The cast of the Carousel Music Theater practices for five hours every day, perfecting their productions.

The theater, located on Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor, has five actors plus one tech/music director. The actors for this summer are Chris Balestriere, Samm Carroll, Hollyann Marshall, Caitlyn Oenbrink, Kris Holz and the tech/music director is Bethany Aiken. The group has been working together since the beginning of the season. The cast is currently rehearsing and performing “Surfing USA,” a production featuring music from the Beach Boys, and are working on “In the Parlor, with the Candlestick,” described on their website as “A comedic ‘Who-Did-It’ featuring the great songs of Cole Porter,” which will premiere on August 28. 

The cast was selected by theater owner Robb Barnard during the Carousel Music Theater auditions in New York City.

“Robb spoke to each one of us individually,” said Hollyann Marshall, a recent college graduate who was living in Astoria, N.Y. at the time of the auditions. “That never happens,” she said, to which her fellow cast members agreed.

It's clear that the group is very tightly knit, they have to be in order to work well together, putting on shows and serving the audience a variety of soups, sandwiches and dessert in an interactive experience.

All of them are not from the Boothbay region, or even Maine, and all, except for one, have never been to Boothbay before this summer.

The entire cast lives in a house located next to the theater. They commented that they were with each other all the time, from living in the same space to practicing, to putting on performances to even going out at night.

“We have to be very close. We sometimes get in arguments at the house, but when we get to work, we have each other's backs,” said Samm Carroll, also a recent college graduate who is from Long Island, N.Y.

Kris Holz, who has spent three nonconsecutive summers with Boothbay’s Carousel Theater, described working there as “As different as it gets,” in comparison with other summer theater jobs. “It’s a very nice summer job,” Samm Carroll added. “We get tips from serving food.” 

“We also get the chance to get to know the patrons,” Hollyann Marshall said. 

The entire cast has plans that will take them away from Boothbay Harbor when the Carousel closes its doors in late October at the end of the summer season. Marshall has a job lined up in Massachusetts teaching voice lessons and theater at the South Shore Conservatory and Chris Blestriere hopes to work on a cruise line. All of them will continue to audition.

But while they have been here in Boothbay, they’ve enjoyed the scenery, people, and general way of life Boothbay has to offer.

“There’s a strong community feeling,” Balestriere said. The cast agreed.

“The people in Boothbay have really accepted us into the community,” Caitlyn Oenbrink said.

Marshall commented that living in Boothbay sometimes feels like a step back in time, and the entire cast commented on its beauty.

Barnard performed on and off for the Carousel over the course of twelve years before purchasing it three years ago. He said that one of his favorite things about summers at the Carousel is: “The cast learning about songs and songwriters that they may have heard of but don’t know very well,” and added “the great thing we do at the Carousel is keep alive great songs of the past.”

He is proud of the musical theater culture in Boothbay. “I certainly would hope that people who love music and are here for more than one night would see all that Boothbay has to offer,” he said. “A traveler for one night might have to make a choice. But how wonderful is it that Boothbay can offer a choice?”

The Carousel Music Theater is open every night except Monday.

There is a special schedule for this week due to opening night of “In the Parlor, with the Candlestick” – closed Sunday, open Monday. Seating is at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, or to make a reservation, call 633-5297 or visit www.carouselmusictheater.org.