City Theater: An Iconic Landmark and Thriving Arts Hub in Biddeford-Saco
City Theater is proud to be not only an historic landmark, but also a vital anchor of the growing arts and cultural community in Biddeford-Saco as a year-round performing arts venue.
City Theater is proud to be not only an historic landmark, but also a vital anchor of the growing arts and cultural community in Biddeford-Saco as a year-round performing arts venue.
Mainstage Productions
City Theater Associates produces five community theater productions per year. City Theater’s annual season runs from October – August and features both musicals and straight plays.
Cultural Events
City Theater is proud to be an historic landmark and a vital anchor of the Biddeford-Saco community as a year-round performing arts venue. As a member of the Biddeford + Saco Arts + Culture Alliance, City Theater hosts concerts, films, plays and performing artists throughout the year.
Additional Information
For additional information regarding the use of City Theater, please email [email protected]
Amenities
Concessions
Our concessions stand sells water, candy, and a selection of baked goods from local bakeries.
Bar
Our bar sells water; seltzer water; local sodas; locally made beer, wine, hard ciders, and hard seltzers; and a selection of baked goods from local bakeries.
Handicapped Access
City Theater has a ramp behind the theater as well as seats reserved for those in wheelchairs (please contact the box office to purchase wheelchair seats).
Two levels of seating
With almost 500 seats, City Theater has both an orchestra and a balcony for patrons to choose their seats. Please note that there is no elevator access to the balcony.
Electronic Ticketing
With our PurplePass system, patrons can use the tickets emailed to them at time of purchase to enter an event.
Heating and Air Conditioning
Heating and AC system, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience throughout the year.
Parking Options
Plenty of parking near the theater (on-street parking, parking lots, and a parking garage down the street from the theater).
Nearby Eats
Restaurants and bars within walking distance of the theater for food and drink before and after events.
Linda Sturdivant
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Artistic Director Linda Sturdivant has a BS in Theater/ Education from the University of Southern Maine. She taught theater and was the drama coach at Rockland District High School from 1982-1988. She is the Regional Fine Arts Theater instructor for York County, and is a judge in the High School One Act Festivals.
Before coming to City Theater, Linda was a freelance director working in community theaters in the southern and western part of the state for over 20 years. Linda lives in Standish with her very understanding husband, three Labrador Retrievers and a variety of grand dogs.
Artistic Director Linda Sturdivant and Board Vice President Mark Nahorney
Photo by Audra Hatch Photography
Our Board Of Directors
MARK NAHORNEY
Vice-President, Board of Directors
Jim LaBelle
Executive Director of the Biddeford & Saco Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
LIZ MANTIS
Board of Directors
WILL CLARKE
Facilities, Board of Directors
MATT EATON
Board of Directors
Julia Butler
In 2022, City Theater Celebrated its 125th Anniversary
To celebrate the 125th Anniversary of City Theater, we created a special documentary: “City Theater: A Love Story” highlighting the extraordinary history of this magnificent performing arts venue. Special thanks to Charlie Cole, Ben Keller, and Linda Sturdivant for making this documentary possible.
History of Biddeford City Theater
The City of Biddeford purchased land in the late 1840s at the corner of Adams and Main Streets, and at that site planned the first building exclusively for the city government. It was to house all municipal offices, as well as the original opera house.
The opera house opened in October 1860 with a play depicting slavery in the Southern states – appropriate on the eve of the Civil War. An era of theatrical history began for the city of Biddeford. Edwin Booth, Joseph Jefferson, and Pat Rooney appeared over the years before appreciative audiences.
On December 30, 1894, a raging fire destroyed the entire city building. An emergency city council meeting was called for on Jan. 2, 1895.From that initial session until the final architectural designs were completed, the question of whether or not to rebuild the opera house was hotly debated.
Finally, the dispute over building a performance arts center was settled in favor of the arts, and the planning of a larger and more structurally sound facility was initiated. Maine architect, John Calvin Stevens, designed a richly ornamented opera house in the colonial revival style, complete with horseshoe balcony. A large brass chandelier with glass shades showcased the stenciled ceilings.
The rebuilt opera house reopened January 20th, 1896 and quickly resumed its role as as cultural focal point in York County. A favorite among audiences was vaudeville, with Biddeford as an important stop on its circuit. Dramatic performances by stage immortals like the Barrymores, along with minstrel shows, community pageants and plays were popular offerings. Local director and actor J.J. Salvas entertained audiences with his portrayal of various characters. Illustrated songs were also well-liked.
One such performance ended tragically and remains a part of City Theater’s folklore. On Halloween Eve, 1904 singer Eva Gray collapsed and died after her third encore of the song “Goodbye, Little Girl, Goodbye”. The beautiful 33 year old died backstage from heart failure with her 3 year old daughter present. Many since have referred to Eva as the theater’s resident “ghost”.
Soon films began to gain popularity, and when talkies were introduced in 1928, live theater was nearly eclipsed. The opera house became a movie house in the 1930’s. The grand days of vaudeville were over except for the occasional appearance of an act between films.
