At Norway Savings Asset Management Group, it’s not necessarily the size of your nest egg we care about — it’s the story behind it. Your planning decisions are a reflection of your values and your future. They’re about the choices you’ve made to get here, and your vision for what comes next. We take the responsibility of protecting your financial future incredibly seriously. We make sure your story lives on.
At Coffee By Design, we believe in art and performance that enlightens, illuminates cultures, crosses borders, and speaks to our shared humanity. The arts are a beacon in dark times, and a vessel of hope for a better world to come.
Portland presents...
Located at: Administrative Office: For Tickets: 120 Exchange Street (207) 773-3150 PortTIX Portland, ME 04101
400 Congress St Suite A Portland, ME 04101 (207) 842-0800
e-mail: info@portlandovations.org
TTY:(207) 842-0812 Order online at: www.PortlandOvations.org www.PortTIX.com
Located at: Administrative Office: For Tickets: 25A Forest Avenue (207) 774-1043 25A Forest Avenue Portland, ME 04101 Portland, ME 04101 Fax: (207) 774-0576 (207) 774-0465
e-mail: boxoffice@portlandstage.org Order online at: www.portlandstage.org
Located at: Administrative Office: For Tickets: 85 Exchange Street (207) 773-6128 PortTIX 4th Floor
400 Congress St Suite A Portland, ME 04101 Fax: (207) 773-6089 Portland, ME 04101 (207) 842-0800
e-mail: psobox@portlandsymphony.org
TTY:(207) 842-0812 Order online at: www.PortlandSymphony.org www.PortTIX.com
Located at: Administrative Office: For Tickets: 20 Myrtle Street 212 Canco Road PortTIX Portland, ME 04101 Portland, ME 04101 400 Congress St Suite A Portland ME, 04101 (207) 808-5400 Portland, ME 04101 (207) 842-0800
Information: www.portlandevents.com
TTY:(207) 842-0812 www.PortTIX.com
Aimée M. Petrin, Executive Director
Anita Stewart, Executive & Artistic Director
Eckart Preu, Music Director
Portland presents...
A cooperative effort by Portland Ovations, Portland Stage, Portland Symphony Orchestra and Merrill Auditorium Concert Events.
Welcome to Portland Presents.
The program book for Northern New England’s premier arts and entertainment organizations.
Portland Presents wishes to thank our advertisers for the 2025-26 season.
Visit our website at www.portlandpresents.org for direct links to our advertiser’s websites.
Acadia Insurance
Arcadia Kitchen and Bath
Atlantic Design Center
Bath Savings
Brann & Isaacson
BRIBURN – architecture for life
Casco Bay EyeCare
Centerline Design & Build
Cheverus High School
Chilton Furniture
Coffee by Design
cPort Credit Union
Cross Insurance
Cuddledown
Curtis Thaxter
Davis Landscape Co., Inc
Drummond Woodsum
Fallbrook Woods Residential Memory Care
Fogg’s Water Taxi & Charters
Gnome Landscapes, Design, Masonry & Maintenance
Greenhut Galleries & Cove Street Arts
Hammond Lumber Company
Hancock Lumber
HeadInvest
Highland Green
Holbrook at Piper Shores
Hopkinson & Abbondanza, P.A.
Huston & Company
Juniper Design + Build
Katahdin Trust Company
LandVest Inc.
LeBlanc & Young
M & T Bank and Wilmington Trust
Maine Coast Waldorf School
MCB Wealth Management
MaineHealth
Market Basket
Martin’s Point Health Care
Marvin Design Gallery by Eldredge Lumber
North Yarmouth Academy
Norway Savings Bank
OceanView at Falmouth
Pierce Furniture
Portland Museum of Art
Portland Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Care
R.M. Davis, Inc.
Reger Dasco Properties
Rowe Westbrook
Skowhegan Savings Bank
The Cedars
Third Act Maine
Thornton Academy
Thos. Moser
Town & Shore Real Estate
Vitalius Real Estate Group
Waynflete
Woodhull
Wright Ryan Homes
If you or your business would like to advertise with Portland Presents, please contact any of the above organizations or check out our website at www.portlandpresents.org.
Walnut
Hudson Bench with Cushion
SCAN FOR MORE
FOR ONLY $10 A TICKET treat your family to an unforgettable Sunday afternoon with classical concerts conducted for children of all ages! Join us at Merrill Auditorium from 1:00-1:45 PM for pre-concert activities and opportunities to connect with the stars on the stage! Touch, play, and hear instruments with demonstrations by professional PSO musicians!
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1 | 2:30 PM
ALL ABOARD THE ORCHESTRA
Join the Portland Symphony Orchestra as we take the whole family on a journey through sound, celebrating all the ways we move—from soaring through the skies to chugging down the tracks.
SUNDAY, MARCH 8 | 2:30 PM
DINOSAURS & DRAGONS!
Step into a world of prehistoric roars and mythical flights for a musical adventure that will ignite your imagination!
SUNDAY, APRIL 12 | 2:30 PM
A TOOT, A BOOM, A STRING, A STRUM: From Student to Symphony
Join the PSO for a musical adventure exploring the instruments of the Orchestra!
PORTLAND SYMPHONY
SUNDAY, OCT 5
TUESDAY, OCT 7 2:30 PM 7:00 PM
TCHAIKOVSKY & BRAHMS
ECKART PREU MUSIC DIRECTOR
RANDALL GOOSBY VIOLIN
TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto in D Major
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1 in C minor
SATURDAY, OCT 18
SUNDAY, OCT 19 7:00 PM 2:30 PM
SPOOKY SYMPHONY
From the eerie and unsettling to the downright bone chilling, experience a concert filled with ghostly melodies, eerie soundscapes, and spinetingling surprises. From playful chills to magical thrills, it’s the perfect way to celebrate the spookiest time of year with friends and family!
TUESDAY, OCT 28 7:00 PM
MOZART’S JUPITER SYMPHONY
DAVID AMADO GUEST CONDUCTOR
Missy MAZZOLI Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres)
BARBER Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance
MOZART Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”
SATURDAY, NOV 8
SUNDAY, NOV 9
7:00 PM 2:30 PM
RICK STEVES' EUROPE
RICK STEVES NARRATOR
Usually, you’ll find Rick Steves touring the great destinations of Europe. Now you can join him on a different journey: a Symphonic Journey. In this unique concert experience, Rick Steves teams up with the Portland Symphony Orchestra for a musical journey, combining Europe’s most stirring Romantic-era anthems with beautiful high-definition cinematography and Rick’s insights into European history.
SUNDAY, NOV 18 2:30 PM
SCHEHERAZADE
ECKART PREU MUSIC DIRECTOR
CLAYTON STEPHENSON PIANO
Jessie MONTGOMERY Coincident Dances
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G Major
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade
FRIDAY, DEC 12–SUNDAY DEC 21
MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS
ECKART PREU MUSIC DIRECTOR
MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS CHORUS
PSO CHILDREN'S CHORUS
SUNDAY, JAN 25
MONDAY, JAN 26 2:30 PM 7:00 PM
DAWNLAND TO THE PLANETS
The Music of the Wabanaki and Holst ECKART PREU MUSIC DIRECTOR FIREFLY
Max RICHTER On the Nature of Daylight FIREFLY “Militakwat”
HOLST The Planets
SATURDAY, FEB 14
SUNDAY, FEB 15 7:00 PM 2:30 PM
JURASSIC PARK IN CONCERT
Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, the actionpacked adventure of Jurassic Park pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Experience it now, as the Portland Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ iconic score live to picture.
MORIHIKO NAKAHARA GUEST CONDUCTOR
and actionman ultimate the John
SUNDAY, MAR 1 2:30 PM
NORTHERN FOLKTALES:
Copland & Sibelius
MORIHIKO NAKAHARA GUEST CONDUCTOR
Takashi YOSHIMATSU Ode to Birds and Rainbow
COPLAND Suite from The Tender Land
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major
SATURDAY, MAR 14
SUNDAY, MAR 15 7:00 PM 1:00 PM
STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK IN CONCERT
After the destruction of the Death Star, Darth Vader pursues Luke Skywalker, who is studying the ways of the Force with Jedi Master Yoda. Experience the critically acclaimed second installment of the original Star Wars triology, as The Empire Strikes Back is projected on the big screen at Merrill Auditorium, with John Williams’ iconic score performed live by your Portland Symphony Orchestra.
TUESDAY, MAR 31 7:00 PM
BRAHMS DOUBLE CONCERTO
ECKART PREU MUSIC DIRECTOR
CHARLES DIMMICK CONCERTMASTER
BRENT SELBY PRINCIPAL CELLO
Elena KATS-CHERNIN Big Rhap
BRAHMS Double Concerto in A minor for Violin and Violoncello
WEBER Overture and March from Turandot HINDEMITH Symphonic Metamorphosis
SUNDAY, APR 26
TUESDAY, APR 28 2:30 PM 7:00 PM
BACH’S B MINOR MASS
ECKART PREU MUSIC DIRECTOR
CHORALART
BACH Mass in B minor
TUESDAY, MAY 19 7:00 PM
MAHLER’S 6TH
ECKART PREU MUSIC DIRECTOR
MAHLER Symphony No. 6 in A minor, “Tragic”
GOOSBY
About the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO)
The Symphony’s mission is to serve our community by enriching lives through music.
The Portland Symphony Orchestra recognizes that fostering inclusive, accessible environments that advance equity and cultivate diversity is inseparable from our pursuit of excellence. We, therefore, resolve to learn, grow, and evolve to effectively serve, reflect, and inspire our community through the transformative power of music.
