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BWW Interviews: The Pleasures, Perils, and Pitfalls of Casting a Season
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/28/2015) - Maine State Music Theatre Finds Its Talent for Summer 2015 When the audience thinks of casting for a Broadway musical, they conjure up the image of a darkened auditorium, an artist onstage peering into the glare and hearing Zach's voice from out of the void with its curt dismissal, 'Thank you.' Since its smash opening on Broadway in 1975 A Chorus Line has come to embody in poetic terms the uphill struggles of countless artists who toil every day on stage and off in pursuit of the metier they love. The rituals of auditioning and casting calls are integral to the life of an actor or theatre director, and each year they are played out in countless theatres large and small across the country, a crucial part of the puzzle that goes into shaping a successful season.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/28/2015) - Maine State Music Theatre Finds Its Talent for Summer 2015 When the audience thinks of casting for a Broadway musical, they conjure up the image of a darkened auditorium, an artist onstage peering into the glare and hearing Zach's voice from out of the void with its curt dismissal, 'Thank you.' Since its smash opening on Broadway in 1975 A Chorus Line has come to embody in poetic terms the uphill struggles of countless artists who toil every day on stage and off in pursuit of the metier they love. The rituals of auditioning and casting calls are integral to the life of an actor or theatre director, and each year they are played out in countless theatres large and small across the country, a crucial part of the puzzle that goes into shaping a successful season.
BWW Reviews: Novelist Debuts as Playwright
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/27/2015) - Portland Stage closes its season with the world premiere of award-winning Maine novelist, Monica Wood's touching first play, Papermaker. Set during the papermill strike of 1989 in the fictional town of Abbott Falls, Maine, the work probes the perceptions, conflicts, and interactions of individuals on both sides of the painful controversy. Handling material already familiar to her readers from her memoir, When We Were the Kennedys, Wood brings to the stage a compassionate grasp of character, a poetic sense of metaphor, and just enough sharp wit and turn of phrase to add spice to this all-too-human drama about ordinary folks whose lives and identities are turned upside down by the bitter labor dispute.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/27/2015) - Portland Stage closes its season with the world premiere of award-winning Maine novelist, Monica Wood's touching first play, Papermaker. Set during the papermill strike of 1989 in the fictional town of Abbott Falls, Maine, the work probes the perceptions, conflicts, and interactions of individuals on both sides of the painful controversy. Handling material already familiar to her readers from her memoir, When We Were the Kennedys, Wood brings to the stage a compassionate grasp of character, a poetic sense of metaphor, and just enough sharp wit and turn of phrase to add spice to this all-too-human drama about ordinary folks whose lives and identities are turned upside down by the bitter labor dispute.
BWW Reiews: Lyric Music Theater Delivers Laughs on Way to Forum
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/21/2015) - Lyric Music Theater of South Portland presents a rollicking production of Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, enlivened by the excellent performances of its leads, the cheeky choreography of Victoria Perreault, and the fast-paced direction of Mary Meserve and John Blanchette.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/21/2015) - Lyric Music Theater of South Portland presents a rollicking production of Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, enlivened by the excellent performances of its leads, the cheeky choreography of Victoria Perreault, and the fast-paced direction of Mary Meserve and John Blanchette.
BWW Reviews: Good Theaer Pays Tribute to Barbra
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/13/2015) - Portland's Good Theater brings its “lucky” thirteenth season to a close with a delightful original musical revue, Happy Days Are here Again: Streisand's 60s Songbook, dedicated to the legendary Barbra Streisand. Written and directed by Brian P. Allen and starring Lesley McKinnell, the seventy-five minute songfest takes the audience along on Streisand's journey from Brooklyn schoolgirl to Broadway, film, and recording star.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/13/2015) - Portland's Good Theater brings its “lucky” thirteenth season to a close with a delightful original musical revue, Happy Days Are here Again: Streisand's 60s Songbook, dedicated to the legendary Barbra Streisand. Written and directed by Brian P. Allen and starring Lesley McKinnell, the seventy-five minute songfest takes the audience along on Streisand's journey from Brooklyn schoolgirl to Broadway, film, and recording star.
Photo Flash: First Look at Good Theater's HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN
by BWW News Desk - Maine
(04/08/2015) - Good Theater, the professional theater in residence at the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland, closes its 13th season with HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN - Streisand's 60's Songbook. The show is created and directed by Brian P. Allen, Good Theater's Artistic Director. It stars Lesley McKinnell a veteran of the national tour of Wicked where she played the leading role of Glinda. Victoria Stubbs is the musical director/arranger and pianist for the show. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!
by BWW News Desk - Maine
(04/08/2015) - Good Theater, the professional theater in residence at the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland, closes its 13th season with HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN - Streisand's 60's Songbook. The show is created and directed by Brian P. Allen, Good Theater's Artistic Director. It stars Lesley McKinnell a veteran of the national tour of Wicked where she played the leading role of Glinda. Victoria Stubbs is the musical director/arranger and pianist for the show. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!
BWW Reviews: Maine State Ballet Mounts Swashbuckling LE CORSAIRE
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/06/2015) - For its spring production Maine State Ballet presents a stylishly swashbuckling account of Le Corsaire, vividly choreographed by Linda MacArthur Miele (after Petipa) and elegantly designed by Gail Csoboth. The more than thirty-five principals, soloists, and corps de ballet, drawn from area professionals and talented young dancers in the company school form a cohesive troupe, who seem to have grown in polish and precision over the past few years and who are not afraid to tackle the demands of this large scale Romantic ballet.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(04/06/2015) - For its spring production Maine State Ballet presents a stylishly swashbuckling account of Le Corsaire, vividly choreographed by Linda MacArthur Miele (after Petipa) and elegantly designed by Gail Csoboth. The more than thirty-five principals, soloists, and corps de ballet, drawn from area professionals and talented young dancers in the company school form a cohesive troupe, who seem to have grown in polish and precision over the past few years and who are not afraid to tackle the demands of this large scale Romantic ballet.
