Issuu

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Masterful artists. Varied genres. Memorable performances.

It is our honor to support another year of captivating performances made possible by the area’s premier arts and entertainment organizations.

rmdavis.com

Portland Presents • Return to Index

Index of Pages

(click on page number to be taken directly to that page)

Portland Presents Advertiser Listing..........Page 9

Portland Stage Information ..................Page 16-21 Merrill Auditorium Information .......... Page 25-26

Portland Ovations Information...........Page 39-44

IN THE PROGRAM Not Quite Almost

Join Us This Season!.................................... Page 66 Board of Trustees & Staff...................... Page 67-68 Introduction from Anita Stewart.........Page 83-84

Production Cast & Title Page..................... Page 88 Playwright & Director Biographies.....page 89-90

Cast Biographies................................... Page 93-94

Centerspread Topics........................... Page 99-101

Land & Slavery Acknowledgement......... Page 107 Artistic & Production Biographies......Page 110-111

Portland Stage Sponsors............................Page 114 Annual Fund Supporters................... Page 115- 120 Portland Presents • Return to Index

Let us help you write

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Take their dreams beyond the stage.

Create lifelong passions.

Get to know us! Join us for admission events and tours all year round. North Yarmouth Academy Early Childhood to Postgraduate 148 Main St., Yarmouth, ME

2024_NYA_PortlandPresentsAd.indd 2

207.846.2376 NYA.org admission@nya.org

6/12/24 3:22 PM5 Portland Presents • Return to Index

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE At Coffee By Design, our commitment to community runs deep. Whether it’s the communities we serve here at home, or the communities around the world where our product is ethically sourced. A great cup of coffee can make a difference – in how you start your day, and in the lives of those where the journey of your cup begins. Our goal is to offer unique, outstanding coffees which engage and awaken community. Coffee By Design Team Gasharu Farm, Rwanda - August 2023

coffeebydesign.com 6

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Portland Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Care We provide compassionate and expert specialty and emergency care for your pet, and peace of mind for you.

We treat all pet emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week even on holidays! pvesc.com | 207-878-3121 739 Warren Ave. Portland

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Portland presents...

A cooperative eﬀort by Portland Ovations, Portland Stage, Portland Symphony Orchestra and Merrill Auditorium Concert Events. Located at: 120 Exchange Street Portland, ME 04101

great performances since 1931 Aimée M. Petrin, Executive Director

Administrative Office: (207) 773-3150

e-mail: info@portlandovations.org Order online at: www.PortlandOvations.org Located at: 25A Forest Avenue Portland, ME 04101

Administrative Office: (207) 774-1043 Fax: (207) 774-0576

Anita Stewart, Executive & Artistic Director

For Tickets: 25A Forest Avenue Portland, ME 04101 (207) 774-0465

e-mail: boxoffice@portlandstage.org Order online at: www.portlandstage.org Located at: 85 Exchange Street 4th Floor Portland, ME 04101

Eckart Preu, Music Director

For Tickets: PortTIX 20 Myrtle Street Portland, ME 04101 (207) 842-0800 TTY:(207) 842-0812 www.PortTIX.com

Administrative Office: (207) 773-6128 Fax: (207) 773-6089

e-mail: psobox@portlandsymphony.org Order online at: www.PortlandSymphony.org Located at: 20 Myrtle Street Portland, ME 04101

Administrative Office: 212 Canco Road Portland, ME 04101 (207) 808-5400

Information: www.portlandevents.com

For Tickets: PortTIX 20 Myrtle Street Portland, ME 04101 (207) 842-0800 TTY:(207) 842-0812 www.PortTIX.com For Tickets: PortTIX 20 Myrtle Street Portland, ME 04101 (207) 842-0800 TTY:(207) 842-0812 www.PortTIX.com

Program & Cover Design by Jennifer Roe, Wild Olive Multimedia

CoveStreetArts.com 71 Cove St. Portland, ME (207) 808-8911

GreenhutGalleries.com 146 Middle St. Portland, ME (207) 772-2693

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Portland presents...

A cooperative eﬀort by Portland Ovations, Portland Stage, Portland Symphony Orchestra and Merrill Auditorium Concert Events.

great performances since 1931

Welcome to Portland Presents. The program book for Northern New England’s premier arts and entertainment organizations.

Portland Presents wishes to thank our advertisers for the 2024-25 season. Visit our website at www.portlandpresents.org for direct links to our advertiser’s websites.

Acadia Insurance Atlantic AV Atlantic Design Center Bach Virtuosi Festival Baker Newman Noyes Bath Savings Browne Trading Company Casco Bay EyeCare Chilton Furniture Coffee by Design Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Homes cPort Credit Union Cross Insurance Cuddledown Davis Landscape Co., Inc Drummond Woodsum Eyecare Medical Group Fermatix Gnome Landscapes, Design, Masonry & Maintenance Greencare Landscape Management Greenhut Galleries & Cove Street Arts. Hammond Lumber Company HeadInvest Holbrook at Piper Shores Home Instead Hopkinson & Abbondanza, P.A. Kennebec Company LandVest Inc. LeBlanc & Young Lincoln Theater M & T Bank and Wilmington Trust Maine Historical Society Maine Periodontics

Malone Commercial Brokers Marden’s Surplus & Salvage Market Basket Martin’s Point Health Care Marvin Design Gallery by Eldredge Lumber North Yarmouth Academy Northern Light Mercy Hospital Norway Savings Bank OceanView at Falmouth Perkins Thompson Pierce Furniture Portland Museum of Art Portland Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Care R.M. Davis, Inc. Reger Dasco Properties Renaissance Voices Roux & Cyr International Fine Art Gallery Rowe Westbrook Sentry Hill at York Harbor Ted Carter Inspired Landscapes The Bennett Law Firm, P.A. The Cedars The Docent’s Collection The Hill Arts Thornton Academy Thos. Moser Town & Shore Real Estate Veterinary and Rehabilitation Center of Cape Elizabeth Vitalius Real Estate Group Waynflete Woodhull Wright Ryan Homes

If you or your business would like to advertise with Portland Presents, please contact any of the above organizations or check out our website at www.portlandpresents.org.

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76 CONGRESS STREET PORTLAND, MAINE THEHILLARTS.ME (Formerly St. Lawrence Arts)

SUPPORT PORTLAND STAGE YOUR SUPPORT OF PORTLAND STAGE MAKES EVERYTHING HERE POSSIBLE

FROM OUR EXCEPTIONAL MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS, TO OUR INNOVATIVE NEW WORK INITIATIVES, TO OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ARTISTS, AUDIENCES, AND ENGAGED CITIZENS.

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Upper Left: Photo from the 2023 production of Saint Dad by Monica Wood Emily Upton, Liam Craig*, Moira Driscoll*, Pilar Witherspoon*, & Jenny Woodward (* Member of AEA) Right: Actor, Tony nominee and playwright John Cariani Bottom Left: A student acting in Shakespeare Teen Company’s performance of Hamlet. Photos by James A. Hadley

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF MAKING THEATER IN MAINE 207.774.1043 • PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG • 25A FOREST AVE, PORTLAND, ME

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Mainstage Performances

OCT 23 - NOV 10

SEPT 25 - OCT 13

JAN 29 - FEB 23

Y SP A ID

A CI

ON STAGE • NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 24, 2024 207.774.1043 • PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG • 25A FORREST AVE, PORTLAND, ME

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John Cariani’s

APRIL 2 - MAY 4

MAY 14 - JUNE 1

MARCH 5 - 23

Ticket Options Seated Subscription

Flex Pass

Starting at

Weekends starting at

Same seat, every show

Tickets that fit your schedule

$35 Per Show

$47

35 Pass

Standard Ticket

Weekend matinees starting at

Flexible tickets for ages 35 and under

$16 Per Show

Per Show

Single-show purchase

$58 Per Show

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF MAKING THEATER IN MAINE 207.774.1043 • PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG • 25A FOREST AVE, PORTLAND, ME

Portland Presents • Return to Index

John Cariani’s

ON STAGE • APRIL 2 - MAY 4, 2025 CREATING THE CLASSICS OF THE FUTURE

NEW WORK Portland Stage is committed to cultivating our region’s playwrights while introducing our audience to the creative process. We inspire, nurture, and launch plays that will delight audiences for decades to come by incubating new work.

Since its debut in 1990, the Little Festival of the Unexpected (LFU) has established a tradition of nurturing artists, invigorating audiences, and exploring new voices, visions, and forms of theater. Past LFU scripts include Almost, Maine (LFU 2003) and Papermaker (LFU 2014).

Actor, Tony nominee and playwright, John Cariani, whose Almost, Maine is one of the most produced plays by high schools and colleges, will return to Portland Stage this season with a new Made in Maine production, Not Quite Almost.

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF MAKING THEATER IN MAINE 207.774.1043 • PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG • 25A FOREST AVE, PORTLAND, ME

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INSPIRING LITERACY, CULTURAL AWARENESS, COLLABORATION, & CREATIVITY

EDUCATION Education is central to Portland Stage’s mission. Vital education programs are offered in schools for students from pre-K through high school, and to children ages 4-18 through classes in our Susie Konkel Theater for Kids storefront space.

Top Feature: Students participating in Portland Stage Design Camp, 2024 summer camp.

Above: A student acting in Shakespeare Teen Company’s performance of Hamlet.

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF MAKING THEATER IN MAINE 207.774.1043 • PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG • 25A FOREST AVE, PORTLAND, ME

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HANDCRAFTED THEATER MADE IN MAINE

MAINSTAGE With a season of six Mainstage shows, Portland Stage brings a wide range of performances to Maine. Every Mainstage show is handcrafted in our historic building in the Portland Arts District. Throughout one season, Portland Stage creates over 200 live performances and serves 50,000 people from around the state and beyond.

