Performances Archive | Page 2 of 5 | Vinegar Hill Music Theatre

MAINE OUTDOOR FILM FEST SELECTS TOUR – BENEFIT FOR ARUNDEL CONSERVATION TRUST

maine Outdoor film festival benefit show at vinegar hill music theatre

Join us for a special evening with the Maine Outdoor Film Festival at Vinegar Hill, featuring a curated selection of short films that celebrate outdoor adventure, environmental connection, and the human spirit. Held inside our historic barn, this inspiring night of storytelling will showcase films from Maine and around the globe.

The Maine Outdoor Film Festival curates and presents film experiences related to the beauty, interactivity and complexity of our planet. MOFF asks questions and shares stories about how the power of our planet influences human experience and conversely, human’s impact on the planet. They believe top-notch storytelling and imagery has the potential to broaden perspectives, strengthen relationships, and foster change within ourselves and our communities. And there’s never been a more important time than now to provide these educational and interactive opportunities to connect, explore and learn about the outdoors.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Arundel Conservation Trust, supporting their mission to preserve and protect the natural beauty of our local community. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy powerful films that highlight the wonder of the outdoors — and the importance of protecting it.

This years lineup includes:

THE CHASE | 18.75 minutes | by Joshua Bogardus | from: United States | Short synopsis: The Chase is an East Coast ski film that explores relationships with others, ourselves, and the ever-changing winters. The film follows Blake Keogh, a backcountry athlete living in South Portland, Maine, who chases snow and solitude for an entire year. It offers an intimate look at the intersection between skiing, mental health, and community. Blake’s 1971 Scotty camper serves as the winter base camp from which his search for connection, joy, and deep snow begins.

ADAPT | 6.2 minutes | by Jordan Drew | from: United States | Maine Premiere | Short synopsis: After a lifetime of competing in high-level sports, the path of Shelby Estocado took a dramatic turn following a snowboarding accident where she suffered a spinal cord injury in 2020. Now an adaptive skier, High Fives Athlete & Sisters in Sports Athlete, she uses sports as a way to regain independence and push past limits. Drawing on her background in traditional athletics, Shelby channels her competitive drive into adaptive sports while also bringing awareness to the adaptive community.

A LIFE ALOFT | 12.8 minutes | by Clayton Simoncic | from: Maine | New England Premiere | Short synopsis: A portrait of Paul Stumpf, hot air balloon pilot and New England’s last balloon repairman, reflecting on a life lived aloft within a close-knit community of balloon builders and pilots.

BETWEEN MOON TIDES | 25.4 minutes | by Jason Jaacks | from: Massachussetts | Maine Premiere | Short synopsis: In a ribbon of saltmarsh in coastal New England, an intergenerational group of citizen scientists is trying to save the Saltmarsh Sparrow from extinction, one nest at a time.

AN OPTIMIST | 10.25 minutes | by Allison Silverstein | from: Maine | Short synopsis: Maine is both a climate haven and home to one of the fastest warming bodies of water on the planet. An Optimist. follows Mike, a climate scientist working to keep his chin up and passion alive to keep producing the data we need to track climate change from the bays of Maine.

NATIVE TO THE KLAMATH | 13.5 minutes | by Michael E Wier, Ben Galland | from: United States | Short synopsis: “Native to the Klamath” is a story told through the voices of the salmon people. The Klamath River is currently going through one of the largest transformations in history. Native to the Klamath intertwines environmental restoration, reconciliation ecology, social justice, and traditional ecological knowledge. Hear the story of this river renewal through the words of the Klamath River peoples who live by the sacred obligation of stewardship.

MAN IN THE WAVE | 28.5 minutes | by Greg Shea | from: Massachusetts | World Premiere | Short synopsis: Man in the Wave is an intimate portrait of a New England engineer who unexpectedly finds purpose, connection, and healing through surf photography—after a life-altering diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. As he wades into the ocean with his camera, he captures the quiet rituals of a tight-knit surf community while navigating the slow progression of his illness. Told through stunning imagery and deeply personal interviews, the film explores resilience, identity, and the quiet power of showing up.

Vinegar Hill Music Theatre is an independently-owned event space located at 53 Old Post Road in Arundel, ME. Our charming, historic barn and outdoor garden provide an ideal backdrop for an unforgettable, intimate evening! Learn more here.

