shows
-
Jellofish
Gaslight Theater is bringing together theater, art, and food in a special fundraising
production.Peter Shaffer’s “Jellofish,” directed by Birdie Katz will be for two performances only, Saturday, September 30 at 7:00p.m. and Sunday October 1 at 2:00 p.m.
Four World War II veterans have been playing a monthly game of poker for over 50 years, putting aside five percent of every pot until they have accumulated a sizable fortune. As they compete in this month’s game, they struggle over what to do with their nest egg. As the debate escalates, their conflicting views on love, friendship, politics, and death are revealed. As each player comes upon a “random” history chip, the events of their lives are represented. The history chips were created whenever a significant event occurred in one of their lives. As some of the history chips turn up, the deeper implications of a lifetime of friendship and competition are explored.
The cast includes Walter Guild, Bill Haley, and Frank Omar.
Wine and cheese and crackers will be provided after each performance as part of the admission price for those holding an adult ticket.
Where: Hallowell City Hall, 1 Winthrop Street, Hallowell.
The Auditorium, located on the 2nd floor, is handicapped accessible by elevator.
When: Saturday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. & Sunday, October 1 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $30 for Adults, $25 for Students under 21, are available at the door; cash, check, and credit card accepted. For reservations (recommended but not required) call 207-626-3698.- $30 ticket includes 1 glass of wine, $25 ticket does not include libations.
- Because this is a special fundraiser, season ticket passes cannot be used for this production.
The painting below is by the local artist, Bruce Mayo and will be auctioned off at the end of the production.
- Auction tickets can be purchased for $10 each or 3 for $25.
- Auction tickets can be purchased online or at either performance of the show.
To purchase tickets for the show (or the auction) visit our Online Ordering Page here
Original Artwork by Bruce Mayo Gaslight would like to thank the Gardiner Elks Lodge 1293 for their assistance in helping to bring this to our patrons.
https://gaslight-theater.square.site/ -
Brothers Grimm Recovered!
The Brothers Grimm got a little less grim today.
We will be running The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon by Don Zolidis, Friday and Saturday July 21, 22 at 7:00 PM, Sunday July 23 at 2:00 PM.
One weekend only!
Don’t miss this chance! Come laugh and cheer at your favorite Fairy Tales told in an exciting new way.
Due to scheduling issues, we will not be adding any additional shows at this time.
-
The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon by Don Zolidis
Cast preparing to rehearse at the Vaughan Homestead The fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm are turned on their heads in this fast-paced, rollicking ride as two narrators and several actors attempt to combine all 209 stories ranging from classics like Snow White, Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel to more bizarre, obscure stories like The Devil’s Grandmother and The Girl Without Hands. A wild, free-form comedy with lots of audience participation and madcap fun.
Outdoor performances are scheduled for Old Hallowell Day Weekend July 14, 15, 16 and the weekend after, July 21, 22, 23 at the Vaughan Homestead. Friday and Saturday shows start at 6:30pm, Sunday matinees are at 2:00pm. Parking at Vaughan Homestead is strictly limited to showtimes only.
Choose your date and bring a chair, blanket, or maybe even a snack to make it an event! For more information call 207-626-3698. Donations will be accepted at the show or anytime online to support the nonprofit Gaslight Theater.
If you go:
What: Gaslight Theater presents “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon”
Cost: Free with donations accepted.
When and where:
Friday and Saturday July 14, 15* at 7:00 PM, Sunday July 16 at 2:00 PM
Friday and Saturday July 21, 22 at 7:00 PM, Sunday July 23 at 2:00 PM
Vaughan Historic Homestead Outdoor Pavilion
2 Litchfield Rd, Hallowell* The Saturday show is on Old Hallowell Day.
Parking at Vaughan Homestead is strictly limited to the duration of the show only.
