Iconic downtown Bar Harbor theater gets funding to continue its upgrade
Photo / Laurie Schreiber
The Art Deco style Criterion Theatre in downtown Bar Harbor recently received $110,000 in grants to upgrade its outdated sound and lights systems. The grants build on significant restoration accomplished several years ago on the historic structure.
An iconic theater built in 1932 and located in downtown Bar Harbor has received grant funding to continue an upgrade that began in 2014.
The Criterion Theatre, at 35 Cottage St. in Bar Harbor, received $80,000 in grant support from the TEW Foundation in Seattle to upgrade its 1980s-era sound system and complete its HVAC overhaul, according to an April 16 news release.
In addition to that funding, the Juniper Foundation, also of Seattle, pledged an additional $30,000 in matching funds toward completing the sound system upgrade and updating the Criterion's theatrical lighting system to modern high-efficiency LED/digital equipment. This means that the Juniper Foundation will match every donation dollar-for-dollar up to $30,000, resulting in a combined total of $60,000 on top of the $80,000 already raised.
The Criterion's aging sound system is not adequate for the scale of its large live productions, which have included shows by Judy Collins, David Crosby, Mavis Staples and The Wailers in recent years. Instead, it’s been relying on a rental company from 60 miles away to provide the necessary equipment for big shows, according to the release.
The Criterion hosts roughly 20 large-scale live productions each year, in addition to numerous smaller productions and ongoing films. The theater is located in the midst of a lively section of downtown that includes shopping, eateries and pubs. Productions there are often the focal point of patrons who make an evening of eating out and attending the theater.
The sound and light system rentals, amounting to roughly $40,000 per year, are not considered cost-effective. Installing high-efficiency modern sound and lights equipment, including speakers, amplifiers, monitors and stage lights, will allow the Criterion to eliminate rental expenses.
Another benefit of updating the systems is the greening of the historic theater, a goal in the board's emerging strategic plan.
"We wish to improve the efficiency of our productions and the overall quality of our live performances and film screenings for the benefit of all of our patrons,” Criterion's development director, Mark Tipton, said in the release. “In doing so, we will ensure that local performers like Acadia Community Theater, Robinson Ballet Co. and local musicians have access to the same quality audio equipment as the national acts we feature. We'll also be taking a bold step towards A Climate to Thrive's goal to achieve MDI energy independence by 2030.”
A Climate to Thrive is a community group established in 2016 on Mount Desert Island to address environmental and economic sustainability.
According to the release, the upgrades serve the theater’s mission to bring high-quality and culturally diverse arts programming to the MDI community throughout the year.
Tipton added, "Our hearing patrons will be able to benefit from better overall sound quality when attending films, live concerts, and special events at our theater. Patrons with hearing challenges will benefit from our upcoming ADA-compliant headsets and select Sunday open caption screenings."
The deadline for the $30,000 matching challenge is Dec. 31. Over $2,500 has already been raised.
According to its website, the founder of the Criterion, George C. McKay Sr., was a convicted bootlegger in the 1920s but went on to become an upstanding citizen of Bar Harbor.
Featuring an Art Deco décor and a floating balcony, it was a marvel of design and modernity in its time. It is one of two remaining Art Deco theaters in Maine, and the only one that retains its original auditorium, without having been split or divided.
The theater was in private ownership for most of its existence. It closed for some years in the 2000s. Its interior was in significant disrepair, primarily due to flooding and mold. In 2014, a prominent Bar Harbor businessman, Michael Boland, organized a nonprofit, bolstered by a $2 million donation from an anonymous donor. Work began to restore the theater, including repairing major structural issues, installing a digital projector, reupholstering the seats, matching the original carpet, wall panels and sconces, and repainting the ceiling.
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