ANNE WALSH presents FROM BOSSA TO BACHARACH: BURT BACHARACH REIMAGINED

Anne Walsh live at Vinegar hill Music Theatre in Arundel maine

Vocalist Anne Walsh brings warmth and elegance to classic songbooks, blending bossa nova, pop, and jazz. Alongside her husband, Grammy-nominated arranger and pianist Tom Zink, Anne has developed a cohesive body of work rooted in the groovy elegance of the 1960s, culminating in their latest Bacharach-inspired release, Reach Out For Me.

Walsh and Zink have built an internationally respected body of work since the release of their Grammy-nominated debut Pretty World. Their music transports you to a sultry night in Rio and a sunny day in Brazil, blending bossa nova, smooth, airy vocals, and fresh takes on classics from Sergio Mendes’ Brazil ’66 to Burt Bacharach.

Together, they have released five albums that reinterpret the Great American Songbook, Brazilian jazz, and pop classics through a modern lens.

Having performed extensively across the United States, Europe, and Brazil, Walsh and Zink have appeared at premier venues and festivals, including Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill Jazz, Spaghettini Jazz Club, the Newport Music Festival, and the Chapada Jazz Festival in Brazil, where they headlined. Their recordings feature acclaimed musicians including Brazil 66′ alum Oscar Castro-Neves, Stan Getz alum Brian Bromberg, Flora Purim alum Gary Meek, and Melody Gadot Guitarist Mitchell Long. They have received international radio airplay and praise across jazz and pop publications.

BLUEBIRD IMPROV LATE SHOW

Bluebird Improv live comedy night in Maine cover image.

Due to overwhelming response, Bluebird Improv has added a second LATE NIGHT show on July 22nd.

Note: The 7pm show runs until 8:30, so there will be a quick turnaround between shows. Expect a bit of lively energy as one crowd leaves and the next arrives – part of the fun of an improv double feature!

Get ready for a night of spontaneous comedy with Bluebird Improv. Over the past several years, Bluebird Improv has built a reputation you can trust – if you go to one of their shows, you know you’ll see high-caliber comedians and experience something hilarious, unpredictable, and completely original. Past performances have included Rachel Dratch (SNL) and Matt Walsh (Veep), and this year’s lineup promises to be just as exciting.

Each show begins with a quick chat with the audience, sparking entirely improvised scenes that you’ll only see that night.

Scheduled performers include:

(Cast is subject to change)

Marc Evan Jackson is best known for his roles as Kevin on Brooklyn: Nine-Nine; Shawn on The Good Place, attorney Trevor Nelsson on Parks & Recreation, and Mary Anne’s dad Richard Spier on The Baby Sitters Club. Marc is an alum of The Second City Detroit and his also one of the partners in the schooner Grace Bailey in Rockland, Maine.

Matt Walsh is a two-time Emmy-nominated actor from HBO’s award-winning comedy series Veep, and cast member of Apple TV’s acclaimed limited series Manhunt. He is also a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Walsh will next be seen in Paramount Pictures Novocaine starring Jack Quaid, Maybe We Should starring Heather Graham, Little Lorraine starring Stephen Amell, and Utopia’s Not An Artist where he co-stars opposite Rza from the Wu Tang Clan. Recently, he appeared in Hulu’s Unplugging, which he co-wrote, and starred alongside Eva Longoria. He can also be seen in The Good Half starring Nick Jonas. Walsh has appeared in memorable roles in several popular comedy films including Life of the Party, Old School, Starsky and Hutch, Ted, and Keeping Up With The Joneses. Other credits include the CBS series Ghosts, Fox Searchlight’s Flamin’ Hot, and the recent Father of the Bride film. Walsh currently does a podcast Second in Command with his Veep co-star Timothy Simons. In addition to his film and TV work, Walsh is also a charitable founder of Open Book with his wife Morgan. The charity donates LGBTQ affirming books to public elementary schools around the country. Matt currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife Morgan Walsh and their three children.

Edi Patterson is a 2026 Critics Choice Award nominee for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her role of Judy Gemstone in the hit HBO series The Righteous Gemstones, for which she was also a writer for all four seasons. Other credits include Vice Principals, Resident Alien, Knives Out, and the feature film Brian which premiered at SXSW in 2026.

