SPAC’s 2022-23 Schedule

The Sanford Performing Arts Center announced its smashing lineup of Spotlight Series and student performances for the 2022-23 season with a full-color catalog that landed in local mailboxes this week.

The Partners Bank Spotlight Series of world-class shows kicks off October 22 with afternoon and evening performances of Giselle by the Portland Ballet. The tale of “love and betrayal, life and death, vengeance and forgiveness” is the perfect ballet for a crisp fall evening.

Friday October 28, the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass will hit the stage. This show had to be rescheduled from last season due to Covid. The program will be filled with recognizable favorites from every genre, including Broadway, New Orleans jazz and iconic American pop songs.

The Sanford High School Theater Company will wow us with Clue: On Stage in three performances on November 18th and 19th. Don’t miss this show!

Comedian Juston McKinney brings his Parentally Challenged tour to the SPAC on Friday, November 25. The veteran of Comedy Central, Showtime and the Tonight Show will take you through his personal and hilarious journey of raising children in today’s world in this side-splitting PG-13 show.

Saturday, December 3, the Strafford Wind Symphony will kick off the most wonderful time of the year with their Holiday Pops concert. This show will mark the ensemble’s fifth performance on the SPAC stage.

The Portland Ballet returns on Saturday, December 10 with two performances of A Victorian Nutcracker. This holiday classic for all ages tells the story of a young girl’s Christmas Eve dream, inspired by the gift of a mysterious nutcracker.

Ring in 2023 with world-renowned celebrity hypnotist Richard Barker on New Year’s Eve! Visit the SPAC website to see clips from his appearances on The Today Show, The Late Late Show and Entertainment Tonight.

Saturday, January 21, Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway brings five extraordinary Broadway stars to Sanford for an evening filled with melodies from the greatest shows of all time, including classic musicals and today’s biggest hits.

The Maine Piano Festival is the annual celebration of piano music, starring SPAC’s beautiful nine-foot Steinway concert grand piano. This year’s performances include:

• Piano Men: The Music of Elton and Billy returns to SPAC for one show on Saturday, February 11. Joe Boucher, his four-piece band and string section bring a thrilling hit parade of your favorite songs with spectacular arrangements. A great Valentine date!
• The Hanna Powell Memorial Piano Competition on Sunday, February 12. The competition is designed to inspire and recognize pianists ages 15-30 who live or study in Maine. Finalists will compete for cash prizes before a panel of judges. This event is free and open to the public with no tickets required.

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, the StepCrew will bring their exhilarating show to the SPAC stage, featuring Ottawa Valley stepdance, Irish stepdance and tap. The world-class dancers and musicians will take you on a dance journey Thursday, March 9.

The SHS Theater Company’s spring production will be Shrek: The Musical, with four performances scheduled March 24-26, including two afternoon and two evening shows. Fun for the whole family!

Jazz at Lincoln Center: Songs we Love will feature three guest vocalists and an all-star band of New York’s rising stars performing blues and jazz from the 1920s through the early 1950s. This show will have one performance on April 1.

Tuesday, May 9, Theaterworks USA performs The Lightning Thief, a musical adaptation of the first book in Rick Riordan’s popular Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, in a special show for grades 3-6. This performance is open to school groups and home school families only.

The Partners Bank Spotlight Series’ final show of the season will be Sunday, May 21, when the DaPonte String Quartet brings classical favorites to SPAC for an afternoon show. Relax and experience the stunning acoustics of the theater in this performance by Maine’s premier string ensemble.

There are three ways to get your tickets for any of these shows

• Go online to sanfordpac.org. Their AudienceView services allows you to select your seats from a map.
• Call 207-206-1126 for personal assistance with purchasing your tickets
• In-person at the SPAC ticket office, now open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon, or by appointment. Use Door #3 marked Community Retail Entrance when school is in session.

The show can’t go on without SPAC’s incredible team of volunteers! Ushers, box office, marketing and production help is needed. Call 207-206-1126 to join the team.