Documentary Recognition Program for On a Wing and a Prayer: Achieving the Impossible Dream

15 YEARS

On a Wing and a Prayer: Achieving the Impossible Dream

Maybe someone 50 or 100 years from now will want to see how this theatre was resurrected from a mess, from such disarray and learn about what we did to make it actually happen. It is something for our children, grandchildren and Worcester to look at someday.

~Mary C. DeFeudis, Founding Board Member, Benefactor

WORLD PREMIERE!

September 9, 2023

Documentary on the founding of The Hanover Theatre filmed and produced by John Stimpson

Welcome to the World Premiere of On a Wing and a Prayer: Achieving the Impossible Dream.

We are proud to share this story with you, and grateful to Mary C. DeFeudis, a founding board member and the theatre's first benefactor, for our inspiration.

As we celebrate our 15th anniversary, we revisit the seemingly impossible vision of Edward Madaus and Paul Demoga, two men with a dream to resurrect the theatre and bring touring Broadway shows back to Worcester. The resulting revitalization of one of the city’s historical and architectural treasures ignited a renaissance that has changed the landscape of our city.

It is deeply gratifying to look back on how this ambitious project came together. Our cultural organization, then and now, was fueled by tremendous support from individual contributors, volunteers, and community leaders. We would not be here today if it weren’t for the many people who poured their hearts and souls into this massive undertaking.

We are delighted to take this important step to preserve our history for future generations as a tribute to our founders, whose vision to transform a shuttered movie theatre into a dynamic hub for arts and culture has changed the face of downtown Worcester.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Troy Siebels President & CEO

Special thanks from THT to:

H9 Films Production, produced & edited by John Stimpson, camera & color grade by Scot Broderick, grip & electric by Eric Widing and Bill Arbuckle, music by Ed Grenga, sound mix by Chris Anderson and additional footage by Kaz Gamble of AA Films.

We also acknowledge Betty Blute, THT stewardship & membership officer, for her tireless work and special contributions to this project.

Worcester Center for Performing Arts (WCPA), a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, owns and operates The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts (THT) and, on behalf of the Worcester Cultural Coalition (WCC), manages Worcester’s BrickBox Theater at the Jean McDonough Arts Center (JMAC).

Everybody did something based on their size and their ability. It’s not just a handful of people’s project or a handful of entities project. This is in the most noble sense, a community project, a community space that everybody should take pride and ownership in.

~Edward Augustus, Former Worcester City Manager

Founding Board Members

Paul J. Demoga, Founder

Edward P. Madaus, Founder

Bryan Allen

Jo Ann Bauer

Maurice Boisvert, Secretary

Eugene Bullis, Treasurer

Francis R. Carroll

Mary C. DeFeudis

Melanie Donegan

Jane Grant

Mel L. Greenberg

Stasia Hovenesian

H. Carter Hunt, Chair

Jay Johnson

Kallin Johnson

Michael Lainer

Linda McGowan

James D. O’Brien Jr., Vice Chair

Thomas O’Connor

Paul Pezzella

Karon Shea

Walter Shea

E. Lawrence Spurr

Dr. John Sullivan, Vice Chair

Francis Tighe

Sharon Woodbury

List of Interviewees

Clifford Anderson, Founding Member & Inaugural Volunteer

Michael Angelini, Founding Member

Edward Augustus, Former Worcester City Manager

Craig Blais, President, Worcester Business Development Corporation

Maurice Boisvert, Founding Board Member & Former Board Chair

Sally Bowditch, Retired President, Bowditch & Marinelli

Francis R. Carroll, Founding Board Member

Susan McDaniel Ceccacci, Architectural Historian

Harriette Chandler, Massachusetts Senate President Emerita

Lisa K. Condit, VP of Communications, The Hanover Theatre & Conservatory

Mary C. DeFeudis, Founding Board Member & Benefactor

Paul Demoga, Founder

Melanie Donegan, Founding Board Member

Fred Eppinger, Retired President & CEO, The Hanover Insurance Group

Warner Fletcher, Founding Member

Jane Grant, Founding Board Member Dr. Ivan Green, Founding Member

Mel Greenberg, Founding Board Member

H. Carter Hunt, Founding Board Chair

Kallin Johnson, Founding Board Member

Richard Lavey, Former Board Chair & The Hanover Insurance Group

Nel Lazour, Director of Development, The Hanover Theatre & Conservatory

Edward Madaus, Founder

Margaret Madaus, Founding Member

Congressman James McGovern, 2nd District of Massachusetts

Linda McGowan, Founding Board Member & Formerly of The Hanover Insurance Group

Cynthia Monahan, Founding Member

Meghan Montaner, President, The Hanover Theatre Conservatory & Education Division

Robert Nessen, Former Principal at Nessen Associates

James O'Brien Jr., Founding Board Member & Former Board Chair

Michael O'Brien, Former Worcester City Manager

Michael Pagano, Former President, Lamoureux Pagano Associates, Architects

Olivia Scanlon, Artistic Director, The Hanover Theatre Repertory

Karon Shea, Founding Board Member

Troy Siebels, President & CEO, The Hanover Theatre & Conservatory

Helen Stockdale, Inaugural Volunteer

Thomas Sullivan, Founding Member & Board Member

Jennifer Tarka, The Hanover Insurance Group

Francis Tighe, Founding Board Member

Rachel Tosches, Board Member & The Hanover Insurance Group

Charles Valade, Founding Member & Board Member

Sharon Woodbury, Founding Board Member