Tim Meadows is an actor, writer comedian who was one of the longest-running cast members on Saturday Night Live, where he appeared for ten seasons. Tim played John Glascot on the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs throughout its ten seasons and starred as the same character in Schooled for its two-season run. Meadows also played the school principal in the hit comedy Mean Girls and co-starred with Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in the blockbuster comedies Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2. Additionally, Tim co-starred with Andy Samberg in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping for Universal Pictures and co-starred with John C Reilly in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story for Sony Pictures. He was seen multiple times in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Office, Miracle Workers, and the lead in CBS/Paramount’s No Activity. Tim has also voiced one of the main characters on Bob’s Burgers for Fox and starred in hybrid live-action/animated comedy, Son of Zorn, from Chris Miller and Phil Lord alongside fellow SNL alum Jason Sudeikis. Most recently, Tim starred in the Peacock series Poker Face, Disney+’s The Mandalorian, and Comedy Central’s animated series Digman!

Brad Morris is a veteran tv and film writer, producer, actor, director and improviser. An alum of four of Chicago’s Second City’s Mainstage revues, the iO Theatre and The Annoyance, Brad is a member of the renowned long form improvisational groups, The Reckoning and Uncle’s Brother with Tim Meadows. Brad has improvised around the world with the Second City National Touring company and Matt Walsh and Friends for the USO. As a TV writer, Brad spent three seasons as a producer on the TBS comedy, Cougar Town, was a producer on the Showtime series, Dice, and was co-ep and head writer for seasons 1 and 2 of the critically acclaimed series for Paramount and Seeso, Bajillion Dollar Properties. Brad has sold original scripts and development to ABC, TBS, Sony and Warner Brothers. On the film side, Brad co-wrote and produced the independent film, Unplugging, starring Matt Walsh and Eva Longoria. He is also producing the independent film, Stoners and Saints, starring Dylan Gelula and Matt Berry. Brad also recently co-wrote Family Squares, and a movie for Paramount, Rear Naked Choke, produced by Margot Robbie. As an actor, Brad has starred as a series regular in several network and cable pilots, and has appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep, Modern Family, The Office, The League, Key and Peele, Great News, Playing House, Dice, F is For Family, Friends From College and The Good Place. He has appeared in films, Search Party, Sing, A Futile and Stupid Gesture, and Jay Roach’s, Bombshell. Brad can also be heard on his new improvisational podcast, Business Trips that he co-hosts with Mike O’Brien.

Joe Canale has been improvising around the world for the past 30 years, including stints at Boom Chicago in Amsterdam and The Second City Mainstage in Chicago amongst many others. While he’s not made appearances in film and television his greatest pleasure is derived from performing live improv for an audience. He hopes you enjoy watching this show as much as he enjoys performing it.

Vinegar Hill Music Theatre is an independently owned event space located at 53 Old Post Road in Arundel, ME. Our charming, historic barn and outdoor garden provide an ideal backdrop for an unforgettable, intimate evening! Learn more here.

HERE WE COME! A TRIBUTE TO THE MONKEES

On the 60th anniversary of the first airing of The Monkees TV show, members of Vinegar Hill favorites Being Petty and Northern Cross bring you a new tribute band experience… Take the Last Train to Clarksville all the way to Pleasant Valley Sunday, and get ready to sing along with all your favorite Monkees songs! “Here We Come” combines live music and multimedia to bring you an extravaganza like no other, celebrating the pre-fab four the way you wish you could have seen them in the screaming sixties! The music, the mayhem and the merriment will make you say, “I’m a Believer”!

The night will be begin with a short solo set from Tim Dion (from Northern Cross)!

The THE BAND Band

Now in their 20th year of touring, The THE BAND Band is the only group dedicated exclusively to music of The Band, bringing it to life with authentic, true-to-form renditions of their extraordinary repertoire. From hit songs like “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and deep cuts from their classic albums, to the historic collaborations with Bob Dylan, The THE BAND Band delivers with the passion and commitment for which The Band was renowned. Experience the power and excitement of The Band’s legendary concerts, as famously documented in the Martin Scorsese film, The Last Waltz.

JOURNEYMAN – CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF CREAM

Journey the Eric Clapton Tribute LIVE at Vinegar Hill Music Theatre in Arundel Maine

JOURNEYMAN – The ONLY nationally touring tribute to ERIC CLAPTON!

Journeyman is the number one grossing and only nationally touring tribute to Eric Clapton in North America. The band emphasizes musical authenticity, focusing on faithfully capturing the tone, phrasing, and feel of Clapton’s music.

For 2026, marking the 60th anniversary of the first “super-group,” CREAM, Journeyman will perform two sets each night.

– Set 1: A dedicated 50-minute set to the legendary Blues-Rock trio, CREAM, featuring iconic songs such as “Sunshine of Your Love,” “Badge,” “White Room,” “I Feel Free,” and “Crossroads.”