Renamed City Theater in 1955, interior improvements were started. The lobby and its staircase were paneled, new poster display cases were built along with a projection booth, and a permanent cinemascope screen was put in place. The transition from opera house to Movie Theater was neither easy nor graceful.
Television and drive-ins won the battle over movie houses and in 1963 City Theater closed. From 1971-74 it was used as a storage facility for the city. Ironically in 1973 City Theater, as part of Biddeford City Hall, was recognized and listed as a Historical Landmark with the National Trust. That being said, in 1975 a load of sand was dumped in the middle of the venerable old facility, turning the orchestra pit into a horseshoe pit, but not everyone thought the theater should suffer this fate.
In 1977 the newly incorporated City Theater Associates began a move to reopen City Theater.
Through a lot of hard work and community volunteerism, the theater reopened in 1978 with the internationally acclaimed Norman Luboff Choir. The theater received a face lift, but was still in dire need of upgrades and restoration. The public supported the theater and attendance grew as plays, musicals, concerts, dance recitals, and community events graced the stage.
In 1996 the theater celebrated its 100th year anniversary and was awarded a gift of new seats from the city of Biddeford. Soon a combination of funding received from federal, state, municipal, private, and business sources put restoration efforts into full motion. The highlights of this effort include a new marquee along with restored and reproduced stenciling on the theater’s lobby walls, house walls, and ceiling. The theater also received modern updates to its lighting and sound system, a digital projector and the installation of a new heating and air conditioning system.
City Theater continues its long-held mission of fostering an appreciation for the performing arts. In addition to five main stage productions, we have expanded our season by collaborating with other non-profits and entertainment organizations to bring music, comedy and dance to the City Theater stage.
The 2023-2024 was the largest season City Theater Associates has ever produced with over 70 events and more than 16,000 visitors. Our guests enjoyed a myriad of performances and events. When it comes to entertainment, City Theater was proud to say, there was a little something for everyone.
Our five main stage shows opened with a nod to womanhood in Love, Loss, and What I Wore, eased us into the holiday season with the adorable Elf the Musical, sent us on a musical journey through the afterlife in Forever Plaid, dumped us in the middle of a murder mystery in And Then There Were None, and ended with a good old-fashioned hoe-down with Oklahoma!
If laughter is the best medicine, City Theater had the cure in 2023-2024. We were thrilled to welcome back City Theater favorite, Juston McKinney, and delighted to host psychic comedian, Peter Antoniou, magician comedian, Andy Gross, and the touring comedy improv act, Scriptless in Seattle. The lovely Curbside Queens returned to City Theater for performances to ring in the New Year and kick-off
Pride Month in June.
City Theater was thrilled this year to bring film back into our venue with showings of the classics, The Princess Bride and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Additionally, we hosted the first ever Vacationland Film Festival with in-person visits by Hollywood stars Xander Berkley and Sarah Clark, and we were delighted to host the screening of the locally-produced film 43° North starring City Theater regular, Derek Kingsley.
A season of live theater would not be complete without music, and we had plenty of that. String quartet Well Strung entertained audiences with their unique take on Christmas classics; Joe Boucher returned to our stage with his sell-out Classic Rock show; the Gay Men’s Chorus presented a “Broadway Gala”; and the Listeso String Quartet brought the music of Taylor Swift to the City Theater stage.
We can’t do any of what we do without our patrons, sponsors, and the support of our amazing community. We are forever grateful, and hope to see you soon!
Past Season Mainstage Productions
2023-2024 Season Download The 2023-2024 Season Program
- Love, Loss, and What I Wore
- Elf
- Forever Plaid
- And Then There Were None
- Oklahoma!
2022-2023 Season
- Sylvia
- Christmas My Way
- Nunsense
- Exit Laughing
- Sweet Charity
2021-2022 Season
- Ghost Train
- Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play
- Daddy Long Legs
- On Golden Pond
- Rocky Horror Show
2019-2020 Season
- Noises Off
- It’s A Wonderful Life: Live From WVL Radio Theatre
- Little Women *
- On Golden Pond *
- La Cage Aux Folles *
* cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2018-2019 Season
- Swingtime Canteen
- A Christmas Carol: The Musical
- The Light in the Piazza
- Calendar Girls
- The Drowsy Chaperone
2017-2018 Season
- Disenchanted
- A Charlie Brown Christmas
- Company
- Enchanted April
- The Producers
2016-2017 Season
- Over the River and Through the Woods
- A Christmas Survival Guide
- Pump Boys and Dinettes
- Steel Magnolias
- The Wizard of Oz
2015-2016 Season
- Jekyll and Hyde
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
- Next to Normal
- Murder at the Howard Johnson’s
- West Side Story
2014-2015 Season
- The Mousetrap
- The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical
- Tick, Tick…BOOM!
- Five Women Wearing the Same Dress
- RENT
2013-2014 Season
- Rumors
- 1950s Rock and Roll Christmas
- Gunmetal Blues
- You Can’t Take it With You
- The Full Monty
- Bingo: The Musical
2012-2013 Season
- HONK!
- Ordinary Days
- Legends: The Music of Judy Garland
- 9 to 5: The Musical
- 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Questions? Contact us at [email protected]
