FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
North Country Center for the Arts Welcomes TIGER Educational Theatre Program
Long-running New Hampshire arts education program begins a new chapter under the NCCA umbrella
LINCOLN, NH — August 2026 — The North Country Center for the Arts (NCCA) at Jean’s Playhouse is pleased to announce the acquisition of TIGER, the acclaimed professional educational theatre program that has served schools and communities throughout New Hampshire and beyond for decades.
Following many years of operation through Plymouth State University, TIGER will begin its next chapter as a program of NCCA, expanding the organization’s growing commitment to theatre, education, and community outreach throughout the region.
“TIGER has built an extraordinary legacy of using professional theatre to connect with young people about issues that genuinely matter in their lives,” said Joel Mercier, Executive Artistic Director of NCCA. “We are incredibly excited to welcome TIGER into the NCCA family, preserve the work that has made the program so successful, and provide a home where it can continue to grow for years to come.”
TIGER — Theatre Integrating Guidance, Education and Responsibility — uses professional theatre, music, movement, and audience interaction to help young people explore important social and emotional topics. Through touring productions and workshops presented directly in schools, TIGER gives students an engaging and accessible way to examine subjects including resilience, empathy, respect, healthy decision-making, substance use, and other challenges facing today’s students.
The transition brings TIGER together with an organization that has made educational and outreach programming an increasingly important part of its mission. In addition to its year-round professional productions and presenting series at Jean’s Playhouse, NCCA operates IMPACT Fairytale Theatre, which brings professional children’s theatre to communities throughout New Hampshire; StageSetters, its youth theatre program; and Broadway Bound, its summer performing arts intensive.
TIGER will retain the artistic leadership and identity that audiences and educators have come to know, with longtime TIGER leaders Patricia Lindberg and Pamela Irish continuing as TIGER Director and Managing Director, respectively. NCCA will provide the administrative, marketing, development, financial, and organizational infrastructure necessary to support the program and its touring operations.
“This isn’t about reinventing TIGER,” Mercier added. “It’s about giving an established and important program a new home. Trish, Pam, and the TIGER team bring decades of experience and an incredible understanding of how to reach young people through theatre. NCCA brings the infrastructure and resources of a year-round professional arts organization. We think those strengths complement each other beautifully.”
The 2026–2027 TIGER touring season will feature professional actors traveling directly to schools and organizations, with productions and workshops available for a variety of ages and educational needs. Rehearsals for the new season begin this September at Jean’s Playhouse in Lincoln.
The addition comes during a milestone year for NCCA, which is currently celebrating its 40th Anniversary Season. What began as a summer theatre organization in the White Mountains has grown into a year-round professional arts organization encompassing professional theatre, concerts, comedy, immersive experiences, touring productions, and an expanding collection of educational programs.
As NCCA looks toward its next 40 years, the addition of TIGER represents a significant step in expanding the organization’s impact beyond the walls of Jean’s Playhouse.
“Jean’s Playhouse will always be our home, but NCCA’s mission has never been limited to what happens inside one building,” Mercier said. “Between TIGER and IMPACT, we now have professional touring theatre reaching children and communities throughout the state year-round. That’s incredibly exciting, and we believe this partnership opens the door to an entirely new chapter for both organizations.”
Schools, educators, and community organizations interested in bringing TIGER to their students during the 2026–2027 season can learn more by visiting www.tigerarts.org or leaving a message at Jean’s Playhouse Box Office, 603-745-2141.