Formed in 2006 by Paul D’Alessio after an visit to Brunswick’s sister city, Trinidad de Cuba, Primo Cubano is a five-piece band committed to rendering the Cuban SON faithfully for American audiences.
“ SON originated in the mountainous eastern end of Cuba called Oriente,” according to a release from the opera house. “The standard five-piece instrumentation of bongo, maracas, upright bass, tres and trumpet emerged in the early 20th century and this is the format used by Primo Cubano. Most of the lyrics of the songs deal with themes of country life, hard work, dancing and love and are often humorous even when they sound very serious.”
A dance floor will be available. All ages are welcome. Advance tickets cost $ 10. Tickets purchased on the day of the performance cost $12.
For more information, call 633-5159 or visit boothbayoperahouse.com. Doors open at 7: 30 p. m., and the music begins at 8 p.m.
Gaslight Theater opens new production today
HALLOWELL — The Gaslight Theater’s production of Annie Baker’s “Circle Mirror Transformation” debuts this evening at Hallowell City Hall.
The play centers on five people in an adult education theater class.
“Marty is an enthusiastic community center director who has not held this type of class for adults before,” a Gaslight Theater release states. “ No one, including Marty, knows what to expect nor are any of them ready for what happens as theater and acting games bring out emotions and feelings that have been hidden or under control.”
The cast features Joe McGrann, Randolph “Randy” Jones, Samantha Wilson, Lynn Twitchell and Stormy Tellefsen Keithly.
The play is directed by Richard Bostwick, assisted by Deborah Howard.
Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. today, Saturday, Thursday and March 9 and 10. A 2 p.m. matinee is scheduled for Sunday.
Tickets cost $12 for adults or $10 for students and senior citizens. For reservations, call 626-3698.
Workshop doles out stage swordplay tips
CAMDEN — Theatrical fight instructor Angela Bonacasa will host “Theatrical Violence Weekend” Saturday and Sunday in Camden.
Bonacasa will lead workshops in theatrical swordplay both days. Fees are $50 for the entire weekend or $30 for a single workshop.
To register, contact Bonacasa at 610-9970 or goodhouse@angelabonacasa.com.
Tellesfen, Elgar highlight choral fest
PORTLAND — The Longfellow Choral Festival runs from Saturday through Monday at various venues in Portland and South Portland.
The festival opens with “Ole Bull’s Fairy Tale,” a documentary film by Arve Tellefsen, with English subtitles, at 12: 30 p. m. Saturday at the Nickelodeon Theater, 1 Temple St., Portland. Admission costs $8 for adults or $5 for seniors and students. Children younger than 12 years old get in free.
Tickets are available at the door or online at www.longfellowchorus.com.
Other events include a violin concert by Tellefsen at 4 p.m. Saturday at First Congregational Church, 301 Cottage Road, South Portland; a performance of Edward Elgar’s “ Scenes from The Saga of King Olaf” at 8 p.m. Saturday, also at First Congregational Church in South Portland; a performance of winning songs and choruses from the 2012 Longfellow Chorus International Composers Competition at 1:30 p.m. Sunday; and other events.
For details on all festival events, call 232-8920 or check the website www.longfellowchorus.com.
International folk dance set for Sunday
PORTLAND — International Folk Dancing will be offered from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday at Portland New Church, 302 Stevens Ave.
Dances from the Balkans, Israel, France, Greece and other cultures will be featured. Beginner- friendly dancers will be taught during the first hour.
No partner is needed. Dancers of all skill levels are welcome.
The participation fee is $5 for adults or $3 for children. For more information, call 776-5351 or 318-7108.
Deadline looms to enter music contest
PORTLAND — Young & Free Maine from Maine’s credit unions aims to combine music and money to connect with Maine’s Gen Y talent, according to a release from the Maine Credit Union League.
Young & Free Maine officially launched its first Sound- Off Music Competition, which is open through Monday to all Maine musicians ages 18 to 25.
The contest is open to individuals or groups.
Sound Off entrants must be between 18 and 25 years old. In the case of bands, at least one member must be within that age range.
