Bijou Theatre & Enrichment Center Update

MARCH 2026

Our Board members, Advisory Committee and other volunteers have been busy during our first FOUR months of ownership!

Here is an overview of what has been happening behind the scenes and in the communities that are so amazingly supportive of our mission to bring the Theatre back to life!

We have formed several committees, re-elected board members, added new members to our team, joined the Sebasticook Valley Chamber of Commerce, and have applied for our first major grant via Congressionally Directed Spending. Our grant writing committee is up and running, and we welcome volunteers who would like to get involved.

BUILDING

Fabric and materials for the seats has been procured and work is underway to repair and reupholster the badly worn and damaged seats.

Our building committee, under the lead of chair Dick Davis, has been busy meeting with numerous subs, abatement specialists, engineers, inspectors and others to gather evaluations and quotes for all the needed repairs.

We have hired a local general contractor to oversee the various systems being replaced or repaired. These projects include a new membrane on the flat roof, replacing the old defunct heating system with a new HVAC system, repairing hot water pipes, renovation of bathrooms, abatement of asbestos, fire code compliance and necessary electrical upgrades and repairs to the marquee which has been pulling away from the brick building. Keep your eyes peeled for work on the marquee to get underway this spring!

FUNDRAISING

In the first 4 months of ownership, with the help of our generous communities and supporters, we have raised almost $100,000 in funds and over $6,000 in in-kind giving.

Various Supportive Groups have held fundraisers on our behalf and we are so grateful!

RehabMaine held a benefit walk around Pittsfield in October. Thank you to Heather Bisson and to all the people who donated, helped and walked, and to the Sebasticook Valley Chamber of Commerce for being a sponsor.

We hosted the movie ELF at the Sebasticook Valley Elks Lodge in December with the help of sponsors Sebasticook Valley Credit Union, Sebasticook Valley Elks and Sebasticook Valley Chamber of Commerce. The turnout was amazing and fun was had by all!

We had a table at the MCI Crafts and Flea Market in December, with a table generously donated to us by the Maine Central Institute Key Club. We were able to chat with people, share our mission and receive some pledges and donations.

In February, we co-hosted a Business After Hours networking event with Bangor Savings Bank and the Sebasticook Valley Chamber of Commerce and received a generous $1,000 donation from our neighbor Bangor Savings Bank!

Also in February, we were the benefactor of a fundraiser/concert featuring the Opus One Jazz Band and Warsaw Middle School Jazz ensembles. Co-hosted by the MSAD53/MCI Music Boosters, this event was a true community-wide effort and a huge success. We are so grateful to be surrounded by communities that value the arts.

As part of the Warsaw Middle School curriculum, the 7th Grade does a Solutionary Learning Unit. The students chose Pittsfield Downtown Revitalization as their overarching topic.

After doing some guided research that included touring downtown Pittsfield (with a visit inside the Bijou Theater) and a field trip to the Center Theatre in Dover-Foxcroft (a recently revitalized community theater) the students chose to do a fundraiser for the Bijou Theatre and Enrichment Center as their first major project of the unit.

Opus One, a jazz band comprised of experienced musicians from across the state, was invited to a joint concert with the Warsaw Middle School Jazz ensembles. BTEC members and family members of the 7th graders provided a much appreciated dinner for the Opus One members between their afternoon rehearsal and the concert.

The concert began with the Warsaw Jazz 2 Band, followed by the Warsaw Jazz Choir, then the Warsaw Jazz 1 Band. After an intermission during which the 7th Grade Class sold theater themed concessions (popcorn, candy, and drinks), Opus One performed several Big Band numbers with two special guest performers - former MCI music teacher Dean Neal and recent MCI alum Bryan Wiers.

FLANNEL FLING

Our fundraising committee has planned the “social event of the season” to be held on April 11, 2026. Read all about it on our home page, buy your tickets now until 3/31/2026 ($50 each) and stay tuned here for a post-party recap! Generously Sponsored by TJ’s Jewelry, Bolster’s Rubbish Removal, LLC, United Insurance, the Rolling Thunder Express, and Dusty Buckets-One Man Band.

NOVEMBER 2025
We acquired ownership on 11/7/2025!

We need to put fire safety protocols in place in order to fulfill the requirements for the state Fire Marshall before we can open to the public.

The roof is in bad shape, leaked last winter, and bricks from the dilapidated building to our north are falling onto our roof and creating more damage.

The marquee needs to be reattached securely to the building or reinforced in some other way or potentially removed (but we like the fact that it protects the glass doors on the façade of the building.)