BWW Reviews: Portland Players Gives Sensitive Reading of BOYS NEXT DOOR
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(03/30/2015) - Portland Players has mounted a sensitive and thought-provoking production of Tom Griffin's 1988 play, Boys Next Door, about four colorful residents of a group communal home and their social worker. Griffin's work deals perceptively and sympathetically with the limitations and hopes of his characters, their skewed realities and their often hilarious interactions. In the person of Jack, the burned-out, yet compassionate counselor, the playwright is able to help the audience gain insight into the world of these mentally challenged adults and to appreciate their humanity.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(03/30/2015) - Portland Players has mounted a sensitive and thought-provoking production of Tom Griffin's 1988 play, Boys Next Door, about four colorful residents of a group communal home and their social worker. Griffin's work deals perceptively and sympathetically with the limitations and hopes of his characters, their skewed realities and their often hilarious interactions. In the person of Jack, the burned-out, yet compassionate counselor, the playwright is able to help the audience gain insight into the world of these mentally challenged adults and to appreciate their humanity.
BWW Reviews: Madhorse Theatre Presents Incisive and Insightful World Premiere of ALLIGATOR ROAD
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(03/23/2015) - South Portland's Madhorse Theatre has mounted the world premiere of Callie Kimball's Alligator Road, an incisive and insightful drama about family relationships, race, and the meaning of personal freedom. The play was first read at Madhorse's By Local Series last year, and the company has helped this talented young Maine playwright to bring this topical and timeless play to the stage.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(03/23/2015) - South Portland's Madhorse Theatre has mounted the world premiere of Callie Kimball's Alligator Road, an incisive and insightful drama about family relationships, race, and the meaning of personal freedom. The play was first read at Madhorse's By Local Series last year, and the company has helped this talented young Maine playwright to bring this topical and timeless play to the stage.
BWW Reiews: THE OTHER PLACE Offers Intriguing and Compassionate Insight into Dementia
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(03/09/2015) - Portland's Good Theater's fourth play of the season is the Maine premiere of Sharr White's The Other Place, a compelling and compassionate exploration of trauma, illusion, and dementia. Directed with quiet, yet hair-raising intensity by Brian P. Allen and starring the remarkable Denise Poirier, the production keeps the audience invested and involved from start to finish.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(03/09/2015) - Portland's Good Theater's fourth play of the season is the Maine premiere of Sharr White's The Other Place, a compelling and compassionate exploration of trauma, illusion, and dementia. Directed with quiet, yet hair-raising intensity by Brian P. Allen and starring the remarkable Denise Poirier, the production keeps the audience invested and involved from start to finish.
BWW Reviews: Madhorse Theatre Mounts Edgy Lindsay-Abaire Comedy
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(02/07/2015) - South Portland's Madhorse Theatre Company has chosen to mount Kimberly Akimbo, an edgy, quirky, wrenching comedy by David Lindsay-Abaire, as their second offering of the season. The five-character tale of a teenager's coming to terms with a strange disease that has caused her to age prematurely, with her damaged and dysfunctional New Jersey family, and with the pangs of first love is etched with colorful characters and occasionally brilliant dialogue and is given a sensitive production by director Nathan Speckman.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(02/07/2015) - South Portland's Madhorse Theatre Company has chosen to mount Kimberly Akimbo, an edgy, quirky, wrenching comedy by David Lindsay-Abaire, as their second offering of the season. The five-character tale of a teenager's coming to terms with a strange disease that has caused her to age prematurely, with her damaged and dysfunctional New Jersey family, and with the pangs of first love is etched with colorful characters and occasionally brilliant dialogue and is given a sensitive production by director Nathan Speckman.
BWW Interviews: MSMT Builds a Season with Heart
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(01/28/2015) - 'All our stories this year will be about families or individuals who are broken, but they come back to make the best of it - to survive. That is our job as human beings, and if our shows can give somebody the strength and courage to do just that, then we in the theatre are doing our jobs.' Curt Dale Clark, Artistic Director of Maine State Music Theatre, is waxing eloquent about the company's plans for the 2015 summer season, the fifty-seventh for the company, and his second in the leadership position. Together with his partner, Managing Director, Stephanie Dupal, Clark outlines their plans for what they hope will be a worthy encore to last year's spectacularly successful season.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(01/28/2015) - 'All our stories this year will be about families or individuals who are broken, but they come back to make the best of it - to survive. That is our job as human beings, and if our shows can give somebody the strength and courage to do just that, then we in the theatre are doing our jobs.' Curt Dale Clark, Artistic Director of Maine State Music Theatre, is waxing eloquent about the company's plans for the 2015 summer season, the fifty-seventh for the company, and his second in the leadership position. Together with his partner, Managing Director, Stephanie Dupal, Clark outlines their plans for what they hope will be a worthy encore to last year's spectacularly successful season.