Photos from the 2023 production of Saint Dad by Monica Wood Top Feature: Emily Upton, Liam Craig*, Moira Driscoll*, Pilar Witherspoon*, & Jenny Woodward Above: Moira Driscoll* & Jenny Woodward Side: Patrick O’Brien* (* Member of AEA). Photos by James A. Hadley

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF MAKING THEATER IN MAINE 207.774.1043 • PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG • 25A FOREST AVE, PORTLAND, ME

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Welcome to Merrill Auditorium, Portland’s Premier Performing Arts Venue Home to Prime Tenants - Portland Symphony Orchestra, Portland Ovations and The Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ. Each year we host a variety of concerts, dance performances, children’s programming, comedy shows, corporate meetings and non-profit events with over 150,000 patrons in attendance annually! Thank you for being a guest at our theater, please enjoy the show! Merrill Auditorium is managed by the City of Portland Public Assembly Facilities Division Andrew J Downs, Director

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- UPCOMING EVENTS Wednesday September 18th @ 7:30 pm Elite Entertainment & Parachute Concerts presents THE PIANO GUYS Thursday September 26th @ 7:30 pm - REG Presents KILLER QUEEN Thursday October 3rd @ 7:00 pm - WHEEL OF FORTUNE LIVE Tuesday October 22nd @ 8:00 pm - STEPHEN SANCHEZ Friday October 25th @ 7:00 pm The Kotzschmar Organ presents THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME Saturday October 26th @ 10:00 am The Kotzschmar Organ presents SPOOKTACULAR SONGS & STORYTIME Saturday October 26th @ 6:30 pm The Kotzschmar Organ presents AN EVENING WITH OLIVIER LATRY Sunday November 17th @ 2:30 pm The Kotzschmar Organ presents GRAND OPERA MEETS THE MIGHTY KOTZSCHMAR November 29th thru December 8th Maine State Ballet’s NUTCRACKER Tuesday December 17th @ 7:00 pm Portland Ballet presents VICTORIAN NUTCRACKER Monday December 23rd @ 7:00 pm The Kotzschmar Organ presents CHRISTMAS WITH KENNERLEY Saturday March 1 @ 7:00 pm Outback presents SAL VULCANO EVERYTHING’S FINE TOUR Wednesday March 19 @ 7:30 pm Outback presents NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON - ASTRONOMY BIZARRE Saturday March 22nd @ 7:00 pm The Kotzschmar Organ presents BACH BIRTHDAY BASH

For more information about these and all our performances or to purchase tickets please visit PortTix.com or Call 207-842-0800 PortTix is the Official Box Office for Merrill Auditorium. Please make sure when purchasing tickets, you are buying from PortTix.

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BATH SAVINGS TRUST COMPANY IS A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF BATH SAVINGS INSTITUTION. INVESTMENT PRODUCTS ARE NOT INSURED BY THE FDIC, ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF THE BANK, AND ARE NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK. INVESTMENT PRODUCTS ARE SUBJECT TO INVESTMENT RISK, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRINCIPAL. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT AN INDICATION OF FUTURE RESULTS.

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t Holbrook, we provide the life your loved one wants with the care they need. Here, you’ll find a community setting that focuses on the individual— a place to call home filled with compassion and care. We call it PersonFirst ®. Perched on the Maine coast in scenic Scarborough, Holbrook at Piper Shores is open for new residents, providing skilled nursing, respite, assisted living, and memory care.

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Personalized Skilled Nursing, Respite, Assisted Living, and Memory Care. Guided and informed by you.

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Benefits vary by plan. Plans offered in ME & NH. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium. Martin’s Point Generations Advantage is a health plan with a Medicare contract offering HMO, HMO-POS, and Local PPO products. Enrollment in a Martin’s Point Generations Advantage plan depends on contract renewal. Martin’s Point Health Care complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Y0044_2024_300_M Accepted: 6/22/2024

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Hello,

43 NEW EXPERTS AND GROWING.

Reintroducing Northern Light Mercy Hospital. We’re proud to welcome friendly new faces to the compassionate team you trust. Because more experts across more specialties means less waiting for the care you need. And it’s one more reason to take another look at Mercy.

How are you? Connect with us at northernlight.org/hello

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Wilmington Trust and M&T Bank support the people and organizations whose mission is to improve the places and spaces where we live, work, and play. Together, we offer our time and resources and encourage others to join us.

We're proud to support Portland Presents.

wilmingtontrust.com Wilmington Trust is a registered service mark used in connection with various fiduciary and non-fiduciary services offered by certain subsidiaries of M&T Bank Corporation. ©2023 M&T Bank and its affiliates and subsidiaries. Member FDIC. All rights reserved.

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TED CA CARTER ART red Landscapes

tedcarterlandscapes.com 207.761.1823

Image Credit: Irvin Serrano Portland Presents • Return to Index

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EXPERIENCE BROADWAY WITH PORTLAND OVATIONS HADESTOWN FRIDAY & SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 & 19, 2024 • 8 PM, 1 PM & 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

DEAR EVAN HANSEN WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20 & 21, 2024 • 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

THE CHER SHOW WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12 & 13, 2025 • 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, MARCH 12 & 13, 2025 • 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

THE ADDAMS FAMILY WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, MARCH 26 & 27, 2025 • 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

AIN’T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY, MAY 27 & 28, 2025 • 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

YOUR NONPROFIT FOR PERFORMING ARTS SINCE 1931 Portland Presents • Return to Index

DIVE INTO THE WORLD OF THEATRE & DANCE

KAYLA FARRISH THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2024 • 7 PM WESTBROOK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

LIFE BE LIFIN’ STARRING MONÉT X CHANGE SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2025 • 8 PM STATE THEATRE, PORTLAND

CONTRA-TIEMPO: joyUS justUS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2025 • 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2025 • 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

COAST TO COAST: AN EVENING OF HIP-HOP ARABIC POETRY & MAQAM MUSIC WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, APRIL 16 & 17, 2025 • 7 PM ONE LONGFELLOW SQUARE, PORTLAND

BUY TICKETS

PORTTIX IS OUR TRUSTED TICKET SELLER 40

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EMBARK ON A MUSICAL JOURNEY

ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2024 • 7 PM STATE THEATRE, PORTLAND

MARYNA KRUT, BANDURA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2025 • 7 PM FIRST PARISH CHURCH, PORTLAND

NATHALIE JOACHIM THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2025 • 7 PM AURA, PORTLAND

THE LEGENDARY COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2025 • 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

• Online at PORTLANDOVATIONS.ORG • Call PortTIX 207.842.0800 • In person by visiting the PortTIX Box Office

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CELEBRATE 94 YEARS OF CHAMBER MUSIC

THE NIGHTINGALE’S SONATA SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2024 • 2 PM MAINE JEWISH MUSEUM, PORTLAND

ESPRESSIVO! PIANO QUARTET SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2025 • 2 PM HANNAFORD HALL, USM CAMPUS, PORTLAND

CONRAD TAO PIANO SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2025 • 2 PM HANNAFORD HALL, USM CAMPUS, PORTLAND

BE AN OVATIONS MEMBER 42

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BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY TOGETHER CIRQUE KALABANTÉ: AFRIQUE EN CIRQUE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024 • 7 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

SUGAR SKULL! A DÍA DE MUERTOS MUSICAL ADVENTURE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2024 • 10 AM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD LIVE!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2024 • 11 AM WESTBROOK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2025 • 3 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

FRAGGLE ROCK: BACK TO THE ROCK LIVE! SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2025 • 1 & 4:30 PM MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND

Membership gives you greater access to live performance and exclusive Member benefits including disounts and early ticket access. Portland Presents • Return to Index

CONNECT AUDIENCES TO ARTISTS

Ovations Offstage connects audiences with artists by bringing experiences directly to the community. Programming includes pre-performance lectures before each chamber music concert, masterclasses and public workshops with visiting artists, community conversations, post-performance Q&A’s, film screenings, the popular Drag Storytime series and more.

CELEBRATING 94 YEARS OF PERFORMING ARTS 44

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A Different Way of Looking at Things In business, you have a lot to keep your eye on. Sometimes it’s hard to see the opportunities and the risks clearly. That’s where Drummond Woodsum can help. We use a team approach – a small group of highly specialized attorneys focused on helping your business see what’s ahead before you take that next step.

dwmlaw.com | 800.727.1941

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~The Landscape Professionals~ Family owned and operated in Lisbon, Maine for over 45 years. www.DavisLandscape.com 1-800-675-4885 Voted “Best of the Best” 20 years running!

YOUR

LOCAL

INSURANCE AGENCY

HOME • AUTO • BUSINESS 2331 Congress St., Portland | 800.286.5352 www.CrossAgency.com 46

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Legal Guidance Without the Theatrics Perkins Thompson has a full cast of attorneys to play any role. Whether you’re taking on a new project, navigating unfamiliar territory, or planning for the future, our team thrives on every stage.

