What is The Theater Project?

Well, if you're wondering if we're a summer theater doing adult fare, the answer is, "yes," with qualifications.

If you're wondering if we do original material, the answer is "yes," also with qualifications.

If you're wondering if we are a theater with summer programs for kids, the answer is "yes," with qualifications.

If you're wondering if we do theater for family audiences, the answer is "yes," with qualifications.

We do all of these. Our August schedule is a good example. We opened the month with a three performances of ARABIAN NIGHTS, with a cast of eighteen teenagers after three weeks of all-day theater camp here. Then came IN SECURITY, two original plays about Palestine for mature audiences. Then, ALADDIN, with a cast of eighteen 9 - 12 year olds, directed by graduates of The Theater Project's Young Company.

In July, our professional ensemble performed WONDER OF THE WORLD, directed and designed by Christopher Price. The production received high praise from critics and audience members. Why didn't more people come to the show? I suspect that one major reason is that people who are not "regulars" at The Theater Project don't know we do adult fare. We are not a typical summer theater. We are not a typical theater. We don't specialize in one kind of theater as most do. The Children's Theatre of Maine does theater with kids. Portland Stage Company does theater for mature audiences, plus A CHRISTMAS CAROL for families. Maine State Music Theatre does musicals for mature audiences and families.

The Theater Project does all of those, even musicals! Is one better than another? Sometimes. My point here is not that one is better but that we are unique, or close to it, and difficult to classify. We work with and for young people and with and for adults. We work with challenged populations and with schools. We work with The Center Stage Players doing readers theater. We do classical theater, original theater and contemporary theater.

This leads me to comment on IN SECURITY. We did three performances of Fateh Azzam's one act play, "Baggage," and, "My Name Is Isa," which I wrote. We had good audiences for each performance, followed by good discussions. Both plays are related to Palestine. Azzam, a Palestinian - American, was the actor in his play about a Palestinian with the "baggage" he had accumulated since the 1948 war in Palestine that resulted in the creation of the state of Israel and the dislocation of thousands of Palestinians from their lands. "My Name Is Isa" focused on four young American tourists in Bethlehem and Jerusalem who meet a Palestinian Christian whose name, "Isa," is Arabic for "Jesus."

Though each play evoked the politics of the Israel - Palestine problem, neither was primarily political. The plays raised questions about what it means to "carry around one's baggage," how little we know about other countries and areas of the world, and how difficult - but not too difficult - it is to get to know someone who is different from us. Most of each audience stayed an hour after the plays to discuss issues the plays raised. People left The Theater thinking about what they hadn't thought about before or hadn't thought about for a long time. Not only thinking, but glad to be thinking, wondering, searching.

This is a good role for theater and other arts. To inspire thought. To make us consider what we haven't considered before. Most of us are thankful for that inspiration, that poke in the ribs that makes us scratch our head and consider or reconsider.

That is one of the many roles we play at The Theater Project.

Happy August!

Al