19 Classic Maine Theaters You Should Visit in 2019

These Maine performing arts venues have history.

Maine’s MidCoast & Islands has always been a haven for artists and performers. This coastal region is dotted with performance venues unlike anywhere else in Maine. Here you can experience musical theater, independent films, poignant plays, and live music of all kinds. The many theaters in this region are as diverse as their offerings, each with its own vibe and personality. Plan a night out on the town in Midcoast, Maine to enjoy these unique, authentic, local theaters.

1. Camden Opera House, Camden

The Camden Opera House has been a staple of the community since it opened its doors in 1894. Once the host to grand balls, Big Band performances, and community dances, today the Opera House is a mecca for visitors from across the globe. Local plays, community events, and musical performances still take place on the stage. But the Camden Conference and Camden International Film Festival bring hundreds of people to the quaint coastal town each year.

2. Bowdoin International Music Festival in Studzinski Recital Hall, Bowdoin College, Brunswick

For six weeks each summer, 250 music students from around the world take part in the Bowdoin International Music Festival in Brunswick. Students study with distinguished faculty and guests, and audiences are invited to revel in memorable performances at Studzinski Recital Hall. “The recital space is gorgeous!” says Casey Oakes, director of development and communication for the festival. “It used to be the pool, so the performers are lower than the audience, creating a fishbowl perspective.”

Music lovers will want to take part in one–or many–of the 175 free events the festival offers throughout the Brunswick community. From chamber music to concertos, this is a music festival like no other.

3. Carousel Music Theater, Boothbay Harbor

Carousel Music Theater has been delighting visitors with musical dinner theater every summer since 1982. Each week a group of young performers entertain audiences for evening and matinee performances (with or without dinner). Enjoy the great songs of the 20th century during your next trip to Boothbay Harbor!

4. Chocolate Church Arts Center, Bath

The Chocolate Church Arts Center is located in the historic Central Church in Bath. Saved from urban renewal, the beautiful church, built in 1847, has been hosting musical and theatrical performances, as well as gallery exhibitions, for more than 40 years. Spend the afternoon exploring the Maine Maritime Museum and then stroll south on Washington Street for about a mile to catch an evening performance at the theater.

5. Crosby Center, Belfast

There’s always something going on at the Crosby Center in Belfast. Whether it’s a classical chamber ensemble performance, a musical, film festival, fundraiser, or community workshop, this midcoast venue is a buzz all year long. Visit their facebook page for a full list of events and add one to your visit to Belfast.

6. Eveningstar Cinema, Brunswick

Eveningstar Cinema was built in 1979 in what was once a garage for Goodwin’s Chevrolet at Brunswick‘s Tontine Mall. The business floundered, and shut down, until 1996 when John Favreau came into the picture. No, not THAT Jon Favreau. The theater was reopened with couches making up the first two rows of the theater, a detail that remains popular with today’s audiences. In August 2010 the theater changed hands again. Indie filmmaker Barry Norman bought the theater and continues to operate it as a successful art house movie theater in MidCoast Maine.

7. Frontier Cafe, Cinema, & Gallery, Brunswick

Frontier is a cultural destination that features a restaurant and bar, theater and cafe, and an event venue. Be sure to take a peek at their extensive online events calendar before planning your trip to the midcoast. “Frontier’s mission is to connect the world through food, arts, and culture,” says Sean Morin, Frontier’s program director. “We actively curate an eclectic blend of documentaries, foreign film, and world music.” So if you enjoy good food, drink, film, music, theater, and art, add a stop at Frontier in Brunswick to your trip itinerary. It’s the perfect date night venue. Staff recommends making a reservation in their restaurant 1.5 to 2 hours before a ticketed event.

8. Colonial Theatre, Belfast

Movie buffs will love catching the latest Hollywood release, independent documentary, or foreign film in this downtown Belfast theater. The central location makes it easy to enjoy dinner and a movie. Since 1912, the Colonial Theatre has been entertaining locals and visitors alike. In the mid 1990s, the building was renovated under new owners and a giant elephant was added to the roof. “The elephant, named Hawthorne, has come to be a big sight in Belfast,” says owner Mike Hurley, who purchased the pachyderm at an auction. “People stop to take photos of him every day.”

9. Harbor Theater, Boothbay

The Harbor Theater touts itself as “The best little movie house in Maine.” Thanks to the monumental efforts of two motion picture lovers with ties to Boothbay. Harbor Theater opened its doors in 2002 as the only movie theater in the Boothbay region. Fans of contemporary, classic, foreign, and repertory film will want to make sure to catch a viewing while visiting Maine’s midcoast.

