Kim Clark (candidate) - Acorn Theater

Acorn Theater

"I simply love the Acorn Theater . . . the spirit there, the setting, the graciousness yet unpretentiousness, harkens back to the time when music (particularly Folk Music) was shared so intimately that by the time an evening of song ended you not only had hope for the future, but you felt that all the people who were there to experience the music with you were folks you could trust, and who you could call friends. The kind of magic provided much of the spirit that evolved during the decades of the 60’s and 70’s. How fortunate we are to have a performance space, the Acorn Theater, which brings us together as if we were family and can quite naturally find a place of commonality. A place that fairly vibrates with the sincerity, exquisite taste and generosity of its creators. My newest favorite place to play." – Peter Yarrow

In 2000, Clark and his partner David Fink purchased the old Featherbone factory in Three Oaks, Michigan, which once produced corset stays, and renovated it to house the Acorn Theatre. The name Featherbone stems from the Warren Featherbone Company—a turn of the century American family owned corporation that has far reaching effect on American culture, nature and arts.

The theater is a 300-set multi-disciplinary performing space that features approximately 50 show per year, as well as regular weekly featured events. The theater contains a full Barton theater organ, bar, wine shop, and guest rooms for performers.

Since that time, Clark has acted as artistic director, and has worked to revitalize downtown Three Oaks. In addition to the talent on stage, the Acorn Theater has been a proving ground for writers, dancers and directors including the prolific and well-known American stage director David Cromer . Mr. Cromer is now one of the country's top Broadway theater directors and was recently awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.

These efforts have helped Three Oaks to be designated part of Gov. Jennifer Granholm's Cool Cities Initiative in Michigan. What began as a summer arts project, evolved into a Theater District with local Art House Cinema the Vicker's Theatre, a converted turn of the century livery building that now boasts a balcony, hardwood flooring and hand crafted practical arts to rival any venue in the hemisphere. First run programming brings foreign and independent cinema to the small-town of Three Oaks Michigan. Clark and Vickers teamed up to create the Sounds of Silents Film Festival, a silent film series intended to reinvigorate the history and relevance of early 16-fps frame rate films. These screenings featured original contemporary scores and were performed both in- and out-doors. Early in the series, a screening of The Battleship Potemkin was very favorably reviewed by Roger Ebert, who wrote, "It was the music, I think, along with the unusual setting, that was able to break through my long familiarity with Battleship Potemkin and make me understand, better than ever before, why this movie was long considered dangerous."