WHAT WE DO
Mission Statement
To invest in art, learning, and connecting diverse communities through exceptional theatrical productions and programs that captivate and inspire.
● Engage, connect, and inform. Through intimate, personal exchanges that can only happen in live theater and participatory programs, we foster a shared empathy and a sense of belonging.
● Build community. We place the community we serve at the forefront. We create productions from the ground up, combining local talent with artists from outside our community, enriching both through lasting relationships and broadened understanding of each other and the world around us.
● Evolve to stay relevant. We innovate, cultivate, and incubate new ideas on our stages, in our classrooms, and with our community partners.
LAND USE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Portland Stage acknowledges that we are creating theater on land that has been cared for by the Wabanaki. We honor their community and encourage you to learn more about Wabanaki culture by visiting WabanakiReach.org. Portland Stage also acknowledges that it was founded upon exclusions and erasures of many Indigenous peoples, including those on whose land this institution is located. This acknowledgment demonstrates a commitment to the process of working to dismantle the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism through our work at Portland Stage.
Mainstage New Work Education
Board Members
Samantha Bowen
Sarah Campbell
Susan Carter
Peter Clough
Scott Cowger
Fredric Farber
Margaret Groban
Amanda Hannan
Edith Iyer-Hernandez
John F. Leonard IV*
Theresa McCarthy
Alisa Conroy Morton Falmouth
Sara A. Murphy*
Todd Nicholson
Carole Palmer
Tony San Antonio
Cathy Stankard
Robin Talbot
Courtney Thorpe
Nelson A. Toner
Daniel Tucker
Anne Wade
*Currently taking a leave of absence
Dear Friends,
As we close our 49th season and begin our 50th, I am thrilled to present Portland Stage Company’s 2022-23 Annual Report. Words fail to express the challenges faced by performing arts organizations during the pandemic, but with overwhelming support of the community, a commitment to our staff, and a series of unflinching difficult decisions, we have emerged stronger than ever.
We conclude our 2022-23 season in sound financial condition, find ourselves at the tail end of a successful capital campaign, and on the cusp of completing a significant renovation of our public spaces in the theater. This past year reenforces the importance of staying true to our mission and purpose and we gratefully appreciate the incredible support from our patrons and the community. We approved and are in the middle of implementing a new strategic plan with the following high-level objectives:
● Improve our productions and program offerings with the goal of building audience.
● Sharpen our impact by increasing the number of points of entry and developing community partnerships.
● Strengthen our financial resiliency.
This strategic planning process consumed much time and attention from both board and staff and we believe it has great potential to strengthen the organization and advance our goal of bringing exceptional live theatre and programming to all corners of our community.
Thank you for your continued support and here’s to an extraordinary 50th season at Portland Stage!
Warmly,
Todd Nicholson, President, Board of Trustees
2022-23 BY THE NUMBERS
Thanks to your support, Portland Stage continues to be a crucible of creativity, fostering a vibrant cultural community in Portland, Maine and beyond. Through its compelling Mainstage productions, intriguing New Works programs, and innovative Education programming, Portland Stage stands as a true theatrical hub for artists, audiences, and students.
161 Live Mainstage performances
MAINSTAGE
7 Mainstage productions both live and filmed for online viewing
11
EDUCATION
5,349 Subscribers
14,922 live and digital-ondemand attendees
5,139 students reached across 8 Maine counties new school partnerships continued school partnerships
35
300 educators reached in 12 Maine counties
NEW WORK
3 of 7
IDEA
15
Made Plays developed 1 World Premiere Playwrights supported
3 BIPOC-written plays produced
Directors were BIPOC
4 of 7
Directors were female-identifying 9 BIPOC Designers employed
170+ feedback letters were sent to Clauder Playwriting Competition contestants
48% of actors were BIPOC
MAINSTAGE
Portland Stage creates our handcrafted productions from the ground up by combining the best local talent with professional artists from away. Our Mainstage productions are meticulously selected to be relevant to Maine audiences and to ensure a range of diverse perspectives about our world. During the 2022-23 season, our 49th consecutive year of programming, we brought our community a 7-show season that could be experienced both in person and virtually on digital platforms.
We exceeded our season subscription goal last season by nearly 4%, as we welcomed more returning audiences into our space for live performances.
