BELFAST - Thanks, in part, to a grant from the Maine Community Foundation, the new Belfast Maskers theater (“The Bazz”- named after the company's founder, Basil Burwell) is getting greener.

The original 1839 church has struggled with inadequate levels of insulation in the roof areas, and no insulation in the wall cavities above the basement apartment. These factors resulted in a great deal of heat loss and the main theater space was unusable in the winter months. With the help of the Belvedere Historic Preservation and Energy Efficiency grant, which supports the preservation or restoration of historic buildings in rural Maine communities, The Bazz is getting the insulation that it needs to be used all year-round.

The Belfast Maskers acquired the 17 Court Street historic church last summer and are now working hard to renovate and transform the building into a community playhouse. 

"We are amazed by the amount of support that the Belfast Maskers have received from our local community," said Sasha Kutsy, President of the Belfast Maskers' Board.  "People see a need for an affordable small theater space in Belfast and I am very excited to not only have this great little theater for us to use, but to also share it with others."   

To accomplish the renovation and transformation goals, the Belfast Maskers are launching the Build The Bazz Capital Campaign.   The goal of the campaign is to attract $500,000 to create a jewel-box theater with seating for 100 people with  professional sound and lighting, and storage areas for the company’s sets, costumes, and equipment.   Renovations include adding new restrooms, fixing the elevator and making the building fully ADA compliant, creating access from the upstairs to the basement green rooms, building risers for seating, and purchasing a new energy-efficient boiler.   The campaign also seeks to create a maintenance fund.  The Belfast Maskers are eager to be able to offer a greater number of  productions and theater-related activities to residents in Waldo county and beyond in their new theater.  The Bazz will also be made available to  other performance and nonprofit groups in the region utilize the space.   

The mission of the Belfast Maskers theater company is to provide hands-on opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Through the performing arts, they continue our longstanding commitment to the enrichment, entertainment, and education of our community. For more information about the Belfast Maskers or the Build the Bazz Capital Campaign, email to info@belfastmaskers.com or call (207) 619-3256.