Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT) is a professional performing arts organization based at the Pickard Theater on the campus of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, United States. MSMT presents a summer season of four fully staged musicals, a concert series, and a Theatre for Young Audiences series.
History
Early years (1950s–1970s) MSMT began as Brunswick Music Theatre (BMT). Founded by Victoria Crandall, BMT opened in 1959 with a summer production of Song of Norway. In the next decade, playhouses became quite prevalent in New England. BMT was one of the few that exclusively produced musical theatre. In the 1970s, BMT changed to a non-profit organization in order to focus on establishing an intern program that intended to help equip young and emerging theatre artists for their intended industry.
Name change and growing influence (1980s–1990s) In 1988, BMT celebrated its 30th anniversary. Governor John R. McKernan presented an award to founder Vicki Crandall, and the organization changed its name to Maine State Music Theatre to reflect that its influence had reached past the Midcoast region of the state. By this time, the number of professional theaters in New England had been significantly reduced. MSMT was one of the few remaining musical houses.
21st century During the late 2000s, as the severity of the housing crisis grew, MSMT was presented with an opportunity to make the Gorham campus of the University of Southern Maine its home base. The Board of Trustees opted to remain in Brunswick, as they were committed to remaining in the birthplace of the organization. This commitment prompted them to purchase the Maine Line Bus Garage on Elm Street. The space was renovated to become a permanent home for MSMT, complete with administrative offices, rehearsal spaces and technical facilities. Performances would still take place in the Pickard Theater.
In 2015, MSMT announced a three-year $2 million capital campaign to assist with upgrades, housing, and maintenance.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced MSMT to cancel its previously announced 2020 season, the first time a summer season had been canceled by the organization. MSMT created the Lifeline Fund to offset losses and remain strong and prepared for 2021. Subscribers and patrons, businesses and organizations rallied to support the theatre during this difficult time, preserving the legacy of the organization. Though a 2021 season was announced, the pandemic forced MSMT to cancel all events, other than its production of Jersey Boys. In 2022, MSMT returned for a full summer season.
Notable alumni Theatre artists who have gone through the MSMT Educational Fellowship Program include Lindsay Nicole Chambers (2002), Barrett Foa (1997), Marty Lauter (2017) and Aaron Lazar (1996).
Seasons
2000 Big River • The Sound of Music • Swingtime Canteen • Titanic • Victor/Victoria
2001 Footloose • Little Shop of Horrors • Oklahoma! • The Scarlet Pimpernel
2002 Chicago • The King and I • Ragtime • She Loves Me
2003 Hans Christian Anderson (Loesser) • Jekyll & Hyde • La Cage Aux Folles • Smokey Joe's Cafe
2004 Brigadoon • Follies • Kiss Me, Kate • Pump Boys and Dinettes
2005 Cats • Mame • Miss Saigon • Swing!
2006 South Pacific • Beauty and the Beast • Aida • The Full Monty
2007 West Side Story • Thoroughly Modern Millie • Grand Hotel • Hairspray
2008 Jesus Christ Superstar • All Shook Up • The Producers • Les Misérables
2009 The Light in the Piazza • Crazy for You • Dirty Rotten Scoundrels • The Drowsy Chaperone
2010 Always, Patsy Cline • My Fair Lady • Chicago • Spamalot
2011 The Marvelous Wonderettes • Annie • Xanadu • The Wiz
2012 A Chorus Line • Legally Blonde • Sunset Boulevard • 42nd Street
2013 Dreamgirls • Les Misérables • Gypsy • Mary Poppins
2014 Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story • Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance (Knapp & Alper) • Seven Brides for Seven Brothers • Footloose
2015 The Full Monty • Sister Act • The Music Man • Young Frankenstein
2016 Ghost • Evita • Fiddler on the Roof • Mamma Mia!
2017 Always, Patsy Cline • Guys and Dolls • Grease • Newsies
2018 Million Dollar Quartet • Beauty and the Beast • Saturday Night Fever • Singin' in the Rain
2019 Sophisticated Ladies • Treasure Island (Robin & Clark) • Hello, Dolly! • The Wizard of Oz
2020 (CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19) Titanic • Mamma Mia! • The Sound of Music • Something Rotten!
2021 (ABRIDGED DUE TO COVID-19) Kinky Boots • Cinderella • The Color Purple • Jersey Boys
2022 The Sound of Music • Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat • The Color Purple • Kinky Boots
2023 Titanic • Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story • 9 to 5 • Something Rotten!
2024 South Pacific • Funny Girl • White Christmas • Beautiful: The Carol King Musical
2025 Anastasia • Tootsie • Footloose • West Side Story
2026 Hairspray • 1776 • Frozen • Come from Away
2027 My Fair Lady • Some Like It Hot • Heartbreak Hotel • Phantom
References