Monday, December 23, 2013

Ogunquit Playhouse by Christie.


 
     If you find yourself staying in the Wells, Maine area during the summer season a great thing to do is to visit the Ogunquit playhouse. If you're in the area for a week you can often catch a show on a rainy day and grab a pair of tickets on short notice. If you're going with a larger party you should purchase tickets ahead of time as it is not a huge venue.
 
     Every time I go the Ogunquit playhouse it feels a bit like going back in time. I am not old enough to recall a time before movies or even before VHS and the ease of watching movies at home. But I imagine that the Ogunquit playhouse is nearly unchanged since it opened over 81 years ago. The theatre is the last of its kind. Many summer theatres were around in the 30's and over time they closed because of a lack of interest or a lack of people who loved theatre to continue the tradition. The Ogunquit playhouse still attracts amazing talent and obviously has many people with a major love of theatre that continue to lovingly take care of the playhouse and the tradition.
 
     This past summer I went to see Young Frankenstein with some good friends. I had never seen it as a play and was only familiar with the movie version. It was really a lot of fun to see it adapted to the stage. When you look forward to the 2014 season they have Grease, Mary Poppins, and The Witches of  Eastwick all planned for the 2014 season, among other shows. I would love to see any of those three and I look forward to seeing who might be staring in them. Since it's the last theatre of its kind many large name actors and singers are attracted to doing a show at the Ogunquit playhouse. They often don't announce who is staring in  a show until closer to the dates of the actual shows start.
 
     So if you're looking for something different to do during your summer vacation at the beaches of southern Maine pencil in a trip to The Ogunquit playhouse.