Today’s concert is located in Machigonne, the ancestral home of the Abenaki people who have stewarded this land throughout generations.
With its delightful combination of nostalgic traditions, wonderous surprises, and an array of holiday favorites, Magic of Christmas promises to be a memorable celebration of joy, wonder, and the spirit of the season. Featuring exceptional musical performances from your Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Magic of Christmas Chorus, the PSO Children’s Chorus, and special guests, it’s no wonder this has been one of Maine’s favorite holiday traditions for over 40 years.
And when the show’s over, we welcome the chance to help our local Maine neighbors tend to their real-world needs. That includes providing the coverage that can protect your business from all major exposures. Because we believe the best place for drama is on the stage.
Welcome to Merrill Auditorium, Portland’s Premier Performing Arts Venue
Home to Prime Tenants - Portland Symphony Orchestra, Portland Ovations and The Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ.
Each year we host a variety of concerts, dance performances, children’s programming, comedy shows, corporate meetings and non-profit events with over 150,000 patrons in attendance annually!
Thank you for being a guest at our theater, please enjoy the show!
Merrill Auditorium is managed by the City of Portland Public Assembly Facilities Division Andrew J Downs, Director
- UPCOMING EVENTS -
September 5th ~ TASTE OF IRELAND
Sept.7th ~ HEAR, HERE III
Sept. 9th ~ PHIL ROSENTHAL
Sept. 12th ~ PRINCESS BRIDE: AN INCONCEIVABLE EVENING WITH CARY ELWES
Sept. 20th ~ FRIENDS OF THE KOTZSCHMAR ORGAN SOUND WAVES
Sept. 26th ~ COMEDIAN KEVIN JAMES
Oct. 8th ~ DAVID BYRNE
Oct. 10th ~ FORTUNE FEIMSTER
Oct. 11th ~ WANDA SYKES
October 17th ~ AIR SUPPLY: 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
Oct. 25th ~ FRIENDS OF THE KOTZSCHMAR ORGAN SPOOKTACULAR
Oct. 25th ~ FRIENDS OF THE KOTZSCHMAR ORGAN THE CAT & THE CANARY
November 1st ~ AN EVENING WITH JON STEWART
November 12th ~ OSHER YOUTH ENSEMBLE PRESENTS FALL CONCERT
November 13th ~ TWILIGHT IN CONCERT
November 18th ~ CODY JINKS & WARD DAVIS
November 22nd ~ Lives in the Balance presents THE WAILIN’ JENNYS
November 28th, 29th, 30th / December 6th, 7th ~ MAINE STATE BALLET’S NUTCRACKER
December 16th ~ PORTLAND BALLET’S VICTORIAN NUTCRACKER
December 23rd ~ FRIENDS OF THE KOTZSCHMAR ORGAN CHRISTMAS WITH KENNERLEY
For more information about these and all our performances or to purchase tickets please visit PortTix.com or Call 207-842-0800
PortTix is the Official Box Office for Merrill Auditorium. Please make sure when purchasing tickets, you are buying from PortTix.
FROM LEFT: Margaret F. Foley (United States, 1827-1877), Graziella—a Capri Girl, 1868, marble, 20 3/8 x 17 3/4 x 2 1/4 inches. Museum purchase with support from the Freddie and Regina Homburger Endowment for Acquisitions and the Hamill Fund for American Art, 2023.24. Daniel Minter (United States, born 1961), A Quiet Reach #5, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 20 inches. Museum purchase with support from the Emily Eaton Moore and Family Fund for the Collection, 2022.15.2. Mary Cassatt (United States, 1844–1926), Anne and her Nurse, circa 1897, oil on canvas, 27 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches. Gift of Elizabeth B. Noyce in honor of Roger and Katherine Woodman, 1996.12
Premiums and Copays as Low as $0
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Benefits vary by plan. Plans offered in ME & NH. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium. Martin’s Point Generations Advantage is a health plan with a Medicare contract offering HMO, HMO-POS, and Local PPO products. Enrollment in a Martin’s Point Generations Advantage plan depends on contract renewal. Martin’s Point Health Care complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Y0044_2024_300_M Accepted: 6/22/2024
Just as art brings communities together, we believe law should serve to strengthen the bonds that unite us. Tonight's performance reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting the arts and cultural enrichment in our community. Founded on the vision of former Maine Governor Kenneth M. Curtis and others to bridge public service and private practice, Curtis Thaxter now celebrates 50 years of unwavering commitment to legal excellence, dedication to meeting our clients’ needs, genuine care for the people and businesses we serve, and a desire to impact the public policies that shape and reshape our community.
Who You Want To Be.
Top: Shannon Campbell and Thomas Ian Campbell. Photo by Aressa Goodrich.
Right: From the 2024 production of Conscience by Joe DiPietro, Kate Udall* and Liam Craig*. Photo by James A. Hadley.
MAINSTAGE
Mainstage Performances
CREATING THE CLASSICS OF THE FUTURE
NEW WORK
Maggie Kearnan, writer of Like Flies, is a Bostonbased playwright and a member of the Boston University MFA playwriting class of 2025. Her plays have been produced at Boston College, Newton Theater Company, and the Boston Theater Marathon. ON STAGE •MARCH 4 - MARCH 22, 2025
Portland Stage is committed to cultivating our region’s playwrights while introducing our audience to the creative process. We inspire, nurture, and launch plays that will delight audiences for decades to come by incubating new work.
Since its debut in 1990, the Little Festival of the Unexpected (LFU) has established a tradition of nurturing artists, invigorating audiences, and exploring new voices, visions, and forms of theater. Past LFU scripts include Almost, Maine (LFU 2003) and Papermaker (LFU 2014).
Still in Perfect Tune
Celebrating 60 Years of Legal Excellence
MaineHealth is proud to support the talented musicians and entertainers who make Portland’s performing arts scene spectacular. These performances inspire, unite, and uplift our community. We’re grateful for the joy they bring, which supports good health and wellbeing. Enjoy the shows this season!
THE ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS WIND ENSEMBLE
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2026 • 7 PM
MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND
BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY TOGETHER
LEONARDO! A WONDERFUL SHOW ABOUT A TERRIBLE MONSTER
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2025 • 4 PM WESTBROOK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
RECYCLED PERCUSSION
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2026 • 7 PM
MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND
WABANAKI STORIES
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2026 • 3 PM
MERRILL AUDITORIUM, PORTLAND
DIG UP! A DINOSAUR EXPEDITION STEMMERSIVE
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2026 • 11 AM & 2 PM RIVERTON COMMUNITY CENTER, PORTLAND
Your Membership invests in the power of live performance for all. Unlock Member benefitswhile fueling a vibrant arts community.
PICTURED: WABANAKI STORIES. PHOTO: KATIE DAY
CONNECT AUDIENCES TO ARTISTS
Ovations Offstage connects audiences with artists by bringing experiences directly to the community. Programming includes pre-performance lectures before each chamber music concert, masterclasses and public workshops with visiting artists, community conversations, post-performance Q&A’s, film screenings, the popular Drag Storytime series and more.
INDEPENDENT LIVING AT THE ATRIUM is luxurious and carefree, focused on wellness and personal growth, and filled with culture, activities, and friends. From farm-to-table dining to the saltwater pool, we give you the time to truly enjoy all Portland, Maine offers.
Schedule your personal visit today!
640 Ocean Avenue, Portland, Maine (207) 221-7100 | thecedarsportland.org
Experience • Service • Knowledge
Our skilled optometrists bring a range of valuable experience to your vision care so you’ll receive care that is just right for you, your lifestyle and your budget. The health of your eyes and your complete satisfaction are our top priorities.
cascobayeye.com
Michael Anastasio, OD • Robert Banglmaier, MSc, OD • Kyle Benner, OD • Amy Cyr, OD, FAAO
Steven Goldstein, OD • Timothy Kearins, OD • Sian Liem, MSc, OD, FAAO • Katherine Nickerson, OD
1440 Congress Street, Portland - 772-8384
Ten Q Street, South Portland - 799-3877 • 256 U.S. Route One, Falmouth - 781-5580 7 Portland Farms Road, Scarborough - 883-2809
Providing a variety of options — from private charters on our small boat fleet that can accommodate up to six passengers, to our two larger vessels that can hold up to 49 passengers, we also offer daily public cruises aboard our 49 passenger Joseph S. Kennedy.
The perfect way to see Casco Bay. Give us a call to book your next charter.
At Holbrook, we provide the life your loved one wants with the care they need. Here, you’ll find a community setting that focuses on the individual— a place to call home filled with compassion and care. We call it PersonFirst ®
Perched on the Maine coast in scenic Scarborough, Holbrook at Piper Shores is open to all who require skilled nursing, respite, assisted living, and memory care.
15 Piper Road • Scarborough, Maine 04074
Tel. 207-883-8700 • Toll Free 888-333-8711
theholbrook.org PP24
Personalized Skilled Nursing, Respite, Assisted Living, and Memory Care.
What could your child accomplish with teachers who have the time and resources to help them thrive? More challenging classes and real-world learning experiences to build executive function, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills? And classmates who also love to learn?
We believe every student deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. Schedule your personalized campus tour to see our approach in action.
Architecture: Meyer Davis
“We look forward to seeing you at the theater!”
Welcome to our 52nd season!
We hope you will join us.
From classics to comedies to the Clauder Competition celebrating new plays from the New England region, we have a fantastic season full of great theater for you.
