Summer Theater in Maine (Brunswick, Berwick: 2013, credit, house)

[Newdaawn]

Wondering if any of you Maine CDers enjoy our summer theater here in Maine? We try to get over to Lakewood in Madison at least for one performance each season, but missed last summer. In 2011 we went to one there called "Sugar" that was excellent. It was a take off of "Some Like It Hot" and it was truly memorable. The lead was a young man that seemed very talented, and I hope he is persuing a career in acting. The line up of performances looks good for this summer. We have been going to Lakewood for decades. Ever since they had the big time stars that would come in and do a play for a week. I remember seeing Jack Casidy, Betsy Palmer and Donny Most, among others. They are in fun location on Lake Weserunset and the old Inn had a great lunch and cocktail menu and service the last time we were there. I have always wanted to go the the summer theater in Berwick as we pass by that area on our way to daughter's in NH. Maybe this will be the year we get to Ogunquit Playhouse and the summer Theater in Brunswick.

[hasa_diga]

I would very highly recommend going to both Ogunquit Playhouse and Maine State Music Theatre. Unlike Lakewood, Hackmatack, and Arundel (which are all great smaller summer theatres), Ogunquit and MSMT cast actors who are members of Actor's Equity Association (this is the union of professional actors, and all actors who perform on Broadway and in most major theatres are members of this union and are only allowed work at Equity theatres like Ogunquit and MSMT). This means their casts are extremely high calibre, with many having numerous Broadway credits. Also, their budgets are HUGE compared to the smaller theatres (we're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars per show), and it's not uncommon for them to use set designs or costumes from Broadway. Obviously this comes at a higher ticket price, but you can still get seats with a great view on preview nights for under $40, which I think is definitely worth it for the quality and scale of the productions. This summer at Ogunquit I'd have to recommend either Thoroughly Modern Millie (with Sally Struthers) or perhaps West Side Story. At MSMT, definitely see Les Miserables (they're also doing Gypsy and Mary Poppins).

[Newdaawn]

Yes I agree that those 2 theaters do put on Broadway quality shows but I am just not a fan of Struthers and we do like to support the local smaller theaters.. We have seen a couple shows on Broadway - Phantom - and - A little Night Music and they were both great. We also go to our local year round theater "The Penobscot Theater" which is a mix of locals and professionals. Years ago hubby spent a couple years at a performing arts school so that was our introduction to live theater.

[birdinmigration]

Great topic! Can't rep you again, Newdaawn, but this is a virtual rep.

I have seen shows at all these theaters (except Lakewood, will google their program in a minute) and they are all really first-rate.

You have to do Ogunquit at least once, we saw a tremendous Les Mis there a couple of years ago, and have seen several since.

Probably I am too jaded, I have seen most of the productions on the summer circuit in NY or London already. I wish theaters in Maine would run shows that theaters in NY haven't run for a while, or new shows that could potentially be run on Broadway.

Case in point: I saw Newsies at the Paper Mill in NJ twice before it went to Broadway. That show was SO good, we all knew it was Broadway-bound. There is so much talent in Maine, and a loyal summer theater audience, that there is no reason innovative content couldn't work here.

Really, how many productions of "Grease" have to be suffered? I get schedules from most theaters in Maine, and this year I am really underwhelmed. Hard to make me move from my house on an evening for "Mary Poppins", sorry.

[hasa_diga]

Yeah, it's unfortunate that summer theatres have to do the sort of shows that they do in order to keep their numbers up. It used to be a while back that both Ogunquit and MSMT would do more new and different work, but I think the audience's tastes have changed pretty drastically. Very few theatres nowadays (La Jolla, Seattle's 5th Ave, Stratford Festival, and occasionally Papermill- like with Newsies- to name a few) do pre-Broadway shows and workshopping, which is too bad. Regional theatres here in Maine and in other smaller markets don't have the financial support or audience to do that sort of thing anymore since it usually costs many millions of dollars.

[AnnapolisSailor]

newdawn thanks so much for starting this topic!

I was just thinking of asking a related question this week.
I am a Shakespeare fan and was wondering if there were any "Shakespeare in the Park" type performances between this summer and fall 2013, especially in Downeast and northward.

We have finally found our home in (northern) Downeast and are under contract scheduled to close in a
few weeks- Yeah!

In advance thanks everyone if you have info about Shakespeare events in Downeast.

[cloven]

Growing up in Maine, my family used to bring me to see the plays at the theater in Monmouth (Kennebec County)-
Theater at Monmouth's 2013 Season