Every year, the Waterville Opera House (WOH) stages four community theatrical productions, each a labor of love. Dozens of hands, hearts, and minds touch each show, bringing to life beloved musicals like White Christmas and Matilda, gripping mysteries and thrillers like Murder on the Orient Express and Deathtrap, and slapstick romps like Clue and The Play That Goes Wrong.
The next theatrical, however, is something unique and special: a world premiere.
Unabashedly by Mike Teverbaugh opens Friday, August 28 for a run of six performances.
Back in 2024, WOH was selected by the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) as one of six producing theatres nationwide for the 2026 New Play Fest. The Waterville Opera House is the first theatre in Maine to receive this prestigious national honor, and after a rigorous process to select an original work from a pool of submissions, WOH is excited to finally bring Unabashedly to the local theatre community and Maine at large.
“Having the opportunity to direct the world premiere of a new play is both exciting and humbling,” said director Debra Susi. “Unlike a classic play with decades of production history, every rehearsal of Unabashedly has been an exploration. Our cast, designers, and stage management team have worked together to discover these characters, shape their relationships, and bring this story to life for the very first time. It has been a wonderfully collaborative process.”
Unabashedly is a comic drama set largely in a newsroom. As editors and journalists chase stories and facts, they begin to examine and question the tangled threads of fate in their own personal histories.
Just as the play concerns the unexpected—and sometimes seemingly unlikely—connections we all make in life, the production itself represents a major opportunity for community and togetherness. Community theatre, Teverbaugh says, goes beyond a simple “labor of love”—it’s a “labor of connection.”
“Community theatre is all about working together towards one goal, to achieve a level of perfection and bring people together for one intimate experience,” Teverbaugh said. “It’s very vulnerable in that way. The more of that there is, the better off we will all be. It takes a lot of thought and consideration, not just of the idea you’re trying to express, but also of the people you’re expressing it to. As a writer, it’s very fulfilling when you’re able to communicate your thoughts and feelings well enough that actors can express them in a way you recognize. To do this in a theatre full of strangers is great. It’s a labor of connection.”
WOH veteran Jacob Sutherland leads the ensemble, which includes both familiar faces and newcomers to the stage. Each cast member has the unique opportunity to originate their respective role, forever receiving that credit for all future productions of Unabashedly.
“Every time I get the opportunity to bring a character to life on stage, there’s a responsibility to honor what’s on the page and bring out the best in the text through my performance,” Sutherland said. “With an opportunity like Unabashedly where I’m originating the character, I feel like I get to share that responsibility not only with my cast mates and director, but also the writer, since he’s involved in this collaboration. I’m given the chance not only to interpret what’s on the page, but to actually ask questions and build and explore with input from the playwright himself.”
Joining Sutherland on stage in the full cast:
Dave—Jacob Sutherland
Robert—Joshua Veilleux
Helen—Katherine Myers
Amy—Caroline Chung
Catherine—Lucy Poland
Young Person—Rebecca Bendheim
Mother/Ensemble—Mollie Sharples
Father/Ensemble—Josh Fierley
Unabashedly opens Friday, August 28, 2026 at 7:30pm. Ticketholders can enjoy an opening reception with the playwright before the show starts at 6:30pm. Evening performances at 7:30pm follow on August 29, September 4, and September 5, as well as 2pm matinees on August 30 and September 6.
Reserve tickets at watervillecreates.org/unabashedly.
This production is sponsored by Marie Cormier, the Colby College Museum of Art, the Jack K Ayre and Frank Ayre Lee Theatre Foundation, One River CPAs, and the Maine Community Foundation.
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About the Waterville Opera House
Waterville Opera House (WOH) has been bringing the magic of the performing arts to audiences of all ages since 1902. This beautifully restored, 810-seat theatre hosts high-quality community theatre, dance, concerts, and educational programming. As part of the artistic community working to make Waterville a key arts destination, WOH encourages an appreciation for the performing arts and its creative expression by consistently producing exceptional performances for residents and visitors. We firmly believe that art and culture have the power to enrich lives, strengthen community bonds, and serve as an economic engine. For more information, visit operahouse.org.