BREWER – It’s showtime again at Brewer Middle School, home of Brewer Youth Theatre. Assistant principal Rich Kimball is as enthused this year about the theater as he was in 1997 when the idea first began to take shape.

Helping to establish the theater was a natural for Kimball. He said he tried to follow the example of Jim Pike, his theater teacher when Kimball was a Bangor High School student in the 1970s. Besides being assistant principal, Kimball is a sports broadcaster for WZON. He has worked in broadcasting since he was 17.

The physical theater at Brewer Middle School was already there, complete with a stage and balcony. But seven years ago the space was being considered for other use.

“The balcony was being used to store old books and broken desks,” Kimball said. With the aid of school principal Bill Leithiser, the theater was saved from becoming classrooms.

“The Brewer trustees,” Kimball said, “have supported us all the way.” The trustees provided funding for theater improvements. The theater needed lighting, acoustical panels, storage and sound equipment. And seats. “We found out Gould Academy in Bethel was getting rid of theater seats so we got those.” That was in 2001. Future goals for theater equipment include additional lighting and a curtain for the stage.

Now the theater is a hub for theater arts activities at Brewer Middle School and Brewer High School. It also has become important to local theater groups, including Winterport Open Stage, Northern Lights Theater, Ten Bucks Theater and Penobscot Theatre. River City Cinema also will show films in the theater.

“There’s so much theater going on in this area,” Kimball said. “We try to form working relationships with all those groups.” This year, he said, Catherine Russell of Bucksport, who taught theater at Bucksport High School, will help form an improvisation troupe at Brewer Youth Theatre.

This year six shows will be staged at Brewer Youth Theatre. An Old Time Live Radio Show kicks off the season at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6. The show will feature an adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s story “Zero Hour,” a male trio, an accordion player, and news read by WABI TV’s Lanie Witt.

Each year Brewer Youth Theatre presents a musical. This year it will be “Schoolhouse Rock,” set for Nov. 4, 5 and 6.

The Mac McHale Old Time Radio Gang will take the stage Dec. 4, the new improvisation troupe will perform Jan. 12, Dave Mallett will be in concert April 2, and “Grease” will be presented May 12-14 and May 19-21.

Brewer Youth Theatre, Kimball said, creates many opportunities for Brewer students of all ages. For each production, on average, 50 to 60 youngsters try out for roles.

Many students, he said, have been in as many as 25 shows by the time they graduate from Brewer High School.

“It exposes them to all kinds of theater – drama, musical, comedy, one-act,” he said. For some, it leads to internships at Penobscot Theatre.

It also broadens the students’ knowledge base – they research the era a play is set in, find out about costumes and what settings should look like. They also learn discipline, teamwork, how to work with diverse groups of people and time management.

“One of our goals is to get kids who never thought they’d get on a stage and do theater,” Kimball said.

Some youngsters are so enthused about acting in a musical they arrive at first rehearsals already knowing their songs. Kimball credits music director Clayton Smith for preparing the young thespians musically. Smith often makes CDs of the songs for the actors to learn.

Brewer Youth Theatre also provides opportunities for volunteers.

“Our costume department is under the supervision of Sandy Hodgins, who works in the food service department at the school,” Kimball said. The costume shop, which houses thousands of items, was organized by Brewer Girl Scout Troop 432.

“A lot of the stuff in here used to be mine,” Kimball quipped as he showed off a 1957 typewriter that had belonged to his mother. Rows of costumes hang against three walls and boxes stacked high contain other props. “My favorite box is the one labeled ‘Heads and Body Parts.'”

In seven years, Kimball said, Brewer Youth Theatre has staged 80 productions. Kimball has directed 45 of them.

“It’s a wonderful setting,” Kimball said of the theater. “It’s an intimate setting, The audience is close to the action.”

The theater runs on a budget of approximately $25,000 a year. One-third of that is budgeted through the school department. The rest comes from box office receipts.

“Since 1998, more than 30,000 people have seen shows at Brewer Youth Theatre,” Kimball said. “There are no bad seats here. David Mallett said it was his favorite place to play in Maine.”