McGRATHPR.com – Historic Deertrees Theatre, Maine’s most enchanting playhouse, announces its 86th season summer of events and entertainment. Deertrees has been serving the Greater Maine region since 1936, offering an eclectic summer season of entertainment featuring theatrical productions and comedies, family shows and concerts annually from June through early September.
In keeping with its 86-year tradition of “rising from the ashes”, Deertrees once again ascends to offer summer entertainment and respite in its magical Maine lake village of Harrison. “The theatre has a long history of resiliency, enduring shutdowns due to wars, disrepair, financial hardship and this global pandemic. We’re prepared to emerge celebrating the spirit of the arts and feisty Mainers who eagerly anticipate gathering with friends and family,” shares Deertrees’ Executive and Artistic Director Gail Phaneuf.
~ 2022 Summer Mainstage Events ~
Always . . . Patsy Cline
Friday and Saturday, June 24 and 25, 7:30 pm, tickets are $32
Back for a second season by popular demand starring Katie Connor and Gail Phaneuf, “Always…Patsy Cline” is a musical based on the true story about Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger, who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk in l961 and continued a friendship with Cline until her death. The show is a tribute to the legendary country singer who died tragically at age 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The musical, complete with down home country humor, includes many of Patsy’s unforgettable hits such as “Crazy”, “I Fall to Pieces”, “Sweet Dreams” and “Walking After Midnight”, 27 songs in all – in one of the most produced musicals in America. Sponsored by Pamela Sessions at Barefoot Realty.
Maine Humorist Tim Sample
Saturday, July 2, 7:30 pm, tickets are $30
Maine native Tim Sample has a unique New England style of humor that has gained him a national following for more than 20 years. When introducing Tim on ABC’s “Good Morning America”, Charles Gibson referred to him as, “The man who wrote the book-literally, on Maine humor!” Legendary newsman Charles Kuralt has called Sample “Maine’s Humorist Laureate.” Sponsored by Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake.
Ragtime Fair
Sunday, July 3, 12 noon to 5 pm
Admission is $15 – includes the three-act Variety Show from 2-3:15 pm
Come one, come all and enjoy Deertrees’ beautiful grounds and family-friendly activities. Festival tents feature psychic readings, children’s art-making activities and hula hoop lessons. Members of the Harrison Volunteer Fire Department will offer complimentary grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for all to enjoy, donations gratefully accepted. At 2 pm, the entertainment ramps up when the Variety Show offers Ragtime Rebellion Band featuring live music, a comedy show is performed by Jack “Off-Broadway”, and Nettie Gentempo performs spectacular hula hoop dancing and offers lessons. Private Psychic readings are $35 on site. Sponsored by Firefly Boutique, Maine Street Graphics, Inc., Beth’s Kitchen, and Friendly Village Firearms.
Windborne Folk Singers
Friday July 8, 7:30 pm, tickets are $25
Stunningly powerful vocal harmony floods the skies above Deertrees as the Windborne Singers present their timeless folk songs. The ensemble shifts from radically different genres like no other band, as comfortable with an improvised Corsican couplet song as an English ballad. Lynn Mahoney Rowan, Will Thomas Rowan, Lauren Breunig, and Jeremy Carter-Gordon share a vibrant energy onstage – their connection to each other and to the music is clearly evident. They educate as they entertain, sharing stories about the music and explaining the characteristics and stylistic elements of the traditions in which they sing. Sponsored by Hancock Lumber.
Don Campbell Band
Saturday, July 9, 7:30 pm, tickets are $30
Portland-based singer/songwriter Don Campbell has a unique and uncanny ability to sing comfortably in the tenor range of Vince Gill, Chris Isaak or Dan Fogelberg, moving easily into the sub-bass range of country greats Josh Turner and Johnny Cash, with music that resides in the home of “American crossover”, akin to the Eagles and John Cougar Mellencamp. Don is committed to “always perform for the audience, never at them.” He is a highly talented multi-instrumentalist performing on acoustic guitar, piano, B3 organ, bass, electric guitar, nylon string guitar, mandolin and harmonica in recordings. Enjoy music that feels like a friend, a natural extension of the singer-songwriter and his to-notch band. Sponsored by David and Darbee Percival and Bavarian Chocolate Haus.
Yellow Bird Chase
Thursday, July14, 4:00 pm, tickets are $15 and $10 for groups of 8 or more
Liars and Believers Acting Troupe presents a madcap show for kids ages 2 to 80. A clownish maintenance crew finds a magical yellow bird and the mad chase begins. Racing over land, across the sea and through the air, battling pirates and monsters, how far will our heroes without ever leaving the storage room? Leap into a world of imagination! An adventure of masks, puppets, and gibberish, “Yellow Bird Chase” is appropriate for the whole family and is fully accessible to deaf and hard of hearing audiences. See this theatrical gem before it opens in August at the famed Edinburgh Theatre Festival. Sponsored by Laird’s Family Auto & Service and Lakes Region Recovery Center.
