The Country of the Pointed Firs", and adaptation of Sarah Orne Jewett's masterful novel; "Journey to Heaven", an original play based on the lives and beliefs of the Shakers; and a two-person staging of Thornton Wilder's classic, "Our Town". Since 1977, Pontine has performed and taught at universities, public and private schools, libraries, museums, and community centers. Pontine's productions are easily adaptable to "alternative" venues and have simple technical requirements. Pontine Theatre has designed special performances with Seniors in mind. Bobbi Twombly, Activities Director at Valley Terrace in White River Junction Vermont wrote, "We truly appreciate the wonderful performance. It is very hard to have residents go out to plays, so this program is a blessing for assisted living facilities."Pontine's Connecting With Seniors is an entertaining two-person production that features a suite of scenes drawn from plays in the company's repertoire, all of which are stagings of poetry and stories by New England writers, including e. e. cummings, Sarah Orne Jewett, and Ogden Nash. The treatments are visually lively, using puppetry, masks and toy theatre staging techniques. Each 40-minute performance is followed by a "question & answer" session which includes a hands-on demonstration of the hand-crafted stage props. Since 1977, Pontine has performed and taught at universities, libraries, museums, and community centers all over New England. Pontine's Connecting with Seniors Program brings their productions and hands-on workshops in mask, prop and set making into assisted care facilities and senior centers. Programs offered: Performances (assembly programs, studio performances, and full productions); lecture-demonstrations; workshops; master classes; school/community residencies; day programs; multi-day programs Populations served: Grades 4-12, colleges, adults, senior citizens, general public, chronically ill, physically challenged, mentally challenged Availability: All areas, year round Fees: Performances: $500-$1,500; Workshops, Master Classes, Lecture/Demonstrations: $250- $500; School/Community Residencies: $500/day; additional travel fee (for sites over 50 miles from Portsmouth .25 per mile Round Trip) Contact Information: Marguerite Mathews New Hampshire Mime Co. 959 Islington St Portsmouth, NH 03801 Phone: 603/436-6660 Fax: 603/436-1577 Alt. Phone: 603/ email: info@pontine.org website: www.pontine.org Notes: Pontine Theatre is on the Touring, Community Arts, and Arts in Education Rosters as well as the Arts in Health Care Directory.