Brewer site will cater to creativity Next Generation to serve artists, dancers, thespians

Tracey Marceron has been incredibly busy for the past two months, getting her new community center, Next Generation, off the ground. The Brewer theater, art and dance studio is located on Center Street, and will officially open Aug. 6 with a youth theater camp, to be run by Marceron’s daughter Lexie, and Jamie Bartol, both Brewer High School students.

“A lot of theater camps cost between $450 and $550, but we’re offering $150 for two full weeks,” said Marceron, 44, who also runs the Between Friends gift shop, also in the Center Street building. “We want everything to be affordable. We want as many kids as possible to be able to experience theater and art.”

During the two weeks, campers will prepare the musical “The Wind in the Willows,” which will be performed in the brand-new theater on Aug. 17. Marceron will soon make available dance classes for both youth and adults, as well as the art and crafting workshops she has been offering in the area for the past 20 years.

Marceron purchased the 160-year-old building in March, and soon after opened Between Friends, where she sells antiques, gifts and homemade crafts. She’d scoped out the spot for some time, but knew little about it.

“It was slated to be torn down and turned into a parking lot,” she said. “I didn’t know that until I bought it. I took out a loan and used all my life savings. It needed repairs from top to bottom.”

The back room that houses the theater was in shambles, so since early June she’s been renovating, installing new flooring, walls, a stage and more. On the top floor, she put in shiny black and white tiles and a ballet bar for the dance studio. There’s also a new kitchen, located in the back of the theater, where Marceron plans to offer sandwiches, salads and soups to hungry students and shoppers.

Sales from the shop have helped fund the renovations, getting her closer to her dream: a place for young and old alike to express themselves through theater, dance and visual arts.

“If creative kids don’t have an outlet, they can get in trouble,” she said. “Now they can have that [outlet], and they can afford it, too. All our classes are always seven dollars.”

In addition to the classes, Marceron hopes to offer local photographers a place to take pictures, if renting studio space is too expensive or difficult. She has also formed a partnership with Ten Bucks Theatre, the company who were formerly located at Brewer Middle School. Next Generation will now house Ten Bucks, which does three productions a year, including Shakespeare Under the Stars.

“They were looking for a home, after they got done at the Middle School,” she said. “They asked the City of Brewer if they had any ideas for a new place, and that was right after I had approached the planners with my idea for this building. It’s amazing that it’s all worked out so well.”

The final touches on the theater space are due this week, capping off a whirlwind two months of preparations.

“I think we’ve done a really nice job,” said Marceron. “So many people that have come in have been wowed. There’s new everything. When it’s done, the theater is going to be beautiful.”

Space is still available for the theater camp, which is geared to students aged 3 to 13; call 979-7100 to sign up or for more information. Emily Burnham can be reached at eburnham@bangordailynews.net.