Each play in this year’s season is about a seemingly inconsequential person who ends up rocking their world: a small-town cop who is laughed at by an island’s inhabitants; a young girl who realizes the preciousness of life; an assistant trying to find a tenor; a mysterious midwife in a rural community; a female comedy writer in the 1950s; and a First Lady of the United States who redefined the role. Each person’s actions alter both their community and our perspective on the world.
In our turbulent world, seeing unexpected heroes change outcomes reminds us that we all can make a difference if we decide to play a part.
Whether you’ve been attending our shows for years or have never been in our space, I’m confident there will be a production that fills you with delight.
We look forward to seeing you at the theater!
Anita Stewart, Artistic Director
CELEBRATING 52 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER
Portland Stage Mission
Portland Stage is committed to creating great art, passionate about using the theater to educate, and dedicated to enriching our community. WE:
•Engage, connect, inform: Through intimate, personal exchanges that can only happen in a live theater, we foster a shared empathy and sense of belonging.
•Build community: We create productions from the ground up, combining local talent with artists from away: enriching both through lasting relationships and deeper understanding of each other and the world.
•Evolve to stay relevant: We innovate, cultivate, and incubate new ideas on our stages, in our classrooms, and with community partners.
Board of Trustees
Todd Nicholson, President
Ellen Alderman
Sarah Campbell
Susan Carter
Peter H. Clough
Scott Cowger
Daryl Fort
Cameron Goodwin
Margaret Groban
Edith Iyer-Hernandez
Bradford Knowles
John F. Leonard IV
Dan Marra
Theresa McCarthy
Alisa Conroy Morton
Kathleen Pacella
Carole Ann Palmer
Tony San Antonio
Cathy Stankard
Robin Talbot
Courtney Thorpe
Nina Trowbridge
Daniel Tucker
Meg Villarreal
Anne Wade
Wendy Winer
CELEBRATING 52 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER
Pictured: Ross Cowan (*member AEA) from the 2024-25 Portland Stage production of The Play That Goes Wrong written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, & Henry Shields. Photo by James A. Hadley.
Portland Stage Team
Portland Stage Team
Portland Stage Team
LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP
Artistic Director ................................................................................ Anita Stewart
Artistic Director ................................................................................ Anita Stewart
Artisttic Director ............................................................................... Anita Stewart
Managing Director ........................................................................... Martin Lodish
Managing Director ........................................................................... Martin Lodish
Managing Director ........................................................................... Martin Lodish
ARTISTIC
• PRODUCTION
ARTISTIC • PRODUCTION
ARTISTIC • PRODUCTION
Company Manager ......................................................... Carrigan O’Brian Danish
Company Manager ......................................................... Carrigan O’Brian Danish
Company Manager ......................................................... Carrigan O’Brian Danish
Costume Shop Manager................................................................. Susan Thomas
Costume Shop Manager................................................................. Susan Thomas
Costume Shop Manager ................................................................. Susan Thomas
Literary Manager ................................................................... .... .Todd Brian Backus
Literary Manager ..................................................................... Todd Brian Backus
Literary Manager ..................................................................... Todd Brian Backus
Production Manager • L Lighting Supervisor ................................. Mary Lana Rice
Production Manager • Lighting Supervisor ............................... Mary Lana Rice
Production Manager • Lighting Supervisor ............................... Mary Lana Rice
Props Manager ......................................................................................... Elliot Nye
Props Manager ......................................................................................... Elliot Nye
Props Manager ......................................................................................... Elliot Nye
Sound D Designer • S Sound Supervisor ............................................ Seth Asa Sengel
Stage Management .................................................... Rori Haft & Sidney Phillips
Stage Management .................................................... Rori Haft & Sidney Phillips
Subscribers are the Backbone of Our Organization Providing ongoing support for the theater both within our community as well as financially.
Seated Subscription
A full 6-show seated subscription, same days and seats throughout the season, plus the ability to exchange tickets if your plans change. I If you are interested in getting a seated subscription for the remainder of the season, contact the Box Office.
of a seated
with the flexibility to choose your dates and make your reservations as the season progresses. Choose a package of 4 or 6 tickets, or combine packages to see more of the season.
Choose the best plan for you!
1 Misplaced or forgotten tickets can be easily reprinted at the Box Office on the day of the sho
2 Per-ticket price is lower than average single ticket prices and you only pay a one-time handling fee for each subscription package in your purchase.
3 Get access to reservations, exchanges, and additional tickets before shows go on sale to the general public.
4 The first exchange for each show is at no extra charge for a performance of the same price (i.e., evening to evening).
Pictured: Robbie Harrison and Joe Bliss from the 2025-26 Portland Stage production of Murder for Two, book and music by Joe Kinosian & book and lyrics by Kellen Blair. Photo by Noli French.
Pictured: Emily Upton, Patrick O’Brien*, Moira Driscoll*, Jenny Woodward, & Liam Craig* from the 2023-24 Portland Stage production of Saint Dad by Monica Wood. (*Member
AEA) Photo by James A. Hadley.
Your Support Matters
Because each contribution is an investment in the arts. Tax-deductible contributions keep Portland Stage a living, breathing, thriving theater, and ultimately ensure the fulfillment of our mission and the enrichment of our community. The generosity of individual donors, corporations, and foundations enables us to surround the work on our Mainstage with Education Programs, New Work Development Initiatives, and Community Engagement Events that deepen and broaden the impact of the shows themselves.
WAYS TO GIVE
Pictured: Casey Turner from the 2024-25 Dramatic Repertory Company's production Angels in America, Part 2: Perestroika (presented by Portland Stage). Photo by James A. Hadley.
Educational Camps & Classes
The classes and camps at Portland Stage produce a safe environment for young people to find a higher sense of play stretch their imaginations, and gain valuable social skills.
Serving children pre-K to grade 12 year-round in our theater, the community, and schools.
Theater for Kids is made possible by the support & vision of Susie Konkel.
Photo by Kat Moraros Photography.
New picture books & activities each week!
Theater for Kids is made possible by the support & vision of Susie Konkel.
Photo by Kat Moraros Photography.
Discussion Series Script Club
Join us for a book club discussion of the plays in our 52nd season at the Portland Public Library. Portland Stage Literary Manager Todd Brian Backus will lead discussions alongside assistant directors, dramaturgs, and special guests. Scripts are available at the Main Branch Reference Desk at the Portland Public Library and take place in the Rines Auditorium at the following dates and times.
Eleanor ..................................................... Saturday, September 13th • 1:30 - 2:30pm
Lend Me a Tenor ........................................... Saturday, January 17th • 1:30 - 2:30pm
Like Flies ......................................................Saturday, February 21st • 1:30 - 2:30pm
Our Town ......................................................... Saturday, March 21st • 1:30 - 2:30pm
The Laugh Track ................................................ Saturday, April 25th • 1:30 - 2:30pm
The Artistic Perspective
Join us after the first Sunday Matinee of each production for a discussion with Artistic Director Anita Stewart, as well as artists and scholars related to the production. These discussions are always free and open to the public, and attendees can join even if they didn’t attend the matinee itself. Check in with the Box Office for runtimes and try to arrive at Portland Stage about five minutes before curtain to join the audience after bows.
Curtain Call
Join us after second Manager
after the second Sunday Matinee of each production for a discussion with the cast of each show, moderated by Literary Manager Todd Brian Backus. These discussions are always free and open to the public, and attendees can join even if they didn’t attend the matinee itself. Check in with the Box Office for runtimes and try to arrive at Portland Stage about five minutes before curtain to join the audience after bows.
CELEBRATING
52 YEARS OF CREATING THEATER
Pictured: Lizz Mangan, Hannah Cordes, Sam Rosentrater*, John Cariani*, Kathy McCafferty*, & Raymond McAnally* during Almost, Maine discussion (2020) (* Member AEA).
Aaron Cannan Nick DiMatteo Russ Johnston
Craig Robinson Lauren Carpenter
Karyn MacLeod
Your Safety Matters
To address safety concerns, WH Demmons updated our HVAC system to utilize bipolar ionization technology to deactivate harmful substances like bacteria, mold, allergens, and viruses.
DEC 6 - DEC 24
“Here’s to the common good that I trust is yet to come”
In 1843, Charles Dickens penned a tale that spoke so profoundly to the human condition that its story has become a nearly permanent part of our collective consciousness.
Every time I return to the story, different ideas resonate. This year, it is the final words from the Ghost of Christmas Present that stay with me. As Scrooge spies two small children beneath her robes, Present warns: “The boy is Ignorance. The girl is Want. Beware them both, but most of all, beware this boy, for on his brow I see written that which is Doom, unless the writing be erased.” After making this pronouncement, the Ghost leaves Scrooge alone in the dark to navigate the uncharted territory of the future.
Today, Christmas Present’s warning feels more prescient than ever. The gulf between the rich and poor in our country feels insurmountable, grocery bills keep rising, and the litany of half-truths, lies, and misrepresentations that fill our airwaves and interpersonal interactions with people “on the other side of the debate” feel unstoppable. Those little children, Ignorance and Want, have indeed grown big and strong, and the former certainly does seem to spell our doom. We, like Scrooge, stand in the dark, lost and exhausted by the fear of what is yet to come.
Yet even though we know that Scrooge’s travels are far from over, and that he will have yet more painful trials to bear, we also know that in the end, he will change his ways and find a new way forward. And in that change, there lies the possibility that humanity will triumph. For if even Mister Scrooge, the most miserly and least caring protagonist ever created, is able to transform, there is hope for our society, too.
