Steve Underwood News

The Maine premiere of George Eastman’s HARRY TOWNSEND’s LAST STAND is a sad, sweet, sassy rumination on aging and the fragile communications between father and son as they navigate this daunting process. Despite its poignant and serious underpinnings, Eastman’s play succeeds because of its unsparing humor, uncanny ear for authentic dialogue, the trim direction of Brian P. Allen, and the strong performances of the Good Theater’s stars, Will Rhys and James Noel Hoban.

Good Theater is presenting the world premiere of the acclaimed adaptation of the Jane Austen short novel LADY SUSAN. Directed by Brian Allen and James Noel Hoban, the show stars Brynn Lewallen, Joseph Bearor, Hannah Daly, Jay Mack, Halsey Redman, Amy Roche, and Nathan Gregory. October 20 - November 14.

The Good Theater reopened its doors last night with a breathtakingly stunning world premiere of Rob Urbinati’s new play LADY SUSAN, directed by Brian P. Allen and James Noel Hoban. Taking its inspiration from Jane Austen, this 21st century work has all the eloquence of an early 19th century classic, as it explores the intricate, timeless mating games that seem as relevant today as they did more than two hundred years ago.

Each Christmas the Good Theater presents BROADWAY AT THE GOOD, a musical concert benefit recreating songs from a particular decade. Due to the pandemic, the 2020 concert did not take place, so this belated virtual songfest, featuring highlights of the 1990s is especially welcome to fans of this company. The well-crafted revue, conceived and directed by Brian Allen with skillful music direction by Victoria Stubbs and video production by Steve Underwood, (Dave Grant, Lead Editor) nimbly handles all the curve balls the pandemic protocols require as it reunites most of the Good Theater regulars, together with special guest stars Valerie Peri and Roosevelt Baker.

Good Theater, the professional theater company in residence at the St. Lawrence Arts Center, has just released a video of “Seasons of Love”  from RENT, featuring 14 singers and stunning Maine video footage.  The song can be viewed on Youtube, at the link:

Good Theater has postponed its production of Desperate Measures.

The tautly paced, compactly plotted 1983 psychological spy thriller, PACK OF LIES by Hugh Whitemore, proves to be a cliff hanger for audiences at the Good Theater, where its recent revival, expertly directed by Brian P. Allen with a finely tuned ensemble cast, demonstrates the relevance of its message in the chaotic political context in which we currently live.

Good Theater continues its 18th season with the Portland premiere of the acclaimed British drama PACK OF LIES by Hugh Whitemore. The production opens February 12th and plays through March 8th, 2020 at Good Theater's home, the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland. For tickets and information, please call the Box Office at (207) 835-0895 or visit www.goodtheater.com.

In the Good Theater's delightful winter comedy, the play is the thing to rescue the moribund town of Popcorn Falls from the clutches of a greedy, self-serving villain who would turn its main street into a sewage plant. The citizens, led by their mayor, hatch the improbable solution of creating a theatre company and a play to win grant money needed to revitalize the town. James Hindman's multi-character drama, played by two actors, seizes on this premise and imbues the situation with breathless comedic wit and zany antics, punctuated by moments of touching poignancy.

Each year Portland's Good Theater presents a holiday musical revue, written and directed by Brian P. Allen, and dedicated to celebrating a decade in American musical theatre history. Allen's show this year is devoted to the 1940s when so many of the geniuses of the a?oelegitimatea?? musical theatre style reigned supreme. The revue he has created is ambitious and comprehensive featuring twenty-five performers, including several Broadway actors, and covering the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe, Cole Porter, Kurt Weill, and the Gershwins, together with many lesser-known writers. Performed with the intimacy and informality of a cabaret setting, Broadway at the Good Theater offers a nostalgic and delightful musical evening.

The Good Theater opens its season with Joshua Harmon's powerful and persuasive drama about class and race, aspiration in America, and the complexities of navigating a world where nothing is black and white, no matter how much one wishes it so. ADMISSIONS is a stunningly astute choice for 2019, though it was written long before recent headlines and made its Lincoln Center debut in 2018. As Executive/Artistic Director Brian P. Allen expands the Good's season to five main stage plays and four second stage shows, this Maine premiere of Harmon's play represents Allen's keen sense of the moment and what is excellent drama.

Good Theater is excited to announce LIFE WITH BRIAN, the first special event of the 2019/2020 season. Join Good Theater favorites and Broadway guest stars for an outrageous, fun-filled celebration honoring Artistic Director Brian P. Allen as he turns 60! Embarrassing videos, hysterical sketches, powerful songs, and Brian's signature masterful storytelling will make this a night to remember - cake and champagne toast included!

Get a first look below at Good Theater's production of Lucky Stiff by Lynn Ahrens (book & lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music), directed by Brian P. Allen.  The production wraps up on April 28 at Good Theater's home the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland. 

In a rare and very welcome bit of programming, the Good Theater has chosen to conclude its seventeenth season not only with a book musical but also with a rarely performed work. Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's very first collaboration, Lucky Stiff is a delightful farce, based on a wild Monte Carlo caper, brimming with silliness and bursting with wacky characters.

Get a first look at Good Theater's production of Lucky Stiff by Lynn Ahrens (book & lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music), directed by Brian P. Allen. 

Good Theater will close out its 17th season with the zany musical comedy, Lucky Stiff.  The show opens March 27 and runs for five weeks through April 28.  Good Theater is the professional theater company in residence at the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland.

When Nora Helmer slammed the door behind her 139 years ago, the fallout from her rebellion not only heralded the bold beginnings of modern drama, but they also chartered a future for feminism. Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House has remained a classic of the stage, as fresh, relevant, and provoking as it was in the late 19th century. And because the issues raised then remain ones still to be reckoned with today, Lucas Hnath's 2017 sequel, A Doll's House Part 2,continues to fascinate and audiences. The new production at Portland's Good Theater brings the characters and their crises to life with incisive power.

Good Theater presents the Portland premiere of the recent Broadway hit, A Doll's House Part 2 by Lucas Hnath. The show opens February 20 and plays through March 17. Good Theater is the professional theater company in residence at the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland.

The Good Theater's winter production of David Javerbaum's 2015 satire, An Act of God, serves up mordent satiric wit that masks the playwright's very thoughtful exploration of some of the most serious existential human questions. In a brisk eighty-three minute, essentially one character dramatic monologue, Javerbaum takes on mythos, religion, tradition, and all the other central pillars of social discourse and gleefully turns them each on its head, replacing answers with questions.

Good Theater rings in the New Year with the Maine premiere of David Javerbaum's hit Broadway comedy, An Act of God. The production opens January 16 and runs through February 10. Good Theater is the professional theater in residence at the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland. For tickets and information call 207-835-0895 or go to the company's website, www.goodtheater.com.