Get the legal advice you need without the drama. 207.774.2635 | perkinsthompson.com

mainehistory.org

On exhibit through Dec. 31, 2024

Coming March 2025

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B o a r d o f Tr u s t e e s President

••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • •

Colleen Khoury

Vice Presidents

Vicki J. Gordan Peter Haynes Michael Johnson Breda White

••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • •

Rick Abbondanza Sally Bancroft Lucas Desmond

Trustees • • •••••••••••••••••••

Tony Alaimo

Kyo Bannai Omar Hasan Gretchen Johnson Nancy Merwin Liz Murley Holly Sargent Lendall Smith Nate Stevens

Olivier te Boekhorst Wendy Suehrstedt John Tanzer William Thornton Seth Webber Brent West April Ylvisaker Tardiff

P r e s i d e n t ’s C o u n c i l Jonathan W. Ayers Ken Blaschke Stephanie Bowe Carole Case Harper Lee Collins Dan Crewe Susan Dench Austin H. Farrar Karen Foster

Vincent E. Furey, Jr. Gordon Gayer Jan Gerry Phyllis Givertz Deborah Galarneau Ed Gardner Jerome F. Goldberg Linda L. Graffam Jeffrey D. Kane

Gregory Link Senator George Mitchell Robert Nanovic Mary Neal Kenny Nelson Leonard M. Nelson Mary P. Nelson Merle Nelson Elisabeth (Ellie) Osborn

Herbert Paris John I. Riddle Jen Segal Sally Ann Serunian Ann E. Spaulding Patricia Spock Kay Whitmore

D i s t i n g u i s h e d S e r v i c e Tr u s tees Peter S. Plumb

Ad m i n i s t r at i ve S t a f f Senior Director

Staff

•••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •••••••••••••

Carolyn Nishon, Executive Director

•••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Kayla Adelman, Marketing Manager

Directors

Andrea Cole, Donor Relations & Database Manager

•••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •••••••••••••

McKenzie Blanchard, Director of Learning & Community Impact Liz Kane, Director of Artistic Operations

Lucas Goodman, Music Librarian Erin Marc-Aurele, Executive Assistant & Office Manager Sarah A. McCullough, Graphic Designer

Allison Page, Director of Marketing & Communications

Sara Hallie Richardson, Annual Fund Manager

Leah Robertson, Director of Development Jennie Ryan, Director of Finance

Liz Shapiro, Production Manager

Katie Schraeder, Grant Writer Alyson Spencer-Reed, Finance Coordinator Martin Webster, Orchestra Personnel Manager Michelle Zichella, Major Gifts Officer

Portland Presents • Return to Index

World-Class Performances & Exceptional Musical Experiences

BEETHOVEN’S 9 TH

ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA

SUNDAY, SEPETEMBER 22, 2024 | 2:30 PM TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2024 | 7:00 PM

TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2025 | 7:00 PM

ROARING ’20S:

A Tribute to the Beatles SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2025 | 7:00 PM SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2025 | 2:30 PM

YO-YO MA

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2025 | 2:30 PM

Rhapsody in Blue SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2024 | 7:00 PM SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2024 | 2:30 PM with the Portland Symphony Orchestra THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024 | 7:00 PM

CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR:

MOZART MEETS KLEZMER FANTASTIC BEASTS & WHERE TO HEAR THEM:

VOCTAVE:

Side-by-side with Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2025 | 2:30 PM

MENDELSSOHN & STRAUSS

SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2025 | 2:30 PM TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2025 | 7:00 PM

The Corner of Broadway & Main Street SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2024 | 7:00 PM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2024 | 2:30 PM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2024 | 2:30 PM

CARMINA BURANA

STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE IN CONCERT

MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS

with Cirque de la Symphonie FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2024– SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2024

SATURDAY, MAY 3, 225 | 7:00 PM SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2025 | 1:00 PM

LA BOHÈME

with Portland Ballet SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2025 | 2:30 PM

SLEEPING BEAUTY

in collaboration with Opera Maine FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2025 | 7:00 PM SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 2025 | 2:30 PM

BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS

Classical Kids LIVE! SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2025 | 2:30 PM

CLASSIC ROMANCE

with Portland Ballet and Portland Stage TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2025 | 7:00 PM

DVOŘÁK’S NEW WORLD SYMPHONY

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2025 | 7:00 PM

TUESDAY CLASSICAL | SUNDAY CLASSICAL POPS! | MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS DISCOVERY CONCERTS FOR FAMILIES

Buy Tickets Now! | visit PortlandSymphony.org | call PortTIX 207.842.0800

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9/3/24 5:17 PM

WITH YOUR SUPPORT, THE PSO CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND THRIVE BY FOSTERING CONNECTIONS, INSPIRING THE IMAGINATION, & REINFORCING OUR HUMANITY. Thanks to our generous Annual Fund donors, we served nearly 25,000 students through 400+ educational events in the 2023-24 season.

SUPPORT THE ANNUAL FUND visit PortlandSymphony.org | call 207.773.6128 ext. 174

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McCullough mixes McCullough a gold metallic ink mixes a gold metallic ink with additives to additives to create awith specific viscosity.create a specific viscosity.

McCullough and BrownMcCullough discuss and the designBrown while discuss settingtheupdesign the while setting up the printing station. printing station.

Silkscreen printing involves pushing ink Silkscreen printing involves pushing ink through a mesh screen onto paper or another through a mesh screen onto paper or another surface. Each color in the design requires a surface. Each color in the design requires a separate screen, with layers of ink applied separate screen, with layers of ink applied sequentially to create the final image. sequentially to create the final image. ON SALE NOW. Posters may be purchased ON SALE NOW. Posters may be purchased online or at PSO performances. All proceeds online or at PSO performances. All proceeds benefit PSO education and artistic programs. For benefit PSO education and artistic programs. For more information about how to own a piece of PSO more information about how to own a piece of PSO history visit: history visit: `P O R T L A N D S Y M P H O N Y.O RG `P O R T L A N D S Y M P H O N Y.O RG

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Last year we asked local artists to help create a design Last year we asked local artists to help create a design expressing the celebratory for the PSO’s 100 th season for the PSO’s 100 th season expressing the celebratory spirit of the Symphony. The final design came from spirit of the Symphony. The final design came from emerging artist Lydia Jane Brown, a native Mainer who emerging artist Lydia Jane Brown, a native Mainer who has lived in the Portland area since 2008 when she has lived in the Portland area since 2008 when she moved from Aroostook County to study art at USM. moved from Aroostook County to study art at USM.

B E H IBNEDH I TNHDE TSHCEE NS EC SE N E S

100 100Design Design th th Season Season

&& Poster Poster

““

TheThe starting concept starting concept waswas a dynamic a dynamic overlapping image of of overlapping image a conductor with arms a conductor with arms spread wide as aasgentle spread wide a gentle explosion of instruments explosion of instruments bursts above their head bursts above their head andand around them, around them, melding together melding together while simultaneously while simultaneously growing outout from thethe growing from center. It’s It’s meant to to center. meant feelfeel celebratory, likelike a a celebratory, fireworks display.” fireworks display.” -Brown -Brown

Printmaker and PSO Graphic Designer Sarah McCullough Printmaker and PSO Graphic Designer Sarah McCullough collaborated with Brown to create a four-color screenprint collaborated with Brown to create a four-color screenprint commemorating the PSO’s 100th Anniversary season. commemorating the PSO’s 100th Anniversary season. This limited-edition silkscreen poster will be signed by the printmaker, artist, Music Director, and possibly a special guest. This limited-edition silkscreen poster will be signed by the printmaker, artist, Music Director, and possibly a special guest. It is printed with water-based inks on 100% cotton, archival Stonehenge paper. It is printed with water-based inks on 100% cotton, archival Stonehenge paper.

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9/3/24 5:17 PM 9/3/24 5:17 PM

purchase tickets at PORTLANDSYMPHONY.ORG

ECKART PREU MUSIC DIRECTOR

MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS CHORUS

PSO CHILDREN’S CHORUS

Featuring

CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE CIRQU This beloved Maine holiday classic brings a delightful combination of nostalgic traditions and unexpected surprises. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13 2:00 PM (Preview) & 7:00 PM SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 11:00 AM (Family-Friendly) & 3:00 PM

Experience perennial favorites like the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah and “Sleigh Ride” (performed in a distinctly unique PSO fashion— and yes, pun intended for those in the know), new traditions like “The Maine Christmas Song,“ and specially chosen brand-new selections heard for the first time each year.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22 1:00 PM & 5:00 PM

Sponsors:

“THIS PERFORMANCE IS ALWAYS A WIN! JOYFUL AND INCLUSIVE— INCLUSIVE—JUST WHAT WE ALL NEED!” –Veroneau B.

Media Sponsor:

OFFICIAL BOX OFFICE OF THE PSO

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BEDDING • SLEEPWEAR • GIFTS

Discover luxurious comforters, pillows, bedding, sleepwear and more, with savings up to 70% at our Freeport Outlet Store! 554 US Route 1, Freeport | 207-865-1713 Mon-Sat 9am-6pm | Sunday 10am-6pm  CuddledownFreeport

OceanView at Falmouth is a locally owned and managed independent living reerement community. Our beaueful 80-acre campus oﬀers aceve social and ﬁtness calendars with a heated four-season saltwater pool. Just minutes from Portland, you can enjoy maintenance-free living in a wide variety of cooages and apartments with peace of mind for the future. Call or visit our website today! oceanviewrc.com (207) 781-4460

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R E TA I L • O F F I C E • M E D I C A L • L A N D • I N D U S T R I A L M U LT I FA M I LY • I N V E S T M E N T • L E A S I N G • S A L E S • D E V E LO P M E N T

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There is an art to living well. INDEPENDENT LIVING AT THE ATRIUM is luxurious and carefree,

focused on wellness and personal growth, and filled with culture, activities, and friends. From farm-to-table dining to the saltwater pool, we give you the time to truly enjoy all Portland, Maine offers. Schedule your personal visit today! 640 Ocean Avenue, Portland, Maine (207) 221-7100 | thecedarsportland.org

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Portland • Scarborough • Augusta • Lewiston Opening in 2025! cportcu.org • Federally Insured by NCUA

The care you in the home you

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Rowe Westbrook is proud to be a sponsor of the

2023-2024 Portland Presents program to promote

Northern New England’s Most Prominent Arts and Entertainment Organizations Rowe Westbrook 91 Main Street, Westbrook, Maine 04092 Tel. 207-854-2555 or 800-872-7693 rowewestbrook.com

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WE CAN HELP YOU

Create Your Dream Outdoor Space

gclandscape.com • 207-699-4240

Experience • Service • Knowledge Our skilled optometrists bring a range of valuable experience to your vision care so you’ll receive care that is just right for you, your lifestyle and your budget. The health of your eyes and your complete satisfaction are our top priorities.

cascobayeye.com Michael Anastasio, OD • Robert Banglmaier, MSc, OD • Kyle Benner, OD • Amy Cyr, OD, FAAO

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0624

Steven Goldstein, OD • Timothy Kearins, OD • Sian Liem, MSc, OD, FAAO • Katherine Nickerson, OD

ating its 10th Y r b ea le r Ce

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Proudly Supporting Maine’s Arts Community From your friends at

Coming Fall 2025 New State-Of-The-Art Memorial Event Center Spacious gathering areas for formal services or intimate gatherings. Dedicated reception area with an outdoor patio. and more...

