Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill swan song “Once” a bittersweet ballad

After 30 years, Producing Artistic Director closes the curtain with a full circle show

ALBANY— “Once,” the poignant and soulful musical that celebrates love, loss, and the transformative power of music is a fitting farewell for Producing Artistic Director Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill as she takes her final bow at the helm of Capital Repertory Theatre.

Cahill has dreamed of bringing “Once” to the MainStage at theREP ever since she saw it on Broadway more than a decade ago. For “Once,” running July 11 to Aug. 10, to be the last show that she directs for her loyal audience in Albany is a bittersweet, full circle moment for her.

“I remember sitting in the theatre thinking, ‘This show belongs at theREP.’ I tried more than once to get the rights,” she admits, “and when we finally got them, I knew this was the show I wanted to go out on.”

“Once” is a natural fit for the Capital Region, and a longtime request from subscribers. Albany’s deep Irish roots run generations strong, and it’s become a tradition at theREP for Cahill to bring an Irish centric story to the stage each season.

Choosing “Once” for her final production wasn’t just an artistic decision, it was personal. “The story is about love, but not the happily-ever-after kind. It’s about the kind of love that changes you, even if it doesn’t last. And that resonates with me now. Leaving this theatre is… bittersweet. It’s not, ‘Well, I’m glad that’s over.’ It’s ‘Wow, I’ve loved this so much, and it’s hard to let go,’” she said.

Even as she prepares to take her final bow, Cahill isn’t approaching this production any differently. “It still makes me happy. And sad. That’s how it should be. Theatre is supposed to make you feel.”

It’s that belief in the power of emotion, in the power of transformation, that’s driven her entire career. “We know we’re not actually in a shop in Dublin, but for a moment, we believe. And that’s the magic. That’s what theatre gives us, that entry into someone else’s skin. You leave changed.”

Over the years, she has balanced the art of programming with a sense of responsibility to the audience, to the story, and to her craft. Some plays are strategic, while others are personal. “You do one play because it opens the door to another. But the ones that matter most, the ones you remember, are the ones that truly connect. Those are the ones we fight for.”

Producing a year-round professional season, the only one of its kind across 14 counties, has never been easy. But it’s always been worth it. “We’ve promised our audience that what they see here is going to be high quality — the set, the lights, the performances. Sometimes it’s even extraordinary,” she said.

Reflecting on highlights of her last season, like “The Lehman Trilogy,” she is proud of the risks, the triumphs, and the magic she’s helped shape. But she’s prouder still of what theatre does at its best: make us believe.

And so, with “Once,” Cahill leaves the stage she helped define not just with a beloved show, but with a message. “I believe in the power of love. Even now. Especially now. And I believe in the power of theatre to change us.”

Tickets to “Once,” her last show as producing artistic director, are on sale now by visiting the Box Office at Proctors in-person or via phone at (518) 346-6204 Tuesday-Saturday 12-6 p.m. or online by visiting attherep.org.