BWW Reviews: Midcoast Symphony Presents American Program
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(01/27/2015) - Maine's Midcoast Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Rohan Smith presented a program of American composers, which included the rarely heard Symphony in E Minor by Amy Beach and music from George Chadwick's Symphonic Sketches, together with Ferde Grofe's well-known Grand Canyon Suite at Topsham's Orion Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, January 25, 2014. And while the audience most likely delighted in the last of these compositions, it was the Chadwick and Beach which gave the afternoon its primary merit.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(01/27/2015) - Maine's Midcoast Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Rohan Smith presented a program of American composers, which included the rarely heard Symphony in E Minor by Amy Beach and music from George Chadwick's Symphonic Sketches, together with Ferde Grofe's well-known Grand Canyon Suite at Topsham's Orion Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, January 25, 2014. And while the audience most likely delighted in the last of these compositions, it was the Chadwick and Beach which gave the afternoon its primary merit.
BWW Reviews: AIRE Evokes a Colorful Celtic Christmas
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(12/15/2014) - The American Irish Repertory Ensemble is bringing a colorful, lighthearted celebration of Christmas to the Studio Theatre at Portland Stage. The company presented staged versions of beloved Irish folktales, Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales and Susan and Tony Reilly's A Wren's Tale, told in song, verse, and in the Celtic dance of the StIllson School of Irish Dance troupe. The veteran actors and cast of charming children brought a warmth and naturalness to the 'feel-good' evening.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(12/15/2014) - The American Irish Repertory Ensemble is bringing a colorful, lighthearted celebration of Christmas to the Studio Theatre at Portland Stage. The company presented staged versions of beloved Irish folktales, Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales and Susan and Tony Reilly's A Wren's Tale, told in song, verse, and in the Celtic dance of the StIllson School of Irish Dance troupe. The veteran actors and cast of charming children brought a warmth and naturalness to the 'feel-good' evening.
BWW Critic's Choices: Maine 2014
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(12/08/2014) - Once again 2014 was a year to revel in the diversity and accomplishments of the theatrical scene in Maine. The summer and winter seasons yielded a nice balance between adventurous programming and classics. Here is my personal list for 2014, grouped by theatre company and show. 1. MAINE STATE MUSIC THEATRE once again receives my vote for the finest company in the region. Their 2014 season offered four dazzling main stage productions, including the remarkable revival of Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance, a daring and moving music theatre piece, beautifully realized by director-choreographer Marc Robin together with stars James Patterson and Kathy Voytko.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(12/08/2014) - Once again 2014 was a year to revel in the diversity and accomplishments of the theatrical scene in Maine. The summer and winter seasons yielded a nice balance between adventurous programming and classics. Here is my personal list for 2014, grouped by theatre company and show. 1. MAINE STATE MUSIC THEATRE once again receives my vote for the finest company in the region. Their 2014 season offered four dazzling main stage productions, including the remarkable revival of Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance, a daring and moving music theatre piece, beautifully realized by director-choreographer Marc Robin together with stars James Patterson and Kathy Voytko.
BWW Reviews: Delightful Musical Revue Rings in Christmas at the Good
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(12/08/2014) - Portland's Good Theater celebrated Christmas with a delightfully conceived and stylishly performed musical revue, Broadway at the Good Theater, created and directed by Brian P. Allen. Devoted to the music of the 60s and showcasing both Broadway show tunes and other iconic popular melodies, this almost forty-song evening flows seamlessly through the diverse music of the decade. Allen's selection of numbers reads like an index to the masterpieces of that tumultuous decade, and yet, he is astute in selecting some of the lesser-known production numbers together with the undeniable blockbusters. Moreover, he knows how to weave them together subtly to chronicle an era, and he provides musical staging that is characterful, but just right for the context.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(12/08/2014) - Portland's Good Theater celebrated Christmas with a delightfully conceived and stylishly performed musical revue, Broadway at the Good Theater, created and directed by Brian P. Allen. Devoted to the music of the 60s and showcasing both Broadway show tunes and other iconic popular melodies, this almost forty-song evening flows seamlessly through the diverse music of the decade. Allen's selection of numbers reads like an index to the masterpieces of that tumultuous decade, and yet, he is astute in selecting some of the lesser-known production numbers together with the undeniable blockbusters. Moreover, he knows how to weave them together subtly to chronicle an era, and he provides musical staging that is characterful, but just right for the context.
BWW Reviews: Lyric Music Theater Essays OLIVER! Revival
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(11/24/2014) - In this season of ubiquitous productions of A Christmas Carol, a production of Lionel Bart's Oliver! comes as a welcome Dickensian alternative. South Portland's Lyric Music Theater has mounted a very respectable revival of Bart's 1960 musical based on Oliver Twist. A curious but catchy melange of dark drama and vaudeville, Oliver! survives in its trio of principal characters, Fagin, Nancy, and Sykes, and the memorable music Bart has written for them.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(11/24/2014) - In this season of ubiquitous productions of A Christmas Carol, a production of Lionel Bart's Oliver! comes as a welcome Dickensian alternative. South Portland's Lyric Music Theater has mounted a very respectable revival of Bart's 1960 musical based on Oliver Twist. A curious but catchy melange of dark drama and vaudeville, Oliver! survives in its trio of principal characters, Fagin, Nancy, and Sykes, and the memorable music Bart has written for them.
BWW Reviews: Hilarity and Heartache Vie in SOUVENIR
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(11/10/2014) - Portland Stage's second production of the season, Stephen Temperley's witty and poignant memoire about Florence Foster Jenkins, Souvenir, whisks the audience back and forth between hilarity and heartache. The two-character drama told from the perspective of Mme. Jenkins' longsuffering accompanist, Cosme McMoon, traces the collaboration between the pianist and New York socialite and would-be opera diva, Florence Foster Jenkins, who delighted audiences -for all the wrong reasons - with her colorful recitals from 1932-1944.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(11/10/2014) - Portland Stage's second production of the season, Stephen Temperley's witty and poignant memoire about Florence Foster Jenkins, Souvenir, whisks the audience back and forth between hilarity and heartache. The two-character drama told from the perspective of Mme. Jenkins' longsuffering accompanist, Cosme McMoon, traces the collaboration between the pianist and New York socialite and would-be opera diva, Florence Foster Jenkins, who delighted audiences -for all the wrong reasons - with her colorful recitals from 1932-1944.