Robin Spielberg’s Give My Regards to Broadway
Friday, July 15, 7:30 pm, tickets are $28
Beloved pianist/composer and Steinway Artist Robin Spielberg has won the hearts of listeners around the world with compelling melodies and sensitive piano techniques since debuting her first recording of original solos for piano. A prolific composer, Spielberg has 20 recordings to her credit and appears on over 40 compilations around the world. Her discography includes albums of original piano solos, arrangements of American standards, original pieces for piano/ensemble, recordings for the holidays, a CD of American melodies and a CD of lullabies. Robin Spielberg is represented on tour by Kosson Talent. Sponsored by Olde Mill Tavern and Greenwood Manor Inn.
Imagine – The Beatles Solo Years
Saturday, July 23, 7:30 pm, tickets are $32
In 1969, The Beatles walked across Abbey Road and away from the studio where they created the most important body of work that any rock band has before or since. “Imagine – The Beatles Solo Years” brings together the solo hits of the individual Beatles as they might have sounded had they continued their musical journey together, as if their legendary producer George Martin crafted these songs with them. The show originates from the creative team behind the hit orchestral pops show “Piano Men – The Music of Elton and Billy” and “Classic Rock”, featuring orchestrations by Christopher Eastburn. Sponsored by Hancock Lumber.
Vocalist Susie Pepper and Mixology
Friday, July 29, 7:30 pm, tickets are $34
Maine Idol winner and Miss Maine 2009 Susie Pepper and Mixology present a one-of-a-kind concert, featuring the songs of Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand that will soar to the star-filled sky over Deertrees. The performance features Mixology bandleader K. Kelly Muse on vocals and keys. A dynamic and highly sought-after vocalist, Susie was previously featured as soloist in Portland Symphony Orchestra’s Magic of Christmas series and other concerts, as well as more intimate events with The Susie Pepper Quartet jazz combo. Sponsored by Macdonald Motors and Norway Savings Bank.
An Evening at Dave’s Sauna, Naughty Musical
Friday and Saturday, August 5 and 6, 7:30 pm, tickets are $28
“An Evening at Dave’s Sauna” is written and directed by Mainer Jonathan Leavitt, telling the tale of one evening back in 1980 at the legendary/infamous Dave’s Sauna in South Paris, Maine. Hippies, rednecks, bikers, townies, swingers and all kinds of folks would come for a sauna (and maybe more!). Watch and listen as the legendary/infamous “Sauna Dave” shares his own philosophies on life, chats up the customers and takes care of “commerce”. Meet Weird Rob, Bearded Hippie, Off-Duty Waitress, 9-5 Guy, Neighbor Not Happy, Local Town Cop, Trailer Park Woman, MassHole, Dave’s best friend Saul, his wife Nancy, her best friend Josephine, the seductive Sauna Sirens and many other colorful characters. Sponsored by Tom and Jen Vose.
Frampton Comes Alive!
Saturday, August 13, 7:30 pm, tickets are $30
Regional and national touring artist Gary Backstrom, front man and founder of New England-based jam band Jiggle the Handle, has performed for more than 30 years. Gary’s stellar 4-piece line-up of amazing musicians for The Gary Backstrom Band performs a tribute concert to Peter Frampton’s best selling album of all time, featuring Gary on vocals and guitar, Chris Nemitz on keys, guitars and voice, Everett Pendleton on bass and voice, and Peter Koeplin on drums. Backstrom has played with Liberty Devito, the drummer for Billy Joel’s band, while touring with the symphonic rock group Piano Menperforming rock concerts with various orchestras around the country. Sponsored by Hancock Lumber.
Tartan Terrors – A Celtic Invasion
Friday, August 19, 7:30 pm, tickets are $32
The Tartan Terrors bring their Celtic Invasion back to the Deertrees stage, blending the energy of a rock show with humor and stepdance. With a distinctive sound and a proud tradition of making Celtic music fun and accessible to any audience, the Terrors have played big stages across North America, including Market Square, St. John NB, sharing the stage with Scott Helman, The Beaches, and the Celtic Music & Craft Beer Festival in Dunedin, Florida. Sponsored by Stephens Memorial Hospital.
50th Annual Sebago Long Lake Music Festival
Tuesdays, July 12, 19 and 26; August 2 and 9, 7:30 pm, tickets are $32, under 21 free
Deertrees is home to Sebago Long Lake Music Festival’s annual five-week series of summer chamber music concerts, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022. This series includes a wide variety of music for sometimes unusual instrument combinations, from different periods ranging from the 17th century to present day. Familiar works are balanced with the obscure and provide ongoing enjoyment and enrichment for a devoted audience. Summer season passes will be sold prior to the first concert for $125.
