Maine Summer Theater
As tourists and summer residents poured into Maine in the late 1800s and early 1900s to escape the heat of the cities, so did the actors. While some theater historians peg the first year of summer stock theater to 1893 in Colorado, Maine traces the tradition to Peaks Island in 1887.
What is for certain is that a long tradition of summer theater productions in Maine continues to this day. During its peak between the 1930s and 1960s, a network of professional and non-Equity summer-stock playhouses stretched from coastal resort towns to inland lake regions, with dozens of productions staged each season. And the best-known playhouses – Lakewood Theater in Madison and Ogunquit Playhouse particularly – attracted a mix of rising performers, established Broadway actors, and movie stars, including Humphrey Bogart, Ethel Barrymore, Ginger Rogers, and Bette Davis.
Bringing in well-known performers is not a thing of the past, either. Ogunquit Playhouse regularly features TV, movie, and Broadway stars, including Sally Struthers, Mary Beth Morrissey, and Michael Urie.
While there are fewer summer stock playhouses operating in Maine today, there is no shortage of theatrical productions for visitors and locals alike to attend on a hot summer evening or afternoon. Historic theaters such as Lakewood Theater and Ogunquit Playhouse – both listed on the National Register of Historic Places – continue to stage professional productions that mix old favorites with newer fare, alongside Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick and smaller regional playhouses.