– Set 2: Comprised of music from Eric Clapton’s vast solo career including “Layla”, “Cocaine”, “Lay Down Sally” and more.

SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND: WILL MALLETT, LUKE MALLETT, RYAN CYR & ERIC BETTENCOURT

Songwriters in the Round Mallett Brothers LIVE at Vinegar Hill Music Theatre

This special evening will feature an intimate “Songwriters in the Round” at Vinegar Hill, as Will and Luke Mallett sit down with friend and fellow singer-songwriter Eric Bettencourt. They will be joined by Mainer Ryan Cyr. The night promises a heartfelt exchange of acoustic songs, personal stories, and shared experiences, offering audiences a rare, behind-the-music connection with the artists.

Will & Luke Mallett (from The Mallett Brothers Band)

The Mallett Brothers Band is an independent rock and roll / Americana / country band from Maine. Their busy tour schedule since forming in 2009 has helped them to build a dedicated fanbase across the U.S. and beyond while still calling the state of Maine their home. With a style that ranges from alt-country to Americana, country, jam and roots rock, theirs is a musical melting pot that’s influenced equally by the singer/songwriter tradition as by harder rock, classic country and psychedelic sounds.

Texas Hill Country Explore Magazine calls them “New England’s wildly eclectic crew of genre rebels.” Bill Copeland Music News says “Combining their authentic roots rock sound with a reflective lyrical style that perceives stories on the level of epic myth, it’s like William Faulkner has been resurrected with an electric guitar in hand.”

The Mallett Brothers Band has performed at some of the country’s top venues and festivals, including Portland, Maine’s State Theatre; Austin, Texas’s famed Continental Club; Alexandria, Virginia’s Birchmere; New Hampshire’s Meadowbrook Pavilion; Nashville’s Bluebird; Denver’s Cervantes’; and Little Rock’s The Rev Room, to name a few. A list of artists for whom the band has provided direct support would include The Turnpike Troubadours, The Outlaws, Blackberry Smoke, Robert Earl Keen, .38 Special, Molly Hatchet, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, and many more. Festival appearances include FloydFest (Virginia), Hop Jam (Vermont), Nateva (Maine), The New England Country Music Festival (New Hampshire), Eastbound Throwdown (New York), and many more.

Ryan Cyr

A familiar face to many in Maine’s music scene, Ryan spent years co-fronting the original jam band Strange Pleasure, sharing lead vocals, harmonies, drums, and keyboards. His songs have always defied easy categorization—thoughtful, adventurous, and full of unexpected turns. Following the band’s run, he joined longtime friend Eric Bettencourt in Giraffe Attack, where original songs gradually became the centerpiece of their live shows. After moving north to raise a family, Ryan never stopped making music, and he’s excited to return to the songwriter stage with the same soulful voice and creative spirit that have earned him loyal fans wherever he’s played.

Eric Bettencourt

Eric Bettencourt is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, recording engineer, freelance artist, piano enthusiast, and genre masher who fixes his own cars and cuts his own hair. He belongs to both Austin, TX and Portland, ME.

ADAM EZRA GROUP

Experience the Adam Ezra Group LIVE at Vinegar Hill Music Theatre on July 2nd.

We don’t see many artists building the kind of momentum Adam Ezra Group is generating right now.

What has grown over more than two decades of relentless grassroots touring has become something far bigger than a typical touring band: a fiercely independent, fan-powered community that continues to expand one show at a time. Rooms across the country are selling out when Adam Ezra Group comes to town, with longtime fans regularly traveling across state lines to catch multiple shows, drawn by the band’s deep sense of community and the promise that no two nights are ever the same.

The band never performs from a fixed setlist, instead shaping each night around the energy in the room. Songs, stories, and moments unfold in real time—part concert, part revival, and part reminder of what live music can still be at its best.

Blending folk/Americana soul, rock ’n’ roll energy, and deeply human songwriting, Adam Ezra Group has built one of the most authentic underground followings in live music today while quickly becoming recognized on a national level. As SPIN recently put it, they are “an independent underground folk band blowing up without selling out,” a rise that has happened entirely outside the traditional industry system, powered by word of mouth, community activism, and a genuine connection between band and audience that often turns first-time listeners into lifelong fans.

Catch them now while they’re still playing the kinds of rooms where you can give Adam a hug on your way out.