-
Black Comedy
Gaslight Theater’s “2023 Season of Laughter” continues in April and May with Peter Shaffer’s “Black Comedy”, directed by Lucille Rioux. The show will be produced at Hallowell City Hall Auditorium at 1 Winthrop Street in Hallowell over two weekends, including Sunday matinees, April 28, 29 and 30 and May 5, 6 & 7. Friday and Saturday shows start at 7:30 PM and Sunday matinees start at 2:00 PM.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and Seniors. $15 for adults or $12 for students and Seniors. Tickets are available at the door; cash, check and credit card* accepted. For reservations (not required) call 207-626-3698 or to purchase tickets online go to https://gaslight-theater.square.site/
* Please note, there is a $1.00 surcharge on Credit card and online sales to cover the processing chargesBlack Comedy” is a one-act farce by Peter Shaffer first performed in 1965. The premise of the piece is that light and dark are transposed, so that when the stage is lit the cast are supposed to be in darkness and only when the stage is dark are they supposed to be able to see each other and their surroundings. A young sculptor and his fiancée have borrowed some expensive antique furniture from a neighbor’s flat without his permission to impress an elderly millionaire art collector. When the power fails, the neighbor returns early, other people also arrive….
Matthew Ferrin of Augusta will perform as Brindsley Miller, a young sculptor. His fiancee Carol Melkett will be played by Kathryn Ross of Gardiner. Michael Stiles of Kents Hill will play Carol’s father, Colonel Melkett. The part of Clea, Brindsley’s ex, will be performed by Robyn DesLauriers of South Gardiner. Kathleen Leopold of Richmond will play Miss Furnival. Jeff Cabral of Biddeford will play antique shop owner Harold Gorringe. Joe Blackwell of Waterville will play Schuppanzigh, a German refugee, and Gaslight Theater’s own Richard Bostwick of Hallowell will play millionaire art collector Georg Samberger.
Table-Read-for-Black-Comedy-March-2023 Gaslight Theater’s production of “Black Comedy” is sponsored by Free ME from Lung Cancer. Gaslight Theater’s 2023 “Season of Laughter” has been made possible by Season Sponsor E.J. Perry Construction Company and by Turner Publishing, Media Sponsor.
Other upcoming productions in Gaslight’s 2023 “Season of Laughter” include The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon in July, a play still to be determined in November and Jellofish, dates to be announced.
If you go:
- Gaslight Theater presents Peter Shaffer’s “Black Comedy”
- Hallowell City Hall, 1 Winthrop Street, Hallowell.
The Auditorium, located on the 2nd floor, is handicapped accessible by elevator. - When:
Friday & Saturday, April 28 and 29 at 7:30pm
Sunday Matinee, April 30 at 2:00pm
Friday & Saturday, May 5 and 6 at 7:30pm
Sunday Matinee, May 7 at 2:00pm - Tickets:
$15 for adults or $12 for students and Seniors
Available at the door; cash, check and credit card* accepted.
For reservations (not required) call 207-626-3698. To
purchase tickets online https://gaslight-theater.square.site/
* There is a $1.00 surcharge on credit card and online sales to cover the processing charges
we pay to offer this service.
-
The Stranger by Agatha Christie
This November Gaslight Theater proudly presents “The Stranger” by Agatha Christie at Hallowell City Hall Auditorium located at 1 Winthrop Street in Hallowell. Theater patrons can choose from six performance dates over two weekends, including Sunday matinees, November 11, 12 & 13 and 18, 19 & 20. Friday and Saturday shows start at 7:30 PM and Sunday matinee performances start at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and Seniors, cash, check and credit card accepted at the door.
Directed by Linda Duarte, “The Stranger”is an adaptation by Agatha Christie, of her short story Philomel Cottage. The play centers around Enid Bradshaw, who breaks her seven-year engagement to Dick Lane in favor of marrying the charming Gerald Strange, whom she had known for a mere afternoon. The two move to a cottage in the country in Act Two, and it is then that we get a sense of Gerald’s true character. Things are not always what they seem, of course, and a well-placed red herring plus Enid’s fascination with Scheherazade and “One Thousand and One Nights’ add key elements to the plot.
Gerald is played by Matthew McLaughlin of Portland, a new actor at Gaslight Theater, and Enid is portrayed by Gwenyth Fraser of Brunswick, who has been seen on our stage several times previously. Andrew Lamb of Augusta, also new to Gaslight Theater, provides some surprises as Dick, and Wendi Richards of Fairfield adds her charm as Enid’s friend Doris. The two housekeepers, offering up very different personalities, are played by Marcia Gallagher of Hallowell, a previous music director at Gaslight, and Jeanne Curtin of West Gardiner, also a first timer with Gaslight Theater. “The Stranger” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
The Cast What: Gaslight Theater presents Agatha Christie’s “The Stranger”
Where: Hallowell City Hall, 1 Winthrop Street, Hallowell.
