Grants will help preserve historic theaters in Morristown and Netcong, museum in Montclair

William Westhoven, Morristown Daily Record
·3 min read

Two theaters in Morris County have secured six-figure grants to help fund the preservation of their historic homes and make improvements to their live stage productions.

The Growing Stage in Netcong and the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown will both benefit from Historic Locations grants from the New Jersey Historic Trust and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the companies said.

They were among 13 projects awarded $2.6 million from the agency, including preservation efforts in Sussex County, Montclair and Newark.

The Growing Stage, New Jersey's only professional resident company dedicated to theater for children, received $218,417 for its Palace Theatre, a former vaudeville stage on the shore of Lake Musconetcong.

The Growing Stage's Palace Theatre in Netcong.
The Growing Stage's Palace Theatre in Netcong.

The company will use its grant to upgrade the theater's lighting system. As The Growing Stage continues its summer camp and education programs, the 42nd season is set to begin Oct. 13 with "The Hardy Boys in the Mystery of the Haunted House."

MPAC, a centerpiece of arts and culture for Morristown and Morris County, presents more than 200 live performances annually. It was awarded $250,000. The grant will help to replace the auditorium roof in the main-stage theater, repair the Pine Street Center roof and replace the HVAC system that services MPAC’s main and balcony lobbies.

MPAC President and CEO Allison Larena said the funds will be used "to make necessary upgrades, repairs and improvements to our building, constructed in 1937, that will not only help to preserve the rich history of the building, but will enable us to meet the growing needs of today’s audiences."

Also among this year's recipients is Peters Valley School of Craft in Sandyston, which will use its $126,496 for "critical exterior envelope and structural repairs" to Munson House, one of the historic buildings used for artist lodging at the school. Built in 1915, the house is part of the Peters Valley Historic District.

The grant will support extensive repairs to the porch, mud sill and rim joist; the repair of damaged clapboard; and the repair and resurfacing of foundation cracks.

$2.6 million for 2023

The New Jersey Historic Trust and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts prioritize projects designed to halt and remediate the physical deterioration of historic locations. Thirteen annual grants awarded last month totaled more than $2.6 million, with a maximum award of $250,000.

Nonprofit arts organizations operating in buildings that are listed or eligible for listing on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places can apply for the grants The money may be used for construction expenses related to the preservation, restoration, repair and expansion of facilities.

"Keeping history alive through preservation is key to building generational awareness and providing educational and recreational opportunities," said Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who serves as commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

New Jersey's historic properties "play a key role in increasing tourism and economic development at both the local and state level," she said.

Preservation: Morris County OKs $3.6M to preserve Mount Olive barn, Boonton theater and 21 other sites

Full list of 2023 awardees:

  • Perkins House, Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown: $250,000.

  • Montclair Art Museum, Montclair: $248,488.

  • Military Park Commons, Newark Public Radio Inc. WBGO-FM, Newark: $106,334.

  • The Newark Museum Association, Newark: $250,000.

  • Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton: $250,000.

  • Fellowship Hall (First Dutch Reformed Church), CoLAB Arts, New Brunswick: $250,000.

  • ARB Princeton (Cranbury HD), American Repertory Ballet Company, Cranbury: $47,138.

  • Old Neptune High School (Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association HD), Ocean Grove Historic Preservation Society/Jersey Shore Arts Center, Ocean Grove, $175,000.

  • Axelrod Performing Arts Center, Bell Labs, Holmdel: $250,000.

  • Palace Theatre, The Growing Stage, Netcong: $218,417.

  • Community Theatre, South Street Theatre (MPAC), Morristown: $250,000.

  • Surflight Theatre, Ocean Professional Theatre Company, Beach Haven, $250,000.

  • Munson House, Peters Valley Crafts Center Inc., Layton: $126,496.

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com; Twitter: @wwesthoven

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: NJ awards historic preservation grants to Morristown, Netcong theaters