D I G I T A L P R O G R A M
Opera in the Pines presents The Barber of the Cape, an immersive, world-premiere adaptation of the beloved opera, The Barber of Seville. This production is a true celebration of Maine’s people, key industries—lobstering, seafood, and tourism—and the distinctive culture that makes the state so special. Set at the Cape Neddick Lobster Pound, The Barber of the Cape transports the classic story into a contemporary Maine setting. The tale follows Rosie, a clumsy waitress preparing for the bustling tourist season. When Rosie catches the eye of a visitor from Manhattan, her protective, tourist-hating uncle Bart, the restaurant’s owner, intervenes, sparking a comedic whirlwind of mistaken identities, love, and the quirks of our friends “from away.”
Rossini composed Il barbiere di Siviglia in 1816 for the Teatro Argentina in Rome, during a prolific period in which he was writing operas for cities across Italy while based in Naples. The opera was not initially well received. Its premiere was marred by stage mishaps and vocal supporters of Giovanni Paisiello, who had written an earlier opera on the same subject. Rossini's version was originally titled Almaviva to avoid direct comparison. However, by its second performance and especially by its revival in Bologna, it had won audiences over and was retitled Il barbiere di Siviglia. The opera rapidly eclipsed Paisiello’s version and became one of the most beloved and frequently performed works in the operatic canon.
We’re quite sure Rossini never imagined The Barber of Seville set in a bustling lobster pound on the coast of Maine, but we think he’d have gotten a good laugh out of it! The Barber of the Cape reimagines his timeless comedy with all the heart, humor, and hijinks of the original, while celebrating the uniquely Maine blend of community, industry, and hospitality.
Composer:
Amelia: Mary Johnston Letellier
Richard: Aaren Rivard
Reginald: Joshua Miller
Oscar: March Steiger
Ulrica: Jazmin DeRice
Samuel: Nicholas Tocci
Tom: Daniel Laverriere
Ensemble: Dana Douglass
Ensemble: Mia Love
Ensemble: Maggie McGovern
Ensemble: David Myers, Jr.
Ensemble: Jacob O’Shea
Soloist: Eugene Mesheryakov
Soloist: Grace Koury
Production Cover: Robert Gerold
Production Direction, Design & Libretto: Sable Strout*
Adaptation: Kellie Moody*, Sable Strout*
Musical Direction: Kellie Moody*
Assistant Musical Direction & Chorus Master: Jeff Mosher*
Choreographer: Grace Koury
Technical Director and Lighting Designer: Ashley McBreairty
Costume Design: Sarah Kennedy*
Stage Manager: Sienna Siciliano
Costume Assistant: Jennifer Kennedy*
Supertitles: Jennifer Kennedy*
Branding Design: Allie Norman of Girl That Designs*
Promotion, Marketing and Content Management: Lauren Yokabaskas*
Educational & Outreach Partners:
Production Photographer and Videographer: Brandon Blinderman*
*denotes Maine based or tied artist or organization
Venue Partner
Season Sponsors
The Onion Foundation is a private charitable foundation established in 2014 by Fritz and Susan Onion. It was created with the mission of encouraging conservation and stewardship of the natural environment and promoting music and the arts in the state of Maine. Having grown up in Farmington, Fritz and Susan Onion both value living in a rural community with access to artistic experiences and the outdoors.
Founded in 1995, Portland Conservatory of Music has provided exemplary music education for students ages 1-90+ for over 23 years, leading the way for other music schools in the region and throughout the state of Maine. They believe that high quality music education should be available to everyone and strive to make that happen.
Gwendolen Elwell Flanagan Foundation
Show Sponsors
Artist Sponsor
We are deeply grateful to the following organizations for providing rehearsal space: Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine and Portland Conservatory of Music.
Thank you to the media and promotional partners who helped share our story: Steve Feeney and The Portland Press Herald.
Special thanks for in-kind gifts and assistance: Michael Donovan and Portland Players, Lyric Music Theater,
We are especially grateful to our housing donors: Christopher Dorion, Sable Strout and Brandon Bllnderman, and Susan and Robert Yokabaskas.
Annual Giving
Thank you to all who contributed during our fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
Balsam Fir: Heather F. Parker, Willa H. Parker
Eastern Hemlock: Hillary & Thomas Egan, Ann Elderkin & James Bucknam, Winfield Field, Susan & Robert Yokabaskas
Tamarack: James Barbato, Thomas A. Dyhrberg, Thomas Jorgensen, Robert Morrison, Robert & Linda Russell, Carol Yokabaskas
Northern Cedar: Tomas Amadeo, Ann Dillon, Kory Johnson, Maureen Reitman, Kevin J. Stack
Cone: John David Adams, Christenia Alden-Kinne, Steven Brinn & Jody Sataloff, David R. Cote, Corinne M. Hayes, Denise LaRue & Bob Furman, Genevieve Lee, Megan Marino, David & Jesse Myers-Wakeman, Ashley O’Brien, Michelle Rawding, Marcia G. Sly, Clare Stack, Timothy Steele, Vincent Yokabaskas
Seed: Virginia L. Albanese, Melanie Ashkar, Susan Cole, Robin Cross, Judson & Starsha Merrill, Susan Samberg, Camille Sherman, Mary Sullivan
In memory of Ellen Chickering: Megan Marino, David & Jesse Myers-Wakeman, Robert & Linda Russell