By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

HARRISON — The curtain has fallen on Andrew Harris’ time as artistic director at Deertrees Theatre.

Last month, the theatre’s Board of Directors ended Harris’ tenure.

“It is Deertrees Theatre’s policy not to discuss any personnel matters,” said Cheryl McLaughlin, the board’s president. “Deertrees Theatre is currently closed for the season due to the pandemic. However, we are working diligently at this time to continue improvements to the theatre and making plans for our 85th Birthday Celebration next summer. We plan to offer our patrons the quality theatre performances they have come to expect.”

Like many theaters across Maine, summer programming has been canceled due to COVID-19. On the Deertrees’ website, McLaughlin posted the following message regards to cancellation of the season, as well as efforts planned for 2021:

“… We have thought long and hard about going forward with the upcoming summer season. We cannot predict with assurance that this pandemic will have peaked and passed on by this summer. The safety and health of everyone involved with the theatre is always our top priority. Therefore, with much sadness, we have postponed our 2020 Season.

“This pandemic is devastating news for all the performing arts and will definitely be a hardship for Deertrees and other non-profits who depend primarily on gate income and donations. We derive about 51% of our revenue from gate income which covers basic operating expenses such as salaries, insurance, building maintenance and utilities. The remainder of our budget comes from generous donors who support the upkeep of our historic building.

“We understand the impact that our decision will have on our staff, volunteers, Board members, performers, and especially you, our patrons, sponsors, and benefactors. In the meantime, we will be diligently working to bring you world-class performances next summer… Deertrees Theatre will be back even stronger next summer (2021) for our 85th Anniversary Season! Please stay safe as we navigate these uncharted waters together.”

Harris said the board’s decision to let him go was “totally unexpected” and “at a time which made no sense.”

“I had the season for this year resolved. With COVID-19, I had started to transfer acts into next year. We were in a reasonable financial position and my health, although no nearer a cure (Andrew has battled a heart condition and cancer), has enabled me to be more active than this time last year,” Harris said in an e-mail response to The News’ inquiry regarding his status on Tuesday.

The News received a letter to the editor from Barbara Grandolfo of Harrison (see Opinion pages) regarding Harris’ dismissal, and thus reached out to the longtime Deertrees director to verify the news.

“Sadly, it is true,” Harris responded. “This will be the first summer in 35 years I will enjoy doing nothing — nothing that is except to ponder some other arts initiatives, for this area. Life moves on, so will I, but with a very bitter taste in my mouth.”

Andrew’s wife, Carole, broke the news in a June 20 Facebook post. She wrote, “A year ago, we were opening the beautiful historic Deertrees Theatre in Harrison for its 83rd season. This year, its doors will not open and Andrew Harris and I are no longer affiliated with the theatre we love passionately. Deertrees’ Board of Directors has elected to take charge without our involvement. Good-bye Deertrees…we will always love you.”

The post drew 39 comments including:

“We are so, so sorry to read this. As far as our family is concerned, you and Andrew WERE the theatre.”

“You were the heartbeat of that theatre. Sad, sad day.”

“Andrew IS Deertrees.”

“With the heart and soul being gone in the form of you two, I see a bleak future in store for Deertrees.”

“Unfair and inexplicable. Glad we saw some great shows there when we could. Love you both.”

“…The two of you will always be known for having made a gem of a theater.”

“…This is not right. Andrew is a brilliant showman.”

“Good luck to the Harris’. More luck to the board. I hope they have a plan that is as devoted as they were.”

“It was under Andrew’s direction that Deertrees is still alive. He made it back into a professional theater that it once was. We all worked doing productions there because Andrew was there, not the board.”

And one person called for Harris’ reinstatement, “Andrew and Carole know more about managing Deertrees Theatre in their sleep than this Board of Directors — who, by the way, Andrew asked all of the board members to serve on the board! Then, they turn around and let Andrew and Carole go? Talk about shooting themselves in the foot. Stupid move…The public and performers should be outraged and tell the board to reinstate Andrew and Carole.”

For Andrew and Carole, Deertrees became a team approach. He scheduled the wide range of music and theater acts while Carole took on the “unofficial charge” of marketing and electronic media. Andrew said the board asked Carole to stay on, but “You can probably guess the answer to that proposal!” he said.

When hired about a decade ago, Harris was courted to revive the theatre, which had money problems as well as structural issues.

“After 10 years of very hard work for very little remuneration, I have moved the organization forward and had a good idea what the future path should be to preserve the building and provide the arts programming this area deserves,” Andrew added. “Every ‘arts’ organization has its own set of unique circumstances and considerations. Deertrees is a summer theatre, only, and it is housed in an historic building and at best, it is really only open for eight weeks a year. That is a very unique business model and as such does not fit easily into any other non-profit.”

Andrew noted that he has run theaters and arts organizations all his working life — that’s 45 years of knowledge. “The board must have a real expert ready to take my place, so I step right back and will let them get on with it,” he said.