BWW Reviews: NERTC Tackles MAN OF LA MANCHA
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(11/10/2014) - For its fall offering, the New England Regional Theatre Company mounted an ambitious and stirring production of Man of La Mancha at the Orion Performing Arts Center in Topsham, Maine. The sixteen-person cast and twelve-musician ensemble invested this touching revival with passion and intelligence. Directed by John Willey, the 1965 Dale Wasserman-Mitch Leigh-Joe Darrion musical based on Miguel de Cervantes' epic novel, Don Quixote still burns with intensity, idealism, and a much-needed antidote in a chaotic modern world - the courage and hope to 'fight for the right' and follow the quest. Willey strikes the right balance between comedy and drama, and he handles the musical's framing device - that of Cervantes recounting his tale in a prison of the Inquisition - with visual and theatrical aplomb. He keeps the entire cast on stage for the duration and uses the exceptionally wide Orion space inventively, so that the action flows naturally and his musical staging is completely organic. Moreover, he elicits from his actors a fervent luminosity that proves inspiring.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(11/10/2014) - For its fall offering, the New England Regional Theatre Company mounted an ambitious and stirring production of Man of La Mancha at the Orion Performing Arts Center in Topsham, Maine. The sixteen-person cast and twelve-musician ensemble invested this touching revival with passion and intelligence. Directed by John Willey, the 1965 Dale Wasserman-Mitch Leigh-Joe Darrion musical based on Miguel de Cervantes' epic novel, Don Quixote still burns with intensity, idealism, and a much-needed antidote in a chaotic modern world - the courage and hope to 'fight for the right' and follow the quest. Willey strikes the right balance between comedy and drama, and he handles the musical's framing device - that of Cervantes recounting his tale in a prison of the Inquisition - with visual and theatrical aplomb. He keeps the entire cast on stage for the duration and uses the exceptionally wide Orion space inventively, so that the action flows naturally and his musical staging is completely organic. Moreover, he elicits from his actors a fervent luminosity that proves inspiring.
BWW Reviews: Wacky, Wickedly Funny MRS. MANNERLY Delights at Good
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(11/03/2014) - Portland's Good Theater has mounted the Maine premiere of Jeffrey Thatcher's wacky, wickedly funny comedy, Mrs. Mannerly, a two-character spoof of the obsession with politeness, manners, and surface polish which often disguises truths. Set in the 1960s in Steubenville, OH, Hatcher tells the tale of a character (bearing his own name) who takes on the challenge of trying to achieve a perfect score in the etiquette class of the fearsome Mrs. Mannerly, long a town institution. Jeffrey's quest leads him to crack the facade of Mrs. Mannerly's presentation and past, and in so doing to discover that inner and outer reality frequently have little in common.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(11/03/2014) - Portland's Good Theater has mounted the Maine premiere of Jeffrey Thatcher's wacky, wickedly funny comedy, Mrs. Mannerly, a two-character spoof of the obsession with politeness, manners, and surface polish which often disguises truths. Set in the 1960s in Steubenville, OH, Hatcher tells the tale of a character (bearing his own name) who takes on the challenge of trying to achieve a perfect score in the etiquette class of the fearsome Mrs. Mannerly, long a town institution. Jeffrey's quest leads him to crack the facade of Mrs. Mannerly's presentation and past, and in so doing to discover that inner and outer reality frequently have little in common.
BWW Reviews: Public Theatre Revives Gurney's COCKTAIL HOUR
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(10/20/2014) - Lewiston's Public Theatre opened its 2014-2015 season with the excellent choice of A.R. Gurney's comedy of manners, The Cocktail Hour. Assembling a fine, experienced cast and creating a tasteful production, this performance reminds us of what an American treasure Gurney is as a playwright.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(10/20/2014) - Lewiston's Public Theatre opened its 2014-2015 season with the excellent choice of A.R. Gurney's comedy of manners, The Cocktail Hour. Assembling a fine, experienced cast and creating a tasteful production, this performance reminds us of what an American treasure Gurney is as a playwright.
BWW Reviews: Gripping Arthur Miller Production Opens Mad Horse Season
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(10/13/2014) - South Portland's Mad Horse Theatre Company opened its 2024-2015 season with a riveting revival of Arthur Miller's 1955 tragedy, A View from the Bridge, which in the hands of this talented ensemble proves as relevant and wrenching as it was almost sixty years ago. Miller's family drama about an Italian-American longshoreman struggling to make not only a living in the shadowy world of the Brooklyn waterfront, but also to make some sense of his life, which has been turned upside down by the arrival of his wife's cousins. As in all of Miller's plays, Eddie Carbone's tragedy is both an intimate, personal one and one with the monumental repercussions of a Greek drama,. Thus, brilliantly and idiomatically captured as it is by this brave little theatre company, situated on the rocky seaport coast of Maine some four hundred miles north of Brooklyn's docks. the fall of this 'little man' still resonates with mighty pathos and universal meaning.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(10/13/2014) - South Portland's Mad Horse Theatre Company opened its 2024-2015 season with a riveting revival of Arthur Miller's 1955 tragedy, A View from the Bridge, which in the hands of this talented ensemble proves as relevant and wrenching as it was almost sixty years ago. Miller's family drama about an Italian-American longshoreman struggling to make not only a living in the shadowy world of the Brooklyn waterfront, but also to make some sense of his life, which has been turned upside down by the arrival of his wife's cousins. As in all of Miller's plays, Eddie Carbone's tragedy is both an intimate, personal one and one with the monumental repercussions of a Greek drama,. Thus, brilliantly and idiomatically captured as it is by this brave little theatre company, situated on the rocky seaport coast of Maine some four hundred miles north of Brooklyn's docks. the fall of this 'little man' still resonates with mighty pathos and universal meaning.