“Portland Stage always presents very thought-provoking shows and [The Great Leap] did not disappoint. It was our first time back in the theater since March 2020!”
Actors Pictured: Daniel Emond*, John Vessels Jr.*, April Lee Uzarski*, Sam Rosentrater*, Raymond McAnally*, Lance E. Nichols*, Nathaniel P. Claridad*, Ezra Barnes*, Garcy Yap*, Jim Shankman*.
Four of our Season 49 productions exceeded budget and ticket sales goals including Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure by Steven Dietz by 54%.
Knowing PS was headed into a construction project in the summer of 2023, we moved our Mainstage season launch up, starting with The Great Leap, a co-production with The Hangar Theater of Ithaca, NY, in September 2022.
EDUCATION
As a leading cultural institution, education is central to Portland Stage’s mission. With a focus on literacy, collaboration, emotional intelligence, empathy, cultural awareness, and creative thinking, our highly regarded Education Programs are designed to create meaning beyond the stage and help young people develop their own ideas and perspectives. We engage students from pre-K through high school both in school and in our in-house Theater for Kids (TFK) space, helping them develop skills that make young people stronger communicators, collaborators, and observers as well as artists and audiences in the future.
10 middle and high schools participated in our Directors Lab program. PS education artists brought a fully staged 50-minute production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar to their schools, along with a workshop series that offered students a chance to direct our theater artists in a speech from the play.
234 students–including 33 from Freeport Middle School who were learning about mysteries in class–were thrilled to attend a Student Matinee performance of Sherlock Holmes, one of the many student matinees we host each season.
Our Shakespeare Teen Company gave a rousing performance of Twelfth Night outdoors at the Maine Audubon, after five weeks of rehearsals.
We welcomed Michael Dix Thomas as the new Education Director at Portland Stage in August 2022.
We launched our summer PLAY tour, bringing our exceptional programming and teaching artists to 5 new libraries and summer programs across the state in 2022.
Maine Author Chris Van Dusen joined us for a special Play Me a Story in November 2022 that featured his book Big Truck Little Island–and he stuck around after the workshop to sign copies for participants!
NEW WORK
Portland Stage is a powerhouse in New Work development, with programs that successfully encourage, nurture, and launch new writers, and have resulted in over 50 world premieres. We champion the work being created in New England with our Studio Series workshops and readings, our Made in Maine initiative, the Clauder Playwriting Competition, and the Little Festival of the Unexpected. The plays developed through these programs often move beyond our stage to find success elsewhere. Notable examples include John Cariani's Almost, Maine, which has been produced by nearly 5,000 theater companies in the United States (and nearly 100 companies internationally), making it one of the most frequently produced plays of the past decade.
Actors Pictured: JL Rey*, Ashley Alvarez*, Jezebel Montero*, Isabelle Van Vleet*, Karen Ball, Dustin Tucker*, Kevin O’Leary*
The two 2022 Clauder Competition winning playwrights workshopped their work at The Little Festival of the Unexpected in April 2023—hosted in-person for the first time since 2019. The grand prize winning-play, Manning by Benjamin Benne, will premiere at Portland Stage during the 2023-2024 season.
We sold out two developmental readings for a new play, Saint Dad by Monica Wood, which premiered as the opening production in the 2023-2024 50th Mainstage season.
Through the Made in Maine initiative, Portland Stage commissioned the World Premiere production of Sweet Goats and Blueberry Señoritas by Richard Blanco and Vanessa Garcia, which explored the immigrant experience in Maine.
INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY & ACCESS
Portland Stage is committed to embracing our community and inviting all to participate in productions and programs that represent and celebrate the diversity of Portland, our state of Maine, and our nation. In fiscal year 2023, we developed a comprehensive Strategic Plan emphasizing inclusivity. Our IDEA committee, made up of Board, staff and volunteers, meets monthly to review progress on the plan and establish measurables as well as next steps that Portland Stage can take with recognition that this work will evolve over time.
“Through the exceptional theater and theater programs created in a sustainable way, we deepen our connections with our diverse community. Portland Stage should be an energetic, inclusive, and intimate theatrical hub, inviting everyone to participate and making them feel engaged and welcome once there. The variety of high-quality programming and collaborations provide many points of entry for a diverse community—a veritable center for theater arts in Maine.”