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explore portland’s waterfront views

433 Fore Street Portland, Maine 04101 207 775 1000

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Ideally located within Portalnd’s Historic Old Port, every Urban Home is steps away from a vibrant arts community, local boutiques, and nationally recognized cuisine.

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School should put stars in your child’s eyes. At Waynflete, curious young learners discover the joy of building rovers and rockets from recyclables while older students work with NASA scientists to identify and name real asteroids in Astrophysics class.

Students need hands-on learning opportunities— personalized to their passions— to reach their true potential. If you miss seeing that spark, visit waynflete.org to see how our challenging curriculum can change the trajectory of your child’s life.

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Kevin Brown Architecture

Building Maine’s Great Spaces.

10 Danforth Street Portland Maine 04101 207.773.3625 wright-ryanhomes.com

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“Join us at Portland Stage!”

We want to share our 51st season with YOU! With new Made in Maine productions, classics revisited, sharpwitted dramas, charming comedies, and murder mysteries, this season holds a range of shows we hope will delight and inspire you. Each play in this season is about uncovering unexpected truths and finding the strength to face problems head on. From a senator standing up for what’s right, to discovering secrets in a recipe box or on the golf course. From confronting an angel or your wife, to sharing your deepest thoughts as shooting stars fill the night sky, each play this season brings a mystery and a different approach to finding a better solution. Join us at Portland Stage!

Anita Stewart, Artistic Director CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER

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Portland Stage Mission

Portland Stage is committed to creating great art, passionate about using the theater to educate, and dedicated to enriching our community. WE: • Engage, connect, inform: Through intimate, personal exchanges that can only happen in a live theater, we foster a shared empathy and sense of belonging. • Build community: We create productions from the ground up, combining local talent with artists from away: Enriching both through lasting relationships and deeper understanding of each other and the world. • Evolve to stay relevant: We innovate, cultivate, and incubate new ideas on our stages, in our classrooms, and with community partners.

Board of Trustees Todd Nicholson, President Ellen Alderman Tony San Antonio Samantha Bowen Sarah Campbell Susan Carter

Peter H. Clough Scott Cowger Margaret Groban Amanda Hannan Edith Iyer-Hernandez John F. Leonard IV

Theresa McCarthy Alisa Conroy Morton Sara A. Murphy Todd Nicholson Carole Ann Palmer Cathy Stankard Robin Talbot Courtney Thorpe Nelson A. Toner Daniel Tucker Anne Wade Wendy Winer Meg Villarreal

Pictured: Dustin Tucker* & Grace Bauer* from the 2023-24 Portland Stage production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (*Member AEA).

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER

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Portland Stage Team

LEADERSHIP Artistic Director ............................................................................... Anita Stewart Managing Director........................................................................... Martin Lodish ARTISTIC • PRODUCTION Associate Production Manager • Sound Supervisor ............... Seth Asa Sengel Associate Technical Director ........................................................ Jacob Coombs Company Manager.................................................................... Jennifer London Costume Shop Manager................................................................. Susan Thomas Literary Manager ..................................................................... Todd Brian Backus Production Manager • Lighting Supervisor ............................... Mary Lana Rice Props Coordinator ................................................................................... Elliot Nye Stage Managers....................................................... Myles C. Hatch & Meg Lydon Technical Director ................................................................................Ted Gallant ADMINISTRATION Apprentice Coordinators................................ Jennifer London & Julianne Shea Audience Services Manager............................................................ Donald Smith Box Office Assistant Manager .................................................... Renee Myhaver Business Manager.......................................................................... Paul Ainsworth Development Associate............................................................... Lindsey Higgins Development Director ..................................................................... Covey Crolius Education Administrator................................................................ Julianne Shea Education Assistant........................................................ Stacey Salotto-Cristobol Education Director................................................................ Michael Dix Thomas Front of House Associates .................................. Beka Bryer & Cassie Edincott Grant Coordinator ................................................................................. Allison Fry Graphic Designer • Marketing Associate................................ Aressa Goodrich Group Sales Coordinator ............................................................... Myles C. Hatch House Manager .......................................................................... Adam Thibodeau Marketing Assistant....................................................................... Savannah Irish Marketing & Communications Director ...................................... Erin Elizabeth APPRENTICES Company Management ..................................................................... Casey Pitts Costumes........................................................... Renata Cortes, Jessica Podemski Directing & Dramaturgy............................ Kimmarie McCrann, Larsen Nichols, ............................................................................................. Micki Demby Kleinman Education ............................................................ Charlie Bowen, Sadie Goldstein Electrics .................................................................................................. Sierra Riley Props ............................................................................................ Grainne Sheehan Stage Management .................................. Kevin Commander, Charlotte Teplitz

BECOME A SUBSCRIBER TODAY Enjoy the BEST Seats at the BEST Prices!

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Become a Subscriber

Subscribers are the Backbone of Our Organization Providing ongoing support for the theater both within our community as well as financially. Seated Subscription

Flex Pass

Standard Ticket

Starting at

Weekends starting at

Weekend Matinees starting at

Per Show

Same seat, every show

Tickets that fit your schedule

$33

$45

Per Show

Single-show purchase

$58

Seated Subscription

A full 6-show seated subscription, same days and seats throughout the season, plus the ability to exchange tickets if your plans change.

Adult

PREVIEWS $209.92

EVENING $254.32

WEEKEND MATINEE $277.18

Senior

PREVIEWS $189.76

EVENING $234.64

WEEKEND MATINEE $257.98

(65+)

All the benefits of a seated package, with the flexibility to choose your dates and make your reservations as the season progresses. Choose a package of 4 or 6 tickets, or combine packages to see more of the season.

Adult Senior (65+)

4-TICKET $188.12

6-TICKET $277.18

4-TICKET $175.32

6-TICKET $257.98

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER

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Benefits Comparison Choose the best plan for you!

Misplaced or forgotten tickets can be easily reprinted at the Box Office on the day of the show. 2 Per-ticket price is lower than average single ticket prices and you only pay a one-time handling fee for each subscription package in your purchase. 3 Get access to reservations, exchanges, and additional tickets before shows go on sale to the general public. 4 The first exchange for each show is at no extra charge for a performance of the same price (i.e., evening to evening). 1

Pictured: Ross Cowan (AEA) from the 2024-25 Portland Stage production of The Play That Goes Wrong written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields. Photo by James Hadley.

BECOME A SUBSCRIBER TODAY Enjoy the BEST Seats at the BEST Prices!

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Connect with Us!

Discover behind-the-scenes content and keep up to date about upcoming shows and events.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK PORTLANDSTAGE

PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG

Make it a Group Event

It only takes 10 people to receive a group rate for your visit to Portland Stage. With 10 or more people, we offer group discounts starting at 20% off the regular ticket price.

TO LEARN MORE: EMAIL AT GROUPSALES@ PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG OR CALL 207.774.1043 EXT 304

Pictured: Emily Upton, Patrick O’Brien*, Moira Driscoll*, Jenny Woodward, & Liam Craig* from the 2023-24 Portland Stage Production of Saint Dad by Monica Wood. (*Member AEA) Photo by James A. Hadley.

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER

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Rush35 provides an aﬀordable and inclusive gateway into live theater for audiences age 35 and under by oﬀering low-cost rush tickets to ANY Portland Stage Mainstage production. 35 Pass

Flexible tickets for 35 & under Weekend matinees starting at

$16 Per Show

NEW!

The 35Pass is a 6-show Flex Pass for Rush35 Members. Sign up today and discover the power of live theater!

plus a one-time $5 subscription handling fee.

Rush35 Membership* Features

$20 SAME-DAY TICKETS TO ANY MAINSTAGE SEASON PRODUCTION! Tickets are available at the Box Oﬃce beginning at 12 noon on the day of the perfor mance. (1 ticket per Rush35 member, per performance; must show ID at pickup) *Season subscriber benefits only apply to 35Pass Holders

Tickets

JOIN RUSH35 FREE TODAY portlandstage.org/rush or call 207.774.0465

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Your Support Matters

Because each contribution is an investment in the arts.

Tax-deductible contributions keep Portland Stage a living, breathing, thriving theater, and ultimately ensure the fulfillment of our mission and the enrichment of our community. The generosity of individual donors, corporations, and foundations enables us to surround the work on our Mainstage with Education Programs, New Work Development Initiatives, and Community Engagement Events that deepen and broaden the impact of the shows themselves.

WAYS TO GIVE CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT RECURRING GIFTS COMPANY MATCH PLANNED GIVING

TO LEARN MORE:

PORTLANDSTAGE.ORG/SUPPORT-US Pictured: JL Rey (AEA) from the 2022-23 Portland Stage production of Richard Blanco & Vanessa Garcia’s Sweet Goats & Blueberry Señoritas Señoritas.

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER

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Maine Periodontics Arthur H. Gager, D.D.S. Proudly Supporting

Maine’s Arts Community

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Orchestrating client success for over 60 years. Proud supporter of Portland Presents

75 Market Street, Suite 201, Portland, ME 04101

(207) 773-4775

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www.thebennettlawfirm.com

Educational Camps & Classes

The classes and camps at Portland Stage produce a safe environment for young people to find a higher sense of play, stretch their imaginations, and gain valuable social skills.

Serving children pre-K to grade 12 year round in our theater, the community, and schools.

Theater for Kids is made possible by the support & vision of Susie Konkel.