Scrooge’s long night with the Ghosts leads him to see the error in his ways, but his change of heart would not matter if it was not greeted with goodwill in return. Bob Cratchit and Nephew Fred, who both have reason to despise the Miser, are instead willing to embrace him and offer kindness even when Scrooge has not earned it. They invite him in and find a way to forgive Scrooge, thus offering him a chance at redemption. As much as we want Scrooge to change, part of the triumph will be if we are willing to accept that change of heart when we see it.
Here’s to the common good that I trust is yet to come and finding ways to embrace our journey together.
Anita Stewart, Artistic Director
A Christmas Carol
Adapted by Michael Dix Thomas, from adaptations by Anita Stewart, Sally Wood, and countless other collaborators along the way.
ON STAGE • DEC 6 - DEC 24
SETTING
Several locations and times througout Scrooge’s life.
This theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
*Members of the Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**The Scenic, Costume, Lighting,
and Sound Designers in LORT are represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829, IATSE.
***The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society is the theatrical union that unites, empowers, & protects professional Stage Directors and Choreographers throughout the United States.
The video and/or audio recording of this live production by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited.
Special Thanks:
Anita Esteves, Jenna Iglehart, Lora Kramer, Laura Lockwood. Anna Mayer, Adam Thibodeau, Amélie van der Swaagh, Cheslye Ventimiglia.
CAST
Ebenezer Scrooge ................................................................ Tom Ford*
Bob Cratchit ................................................................. Dustin Tucker*
Michael Dix Thomas has acted and directed from Maine to North Carolina with Shakespeare Theatre Company, Folger Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Shakespeare & Company, Portland Theater Festival, Dartmouth College, Keene State College, The Theater at Monmouth, Maddy’s Theatre, and Portland Stage, where he has previously appeared in two productions of A Christmas Carol. When Michael is not directing, he is the Education Director here at Portland Stage, where he is responsible for creating and teaching programming for students ages 4-18. In Portland, Michael was a co-founder of PortFringe and the defunct Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective. Michael is a graduate of Emerson College and the STC Academy at The George Washington University. Deep gratitude to Anita for her trust, Myles for his knowledge, and Anita, Sally, and many others for their years of work on this script. All my love to K & I.
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
Tom Ford* Ebenezer Scrooge
Portland Stage: Murder on the Links, A Christmas Carol, A Tuna Christmas, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Last Ship to Proxima Centauri, Read to Me, Greater Tuna, Bach at Leipzig, The Mystery of Irma Vep, I Am My Own Wife, The Snow Queen, Iron Kisses, The Woman in Black, Lend Me a Tenor, Art, Gaslight. Northern Stage: Come From Away, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Sense and Sensibility, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play, and Matilda. Boise Contemporary Theater: The Show on the Roof (World Premiere of a New Musical, book by Tom Ford, music and lyrics by Alex Syiek, LAMDA Nominee Best LGBTQ+ Drama), Lewiston, Tru, This Wonderful Life, I Am My Own Wife. Idaho Shakespeare and Great Lakes Theater: My Fair Lady; The Hunchback of Notre Dame; And Then There Were None; King Lear; Deathtrap; Sweeney Todd; Les Miserables; The Imaginary Invalid; The Mousetrap; Into the Woods; A Funny Thing Happened...; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. New London Barn Playhouse: The Odd Couple, The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Drowsy Chaperone, A Funny Thing Happened..., Hairspray, Harvey, The Pirates of Penzance, The Producers, and She Loves Me. Broadway: By Jeeves. Website: tomfordactor.com
Dustin Tucker* Bob Cratchit
Dustin has been fortunate enough to call Portland Stage his artistic home for over 15 years. Born in Amarillo, Texas, Dustin attended Interlochen Arts Academy and then moved to New York when he was 18. After his apprenticeship with Williamstown Theatre Festival, he made his Broadway debut in the 1999 revival of The Rainmaker, directed by Scott Ellis and starring Woody Harrelson. For over two decades, Mr. Tucker has performed throughout the country appearing in regional theater, commercials, television (recent: Dexter: New Blood and Judge Grimes on Daredevil: Born Again), and film (recent:
(*Member of AEA)
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
The Holdovers and American Fiction, both of which were nominated for Academy Awards). Previous PSC credits include: Dirty Deeds Downeast, Fully Committed, Vigil, Hound of the Baskervilles, Greater Tuna, Bach at Leipzig, 39 Steps, Peer Gynt, Buyer & Cellar, Red Herring, Trouble is My Business, Sweet Goats & Blueberry Señoritas, It’s a Wonderful Life, and six seasons of Santaland Diaries. Dustin is also an audiobook narrator for Hachette and Audible. Instagram: dustgowithitdustgowithit
Breezy Leigh* Ghosts
Breezy Leigh is blessed and thrilled to be working at Portland Stage again! New York: Push Party (world premiere, The Hearth); Where Women Go (world premiere, Tent Theater Company); Le Blanc (Peoples Improv Theater); A Sketch of New York (The Producers’ Club Theater). Regional: Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B (Gloucester Stage Company); The Snow Queen, Clyde’s (Portland Stage Company); Stew (regional premiere, Gloucester Stage Company); Joy & Pandemic (world premiere, Huntington Theatre Company); Superstitions (OKC Rep); Oedipus Rex/Symphony of Psalms (SF Symphony); Animals Out Of Paper (Chautauqua Theater Company). Film: Step Into My Office (BRIC TV); Baby Mama Drama (Chela Films). Education: MFA, American Conservatory Theater; Honors BA, University of Virginia. www.breezyleigh.com|@itsbreezyleigh_
Thomas Ian Campbell Nephew Fred
Thomas is thoroughly honored to be returning to perform here at Portland Stage! You may have seen him last December as Kai in The Snow Queen. Other regional credits include Jordan in Significant Other, Brian Howard in It Shoulda Been You, Barnette Lloyd in Crimes of the Heart, Tony Kirby in You Can’t Take It With You, Orpheus in Eurydice, Edward Ferrars in Sense & Sensibility, Dorian Gray in The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Prince
(*Member of
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
Geoffrey in The Lion in Winter, as well as Jacob Marley in the 2023 A Christmas Carol National Tour. He’s delighted to have you here and hopes you enjoy this classic show!
Instagram: @thomas.ian.campbell
Brynn Lewallen Mrs. Cratchit/Music Director
Brynn Lewallen is delighted to make her Portland Stage debut! Local appearances include A Man of No Importance (Mrs. Patrick) and the world premiere of Jane Austen’s Lady Susan (Lady Susan), Good Theater; The Realistic Joneses (Jennifer Jones) and Middletown (Mrs. Swanson), The Theater Project; Dimitria’s Kitchen and Souls on Ice (staged reading), Maine Playwrights Festival. A Portland-based actor and music director, Brynn also teaches private piano and voice lessons. National tour: Go, Dog. Go! (Green Dog), Childsplay Theatre Company. Regional: The Most Happy Fella (Cleo) and 25th Annual... Spelling Bee (Rona Lisa Peretti), Quisisana; Little Women (Jo March), Open Space Theater; The Music of Denali (Kitty/Piano), Holland America/Princess Cruises. BA: Denison University, MM: Arizona State University. Love and thanks to her family and AWWA. brynnlewallen.com
Sarabell Wrigley Belle
Sarabell Wrigley is an actor and costume designer originally from upstate New York. Recent Maine credits include Macbeth, As You Like It, and Love’s Labour’s Lost with Fenix Theatre Co. and At the Table with DRC. Back home, she has worked with the Theater Company at Hubbard Hall, Fort Salem Theater, Living Room Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, and Saratoga Shakespeare. Big thanks to her family for their unwavering support, and love to D.
(*Member of AEA)
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
Alex Purcell* Jacob Marley
Broadway: Glengarry Glen Ross and The Kite Runner. Select NYC stage: Public Enemy and Stupid Fu**ing Bird (Pearl Theatre), The Cherry Orchard (Harold Clurman Lab), Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Smith Street Stage). Select regional: Born With Teeth and Much Ado About Nothing (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Twelfth Night (Denver Center), Disgraced (Portland Stage Company), Peter and the Starcatcher and A Christmas Carol (Cincinnati Playhouse). TV: Fallout, The Blacklist, FBI: Most Wanted, Bull. AlexGPurcell.com
Alex Anton is a 7th grader at Frank H. Harrison Middle School in Yarmouth and this is his first production at Portland Stage. Alex has been active in theater at Royal River Community Players, most recently playing Peter in Peter and the Starcatcher. Outside of acting, Alex loves to play tennis and direct his friends in movies. He’s also making his way through classic films, with Rear Window being his favorite so far. He has loved the opportunity to be a part of A Christmas Carol and hopes you enjoy the show.
Piper Rutherford Baker is so excited to be back at Portland Stage! She is currently a sophomore at South Portland High School. You may have seen her in Descendants at SPHS or last year’s PS production of The Snow Queen. Thank you to Mom and Dad for driving me to rehearsals and the entire cast, crew, and production team for making A Christmas Carol such a fun show to be a part of!
Evangeline Beasley is an actor, singer, and senior in high school. She has performed in numerous shows. With The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, Evangeline performed Elephant and Piggie: We are in a Play in schools across southern Maine. She performed with Maddy’s Theatre in the intergenerational shows Gruff: An Epic Fairytale Eco Musical and Make Way for Ducklings. Evangeline has appeared in Portland Stage’s productions of A Christmas Carol, What the Constitution Means to Me, and The Snow Queen and the staged reading of Tom Hanks’ and James Glossman’s See You Tomorrow. Evangeline is excited to return to Portland Stage.
