“The Da Vinci Code” in 2022 at Churchill Theatre in Bromley in the United Kingdom. Photo by Johan Persson, courtesy of Ogunquit Playhouse.
Maybe you spent your July and August reading murder mysteries on the beach, jumping off the dock at camp or taking in summer stock. Fall is just around the corner, but here are five shows you can see in area theaters this fall that might soften the seasonal transition.
“The Da Vinci Code,” Ogunquit Playhouse, through Sept. 23
A play based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown is having its American theatrical premiere in Ogunquit.
The story opens with the murder of the curator at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Professor Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu must solve a series of clues found alongside his body, and their journey will uncover a shocking historical secret.
Adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, the play debuted in the United Kingdom last year and has now come to the United States for the first time. Brown, who lives on the New England seacoast and has attended other productions at Ogunquit Playhouse, said he read the scripts and planned to see the play for the first time here in Maine.
“It’s a very high-tech production that will startle people in a wonderful way, especially if they haven’t been to the theater in a while,” he said.
Tickets ($40-$92) and more information are available at ogunquitplayhouse.org.
Broadway Rave: The Musical Theatre Dance Party, State Theatre, Sept. 8
Were you a theater kid? Do you sing showtunes in the shower? Do you want to get up and dance in the aisles when you see a musical? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then Broadway Rave is for you.
This traveling dance party celebrates the best of musical theater. Sing and dance to music from shows such as “Hamilton,” “Wicked,” “Rent,” “Hairspray,” “Les Misérables” and others. Guests are encouraged to get in costume as their favorite character and will have the chance to make requests.
Tickets ($15-$20) and more information are available at statetheatreportland.com.
“Tootsie,” Ogunquit Playhouse, Sept. 28-Oct. 29
The Ogunquit Playhouse will close its season with another adaptation of a popular classic: “Tootsie.”
The musical reimagines the 1982 film in the world of Broadway, instead of on daytime television. Struggling actor Michael Dorsey finally gets a break – not as himself, but under the female persona “Dorothy Michaels.”
Robert Horn won a Tony Award for the musical’s book after the premiere in 2019. The cast will include actress Sally Struthers, who has a long history with the playhouse.
For tickets ($40-$92) and more information, visit ogunquitplayhouse.org.
“Saint Dad” by Monica Wood, Portland Stage, Oct. 25-Nov. 19
Portland Stage will start its season later than usual this year because of a major renovation that will add an elevator and a new marquee.
The opening play will be a new work by writer Monica Wood, who lives in Portland. Her previous plays include “Papermaker” and “The Half-Light.” She is also well known for her novels and memoirs, particularly “When We Were the Kennedys,” which told of her growing up in the close-knit community of Mexico and suffering the death of her father in 1963, the same year that John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
In her first comedic play, Suzanne, Bud and Denise decided to sell their childhood camp in Maine when their father was dying. Now he’s made a miraculous recovery, and they don’t want him to find out what they’ve done. The camp’s new owner suddenly has to contend with unexpected visitors, including the three siblings.
For tickets ($15-$57) and more information, visit portlandstage.org.
Portland Ovations will present the family-friendly show “It’s Okay to Be Different” at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center on Oct. 29.
“It’s Okay to Be Different,” Portland Ovations, Westbrook Performing Arts Center, Oct. 29
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia adapts three of writer Todd Parr’s children’s storybooks in this family-friendly production. The performance will encourage everyone to embrace what makes them unique and see their differences as strengths. Mermaid Theatre will share that message through a diverse cast, innovative puppetry and original music.
Tickets ($15) and details are available at portlandovations.org.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
