Fireflies

by Matthew Barber

October 11 - October 29, 2023

Retired schoolteacher Eleanor Bannister lives a quiet life alone in tiny Groverdell, Texas, set in her routines and secure in her position as the town’s most respected woman—until a hole in her roof draws the attention of Abel Brown, a smooth-talking drifter intent on renovating Eleanor’s house, and possibly her life. Can the unexpected sparks of late-life romance be trusted, or is there truth in the gossip that Abel isn’t all that he seems to be? Either way, the whole town is talking.

Run Time: approximately 1 hour 45 minutes

Cast

  • Acclaimed singer-actress Valerie Perri debuted in 1979 as Eva Peron in the Broadway National Company of Evita under legendary director Harold Prince.

    She's since embodied Argentina!s first lady throughout the world, and her "dazzling” and "compelling” tenure in Chicago garnered a nomination for the Sarah Siddons Award (Chicago Tribune). Perri also played in the first National Tour of Jerome Robbins Broadway directed by Robbins, and more recently with Tony award-winning director Rebecca Taichman and the original Broadway cast in Indecent for Center Theater Group.

    Regionally Valerie just completed a successful run in Steven Levenson’s hit play, If I Forget, directed by Jason Alexander, which earned rave reviews and a 2022 nomination as best featured performance from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. She was lauded for her performances as Emma Goldman in Pasadena Playhouse’s Ovation award-winning Ragtime and as Dolly Levi in 3D Theatricals’ Hello Dolly. Her Norma Desmond in Musical Theater West’s Sunset Blvd landed her both a 2013 StageSceneLA Scenie, for Best Musical Performance and Broadway World Best Actress nomination; she later reprised the role for Moonlight Amphitheater.

    Perri has also starred in Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, Gypsy, Jesus Christ Superstar, Man of La Mancha, I Do, I Do, and City of Angels, as well as off-Broadway hits Diamonds, Angry Housewives, And the World Goes Round, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, and Harry Chapin: Lies and Legends, for which she received a 1988 Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Award. Equally versed in straight plays, Valerie starred opposite Melanie Griffith in Laguna Playhouse’s The Graduate, in the Maine premiere of Admissions, and the West Coast premieres of The Last Schwartz and The Sweepers.

    Perri’s television roles include spots on Truth Be Told, Criminal Minds, ER, Another World, Brooklyn Bridge, and Who’s the Boss, and in film she features in The Out of Towners with Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin, Disney’s George of the Jungle, Grease, and Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star with David Spade. In 2005, Perri recorded her songbook album “Sweet Conversation” and has since sung with symphony orchestras across the US and Europe, from Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall to the London Palladium and Frankfurt Opera House. Perri is married to International photographer, Cliff Lipson, and together they have two remarkable composer/musician sons, Benjamin and Jack.

  • Whip Hubley is delighted to make his Good Theater debut in Fireflies. After moving to Maine in 2016 from California, Hubley, a New Yorker, jumped into the local theater scene in Portland after a 30-year career in Hollywood (Top Gun, Executive Decision, Species, Flipper, and Tales of the City, to name a few).

    Previous Portland credits: We Can Eat Love, Gloria Anderson at Portland Stage, You Got Older, Straight White Men at Mad Horse Theater, Body Awareness at Portland Theater Festival, Aquitania at Camden Shakespeare Festival.

    Upcoming films: Heightened, The Ghost Trap.

    Whip would like to thank Andy Happel for patiently teaching him the song on the violin and his wife, Dinah, for putting up with the practice.

  • Grace Bauer is a Canadian-American actor based in Maine. She was Cindy-Lou Who in Who’s Holiday for two seasons here at Good Theater as well as You Can’t Take It With You, Homer Bound, and A Comedy of Tenors. She is an Artistic Associate at Portland Stage, where she recently appeared in the world premieres of Senior Living and Read to Me. At Rep Stage in Columbia, Maryland she originated the roles of Etta Cone in All She Must Possess and Susan in Technicolor Life, played Amanda in The Glass Menagerie and sang poorly as Florence Foster Jenkins in Souvenir. The Importance of Being Earnest (Portland Stage), Other Desert Cities; Trevor (Mad Horse),Three Sisters (Fenix), Blithe Spirit, Our Town (Theater at Monmouth). Film: Helen, Tell Me No Lies, Boot Camp, Nice People, Sarah’s Room, Peppercorn Heart, Dark Arc. TV: Psych, The 4400, Romeo 2, Godiva’s, Masters of Horror. Proud member of Actors Equity Association and ACTRA.

  • Dalton Slade Kimball feels right at home on the Good Theater stage. His previous credits include Donald in You Can't Take It with You, Doc Porter in Crimes of the Heart, and Cliff in Boxes, all performed at Good Theater. You may have also seen him as Sir Galahad in Spamalot at Portland Players. Dalton is a USM Theater Alumni, and is proud to be a part of this immensely talented cast.

