The 42nd year of The Theater At Monmouth marks a planned transition in leadership coupled with a continuation of the acclaimed Shakespearean Theater of Maine’s high artistic and historic standards.

Activity is already in full swing as TAM prepares to take a children’s production of “The Reluctant Dragon,” based on the Kenneth Grahame story, on the road this spring to schools throughout the state.

In June, Theater At Monmouth’s roster will swell from a few staff members to a company of more than 50 as actors, directors, managers, designers, and technicians converge upon the small town of Monmouth from points across Maine and from all over the United States.

David Greenham, producing artistic director, announced several months ago that he will make the coming season at Monmouth his last. After 14 years and more than 100 shows at Monmouth, he said he expects to continue working as an adjunct professor of drama at the University of Maine at Augusta while pursuing other projects he has wanted to tackle. His successor may take a limited role in the theater company as early as this summer. This summer’s program of shows performed in rotating repertory will include a wide range of productions from Shakespeare to Nöel Coward.

The 2011 season includes Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” and “King Lear.” Other summer productions will include Nöel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit” and the 1937 Broadway comedy “Room Service” by Allen Boretz and John Murray. Special events, and a few surprises, can be expected throughout the season as well.

The fall offering will be “On The Twentieth Century,” the Tony-award winning musical comedy by Comden and Green.

The Theater At Monmouth’s performances take place in the beautiful, small-scale opera hall at historic Cumston Hall. Much of that venue’s unique ornamentation has been beautifully restored, and the project is nearing completion.

Joshua D’Errico, TAM marketing associate, said audiences have an unusual opportunity this year to whet their appetites for the season’s presentations. For your enjoyment, movie versions of each show on TAM’s schedule are being screened at the public library in Cumston Hall.

The series of free movie nights with snacks began March 25 with “Much Ado About Nothing.” The screenings offer a chance for audiences to compare how the shows were done for movie-goers and how TAM will stage them this summer. For instance, TAM’s stage production of “Much Ado About Nothing” will be set in the post-World War II period, D’Errico said.

The Theater At Monmouth has gained a noteworthy reputation through the years and D’Errico said TAM is offering some great deals for group audiences. He said camps, churches, business and community groups will find great discount opportunities when they bring their events to Cumston Hall and enjoy TAM productions.

TAM’s enduring relationships with area businesses will continue to grow, providing theatergoers with great new packages to experience such as dinner and show combinations with The Sedgley Place restaurant in Greene.

In addition to all the work that goes into the shows, TAM is faced with another challenge this year. The nearby Grange building, where casts and crew of 50 to 60 people gather for meals and rehearsals will undergo an extensive renovation. D’Errico said they will make other arrangements while the historic building is moved back from the road and made accessible for all, ensuring that the old Grange will be a treasured building for the Theater and the town of Monmouth for many years to come.

More information about TAM and the 2011 performances can be found online at www.theateratmonmouth.org.

For tickets, show dates and more, go to www.theateratmonmouth.org or call (207) 933-9999

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