● We have brought new, diverse audiences to the theater by providing free or low cost tickets to specific performances by working directly with existing local service organizations including low income senior housing facilities such as 75 State Street, organizations focused on immigrant and refugee communities such as Color of Community, and organizations focused on LGBTQ+ and young people such as Equality Maine.
● In 2022, our staff participated in a workshop titled Understanding Bias and Prejudice: Bringing the Unconscious Conscious, led by Mandy Levine. Our staff is currently allocated time and pay to participate in continued education and other DEI work on a weekly basis, and the full staff meets regularly to keep this work front and center as we continue to create theater.
● In 2021, PS hired KMA HR Consulting to serve as outside HR consultants and offer company wide training on communication, bias, and giving and receiving feedback, among other key organizational behavior skills.
● To increase transparency with PS staff, Board meeting minutes are distributed, a staff liaison is present for all Board meetings, and the Board President is connected annually with the staff to participate in listening sessions with members.
● We are also transparent with our community. Our Annual Report, audit, and 990 for the last five years are available on our website, and we are a Platinum level business on GuideStar, moving up from Gold Level.
SPECIAL EVENTS
“Portland Stage hosts several interactive and informative events throughout the season to engage audiences and showcase different elements of the theater, from production, to new work, to education.”
We hosted five Tech Events during rehearsals for each of our Mainstage productions in our 2022-23 season, offering patrons a behind-the-scenes experience and a close-up look at the process of bringing shows to life.
We welcomed educators from across the state of Maine to two Teacher’s Nights Out events, offering two free tickets to the current show and a reception to learn about our education programs.
We held our Spring Gala fundraiser in May 2023 at Cove Street Arts, featuring food from ten local restaurants, silent and live auctions, and a reading of Monica Wood’s book How to Read a Book.
Actors Pictured: Isabelle Van Vleet*, Casey Turner, Daniel Noel*, Moira Driscoll*
FINANCIALS
2023 Net Income $ 361,434
DONORS
The generosity of individual donors, foundations, and corporations alike enables us to surround the core work on our Mainstage with vital Education Programs, innovative New Work Development initiatives, and exciting community engagement programs that deepen and broaden the impact of our handcrafted productions. Tax-deductible contributions keep Portland Stage a living, breathing, growing, and thriving theater, and ultimately ensure the fulfillment of our mission and the enrichment of our community.
Thank you to our 2022-23 Annual Fund supporters and Corporate Partners for whom we are extremely appreciative.
2022-23 DONORS
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
($50,000+)
Edwin F. Gamble Bequest
The Shubert Foundation
Anna Marie & John E. Thron Fund of the Maine Community Foundation
PRODUCER ($25,000 - $49,999)
Tenney & Newell Augur
Brooks Family Foundation
Harold & Betty Cottle Family Fund
Maine Community Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts
Redmond Family Foundation
East Point Fund of the Maine Community Foundation
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ($15,000 - $24,999)
Libra Foundation
Migis Hotel Group
The Moser Family Foundation
Onion Foundation
Sam L. Cohen Foundation
State of Maine: Maine Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
MANAGING DIRECTOR ($10,000 - $14,999)
Anonymous (3)
Wright-Ryan Homes
DIRECTOR ($5,000 - $9,999)
Nancy J. Aldrich
Susan & James Carter
Fair Winds & Following Seas Fund
Fisher Charitable Foundation
Ed & Jan Gerry
George & Cheryl Higgins
Maine Arts Commission
Maine Theater Fund of the Maine Community Foundation
Moriah Moser & Dan Morgenstern, MD
Leonard & Nancy Nemon
Carole Ann Palmer
The Parsons Family Foundation
Roy A. Hunt Foundation
Maine Air Conditioning/W. H. Demmons, Inc.
