Portsmouth, NH - The Music Hall, the nationally recognized theater and an American Treasure for the Arts in Portsmouth, N.H., was honored with a 2008 Preservation Award from the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, awarded last night in a ceremony at The New Hampshire Historical Society’s Tuck Library in Concord.  The award celebrated The Music Hall’s “outstanding restoration of the auditorium and proscenium arch,” the work of the theater staff and board and its project partners EverGreene Painting Studios, Preservation Company, Seacoast Scaffold and Equipment Corp., and TMS Architects.

Patricia Lynch, Executive Director of The Music Hall, Doug Nelson, Board Member and Chair of the Facilities & Restoration Committee, and Michael Harvell, President of the Board of Trustees, were present to accept the award along with representatives from each partnering firm. Said Lynch, “I am thrilled that The Music Hall’s restoration has been recognized this evening as we continue to transform The Music Hall into a performing arts center for the 21st century and secure its legacy as an American Treasure for the Arts.  Because of our work in the Save an America’s Treasures project over the past years, our patrons’ experience today in the auditorium is much as it was in 1878 and 1901: they delight in history restored - the grand proscenium arch and decorative paintings.  With its elegant restoration, top-notch acoustics and horseshoe balcony, The Music Hall is a special space to experience the arts, made even more magical by its tie to history.” 

Nelson added, "It's wonderful to see the preservationist work of our long-standing committee being recognized.  Some members of The Music Hall's Facilities & Restoration Committee have volunteered their time and expertise for ten or fifteen years. The award is a great celebration of their teamwork and of this community-critical historical restoration completed to the highest standards."

The Music Hall was one of 13 winners for outstanding preservation achievement at the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance’s annual celebration. “The newly restored, late 19th century interior of The Music Hall in Portsmouth features the return of extraordinary decorative artistry that had been covered over and forgotten for decades,” said Preservation Alliance board member Etoile Holzaepfel in the presentation of the award.  The Preservation Alliance emphasized the transformative qualities of the project and the project leaders’ sound planning, execution and attention to detail for a building that they described as a major cultural and historic landmark, and significant gathering place, for the seacoast and state.  Six other restoration and renovation projects and one new construction project won awards, and three education, policy and planning initiatives and two leaders in historic preservation activity were also honored.

“The annual awards program recognizes outstanding achievement and seeks to inspire others,” said Christopher P. Williams, NH Preservation Alliance board member and awards committee chair. “This type of preservation activity is critical to the character of the state’s communities and economic vitality,” he added.

The Music Hall renovation continues on this summer with major work to the entrance lobby of the 1878 structure.  Said Lynch “Now that we’ve looked back in time to complete a grand historical restoration, we’re looking forward, continuing our renovation to meet the needs of Music Hall patrons and programs. Following intense renovation work this summer, audiences next fall will experience the biggest single upgrade in services in the hall’s history. At last we’ll have a gracious-sized lobby, the expanded restrooms and concession space this active, vital arts center and the community deserve.”

She added, “With this combination of historical restoration and forward-looking renovation we can secure the legacy of this historic building and its community programs, further stimulate the economy and creative culture of this fast-growing region of New England, and strengthen and advance The Music Hall’s impact as an arts and education center for the broadest community.”


About The Music Hall: An American Treasure for the Arts
The Music Hall is a non-profit performing arts center that entertains 100,000 patrons, including 20,000 school children, annually with acclaimed film, music, theater, and dance performances. Its historic 900-seat theater, built in 1878, is the oldest in New Hampshire and designated an “American Treasure” by the National Parks Service’s Save America’s Treasures Program.  Living out its mission to be an active and vital arts center for the enrichment of the Seacoast community, The Music Hall presents diverse and relevant programming, including its signature series and innovative community outreach programs, and hosts numerous community fundraisers and celebrations for the benefit of more than 40 local non-profits.  A cultural anchor in a thriving Seacoast economy, The Music Hall and its patrons contribute $5 million annually to the local economy through show and visitor related spending. The Music Hall is a 501c3 tax exempt, fiscally responsible not-for-profit organization, managed by a volunteer Board of Trustees and a professional staff. The historic hall is located in Portsmouth –  a 2008 Dozen Distinctive Destination, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit www.themusichall.org.  

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance is the statewide membership organization dedicated to preserving historic buildings, communities and landscapes through education and advocacy. Current priorities include providing assistance to community leaders and promoting the use of easements, barn preservation and tax incentives.