10. Lincoln Theater, Damariscotta

The historic Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta hosts plays, musical performances, movies, and events. Lincoln County Community Theater is the resident theater company, performing community musicals on stage. From The Met Live in HD to current blockbuster movies to beloved classics, the theater’s calendar of events has something for every taste.

11. Maine State Music Theatre, Brunswick

What began in 1959 as the Brunswick Summer Playhouse in Bowdoin College’s Pickard Theater is today the Maine State Music Theatre. While the times have changed, the mission has not. The MSMT continues to bring quality musical theater to the midcoast each summer. Past productions include Saturday Night Fever, Beauty and the Beast, Bye Bye Birdie, and Newsies, to name a few. Enjoy the nightlife of downtown Brunswick by grabbing a bite to eat or a pint at one of the nearby pubs before your show.

12. Marsh River Theater, Brooks

Since its inception as a Union Hall in 1904, this building has been used as a bowling alley, roller skating rink, for church services, a school, movie theater, and dance hall. In the mid 1990s, the citizens of Brooks came together to turn it into a performing arts space. For the past two decades, the Marsh River Theater has hosted local and traveling performances on it’s stage.

13. Orion Performing Arts Center, Topsham

Located in the Mt. Ararat Middle School in Topsham, the Orion Performing Arts Center hosts stage shows of music, drama, and dance. Events include live music, concerts by the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra, and nationally-touring performances .

14. Rockport Opera House, Rockport

Thanks to a multi million dollar renovation in 1992, the historic Rockport Opera House, built in 1891, entertains audiences to this day as Rockland’s Strand Theater. The auditorium’s decor still holds it’s 19th century charm while modern conveniences have been added for a 20th century clientele. The modern Opera House welcomes performances, from music and theater, to auctions and dinners, to lectures and weddings. Camden International Film Festival takes over this venue one week in September. This space is the home base for the world-renowned Bay Chamber Concerts.

15. The Strand, Rockland

The Strand’s marquee lights up Rockland’s Main Street all year long. Offering a diverse mix of film, live performances, and other events, The Strand is the last remaining theater built in Rockland in the early 20th century. Visitors will love the feeling of stepping back in time as more recent renovations have worked to preserve and restore the building’s original 1920s character. Be sure to make time to meander along Main Street before your show. Spend some time at the Farnsworth Art Museum, pop into local boutiques, and grab a bite to eat at one of the many pubs or restaurants. A perfect night on the town in Rockland ends at The Strand.

16. Boothbay Opera House, Boothbay

The busy Boothbay Opera House is a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. More than 100 events happen here annually, creating a buzz around the historic building. While the venue has served many purposes over the last century—bar, restaurant, and even a mini-mall—the main stage lives on with lively performances year round.

17. Unity College Center for the Arts, Unity

What was once an old barn is now a dynamic enclave for music, films, art, lectures, and more. Since opening in 2000, UCCA has hosted award winning speakers, renowned musicians, and community events. Located between Skowhegan and Belfast, Unity College Center for the Arts is a great performance space in the quiet Maine woods.

18. Basil Burwell Community Theatre, Belfast

The Belfast Maskers have been performing in and around the midcoast region for more than three decades. The all volunteer run theater company recently purchased the church on Court Street in Belfast, creating a permanent home. The Basil Burwell Community Theatre—”the Bazz” for short—is named after the founder of the theater company. Their capital campaign will help renovate the church with theater seating for 100.

19. Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro

The historic Waldo Theatre was designed by Benjamin Schlanger, an architect who helped design some of the most iconic theaters of our time: Lincoln Center in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and Australia’s Sydney Opera House. It’s no wonder area residents have come together to restore the building that was most recently listed on Maine’s List of Most Endangered Historic Places.

“We are currently closed to the public as we raise funds through our Capital Campaign to restore this beautiful and historic building,” says Keri Lupien, Waldo Theatre, Inc. board vice president. “We plan on reopening late in 2020.”

The nonprofit Waldo Theatre, Inc. is embarking on a massive renovation project to restore the building and create a sustainable future. This Waldoboro theater will host films and live musical and theatrical performances.

Melanie Brooks is a travel writer based in Maine. Her adventures and travel tips have been featured in Down East Magazine, Maine Women Magazine, and Real Maine Weddings.