BETHEL

Local arts groups invited to participate in annual fair

The Mahoosuc Arts Council will produce the 21st annual Bethel Art Fair on July 3. The council is creating an Open Space Gallery concept to accompany the fair, where any artist or arts group with a studio or gallery space can be included on a program map.

The Bethel Art Fair Task Force has been working to create an additional draw for visitors by collaborating with other organizations to promote a weekend of arts and cultural events and activities, including:

• July 1, public reception to honor the 2010 Bethel Performing Arts Project “Painting the Porch” and the Community Gallery at the Sunday River Brewery.

• July 2, 7th annual Shy, Closeted and Novice Art Soiree.

• July 3, 21st annual Bethel Art Fair.

• July 3 to Aug. 15, exhibition of the art of Helen Morton at the Bethel Historical Society, Robinson House.

All Bethel-area artists or art groups may participate in the Open Space Gallery concept. For information, call 824-3575.

PORTLAND

Deering High recognizes student who dances ballet

Portland School of Ballet CORPS dancer Emily Belanger was recognized with the Deering High School Phi Beta Kappa Academic Achievement Award. This liberal arts award is for students who demonstrate a love of learning in and beyond the classroom.

Belanger is a top student, and is also a pre-professional dancer who trains three hours daily in Portland Ballet’s CORPS program. She is an apprentice to Portland Ballet Company, and recently performed with the company in the world premiere production of Mozart’s Requiem.

The award recognizes a student who commits to learning outside the classroom. “Emily was nominated because she is a serious, dedicated student, and her dedication to dance shows a rigorous, year-round commitment to learning the art of ballet,” the committee said.

For information about Portland Ballet, visit www.portlandballet.org or call 772-9671.

 

British author to give talk on the Mayflower Pilgrims

Maine Historical Society has rescheduled a discussion and lecture by British author Nick Bunker for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St., Portland. Bunker, author of “Making Haste From Babylon: The Mayflower Pilgrims and Their World: A New History,” was to have spoken in Portland a few weeks ago, but his talk was postponed because of travel interruptions caused by the Iceland volcano.

Bunker, a former investment banker, has worked as an investigative reporter for the Liverpool Echo and as a writer for the Financial Times. His book offers a probing new history of the Mayflower. Using previously untapped and neglected evidence from archives in England, Ireland and the United States, including the Maine Historical Society, Bunker gives an original account of the Mayflower project.

SOUTH PORTLAND

Mad Horse to host author, present acting workshops

The Mad Horse Theatre Company is welcoming professional director and actor Al D’Andrea to Greater Portland and plans to present basic and advanced acting workshops taught by D’Andrea.

“Acting from the Ground Up: How an Actor Prepares to Play the Role” is a basic acting workshop that will take a fresh look at the building blocks of the actor’s work in creating a role in a play. This workshop is suitable for both beginning and experienced actors who wish to revisit the essential elements of their stagecraft. No acting experience is necessary.

“Take Your Acting to the Next Level: Using Structured Improvisation to Bring Creativity, Spontaneity and Truth to Your Work” is an advanced acting workshop that will explore the many theater games, exercises, activities and improvisational tools that can add immediacy, honesty and richness to an actor’s work on stage. Acting experience and an audition are required. Both workshops will include “working on your feet” at every session.

D’Andrea has worked professionally as an actor and director in New York and Los Angeles for 30 years. He is the former artistic director of New York’s Third Step Theatre Company, where he developed dozens of new plays and musicals. He has directed productions and workshops across the country, and has taught acting and directing for many years, including at the Los Angeles Theatre of Arts.

The workshops will take place at the Hutchins School, 24 Mosher St., South Portland, the new home of Mad Horse Theatre Company. The Basic Acting Workshop will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays from June 16 to Aug. 4. The Advanced Acting Workshop will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays from June 17 to Aug. 5. For information, contact Margit Ahlin at 518-9305 or wordzworth@aol.com.

GEORGETOWN

Old Post Office Gallery to launch its third season

The Old Post Office Gallery will reopen Saturday for its third season, with the show “Different Strokes.” A reception will follow from 4 to 6 p.m. May 28. The gallery’s five founding artists will show work in oils, acrylics and pastels: Susan Zimmerman, Tracey Panzani, Lea Peterson, Letty Husson and Cory Hart.

Over the summer, the gallery will feature guest artists, starting with Georgetown painter Richard Hasenfus and sculptor Jack Schneider. Prints by Dahlov Ipcar also will be on sale.

The Old Post Office Gallery is at Five Islands Road, near Georgetown Center. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and holidays.

BRUNSWICK

Silent art auction to raise student scholarship funds

A silent auction from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Gelato Fiasco, 74 Maine St., will benefit an art education scholarship awarded to a Brunswick High School senior. Artists in the community, including Ed McCartan, Mildred Johnson, Catherine Worthington, Patricia Boissevain, Evelyn Dunphy and Joe Godleski, have donated art for the auction. Work is displayed at Gelato Fiasco, Frank Brockman Gallery, and Gallery at 11 Pleasant Street through June 11.

The scholarship is for seniors who have studied art for four years and plan to pursue a post-secondary education.

BATH

A dozen galleries to open for first Art Walk & Drive

Bath artists will open their studios and galleries from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday for the first Bath Art Walk & Drive of the season. More than a dozen galleries and studios open for this self-guided tour.

The Chocolate Church Arts Center Gallery will be open in the newly renovated annex to the church. New galleries and artists open across town, including Christine Ford at C. Ford Gallery, 848 Washington St.; Tom and Diane Dahlke at 2 Anchor Gallery, off Congress Avenue; and Elaine Reed Open Studio at 133 Oak St.

Friday’s Art Walk & Drive is the first of the season in Bath. Complete listings can be found online at www.fiveriversartsalliance.org.

LEWISTON

Theater workshop employs masks, puppets and more

John and Carol Farrell of Freeport, founders of Figures of Speech Theatre, are working with Bates College students in a theater production workshop that will culminate in performances of the Asian folk tale “Dragon’s Daughter” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and at 2 p.m. May 23, in Gannett Theater at Bates, Pettigrew Hall, 305 College St.

Performances are open to the general public for $6 and to seniors and students for $3. Tickets will be available from www.batestickets.com. For more information, call 786-6161.

The Farrells adapt folk tales in productions that make imaginative use of masks, puppetry and other traditional stage devices. At Bates, they are conducting an intensive program in a variety of Asian performance genres including the “noh” style of musical theater and “bunraku” puppetry, both from Japan.

They will direct Bates students in “Dragon’s Daughter,” which Figures of Speech premiered in 1997. At Bates for the college’s five-week spring short term, the Farrells are teaching the annual theater production workshop, this year titled “Cultural Fusion: Asian and Western Theater Styles in Performance.”

Though puppet theater is featured in theater history courses at Bates, this production workshop gives students “the chance to work with well-respected practitioners of the art in a concentrated way,” said Michael Reidy, lecturer and technical director for the theater department. “This course will broaden the students’ view of what makes theater a vital and fascinating form of expression.”

AUGUSTA

Project to provide artwork for new school in Ellsworth

The Maine Arts Commission invites artists to submit proposals to design, create and install artwork as part of a Percent for Art project at the Ellsworth Elementary-Middle School. The project has an approximate budget of $50,000 and a submission deadline of Thursday.

The art selection committee seeks work that focuses on the future of Ellsworth and responds to the architectural features of the new school.

The school will house about 800 students.

For details, contact Alison Ferris at the Maine Arts Commission at 287-2710 or alison.ferris@maine.gov.