Our Story
From children’s theatre under a tent to a full-blown performing arts center
How it Began
In the early to mid-1980s, local business leaders and the Lincoln Mill Associates began exploring the idea of creating a performing arts center in the new Millfront Marketplace in downtown Lincoln. The vision was to establish an organization that would enrich local culture while enhancing the experience for visitors to the White Mountains.
In 1986, the North Country Center for the Arts (NCCA) was officially formed as a nonprofit arts organization. Its first Board of Trustees included members of the Lincoln Arts Council alongside local business leaders. To test community interest, NCCA—with support from the Lincoln Arts Council—launched its first major initiative: a two-month-long Children’s Theatre Festival under a tent at the Mill at Loon Mountain. The overwhelming support from the community proved the appetite for live theatre in the region, leading NCCA to hire its first Producing Director, Van McLeod, who laid the foundation for what would later become the Papermill Theatre and, eventually, Jean’s Playhouse.
The Old Papermill to Jean’s Playhouse
In 1987, NCCA transformed the old paper mill in Lincoln—once the industrial heart of the town, closed since 1980—into the Papermill Theatre, producing its first professional mainstage season with Carnival, Harvey, Deathtrap, and Cabaret. Over the next two decades, NCCA staged more than 80 professional productions in the Papermill Theatre, earned multiple New Hampshire Theatre Awards, and built a strong reputation as a vibrant hub for the arts in both New Hampshire and New England.
After its final season in the Papermill Theatre in 2009 (Smokey Joe’s Café, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and On the Town), the historic mill was demolished, paving the way for a modern facility that could house NCCA’s growing programming. Following two transitional seasons at the Governor’s Lodge at Loon Mountain, Jean’s Playhouse officially opened its doors in July 2012. That first summer season featured professional productions of The Wedding Singer, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and A Grand Night for Singing.
Named for long-time NCCA supporters and community leaders Bill and Jean Hallager, the new facility was built to allow for year-round production of high-quality performances in a 260-seat auditorium. The organization who originally sat audiences in folding chairs and seats recovered from a burlesque house (by Bill and Jean Hallager), now offers a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere for the enjoyment of plays, musicals, bands, comedians, and an array of special events.
Jean’s Playhouse, birthed from the old Papermill Theatre, still reflects the vision of those who originally proposed and created NCCA in the years leading up to 1986, enhancing the culture of the White Mountains region for locals and tourists alike.
Here We Are Today
North Country Center for the Arts, housed in the beautiful Jean’s Playhouse, has become a true gem of the White Mountains and a must-visit destination in the North Country. Open year-round, NCCA produces four in-house Broadway-style musicals each season, including an original adaptation of A Christmas Carol created specifically for the Playhouse’s intimate space.
In addition to its mainstage shows, the Playhouse hosts comedians, psychics, tribute artists, films, and concerts. Each October, it transforms into the large-scale haunted attraction GHOST LIGHT, while February brings the high-energy CRANK THE HEAT Winter Band Series.
NCCA is equally dedicated to education through its StageSetters Youth Program, which connects young performers with theatre professionals in programs like the annual spring play and Broadway Bound summer camp. The IMPACT Children’s Theatre troupe also thrives, touring New Hampshire each summer with six original fairy tales, honoring the tradition that first launched NCCA nearly four decades ago.
Beyond performance, Jean’s Playhouse serves as a cultural hub—hosting gallery art shows, school ceremonies, Poetry Out Loud, NHSCOT competitions, and private events—making it a resource for locals and a draw for regional visitors alike.
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