BWW Reviews: Radiant Revival of THE RAINMAKER at the Good Theater
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(10/06/2014) - Portland's Good Theater opened its thirteenth season with a radiant revival of N. Richard Nash's 1954 play, The Rainmaker. The production, perfectly cast, sensitively directed and acted, and capped by an attractive physical production, speaks volumes about the virtues of this little company. Nash's play, set in a western ranching town crippled by drought, is a bitter sweet tale of a young woman imprisoned in her self-image of plainness and of the charismatic con man who brings not only rain, but also the healing power of dreams.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(10/06/2014) - Portland's Good Theater opened its thirteenth season with a radiant revival of N. Richard Nash's 1954 play, The Rainmaker. The production, perfectly cast, sensitively directed and acted, and capped by an attractive physical production, speaks volumes about the virtues of this little company. Nash's play, set in a western ranching town crippled by drought, is a bitter sweet tale of a young woman imprisoned in her self-image of plainness and of the charismatic con man who brings not only rain, but also the healing power of dreams.
BWW Reviews: LES MISERABLES Ignites Portland Players' Stage
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(09/29/2014) - Portland Players takes an adventurous step in opening its season with a grand production of the beloved Boubil-Schonberg classic, LES MISERABLES. Assembling a large cast and mounting an impressive staging, this eighty-six year-old company delivers a performance of passion and heart, if not perfection. And yet the flaws which emerge - sometimes the result of direction or casting, but mostly by-products of the limitations of the theatre space - cannot dim the impact of the performance.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(09/29/2014) - Portland Players takes an adventurous step in opening its season with a grand production of the beloved Boubil-Schonberg classic, LES MISERABLES. Assembling a large cast and mounting an impressive staging, this eighty-six year-old company delivers a performance of passion and heart, if not perfection. And yet the flaws which emerge - sometimes the result of direction or casting, but mostly by-products of the limitations of the theatre space - cannot dim the impact of the performance.
BWW Reviews: Portland Stage Presents Probing and Poignant BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(09/28/2014) - Portland Stage opened its 2014-2015 season with a probing and poignant production of Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs, the first of Simon's so-called 'Eugene Trilogy.' The 1983 autobiographical reminiscence tells the story of a Jewish boy growing up in a colorful, often dysfunctional extended family in Brooklyn during the Depression. That Simon's play retains so much of its original impact is a tribute to his gifts as a playwright, especially his ability to mingle humor and pain in the crucible of memory. Portland Stage has mounted an attractive, atmospheric production which owes no small measure of its appeal to Brittany Vasta's sprawling, multi-tiered set, comprised of small eclectically cluttered cubbies evoking the straitened family circumstances. Director Samuel Buggeln makes imaginative use of the space as he draws taut, expressive performances from each of the seven actors, who are all virtually note perfect in capturing the Brooklyn accents.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(09/28/2014) - Portland Stage opened its 2014-2015 season with a probing and poignant production of Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs, the first of Simon's so-called 'Eugene Trilogy.' The 1983 autobiographical reminiscence tells the story of a Jewish boy growing up in a colorful, often dysfunctional extended family in Brooklyn during the Depression. That Simon's play retains so much of its original impact is a tribute to his gifts as a playwright, especially his ability to mingle humor and pain in the crucible of memory. Portland Stage has mounted an attractive, atmospheric production which owes no small measure of its appeal to Brittany Vasta's sprawling, multi-tiered set, comprised of small eclectically cluttered cubbies evoking the straitened family circumstances. Director Samuel Buggeln makes imaginative use of the space as he draws taut, expressive performances from each of the seven actors, who are all virtually note perfect in capturing the Brooklyn accents.
Photo Flash: First Look at Good Theater's THE RAINMAKER
by BWW News Desk - Maine
(09/26/2014) - Good Theater's production of THE RAINMAKER by N. Richard Nash, directed by Brian P. Allen, runs October 1-19 at Good Theater's home, the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!
by BWW News Desk - Maine
(09/26/2014) - Good Theater's production of THE RAINMAKER by N. Richard Nash, directed by Brian P. Allen, runs October 1-19 at Good Theater's home, the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!
BWW Reviews: Lyric Music Theater Presents Saucy, Unconventional Parable
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(09/22/2014) - South Portland's Lyric Music Theater opened its 2014-2015 season with a stylish, saucy production of the 2003 Tony award-winning musical Avenue Q. The Lopez-Marx-Whitty show is an unconventional, politically incorrect parody - a parable which chronicles the coming of age of eleven Sesame Street generation young adults on Brooklyn's Avenue Q.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(09/22/2014) - South Portland's Lyric Music Theater opened its 2014-2015 season with a stylish, saucy production of the 2003 Tony award-winning musical Avenue Q. The Lopez-Marx-Whitty show is an unconventional, politically incorrect parody - a parable which chronicles the coming of age of eleven Sesame Street generation young adults on Brooklyn's Avenue Q.