The Auditorium is located on the 2nd floor and is handicapped accessible by elevator.When: Friday & Saturday, November 11 and 12 at 7:30pm
Sunday Matinee, November 13 at 2:00pm
Friday & Saturday, November 18 and 19 at 7:30pm
Sunday Matinee, November 20 at 2:00pm
Cost: Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and Seniors,
cash, check and credit card accepted at the door. -
The Whales of August
A dinner party at a rehearsal of Gaslight Theater’s “The Whales of August”
Pictured left to right are cast members Margaret Matheson (as Sarah), William Haley (as Mr.
Maranov) and Linda Duarte (as Libby).
Photo credit: Joseph Maranda“The Whales of August” is wistful and autumnal in mood… and filled with the bittersweet recognition that life, despite the alterations of time, must continue as best it can. This show is perfect for the end of summer and a recollection that no matter how old you are it is never too late to live.
“The Whales of August” by Dave Berry is set at a beach house on an island off the coast of Maine where two widowed sisters have been summering for many years. The sisters, played by Margaret Matheson and Linda Duarte, are joined by an old friend, the island handyman, and an old rogue who may or may not be deposed royalty, played by Lisa Copenhaver, Gregor Smith, and William Haley.
This summer Gaslight Theater proudly presents six performances of “The Whales of August” directed by Rebecca Singer and Joseph Maranda.
The show will be presented over two weekends Friday and Saturday, August 26, 27 and September 2 and 3 at 7:30pm with Sunday matinee performances on August 28 and September 3 at 2:00pm.
If you go:
What: Gaslight Theater presents “The Whales of August”
Cost: $15.00 for adults and $13.00 for seniors and students
Call 207-626-3698 for reservations, or just walk in
Where and When:
Friday and Saturday August 26 and 27 at 7:30 PM, Sunday August 28 at 2:00pm
Friday and Saturday September 2 and 3 at 7:30 PM, Sunday September 4 at 2:00pmHallowell City Hall
1 Winthrop St, HallowellFounded in 1937 as the Augusta Players, and since doing business as Gaslight Theater, we are the oldest continuously operating community theater in Maine. Productions have taken place in Hallowell City Hall since the late 1970s (until COVID intervened). We hope to return to our regular schedule in 2023 which is normally four shows a year, usually in late winter, early summer, late summer, and the fall, featuring a balance among musicals, mysteries, comedies, classics and new or experimental plays. For each show, we have at least six performances over two weekends, including Sunday matinees.
-
I Hate Shakespeare
Dueling Juliets at a recent rehearsal of Gaslight Theater’s “I Hate Shakespeare”. Pictured left to right are cast members Kathleen Leopold, Cody Alexander Curtis, Desi-Rae Mason (as Juliet), Tony Vazquez, Eleanor Maranda (also as Juliet), Gregor Smith, Donna Loveland and Joe Maranda. Photo credit: Richard Bostwick We hate Shakespeare! At least that’s what the audience thinks until they get a rip-roaring rundown of Shakespeare’s classics. With zombies, talking cows, and an appearance by Jerry Springer, I Hate Shakespeare! is a hilarious and fast-paced introduction to Shakespeare — with a modern twist.
Plus, someone gets a pie in the face.
“I Hate Shakespeare” by Steph DeFerie is a comedy presenting Shakespearean vignettes from a modern (and sometimes silly) point of view. This summer Gaslight Theater proudly presents six performances of “I Hate Shakespeare” directed by Margaret Matheson assisted by Richard Bostwick.
The second weekend in July the Augusta Downtown Alliance will sponsor three performances of Gaslight Theater production of “I Hate Shakespeare” at Waterfront Park in Augusta, Friday and Saturday, July 8 and 9 at 6:00 PM and a matinee performance on Sunday, July 10 at 2:00 PM.
The following week, during Old Hallowell Day weekend, Vaughan Historic Homestead will be hosting shows on Friday and Saturday, July 15 and 16 at 6:00 PM and a matinee performance on Sunday, July 17 at 2:00 PM. Parking at Vaughan Homestead is strictly limited to showtimes only.
Choose your date and venue and bring a chair, blanket or maybe even a snack and make it an event! For more information call 207-626-3698. Donations will be accepted at the show or anytime online to support the nonprofit Gaslight Theater.
