The historic, and some say haunted, Opera House in Boothbay Harbor hosts the annual community Halloween Potluck Dinner and Scary Readings on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The House and stage will be decked out for the season and will serve as the perfect backdrop for performers Kevin Kiley and Frances Mercanti-Anthony.

Mercanti-Anthony made her Broadway debut in the 2006 eight-time Tony award winning Best Musical "Spring Awakening" playing mother to Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff. Her numerous professional credits include the Broadway productions of "Don’t Dress for Dinner," "Cyrano de Bergerac," and the 2011 Olivier Award winning "West End import Jerusalem," where she performed opposite the Academy Award winning actor Mark Rylance. She will be joined on stage for the Scary Readings by the Opera House’s technical director and set designer Kevin Kiley, a well-known local pianist and actor who has also toured nationally with "Little Shop of Horrors."

Doors creak open at 5:45 p.m., with the Halloween potluck dinner planned for 6 p.m. No tickets are required but all guests should instead bring an ample main dish, side dish or salad to share. Please bring a serving utensil, and real plates and silverware. The Opera House will have paper plates and plastic forks for those who don’t bring dinnerware. The bar will have beverages available for sale, and pitchers of water will be available. Guests are reminded that bringing beverages of any type into the Opera House is against Opera House policy.

The Scary Readings will begin following the community dinner and guests are welcome to come in their best Halloween costume. 

The evening is not intended for young children, but the Trunk or Treat event scheduled for the following day, Halloween, in the Opera House parking lot beginning at 4 p.m. is absolutely intended for children of all ages!