Maine State Music Theatre Announces 2010 Season

Single tickets went on sale today for Maine State Music Theatre's 2010 Season! The titles will be as follows: Always...Patsy Cline, MY FAIR LADY, CHICAGO, and Monty Python's SPAMALOT. The season will begin on June 9th and run through August 28th. This will be MSMT's 52nd summer season presenting professional musical theatre at Pickard Theater in Brunswick, Maine. The season will also be a celebration of Artistic Director, Charles Abbott's 20th and final year as Artistic Director as he retires from the position at the end of August. MSMT saw single tickets go on sale to lines of ticket buyers going out the front door of their building at 22 Elm Street in Brunswick. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased in person, by phone at (207) 725-8769 or by visiting www.msmt.org online.

Always...Patsy Cline has enjoyed great success all over the United States, including a successful run off-Broadway. It has been one of the most produced musicals in America according to American Theatre Magazine. Audiences in Canada, the UK and Australia have also enjoyed Always...Patsy Cline internationally.

Always...Patsy Cline is more than a tribute to the legendary country singer who died tragically at age 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The show is based on a true story about Cline's friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger, who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk in 1961, and continued a correspondence with Cline until her death.

The musical play, complete with down home country humor, true emotion and an onstage band, includes many of Patsy's unforgettable hits such as Crazy, I Fall to Pieces, Sweet Dreams and Walking After Midnight...27 songs in all. The show's title was inspired by Cline's letters to Seger, which were consistently signed "Love Always...Patsy Cline."

MSMT's production will run from June 9th until June 26th. Directed by MSMT alum Chan Harris (The Who's TOMMY, and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR), the cast features returning favorite Charis Leos as Louise Seger. Ms. Leos delighted audiences last season in the role of the scene-stealing Jolene in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS and followed it up by playing the title role in THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. Previous roles with MSMT have included Madame Thenardier in LES MISERABLES, the Mayoress in ALL SHOOK UP, and THE FULL MONTY. Playing the role of Patsy Cline is a dream for first-timer Jenny Lee Stern, who's credits include playing Mary Delgado in Chicago, Toronto and the 1st National Tour of JERSEY BOYS. That show is where she met husband, Jeremy Kushnier, who had appeared as the lead in MSMT's THE FULL MONTY.

MY FAIR LADY is a Lerner and Loewe classic title that MSMT has not produced for fifteen years. This show includes some of musical theatre's most beloved tunes: I Could Have Danced All Night, The Street Where You Live, Wouldn't It Be Loverly, and Get Me to the Church On Time. Adapted from George Bernard Shaw's play PYGMALION, iconic characters Eliza Doolittle, Professor Henry Higgins and Colonel Pickering will be brought to new life on MSMT's stage with style and elegance in a two-piano accompaniment saluting the theatre's origins from June 30th until July 17th. The 2010 production directed by Artistic Director Charles Abbott and choreographed by MSMT veteran Connie Shafer, will star Kate M. Fisher whose Broadway and National Tour credits include playing Cosette in LES MISERABLES and Jo March in LITTLE WOMEN. She was last seen at MSMT as Fiona in BRIGADOON. Native Brit, Peter Simon Hilton who has played the role most recently at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, will play Professor Henry Higgins. MSMT favorites John-Charles Kelly, Ed Romanoff, and Chuck Ragsdale return to round out the cast.

CHICAGO was produced at MSMT eight years ago but was highly requested on an audience survey conducted by MSMT last summer. This Kander and Ebb favorite is still playing on Broadway. Directed by Donna Drake and Choreographed by Rhonda Miller, CHICAGO will feature the flavor of the original Bob Fosse choreography in an original production. Audiences will be delighted by Nikki Snelson in her first visit to MSMT as Velma Kelly. Ms. Snelson's credits include television shows: Desperate Housewives, All My Children, The Guiding Light, and The Young and the Restless. Broadway saw her as Brooke in LEGALLY BLONDE and she played the role of Cassie in the National Tour of A CHORUS LINE. Returning favorite Gregg Goodbrod (JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, GRAND HOTEL, AIDA, MISS SAIGON, THE FULL MONTY and SOUTH PACIFIC) plays criminal lawyer Billy Flynn, and Charis Leos (credits above) plays Matron Mama Morton. See this title from July 21st through August 7th.

MSMT will be one of five regional theatres given rights to produce Monty Python's SPAMALOT, a musical based on the 1975 film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This hysterical show centers around the Lady of the Lake and Knights of the Round Table including Arthur, Galahad, Lancelot, Sir Robin and who could forget the Knights who say "Ni"? SPAMALOT was the title that ranked number one on MSMT's summer audience survey and will be presented from August 11th until August 28th. The show is being jointly produced with Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Fulton Theatre's Artistic Director Marc Robin will return to MSMT as the director for this show. This production will also feature the original costumes, wigs and props from the London professional production. Fulton favorite Daniella Dalli will play the Lady of the Lake. Nat Chandler (Broadway's SCARLET PIMPERNEL) returns to MSMT as King Arthur. He was last seen as Gaston in Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at the Pickard Theater. Jeremy Webb, who will play Sir Robin, coincidentally appeared at MSMT as King Arthur in CAMELOT in 1997. Artistic Director Charles Abbott returns to the stage as Patsy and various other roles. Chuck Ragsdale (THE FULL MONTY, THE PRODUCERS, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS) will play Prince Herbert and Curt Dale Clark (JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE PRODUCERS, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, and GRAND HOTEL) will return as Sir Galahad. John-Charles Kelly rounds out the cast as Dennis' Mother and Sir Bedevere.

Special Events for 2010 include a concert version of the acclaimed musical RENT on June 20-21st, the return engagement of popular a capella group Toxic Audio on July 26th, and Broadway, Tony-nominated star Euan Morton in concert on August 16th.

Children's programming will see Two Beans Productions' TALES OF A FOUTH GRADE NOTHING based on the book by Judy Blume on June 14th and MSMT Intern produced ALICE IN WONDERLAND with book, music and lyrics by Marc Robin on August 25th.

Finally, a celebration of Artistic Director Charles Abbott will feature a send-up being called THE CHUCK ROAST at the Harraseeket Inn on July 12th. This very special show will feature associates from Chuck's long career and a number of MSMT favorites from the past and present alike. Seating for this one-night party is limited.

Tickets for all of the season offerings are available by calling the box office at (207) 725-8769, by visiting www.msmt.org <http://www.msmt.org> where you can purchase tickets and find the most updated information on show times and details of the 2010 summer season, or in person at our box office at 22 Elm Street in Brunswick.