A Kennebunkport resident’s new play will have its Maine debut at a historic event hall Saturday.

“Walt Whitman’s American Dream,” written by Sarah Vander Schaaff, focuses on the story of the life of the famed American poet soon after the publication of what many believe to be his greatest piece of work, “Leaves of Grass.”

The performance is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. in Atlantic Hall.

The play follows Whitman and a cast of characters through the Civil War, alongside other 19th-century historic figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Abraham Lincoln.

Vander Schaaff said “Walt Whitman’s American Dream” has been in development for around four years. 

“What the play does is really try to reinvigorate the spark of that man and his ideas and the world he navigated and connect it with us,” she said. 

Formatted as a stage reading, the production is more informal than finished plays. That means the actors will have their scripts in hand Saturday.

The eight-person cast includes actors from Maine and New York City. The role of Whitman will be played by Erik  Lochtefeld, who has been on “Law and Order” and on Broadway in “King Kong.” 

Vander Schaaff said working with the cast has been one of the biggest delights of the process, especially since much of the cast and crew have been friends for years. 

The cast often changes depending on the location of the performance. Vander Schaaff said that means she gets to discover new things with each actor thanks to the various ways they interpret the script.

Bringing the play to Atlantic Hall was a must for Vander Schaaff; with over 100 years of history etched into the building’s walls, she aimed to weave together local and national history. 

“It’s a space that you just feel connected to with history,” she said. 

Vander Schaaff also worked with local artists including Jill Cremens, who wove a 6-foot American flag interwoven with greenery and meant to represent the growth of the nation.

The play is tied to Maine’s American 250th birthday celebration, a commission formed by the secretary of state’s office dedicated to celebrating the nation’s history. 

Tickets are available online for a suggested donation of $25. Doors will open at 4 p.m. Saturday.