Now that he has finished directing his first event for NewArts, Ryan Loucks is already well into the next offerings for the nonprofit program that provides students with a mastery experience in the performing arts for children of all levels and aptitudes.

While its summer productions have traditionally been for younger audiences, upcoming events are being planned to include guests, performers, and supporters of all ages.

First up is an appearance at Newtown Arts Festival, September 18-19.

“We’ll have a booth, and a new line of NewArts clothing,” Loucks, the company's director of operations, said this week.

“The NewArts Swag Shoppe will have sweatshirts, hats, car decals, all kinds of things,” he added. A huge proponent of supporting local businesses, Loucks is working with Newtown Apparel in the design and production of the new items.

The first step toward the company’s annual holiday production beings October 1-3, when auditions for A Christmas Carol are conducted. Performances will begin in mid-December at Edmond Town Hall, but Loucks is looking for his all-ages cast and crew now.

“Our goal,” he said, “is to support and promote the heck out of this thing, and sell out every night.

“I’d love to make this an annual thing, to make it part of the town’s holiday season,” he added. “The idea of having A Christmas Carol done in a historical theater on Main Street, in the snow, in your hometown… it just doesn’t get more storybook than that.”

Full details, including audition scenes and sides, can be found at 1214foundation.org/newarts.

As NewArts approaches its tenth anniversary, one of Loucks’s lead objectives is to secure a formal home for the organization.

“We’re going into our tenth year in Newtown, so that’s our goal: finding a place to rent, and then buy, to call NewArts home. It will house rehearsals for shows, business office, a box office, display show posters, and even host a shop,” he said. Performances, Loucks added, will continue to be done offsite, at Newtown High School or Edmond Town Hall.

Toward that goal, a “major auction/gala event” is being planned for Thursday, November 11, at Marygold’s on Main. Full details are not yet ready to be announced, but Loucks did offer previews, including his continued efforts to support all things local.

“We’re taking over the whole restaurant for a three-hour gala with passed hors d’oeuvres, donated items, a black tie/cocktail attire event,” he said. “We’re connecting with local businesses and helping each other. My goal is to have all the wine come from Aquila’s Nest in Sandy Hook, the beer come from Reverie and NewSylum, and food from local sources, so everyone can be part of it.

“One of the misconceptions about NewArts is, you look online and see these Broadway-caliber productions, and people think we don’t need help financially,” Loucks said August 3. “That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Loucks is hoping, he said this week, to keep NewArts in front of those already familiar with the program while expanding its presence and offerings.

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Associate Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.