“Mud Season” tells the story of three waitresses struggling to make ends meet in a midcoast Maine diner. Amidst the challenges of single-parenthood and lousy tips, economic hard times and terrible ketchup, they find escape in the imaginary tales they tell about their patrons, learning along the way that everyone has a story to tell — we just have to listen.

The cast features junior Gracie Libby as Violet, a young woman who looks for the best in any situation, and senior Annette Sherrod as Gert, the veteran waitress with a chip on her shoulder as wide as the lunch counter. Senior Astra Pierson plays Joanne, a single working mom who keeps tabs on everything and everyone, despite what that means for her own dreams. Seniors Noah LePage and Josiah Chapman are Wayne and Roger, regular fixtures at the diner owned by senior Logan Foss’ Dewey. Freshmen Julia Lowell, Mackenzie Wells, and Darby Sabin, sophomores Alan Sherrod and Lauren Duvall, juniors Tim Meservier, Tavia Robshaw, Zachary Jones and Katherine Gunther, and senior Anja Nordstrom appear in supporting roles throughout the performance.

With an original story and script by director Dan Ryder, and vocal coaching from Melody Bickford, “Mud Season” features music from the great American songbook of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, giving color to an otherwise drab time of year. Audiences can expect familiar tunes and rediscovered gems, each song specifically chosen by the actors to tell their characters’ stories. Freshman accompanist Thaddeus Gunther leads the diner’s house band as well. Stage manager and director’s assistant, junior Corrina Seaward and her technical team, freshmen Isaac Libby and Alex Haggan, bring life to the set.

“This show has been a true collaboration of students and faculty,” said Ryder. “Unforeseen circumstances led us to a last-minute solution: turning an old one-act play of mine into a full-on musical production. Students chose the songs, doctored the script, solved technical problems, designed choral arrangements and more. I managed the chaos and did my best to stay out of the way of great ideas and an exceptionally talented group of performers.”

All seats are $5 with tickets available at the door. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. with live music starting at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact [email protected] or 207-778-3561.