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KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) The Colonial Theatre’s new mobile stage, funded by a $50,000 T-Mobile grant, will make its public debut at a downtown music festival.
The annual music festival, founded in 2021, will be held Aug. 8 in the parking lot between the Colonial Theatre and The Showroom. Organizers say the festival will feature local musicians alongside regional headliners while also demonstrating how the stage can support free community performances throughout Keene.
Colonial staff tested the new stage inside the theater recently.
Director of Production Zachariah Ash-Bristol said the stage represents more than new equipment. It is intended to help reinforce downtown’s vitality during the city’s ongoing infrastructure project by showing that the arts community remains active despite construction challenges.
Planning discussions also highlighted a common misconception about the mobile stage. While some people envisioned it as a self-contained structure that could simply be transported and unfolded with minimal effort, organizers said the reality is far more involved.
Setting up, operating and dismantling the stage requires extensive coordination, technical expertise and physical labor. Staff described the process as requiring careful planning and teamwork to safely assemble lighting, sound and other production elements.
The Colonial is also exploring partnerships to streamline future productions.
Organizers noted that the stage’s technical capabilities have expanded since earlier outdoor productions, with increased lighting capacity and additional power available to support larger performances.
The new mobile stage was funded through T-Mobile’s Hometown Grants program, which selected the Colonial from more than 900 applicants nationwide. Theatre leaders have said the investment will allow performances to be staged throughout downtown and in other community locations while helping attract visitors during periods of construction and beyond.
Jamfest will serve as the first public demonstration of that vision, giving audiences a chance to experience the new stage while launching what organizers hope will become a versatile community resource for years to come.