JIMMIE VAUGHAN

JIMMIE VAUGHAN is making his way to the Vinegar Hill Music Theatre stage on July 15th. When it comes to the blues today, there are a handful of guiding lights to make sure the music stays true to its history. For Jimmie Vaughan, he’s dedicated his life to making sure the blues not only stays alive, but remains full of life and an inspiration to all who listen. It’s a spirit he holds close to him, and for almost 60 years, Vaughan isn’t about to stop now.

As a bandleader, singer and guitarist, the four time Grammy Award winner, Jimmie Vaughan is a master of how everything is captured for posterity. “Playing what you feel has always been my main goal,” Vaughan says. Considering the Texas guitarist and singer has had the kind of career that makes him a living legacy, those are no idle words. His first group when he was 13 years old played Dallas’ Hob Nob Lounge six nights a week, learning the kind of lessons that can’t be taught, they have to be lived. Getting the chance to open for Jimi Hendrix when he was 16 years old along with being heavily influenced by B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Freddie King and so many more, convinced the young Vaughan it was time to find a way to play the music he felt the strongest about: the blues. That took him to hitchhiking to Austin in the early 70’s and carving out a new crew of blues players who shared his musical excitement. He formed The Fabulous Thunderbirds and their debut album “Girls Go Wild” on Takoma Records was released in 1979. After worldwide success with The Fabulous Thunderbirds during the 80’s, it came time to leave the band and build his own path in exploring different approaches to the blues. He and his brother Stevie Ray Vaughan collaborated and released “Family Style” to great acclaim and recognition in the music industry.

He then released his first solo album on Epic Records in the early 90’s and what Vaughan discovered was that he could take it anywhere; there were no boundaries. “I wanted to find out what I could really do,” he says, “and when I started singing it gave me a whole new side to explore. When I was young I didn’t really pay much attention to categories of music. I just heard what I liked and decided to explore that and that’s really what I‘m still doing.” Jimmie is continuing his love affair with and staying spiritually connected to the American music he loves.

WALLY LAMB – CLIFFORD W. BURGESS AUTHOR NIGHT

Author Wally Lamb is coming to Vinegar Hill Music Theatre in Arundel, Maine

Wally Lamb, The Oprah Book Club favorite and New York Times bestselling novelist steps off the page and onto the stage to discuss his writing with Rebecca Eaton, the PBS Masterpiece producer who brought “Downton Abbey” to America!

Wally Lamb is one of America’s most popular authors and an Oprah Winfrey favorite!

He has written seven New York Times bestselling novels, three of which—She’s Come Undone, I Know This Much Is True, and his most recent novel The River Is Waiting—were Oprah’s Book Club picks. She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True, his first two novels, were #1 New York Times bestsellers and NYT’s Notable Books of the Year.

I Know This Much Is True, a family saga that follows the parallel lives of identical twin brothers in an epic story of betrayal, sacrifice, and forgiveness, was adopted for an HBO miniseries starring Mark Ruffalo in a dual role as twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey. Ruffalo’s performance won him a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Lamb’s other popular novels include I’ll Take You There, We Are Water, Wishin’ and Hopin’, and The Hour I First Believed. He also edited Couldn’t Keep It to Myself and I’ll Fly Away, two volumes of essays from students in his writing workshop at York Correctional Institution, a women’s prison in Connecticut, where he was a volunteer facilitator for twenty years.

Lamb taught English at Norwich Free Academy, where he created and directed the Connecticut school’s Writing Center. He also taught creative writing in the English Department at the University of Connecticut. Lamb lives in Connecticut with his wife, Christine, and they have three sons.

Wally Lamb always draws a crowd at his readings and author discussions. For his appearance at Vinegar Hill, he will be interviewed by Rebecca Eaton, executive producer of PBS’s popular Masterpiece for 35 years.

Eaton took the helm of the PBS series Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! in 1985 and later oversaw a highly successful relaunch of Masterpiece which attracted a new generation of viewers to a long string of hits highlighted by Downton Abbey, the most-watched drama in PBS history. She also brought American audiences the hits Victoria, Sherlock, and Poldark, as well as other high-profile titles such as Wolf Hall, Grantchester, Prime Suspect, Cranford, Little Dorrit, The Complete Jane Austen, and All Creatures Great and Small.

Wally Lamb’s appearance is made possible with generous sponsorship support from the Burgess family, Kennebunk Savings, Partners Bank, Bergen Parkinson Attorneys, Robert & Marjorie Dennis, Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, Colony Hotel, Octopus Books, Louise Hurlbutt, and Mike Kelly. Donations and proceeds from this event support the essential programs and services provided free by Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, whose mission is “to enrich the lives of all we serve.”