BWW Reviews: Strong Voices Perk Up TAM's Gilbert and Sullivan
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Opera
(09/22/2014) - As has been the tradition for quite a few seasons, Theater at Monmouth ends its season with a production of one of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operettas. This year's choice, The Sorcerer, is a frothy, pleasant entertainment enhanced by the strong vocal merits of much of the cast. The pristine neo- baroque gem of a theatre in Cumston Hall is the perfect venue for singing. The acoustic - unmiked - is crisp, clear, focused, and allows for the ringing delivery and coloratura fun of Sullivan's music.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Opera
(09/22/2014) - As has been the tradition for quite a few seasons, Theater at Monmouth ends its season with a production of one of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operettas. This year's choice, The Sorcerer, is a frothy, pleasant entertainment enhanced by the strong vocal merits of much of the cast. The pristine neo- baroque gem of a theatre in Cumston Hall is the perfect venue for singing. The acoustic - unmiked - is crisp, clear, focused, and allows for the ringing delivery and coloratura fun of Sullivan's music.
Photo Flash: THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK Author John Dempsey Visits Ogunquit Playhouse
by BWW News Desk - Maine
(09/19/2014) - The Ogunquit Playhouse, America's Foremost Summer Theatre was honored to have John Dempsey, the author and lyricist of the musical comedy The Witches of Eastwick, in the audience on the evening of September 18th. After the show Mr. Dempsey joined Executive Artistic Director Bradford T. Kenney and the cast backstage to congratulate them on their performances and to take a group photo. He visited with James Barbour who stars in the Ogunquit production as Darryl Van Horne, as well as with Sally Struthers (Felicia Gabriel), and the three leading actresses Nancy Anderson (Sukie Rougemont), Sara Gettelfinger (Alexandra Spofford)and Mamie Parris (Jane Smart). The Witches of Eastwick runs through September 27th. Scroll down for a photo!
by BWW News Desk - Maine
(09/19/2014) - The Ogunquit Playhouse, America's Foremost Summer Theatre was honored to have John Dempsey, the author and lyricist of the musical comedy The Witches of Eastwick, in the audience on the evening of September 18th. After the show Mr. Dempsey joined Executive Artistic Director Bradford T. Kenney and the cast backstage to congratulate them on their performances and to take a group photo. He visited with James Barbour who stars in the Ogunquit production as Darryl Van Horne, as well as with Sally Struthers (Felicia Gabriel), and the three leading actresses Nancy Anderson (Sukie Rougemont), Sara Gettelfinger (Alexandra Spofford)and Mamie Parris (Jane Smart). The Witches of Eastwick runs through September 27th. Scroll down for a photo!
BWW Interviews: MSMT Talks FOOTLOOSE and 2014 Season
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/21/2014) - In the last of its 'Peek Behind the Curtain' series, Maine State Music Theatre presented a lively talkback which highlighted the company's final production of Footloose, as well as touching on the intern program, a review of the 2014 season and a preview of the coming 2015 lineup. Broadway World local editor Carla Maria Verdino-Sullwold interviewed Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark, Audience Services Manager Susie Sharp, Resident Sound Designer Colin Whitely, Footloose principal David Ruprecht, and MSMT 'Angels' Judie Lemons and Bill Heaphy.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/21/2014) - In the last of its 'Peek Behind the Curtain' series, Maine State Music Theatre presented a lively talkback which highlighted the company's final production of Footloose, as well as touching on the intern program, a review of the 2014 season and a preview of the coming 2015 lineup. Broadway World local editor Carla Maria Verdino-Sullwold interviewed Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark, Audience Services Manager Susie Sharp, Resident Sound Designer Colin Whitely, Footloose principal David Ruprecht, and MSMT 'Angels' Judie Lemons and Bill Heaphy.
BWW Reviews: CABARET Sizzles and Sears in Mad Horse Theatre-Razer Entertainment's Production
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/18/2014) - The new production of Cabaret mounted by South Portland's Mad Horse Theatre together with Razer Entertainment, sizzles with tension and sears with emotion. The dark,edgy Kander-Ebb musical presented in this intimate space allows the audience identification in a manner so powerful as to make one feel he is seeing the work for the first time. Following on the heels of the hugely successful Grey Gardens, director-choreographer Raymond Marc (Ray) Dumont and the Mad Horse company have ventured for the second time this summer into musical theatre, and the results are stunning! Not only is it refreshing to hear a musical unmiked, but the fifty-seat black box allows for an experience that is up close, personal, and unsparingly gripping.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/18/2014) - The new production of Cabaret mounted by South Portland's Mad Horse Theatre together with Razer Entertainment, sizzles with tension and sears with emotion. The dark,edgy Kander-Ebb musical presented in this intimate space allows the audience identification in a manner so powerful as to make one feel he is seeing the work for the first time. Following on the heels of the hugely successful Grey Gardens, director-choreographer Raymond Marc (Ray) Dumont and the Mad Horse company have ventured for the second time this summer into musical theatre, and the results are stunning! Not only is it refreshing to hear a musical unmiked, but the fifty-seat black box allows for an experience that is up close, personal, and unsparingly gripping.
Photo Flash: Meet the Cast of City Theater's BINGO
by BWW News Desk - Maine
(08/14/2014) - Biddeford's City Theater is excited to present BINGO: The Winning Musical, for a limited, two-week engagement. Opening August 22nd, BINGO is an interactive musical comedy, where through the course of the show, the audience actually plays three games of Bingo with the cast, for REAL prizes! BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast below!
by BWW News Desk - Maine
(08/14/2014) - Biddeford's City Theater is excited to present BINGO: The Winning Musical, for a limited, two-week engagement. Opening August 22nd, BINGO is an interactive musical comedy, where through the course of the show, the audience actually plays three games of Bingo with the cast, for REAL prizes! BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast below!
