The board of the Brunswick youth theater group whose founder was arrested Friday on child sex abuse charges released a statement Sunday night acknowledging the charges but gave no indication about the program’s future.
Julie Meyer, president of the board of directors of the Midcoast Youth Theater group, said in a statement that she and her board members met Sunday night to discuss the allegations against Henry A. Eichman, 56.
Eichman, of Topsham, is charged with two counts each of sexual exploitation of a minor under 12, unlawful sexual contact and violation of privacy, and is expected to make his first court appearance Monday in West Bath District Court.
“The Board is deeply pained and concerned for everyone affected by the charges,” Meyer said in the statement. “The Board trusts the judicial system to process this quickly and fairly for all involved. (Midcoast Youth Theater’s) mission is to provide a safe and nurturing theater experience for young people which will continue to be our priority.”
Meyer was not available for comment following the statement’s release about 9:30 p.m. Sunday. It is still unknown whether the alleged victim was a member of the theater group, what the organization has told parents of children involved, or whether future programming will be affected by Eichman’s arrest.
The group had planned to hold auditions Sept. 23 and 24 for a production of “Beauty and the Beast.” It was not known whether those plans will continue.
Police have declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the allegations, but said Friday that Eichman’s alleged victim was not a relative.
According to the group’s website, Eichman founded the group in 2003 “as a community theater dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all children to perform in full length musicals, without regard for past experience or financial resources. Over the next decade, the organization grew to include hundreds of families in the Midcoast with five shows per season.”
Some of the group’s productions are youth-only, while others include adults, the website said.
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