There are electrical upgrades that need to be done for safety and functionality.

The bathrooms need an overhaul!

The film projector is not functional currently and needs parts and repairs.

The 2 oil tanks in the basement are seeping, and likely need to be replaced.

The velour/velvet covered seats are in desperate need of reupholstering and this is not just cosmetic... Many of the seats have visible microbial growth (possibly mold) growing on them.

There are other hazardous environmental issues in the building (like possible asbestos) and we are working on a grant for remediation of some of those problems.

We have no cash register. It has been removed.

Despite all of these issues and needs, BTEC is committed to working away at raising the money and getting the necessary work done. We know everybody is eager to have the Theatre up and running. We are not trying to turn it into a palace. We are just trying to get it safe to open. We feel it's important to give our loyal followers a reality check about where the building stands at this point.

Finally after 5 1/2 years of the doors being closed, and the building being minimally maintained, we have a core group of people backed by an amazing group of communities and we are committed to making this dream a reality for the entire Sebasticook Valley.

FUNDRAISING

With a goal of $1,000,000 to get the building safe and functional, outfitted with a working projector, lights and sound, and funded enough to stay open, our Fundraising Committee is hard at work making plans for various FUNdraising events throughout the winter, including the movie ELF at the Pittsfield Elks Club in December, an early spring event with live music at a cool venue, and more. ONCE THE THEATRE BUILDING IS SAFE, we will be able to host events right at 137 Main Street, but until then, we are reaching out to other venues to host our events.

The Pittsfield and Palmyra Redemption Centers have account for us, so please feel free to bring your returnables to them and mention BTEC if you would like to contribute.

Our Federal 501(c)(3) application was approved in November and so we are able to now have donations come directly to us. Our mailing address is PO BOX 502, Pittsfield, ME 04967.

Keep an eye on the “Thermometer” in the lobby, designed and created by Milton Webber.

SEPTEMBER 2025

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

We went under contract on August 20th and are currently in our due diligence phase of the contract. Our contracted closing date is in November.

We have submitted our application to be a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit.

We have met with the State Fire Marshall who evaluated the building and gave us a list of what needs to happen to bring the building up to code in order to re-open. We are talking to people in the trades who may be able to help us bring it up to code - electric, sprinklers, door safety, flame retardant curtains, and more.

We have established a Building Committee to help with repairs and to evaluate future renovations when the time comes (but first we just need it to be functional!)

We have been getting insurance quotes.

We have had contractors take a look at the roof and continue to evaluate its needs, and give us cost estimates to ensure it is viable, safe and sound.

We have had contractors take a look at the marquee and evaluate its integrity.

We have been looking at the movie projector with the help of our friends from the Center Theatre in Dover-Foxcroft and are working to see what it will take to get it in working order.

We have added new members to our Board of Directors and Advisory Committee and welcome interested people to reach out if they want to be involved.

Jolene McGowan of MATCHSTICK COMMUNICATIONS has generously donated her time to build our website!

We participated in the Maine Cheese Festival on 9/14 with a popcorn table and flyers to help spread word of our mission.

We have met with some fundraiser/grant writing professionals for advice on how to best manage that process after our 501(c)(3) application is approved.

We have begun receiving donations and pledges. People can easily donate ONLINE THROUGH OUR FISCAL SPONSOR The Center Theatre, or can mail a CHECK made out to CENTER THEATRE with "BIJOU” in the MEMO line. Until our own 501(c)(3) status is finalized, all monies must be collected through our Fiscal Sponsor.

WHAT’S NEXT?

We will be ramping up fundraising efforts to help cover initial closing costs and ongoing operating expenses, including insurance, Electricity, Oil, Water, and more, to ensure we can own it. Then we need to raise enough money along with in-kind donations from supportive contractors to make the necessary repairs to the building before we can open it to the public even for a one-time event. IT MUST BE SAFE. Since it has been closed down for 5 years, we are required to bring it up to today’s fire and safety codes. If we could just re-open the doors, we would do so immediately but unfortunately that cannot happen until it is deemed safe to the public.

WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR FOLLOWERS, we can and will take on the repairs we need to bring back our community “jewel” on Main Street.

This will take some time, and we appreciate your support and patience as we work on this. Remember, we are all volunteers, and this will likely take several months or even a year to repair and open. IT WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT!

Please spread the word by sharing this website or the donation link to people you know who would like to help make this dream come true for Central Maine. The faster we garner the support we need, the sooner we will be able to open.