PRODUCTION MANAGER
($2,500 - $4,999)
Anonymous
Coffee By Design
Diversified Communications
Austin & Eileen Farrar
Ron & Donna Forest
Lissa Hunter & Kirby Pilcher
Jamie & Beth Kilbreth
Kenneth Spirer & Joan Leitzer
The Performing Arts Fund of the Maine Community Foundation
Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust
Darrell Pardy & Carolyn Hughes
Pierce Atwood
Louis F. & Prudence H. Ryan
John Ryan & Jenny Scheu
Mauria Brough & Bryon Winn
Ashley Wernher-Collins & Scott Collins
BACKER
($1,000 - $2,499)
Anonymous (2)
Mary G. Barthelman
Gunard Erik Bergman
Patricia A. Clark
Kris & Ken Conant
Debra L. Coyman
Beth De Tine
Helen Dickey & David G. Fitz
Gary E. Duford & Thomas L. Hinkle
Karen & Fred Farber
Apple Lane Foundation
Tim Cloudman & Lori Garon
Mabel Gerquest
Douglas Green
Jebediah Foundation
Stephen & Carolyn Jenks
Douglas & Cheryl Jones
Nancy Kaye
Cornelia Kittredge
Daniel Marra & Barbara Leonard
Kathleen Leslie
Maine Community College
William A. McCue
Irv Meeker
Tom & Marti Meyers
Judy Miskell
Marta Morse
Sara Murphy & Peter Wetzel
Todd & Gloria Nicholson
Ann & Ted Noyes
Richard & Carolyn Peterson
Poole Group of Companies, Inc.
Harry & Anne Pringle
Hilary Rapkin & William Stiles
Jennifer Sarah & Joe O'Donnell
Maxine Sclar & Robert J. Yamartino
Stephen D. Sears & Cathy Sears
Ralph T. Perry & Mary Louise Seldenfleur
Spinnaker Trust
Anita Stewart & Ron Botting
Courtney Thorpe
Nelson & Lisa Toner
Anne Wade & Gil Hagan
Natalie West & Robert Sellin
Peregrine Whittlesey
Monica Wood & Daniel Abbott
2022-23 DONORS CONTINUED
INVESTOR ($500 - $999)
A Friend
John & Judy Adelman
Diana & Tom Allen
Sally & Ron Bancroft
Thomas & Marjorie Berman
Jane V. and John F. Berry
Don & Diane Bessey
Brown Dog Carriers
Malcolm Burson & Eleanor Goldberg
Tracey Burton & Ken Moller
Donald & Patricia Carter
Nancy Crowell
Carol De Tine & Roger F. Woodman, Jr.
Barbara & Gil Dichter
Ken & Cheryl Freye
Richard Hanks & Virginia Mackey
Mary Jane Hanneld
Karen Herold & Mark Isaacson
Helaine & D. Brock Hornby
Charles Johnson & Jean Appleby Johnson
Brigitte & Hal Kingsbury
Greg Lanou & Tracy Skillin-Lanou
Harvey & Pamela Lodish
Martin Lodish & Kristin Schardt
Mark Love & Marcia Taylor
Emily & Dick MacKenzie
Jerry & Liz Mansfield
Rob McAfee
Theresa McCarthy
Stewart Newell
Sara & Michael Perfetti
Malcolm & Patti Poole
Carole A. Pope
Nancy & Frank Read
Marilyn Lalumiere & Ed Reed
Dixon & Susan Myer Riley
Lee Robbins
Donald J. Rudalevige
Elena Schmidt
Curtis & Nina Scribner
Andre and Daniela Skalina
Joseph & Susan Spagnola
Anne & Jack Spiegel
Cathy Stankard & Gregg Palmer
Jane & Nate Stevens
Bud & Susan Stiker
Eric & Wendy Suehrstedt
Karen Sumner
Kari & Bob Suva
Louise Valati
Cheslye & John Ventimiglia
Wigeon Point Charitable Foundation
Sam & Tracy Zager
SUPPORTER ($250 - 499)
Anonymous (2)
Peter & Lyn Ballou
Ben & Judy Bertram
Gregory & Mary Caron
Pamela Cleghorn
Peter H. Clough
Jacqueline Cohen
Scott Cowger
Carol & Dick Davis
Mary Ellms
David Ertz & Carol Ryan-Ertz
John Fay
Dr. & Mrs. David Flavin
Terry & Mandy Garmey
James Gertmenian & Susan King
Tom and Peggy Gilbert
Margaret Groban & Larry Fischman
Lisa Hangoc
Peter Haynes
Bob & Marge Healing
Roslyn & Steve Hershfield
Tom & Laurie Hyndman
Stephen & Suzanne Irish
Robin Ishmael
Herbert & Kathleen Janick