Every Brilliant Thing
Friday and Saturday, August 26 and 27, 7:30 pm;
Sunday, August 28, 3 pm, tickets are $26
Duncan MacMillon’s critically acclaimed play “Every Brilliant Thing” is a life-affirming story about the strength inside all of us and how to delight in the everyday. This heart-warming, one-person show tells the story of a woman who started a list of “brilliant things about the world” as a little girl to ease her mother’s depression. She continues the list as an adult, and discovers it has a great impact on her life. “Every Brilliant Thing” stars Mary Beth Murphy and is much more than a play, according to director David Costa. “It’s an interactive, theatrical experience that shines a light on one of the most powerful things we can do-focus on all the positive things in our lives, rather than the negative.” At Deertrees, the staging will take place in the Salt Lick cabaret space and patrons will be seated on stage and in the Art Gallery, limited to 70-seat capacity. Sponsored by Jane Curran and Gail Bowen.
The Marvelous Wonderettes ‘58
Thursday through Sunday, September 2 through 4, 7:30 pm, tickets are $26
The Marvelous Wonderettes ‘58 takes you to the 1958 Springfield High School prom, where we meet the Wonderettes – four girls (in perfect harmony) with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts! As we learn about their lives and loves, the girls perform classic ‘50s songs including “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover,” “Stupid Cupid,” “Lipstick on Your Collar,” “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me,” and other classic hits! You’ve never had this much fun at a prom, a must-take musical trip down memory lane, a delightful one-hour version of the smash Off-Broadway hit. Directed by Gail Phaneuf. Sponsored by the Garvey Construction and Greenwood Manor Inn.
Annual Lobster Roll Fundraiser
Friday, August 5, $25 per lobster roll
Preorder online by July 31 for delicious lobster rolls by this annual delicious fundraiser that provides support for Deertrees’ 86th anniversary season. Each donation includes a custom-made Greenwood Manor Inn lobster roll chock full of tail, knuckle and claw meat with a bag of chips and a cookie. Pick up is available at the Inn, at the Bridgton Chamber of Commerce and at On the Commons in Waterford. Delivery is available for orders of 5+ lobster rolls.
~ The Salt Lick Café Cabaret Series ~
Casual Thursday evening performances in a 70-seat cabaret setting
Admission is $20, wine and beer, canned cocktails, and light bites available for
purchase at small table seating in the art gallery.
Additional dates and performing artists to be announced on the website.
Milltown Roadshow – Thursday, July 21, 7 pm
Heather Pearson Duo – Thursday, July 28, 7 pm
The Carpenters Reimagined – Thursday, August 11, 7 pm
WC Edgar American Outlaw – Thursday, August 18, 7pm
Founded in 1936 originally as an opera house by prominent opera singer/director Enrica Clay Dillon, Deertrees Theatre has been home Broadway stars and local actors, world-acclaimed musicians, and aspiring students. Nestled in the beautiful foothills of Southern Maine’s lake region in the town of Harrison, historically serving as a secluded retreat for artists. The acoustically perfect theatre is set in one of the nation’s most idyllic locations, boasting a rose hemlock wood structure harvested from the property, featuring hand-carved beams, doors, trim and light fixtures. The building, in stages of restoration since 1990, is now listed on Maine’s State Register of Historic Landmarks and on the National Registry of Historic Places. Deertrees is offers classical music Tuesday evenings in July, The Backstage Art Gallery featuring the works of local artists, and The Salt Lick Café, offering cabaret acts, small bites, beer, wine and canned cocktails.
Ticket prices include a $2 Heritage Fee that supports the ongoing restoration and improvements of Deertrees Theatre. For more information, visit deertrees-theatre.org, email gail@deertrees.org, call 207-583-6747 or follow Deertrees Theatre on Facebook and Instagram.
About Deertrees Theatre
Founded in 1936 as an opera house, Deertrees Theatre was built on the site of an old deer run in the forest above the village of Harrison, Maine. Constructed of rose hemlock in the Adirondack style with hand carved fixtures and near perfect acoustics, the theatre has long been home to Broadway-quality entertainment.
Now listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the non-profit Deertrees Theatre presents an eclectic offering of theatrical productions and comedies, family entertainment, and a variety of musical concerts during the quintessential summer theater season annually from late June through early September. As a most active performing arts venue of the Northeast, Deertrees is home to the Sebago-Long Lake Music Festival on Tuesday evenings in July, The Backstage Art Gallery featuring the works of local artists, and The Salt Lick Café, offering cabaret acts, small bites, beer, and wine.
Deertrees Theatre is located at 156 Deertrees Road, Harrison, Maine. For more information, visit deertrees-theatre.org, email gail@deertrees.org, or follow Deertrees Theatre on Facebook and Instagram.
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