Celebration Barn Theater Submitted photo

Celebration Barn celebrates its 50th anniversary season with a full slate of theater workshops, artist residencies, and public performances. The Barn’s Show Series kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, with Mike Miclon’s The Early Evening Show.

Mike Miclon Submitted photo

A spoof of late-night talk shows, The Early Evening Show is the longest-running live variety show in Maine, with over 200 performances over the past 23 years. Packed with surprise guests and audience interactions, The Bangor Daily News called The Early Evening Show “a seamless, hilarious production,” and CBS Sunday Morning called it “must-see reality!” Guests on the show include award-winning singer/songwriter Emilia Dahlin, touring acrobat and slapstick comedian Tom Murphy, Fritz Grobe, and the Early Evening Show Orchestra with Oren Robinson and Jed Allen.

Later in the season, Celebration Barn will mark its 50 year milestone with a weekend of special shows. On July 28 and 29, Karen Montanaro performs her new show Tony Montanaro ~ A Love Story, about her creative and romantic relationship with the world-renowned mime and founder of the Barn. Celebration Barn’s 50th Anniversary Spectacular takes place on July 30 and features original members of the Celebration Mime Ensemble, award presentations, and surprise guest performances.

“The Barn is committed to sharing the work of extraordinary artists with our neighbors in Oxford Hills and beyond, and the Show Series is at the core of putting that commitment into practice.” said David Bruin, Executive Artistic Director of Celebration Barn. “Upon arriving at the Barn last fall, I knew that I wanted the 50th anniversary season to reflect the full range of the artists we support and the unique ways in which they combine physical eloquence with the courage to break boundaries in order to unlock the power of theater to reimagine the world we share.”

In addition to the Show Series, the 50th anniversary season features ten weeklong theater workshops, several artist residencies, and community events. Returning workshop instructors include master clown teachers Aitor Basauri, Shannan Calcutt, Avner Eisenberg, and director Robert Post. Instructors leading workshops for the first time at the Barn include LA-based mime Dean Evans, Pulitzer Prize finalists Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley of the ensemble Fake Friends, and the Encompass Collective, a New York City-based affinity space actor training for global majority artists.

“We’re thrilled to be returning to full capacity this summer and welcome artists and audiences back into the theater to experience the magic and healing of live performance,” said Shara Drew, Celebration Barn’s managing director.

Celebration Barn is Maine’s center for physical theater training and performance. The Barn’s mission is to create opportunities for physical theater artists to hone their craft and share their work. We celebrate artists who channel the physical eloquence of the mime, the unruly energy of the clown, and the transformative power of the actor. By bringing art-making and community-building together, we serve those who are committed to reimagining the theater and the world beyond. celebrationbarn.com

Limited tickets to Mike Miclon’s Early Evening Show are available for $20 for adults, $15 for seniors (60+), and $10 for kids (17 and under). Tickets are general admission. The lobby and concessions open at 7:00 PM. Purchasing tickets in advance is strongly recommended.

All patrons ages five and up attending a show at Celebration Barn must present proof of full vaccination against Covid-19. Adults are also required to show a matching photo ID. A booster shot, while recommended by the CDC, is not required in order to attend a show at this time. Attendees 4 and under who are not yet eligible for vaccination are only required to wear a mask.

To purchase tickets, visit celebrationbarn.com. Celebration Barn Theater is located just off Route 117 at 190 Stock Farm Rd., South Paris.

Celebration Barn Managing Director Shara Drew and Executive Artistic Director David Bruin. Submitted photo by Ezrah Churchill