Bud & Wendy Kellett
Catherine O'Connor & John Kelly
Angus & Catherine King
Dennis & Sandra King
Jeremy Moser & Laura Kittle
David Kling & Kathryn Sanders
Neil & Cathy Lamb
Sally Walker Madore
Alice Moisen
Rick & Debby Molander
Susan Morris
Richard & Sandra Neiman
Mary Snell & Irwin Novak
Janet O'Toole
Rebecca Oreskes & Brad Ray
James & Judith Parkhill
Dean & John Paterson
Charlene & Jerry Petruccelli
Hugh & Norma Phelps
Scott Horton & Leslie Richfield
Orrin & Linda Shane
Rick & Celeste Shinay
Betty & Barry Stallman
Ernie Stanhope
Darwin & Kathleen Stanley
Frank and Carrie Strasburger
David & Kathleen Stuchiner
Deborah & Hall Thompson/
Daniel Tucker
Lance and Gina Vardis
Meg Thompson Villarreal
Nancy R. Wade
Randall Weill & Catherine Coughlin
FRIENDS ($100 - $249)
Anonymous (5)
Paul Ainsworth
Michael & Connie Beck
Craig & Abigail Belanger
Elizabeth Belliveau
Stephen Ryan & James Bishop
Nancy Bogg & Mark Kiefner
Chris & Stephanie Bowe
Jim & Sarah Bowie
Nona & Doug Boyink
John Brandt
Emily & Norman Breitner
Jane G. Briggs
Helen Brock & Doug Knight
Susan Bruce & Rick Hauck
Dan & Dale Bryant
Richard O'Meara & Christine Bulsa-O'Meara
Allie Byers
Robin and William Carter
Paul & Stephanie Castle
Jennifer Caven
Rae Clark-McGrath
Andrew & Judith Coburn
Susan & James Cook
Jacqueline Alpert & Christopher Leighton
Robert & Linda Ayotte
Bob Bahm & Jan Baker
Joseph & Mary Louise Bates
Ann Corbey
Mary Anne & David Crawford
Bill Cullen
Dick & Margaret Curran
Richard & Judy Curtis
Cara David
Jerry & Gretchen Davis
Donna Deletetsky
Mary Doherty
Mary C. Doughty
Moira Driscoll & David Pence
Mary Lou Dyer
Katherine Dyhrberg
John Edwards
Michael & Jill Epstein
Herbert & Alice Ferran
Deborah Wathen Finn
Anne Fisher
David Fluharty & Linda Hjortland
Tom Ford & Mike Rodgers
Rich Evans & Jean Foy
Susan Garfield & Lynda Mullen
Leslie Gibbons
George & Martha Gilmore
Phyllis & Bernard Givertz
Richard & Anna Hamilton
Amanda Hannan
Ann Havener & Richard Estabrook
Marilyn & John Heise
Janet Henry & Vernon Moore
Vance Huntley & Jennifer Hitchcox
Stephen & Debra Honey
Chris Hourcle
Elizabeth & Christopher Hunt
Al & Pauline Huntley
Catherine & Matthew Hyde
Jack & Kenneth Jackowitz
Sandra Jensen & Samuel Broaddus
Allen S. & Sarah S. Johnson
Patrick & Valerie Kelly
David & Linda Kirstein
Paul M. Knight
Dan & Stacey
Ken & Jean Kriedberg
Denise LaRue & Bob Furman
Calien Lewis & Martha Mickles
Christine Linnehan
Burke & Judith Long
Benjamin Lund
John & Jane Lunt
Chris & Carson Lutes
Karen Malm
Libby & David Margolis-Pineo
David & Jeanne Mason
John & June McClean
Sheila McGarr
Susan & Frank McGinty
Paula Gibbs McKenney
Mary Ann McLean
Sarah & Standish Meacham
Joseph & Gloria Melnick
Nate Meyer
Ellie & Charlie Miller
Bernard Mohr & Karin Wagner
Bruce Moore & Jan Chapman
Wendy Moore
Robert & Susan Nielsen
Erin & Jon Nitschke
Victoria Nolan & Clark Crolius
David & Carolyn Sue Nutty
John & Karen O'Brien
Jackie Oliveri
One4All Charitable Fund
Jonas Oppenheim
David & Jacqueline Orsmond
John & Denise Palmer
Richard & Carole Palmer
Larry Perkins
Norma Piper
Hope Putnam
Lenore Rapkin
Kathryn Reid & Hugh Tozer
John & Marsha Reynolds
Mathew Reynolds
Erika Richardson
Larry & Robin Rubinstein
Helen Ryder
Paul & Penelope Sarvis
Mike & Pam Schwotzer
Ellen Seidman
Peggy Shapiro
