Resident Theatre Company
of the Colonial Theatre
The Belknap Mill established Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative in 2020. Managed by Bryan and Johanna Halperin, Powerhouse will provide high-quality artistic and educational experiences for local community participants. Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative will utilize both the newly restored and renovated Belknap Mill and the Colonial Theatre to deliver high quality theatrical arts programming.
Performing Arts in the Lakes Region
Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative is named in honor of the Belknap Mill’s original, preserved Powerhouse which now serves as a museum. When the Mill was built in 1823, the Winnipesaukee River was diverted under the building into sluiceways and was the source for powering the Mill’s manufacturing operations via a water wheel. Later, the system was converted to hydroelectric power. Excess power created by the Mill’s Powerhouse provided electricity to downtown Laconia. Therefore, as the Mill’s Powerhouse once turned on the lights for Laconia, the Mill’s new Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative will bring the lights up on performing arts in the Lakes Region!