SKOWHEGAN, Maine — Nonprofit Lights Up Productions is renovating and taking over the operations of the Skowhegan Opera House.
The Skowhegan Opera House has been hosting performances for over 100 years, but today, the building is outdated and has some accessibility and safety issues.
The venue has largely been limited to local dance recitals and town meetings, but now Lights Up Productions is working to bring it back to its former glory.
"It’s a gem of a performance space, right here in the heart of downtown," Vice President of Lights Up Productions Bryant Cyr said.
Cyr and Lyn Govoni, the president of Lights Up Productions, saw the potential of the 846-seat opera house as a place where the arts could thrive in Skowhegan.
"For me, it’s a passion I want to bring to this town," Govoni said.
For only $1 a year, Lights Up Productions is leasing the Skowhegan Opera House, with the requirement that the nonprofit does some necessary renovations.
"It needs some help, but at face value, you might not know it," Cyr said.
They’re planning to add more bathrooms, build a fire escape, make the backstage area ADA accessible, and update the lighting and sound equipment while maintaining the historic character of the old building.
"I want the arts to be available to everyone," Govoni said.
The team is planning to continue spotlighting community events and organizations while bringing more diversity and bigger acts to the space.
"The opera house is really just gonna make Skowhegan more vibrant," Kristina Cannon, the president and CEO of Main Street Skowhegan, a nonprofit that aims to revitalize Skowhegan, said. "It's gonna give people more things to do, it's gonna bring more people to our community."
Cannon hopes the project will boost the economy of Skowhegan as a whole.
"Having more people walking around downtown, eating, and shopping is going to benefit everyone," she said.
Lights Up Productions wants to revitalize the arts in Skowhegan with help from the community.
"The meaning of Skowhegan actually is 'a place to watch,' so I want this to be the place to watch and be the place that people go for any kind of art and entertainment," Govoni said.
Lights Up Productions is expecting renovations to start in 2026.
According to the nonprofit, the renovations could cost millions of dollars. It is applying for grants to raise enough funds to proceed with renovations.
"We're excited at what we can bring to the table and now we hope that Skowhegan residents join us," Cyr said.
To give your input about what renovations you would prefer and what shows you would like to see at the opera house, you can fill out a survey at the link here.