Linda Shary & Jeffrey Logan
Fred & Viola Sheehan
Betty Bricker-Small & David Small
Sarah Smith
Patricia Stevens
Betta Stothart
Vicki Sullivan
Kristin G. Sweeney
Adam Thibodeau
David & Holly Travers
Patricia Vantuyl
Elizabeth Walsh
Deena Weinstein
Susan & Francis Whitten
David & Elise Wilson
Judy & Norman Wilson
David & Gail Witherill
Rick & Janet Wolf
Priscilla Campbell-Wyman & Ross Wyman
Laura Young
Elliot Zeisel PhD, DF-AGPA
Margaret and David Zellinger
Anne B. Zill
Bill & Patty Zimmerman
IN MEMORY OF $1000+
Wendy DesAutels In Memory donation for
Wil Meacham
IN HONOR/MEMORY OF $250+
Mathew Goldfarb In Memory of Lynn Goldfarb
Kathleen Silvia In Honor of Bud & Cheryl Higgins
Benjamin Weiss in honor of Julianne Shae
In Memory of Morgan Wakelin
IN HONOR OF
Libby Margolis-Pineo in honor of Jim Fitzgerald
Todd & Gloria Nicholson In Honor of
Stella Hernandez
David Ellenstein in Honor of Anita Stewart
VOLUNTEERS
Portland Stage would not be able to create the exceptional art it does without the help of the volunteers who donate their time and talent—many of them for years! From ushering for a show on the Mainstage, to stitching in the Costume Shop, to assisting in event planning, there are so many opportunities to be a helping hand.
We welcome all volunteers to make as big or as small a time commitment as they are able! Learn more here: https:// www.portlandstage.org/ work-with-us/.
2022-23 VOLUNTEERS
Gregory Adams
Bonnie Amadei
Joan Anderson
Rosemary Anderson
Debbie Andrews
Patricia Ashton
Steve Barmore
Wendy Barmore
Steve Bates
Kathy Beach
Julian Bencze
Kathleen Bender
Dotty Bennett
Gene Bergoffen
Sue Bergoffen
Judith Blanchard
Linda Blanton
Cindy Boyd
Meg Broderick
Constance Burns
Meghan Casey
Jennifer Caven
Lou Christen
Patrick Christian
Jana Coffin
Jon Coffin
Susan Comyns
Bill Connolly
Michael Connolly
Anne Marie Craven
Lynne Cullen
Anne Daly
Wanda Davidson
Laurie Davis
Patricia Davis
Elizabeth Doane
Espahbad Dodd
Scott Donohue
Carol Eisenberg
Sheila Emple
Richard Estabrook
Jody Fein
Linda Fenton
Susan Fine
Anne Fisher
Savanna Genskow
Laurie Gingrich
Gaetane Gonyea
Benson Gray
Paula Greenlee
Andrea Handel
Tom Handel
James Hastrich
Laurie Hasty
Barbara Hauke
Stephan Hauke
Ann Havener
Jacqueline Hawkins
Sophaktra Heng
Rebecca Hitchcock
Ann Hitzrot
Peter Holm
Rick Horton
Bob Irwin
Trish Irwin
Forrest Jaynes
Sheila Jepson
Sally Q Johnston
Lorraine Johnstone
Karen Kirk
Rachel Krawczyk
Sheera LaBelle
Susan Lakari
Linda LaRoche
Paula Laverty
Norm Lavigne
Diane Lawton
Ana Lazar
Cindy Lemieux
Carole Logan
Thomas Logan
Francis Lorello
Karen Luse
Rick Lynch
Paul Manoff
Ray Marcotte
Rosemary Mason
Karen Massey
Jane McCabe
Sharon McHold
Maureen McHugh
Sally McKibben
Donna Melancon
Alex Millones
MaryJo Moore
Betsy Morrison
Brad Morrison
Joan Mueller
Leigh Mundhenk
Tom Mundhenk
Roberta Muse
Reta Nappi
Brenda Nicholas
April Noonan
Denis Noonan
Marcia Noyes
Jackie Oliveri
David Olsen Pietrowski
Kate Olsen Pietrowski
Therese O'Sullivan
Bridget Parker
Terese Pawletko
JoAnne Rush Peabody
William Peabody
Delene Perley
Gay Peterson
Kit Pfeiffer
Elaine Piccini
Linda Pomerleau
Suze Quackenbush
Dave Reed
Meg Reed
Susie Reed
Deb Reifsnyder
Patty Renaud
Janice M Rey
Fred Roberts
Janet Roberts
Sharon Roberts
Christine Robinson
Mary Robinson
Wendy Sawicki