Entrants will submit an audio or video recording of themselves singing or performing original music to a special page on the Young & Free Maine website, YoungFreeMaine.com.
From Wednesday to March 16, the public can vote to choose a winner. The winning band or individual will receive a $1,000 gift certificate to Main Street Studio to be used for a recording session. The winner also will be invited to perform live at the 2012 KahBang festival, which is scheduled to run from Aug. 4 to Aug. 9.
The winner will be announced March 19 on YoungFreeMaine.com.
‘August Gale’ author discusses book Sunday
PORTLAND — Maine author Barbara Walsh will discuss her new book, “August Gale,” at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Maine Irish Heritage Center, at the corner of Gray and State streets.
The book derives from conversations Walsh had with her father about his childhood pain.
“In the process, she takes us on two heartrending odysseys: one into a deadly Newfoundland hurricane and the lives of schooner fishermen who relied on God and the wind to carry them home; the other, into a squall stirred by a man with many secrets: a grandfather who remained a mystery until long after his death,” a release about the book talk states. “Together, she and her father journey to Newfoundland to learn about the 1935 storm, and along the way her dad begins to talk about the man he cannot forgive. As she recreates the scenes of the violent hurricane and a small boy’s tender past, she holds onto a hidden desire: to heal her father and redeem the grandfather she has never met.”
Walsh’s lecture is co-sponsored by the Maine Maritime Museum and the Maine Irish Heritage Center. Copies of the books will be available for sale and signing by the author. For more information, call 780- 0118 or email www.maineirish.com.
Rock legend train junket film screens
PORTLAND — “ Festival Express,” the concert film featuring the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, the Band and Buddy Guy, among others, will be screened at 7 p. m. Monday at One Longfellow Square, 181 State St.
The event is part of the series Music Movie Mondays.
The performers spent a week together on a train touring Canada in 1970, according to a release.
“They hardly got off except for the shows,” the release states. “ In between, they played and partied together like you wouldn’t believe! Great scenes of both the trip and the concerts, and also the open jams that happened on the train.”
Tickets cost $7 at the door or are available online at www.OneLongfellowSquare.c om or by calling 761-1757.
PSO, Choral Arts Society team up
PORTLAND — The Portland Symphony Orchestra’s (PSO) Tuesday Classical concert on March 13 will feature pieces by Johannes Brahms, Francis Poulenc and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
Featured guest artists are The Masterworks Chorus of The Choral Art Society and soprano Jessica Cates.
The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Merrill Auditorium. This concert will be conducted by PSO Music Director Robert Moody and The Choral Art Society’s conductor, Robert Russell.
A Concert Conversation with Robert Russell will be held in the Rehearsal Hall at 6:15 p.m., and a PostConcert Q&A with the artists will take place on stage after the show.
This concert is part of the annual Orchestras Feeding America campaign, in partnership with Good Shepherd Food Bank. People can attend the Dress Rehearsal on March 12 for free with the donation of nonperishable food items or a financial contribution, which also will be encouraged and accepted at the March 13 concert.
Tickets are available through PortTIX.com, 842-0800 or at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Portland. Single ticket prices range from $20 to $70, with special pricing available for students, seniors and subscribers. All ticket prices include a $2 Merrill Restoration fee, and phone and Internet orders are subject to a $6-per-ticket PortTIX handling fee.
Films added to mustache celebration
PORTLAND — No Umbrella Media, organizers of New England’s largest mustache pageant, announce plans to host the first International Moustache Film Festival in 2012.
The festival will be held immediately before the fifth annual Stache Pag on March 30 at Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St.
The film festival will begin at 7: 30 p. m. The mustache pageant will start at 10 p.m.
The festival is open to all film makers. Films must be eight minutes or less in duration. The winner will be chosen and receive a cash prize. The film selection committee must receive all film submissions by March 24.
The beneficiaries of the festival and fifth annual Stache Pag will be Northeast Historic Film, MENSK and Mystache Fights Cancer.
Some of the many film categories will be: Best Foreign Mustache Film, Best Growth Story, Best Collection of Mustaches in One Film and Best Fake Mustache Movie.
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