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UNITING THE WORLD THROUGH ART

2024-2025 Season at Lincoln Theater

Roux & Cyr

International Fine Art Gallery

The Met Live in HD returns! Don’t miss eight incredible performances transmitted live from the Met stage to Damariscotta’s historic Lincoln Theater.

Local and international fine art. Art classes, workshops and events. 48 Free Street, Portland, ME 04101

207-221-7700

Les Contes D’Hoffmann (Offenbach) - Sat Oct 5 (with Pre-Opera Talk)

Grounded (Tesori) - Sat Oct 19 - MET PREMIERE! Tosca (Puccini) - Sat Nov 23 Aida (Verdi) - Sat Jan 25

rouxandcyrart@gmail.com www.rouxandcyrgallery.com

(early start time & with pre-opera talk)

Fidelio (Beethoven) - Mar 15 Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) - Apr 26 Salome (R. Strauss) - May 17 Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (Rossini) - May 31

Tickets: $25 Adult $23 LT Member $5 Youth (age 18 and under) available in advance at LincolnTheater.net or at the door beginning 30 minutes before showtime

(with Pre-Opera Talk)

2 Theater Street Damariscotta, ME

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www.LincolnTheater.net (207) 563-3424

6/4/24 10:54 AM

207 Ocean House Road (Route 77) Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 (207) 799-6952 | info@vrcce.com | www.vrcce.com

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DRAMATIC READING & ACTING WORKSHOPS SATURDAYS AT 10:30AM OCT. 19 - NOV. 23 • AGES 4 - 10

New picture books & activities each week!

Theater for Kids is made possible by the support & vision of Susie Konkel.

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Discussion Series Page to Stage

Join us for a book club discussion of the plays in our 50th season at the Portland Public Library. Portland Stage Literary Manager Todd Brian Backus will lead discussions alongside assistant directors, dramaturgs, and special guests. Scripts are available at the Main Branch Reference Desk at the Portland Public Library and take place in the Rines Auditorium at the following dates and times. Angels in America, Part 2: Perestroika .... Saturday, October 12th • 1:30 - 2:30pm Murder on the Links .................................... Saturday, January 18th • 1:30 - 2:30pm Madelines .................................................. Saturday, February 22nd • 1:30 - 2:30pm Not Quite Almost ...........................................Saturday, March 22nd • 1:30 - 2:30pm Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ...........................Saturday, May 3rd • 1:30 - 2:30pm

The Artistic Perspective

Join us after the fith Sunday Matinee of each production for a discussion with Artistic Director Anita Stewart, as well as artists and scholars related to the production. These discussions are always free and open to the public, and attendees can join even if they didn’t attend the matinee itself. Check in with the Box Office for runtimes and try to arrive at Portland Stage about five minutes before curtain to join the audience after bows.

Curtain Call

Join us after the second Sunday Matinee of each production for a discussion with the cast of each show, moderated by Literary Manager Todd Brian Backus. These discussions are always free and open to the public, and attendees can join even if they didn’t attend the matinee itself. Check in with the Box Office for runtimes and try to arrive at Portland Stage about five minutes before curtain to join the audience after bows. Pictured: Lizz Mangan, Hannah Cordes, Sam Rosentrater*, John Cariani*, Kathy McCafferty*, & Raymond McAnally* During Almost, Maine discussion (2020) (* Member AEA).

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER

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Discover More!

Created by the Portland Stage Literary Department, these extensive guides present a broad spectrum of information and perspectives on each play in our Mainstage season. Read more on our website Portlandstage.org

enaissance oices

Celebrating our

thAnniversary

For more information about who we are and what we do, and to buy tickets, click on the qr code to our brand-new website: www.RenaissanceVoices.net

☞

Christmas with Renaissance Voices

30th Anniversary Gala Spring Concert

Cathedral Church of St. Luke, 143 State St, Portland, ME

Saturday, December 14, 7:30 pm Sunday, December 15, 2:00 pm

Sunday, May 18, 2:00 pm

Music by Thomas Weelkes, Juan Esquivel, Sergei Rachmaninov, Sally Herman, & more

di rector’s cut – Music Director Harold Stover picks favorites from 30 years of Renaissance Voices concerts

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Your Safety Matters

To address safety concerns, WH Demmons updated our HVAC system to utilize bipolar ionization technology to deactivate harmful substances like bacteria, mold, allergens, and viruses.

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25 COMING THIS SPRING

CELEBRATING 51 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER

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APR 2 - MAY 4

“Here’s to dreams and seeing them through...”

Just as seeing a shooting star or the northern lights is a special experience because you innately understand that you are witnessing something that will never again happen in the same way, so too is this production of Not Quite Almost a one-of-a-kind event. The dynamic process of new play development touches every aspect of a piece, including its title. This new play by John Cariani will move forward as Darker the Night, Brighter the Stars in future iterations. The new title speaks to the need to live with some darkness in order to truly experience the beauty that surrounds us as well. The action unfolds on one summer night as the Perseid meteor showers streak across the sky, prompting the young inhabitants of a small town to share their hopes, fears, and dreams. Those dreams are varied—from Portland Presents • Return to Index

building a successful blue-collar business, to going to college, to joining the military. Yet while these young people contemplate love, friendship, and loss, they ask the perennial question of youth in rural communities: do I stay in this place with its limited options, or do I move away in search of more? Each story offers a unique perspective on what it means to grow up in a rural town where not much happens. The stories are connected in the same way that the Perseid meteors are—small, individual, unexpected moments of brilliance converging at the same time and place. The process of building Darker the Night, Brighter the Stars has been immensely collaborative. Over the past year, John has workshopped versions of this play with numerous artists of all ages, including a workshop last summer with high school students in Presque Isle. I’m impressed by John’s ability to listen and learn from everyone in the room. From high school students whose lives are tightly connected to these stories at this moment, to seasoned theater professionals, John honors each perspective and has the ability to maintain his own center as he continues to adapt and revise his play. This first full production is another step in the process. During the run, we will learn from audience reactions to the play what works and what may still need revision. The new play process is living and breathing as you watch today. John has shared that many of these stories were first conceived when he was much younger. While these are stories of youth, they are stories that resonate for us all. Darker the Night, Brighter the Stars makes me think back to what I wished for when I was twenty, but it also compels me to think about what I might wish for today on an August night in a small, dark town in northern Maine. Here’s to dreams and to seeing them through…

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Anita Stewart, Artistic Director

AFTERSCHOOL REHEARSALS Apr 15-May 9 | Tue, Wed, Thur

*No rehearsals Apr 22-24

PERFORMANCES May 30/31 (Rain date June 1)

at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center

Cost: $450 financial aid available

Students come together as an ensemble to create a fully-staged production of Shakespeare‘s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Participants take on a variety of roles including acting, costume design, marketing, and more!

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Where creativity and community meet. We’re all in.

Be involved. BE SHUR.

We’re proud to support Portland Stage, and its mission to invest in art, learning, and connecting diverse communities through exceptional theatrical productions and programs that captivate and inspire.

bernsteinshur.com

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Not Quite Almost

or Almost, Almost Maine By John Cariani

ON STAGE • APRIL 2 - MAY 4 SETTING

Various locales in a small town in far northern Maine. This theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. *Members of the Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. **The Scenic, Costume, Lighting, and Sound Designers in LORT are represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829, IATSE. ***The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society is the theatrical union that unites, empowers, & protects professional Stage Directors and Choreographers throughout the United States. The video and/or audio recording of this live production by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited.

CAST

Actor 1............................................... Hannah Daly Actor 2............................. Shawn Denegre-Vaught* Actor 3................................................ Emily Verla* Actor 4..................................... Aidan J. Lawrence *

ARTISTIC/PRODUCTION

Director................................................... Sally Wood Scenic Designer.................................Anita Stewart** Costume Designer................. Kathleen Payton Brown Lighting Designer.................................Bryon Winn** Sound Designer................................. Seth Asa Sengel Stage Manager....................................... Meg Lydon* Intimacy Coordinator.............................. Hollie Pryor Composer........................................... Julian Fleisher Casting Director................................... Jenn Haltman Asst. Director & Dramaturg.....Micki Demby Kleinman Production Assistant........................ Charlotte Teplitz Assistant Costume Designer............ Jessica Podemski Lighting and Sound Operator...................Sierra Riley Wardrobe............................................Renata Cortés Deck Crew..........................................Larsen Nichols Wardrobe Swing............................. Jessica Podemski Deck Crew Swing.............................Gráinne Sheehan

Not Quite Almost was developed in a professional workshop reading at Portland Stage Company, Portland, Maine. This production will be its world premiere.

Special Thanks: Adam Thibodeau 88

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PLAYWRIGHT

John Cariani

John Cariani is an actor and a playwright. He grew up in rural northern Maine and attended Amherst College, where he majored in history, with a concentration in Black Studies. He planned to be a history teacher, but a last-minute detour landed him an acting internship at a regional theater, and he became an actor. John has spent his career performing in plays and musicals on and off-Broadway and at regional theaters across the country. He has been nominated for a Tony Award, two Grammy Awards, and has won an Outer Critics Circle Award. Well-known for his film and TV work, John has had recurring roles on television shows like Law & Order and Numb3rs, and he has shared the big screen with Christopher Walken, Gina Rodriguez, and Robert de Niro. As a playwright, John is best known for his first play, Almost, Maine, which has become one of the most popular plays in the world. It has received nearly 6000 productions to date and has been translated into over a dozen languages. Over the past decade, it has become the most frequently produced play in high schools, outpacing classics like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Our Town. John’s other plays have been produced over 500 times around the world and have been translated into several languages. As an artist, John is passionate about making room for the people who made him what he is: rural Americans. Rural Americans are woefully underrepresented in contemporary theater. When they do appear on stage, they are portrayed as sad, addicted, and uneducated people. But they are so much more than that. John’s newest plays explore the hopeful, joyful parts of hardscrabble lives. And they take a loving look at what it is to grow up queer—like he did—in rural America.

