Poet Andrea Gibson’s legacy celebrated in Portland
Portland to host tribute to late poet Andrea Gibson on Nov. 12
Portland, Maine – The State Theatre will host a sold‑out evening honoring the life and work of Maine‑born poet Andrea Gibson on Saturday, Nov. 12. The event, titled “Andrea Gibson’s ‘Love Letter From the Afterlife,’” will combine a live reading, a musical performance, and a film screening of Gibson’s final stage show in Denver.
At the front of the stage, singer‑songwriter Chris Pureka will perform a selection of Gibson’s poems. The highlight will be a projected recording of Gibson’s last live appearance at Denver’s Paramount Theatre in 2024. The film will be accompanied by a live score performed by the five‑piece Goosebumps Orchestra, written by composer Blake Neely. Neely also created the music for the 2025 Oscar‑nominated documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, which follows Gibson’s battle with ovarian cancer and the way Gibson and his wife, Megan Falley, faced the diagnosis with humor and love.
Falley, who is currently residing in Longmont, Colorado, will close the night with a reading of Gibson’s poem “Love Letter From the Afterlife.” “It feels like really privileged, fortunate and important work to be doing, to continue to elevate Andrea’s voice and message,” Falley told reporters. “I think that they felt like it was in many ways, between that show and the documentary, that they had accomplished what they wanted to with both.”
Gibson, who was born and raised in Calais, lived a life marked by vivid storytelling and fearless performance. A 1997 graduate of St. Joseph’s College in Standish with a degree in English, Gibson was also a standout basketball player in high school and college, scoring a game‑high 20 points to lead Calais High School to a Class C championship in 1993. “It was a perfect game, a perfect ending to a perfect season,” Gibson reflected in a 1993 interview with the Portland Press Herald.
Gibson’s work, known for its blend of humor, heartbreak and political commentary, was widely shared through a popular Substack newsletter called Things That Don’t Suck, which Falley continues to update. The couple’s home in Longmont remains a place where Falley keeps memories of their shared life and creative partnership.
On July 14, 2025, Gibson passed away from ovarian cancer, a diagnosis he received four years earlier. Despite the illness, Gibson continued to write and perform, culminating in the Denver show that served as both a farewell and a celebration of his artistry. “It was definitely an emotional time,” Falley said of that final performance. “Their health was really declining, and they were sort of tapped into what they were leaving, and leaving behind. I think that they felt like it was in many ways, between that show and the documentary, that they had accomplished what they wanted to with both.”
The tribute in Portland will also serve as a reunion for Gibson’s family, who still live in Maine. Falley and Gibson visited Calais on several occasions, with the couple spending time with Gibson’s parents and sister. “I thought it was so beautiful when I went and I totally understood their love for it and could appreciate the time travel of being shown around the map of their life,” Falley said.
Tickets for the event are on sale through the State Theatre’s box office and will also be available on the theatre’s website. Fans and friends of Gibson can expect an evening that blends poetry, music, film, and heartfelt reminiscence, ensuring that Andrea Gibson’s voice continues to echo beyond the stage.
