Most show nights at the University of Southern Maine, Daryl Geer buys one ticket and settles into a seat around row G. She’s been doing this since 1976.
Fifty years of recitals, musicals, jazz nights, and plays at USM — all of it rooted in something that started long before she got here.
Her father sang in a church choir and played the trumpet. Geer , following his musical influence, tried another instrument.
“I took piano lessons as a kid, but I wasn’t so good at practicing,” Daryl said.
Though the performance spotlight wasn’t her path, Daryl made a point of keeping standing appointments to watch others showcase their talent.
Classes by day, shows by night
Geer came to USM in 1976 to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Vocational Education, a degree she could earn credit toward with her work as a dental hygienist. Alongside her academics, she found a calendar full of performances on the Gorham campus — and the first she attended is still fresh in her memory.
“It was at Russell Hall, and I’m fairly certain it was “My Fair Lady,” the musical,” Daryl said.
She was hooked.
Musicals, stage plays, student honors recitals — whatever was on the calendar that season. Her education unfolded alongside it all, and ten years later, she added a master’s in educational administration, taking a course or two at a time between shifts.
A life in Portland’s arts scene
The same year she finished her master’s degree, Geer’s love of the arts followed her to downtown Portland, where she took up a post in a local landmark venue.
“I ushered at Merrill Auditorium for 34 years, and I was also involved with Opera Maine and Portland Ovations,” she said.
After Geer retired, she joined USM’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), which brought her back to campus in a different way. From a three-hour workshop on John Williams to virtual courses — an option she discovered during COVID and still enjoys today — she values both the content and the connection.
Why she keeps coming back
These days, after a class at OLLI, Geer enjoys popping over to the Crewe Center for the Performing Arts. She enjoys seeing familiar faces — people she’s met over the years who keep coming back for the same experience.
“I feel welcome. I’ve seen some wonderful productions here, and the sound is great,” Daryl said. “I just love coming here.”
She’s quick to praise the Steinway pianos and, especially, the students who play them and take the stage.
“The students at the University of Southern Maine are top-notch,” she said. “Some of them have gone on to Broadway, some to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. It’s fun for me to watch the students grow, personally and professionally.”
After 50 years of Tuesday nights and Sunday afternoons, Geer still leaves at USM performance way she always has.
“When you come to a performance, you don’t come here to be sad. You come here to be happy,” Daryl said. “I’ve never left here not feeling good about what I’ve seen and heard.”
