STONINGTON – The love story behind one of history’s greatest love stories is currently playing out on the stage of the Stonington Opera House.

Opera House Arts is presenting Lee Hall’s acclaimed stage adaptation of the 1998 Oscar-winning film “Shakespeare in Love.” The show – directed by Julia Sears – runs through July 28.

Traditionally, OHA has presented one of Shakespeare’s plays, but as part of the celebration of their 20th season, the choice was made to mix things up. Thus, a play not BY Shakespeare, but rather one ABOUT him. It’s a clever pick that accentuates OHA’s usual strengths while also offering a chance to engage with something a little bit different.

It doesn’t hurt that it’s a fantastic story – a tale of one man’s desperate desire for greatness, on the page and in matters of the heart alike, and the woman whose own greatness may prove to be both blessing and curse. All of it set against a backdrop of backstage shenanigans as a handful of rogues and ruffians try to get their acts together long enough to put on a show – a show that’s still being written. Oh, and an unwanted marriage. And a queen. And a dog.

The wildest part of all? It’s even better than it sounds.

Once again, summer’s arrival is upon us. The weather is warming up and the days are approaching their greatest length. People near and far are going to descend on our state’s beaches, mountains and forests; people are going to swim and hike and boat and generally experience the outdoors in a fashion that one can only achieve in Maine.

But there are other summertime perks, too.

For those who love live theater, there are loads of options. Companies near and far are bringing exciting work to stages all over the region; no matter where you might be, there’s a good chance that you’ve got some excellent theater happening nearby.

Some of these companies are stalwarts of the scene, having been around for decades. Others are relative newcomers, bringing a new energy to the proceedings. Bangor, Belfast, Bar Harbor – they’ve all got something for you; Orono and Ellsworth and Stonington too.

It’s well worth your time to experience some of what our area’s summer stages have to offer. Here’s a look at just some of what’s to come.

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Some of central and coastal Maine's summer theater offerings

STONINGTON - Opera House Arts at the Stonington Opera House is proud to announce that Maine's most acclaimed playwright and actor John Cariani will be featured in conversation with national cultural journalist and 'The Writer' editor Alicia Anstead following the Saturday, Feb. 9 7 p.m. production of his newly revised play, 'Last Gas.'

'John is one of the most interesting people I know, and I can't wait to talk with him again,' said Anstead.

STONINGTON Opera House Arts (OHA) is proud to present full productions of seven new 10-minute plays written by community members, 'Locally & Organically Grown,' Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. The new plays were written in January of 2012 in the fourth annual Opera House Arts Playwriting Workshop with acclaimed Maine playwright John Cariani ('Almost, Maine,' 'Last Gas'). The evening features community actors alongside Actors Equity guest artists Robert Burke and Kathy McCafferty and will be directed by Cariani and Opera House Arts' Artistic Director Judith Jerome. Rehearsals begin Saturday, Aug. 26 and openings for community actors may still exist; please call or email the Opera House at 207-367-2788 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are interested in participating.

'With this group of plays we will have fully produced 28 short new plays written by community members,' said Jerome. 'We've started to create a body of local stories that is really exciting.'

STONINGTON Opera House Arts at the Stonington Opera House (OHA) is excited to announce the launch, on the evening of Aug. 12, of a new public art installation: Inside Out & After Dark, a series of giant historic projections on the 30'x40' harbor face of the Stonington Opera House, in celebration of its centennial. The projections, created by East Blue Hill filmmaker Veronica Young with materials from the collection of Opera House Arts, the Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society and the Penobscot Marine Museum, will, starting at dusk each night from Aug. 12-24, treat community members and visitors to free, outdoor, historic images of Stonington and its Opera House, on the National Register of Historic Places, between 1912 and 2012. The project's goal is to draw attention to the community and Main Street significance of the 100-year-old Stonington Opera House, and the creativity it has and continues to house.

'As we were considering ways to celebrate the centenary of our beloved Stonington Opera House, I realized we could honor the building by turning the inside out' and projecting its history on the building itself,' said Young. 'I was inspired in part by last year's guerilla actions of students who retaliated against the Maine governor's removal of a politically potent mural from the Department of Labor lobby by projecting its image on the exterior of an Augusta government building.'