According to the Actors Equity website, The Employer will not require or request any in-person interaction between Actors or Stage Managers and patrons. After a slew of sold-out shows at the Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was forced to end its run a week early after five cast members tested positive for COVID-19, the latest financial blow to the theater company. Login. He doesnt believe the audience will transmit the virus to the performers. In fact, the entire New England area was saturated with theatres that made up the Straw Hat Circuit, as The New York Times called it. Unable to obtain the rights to the show this year or next, Clark said the elaborate costumes and set pieces will remain in storage for now. Sign up and get our top stories delivered daily to your inbox at 6 a.m. Maine State Music Theatre closes show early after cast members test positive for COVID-19, Maine State Music Theatre cancels shows after deluge of refunds, After 2 years of canceled shows and financial hardship, Maine State Music Theatre returns with a full season lineup, Theater review: Maine State Music Theatre brings high energy with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Brunswick church hosts Christmas in July through end of month, The Conversation: What does it mean to be a person? When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

He said most of the infected performers didnt show any symptoms other than a runny nose. Don't have a commenting profile? Air-conditioning was installed along with new seating and other amenities to make the theatergoing experience even more pleasurable.2000s: Stay tuned!Challenging years faced MSMT with an escalating housing crisis prompted by limited availability and prohibitive costs. Clark did not provide an exact amount as to how much the company lost, but said the theater saved nearly $2 million in potential losses by shortening its 2021 season. Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. The 7 Best Educational Activities for Children in Maine. From wildlife parks to museums to enjoying Maines traditional culture, youll easily, Sometimes its just easy to bring your pet to the professionals. Solidly rooted in our art and in our community, we look confidently ahead to a bright and exciting future not to mention a number of very exciting events and programs to mark our 50th anniversary in 2008! The biggest loss endured by the theater in 2021 was money spent on the Rogers and Hammerstein show Cinderella, the theaters most expensive production, said Clark. The building at 22 Elm Street houses the administrative offices as well as technical and rehearsal space. Success. Poor ticket sales led the company to cancel its fall 2021 shows, which Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark at the time attributed to controversy over a policy requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for ticket holders, as well as general concerns about the virus. Even with testing each day, Clark said he cannot control what his employees do outside of the theater. Governor John R. McKernan presented an award to founder Vicki Crandall citing her for this significant achievement. Already have a commenting profile? This will be a devastating loss of revenue, Clark said this week. You will receive an email to complete the registration. Every time you cancel your show, you damage your relationship with the audience, said Clark. He said with 24 cast members working in close proximity during dance numbers and in changing rooms, it was bound to happen. Maine has a variety of incredible pet groomers across the state that can trim your poodle, Maine Coon Cat, gerbil or anything, CrossFit gyms are all about dynamic, heart-racing workouts. Hundreds of tickets were refunded. Enter your email and password to access comments. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. These high-intensity regimens feature a combination of calisthenics, aerobic exercise, weight lifting, and more. Union rules forced "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" to cancel the remainder of its performances after five cast members tested positive for the coronavirus. History:1959: Brunswick Summer PlayhouseVictoria Crandall, affectionately known as Vicki, opened her summer playhouse in the Pickard Theater on the Bowdoin College campus in 1959 with a production of The Song of Norway. Use the form below to reset your password. By the mid-70s, the Theatre had reduced the number of productions to five, running four of these shows for two weeks and one musical for three weeks.1988: A name for then and now In 1988, Brunswick Music Theatre celebrated 30 years of bringing professional musical theatre to the people of Maine. Already registered? Our goal was to have Joseph continue to remind people why they need us and want us.. While retaining its historic elements, the theater was thoroughly modernized from within. Clark said all employees are given a COVID test each day, costing the theater $120,000 in testing supplies for the season. For those who purchased tickets for canceled performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Maine State is giving patrons one of five options. The most important development is the purchase and renovation of a beautiful permanent home for MSMT. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. He said they worked through it with the help of understudies and swing performers.

Different cultures have different answers. He said the theater has many loyal subscribers but worries that non-subscribers who only come to a few shows a year wont return after this. In 2021, the theater company attempted a truncated season. Many of these playhouses featured TV and film stars in romantic comedies, but few were exclusively musical theatre houses.1970s: Our theatre becomes non-profitChanging the Theatre to a non-profit organization focused its commitment to develop and expand an intern program that would educate and train young artists in theatre crafts. With numerous state parks, including the oldest national park east of the Mississippi, Maines wilderness is one you must, A good burger is about as American as you can get in terms of food. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. The following year she reduced the number of productions to seven, running two shows for two weeks at a time. By the late 80s the number of Equity theatres in the state had dwindled to half what had existed in the early 60s. Clark said the first show of the season The Sound of Music had a few cast members test positive for COVID, but not enough to close down the show. It doesnt matter if, From its rocky coastline to western mountains, Maine truly has it all. Maine State Music Theatre never opened in 2020, due to the pandemic. Due to scheduling issues caused by the late season, main stage performances were moved from the usual venue at Bowdoin Colleges Pickard Theater to the Westbrook Performing Arts Center. It was an adventurous undertaking in many ways: Vicki was a woman working in a field dominated by men and she was producing nine shows, one per week, all with full sets, costumes and chorus. Create one.

It truly breaks my heart, Clark said. Clark declined to comment on the exact dollar amount the theater expects to lose. In that year our name changed to Maine State Music Theatre to reflect a patronage which had grown significantly beyond the mid-coast region. There were few exclusively musical houses remaining nationwide, and none as intimate as Pickard Theater.1990s: MetamorphosisMSMT celebrated its 40th birthday in 1998. The production has halted due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among the cast. While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported low levels of COVID in southern Maine on their website, the Actors Equity Union has strict rules to prevent outbreaks and will close any show with too many positive cases in the cast, according to Clark. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Vickis audiences were building rapidly.1967: A subtle but significant title change: Brunswick Music TheatreBy the late 60s, Maine was filled with summer playhouses. We will not go back to a mask mandate for the audience because it has nothing to do with what is going on here, said Clark. Beginning in the fall of 98, an $11 million renovation project of Pickard Theater was undertaken and completed just in time for our 2000 Summer Season. Please wait for the page to reload. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was being staged through July 16 at Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick, with Jordan Alexander, at left, as Joseph and Jeff Max playing Pharaoh. The third show of the season, The Color Purple, is still in rehearsals and will premiere on July 20, as planned. Contributed / Jared Morneau Photography. No visitors will be allowed backstage, and the Employer shall post signage backstage to that effect..

Terms and Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us, Maine has an incredible amount of fun and educational childrens activities across the state. Maine State Music Theatre opened for its 2022 season on June 8 with hopes of avoiding COVID closures. The community COVID tracker on the CDCs federal websitereported a weekly average of 113.56 cases of COVID per 100,000 people in Cumberland County and 136.66 in Sagadahoc County, leaving Clark unconcerned about mandating masks for audiences. Clark said patrons may exchange their ticket for another show this season, donate the value of their ticket to the theater, obtain access to a virtual performance of the show, receive store credit for a show in a future Maine State season, or request a refund. With farm-raised beef and organically-grown ingredients, Maine has some delicious juicy burgers that will leave your mouth watering, the Best Things-To-Do and Places To Go around you. This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login. Log in to join the discussion. Heres why. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. When the Theatre was given an opportunity to move to the Gorham Campus of the University of Southern Maine, the Board of Trustees made a strong commitment to the community of Brunswick and is now forging ahead with ambitious plans to make this option viable for the long-term.