BWW Reviews: Can't Sit Still at FOOTLOOSE
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/08/2014) - Early in the first act of the Tom Snow - Dean Pitchford 1998 musical Footloose, Ren declares his passion for dancing - 'I can't sit still' - and, indeed, by the end of the evening at the Pickard Theatre, the audience for Maine State Music Theatre echoes his mantra. They are cheering, swaying, and shouting to the music, and embracing the exuberant, touching message of this show. Directed and choreographed brilliantly by Patti Colombo (assisted by Karl Warden) and performed by a dynamic cast, this fourth and final production of MSMT's 2014 season dazzles and delights.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/08/2014) - Early in the first act of the Tom Snow - Dean Pitchford 1998 musical Footloose, Ren declares his passion for dancing - 'I can't sit still' - and, indeed, by the end of the evening at the Pickard Theatre, the audience for Maine State Music Theatre echoes his mantra. They are cheering, swaying, and shouting to the music, and embracing the exuberant, touching message of this show. Directed and choreographed brilliantly by Patti Colombo (assisted by Karl Warden) and performed by a dynamic cast, this fourth and final production of MSMT's 2014 season dazzles and delights.
BWW Interviews: The Preacher's Son Plays Reverend Shaw Moore - David Ruprecht
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/05/2014) - 'So here I am, a preacher's son, playing the preacher!' smiles David Ruprecht. The renowned star of television, film, and stage muses about his latest gig playing the Reverend Shaw Moore in Maine State Music Theatre's production of Footloose, which runs from August 6-23. Ruprecht's affinities for the part and this production are numerous. It is, first of all, directed and choreographed by his wife, Patti Colombo, an experience he says he finds 'very interesting because I never have worked with her as a director before, only once long ago as a choreographer.' Then there is the role of the charismatic and troubled Texas preacher who forbids dancing to the townsfolk of Bomont. 'My dad was a preacher [a Lutheran minister] in Florida, where I grew up, and he was very, very charismatic. Naturally, he wanted his son to become a preacher, too. I had all the talents, but not the calling, so I did the next best thing and became an actor. After all, both actors and preachers put on costumes and speak to large groups or people, and both have a little wine after the show,' he jokes mischievously.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/05/2014) - 'So here I am, a preacher's son, playing the preacher!' smiles David Ruprecht. The renowned star of television, film, and stage muses about his latest gig playing the Reverend Shaw Moore in Maine State Music Theatre's production of Footloose, which runs from August 6-23. Ruprecht's affinities for the part and this production are numerous. It is, first of all, directed and choreographed by his wife, Patti Colombo, an experience he says he finds 'very interesting because I never have worked with her as a director before, only once long ago as a choreographer.' Then there is the role of the charismatic and troubled Texas preacher who forbids dancing to the townsfolk of Bomont. 'My dad was a preacher [a Lutheran minister] in Florida, where I grew up, and he was very, very charismatic. Naturally, he wanted his son to become a preacher, too. I had all the talents, but not the calling, so I did the next best thing and became an actor. After all, both actors and preachers put on costumes and speak to large groups or people, and both have a little wine after the show,' he jokes mischievously.
BWW Reviews: TAM Stages Compellingly Honest ROMEO AND JULIET
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/03/2014) - Doing justice to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, one of the most beloved and most often quoted plays in the repertoire, can be a daunting task, but the Theater at Monmouth has assembled a youthful cast and given the Bard's tragedy an honest reading - one which compensates for what it may lack in passion and abandon with sincerity and moments of striking originality.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(08/03/2014) - Doing justice to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, one of the most beloved and most often quoted plays in the repertoire, can be a daunting task, but the Theater at Monmouth has assembled a youthful cast and given the Bard's tragedy an honest reading - one which compensates for what it may lack in passion and abandon with sincerity and moments of striking originality.
Photo Flash: First Look at Gail Bennett, Tony Mansker and More in Ogunquit's MARY POPPINS
by Christina Mancuso - Broadway
(08/01/2014) - Mary Poppins flies over the rooftops of London and into the Ogunquit Playhouse July 30 to August 30! This family musical features the delightful songs from the cherished Disney film including 'A Spoonful of Sugar,' 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and 'Step in Time.' Winner of 44 major theatre awards from around the globe, Mary Poppins has captivated audiences for generations with its enchanting story, unforgettable songs and dazzling dance numbers. Check out a first look below!
by Christina Mancuso - Broadway
(08/01/2014) - Mary Poppins flies over the rooftops of London and into the Ogunquit Playhouse July 30 to August 30! This family musical features the delightful songs from the cherished Disney film including 'A Spoonful of Sugar,' 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and 'Step in Time.' Winner of 44 major theatre awards from around the globe, Mary Poppins has captivated audiences for generations with its enchanting story, unforgettable songs and dazzling dance numbers. Check out a first look below!
BWW Interviews: Dance as Liberation - Eric Sciotto and Kristen Martin Star in FOOTLOOSE
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/31/2014) - 'Dance is a metaphor for expression, for freedom. In Footloose we use dance to express ourselves when we have no words. [As characters] we are all closed off, and finally at the end of the story, we are loosened; we become individuals again.' Speaking is Kristen Martin, who plays Ariel in Maine State Music Theatre's final season production of Footloose, which runs from August 6-23. Her co-star, Eric Sciotto, agrees that his character, Ren, is 'on a journey to find himself after being abandoned by his father. Ren sees in Ariel a troubled soul who reminds him of himself. They recognize immediately that they are kindred spirits.'
