Cary Michele Miller

There is nothing like Celtic music to bring a lift to the step and a smile to the heart, and SONGS OF IRELAND, a new benefit concert streaming on the Fulton Theatre’s virtual platform, Fulton HD, delivers an hour of irresistible tunes performed with impeccable style, charm, and emotional depth by a stellar ensemble, who have a strong bond with Maine theatre. Directed and choreographed by Marc Robin, this beautifully crafted musical revue brings together Curt Dale Clark, Charis Leos, David Girolmo, Cary Michele Miller, Jay Poff, and Gillian Hassert, all of whom are favorites at Maine State Music and most veterans of either the 2016 THE IRISH AND HOW THEY GOT THAT WAY co-production with Portland Stage or Robin’s restaging at the Fulton Theatre in 2018.

Walnut Street Theatre (WST) continues its 211th season with the hilarious Broadway hit, SHREK THE MUSICAL. Directed by Glenn Casale and choreographed by Robbie Roby, the production begins previews on November 5, opens November 13, and continues through January 5 on the Walnut's Mainstage.

Walnut Street Theatre opens its 211th season with Mel Brooks' hilarious musical comedy, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN THE MUSICAL. Directed by Charles Abbott and choreographed by Mary Jane Houdina, the electrifying production begins previews on September 3, opens September 11, and continues through October 20.

Walnut Street Theatre opens its 211th season with Mel Brooks' hilarious musical comedy, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN THE MUSICAL. Directed by Charles Abbott and choreographed by Mary Jane Houdina, the electrifying production begins previews on September 3, opens September 11, and continues through October 20.

Walnut Street Theatre continues its landmark 210th season with Roald Dahl's MATILDA THE MUSICAL. Directed by Linda Goodrich, with choreography by Michelle Gaudette, MATILDA THE MUSICAL begins previews on November 6th, opens on November 14th, and runs through January 6th on the Walnut's Mainstage.

Walnut Street Theatre continues its landmark 210th season with Roald Dahl's MATILDA THE MUSICAL. Directed by Linda Goodrich, with choreography by Michelle Gaudette, MATILDA THE MUSICAL begins previews on November 6th, opens on November 14th, and runs through January 6th on the Walnut's Mainstage.

The Walnut Theater opens its 210th season with HOLIDAY INN with music by America's songwriter, Irving Berlin. One is invariably impressed by the institution's lavish sets (Robert Andrew Kovach) and the quality and attention to detail of their entire Creative Crew.

Walnut Street Theatre opens its landmark 210th season with the lush romantic comedy Irving Berlin's HOLIDAY INN, featuring a score by "America's Songwriter."  Based on the classic film by the same name, the production will be directed by Charles Abbott and choreographed by Michelle Gaudette. Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn begins previews on September 4th, opens on September 12th, and runs through October 21st on the Walnut's Mainstage.

 The Walnut Street Theatre will host an exclusive one-night-only concert as this year's annual Gala. The concert, America Sings!, features several Walnut favorites performing over 20 American and Broadway standards. The concert will take place on the Walnut's mainstage on Friday, May 4 at 7:00PM.

 Walnut Street Theatre is pleased to announce that it will honor Walnut Street Theatre Trustee Ronald Bowlan with the 2018 Edwin Forrest Award at the theatre's annual Gala. The evening's events will begin with a 90-minute concert filled with Philadelphia's most cherished stars singing America's musical favorites and patriotic numbers. Performers include: Schyler Conaway, Christopher DeProphetis, Jennie Eisenhower, Melissa Joy Hart, Jessica Johnson, Jesse Jones, Mary Martello, Kathryn Miller, Cary Michele Miller, Ellie Mooney, Nichalas L. Parker, Lyn Philistine, Chris Sutton, and Julia Udine. Fran Prisco will take the stage as emcee for the evening.

The nationally regarded Fulton Theatre is proud to present this jovial celebration of The Irish And How They Got That Way, January 23 now extended through February 25. Join us for a fun-filled time as we explore the ways of the Irish and how they have fit into the tapestry of America over the past 150 years.

The nationally regarded Fulton Theatre is proud to present this jovial celebration of The Irish And How They Got That Way, January 23 now extended through February 25. Join us for a fun-filled time as we explore the ways of the Irish and how they have fit into the tapestry of America over the past 150 years.

Walnut Street Theatre continues its landmark 209th season with Broadway's classic musical, perfect for the entire family, ANNIE. Directed by Glenn Casale, with choreography by Michelle Gaudette, ANNIE begins previews on November 7th, opens on November 15th and runs through January 7th on the Walnut's Mainstage.

Walnut Street Theatre continues its 209th Anniversary Season with ANNIE, (November 7 January 7). This Tony Award-winning Best Musical is a perfect family treat for the holiday season.

Having had the privilege to serve as Broadway World's Maine Editor for more than three years now, I can say with pride that the state, though remote as it may seem from the epicenter of the theatre world, Broadway, is blessed to be home to so many thriving theatre companies who produce exciting, vibrant seasons. As I compiled my list for 2016 with many familiar names, I was also struck by the extraordinary consistency of excellence these companies maintain. Here are my personal choices of the best in Maine, grouped by theatre and show.

'We are the storytellers; we are the musicmakers; we are the dreamers of dreams.' With these words the cast of Frank McCourt's The Irish and How They Got That Way brings to a close a spellbinding evening of story and song that has the audience clapping, foot-tapping, weeping, and laughing in one of the most vibrant theatrical experiences in recent memory. The co-production of Pulitzer Prize winning author Frank McCourt's 1997 play with music marks a stunningly successful collaboration between Maine State Music Theatre and Portland Stage and promises to be a major hit for its brief four-week engagement. McCourt's one-hundred-minute drama tells the story of several centuries of the Irish experience on both sides of the Atlantic. No mere history lesson, however, as much knowledge as the play does impart, rather The Irish is a poetic, saucy, irreverent, and exquisitely beautiful tapestry of music, language, narrative, peopled with colorful characters and showcased in compelling song and dance.

Two of Maine's most revered cultural institutions, Portland Stage in Portland and Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT) in Brunswick, are pleased to announce their co-production of Frank McCourt's THE IRISH... AND HOW THEY GOT THAT WAY.  BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!

'There are two kinds of people in the world, as ye very well know,' Peter Cormican asserts in a lilting accent, 'those that are Irish and those that want to be.' The English-born actor, son Irish parents - a Protestant mother from Belfast and a Catholic father from Galway - is currently in Maine to make his Maine State Music Theatre/Portland Stage debut in Frank McCourt's play The Irish and How They Got That Way, directed by Marc Robin, which opens in Portland August 19th. The production, a bold new collaboration between two of Maine leading Equity companies, marks an exciting new chapter for both theatres and promises to be one of the season's biggest hits, as it has been in every town its played. Cormican is joined in our conversation by two of the other four principals from the a small cast that also stars Curt Dale Clark [see BWW interview 5/24/16], Charis Leos and Cary Michele Miller, (and features Cameron Wright and Emily Davis, Ernest Sauceda (fiddler) and two other musicians). Both Leos and Miller are MSMT veterans, but new to McCourt's play. 'This is my debut at Portland Stage,' Miller says with anticipation. 'I always look forward to working with Curt and Charis and Marc, and I am enjoying getting to know Peter. And I am always excited to learn new material and new music.'

Two of Maine's most revered cultural institutions, Portland Stage in Portland and Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT) in Brunswick, are pleased to announce their co-production of Frank McCourt's THE IRISH... AND HOW THEY GOT THAT WAY.