* Member Actors' Equity Association
^ Good Theater debut

Creative

  • (Author) was born in Los Angeles and is a UCLA graduate. His stage play ENCHANTED APRIL premiered in 2000 at Hartford Stage and opened on Broadway in 2003, garnering the John Gassner Award for Outstanding New American Play and Drama League and Tony Award nominations for Best Play. Current work includes the stage play FIREFLIES, which premiered in 2017 at Long Wharf Theatre (Edgerton Foundation New Play Award), and two screenplays—the original historical drama "Independence," and a film adaptation of his stage play ENCHANTED APRIL. Work in development includes the stage plays THE FORCES and DARK AGE, and a musical stage adaptation of ENCHANTED APRIL (with actor/composer Bruce Dow). Matthew has been a participating playwright in Broadway’s 24 Hour Plays event to benefit Urban Playground, is the recipient of Wurlitzer Foundation and Art OMI fellowships, and is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. www.matthewbarber.info

  • Brian P. Allen (Director/Executive & Artistic Director) co-founded Good Theater with Steve Underwood in 2002. This is his 98th directing assignment for Good Theater! Recent credits include: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel, Crimes of the Heart, You Can’t Take It With You, Killer Comfort, the world premiere of Jane Austen’s Lady Susan, Harry Townsend’s Last Stand, Desperate Measures, Admissions, Pack of Lies, Lucky Stiff and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Other theaters he has directed at locally include: The Theater at Monmouth, The Theater Project, Biddeford City Theater and Portland Players. Brian directed seven editions of the Magic of Christmas and a number of Pops concerts for the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

  • Previous Good Theater credits: Rheba in You Can’t Take It With You, Babe Botrelle in Crimes of the Heart, Vanessa inSignificant Other, Thelma in Pack of Lies and Edna in An Inspector Calls. She has also appeared with The Children’s Theater of Maine, Portland Stage Company, Theater at Monmouth, Lorem Ipsum, Mad Horse Theatre, Fenix Theater, and The Public Theatre. Training: Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London, UK)

  • Steve Underwood (Set Design/Sound Design) is the co-founder of Good Theater. As an actor, his favorite roles have been in You Can’t Take It With You, A Comedy of Tenors, Forum, Light Up the Sky, Ruthless, Shakespeare in Hollywood, Drood, The Dining Room, Barrymore, A Man of No Importance, Over the River, and Little Me. Steve directed The Lifespan of A Fact, Boxes, Popcorn Falls, 4000 Miles, Stones in His Pocketsc and Mrs. Mannerly, which was named Best Play in Maine by the BroadwayWorld Awards. Steve’s one-man multi-media show, Underwaterguy, had its world premiere at Good Theater and was presented off-off-Broadway in NYC. His newest show about Cannabis - The High Road, was part of the company’s 20th season.

  • This marks Kathleen’s first time designing costumes for a production. She has been acting on the Good Theater stage for many years. Memorable roles include: Barbara in August Osage County, Barbara in Shear Madness, Love Loss and What I Wore, Pack of Lies, A Comedy of Tenors, Homer Bound, Rabbit Hole, The Importance of Being Earnest, Love Letters, Becky’s New Car, On Golden Pond, and Shakespeare in Hollywood. Kathleen has also performed with Portland Stage, Mad Horse Theatre, and The Originals among others over the past 20 years.

  • Michael is in his 11th season with Good Theater where he has served as production stage manager, assistant stage manager, box office manager, and office manager. Michael has served as the assistant company manager at the Ogunquit Playhouse. You will find him most afternoons in the Good Theater box office and his evenings are spent herding actors, calling places and running a great show!

  • Iain serves as Good Theater’s resident lighting designer creating lighting magic for such shows as: Desperate Measures, You Can’t Take It With You, Carousel, Nureyev’s Eyes, Crimes of the Heart, The High Road, The Lifespan of a Fact, Significant Other, Harry Townsend’s Last Stand, Lady Susan, Curious Incident, Homer Bound, An Act of God, A Doll’s House Part 2, Lucky Stiff, An Inspector Calls, to name a few. He also works with Naya's Trance, Dark Follies, the Stone Pinheads Ensemble and Vivid Motion and is Technical Director for The Hill Arts.

  • Craig is in his 21st year with Good Theater. Craig has also been the scenic designer for Good Theater's productions of An Act of God, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Hay Fever, Visiting Mr Green, Rabbit Hole, Light Up The Sky, The Little Dog Laughed, Moonlight And Magnolias, Next Fall, Death By Design, Becky's New Car, No Biz Like Show Biz, and Mama’s Boy. In addition to building sets for Good Theater, he has built sets for Acorn Productions, Mad Horse Theater , SnowLion, and The Originals at Saco River Theater. Craig also does theater performance photography for many of the same companies.

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