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/31/2014) - 'Dance is a metaphor for expression, for freedom. In Footloose we use dance to express ourselves when we have no words. [As characters] we are all closed off, and finally at the end of the story, we are loosened; we become individuals again.' Speaking is Kristen Martin, who plays Ariel in Maine State Music Theatre's final season production of Footloose, which runs from August 6-23. Her co-star, Eric Sciotto, agrees that his character, Ren, is 'on a journey to find himself after being abandoned by his father. Ren sees in Ariel a troubled soul who reminds him of himself. They recognize immediately that they are kindred spirits.'
BWW Reviews: Tomorrow's Stars Shine in GODSPELL
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/29/2014) - The intern program at Maine State Music Theatre is one of the company's finest features, and what better way to showcase these talented 2014 performers than as the youthful, energetic ensemble in the Steven Schwartz/John-Michael Tebelak rock musical, GODSPELL. Billed as a concert performance, this production directed by Curt Dale Clark, is actually fairly elaborate in terms of choreography and musical-dramatic staging. Clark sets a compelling pace - ninety minutes of sheer joie de vivre - and he draws from these young actors highly individualized and detailed characterizations, at the same time that he inspires the kind of ensemble dynamic so crucial to this show: the sense of love and sharing that resonates with the play's message and communicates to the audience.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/29/2014) - The intern program at Maine State Music Theatre is one of the company's finest features, and what better way to showcase these talented 2014 performers than as the youthful, energetic ensemble in the Steven Schwartz/John-Michael Tebelak rock musical, GODSPELL. Billed as a concert performance, this production directed by Curt Dale Clark, is actually fairly elaborate in terms of choreography and musical-dramatic staging. Clark sets a compelling pace - ninety minutes of sheer joie de vivre - and he draws from these young actors highly individualized and detailed characterizations, at the same time that he inspires the kind of ensemble dynamic so crucial to this show: the sense of love and sharing that resonates with the play's message and communicates to the audience.
BWW Interviews: This Show Is an Adventure!
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/26/2014) - 'It's the heart that makes it fun! The adrenalin gets going; we are all so engrossed in each other with different stories developing every night. There are always discoveries being made. This show is an adventure every single night!' The speaker is actor-dancer Carson Twitchell, who is talking about Maine State Music Theatre's latest hit, the Patti Colombo staging of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which opened July 17th at the Pickard Theatre in Brunswick, Maine. Twitchell is part of a six-person panel assembled at the Curtis Memorial Library on July 23 for the third Peek Behind the Curtain talkback. Joined by Barbara Whidden, MSMT's Director of Development, Kristen Thomas, House Manager, Leo Stagg, Technical Director, and fellow actors (Ruth) and Merill West (Dorcas), the panelists spoke with BWW's Carla Maria Verdino-Sullwold about the thrill of this exuberant musical.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/26/2014) - 'It's the heart that makes it fun! The adrenalin gets going; we are all so engrossed in each other with different stories developing every night. There are always discoveries being made. This show is an adventure every single night!' The speaker is actor-dancer Carson Twitchell, who is talking about Maine State Music Theatre's latest hit, the Patti Colombo staging of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which opened July 17th at the Pickard Theatre in Brunswick, Maine. Twitchell is part of a six-person panel assembled at the Curtis Memorial Library on July 23 for the third Peek Behind the Curtain talkback. Joined by Barbara Whidden, MSMT's Director of Development, Kristen Thomas, House Manager, Leo Stagg, Technical Director, and fellow actors (Ruth) and Merill West (Dorcas), the panelists spoke with BWW's Carla Maria Verdino-Sullwold about the thrill of this exuberant musical.
BWW Interviews: Choreographers Patti Colombo and Karl Warden Thrill Maine Audiences
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/21/2014) - 'I definitely have a choreographic style - much of what I do is ballet-based and athletic, but I was trained in the Jack Cole manner. My mentors, Ron Lewis, Ron Fields, were all Jack Cole people. I have a strong sense of jazz, true American jazz based in ballet.' The speaker is a petite, svelte, red-haired dynamo of energy and bubbly enthusiasm. Seated opposite me a few days before the opening of her latest theatrical endeavor, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at Maine State Music Theatre, director-choreographer Patti Colombo talks about her Maine debut and her other award-winning theatrical projects - among them, On the Town, West Side Story, Mask, L'il Abner, Peter Pan, Seussical, which have taken her to Broadway and around the world.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/21/2014) - 'I definitely have a choreographic style - much of what I do is ballet-based and athletic, but I was trained in the Jack Cole manner. My mentors, Ron Lewis, Ron Fields, were all Jack Cole people. I have a strong sense of jazz, true American jazz based in ballet.' The speaker is a petite, svelte, red-haired dynamo of energy and bubbly enthusiasm. Seated opposite me a few days before the opening of her latest theatrical endeavor, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at Maine State Music Theatre, director-choreographer Patti Colombo talks about her Maine debut and her other award-winning theatrical projects - among them, On the Town, West Side Story, Mask, L'il Abner, Peter Pan, Seussical, which have taken her to Broadway and around the world.
BWW Reviews: MSMT's SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS Dazzles the Eye and Warms the Heart
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/18/2014) - For its third production of the season, Maine State Music Theatre has staged a dazzling revival of the beloved 1954 classic, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The company, under the direction of Patti Colombo, delivers a joyous, heartwarming, foot stomping, breathtaking extravaganza of brilliant dancing, convincing characterization, and first-rate production values.
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Maine
(07/18/2014) - For its third production of the season, Maine State Music Theatre has staged a dazzling revival of the beloved 1954 classic, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The company, under the direction of Patti Colombo, delivers a joyous, heartwarming, foot stomping, breathtaking extravaganza of brilliant dancing, convincing characterization, and first-rate production values.
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