Portland Stage is set to captivate audiences with a trio of compelling plays, each offering a unique exploration of human emotions and relationships. 'Madeleines' delves into family secrets through the tale of two sisters dealing with their mother's death. 'Not Quite Almost' presents whimsical stories of love and hope in small-town Maine. Finally, 'Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' challenges perceptions with its intense portrayal of marital strife, now with an all-Black cast. These productions promise to deliver unforgettable moments that resonate deeply with audiences.

A Maine Stage: Exploring Family, Love, and the American Dream at Portland Stage

As the New York Journal-American states, “This is a big one.” Part of the American Theater Canon, this play is sure to have us on the edges of our seats. It’s like a train wreck, and you can’t look away! This Tony Award-winning play follows the unraveling marriage of Martha and George on the night of a university faculty party. After-party drinks with newly-wed guests Nick and Honey lead to deliciously uncomfortable moments as the younger couple get caught in the hosts crossfire and the two relationships threaten to implode. This edition of the script, edited by the late playwright, casts Black actors in all four roles, raising new questions about the American Dream and how rigid idealism can lead to our own destruction.

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Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Portland Stage

Playwright John Cariani is best known for his first play, Almost, Maine, which has become one of the most popular plays in the world. Almost, Maine has received nearly 6000 productions to date! He is back at Portland Stage for more Northern Maine stories. Part of our New Work program, Not Quite Almost (a working title) is likely to become another Maine classic! Near the Canadian Border the Perseid Meteor Showers are about to start, but the residents of a certain small town can’t decide if they’re a bad omen or a good luck charm. Not Quite Almost is an interconnected collection of short plays about young love, hope for the future, making wishes, and what it means to be truly understood. Meet a new cast of characters you’re sure to fall head over heels for.

Not Quite Almost

Some family secrets are hard to swallow! Here is a play from a Maine writer, a new play that is already a multi-award winner and sure to win many more. Part of Portland Stage’s ongoing commitment to Maine-made theater and producing new work, this heartfelt play by Bess Welden tells the story of Debra and Jennifer, two sisters processing the death of their mother, a professional baker. When a secret hidden among their mother’s recipes is discovered, the siblings fracture, and their understanding of family is put to the test. A play about sweets, familial rivalry, and learning to let go, Welden’s work asks us to examine how, and what, we forgive.

Madeleines

This hilarious adaptation of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery takes audiences on an exciting romp through Merlinville-Sur-Mer, France, to find the killer of a rich businessman. Follow famous detective Hercule Poirot as he puts the puzzle pieces together in this classic whodunnit!

Murder on the Links

A beautiful story to be enjoyed by the whole family! A story of friendship and bravery with magic and a visually striking setting, The Snow Queen takes us through many seasons on a hero’s journey. Kai and Gerda have been best friends their whole lives, but when a shard of a magic mirror gets caught in Kai’s eye, he sees the world in a different light. He can no longer see the good in the world around him, so when the glorious and sparkling Snow Queen arrives, Kai is mesmerized. He hitches his sled to her sleigh, and vanishes and our adventure begins. Gerda strikes out to rescue Kai making many new friends and rivals along the way. But will she find the Snow Queen’s palace in time? The Snow Queen is a timeless play sure to delight everyone this holiday season.

The Snow Queen

One of America’s most important theatrical experiences, this is the Tony Award-winning conclusion to Tony Kushner’s gay fantasia on national themes. Written with a boldness rarely seen in theater, this play is transcendent. Angels in America: Part Two: Perestroika takes us through layers of human experience, making us think and feel, showing us the truth in moments of fantasy. Told through the intertwined lives of six New Yorkers, this story packs a punch. Confronting politics, spirituality, and sexuality with sharp humor and a sage observational eye, this great American epic shows us how community and connection can be forged in even the darkest of times.

Angels in America Part 2: Perestroika

Conscience takes us back to a time when Maine senators were the heart of the United States Senate. This is the story of Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith, a trailblazer of Maine and national politics whose story is gripping, real, and critical to the Maine cultural identity. This play is a deep look into her gripping political rivalry with Wisconsin Senator Joe McCarthy. As the two begin to form a tense friendship that becomes an unlikely alliance, Senator Smith must choose between her political success, (including a potential Vice Presidential nomination), and her own conscience, culminating in the delivery of a potentially disastrous speech turned historic on the Senate floor, her Declaration of Conscience.

Conscience

It’s opening night for the Cornley Drama Society’s production of The Murder at Haversham Manor and the cast wants everything to go right, but with a missing dog, a set that won’t hold together, and actors going up on their lines… it seems like the play might just go wrong.

The Play That Goes Wrong Summer ’24

It may seem like a run-down truck stop diner, but for the formerly incarcerated staff of Clyde’s, it’s a place where they can find community, support, and a second chance at life. Their quest to create the perfect sandwich keeps them motivated to access their full potential and move on to bigger and better things, even when Clyde tries to keep them right where they are. A savory comedy that shows us what we can achieve with patience, dedication, and a little thyme.

Portland Stage

May 14 - Jun 1, 2025

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Apr 2 - May 4, 2025

Not Quite Almost

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