For Maine State Music Theatre (MSMT), the milestone was celebrated with an Anniversary Gala peppered with faces and tunes from the past 50 years.

It has been a long and illustrious history for this theatre company which started as a vision of Victoria Crandall’s. She was 50 years old when she launched the Brunswick Summer Playhouse in 1959 which would morph into MSMT.

The number of people whose lives have been touched by MSMT is impressive: more than 4000 people have been involved with the organization over the years and annually 60,000 patrons enjoy the performances. MSMT is the largest performing arts organization in Maine and pours over $2 million annually into the local economy.

MSMT Artistic Director Charles Abbot embraces Ruth Vogel, a long time member of the MSMT community who performed in MSMT's very first season in 1959.

At the Gala June 1, MSMT displayed the entertaining professionalism that has kept the organization thriving for 50 years. Great fun, memories and passion were on display at the Abromson Center at USM where more than 100 attendees celebrated the event along with Annie Oakley, Eliza Doolittle, Annie and the Phantom of the Opera. These characters mingling with the crowd were just the beginning of the entertainment.

After a delectable hour of hors d’oeuvres, guests filled the auditorium for a walk down memory lane with performers and performances from past MSMT shows.

Pianist Martin Perry kicked off the show with a medley of tunes from the original 1959 season of nine shows. Artistic Director Charles Abbott kept things rolling with “Wilkommen” from Cabaret. It seemed to sum up the philosophy of musical theatre with the lyric ”in here, everything is beautiful.”

The event reminded me of why theatre is so important---the people who present and perform it absolutely radiate passion. How many people approach their work with such enthusiasm and exuberance?  Sure, some of it is scripted, but what isn’t scripted is the way these people live and breathe theatre.  It’s not an easy path to take, but when one succeeds (as many who have passed through MSMT have done) it creates a magical aura that is appealing and infectious.

The performers included Karen K. Edissi (KK) and Bernard Wurger, both of whom have MSMT careers spanning multiple decades. KK’s powerful voice won the audience over early with “If He Walked into My Life” from Mame and continued to wow through three more selections from MSMT’s past.

A big standout of the evening was Wurger who showed how style and class develop through the years. He seamlessly moved from comedic dialogue about his early experiences with Victoria Crandall into renditions of “I’m Getting Married in the Morning” and “With a Little Bit of Luck”. It was the audience that was in luck when he came back for “If I Were a Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof.

John-Charles Kelly intensely belted out “My Friends” from Sweeney Todd. He joked about how different that role was from the King Herod he is rehearsing for this season’s upcoming Jesus Christ Superstar.

The audience was treated to a display of talent by the stars of that upcoming show (which opens June 4). Gregg Goodbrod (who will play JC) was riveting singing “Why God?” from Miss Saigon. And Chan Harris was absolutely electrifying singing “I’m A Sensation” from Tommy.

In good show biz style, the evening headed toward the end with comedy as KK Edissi, Connie Shafer and Executive Director Steven Peterson performed the hilarious “Gotta Get A Gimmick” from Gypsy.

The entire cast filled the stage for the finale, “There’s No Business Like Show Business”. As champagne was passed, a toast was raised in memory of Victoria Crandall for starting it all and to the many decades of performers and audiences who have made MSMT the gem it is today.  Here’s to 50 more years!