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DIRECTOR

Sally Wood

With a passion for both performance and education, Sally is honored to be part of such a talented and generous creative team. Based in mighty Portland, Maine, Sally is a buffet-style artist, working as an actor, fight choreographer, director, and teaching artist. Currently, she shares her expertise as “Professor Wood,” a Visiting Assistant Professor of Theater at Bates College. As a huge surprise to her, Sally has a strong affinity for new play development, evidenced by her recent directing credits, which include Monica Wood’s Papermaker, Half-Light, and Saint Dad; Tom Coash’s Veils; and, notably, Last Gas, LOVE/SICK, and Not Quite Almost by John Cariani. This represents her fifth time working alongside the tour de force, John Cariani. This one is celebrating the beautifully bright stars that left us too soon. Thank you, Renee & Dennis!!!

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CAST BIOGRAPHIES Hannah Daly (Actor 1) is a Portland-based actor and proud Mainer! Previously at Portland Stage: A Christmas Carol (Belle/Fred’s Wife), The Snow Queen. Other favorite credits include The Moorhen in The Moors (Dramatic Repertory Company), Margaret/Verges in Much Ado About Nothing (Opera House Arts), and Emmy in A Doll’s House, Part Two (Good Theater). Film: Downeast, Nice People. Training: BFA in Acting from Syracuse University, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tepper Semester. Thanks to John, Sally, and Anita for this magical time, and love to Nolan, who makes the darkest nights bright. For Mark Honan, who taught and gave us so much. Shawn Denegre-Vaught* (Actor 2) is so excited to return to Portland Stage for Not Quite...! Recently, Shawn performed in the World Premiere production of Manning here at Portland Stage. He played “B” in Sanctuary City at Kitchen Theatre Company, Geva Theatre, and Portland Theater Festival. He was in the World Premiere production of Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor is the Villain at Studio Theatre, where the cast was awarded two Helen Hayes Awards for Best Ensemble and Best Production. Shawn’s television work includes The Pitt (Max), Three Women (Starz), and The Barney Show, along with multiple commercials. His film work includes Emerald, Texas; Blood Moon; Natural Causes; and Blind Love. He studied acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University and the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Thank you to mom, Jamin, Lee, Dad, everyone here at Portland Stage, and Barry Kolker at The Carson/Kolker organization.

(*Member of AEA)

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CAST BIOGRAPHIES Emily Verla* (Actor 3) Absolutely elated to be a part of this premiere with Portland Stage! Verla most recently appeared as Dierdre in The Cottage with Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Other favorite credits include Yankee Tavern (Riverside Theatre), The Wolves (Boise Contemporary Theater), Bar Dykes (TOSOS & The Flea), Crimes of the Heart (Bristol Valley Theater), The Tall Girls and the premiere of Tammy Ryan’s Tar Beach (Luna Stage). Off-Broadway: As You Like It (New York Classical Theatre), A Name for a Ghost to Mutter, and Petie (Theatre East). Regular voice on The Story Pirates Podcast (Gimlet Media) and titular voice on the serialized radio comedy Hairy Legs Hannah’s Feminist Quarter Hour (South America Productions). TV: Recurring on The Deuce (HBO), Dietland (AMC), The Tonight Show (NBC). Verla has a BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch School of the Arts: The Stella Adler Studio. Boundless gratitude to Nick, who took me backpacking into the mountains so we could really see the Perseids and who has made this possible for me. Eternally for Ari. www.emilyverla.com Aidan J. Lawrence * (Actor 4) is excited to be making his Portland Stage debut! Select regional/OffBroadway theater credits: Cake Off! A New Musical (Bucks County Playhouse), To Kill a Mockingbird, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Angels in America, Josh Groban’s Great Big Radio City Show, A Steady Rain, Hairspray, Lost in Yonkers. Notable film/television credits: HBO’s Gossip Girl, Netflix’s Grand Army, The House Arrest Rooneys (pilot), After Sunrise, Nationwide commercial for Dove - “As Early as Five,” and Xavier Manrique’s Who Invited Charlie? on Amazon Prime, and has recently filmed/produced a new short film, Still Here, which will make its rounds on the festival circuit in late 2025. He’s a proud member of AEA and SAG/AFTRA for nine years. Thank you to Portland Stage, Jenn Haltman, Marnie, Celina, Nani, Barry Kolker, The Carson/Kolker Org., and Bonnie Shumofsky/Stewart Talent. @AidanJLawrence (*Member of AEA)

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PLAY SCENES

ACT I PROLOGUE

Scene 1

IT’S OFFICIAL Scene 2

A WISH Scene 3

LIGHT

INTERLOGUE 1 Intermission

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PLAY SCENES

ACT II INTERLOGUE

Scene 4

BETTER Scene 5

HAPPY Scene 6

BEAUTIES

EPILOGUE

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PLAYNOTES PERSPECTIVES AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT: SALLY WOOD AND JOHN CARIANI

Edited for length and clarity by Micki Demby Kleinman Micki Demby Kleinman (MDK): You two have a longstanding artistic relationship and have worked on many plays together here at Portland Stage. How did this collaboration and friendship begin? How has it changed over time? John Cariani (JC): Oh, I saw The Drawer Boy back in 2010. And I went to Anita [Stewart, Artistic Director] and I said, “Whoever directed that play is who I want to direct my new play [Last Gas].” And she said, “That’s Sally Wood.” That was it. Sally Wood (SW): That’s so funny, you never even had laid eyes on me. JC: No, but I had heard good things, you know, from other people. I saw that production. I was like, this is some of the clearest storytelling I’ve seen in the theater in a while… And then we met and we liked each other. Loved each other. Then we got to work and Sally just went at the script of Last Gas–like, really interrogated it–and gave it shape and momentum and helped it become a really good play. That was my first full-length play, Last Gas, and Sally had to really help me make that play work. MDK: How many plays have you guys worked on together? SW: Four, right? JC: Last Gas; LOVE/SICK; cul-de-sac; Almost, Maine; and this one. So five. SW: Whoa! That’s a lot. MDK: John, what inspired you to write this play? JC: I honestly don’t remember. These are old plays. These are short plays of mine that have been kicking around in colleges and universities that people will do for scene work. And I guess my publisher would get requests for some of these plays and my publisher would ask me what these orphan short plays were all about… And I explained that they were these short plays that I wrote when I was writing Almost, Maine, but they didn’t really belong in Almost, Maine. I think I may have said, “They kind of stink,” and my publisher said, “Put them together and finish them and make them not stink,” basically. These plays have been sitting on a hard drive for a long time, and they kind of gnaw at me, my orphaned plays. And then my friend Elizabeth Guffey did one of these short plays at a short play festival in Freeport, and I told her there were more where that play came from, and she said, “You should work on those!” And then I gave them to Dan Burson [former Portland Stage Literary Manager], and Dan was like, “Yeah, I think there’s something here.” And then I told Todd [Brian Backus, current Portland Stage Literary Manager] and Anita about it, and next thing I knew, they were scheduling this new collection of plays for Little Fest[ival of the Unexpected]. I don’t know if I would

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have trusted this collection of plays to be ready for Little Fest, but they knew that if they scheduled it, I would work my butt off to get it ready. And they told me I needed to, and I did. Side note: the plays in Darker the Night, Brighter the Stars are not at all what they once were! I have worked my butt off to make them worthy of being at Portland Stage! Short answer: Northern Maine. I love where I’m from and the people who live there. That place and those people made me who I am. Think John Mellencamp’s “Small Town.” MDK: Sally, I know that you work on a lot of world premieres and new scripts. What is it like as a director to work on a published play versus to develop a new play? SW: You know, some playwrights are just not into Sally Wood, and that’s okay. Some

playwrights don’t really want someone to come in and meddle with their work, and I totally get that. They probably workshopped it a thousand times and they’re just done. That is my least favorite kind of scenario because they don’t actually want input. It’s funny, I find myself straining against already published plays because I’ll see things and I’m like, oh man… I have a good relationship with John, a good relationship with Monica [Wood]. With people who I’ve worked with for a while, you get a shorthand… I’m way more mouthy in a way that I’ve never done before where I’m like, “Look—”

JC: She says things like, “I got a big one—a big change for you to make—” and she’ll

look at my face and realize that I might not be up for it and say, “We’re gonna do it later.” Or if I look up for it, she’ll say, “You ready?” And I go, “Yep, okay?” And then she works her Sally magic on my play–which usually means cutting, cutting, cutting.

MDK: Sally, what is it like to direct a play while the playwright is in the room with you? SW: Well, it depends. You know, John is so great because, by having John in the room,

the actors are basically seeing a case study on one of John’s characters. Because you [John] write the way that you speak. Also, there’s something magical because John’s not only taking ideas that I’m throwing out, but what the actors are throwing out. And that never happens, actors so rarely are allowed any kind of artistic space for that. Like, in a lot of cases, they are the puppet, you know what I mean? And it’s just like, you fit the costume or whatever, this is the way so-and-so did it or whatever. And [with John] you just see [the actors] kind of open up, and I think that’s remarkable. And some stuff isn’t gonna be the way that John pictured in his head. Some stuff isn’t gonna be the way that I pictured in my head. Because that’s not the rehearsal room that we have now. We’ve got strengths that we didn’t know we had, and we have some areas that aren’t as strong as they are in my brain, and that’s okay. I can spend the entire rehearsal process trying to get people to do the play that’s in my head, but that’s so not interesting.

MDK: The structure of this piece is in some ways similar to your other plays, such as Almost, Maine or LOVE/SICK, where there are stand-alone plays within a larger universe, or connected somehow. Why are you drawn to this structure?

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PLAYNOTES PERSPECTIVES JC: I just love the short form. I love short plays, I love short stories, I love short films,

and I love songs. I love how efficiently they do what they do. I don’t love novels and I don’t love long movies, and I don’t love very many long plays that I see. I hate to say it, but they’re not committed to the form or the story they’re telling–they’re committed to… I think whatever the creator wants to say more than they are to what the creator is making. I think short-form art is committed to what it’s doing, the story it’s telling, and to doing everything as efficiently as possible. And I’m just interested in that efficiency in what it does for storytelling, I guess that’s what I would say.

