Penobscot Theatre Stages A WORK IN PROGRESS by Recent Bangor High Grad Tonight

Penobscot Theatre Company is proud to present Abby McCarthy's original musical, A Work in Progress, as part of the Bangor Pride Festival, tonight, June 27, at 6:00 pm, at the Bangor Opera House.

As a senior at Bangor High School this past year, McCarthy wrote the book and score as an independent study project under the mentorship of teachers Scott Burditt and Deborah Elz-Hammond. She cast, directed and choreographed the piece for three public performances at Peakes Auditorium last month.

"Abby is a rising star," said Producing Artistic Director Bari Newport, "and we're thrilled to support her extraordinary debut!" McCarthy plans to attend the Conservatory of Music at SUNY Purchase in New York, where she will major in Studio Music Composition.

Set at a conversion therapy camp in the 1980s, A Work in Progress offers a satirical yet poignant look at LGBTQA youth struggling for identity and a sense of self-worth in light of well-meaning but misdirected friends, families, and organizations. "We've come a long way from the 1980s in many respects," said Newport, "but not so far as to render Abby's message obsolete. Her call for acceptance resonates along with her strikingly sophisticated compositions."

With support from Penobscot Theatre Company's professional production team, the original cast of 23 actors and student musicians will perform A Work in Progress at the historic Bangor Opera House, at 6:00 pm, following the Bangor Pride Parade. The event is free and open to the public, but donations of $10 per person are encouraged to defray the theatre's costs. The content is designed for mature audiences.

Penobscot Theatre Company is America's Northeastern-most professional, year round theatre company, owners of the historic Bangor Opera House,a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, producing a wide variety of plays and musicals each season. For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season visit www.penobscottheatre.org.

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