Community

Claremont Opera House names new director

By Jordan J. Phelan
[email protected]
CLAREMONT — As many arts organizations in and around the Upper Valley continue to provide delightfully refreshing revues of pandemic-era theatrical offerings with their distinct front-of-house audience experiences adapted for the virtual stage, the Claremont Opera House has been making moves to ensure that the shows go on.

On Monday, the Claremont Opera House Board of Directors announced that Andrew Pinard, founder and operator of Hatbox Theatre in Concord, will become the new executive artistic director starting in January. Pinard, a resident of Bradford, comes to the Claremont Opera House with an extensive 30-year career as a full-time performer, theatre artist, actor, director, and scenic and lighting designer.

“Our [Claremont Opera House Board of Directors] went through an extensive search process to staff the right person to lead us through 2021 and beyond, with a focus on new revenue generating opportunities, expanded programming and theatre maintenance,” said Claremont Opera House Board President Felicia Brych Dalke in a press release issued Monday afternoon. “We talked to a lot of talented arts leaders across New Hampshire, but Andrew’s ideas for our future are why we selected him.”

Pinard has also worked in the area of family programming, specifically writing and adapting several plays for family audiences, directing the New England Summer Arts Program, and teaching theatre for five years at Pembroke Academy.

Even before he officially takes the position as new executive artistic director at the Claremont Opera House, Pinard has strong connections throughout New England, including with the West Claremont Center for Music and the Arts (WCCMA) led by Executive Director Melissa Richmond.

“WCCMA is very much looking forward to working with Andrew Pinard and the Claremont Opera House as Claremont’s downtown revitalization continues and the creativity in the city grows,” Richmond said. “Andrew’s theater and performance venue experience, as well as his enthusiasm, will be an asset to Claremont Opera House and the Claremont area creative community.”

Collaboration with the WCCMA will be integral for Pinard as the organization will soon be moving next door to the Claremont Opera House.

Pinard and the Claremont Opera House have received words of encouragement for this recent move.

“The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts congratulates the Claremont Opera House on hiring Andrew Pinard as its next executive director,” said Director Ginnie Lupi. “His vast experience and entrepreneurial approach will benefit the organization and community greatly, and we look forward to working with him.”

Pinard will be succeeding former Claremont Opera House Executive Director Louanne Lewit who retired in September after 15 years of hard work and dedication to the area arts community that surely won’t be forgotten.

“We can’t thank Louanne enough for her twenty years of dedicated service to the Claremont Opera House,” Dalke said. “We will have a community celebration for her retirement when safe to gather in late spring.”

After a long, tough year plagued by uncertainty, the Claremont Opera House and all performing arts venues are looking toward a better and brighter year ahead.

“Even with the COVID-19 challenges, we needed to move forward with staffing otherwise we would have had to close our doors for the 2021 season, and for me that was not an option,” Dalke said.

To enable the staffing to proceed, the Claremont Opera House launched a Renaissance Campaign in November to help fund staffing for 2021, while the venue plans for a safe transition to fully reopen. The Claremont Opera House Board of Directors is asking for community support to help achieve their campaign goals. More information about the 2021 Renaissance Campaign and the status of the Claremont Opera House is available at claremontoperahouse.org.

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