MANCHESTER, NH – A mural is one way to add a colorful splash to weathered bricks-and-mortar. But it’s also a very visual way to tell an important part of a city’s story. While instantly beautifying a cityscape, a mural also can be the ultimate tribute to a cultural enclave and those who have been part of something special.
So it is with the mural completed last month by artist and avid muralist Jyl Dittbenner, which was officially unveiled Wednesday at The Palace Youth Theatre at Forever Emma Studios on Pine Street. The mural depicts scenes from various productions in hues that range from sunshine and Skittles to Kool-Aid and cotton candy. It required about six gallons of paint including primer to complete, Dittbenner estimates. It’s her largest mural yet, measuring 120×20 feet – the length of the rear wall of the former St. George’s church.
On hand for the brief celebration were a collection of PYT performers who were there to rehearse for several upcoming shows, said Megan Quinn, who is director of the Palace’s youth theater program. Also there, Dittbenner’s sister and proud parents, Fran and Ike Dittbenner.
“We’re impressed and very proud of her,” said her mom, who noted that she attended the former church building a lifetime ago.
“This was my old church. I had all my sacraments here, and started school when I was 5 years old,” she said. “So it’s pretty neat that my daughter painted this mural on my old church.”
According to Dittbenner the greatest challenge was working with the bricks.
“It’s so textured it doesn’t want to accept paint,” she said, personifying her canvas which eventually relented and is now host to a cast of characters from shows including the “Wizard of Oz,” “Alice in Wonderland,” and “Annie.”
Some of the special challenges included using the lift to extend her reach and work around some of the physical characteristics of the old building, like basement steps, pipes and vents.
“I also had to do it freehand, even though I had it worked out on paper, I had to guess and check my way through to make sure everything fit it,” Dittbenner said. She added an impromptu scene from the Wizard of Oz after realizing she had more space than anticipated. She also used photographs of some of the young actors who’ve come through the program to create her illustrations, including the theater’s namesake, Emma Bechert, who is featured in the spotlight with a quote from “Annie,” which reads, “I think I’m gonna like it here.”
Dittbenner said she added the quotes as an afterthought.
“It seemed like it needed a little something more,” she said.
