Andrew Turner, the new Performance Arts Center (PAC) Director at Messalonskee High School
Andrew Turner, the new Performance Arts Center (PAC) Director at Messalonskee High School, had to climb a mountain to land his dream job.
The details are the following: Turner was scheduled to interview for the PAC position with two administrators and two teachers at Messalonskee. But when the starter failed in Turner’s vehicle, Turner was left stranded at Mt. Blue State Park.
That led to Plan B: a video conference. But that, too, got scuttled when cellphone service proved insufficient to support such a session. Some would have fallen into despair. Not Turner. He went the opposite route, ascending Mt. Blue to a point where cellphone service was strong enough to allow a phone interview.
Assistant principal Nathan Davis, the person on the opposite end of the line, said Turner’s resilience made clear his determination to be an educator.
“I think it was clear,” Davis said, “he has a passion for this … and I think what that passion is, is working with kids in the theater.”
The mountain episode also describes Turner’s life journey, one filled with challenges and unexpected developments and revelations that led him to work in multiple professions, including many years as a journalist, and to live in multiple states and become a father of eight along the way.
Somehow during that same journey, Turner also managed to produce two books of poetry and a novel for middle-grade readers.
As for the revelations, the first one occurred in the late 1990s in Vermont when Turner took – for him – the bold step of auditioning for a role in a local theatrical production of The Rainmaker.
He could never summon the courage needed to take such a step in high school. But as a then 30-year-old man the experience opened a whole new world – a rich, wonderful world that has become one of his central passions.
Another passion, one that he identified much earlier in life, is teaching young people, although that passion went dormant for many years as Turner focused on making money and taking care of his children.
The Messalonskee job became available at just the right time for Turner in terms of geography – he lives in Vassalboro – and life logistics.
“This came up,” he said in talking about the PAC position “and it was just a perfect fit.”
Turner recently assembled his cast of students for the production of It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play. This version of the iconic Christmas movie, as the title suggests, has an intriguing twist: It is performed as a radio broadcast of the story, with a set that reflects the format as well as periodic breaks to allow the cast to sing the radio station’s jingle.
Performances for the general public will be held Dec. 12-14 and one exclusively for Messalonskee High School students will be performed during the school day on Dec. 15.
Turner said he will provide more details about the show as he and his cast get closer to opening night.