About Empty Pocket:

Empty Pocket production is the passion project of Portland, Maine-based artist and producer Gerry Shannon—a deeply personal endeavor born out of resilience, creativity, and a love for storytelling. Gerry's journey into theatrical production began at the University of Southern Maine, where he founded a student musical theatre group called MTPlayers. Though the desire to produce never waned, life’s familiar challenges—limited resources and the day-to-day struggle to get by—kept that dream just out of reach for many years.

Throughout that time, Gerry remained immersed in the performing arts, primarily through Vivid Motion, an amateur dance company in Portland. While it offered a consistent creative outlet, his ideas began to outpace the opportunities available. In 2019, determined to make it happen, Gerry self-produced a show on a shoestring budget. Just two days before the first rehearsal, he suffered the heartbreaking loss of his beloved five-pound Yorkie, Pocket, who was fatally hit by a car. Despite the tragedy, he pressed forward, and the production marked the beginning of something new.

Then came 2020.

Once the world began to reopen, Gerry launched a fringe project that had been quietly simmering for years and brought it to several Midwest fringe festivals. The experience was transformative. The vibrant energy of the fringe circuit and its adventurous audiences hooked him completely. He knew he wanted to create more work tailored specifically for this kind of space—uniquely imaginative, intimate, and raw—and to share that work across the United States, and perhaps one day, beyond.

And so, Empty Pocket was born. Named in honor of Pocket and symbolizing both personal loss and creative perseverance, the company is Gerry’s canvas for turning hardship into beauty. It stands as a love letter to joy, to tragedy, to the shared human experience. Through Empty Pocket, Gerry invites audiences to connect, reflect, and remember that we are never truly alone.

Their presence, engagement, and support are not just appreciated—they are part of the story.