SW: And I think it’s just an accident, too. There was a vision for four actors in Almost, Maine when it started. When it began to propagate everywhere else, then it became a play for 20, you know what I mean? People want those plays. Well, it’s remarkable if you’re trying to find something with a big group of people, how to not have a play that is a star vehicle for two roles and everybody else has got their two seconds. A play like this, everyone’s got their ten minutes. That’s really such a gift, you know, especially if you’ve got a bunch of college students that you’re like, hey, I want to give everybody something to sink their teeth into. MDK: There’s a lot going on in this play, a lot of characters and a lot of different storylines. I’m just wondering, what do you hope that the audiences walk away with after seeing the play? JC: Just knowing–remembering–that difficulty and beauty and happiness and pain

can exist all at the same time, and that extraordinary things happen to ordinary people. Extraordinary isn’t owned or bought. It’s for everyone.

SW: It’s funny. I keep hearing what you said at one of the Bates [College] talks, which

was “queer, rural, and happy.” To have the girl from Walmart be able to have a happy ending feels outstanding to me. I just hope that people will turn to each other when it’s over and be like, “There’s so much to be happy about.” If we’re just a tiny bit lucky, we can find it. And if it starts conversations, that’s a million times better, too.

John Cariani and Sally Wood. Photo by Aressa Goodrich.

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CENTERSPREAD TOPICS

LIGHT POLLUTION & DARK SKY PLACES By Kimmarie McCrann

A side effect of industrial civilization, light pollution is the overlighting of natural skies which makes it very difficult, even impossible in some regions, to see the stars at nighttime. Not only does light pollution deprive humans of spectacular views of the cosmos, but it has increasingly negative impacts on climate change, migratory animals, and overall human health. According to a 2016 study published in Science Advances, 80 percent of the world’s population lives under light pollution. Only the most remote regions of the world, including sections of Siberia, the Amazon, and the Sahara Desert, are in total darkness. So, what exactly causes light pollution? Several of the primary causes include streetlights, outdoor residential lights, electronic advertising, sports stadiums, and factory lighting. When these lights are left on 24/7, they greatly contribute to the unnatural overlighting of the sky. These lights are particularly adverse when unshielded and pointed upwards towards the heavens, rather than only lighting the ground and necessary areas. Migratory mammals that are accustomed to following natural light patterns have become progressively confused by excess night lighting, which is disrupting their paths and increasing mortality rates. Sea turtles are commonly affected by light pollution because when their eggs hatch at night, the infant turtles are supposed to follow the light of the moon to safety in the ocean. However, many turtles are distracted by lighting from residential houses ashore and travel in the opposite direction, leading to their untimely deaths, due to dehydration or traffic. Humans are also affected by light pollution. Our circadian rhythm, an intrinsic biological cycle that tells us when to sleep and wake up, is greatly influenced by photoreceptors in the eyes. According to the American Medical Association, “it is estimated that white LED lamps have five times greater impact on circadian sleep rhythms than conventional street lamps.” Research suggests that exposure to artificial light at night is associated with poorer sleep quality, impaired daytime functioning, and increased levels of obesity and depression. The good news is that light pollution is one of the only kinds of pollution on our planet that is reversible. While the long-term effects of air, land, and water pollution are difficult to undo, if all the lights in the world went out tonight, we would be able to see the stars.

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Read more in the Portland Stage PlayNotes, available for free online, or to purchase in the Lobby or Box Office!

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NORTHERN NIGHTS, NORTHERN LIGHTS By Micki Demby Kleinman

In John Cariani’s new play Not Quite Almost, a myriad of characters engage with the celestial beauty of the natural world. The northern lights are a phenomenon the characters marvel at the opportunity to see. What are the northern lights and why do they occur? The northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, are a unique display of colorful lights that can occur in the Northern Hemisphere. Beautiful swaths of purple, pink, red, and green swirl and jump through the night sky. Astronomers have observed that these lights are a result of an interaction between the sun and earth’s respective magnetic fields. During solar storms, the sun emits energy and particles into the solar system. This explosion can cause a disturbance in earth’s magnetic field, creating undulations known as Alfvén waves. The more active the solar storm is, the further south the Alfvén waves extend. Particles from the solar storm travel along the Alfvén waves and collide with gases in earth’s atmosphere. The interactions between the particles and gases create the colorful flashes of aurora borealis. Some Sami people, Indigenous Norwegians, believed that the lights were the spirits of their ancestors dancing in the afterlife. The movement of the lights corresponds to the movement of their ancestors’ spirits. Out of respect to their ancestors, the Sami behaved reverently and tried not to provoke the spirits, lest they be punished and taken into the afterlife unwittingly and prematurely. The Finnish believed that a “firefox” scampered across the night sky, its tail brushing up against the snow, creating flame and sparks, which humans perceive as the northern lights. The phenomenon that is the northern lights used to be a mystery, and is now understood. However, just because this natural wonder has been scientifically ascertained, the spiritual connection with the lights does not need to be discarded. Paying attention, and paying respect, to these beautiful lights continues to be a sentimental activity and a way to learn about other cultures.

Read more in the Portland Stage PlayNotes, available for free online, or to purchase in the Lobby or Box Office!

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DISCOVER MORE!

Created by the Portland Stage Literary Department, these extensive guides present a broad spectrum of information and perspectives on each play in our Mainstage season. Available for free online, or to purchase in the Lobby or Box Office! Portland Presents • Return to Index

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LAND & SLAVERY ACKNOWLEDGMENT We are creating theater on land that has been cared for by the Wabanaki. We honor their community and invite you to go to the Wabanaki Reach website to learn more about the Wabanaki culture, as well as about restorative justice and truth-telling that is necessary for healing. We encourage you to learn more about the peoples who cared for the land that you now reside on whether you’re from here in Portland or are visiting from away. For more information about the Wabanaki Confederacy, visit mainewabanakireach.org, and to find out whose land you are on, visit native-land.ca. We also want to acknowledge that the history of Maine is deeply connected to the institution of slavery in the United States, and that residents of Maine participated in both slavery and the transatlantic slave trade even after slavery was outlawed in the District of Maine. While it may be easy to think of Maine and more specifically Portland as a very White place, we recognize that this is simply not the case and we are working to dismantle these harmful ideas. We encourage our audiences to visit the Abyssinian Meeting House (learn more at abyssinianmeetinghouse.org) or the Eastern Cemetery here in Portland, and to explore scholarship on the subject, like Lives of Consequence by Patricia Q. Wall, to learn more about this oft-neglected part of Maine’s history. We recognize that the American Theater has also exploited, misrepresented, and excluded communities of Latine, Asian, Indigenous, and Middle Eastern descent for centuries. Portland Stage is recommitting to telling authentic stories from diverse backgrounds that all of our audiences can experience and enjoy.

We love local. Local music. Local performers. Local theater. Local news.

Visit metln.org to learn about our network of independent local newspapers and our commitment to Maine.

Your wildlife community

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ARTISTIC & PRODUCTION BIOS Anita Stewart** (Scenic Designer) has worked as a set and costume designer at leading theaters across the country, including the Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Canadian Opera Company, Minnesota Opera, A.R.T., Steppenwolf, Hartford Stage, Dallas Theater Center, Long Wharf Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, Boise Contemporary Theater, New Jersey Shakespeare, and Portland Stage. Anita’s desire to play a meaningful role as an artist in a specific community brought her to Portland Stage as Artistic Director, a company for which she had previously done significant freelance design. Anita holds an MFA in Design from the Yale School of Drama. Kathleen Payton Brown (Costume Designer) has designed costumes for many shows at Portland Stage. Most recently: Manning; A Christmas Carol; Smoke on the Mountain; Perseverance; Talley’s Folly; Almost, Maine; It’s a Wonderful Life; Ain’t Misbehavin’; Skeleton Crew; and The Half-Light. Favorite designs: Red Herring, Lost Boy Found at Whole Foods, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dancing at Lughnasa, Red, Love/Sick, and Hidden Tennessee. Other design credits: MSMT, Opera House Arts, Theater at Monmouth, The Public Theatre, UMaine Dept. of Theatre, Bates College Theater, Colby College Theater, Lyric Stage Co., and the N.J. Shakespeare Co. Kathleen lives in Camden, managing her own custom clothing business, as well as working as the Events Coordinator at the Waldo Theatre. Bryon Winn** (Lighting Designer) is delighted to be returning to Portland Stage for his 24th season. He has designed over 65 productions for Portland Stage. His design work has also been seen at Trinity Rep, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Axis Theatre, Intersection for the Arts, Miranda Theatre Company, Florida Studio Theatre, Utah Musical Theatre, Middlebury College, Cornell College, Riverside Theatre, and Iowa Summer Rep. Bryon serves as the Director of Theatre at the University of Iowa and is a member of United Scenic Artist 829.