Seraphina Beasley is an actor, singer, and writer. Seraphina has performed in a number of plays at Maddy’s Theatre, including Gruff: An Epic Fairytale Eco Musical and Make Way for Ducklings. With STAGES Youth Theater, Seraphina has performed in Sherlock Holmes, The Cherry Orchard, and Sense and Sensibility. At Portland Stage, Seraphina was last seen in A Christmas Carol and The Snow Queen. In her spare time, Seraphina loves exploring the shelves of local bookshops throughout Portland and playing Zelda and Mario Kart with her two sisters. Seraphina is excited to return to Portland Stage for this production of A Christmas Carol.
Amélie Bolduc is a middle school student in Portland, Maine. She began acting a couple of years ago, with her first role as Falkor in The Neverending Story at CMTM. Since then, she has appeared in a number of theater productions, including her most recent roles as Kate in Portland Theater Festival’s production of Make Believe (2025) and the lead in her middle school’s production of The Internet is Distract…Oh Look, a Kitten! (2024). When she’s not acting, Amélie enjoys playing soccer and spending time with her friends and family. She is honored to be part of A Christmas Carol.
Lydia Casey, a 6th grader at the Middle School of the Kennebunks, is excited to return to Portland Stage in this year’s A Christmas Carol! She discovered her love for theater through Portland Stage’s summer camps, where she explored acting, narration, costume design, and set building. Lydia previously performed in The Snow Queen and starred as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz at Girl Scouts Camp Pondicherry. Offstage, Lydia loves reading, writing, playing piano, and staying active with skiing, soccer and lacrosse. With her outgoing personality, she brings sparkle and energy to every role.
Norah Crandall is a 12-year-old student at Acton Academy in Kennebunk, Maine. This is her first stage performance open to the public. She has participated in many theater camps and enjoys making characters come to life. Her favorites were The Greatest Showman, Alice and Wonderland, James and the Giant Peach, and The Little Mermaid. Two of Norah’s favorite things are reading and potatoes. She loves potatoes cooked all different ways and she’s currently reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It’s her dream to one day perform in a murder mystery theater production on stage.
Stella Faherty is a 4th grader at Pond Cove Elementary in Cape Elizabeth. This is her second production at Portland Stage. When she’s not acting, you can find her reading Nancy Drew novels, dancing, doing art projects, singing, and playing violin. She hopes that this performance of A Christmas Carol brings you happiness and plenty of holiday cheer!
Fleur Hussey is a 12-year-old performer who loves storytelling through acting, singing, and dance. She recently appeared as Addie in Make Believe at the Portland Theater Festival (2025) and as Jojo in Seussical the Musical at Lyric Music Theater (2024). Fleur trains year-round in acting and voice with Backyard Broadway and studies ballet, tap, and jazz at Spotlight Dance Company. She brings enthusiasm, focus, and a strong work ethic to every rehearsal and is thrilled to be part of A Christmas Carol this season.
Lily Jessen is in 12th grade and is thrilled to be part of A Christmas Carol for the second time! Most recently at Portland Stage, you may have seen her in The Snow Queen. She has been a regular face in Portland Stage’s Teen Shakespeare Company since 2020, and she has also done productions with STAGES Youth Theater and Lyric Music Theater. When she isn’t on stage, you can find her writing stories and poetry, curled up with a book, or singing with her chorus. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Jia Kim is a 4th grader at Presumpscot Elementary School who enjoys reading, traveling, drawing, and spending time with animals. She is a dedicated martial artist and holds a black belt in Taekwondo. Jia is excited to make her debut performance in this year’s production of A Christmas Carol.
Simone Klein is 10 years old and a 5th grader at Falmouth Elementary. She has been on the stage since she was seven: first as Pumbaa in The Lion King, then Dodger in Oliver Twist, King Louie in The Jungle Book, Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, and Cruella in 101 Dalmatians. Simone is excited to be in her first Portland Stage production! She would like to thank her teachers and directors for their support. Lastly, she thanks her family who has encouraged her love for the arts since the beginning. Simone is excited, and she hopes you enjoy the show!
Belen Lee is in 8th grade at Waynflete. She participates in school theater, including this fall’s production of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. This is her first production with Portland Stage. She also plays team sports, and in her free time listens to music and enjoys reading her favorite authors: S.E. Hinton, Charles Dickens, and Kurt Vonnegut.
Soph Maillet is so excited to be performing in A Christmas Carol! This is her third production with Portland Stage. Prior to this, she has performed with the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine and STAGES Youth Theater, and she participates in her school’s theater and choir program. In her free time, she enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons, hanging out with her two cats, Washburne and Zoë, and listening to musicals.
Una Mayer is a 6th grader at Lyman Moore Middle School, and this is her third production at Portland Stage. Outside of acting, Una enjoys going to the theater, dance class, drawing, hanging out with her cats (especially Boba), and watching movies. She loves New York City, cold weather, playing the cello, and crafting. She is very excited to be part of A Christmas Carol this year.
Elaine Rioux is a 7-year-old who absolutely loves to sing, act, and dance! She is thrilled to be performing in A Christmas Carol. A performer at heart, Elaine competes in dance competitions, plays piano, and has won her school talent show every year. She also sings in a choir and is currently appearing as Snoopy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. When she’s not performing, Elaine enjoys spending time with her friends and family—and can’t go a day without singing! She is so excited to share her love of music and theater with everyone in this magical production.
Lorelei Rogers is a freshman at Cape Elizabeth High School and is thrilled to be performing in her first show at Portland Stage. She has been a part of Portland Stage’s Teen Shakespeare Company and in STAGES Youth Theater. When not performing or going to see productions, Lorelei enjoys playing field hockey, trumpet, and doing improv. She is excited to be a part of the show and hopes you enjoy it.
Elle Schmidt is an 8th grader at Freeport Middle School. They’ve done many camps at Portland Stage, but never a play, and they’re very happy to have been included in the cast for A Christmas Carol! They’ve danced in Maine State Ballet’s The Nutcracker for nearly nine consecutive years and have also been in Freeport Middle School’s The Enchanted Bookshop and Bringing Down the House. In their spare time, they enjoy writing, reading the classics, singing, listening to 1920s–1950s jazz or 1960s–1980s rock, and studying history.
Delia Shambaugh is a freshman at Cape Elizabeth High School and is very excited to be a part of this year’s production of A Christmas Carol. This is her third performance with Portland Stage, her second A Christmas Carol, and she’s just so thrilled to be doing it again! In the 2023 production, she played Fan and numerous Cratchit children. While active with debate team and recent school musicals, including Matilda and Frozen Jr., it’s “nothing compared to Portland Stage!”
Angelina Skinner, a 2nd grade student at Sebago Elementary School, is extremely grateful to have the opportunity to perform in her second Portland Stage production, A Christmas Carol. When Angelina is not dancing, singing, playing soccer, or writing her own plays, she goes to the theater and the ballet and enjoys seeing other local productions. Being in A Christmas Carol wouldn’t be possible without the support of her amazing teachers at SES, so thank you to all of them. Angelina would like to send her love to her Mom, Dad, little brother Jonas, and her Pop-Pop for all of their love and support.
Leslie Spiegel is a 10th grader at South Portland High School and is honored to be part of the cast of A Christmas Carol. In her free time, Leslie loves singing, reading, writing, and spending time with her friends. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Harrison Tucker is in the 4th grade at Falmouth Elementary School. He loves learning and thinks it’s super fun. Some of his favorite hobbies are video games, watching TV, drawing, card games, and biking. This is his second time performing in a play and he is so excited to be a part of A Christmas Carol.
Clara/Corbin Zitske is an 8th grader at Maine Coast Waldorf School and lover of all things creative. A collector of hobbies and passions, Clara/Corbin loves crafting of all kinds, hanging out with their mutt Rex, and listening to new wave bands. They have always loved acting, and after being in Something Rotten at Prescott Park over the summer, the bug has really hit!
LAND & SLAVERY ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We are creating theater on land that has been cared for by the Wabanaki. We honor their community and invite you to go to the Wabanaki Reach website to learn more about the Wabanaki culture, as well as about restorative justice and truth-telling that is necessary for healing.
We encourage you to learn more about the peoples who cared for the land that you now reside on whether you’re from here in Portland or are visiting from away. For more information about the Wabanaki Confederacy, visit mainewabanakireach.org, and to find out whose land you are on, visit native-land.ca.
We also want to acknowledge that the history of Maine is deeply connected to the institution of slavery in the United States, and that residents of Maine participated in both slavery and the transatlantic slave trade even after slavery was outlawed in the District of Maine. While it may be easy to think of Maine and more specifically Portland as a very White place, we recognize that this is simply not the case and we are working to dismantle these harmful ideas. We encourage our audiences to visit the Abyssinian Meeting House (learn more at abyssinianmeetinghouse.org) or the Eastern Cemetery here in Portland, and to explore scholarship on the subject, like Lives of Consequence by Patricia Q. Wall, to learn more about this oft-neglected part of Maine’s history.
We recognize that the American Theater has also exploited, misrepresented, and excluded communities of Latine, Asian, Indigenous, and Middle Eastern descent for centuries. Portland Stage is recommitting to telling authentic stories from diverse backgrounds that all of our audiences can experience and enjoy.
HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY IN MAINE
By Alex Oleksy (2023–24) and revised by Kaushik Raghavan (2025–26)
Charles Dickens wrote his acclaimed novella A Christmas Carol nearly two centuries ago, but the story of families, like the Cratchits, struggling through the holiday season in poverty has never been more pertinent. On January 22, 2025, the Maine State Housing Authority counted roughly 2,413 individuals who were currently without housing in the state, including just over 600 residents housed in shelters and 1,400 in transitional housing. This is a continuation of a downward trend since the record high of 4,411 unhoused people in January 2022. But it is important to remember that this number only represents the unhoused population on a single day in the winter. The number of Mainers who have faced housing insecurity throughout the year is estimated to be higher. With an unhoused population that is consistently in flux, the dangers of winter are particularly detrimental, as even a single night outdoors can prove incredibly harmful.
Even when an individual or family has access to shelter, the economic restrictions of living in Maine can keep community members living from paycheck to paycheck. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the rental housing market in Maine is among the least affordable in the nation, with nearly 30% of low-income households paying more than half of their monthly wages on rent. One in seven adult Mainers and one in five children face food insecurity. For the nearly one in seventeen Mainers living without health insurance, medical emergencies or changes in income can lead to a lack of heat or electricity, or can push them out of their homes during the holiday season.
While advocates for the unhoused population continue to call for governmental action such as increased financial support for new housing developments and temporary shelter solutions, nonprofit organizations across Maine have stepped up to aid those in need when the state and city will not. Maine Needs, a social work program founded only months before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, has grown by the thousands both online and in their brick-and-mortar location, connecting donors with social workers, organizers, and individuals in need across the state. Preble Street, another lauded community support organization, runs a Food Security Hub and makes over 2,000 hot meals every single day, including Christmas Day.
As the curtain rises and falls on another merry production of A Christmas Carol at Portland Stage, we hope that Scrooge’s discordant praise of “prisons or workhouses” for the poor sparks a moment of reflection in our own community. While you may not be able to provide the biggest Christmas turkey for all your neighbors, there are many ways to support those in need this holiday season through donating food, your time, or your energy to advocate for those neighbors.
Maine Needs Volunteers
FICTION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
Edited for content by Dylan Gurerra (2018–19) and Max Lerin (2025–26)
As the Ghost of Christmas Present begins to wither away, two meager and miserable children emerge from the folds of her dress. “Spirit! Are they yours?” asks Scrooge. “They are Man’s,” replies the Ghost. “The boy is Ignorance. The girl is Want.” While we might think of the holiday season as a joyful time, Dickens didn’t want his readers to forget a deeper meaning to the holiday spirit. A Christmas Carol is as much a call for people (especially the rich) to strip themselves of ignorance and help the poor as it is a sentimental holiday story about togetherness. This story illustrates Dickens’ concern for economic inequality, a subject that pervades not only A Christmas Carol but his entire body of work, and inspired future generations of social novelists to write about various systems of inequality such as racism, sexism, classism, and much more.
In 1858, Dickens wrote to his friend and fellow author Wilkie Collins describing much of what he hoped to accomplish through his writing: “Everything that happens... shows beyond mistake that you can’t shut out the world; that you are in it, to be of it; that you get yourself into a false position the moment you try to sever yourself from it; that you must mingle with it, and make the best of it, and make the best of yourself into the bargain.” Dickens committed his career as a writer to criticizing the hypocrisy and shortcomings of his society, especially regarding poverty. Dickens wrote his second novel, Oliver Twist (1838), in the wake of the English Poor Laws of 1834, which restricted poor relief to only those in the workhouses and “upon such terms that only the truly indigent would accept it.” The satirical components in the novel examine the lack of opportunity for most working-class children and orphans: a dismal choice between the workhouse, a life of crime, prison, or an early grave.
Much of Dickens’ work functioned similarly to satirize English society, criticize the exploitative nature of capitalism and the Industrial Revolution, and expose society’s mistreatment of the impoverished. His engagement with the world paid off. Dickens’ work not only moved his readers; his sharp social criticisms changed English society. His novels exposed the dark underbelly of industrial progress and gave a voice to the exploited laborer’s lived experience. His work swayed public opinion so effectively that his descriptions of Marshalsea and the Fleet Prisons in Little Dorrit and The Pickwick Papers caused these debtors’ prisons to be shut down. Dickens even won the appeal of Karl Marx, who stated that “[Dickens]... issued to the world more political and social truths than have been uttered by all the professional politicians, publicists, and moralists put together...”
Following in Dickens’ footsteps, many authors devoted their literary work to exposing systematic societal problems, such as economic inequality, through social novels in their own countries. Examples include John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and more recently T.C. Boyle’s The Tortilla Curtain. As their successes illustrate, literary fiction has enormous potential to spark tremendous social change. Like the ghosts of A Christmas Carol, many social novels bring the miserable conditions endured by the oppressed into the homes of the privileged. They remind us of our shared responsibility to work with and for the disenfranchised.
PLAYNOTES PERSPECTIVES
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR: MICHAEL DIX THOMAS
Directing and Dramaturgy Apprentice Skyler Brianna interviewed director Michael Dix Thomas about his process and experience directing A Christmas Carol.
Skyler Brianna (SB): What’s the importance of having children in professional shows like this one and how is it valuable for not only them, but everyone involved?
Michael Dix Thomas (MDT): It’s really valuable and special to give [the youth ensemble] this fun experience. A lot of them really adore it and come back here year after year. A lot of our young folks don’t go on to pursue theater, but it’s still really important for them to have an experience of working on an artistic project collaboratively with other people. It’s a great way to learn about teamwork and collaborative creation. It’s also an opportunity to learn about the process of identifying and expressing your own emotional experience, and recognizing other peoples’ emotional experience, and how to communicate to people and make our needs heard and respecting other peoples’ needs. It’s also valuable to practice navigating the complexity of working in a (sometimes high-stress) work environment, in order to create something that has an end goal. That mix of some folks as young as seven, learning these skills by working with professionals who have been doing this for decades, is really special.
On the other side, I think for all of us, it’s really valuable to be in the space with young people who are in many cases much more closely connected to that sense of play—who are really honest in their responses to things, who will tell you if something is working and is effective (or if it’s not!). I think that’s really helpful for us who can get very caught up in the “why” or the theory behind something, when— if it’s not working in the room, then it’s not working—we gotta find another way in.
Alex Purcell (member AEA) & Michael Dix Thomas. Photo by Aressa Goodrich.
SB: Can you speak more to how A Christmas Carol speaks to a modern audience and what about this classic continues to resonate with generation after generation?
MDT: Part of why this show is so important, why Dickens’ work was so important during his lifetime, is how he’s shone a light on some of the much darker sides of Victorian life—particularly what the English cities looked like in the midst of and at the tail end of the Industrial Revolution. The cities were incredibly polluted, the Industrial Revolution had allowed for many more people to make much more money off of the labor of individual workers, without raising the pay for those workers. Their jobs became more dangerous and the world around the factories became polluted by the industrial process. So you end up with a deeply dispossessed working class, a huge section of people who have been unemployed by overefficiency in work, and an increase in wealth concentrated by the highest earners. So we’re telling a story set in the pretty dystopian world that Dickens was in and that was the focus of his writing through most of his work. I think there are pieces of that story that resonate with people now, even though our situation is in many ways different from 1840s London. I have thought about this show through a quasi-political/ economic lens in the past, and as powerful as I think that is, the details are different enough that it struggles to resonate as immediately as I want it to with a modern audience, in terms of the economics of the storytelling. I think that what is most effective in our work as theater artists, when we’re telling a story in a room with an audience, is to focus on the human aspects of the story.
And I think that the economic and human aspects are connected. We are telling a story about a man who has shut himself off from the world, who discovers that he can move through that shut down-ness and open back up again, and that his actions are specifically related to the way that he acquires, hoards, and distributes money, right? And if we look at our world as shut down and separated from one another as we walk through the streets of Portland, there is a real cost to that, as we learn through Scrooge’s story. It’s impossible to walk into Portland Stage without walking past someone who is struggling on the street, and usually on my travels in, someone is asking me for money on my way into the theater. That is the nature of what it is to live in Portland, Maine, right now. It is just one way that our lives connect and really resonate to the world that Dickens is writing about, to me. So if there is anything that I want folks to take away from this, it’s the reminder that we live in a world with all these other people, and that we need to recognize them.
One thing that the story does really well is tell us that one person’s actions can have an impact. Collective action is actually the way to our shared liberation, [but] I think it is through those individual actions that we start to build towards collective action. I think that’s where this show can move us.
Anita Stewart** (Scenic Designer) has worked as a set and costume designer at leading theaters across the country, including the Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Canadian Opera Company, Minnesota Opera, A.R.T., Steppenwolf, Hartford Stage, Dallas Theater Center, Long Wharf New York Theatre Workshop, Boise Contemporary Theater, New Jers Shakespeare, and Portland Stage. Anita’s desire to play a meani role as an artist in a specific community brought her to Portlan as Artistic Director, a company for which she had previously do significant freelance design. Anita holds an MFA in Design from Yale School of Drama.
Kathleen Payton Brown (Costume Coordinator) has designed costumes for many shows at Portland Stage. Most recently: Dirty Deeds Downeast; Darker the Night, Brighter the Stars; The Snow Queen; Manning A Christmas Carol; Smoke on the Mountain; Perseverance; Talley’s Folly Almost, Maine; It’s a Wonderful Life; Ain’t Misbehavin’; Skeleton Crew The Half-Light. Favorite designs: Almost, Maine; Red Herring; Lost Boy Found at Whole Foods; The Hound of the Baskervilles; Dancing at Lughnasa Love/Sick; and Hidden Tennessee. Other design credits: MSMT, Opera House Arts, Theater at Monmouth, The Public Theatre, UMaine Dep Theatre, Bates College Theater, Colby College Theater, Lyric Stage Co., and the N.J. Shakespeare Co. Kathleen lives in Camden, managing own custom clothing business, as well as working as the Events at the Waldo Theatre.
