Storyteller Martin Dockery to take South Paris stage

Martin Dockery Contributed photo

The Celebration Barn plans to present Martin Dockery’s The Panic & Passion of Right Now at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at 190 Stock Farm Road in South Paris.

Dockery’s show also marks the official return of performances inside Celebration Barn’s theater space; COVID precautions will be in place.

The Panic & Passion of Right Now is an evening of storytelling for adults about the hilarity, the fear, and the impossible inevitability of both love and death. Dockery is a Brooklyn-based theater artist who’s performed in just about every type of venue, from large theaters to intimate trailer homes – and more recently during the pandemic, his front porch. His stories have been described as funny, sincere, heartbreaking — sometimes all at once.

Before the pandemic reduced him to a large collection of high definition pixels online, he toured his theatrical monologues through Canada, Australia, the UK, and the U.S. He has won “Best of Fest” awards at theater festivals in Vancouver, Ottawa, New York, Orlando, London, Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Victoria, San Francisco, Cincinnati, and Adelaide.

He’s performed at The Melbourne Comedy Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and twice headlined the London Storytelling Festival in England. He’s also written and toured five plays across North America. Recently, Dockery broadcast a series of brand new shows on his social media channels about the personal effects of social distancing entitled “Right Now.”

Tickets cost $16 for adults, $14 for seniors (60-plus), and $8 for children.

The lobby opens at 6:15 p.m. Attendees must present proof of full vaccination upon arrival and wear a face covering while seated. Attendees younger than 12 who are not yet eligible for vaccination are only required to wear a mask. Attendance in the theater will be limited to help ensure physical distancing while seated. Purchasing tickets in advance is strongly recommended.