(**Member of USA)

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ARTISTIC & PRODUCTION BIOS Seth Asa Sengel (Sound Designer) has spent decades making theater with creative souls all over our United States. He is glad to be home in Maine, and at Portland Stage, where he has collaborated on dozens of wonderful productions. A few favorites include Manning, Saint Dad, Sweet Goats and Blueberry Señoritas, The Half-Light, Sex and Other Disturbances, and The Haunting Hour. Please be kind to others, and to yourself, and tell people you love them. Much Love to Mary Lana. Meg Lydon* (Stage Manager) is so excited to embark on this tender play with this wonderful group of collaborators! Born and raised in Midcoast Maine, this show feels very dear to her heart. Outside of Portland Stage, recent work has been at The Theater at Monmouth, Fenix Theatre Company, Dramatic Repertory Company, and Bowdoin College. She also loves to spend summers at Chester Theatre Company in the Berkshires. Meg is a proud member of AEA and is forever grateful to Darren. Many thanks to the cast and the entire production team – here’s to a great show! Julian Fleisher (Composer) is a singer, writer, composer, producer, and performer. This is his fourth time composing the music for John Cariani, a 20-year partnership that began here at Portland Stage with the original Almost, Maine. With his Rather Big Band, Julian has performed with the likes of Jennifer Holliday, Martha Plimpton, Bridget Everett, Molly Ringwald, Michael Feinstein, Justin Vivian Bond, Mo Rocca, Kenny Mellman, and Diana Krall. Recordings he’s produced and co-written include his own Rather Big and Finally, Ana Gasteyer’s I’m Hip and Sugar & Booze, and Kiki & Herb’s Do You Hear What We Hear. As an actor, he was seen as The Cat in the world premiere of Stephin Merrit’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline at MCC and as George Davis in February House at The Public Theater. Julian is the author of The Drag Queens of New York: An Illustrated Field Guide (Riverhead), the host of WNYC’s The Naked American Songbook, and the series Why Songs Matter at the 92nd Street Y. As the website Culture Craver put it, “Julian Fleisher is one of New York’s treasured talents.” Instagram: @julianflei

(*Member of AEA)

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS WRIGHT-RYAN: PLATINUM SHOW SPONSOR Wright Ryan is known for their commitment to building high-quality homes throughout Maine. Just like building a fine home, bringing a play to life requires the imagination and skills of a dedicated team, from the playwright who puts pen to paper, to the designers who envision the set, lighting, and costumes, to the carpenters, painters, seamstresses, actors, and artists who make it a reality. BERNSTEIN SHUR: GOLD SHOW SPONSOR A different kind of law firm since its founding in 1915, Bernstein Shur is known for simplifying complex issues and winning through steadfast persistence. With 100+ awardwinning attorneys and professionals practicing in more than 20 critical areas and a variety of industries, and core values that are evident in everything they do, it is no surprise Bernstein Shur was named one of Maine’s Best Places to Work for the twelfth time in 2023. W.H. DEMMONS: TAKE A BREATH SPONSOR A very special thank-you to W.H. Demmons for supporting our public safety! The HVAC system installed by W.H. Demmons utilizes bipolar ionization technology, which releases charged atoms that attach to and deactivate harmful substances like bacteria, mold, allergens, and viruses by pulling the hydrogen atom away, causing the harmful substances to die. Testing of the building’s system for effectiveness against the COVID-19 virus by two different independent laboratories, Analytical Lab Group and Innovative Bioanalysis, revealed that the level of the virus would be cut by 90% within 60 minutes.

Our corporate partners help us to enrich our community while positioning their companies as cultural leaders. Want to learn more about how a corporate partnership can benefit both your business and the theater you love? Contact Covey Crolius, Development Director, at 207.774.1043 x109. Not Quite Almost by John Cariani is funded in part by a grant from the Moser Family Foundation and the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Generous support also provided by Maine Theater Fund/Maine Community Foundation, the Libra Foundation, the Fisher Charitable Foundation, and the Shubert Foundation.

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2023-24 ANNUAL FUND SUPPORTERS Executive Producer ($50,000+)

Director ($5,000 - $9,999)

Edwin F. Gamble Bequest

Anonymous

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Bernstein Shur

Fund of the Maine Community Foundation

The Bickford Pond Fund of the Maine Community Foundation The Francis Hollis Brain

Producer ($25,000 - $49,999)

Foundation Fund of the Maine

The Brooks Family Foundation

Community Foundation

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The Fisher Charitable Foundation Ed & Jan Gerry The Roy A. Hunt Foundation

Executive Director

Candice Thornton Lee

($15,000 - $24,999)

L.L.Bean

Jane G. Briggs

The Maine Arts Commission

The Finance Authority of Maine

The Maine Theater Fund of the

The Libra Foundation

Maine Community Foundation

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Moriah Moser & Dan Morgenstern, MD Leonard & Nancy Nemon

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Managing Director

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Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust

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Investor ($500 - $999) A Friend

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2023-24 ANNUAL FUND SUPPORTERS Margaret Groban & Larry Fischman

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Lisa Hangoc

Courtney Thorpe

Roslyn & Steve Hershfield

Nina & Robert Trowbridge

Mary Hoven

The Marcia Brady Tucker

Woody Howard & Gib Twitchell

Foundation

Robin Ishmael

Portland Presents • Return to Index

117

Herbert & Kathleen Janick

Curtis & Nina Scribner

Bud & Wendy Kellett

Ellen Seidman

Dennis & Sandra King

Orrin & Linda Shane

David & Linda Kirstein

David & Kathleen Stuchiner

Richard & Nancy Lemieux

Robin Talbot

Christine Linnehan

Deborah & Hall Thompson

William & Paige Mangum

Gay Tucker

John & June McClean

Lorraine & Ralph Twombly

Nate Meyer

Louise Valati

Alice Moisen

Nancy R. Wade

Rick & Debby Molander

William Walker

Wendy Moore Jeremy Moser & Laura Kittle

Friend ($100 - $249)

Richard & Sandra Neiman

Anonymous (3)

Michael & Lucretia Nelson

Christenia Alden-Kinne

Larry Nicks

Nancy Ansheles

Erin & Jon Nitschke

Robert & Linda Ayotte

Catherine O’Connor & John Kelly

Ann Babbitt

Janet O’Toole

Peter & Lyn Ballou

Rebecca Oreskes & Brad Ray

Judy & Jack Bauman

Richard & Carole Palmer

Michael & Connie Beck

James & Judith Parkhill

Tiffanie Bentley

Ralph T. Perry & Mary

Nancy Berges

Louise Seldenfleur

118

Thomas & Marjorie Berman

Jeff Peterson

Philip Blampied

Charlene & Jerry Petruccelli

Bruce Bouchard

Hugh & Norma Phelps

Samantha Bowen

Malcolm & Patti Poole

John E. Brandt

Carole A. Pope

Emily Breitner

Nancy & Frank Read

Dan & Dale Bryant

Steven Samuels

Maryellen Carew

Megan & Tony San Antonio

Robin & William Carter

Paul & Penelope Sarvis

Paul & Stephanie Castle

Bonnie Nelson Schwartz

Jennifer Caven

Portland Presents • Return to Index

2023-24 ANNUAL FUND SUPPORTERS Susan & James Cook

Tom & Laurie Hyndman

Ann K. Corbey & Stephen H.

Mary Iyer

Painter

Edith Iyer-Hernandez

Dick & Margaret Curran

Jack & Kenneth Jackowitz

Richard & Judy Curtis

William Jenks

Rob & Christine Dalzell

Sandra Jensen & Samuel Broaddus

Jerry & Gretchen Davis

Anita B. Jones

Brenda Delahanty

Patrick & Valerie Kelly

Tom DeMarco

Judith & Daniel Kennedy

Linda J. Docherty

Lily King

Mary Doherty

David Kling & Kathryn Sanders

Bruce Donath

Paul M. Knight

Richard Doucette

Ken & Jean Kriedberg

Pamela Doughty

Neil & Cathy Lamb

Moira Driscoll & David Pence

Denise LaRue & Bob Furman

Mary Lou Dyer

Calien Lewis & Martha Mickles

Katherine Dyhrberg

Andres Llorente

John Edwards

Benjamin Lund

David Ellenstein

John & Jane Lunt

Barbara & Mark Engel

David & Jeanne Mason

Dr. & Mrs. David Flavin

Jackie Mathews

David H. Fluharty & Linda

Mary Beth Mathews

R. Hjortland

Anne McBride

Jean Foy

Heidi McDonald

John Funk & Deborah Chase

Sheila McGarr

Susan Garfield & Lynda Mullen

Mary Anne McLean

George & Martha Gilmore

Sarah Meacham

Linda & Schuyler Grant

Marianna & Pete Mickelson

Elizabeth Guffey

Bruce Moore & Jan Chapman

Ann Havener & Richard Estabrook

Kenneth & Mary Nelson

Stephen & Debra Honey

Victoria Nolan & Clark Crolius

Woody Howard & Gib Twitchell

David & Caro Nutty

Elizabeth & Christopher Hunt

Jackie Oliveri

Al & Pauline Huntley

David & Jacqueline Orsmond

Portland Presents • Return to Index

119

Elizabeth Owens & Douglass Flaherty

David Terrio Adam Thibodeau

John & Denise Palmer

Marielynn Towers

James & Diane Paterson

Mary Turner

Heather Payson

Benjamin & Christine Twining

The Poole Group of Companies

Patricia Vantuyl

Hope Putnam

Peter & Elizabeth Ventre

Ted Rand & Sarah Campbell

Deena Weinstein

Lenore Rapkin

Susan & Fancis Whitten

Francis Robbins & Nirupama

Heidi Wierman

Aggarwal

David Wilcock

Jacqueline Robinov

David & Elise Wilson

Michael & Naida Rodman

James & Jennifer Wolak

Larry & Robin Rubinstein

Rick & Janet Wolf

Donald J. & Sue Rudalevige

Laura Young

Helen Ryder

Bill & Patty Zimmerman

Gwen & James Sartoris Elena Schmidt

In Memory of ($250+)

Mike & Pam Schwotzer

Steven Samuels in memory of

Robert Scribner & Claire Julian

Alan Samuels and Louis Berlin

Peggy Shapiro Linda Shary & Jeffrey Logan

In Honor of ($250+)

Nancy Shaw & John Gilmour

Bonnie Nelson Schwartz in honor

Robert Slater Mary Snell & Irwin Novak Alan & Jonell Solander Peter & Lynn Soucy Alice Spencer

of Martin Lodish Ann Shenassa in honor of Monica Wood Kathleen Silvia in honor of Bud & Cheryl Higgins

Patricia Stevens Bud & Susan Stiker Jacqueline Stowell The Frank C. & Carrie C. Strasburger Fund Kristin G. Sweeney

120

Portland Presents • Return to Index