Bryon Winn** (Lighting Designer) is delighted to be returning to Portland Stage for his 25th season. He has designed over 70 pro for Portland Stage. His design work has also been seen at Trinity Rep, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Axis Theatre, Intersection for the Arts, Miranda Theatre Company, Florida Studio Theatre, Utah Musical Theatre, Middlebury College, Cornell College, Riverside Theatre Iowa Summer Rep. His event design work has been seen in Los Ang Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, Omaha, Minneapolis, Chicago, Indianapo Lake City, Miami, and New York. Bryon serves as the Director of at the University of Iowa and is a member of United Scenic Arti
Seth Asa Sengel (Sound Designer) is a listener and tinkerer from the rural backwoods of Parsonsfield, and has spent decades makin theater with creative souls all over our United States. Seth began his Sound Design journey at Portland Stage decades ago, and has sin (**Member of USA)
collaborated on dozens of wonderful productions. Favorites include Murder For Two, Murder on the Links, Sweet Goats and Blueberry Señoritas, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, and The Half-Light. For more information on Seth, visit www.sethasa.com. Please be kind to others, and to yourself, and tell people you love them. Much Love to Mary Lana.
Myles C. Hatch* (Stage Manager) most recently stage-managed Eleanor here at Portland Stage. Myles has worked with such diverse theaters as the Hangar Theatre, Theatre By The Sea, the Freeport Shakespeare Festival, Maine State Music Theatre, the Theater at Monmouth, Arden Theatre Company, Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, Everyman Theatre, Rep Stage, Horse Cave Theatre, New Stage Theatre, Round House Theatre, Source Theatre Company, Washington Stage Guild, Washington Jewish Theatre, Asolo Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse, and the YALE Summer Cabaret. Thank you to the entire staff and apprentice company for all your great work on this show! Myles is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Meg Lydon* (Assistant Stage Manager) was very happy to help kick off this beloved tradition with such a fantastic team of artists and collaborators! Outside Portland Stage, recent work has been at WAM, Dramatic Repertory Company, Chester Theatre Company, and Bowdoin College. Newly based out of Halifax, NS, she is busy getting to know the amazing theater community there! Meg is a proud member of AEA and is forever grateful to Darren. Many thanks to Myles, the cast, and the entire production team. Happy holidays to you and your loved ones!
Rey Hankinson (Assistant Stage Manager) (they/them) is thrilled to be working on Christmas Carol for their very first production at Portland Stage! Rey holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Rochester, and since graduating has worked as the assistant stage manager on Forever Plaid, Fully Committed, and Boca (Florida Rep), and stage-managed Hairspray (Florida Rep Conservatory), Comedy of Errors and Two Gentlemen of Verona (Camden Shakespeare Festival), and most recently The Rewards of Being Frank with the Theater at Monmouth. They are a lifelong Mainer and eager to be working with an incredible Maine theater! Thanks to Rayne and everyone at Portland Stage for their love and support.
(*Member of AEA)
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
L.L.BEAN: GOLD SHOW SPONSOR
L.L.Bean has been a generous and loyal sponsor of Portland Stage for many seasons. Thanks to the goodwill and generosity of Maine’s largest retailer, Portland Stage is able to bring families together for this heartwarming production of A Christmas Carol, directed by our very own Michael Dix Thomas. Portland Stage and L.L.Bean are both committed to excellent quality, building community, and promoting education. L.L.Bean connects to the community by providing local employment and quality goods that people know and trust. Likewise, Portland Stage produces exceptional live theater, crafted from the ground up by local artists and professionals.
L.L.Bean is also partnering with Portland Stage this season to host our holiday Coat Drive. You can bring your gently used outerwear to the lobby for donation to Maine Needs. As always, Portland Stage is grateful for L.L.Bean’s and your generous support.
W.H. DEMMONS: TAKE A BREATH SPONSOR SUPPORTING AIR PURIFICATION AND AIR QUALITY
A very special thank-you to W.H. Demmons for supporting our public safety! The HVAC system installed by W.H. Demmons utilizes bipolar ionization technology, which releases charged atoms that attach to and deactivate harmful substances like bacteria, mold, allergens, and viruses by pulling the hydrogen atom away, causing the harmful substances to die. Testing of the building’s system for effectiveness against the COVID-19 virus by two different independent laboratories, Analytical Lab Group and Innovative Bioanalysis, revealed that the level of the virus would be cut by 90% within 60 minutes.
Our corporate partners help us to enrich our community while positioning their companies as cultural leaders. Want to learn more about how a corporate partnership can benefit both your business and the theater you love? Contact Covey Crolius, Development Director, at 207.774.1043 x109.
A Christmas Carol is funded in part by generous support from the Fisher Charitable Foundation, the Libra Foundation, the Maine Arts Comission, the Maine Theater Fund/Maine Community Foundation, the Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust, and the Shubert Foundation.
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ANNUAL FUND SUPPORTERS
Executive Producer ($50,000+)
Anonymous
East Point Fund of the Maine Community Foundation
Estate of Kathleen A. Flanagan
Susie Konkel
Estate of Tonda L. Olson
The Shubert Foundation
Anna Marie and John E. Thron Fund of the Maine Community Foundation
Producer ($25,000 - $49,999)
Brooks Family Foundation
Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust
Executive Director
($15,000 - $24,999)
Jane G. Briggs
Roy Cockrum Foundation
Libra Foundation
Migis Hotel Group
Moser Family Foundation
The Onion Foundation
Lincoln and Allison Paine
Seed Moon Foundation
Wright-Ryan Homes
Managing Director
($10,000 - $14,999)
Anonymous
George and Cheryl Higgins
Elizabeth and Christopher Hunt
Maine Community Foundation
Director ($5,000 - $9,999)
Anonymous
Bernstein Shur
Elaine Darwin
Austin and Eileen Farrar
Fisher Charitable Foundation
Mabel Gerquest
Jan and Ed Gerry
Roy A. Hunt Foundation
L.L. Bean
Moriah Moser and Dan Morgenstern, MD
Leonard and Nancy Nemon
Carole Ann Palmer
Kenneth Spirer and Joan Leitzer
Vectorworks
W.H. Demmons, Inc.
Anne Wade and Gil Hagan
Production Manager ($2,500 - $4,999)
Anonymous
Ellen Alderman and William Harwood
Margaret E. Burnham
Charitable Trust
John Cariani
Susan and James Carter
Scott Collins and Ashley Wernher-Collins
Kris and Ken Conant
Diversified Communications
Cornelia Kittredge
Daniel Marra and Barbara Leonard
Sara Murphy and Peter Wetzel
John Ryan and Jenny Scheu
Jennifer Sarah and Joe O’Donnell
Simmons Foundation
Meg Thompson Villarreal
Susanna Weld and Peter Milliken
Backer ($1,000 - $2,499)
Anonymous
Diana and Tom Allen
Apple Lane Foundation
Elizabeth Astor
Tenney and Newell Augur
Mary G. Barthelman
Erik Bergman
Tim Cloudman and Lori Garon
Debra L. Coyman
Doug and Carolyn Davis
Karen Day
Beth De Tine
Elizabeth Ehrenfeld
Karen and Fred Farber
Ken and Cheryl Freye
Charlotte Fullam
Granite Point Foundation
Helaine and D. Brock Hornby
Scott Horton and Leslie Richfield
Lissa Hunter and Kirby Pilcher
Stephen and Suzanne Irish
Jebediah Foundation
Stephen and Carolyn Jenks
Douglas and Cheryl Jones
Dave and Lynn Jourdan
Nancy Kaye
James and Elizabeth Kilbreth
Candice Lee
Calien Lewis and Martha Mickles
Martin Lodish and Kristin Schardt
Maine Community College
William A. McCue
Cristine McMurdo-Wallis and Thomas Eldon Anderson
Irv Meeker
Tom and Marti Meyers
Marta Morse
Todd and Gloria Nicholson
Dean and John Paterson
Carson Pease and Sandy Evans
Larry Perkins
Richard and Carolyn Peterson
Hilary Rapkin and William Stiles
Charles and Melissa Redman
Kenneth Remitz
Maxine Sclar and Robert J. Yamartino
Robert and Valerie Slater
Anita Stewart and Ron Botting
Nelson and Lisa Toner
Nina and Robert Trowbridge
Daniel and Lucy Tucker
Dustin Tucker and Peter Marro
Cheslye and John Ventimiglia
Natalie West and Robert Sellin
Robert Wetzel and Brenda Maine
Peregrine Whittlesey
Monica Wood and Daniel Abbott
Investor ($500 - $999)
Anonymous (2)
A Friend
Ingrid Avery
Sally and Ron Bancroft
Peter Bennett, Esq. and Wendy Winer
Thomas and Marjorie Berman
Don and Diane Bessey
Stephanie and Christopher Bowe
Tracey Burton and Ken Moller
Donald and Patricia Carter
Carol De Tine and Roger F. Woodman, Jr.
