Dale Clark News

Maine State Music Theatre is the first - and only - regional theatre to be granted the rights to produce Funny Girl since the Broadway National Tour launched. We chat with Kenny Ingram about the upcoming production.

“There was no one else like Fanny Brice!  Since I was a child, I have identified with her in so many ways,” enthuses Jenna Lea Rosen, who makes her MSMT debut and role debut this week in the first regional revival since the Broadway show’s recent closing.

“I feel a responsibility to both past and present,” declares MSMT Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark, who also serves, together with Marc Robin as Co-Director for the production which opens MSMT’s 2024 season.

Check out an all-new trailer for South Pacific at Maine State Music Theatre! Check out the cast in action in this all-new video.

In a colorful, imaginative retelling of this “tale as old as time,” MSMT opens its 2024 TYA series with a revival of Robin and Clark’s version of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. The production, directed by Betsy Puelle, not only offers a contemporary twist on the classic fairytale, but also layers onto that version another dimension of fantasy and fun. Setting the ancient story as a play within a modern play, Robin and Clark create the dual perspective that characterizes many of their musicals and allows the actors to break the fourth wall and engage the youngsters directly. The narrator, a schoolgirl named Cindy, fashion – often improvises - her version of the story, lobbies to have it produced, and eventually plays a pivotal role in the work. Employing MSMT’s exciting new video technology, a stellar cast of young professionals, and incorporating large-scale, whimsical puppetry into the mix, this BEAUTY AND THE BEAST proves the resilience of the source material and the creative genius of the company

“We perform in parking lots, restaurants, tents, bandshells, and lovely venues like this one,” declares Maine State Music Theatre’s Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark. He is addressing a full house in the Lunt Auditorium at Oceanview at Falmouth on May 30. It is only one of over 95 free public outreach events that MSMT offers in the course of each year,  but today is special because it introduces the new 2024 crop of MSMT Singers in their second public performance since arriving in the state. An outgrowth of the company’s former intern program, the MSMT Singers are an elite group of young (college age) professionals selected by Clark in an annual nationwide search that has holds over 3000 auditions for eight spots. “These young artists have to sing, dance and act on a scale of at least an 8 out of 10 when they come here,” Clark explains, “and when they leave, I expect that they will have grown into the stars they are going to be.”  

Respectful of the show’s legacy and sensitive to contemporary context, Maine State Music Theatre has mounted a stunning revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, SOUTH PACIFIC.  Marshalling the company’s considerable artistic resources, this 75th anniversary production is musically glorious, visually lush, and packed with emotion and talent.

Get a first look at South Pacific at Maine State Music Theatre! Check out the cast in action in this all-new video.

“SOUTH PACIFIC is a masterpiece, and the role of Emile de Becque is an important one.  He is a man who hates war, has found his slice of peace, and is willing to fight for love.  It is such a joy to play the part and be able to fall in love eight times a week.”  Baritone William Michals is sharing his thoughts about MSMT and Fulton Theatres’ new co-production of SOUTH PACIFIC which opens MSMT’s 65th season on June 6, 2024 (Previews June 5).  His enthusiasm for the project is shared by his co-star, Carolyn Anne Miller, who plays Ensign Nellie Forbush. “I have fond memories of the show from the records my grandmother, who was an actor, used to play.  I knew all the songs by heart, and it is a thrill to play the role for the first time.”

“The world is coming back online, and people are getting back to who they were before the pandemic,” declares MSMT Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark. “Ticket sales are as close as they have come to pre-pandemic levels, and there is an extraordinary buzz surrounding the upcoming 2024 season.” 

I don’t think that South Pacific or even the shows of Rogers and Hammerstein are especially dated or irrelevant.  A few years back, Fulton put on The Sound of Music to great appreciation and acclaim.  I wish they were able to capture some of that magic this time around.

We spoke to Director/Choreographer Marc Robin about Maine Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT)'s upcoming production of the timeless classic, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific, the inaugural production for the 2024 Season. Since its premiere in 1949, South Pacific has captivated audiences worldwide, earning widespread acclaim and numerous accolades, including numerous Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Get a first look at Fulton Theater's production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific! Check out the cast in action in this all-new video.

Watch as the cast and orchestra of Fulton Theater's production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific rehearse together for the first time in this all-new video.

The Fulton Theatre has announced the cast of its upcoming production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific. Since its debut in 1949, South Pacific quickly captured the hearts of theatergoers worldwide, earning critical acclaim and many prestigious awards, including seventeen Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

It's the final week left to vote for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central Pennsylvania Awards! Voting ends on 12/31 at midnight. Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

There's just two weeks left to vote and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 18th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central Pennsylvania Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

It's the final 3 weeks and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 11th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central Pennsylvania Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!

Whether you’ve seen Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat multiple times or not at all, you’ve never seen it like this. Broadway World was fortunate to sit down with two of the main characters from this spectacular show. Already receiving glowing reviews (and for good reason), director Marc Robin is delighting audience members with a mix of traditional and unique takes on this popular show.

It's December, and the first standings of the month have been announced as of Tuesday, December 5th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Central Pennsylvania Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!