Community Little Theatre was recently awarded a $5,000 grant from the Maine Theater Fund of the Maine Community Foundation to support the sustainability of the Great Falls Performing Arts Center.

The grant will allow CLT to continue making needed improvements to its historic home on Academy Street in Auburn, including repairing/upgrading 35 steam radiators, adding additional monitoring systems, and establishing an ongoing boiler service contract.

These are preliminary steps toward converting the building to a gas-fired boiler system, which will help reduce the cost to maintain reasonable temperatures during the winter months. During the 2012-13 heating season, CLT paid nearly $25,000 in heating oil costs.

“We are hoping we will have the opportunity to reduce our overall heating cost for the facility,” said Karen Mayo, Executive Director of L/A Community Little Theatre. “This will allow more of our funds to be reinvested each season into the theater and its performances.”

CLT is currently in the middle of its 74th season, and plans are underway for a 75th season celebration.

One of two longest consecutive-running community theaters in Maine, Community Little Theatre has been performing to the public since May of 1941. Widely known for near professional performances that are completely supported by local technicians, performers, musicians and community volunteers, CLT continues to champion art education by housing the drama program for Edward Little High School and providing a large summer youth musical theater project for children in grades 3 through 8. For more information, see www.laclt.com.

With offices in Ellsworth and Portland, the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. To learn more, see www.mainecf.org.