Portland Ovations is excited to announce a remarkable year of live performances and rich community programs, featuring a dynamic season that has something for everyone. From Broadway National Tours and breathtaking dance to high-flying cirque acts and moving chamber music, the upcoming season is packed with unforgettable experiences. Get ready for energetic singers and musicians, family-friendly gatherings, and so much more. As a nonprofit cultural organization, Ovations’ mission is to gather communities to experience the power of live performance.
Each season, Ovations curates a stunning array of performing arts, presented in diverse venues throughout the Portland area. From historic theaters to intimate spaces, every performance offers a unique and unforgettable experience. Join in celebrating the arts and creating lasting memories with Ovations.
“With 40 performances across nine venues – this is one of Ovations’ most robust seasons to date,” says Aimée M. Petrin, Ovations’ Executive and Artistic Director. “Acrobats, actors, musicians and singers, dancers, drag artists, magicians, storytellers and even puppets – what else could one ask for? From the heartfelt to the heart-stopping, we are excited to welcome back audiences again and again as we experience together glorious dance rooted in racial and social justice, a wide-ranging Broadway series, and dynamic music and performance of all kinds from across the globe.”
“With 40 performances across nine venues – this is one of Ovations’ most robust seasons to date,” says Aimée M. Petrin, Ovations’ Executive and Artistic Director. “Acrobats, actors, musicians and singers, dancers, drag artists, magicians, storytellers and even puppets – what else could one ask for? From the heartfelt to the heart-stopping, we are excited to welcome back audiences again and again as we experience together glorious dance rooted in racial and social justice, a wide-ranging Broadway series, and dynamic music and performance of all kinds from across the globe.”
Season highlights feature an array of captivating performances, including Gather Hear Portland, a free community concert with pianist Miki Sawada, the much-anticipated Broadway National Tours of Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, and The Addams Family. Also on the season are spectacular events like Cirque Kalabanté and Champions of Magic, along with concerts by Ukrainian musician Maryna Krut, Thomas Wolf’s The Nightingale’s Sonata, and flutist Nathalie Joachim. Audiences can also look forward to jazz by The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra and dynamic dance performances from CONTRA-TIEMPO, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Kayla Farrish.
Ovations Offstage connects audiences with artists by bringing experiences directly to the community. Programming includes free pre-performance lectures before chamber music, masterclasses and public workshops with visiting artists, community conversations, post-performance Q&A’s, film screenings, the popular Drag Storytime series and more.
“O2 programs are geared towards audience members of all ages and stages of their performing arts experience,” says Katelyn Manfre, Ovations’ Director of Community Partnerships & Programs. “Whether you’re participating in a masterclass with visiting artists, sitting in on a film screening, or reading along with a book club—there are plenty of ways to engage with these artists and artforms on and off stage.”
A robust School-Time Performance Series brings thousands of students to the theater for field trip performances throughout the schoolyear. Titles include Cirque Kalabanté, Sugar Skull! A Día de Muertos Musical Adventure, Beautiful Blackbird Live!, Hero: The Boy From Troy, CONTRA-TIEMPO, and A Year with Frog & Toad. Available to tour in schools this spring is Russell Kaback: 25044 – A Jewish Grandson’s Musical History of the Holocaust.
“Ovations’ School-Time Performances have something for every student pre-K through 12th grade,” says Liz Schildkret, Ovations’ Director of School & Family Programs. “From adaptations of beloved classics to exciting new stories and spectacular experiences. This season brings artists from all over the world (including Maine) to schools in Portland with engaging, curriculum-connected performances designed to ignite creativity and curiosity.”
To see the full calendar of events visit PORTLANDOVATIONS.ORG
All Ovations tickets may be purchased through our trusted box office PortTIX. Purchase by phone at 207.842.0800 or in person at the PortTIX Box Office Monday through Friday from 11 AM – 3 PM, or online anytime at PORTTIX.COM.
ABOUT PORTLAND OVATIONS
Portland Ovations is a nonprofit cultural organization based in Southern Maine dedicated to gathering communities to share in the power of live performance. Ovations connects artists and audiences both onstage and off — making the arts an integral part of community life. Learn more at portlandovations.org.