Stephanie Scherr
Nancy Seiler
Tom Settlemire
Wendy Severson
Kelley Sigovich
David Simpson
Patricia Sprague
Marjorie Stone
Mary Stuart
Jonathan Swan
Lyn Swan
Sondra Taylor
Donna Thivierge
David Tiemann
Maryli Tiemann
Barbara Trentacosta
Ingrid van Duivenbode
Cheslye Ventimiglia
Pamela Vose
Peter Vose
Pam Waite
Andrew Walsh
Cathy Walz
Lesli Weiner
Deena Weinstein
Lisa Wendler
Wolfgang Wendler
Ashley Wernher-Collins
Bart Weyand
Patricia Weyand
Lynne White
Robert White
Christine Wolfe
Rob Wood
Ginny Wright
Elizabeth Wyrick
Neil Wyrick
Laura Young
STAFF
As we seek to uplift artists and the community, Portland Stage agrees to create and maintain a work environment that respects diverse ideas, races, genders, sexualities, abilities, culture, and religions; contributes to working in an anti-racist theater; and values inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.
Portland Stage Staff
LEADERSHIP
Anita Stewart, Artistic Director
Martin Lodish, Managing Director
ARTISTIC & PRODUCTION
Jennifer London, Company Manager & Apprentice Coordinator
Susan Thomas, Costume Shop Manager
Todd Brian Backus, Literary Manager
Mary Lana Rice, Production Manager & Lighting Supervisor
Seth Asa Sengel, Associate Production Manager & Sound Supervisor
Emily St. John, Props Coordinator
Myles C. Hatch, Stage Manager & Group Sales Coordinator
Meg Lydon, Stage Manager
Ted Gallant, Technical Director
Jacob Coombs, Associate Technical Director
ADMINISTRATION
Donald Smith, Audience Services Manager
Renee Myhaver, Box Office Assistant Manager
Paul Ainsworth, Business Manager
Allison Fry, Campaign Assistant
Lindsey Higgins, Development Associate
Covey Crolius, Development Director
Julianne Shea, Education Administrator & Apprentice Coordinator
Isabel Bates, Education Assistant
Michael Dix Thomas, Education Director
Madeleine St. Germain, Front of House Associate
Shannon Wade, Front of House Associate
Chris DeFilipp, House & Concessions Manager
Adam Thibodeau, House Manager
Erin Elizabeth, Marketing & Communications Director
James Hadley, Marketing Associate & Graphic Designer
APPRENTICES
At Portland Stage, our commitment to the future of theater lies at the heart of the Apprentice Program. This dynamic initiative aims to train the next generation of theater professionals through immersive, hands-on experiences and comprehensive instruction in various theater disciplines. The 2022-23 Apprentice Company received training in the areas of Company Management, Costumes/Wardrobe, Directing/ Dramaturgy, Education, Lighting & Sound, Props, Stage Crew, and Stage Management. This direct experience is instrumental in catapulting their careers. Members of the 2022-23 Apprentice Program have embarked on diverse paths, assuming roles such as Literary & Artistic Coordinator, Director, and Stage Manager at renowned institutions including Barrington Stage and the Appalachian Center for the Arts.
“Though I received a great education through the work itself, by far the most important and unique part of the Apprentice Program is Portland Stage’s commitment to bringing on a full, 12-apprentice cohort every year…I was not only able to develop the skills I needed to move forward in my career, but I was also able to develop a network of professional contacts now located across the country.”