If you go:
What: Gaslight Theater presents “I Hate Shakespeare”
Cost: Free with donations accepted.
When and where in Augusta:
Friday and Saturday July 8 and 9 at 6:00 PM, Sunday July 10 at 2:00pm
Waterfront Park in Downtown Augusta
Front St, Augusta, ME 04330When and where in Hallowell:
Friday and Saturday July 15 and 16* at 6:00 PM, Sunday July 17 at 2:00 PM
Vaughan Historic Homestead Outdoor Pavilion
2 Litchfield Rd, Hallowell* The Saturday show is on Old Hallowell Day. Parking at Vaughan Homestead is strictly limited to the duration of the show only.
This is an outdoor event. However, to ensure the health and safety of our audience and performers, we are asking everyone in attendance to wear a mask if they are not current on their vaccinations. The actors will not be masked when onstage during performances. These are difficult times, and we ask that everyone remain considerate and respectful of others.
Founded in 1937 as the Augusta Players, and since doing business as Gaslight Theater, we are the oldest continuously operating community theater in Maine. Productions have taken place in Hallowell City Hall since the late 1970s (until COVID intervened). We hope to return to our regular schedule in 2023 which is normally four shows a year, usually in late winter, early summer, late summer, and the fall, featuring a balance among musicals, mysteries, comedies, classics and new or experimental plays. For each show, we have at least six performances over two weekends, including Sunday matinees.
-
Save the Dates
August 20, 21, and 22 for
A Review of Old Time Radio
This play showcases radio comedies, dramas, and songs that were popular on radio in the 1930’s. 1940’s and 1950’s. The show will be presented August 20, 21 and 22.
As our normal theater is still unavailable, the play will be presented at:
Vaughan Homestead Pavilion
2 Litchfield Rd, HallowellMore details to follow.
-
Upcoming 2021 Season
Prose, Roses, and Woes
After much deliberation and soul searching, we have elected to postpone these performances from our original Valentines weekend date. We will reschedule when more vaccines has been administered and we are confident new cases are moving in the right direction.
POSTPONED
Hallowell’s Gaslight Theater is planning an outdoor themed poetry event in downtown Hallowell for a TO BE DETERMINED weekend.
This outdoor walking tour featuring live poetry readings, will take place on a future date TO BE DETERMINED at up to 6 locations in downtown Hallowell.
Small audience groups will be revolved among all the venues, while adhering to social distancing and masking protocols to keep everyone safe.
We have three ways you can participate, as a poet, as a reader or as part of the audience.
Poets
Submit a poem for us to consider, dealing with any aspect of the theme of “love”: true love, new love, old love, or even lost love. It should be your own original work. We are not looking for an epic work but an original poem you would agree to have read by an actor or you can audition to read it yourself. Our esteemed selection committee will choose favorites for the event.
We will accept new submissions once we have a date specified.
Readers
You can audition to read poems at the event. Readers and audience at each outdoor venue will be socially distanced and we will not be using microphones so a good strong voice and the ability to project is required.
We will accept new submissions once we have a date specified.
Audience
Reservations will be opened when we have a new date.
Stay tuned for More Info
Our home venue, Hallowell City Hall, is still not available at this time. It is not yet known when it may be. Social distancing for the safety of our cast, crew, and patrons is a priority and will reduce the size of audiences and will guide us as we look forward to presenting and acting again.
207-626-3698
Gaslighttheater@Gaslighttheater.org -
Current Season 2020
This is our Mid-year Update
After we cut the run of “Last Gas’ short early on in the year, the path of the pandemic remained unknown and we had been waiting for some idea of what the future possibilities are. We still don’t know what the future looks like.
We have postponed our entire 2020 season and will be moving “The Whales of August” and “Almost Maine” to the second half of next year.
Between now and then, we are looking at some plays with a single actor and a small tech crew.
Stay tuned.
We are also looking at reader’s theater. Our home venue, Hallowell City Hall, is not available at this time. It is not yet known when it may be. Social distancing for the safety of our cast, crew, and patrons is a priority and will reduce the size of audiences and will guide us as we look forward to presenting and acting again.
Fear not, we will return because.
We Miss You.
We Miss working the Boards.
We Miss the Social fun that is Theater.
207-626-3698
gaslighttheater@yahoo.comWhales of August by David Berry – Postponed until 2021 season.
Almost Maine By John Cariani – Postponed until 2021 season.
