‘Fantastick’ gesture of support for the theater Founding director aids in Bangor fund raising

BANGOR – As part of the Penobscot Theatre Company’s Extraordinary Friends Campaign, George Vafiadis, the theater’s founding director, will return to Bangor for the opening weekend of “The Fantasticks.” While in town, Vafiadis will meet with members of the community, the media and community leaders.

“I am delighted to be of service to this campaign in whatever way I can,” said Vafiadis in a recent conversation with Mark Torres, PTC’s producing artistic director since 1992.

Torres warmly responded to Vafiadis’ gesture of support: “I met George when he had just started the Public Theatre in Lewiston when I was here interviewing for the job. He has continued to be a great source of inspiration and assistance for me and, I know, continues to love this community and this institution.”

The theater is dealing with a debt of $80,000, and canceled its well-received Maine Shakespeare Festival this summer. (Financial difficulties are not new for PTC, as its board members had to deal with a $36,000 debt when Vafiadis left almost 13 years ago.)

Bangor officials have approved a $30,000 challenge grant for the company. To receive the money, Penobscot Theatre must raise $30,000 by Aug. 31 from people who live in Bangor, Bangor business owners or Bangor service organizations.

Vafiadis will arrive in Bangor for a series of meetings, press briefings and social events in support of the theater’s current campaign to fulfill its goal of $250,000.

The campaign has raised $155,000 to date, counting the city’s challenge grant. He will address the audience from the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, July 25, and at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 26, just before the opening performances of the company’s summer production, “The Fantasticks.”

Residing with his wife, Katherine Knowles, in the wine country north of San Francisco, Vafiadis has kept busy with a variety of theater and theater-in-education projects, such as his one-man show about Abraham Lincoln. He also performs in a recurring role on HBO’s drama “The Wire.” He was at the helm of PTC from 1974 until 1990.