The Belfast Maskers are celebrating homegrown theater this fall with "One Blue Tarp", the heartfelt comedy by Maine playwright Travis G. Baker. Directed by Meg Nickerson, the funny, familiar, and a little too true play captures the rhythms of small-town life in Maine, where everyone knows your business—sometimes even the color of the tarp in your yard. The production runs Friday, Oct. 3 through Sunday, Oct. 12, at the Basil Burwell Community Theater, 17 Court Street in Belfast.

David Stillman thinks he’s solved his yard problem with a brand-new, heavy-duty blue tarp. But when a wealthy resident “from away” complains, the town divides. What begins as a personal battle over one man’s yard quickly snowballs into a town-wide debate about tradition, pride, and who really gets to decide what belongs in Maine. By the time everyone gathers at the town meeting, the outcome feels as unpredictable—and as funny—as any real-life argument about what makes a community look right.

Travis G. Baker, who makes his home in Maine, has earned a reputation for capturing the humor, grit, and stubbornness that define life here,  according to Belfast Maskers.

"One Blue Tarp is filled with the sly, knowing laughs Mainers share when they recognize themselves—or their neighbors—on stage," said Maskers. "As the Maskers bring his award-winning script to life, audiences will find themselves nodding in recognition, whether they’ve lived here all their lives or just arrived last summer." 

"I first met Travis Baker when I was the Artistic Director of the Maskers and included one of his one-act plays in our curbside One Act Play Festival when the pandemic settled down", says director Meg Nickerson. "I loved his writing, and started reading his other 'Maine' plays. They resonated with me, a Mainer since I was 3 years old (And yes, my mother's family goes back 4 generations of native Mainers!). It is also a blessing, as a director, to be able to talk to the play's author, in person, and understand his thoughts behind the words. It's important for me to note that the laughs garnered from the Maine speech and colloquialisms aren't laughs of scorn or superiority-this play works precisely because the laughs are with us, rather than at us."

Playwright Travis G. Baker said, "While it has been eleven years since the premiere of 'One Blue Tarp', the conflicts and circumstances the characters struggle with are as relevant now as they were at the time of its writing. Further, the means by which the characters face these struggles and work to resolve their conflicts is more important than ever."

"There's a palpable affection for the subject matter that shines through Travis's play," said Nickerson. "Yes, there's a lot of humor, but at the core of 'One Blue Tarp' beats a very large heart—a heart filled with love for the people of Maine."

Baker's colorful characters are brought to life by Robert Smith as David Stillman, Emily LeBlanc-McConnell as Joan Stillman, Julia Clapp as Judy Stillman, Samuel Jacobs as Buddy Stillman, Tom Maycock as Ira Jacobson, Ru Monsell as Gale Pritchard, Kristen Paarlberg as Hester Pritchard, and Jakob Sutton as Carl Ray.

"Together they paint a picture of life in a Maine town that feels both specific and universal, with humor that hits close to home," said Maskers.

Cassidy Small is the Stage Manager and Wendy Schweikert produces.

Tickets are $18 with a $3 discount for students and seniors, and are available now through the Belfast Maskers website http://belfastmaskers.com. There is a $10 Preview Night performance on Thursday, Ocober 2.

The play includes mild language, with parental guidance suggested.

This production is made possible in part by Liberty Graphics, whose support helps keep the Maskers’ tradition of community-driven theater thriving.

For decades, Belfast Maskers has been committed to producing theater that entertains, enriches, and reflects the lives of Mainers.

"With One Blue Tarp, the company proudly showcases a Maine playwright’s work about Maine life, filled with Maine humor—because "...sometimes, freedom is one blue tarp," said Maskers.