Helen Dickey and David G. Fitz
John and Sandra Donnelly
Leslie Gibbons
Peggy and Tom Gilbert
Margaret Groban and Larry Fischman
Richard Hanks and Virginia Mackey
Karen Herold and Mark Isaacson
Robin Ishmael
William Jenks
Charles Johnson and Jean Appleby Johnson
Lisa T. Jung
Brigitte and Hal Kingsbury
Steven and Katie Knapp
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ANNUAL FUND SUPPORTERS
Marilyn Lalumiere and Ed Reed
Greg Lanou and Tracy
Skillin-Lanou
Harvey and Pamela Lodish
Emily and Dick MacKenzie
Jerry and Liz Mansfield
Theresa McCarthy
Wendy Moore
Michael and Lucretia Nelson
Stewart Newell
Ann and Ted Noyes
Judith Parkhill
James and Diane Paterson
Sara and Michael Perfetti
Phillips-Green Foundation
Malcolm and Patti Poole
Carole A. Pope
Rick and Celeste Shinay
Hugh and Mary Smith
Cathy Stankard and Gregg Palmer
Eric and Wendy Suehrstedt
Karen Sumner
Robert and Karen Suva
John Terry and Lisa Cherbuliez
Marcy Brady Tucker Foundation
Louise Valati
Brit and Yasmin Vitalius
Supporter ($250 - $499)
Anonymous
Alice M. Abbott
Maureen Adams
John and Judy Adelman
Paul Ainsworth and Cheryl Berg
Todd Brian Backus and Dr.
Stephen Engel
Esther Berry
Jane V. and John F. Berry
Ben and Judy Bertram
Norman and Emily Rand Breitner
Gregory and Mary Caron
Pamela Cleghorn
Andrew and Judith Coburn
Jacqueline Cohen
James and Susan Cook
Scott and Qamar Cowger
Mark and Joanne Crepeau
Cathey Cyrus and William Clark
Patricia Daniels
Jim and Dianne Dean
Donna and Michael Deletetsky
Mary C. Doughty
Jim Downs and Sarah Bowie
Edison Press
Laura and Vince Faherty
John Fay
Rol and Averil Fessenden
Terry and Mandy Garmey
Bernard and Phyllis Givertz
Mary Jane Hanneld
Nancy Harding
Peter Haynes
Roslyn and Steve Hershfield
Kathleen and Herbert Janick
Hugh and Lois Judge
Bud and Wendy Kellett
Dennis and Sandra King
Caroline and Robert Knott
Laurie Lewin
Christine Linnehan
Burke and Judith Long
Mark Love and Marcia Taylor
John and Jane Lunt
Mary Ann McLean
Tom McPheeters
Alice Moisen
Rick and Debby Molander
Susan Morris
Jeremy Moser and Laura Kittle
Paul F. Mueller
Erin and Jonathan Nitschke
Victoria Nolan and Clark Crolius
Richard O’Meara and Christine
Bulsa-O’Meara
Janet O’Toole
Amy and James Osborn
Charlene and Jerry Petruccelli
Frank and Nancy Reed
Jacqueline Robinov
Don and Sue Rudalevige
Megan and Tony San Antonio
Curtis and Nina Scribner
Robert Scribner and Claire Julian
Kimberly Simmons and Craig Bramley
Elaine and Brian Sipe
David Small and Betty Bricker-Small
Mary Snell and Irwin Novak
Kate and Colin Snyder
Nancy C. Spiegel
Darwin and Kathleen Stanley
Frank C. and Carrie C. Strasburger Fund
David and Kathleen Stuchiner
Gay Tucker
Nancy R. Wade
Ben Weiss
Judy and Norman Wilson
Tom and Willo Wright
Sam and Tracy Zager
FRIEND ($100 - $249)
Anonymous (3)
Janice B. Adler
Nancy Ansheles and Steve Cohen
Isabelle S. Appleton
Martha Arterberry and William Wilson
Robert and Linda Ayotte
Ann Babbitt
Peter and Lyn Ballou
Jane Benesch
Tiffanie Bentley
Nancy Berges
Susan Blake
Nancy Bogg and Mark Kiefner
Dee Dee Bradford
John E. Brandt
Franklin Brooks and Marvin Ellison
Susan Bruce and Rick Hauck
Dan and Dale Bryant
Deborah Buccina
Sarah Campbell and Ted Rand
Constance Cardamone
David Carr
Robin and William Carter
Paul and Stephanie Castle
Peter H. Clough
Mary Collins
Ann Corbey and Steve Painter
Susan Cottle
Mary Anne and David Crawford
Nancy Crowell
Ralph Cryan
Bill Cullen
John A. Cunningham and Valerie Ricker
Dick and Margaret Curran
Richard and Judy Curtis
Lee Dalzell
George and Lynn Davenport
Constance Dehais
Barbara Denker and Doug Dery
Martha Deschaines
Bonnie and Jonathan Dietz
Linda J. Docherty
Mary Doherty
Ann Donaghy and Nancy Gunzelmann
Doane and Melissa Dorchester
Moira Driscoll and David Pence
Mary Lou Dyer
Katherine Dyhrberg
John Edwards
Ms. Jacqueline Ellis
Margie Emmons
Herbert and Alice Ferran
Anne Fisher
David Fluharty and Linda Hjortland
ANNUAL FUND SUPPORTERS
Jean Foy and Richard Evans
Martha Freeman and Richard Barringer
John Funk and Deborah Chase
Susan Garfield and Lynda Mullen
Paul and Deborah Gelardi
George and Martha Gilmore
Elizabeth Goldsmith
Merna Guttentag
Rebecca Halbrook
Tracy Hall
Tori Haring-Smith
Tiffany and Layne Harris
Ann Havener and Richard Estabrook
Janet Henry and Vernon Moore
Alison Hildreth
Brian and Margery Hodgkin
Debra and Tim Honey
Sam Hunneman
Al and Pauline Huntley
Laurie and Tom Hyndman
Mary Iyer
Sandra Jensen and Samuel Broaddus
Angus and Catherine King
David and Linda Kirstein
Anita LaChance
Deborah Lamb
Neil and Cathy Lamb
Denise LaRue and Bob Furman
John F. Leonard IV
Mike and Meg LePage
Andres Llorente
Benjamin Lund
Chris and Carson Lutes
Robert and Kim Lydon
Sarah Mackenzie
Sally Walker Madore
Jane Makela
James Mangan
Elizabeth and David Margolis-Pineo
Ingeborg Marquardt
David and Jeanne Mason
Betts Mayer
Anne McBride
John and June McClean
Jan McCormick
Sheila McGarr
Paula Gibbs McKenney
Bill and Pamela Meserve
Pete and Marianna Mickelson
Bernard Mohr and Karin Wagner
Bruce Moore and Jan Chapman
Kevin Mullen
Robert Murray
Joanne and Paul Naso
Robert and Susan Nielsen
David and Carolyn Sue Nutty
Connie O.
John and Karen O’Brien
Jackie Oliveri
David and Jacqueline Orsmond
Kathleen Pacella and Matthew Taylor
John and Denise Palmer
Richard and Carole Palmer
Heather Payson
Delene Perley
Matthew Pines
Poole Group of Companies
Harry and Anne Pringle
Sam Prout
Hope Putnam
Lenore Rapkin
Frank and Sharon Reilly
Susan and Jock Robie
Michael Rodman
Larry Rubinstein
Manda and Gary Russell
Stephen Ryan and James Bishop
Helen Ryder
Jeff and Susan Saffer
Gwen and James Sartoris
Mike and Pam Schwotzer
Ellen Seidman
Cathy Sengel
Orrin and Linda Shane
Peggy Shapiro
Linda Shary and Jeffrey Logan
Nancy Shaw and John Gilmour
Sarah Smith
Dayle Smith and Victoria Martin-Smith
Alan and Jonell Solander
Mary and Donald St. Germain
Betty and Barry Stallman
Bill and Anne Stauffer
Jacqueline Stowell
Vicki Sullivan
Richard Thomas
Thomas Tierney and Martha Williams
Lorraine and Ralph Twombly
Patricia Vantuyl
Peter and Elizabeth Ventre
Meghan Wakefield
Elizabeth Walsh
Deena Weinstein
Susan and Francis Whitten
Heidi Wierman
Alison Wilkinsom
David and Elise Wilson
James and Jennifer Wolak
Rick and Janet Wolf
Margo Wood and Dwayne Barter
Cynthia Wyatt
Miyabi Yamamoyo
Laura Young and Scott Donohue
Margaret and David Zellinger
Bill and Patty Zimmerman
In Honor of ($250+)
Julia E. Edelstein in Honor of Martin Lodish
Robert and Melissa Johnson in Honor of the Faherty Family
James Marra in Honor of Daniel Marra and Barbara Leonard
Bonnie Nelson Schwartz in Honor of Martin Lodish
Ron and Kathy Silva in Honor of Bud and Cheryl Higgins
Thomas and Jule Whelan in Honor of Todd Nicholson
IN HONOR OF ($100-$249)
The Wacky Readers’ Society (Haley) in Honor of Monica Wood
In Memory of ($250+)
Kelly Cutler in Memory of Barbara J. Cutler
Kelly Cutler in Memory of Hallee Anne
Maria Holloway in Memory of Ann Marie Hagigeorges
IN MEMORY OF RENEE MYHAVER, ASSISTANT BOX OFFICE MANAGER, 2007-2024
John Cariani and John Lloyd
Susan and James Carter
Peter H. Clough
Danielle Mulkern Couture
Doane and Melissa Dorchester
Moira Driscoll and David Pence
Mical Hutson
Martin Lodish and Kristin Schardt
Jackie Oliveri
Adrianna Pizzo
Jacqueline Robinov
Patricia Shaw Sprague and Roger Berube
Anita Stewart and Ron Botting
Kristin G. Sweeney
Ella Tabasky
Adam Thibodeau
Mary Turner
Kevin Wade
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