2022-23 Apprentice Company
Thalia Wolff, Company Management Apprentice
Andrej Nawoj, Costumes Apprentice
Elizabeth Randall, Costumes Apprentice
Audrey Erickson, Directing & Dramaturgy Apprentice
Moira O’Sullivan, Directing & Dramaturgy Apprentice
Rachel Ropella, Directing & Dramaturgy Apprentice
Nick Hone, Education Apprentice
Liana SC, Education Apprentice
Ashley Ward, Lighting & Sound Apprentice
Madison MacDonald, Props Apprentice
Amanda Cooper, Stage Management Apprentice
Brady Willis, Stage Management Apprentice
Kailey Morand, Summer Education Apprentice
Lucie Hopkins, Summer Education Apprentice
Katie Ludlam, Summer Education Apprentice
MAKING AN ENTRANCE
A Capital Campaign for the Heart of Portland
To address the evolving needs of our community, Portland Stage initiated the Making an Entrance Capital Campaign in 2019. As of December 2023, the campaign has raised $5.847M, an impressive 91% of our $6.4M goal, and a testament to the support and dedication of our community. Completion of the campaign remains an important goal of the current season.
We broke ground on our facility improvements in Spring 2023, as Wright Ryan construction crews began excavation of our basement to prepare for the installation of the new elevator. The final stage of construction will come in Spring 2024, with the installation of a new awning spanning our front entrance.
The purpose of our campaign is to revitalize our space and programming to increase accessibility, visibility, and inclusivity for all members of the community. Through the installation of a new, significantly larger and faster elevator, a redesigned box office with a street-facing window, expanded lobby spaces, and further support for our beloved educational programming, we are inviting members of the Maine community to take part in the world of theater without having to worry about potential restrictions caused by mobility issues, socioeconomic status, age, or a variety of other potential deterrents.
MAKING PORTLAND STAGE ACCESSIBLE AND VISIBLE
• Elevator to accommodate 10 people
• Enhanced lobby
• LED-lighted blade sign, a gateway to Portland’s Arts District
• Repositioned box office
BUILDING AN ENDOWMENT FOR ACCLAIMED EDUCATION PROGRAMS
• Innovative state-wide Education Programs
• Specialized staff recruitment and retention efforts
For further details and up-to-date information on the Making an Entrance campaign, please visit: www.portlandstage.org/ capital-campaign
2022-23 GOALS
To prepare Portland Stage for the launch of our 50th Anniversary Mainstage season in Fall 2023, during the 2022-2023 season we finalized a new strategic plan focused on connecting our community to the art and artists that fill our spaces, so that we not only grow back but grow beyond our pre-pandemic participation. Our efforts this season are focused on fully engaging with our community, from our exciting programming choices and integrated marketing strategies, to our relationshipbuilding with other local organizations, to the upgrades to our facility to make it more inviting and accessible for our patrons.
During the 2023-24 season, we will work towards the following goals:
• Engaging with our audiences so that they feel welcomed at every step of their involvement with Portland Stage.
• Exploring a new, measurable approach to marketing focused on sharing more about the theatregoing experience with potential new patrons.
• Restoring our attendance to at least 85% of pre-pandemic levels with the aim of hitting 100% in fiscal year 2025.
• Finishing construction and introducing audiences to our new, more accessible spaces made possible through the Making An Entrance Capital Campaign.
• Expanding our reach to diverse communities through targeted interactions with partner organizations.
Design: Talley-O, www.talley-o.com
Printing: Edison Press
THANK YOU
Reflecting on the past year, we recognize how much hard work and planning has been done to prepare us to launch into our 50th Anniversary Season in 2023-2024—a bold season that welcomes our community back into our newly renovated spaces.
*Member
This progress was only possible because of a dedicated and talented group of staff, board members, artists and apprentices, who have all worked tirelessly during the 2022-2023 season to position us for future success. We have a fantastic team and we thank them for all they do for Portland Stage.
We also appreciate the outstanding support we’ve received from members of our community. The ideas and planning that went into our Making An Entrance capital improvement project were made possible because of that community support. From the amazing and thoughtful donors who helped make the project financially feasible to the extraordinary team of workers, helmed by Wright Ryan, who dedicated countless hours to retrofitting a prewar building with modern amenities, so that we could embrace our community. We could not have done it without you.
We stand ready to enter our 50th season and look forward to sharing with you all that we discover together in the coming year. Thank you for helping us build a Portland Stage that is ready to meet its future.
Anita Stewart Artistic Director Martin Lodish Managing Director
Photos: No Umbrella Media, Erin Elizabeth, Mical Hutson, James A. Hadley
of the Actor’s Equity Association, the Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
