AN EMPTY PLATE IN THE CAFÉ DU GRAND BOEUF to Receive Maine Premiere at Mad Horse Theatre

Mad Horse Theatre will present the Maine premiere of AN EMPTY PLATE IN THE CAFÉ DU GRAND BOEUF by Michael Hollinger, running April 23 through May 17.

Directed by company member Stacey Koloski, the production is set in Paris in 1961, where the staff of the Café du Grand Boeuf attempt to keep a devoted patron alive long enough to hear his story. The play blends absurdist comedy with existential themes, exploring questions of purpose, connection, and mortality through a stylized theatrical setting.

The cast will feature Mad Horse company members Jake Cote, Marie Stewart Harmon, and Joe Bearor, joined by guest artists Daniel Karambelas, Tom Haushalter, and Gusta Johnson.

The creative team includes Koloski (director), Savannah Irish (stage manager), Steve Lupien (scenic design), Christine Marshall (costume design), Nic Robichaud (sound design), Flo Cooley (lighting design), Adam Corriveau (prop design), Janice Gardner (intimacy coordinator), and production managers Allison McCall and Tootie Van Reenen.

“An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf is one of those rare plays that manages to be both deeply philosophical and wildly entertaining. It invites us to wrestle with big, existential questions—but does so with humor, charm, and a kind of theatrical magic that feels truly special,” said Koloski.

The production will run approximately 90 minutes with no intermission and contains adult themes, including references to suicide, gun violence, and animal harm.

Performances will take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday performances at 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Mad Horse Theatre will also host a food drive for The Locker Project during the run, with donations accepted in the hour before each performance.

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