THEATER

“Mary Poppins” will be performed by The TA Players and the Thornton Academy Arts Department from April 9-12 at the Garland Auditorium in Saco. Showtimes are Thursday, April 9 and Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m. There will be two shows on Saturday April 11 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The final performance will be on Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for all shows and all ages. Tickets may be purchased online at https://squareup.com/market/thornton-academy-box-office or by calling Box Office Manager Doug Stebbins at 602-4471. For more information, go to www.thorntonacademy.org/arts.

Mad Horse’s April “By Local” series will take place April 9-12 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. “By Local” provides an opportunity for Maine playwrights to present their full-length plays in front of Mad Horse’s audience. All performances will be at the Hutchins School, 24 Mosher St. in South Portland. Admission is pay what you can, with a suggested donation of $10. Tickets are available at the door, cash or check only. For more information, visit www.madhorse.com or call 747-4148.

“Dirty Deeds at The Depot or Professor Mack’s Magic Elixir of Life” will be presented by the UNE Players at City Theater in Biddeford on Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 11 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door. General admission is $10 or free with a UNE student ID. For more information, call 602-2891.

Good Theater presents “Underwaterguy 2.0” on Saturday, April 11 at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 12 at 5 p.m., Monday, April 13 at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m., Sunday, April 19 at 5 p.m., Monday, April 20 at 7 p.m. and Tuesday, April 21 at 7 p.m. All tickets are $20. The show will be at the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress St. in Portland. For more information, call 885-5883 or go to www.goodtheater.com.

School Around Us presents “Rumpelstiltskin, Private Eye,” which will be performed at The Brick Store Museum Program Center on Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m., Friday, April 17 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 18 at 2 p.m. This production is a film-noir fairytale spoof in which “Fairytale Land” has been hit by a crime wave. Tickets are available for purchase at The Brick Store Museum Program Center on Dane Street in Kennebunk. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. For more information, go to www.schoolaroundus.org or call 967-3143.

The theatrical comedy “Love Song” will be performed at the Saco River Theater, 29 Salmon Falls Road in Buxton on April 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday April 19 at 2:30 p.m. The production is about a socially awkward and lonley exile named Beane who falls in love with a hotheaded burglar named Molly. Admission is $25 for adults, $22 for students and seniors. For the Sunday, April 19 matinee the cost of tickets is $20 and for the Thursday, April 23 show, attendees are asked to pay what they can. For reservations, call 929-5412.

ART

Engine has announced an upcoming schedule of classes. “Master Series: Portraiture in Pencil and Charcoal with Olena Babak” will be held on April 18, 19, 25 and 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a four day intensive workshop where participants will study the classical approach of drawing. Olena Babak is a Ukrainian born, classically trained artist, who has worked and studied at several schools in Europe and the US. This workshop costs $350 and $320 for Engine members. “Digital Sketching & Coloring with Comic Artist Ben Bishop” will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 28 and May 5 from 4-6 p.m. This class costs $50 for non-members and $40 for members. Students will learn the basics of digital sketching and coloring using Photoshop and Illustrator with comic creator Ben Bishop. “Working from the Human Form” will take place every Tuesday, starting on May 26, from 6-8 p.m. The class will also take place on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This is a weekly group working from an unclothed model with no instruction and is a BYOB event open to all levels. The fee for this class is $10. “Painting Group” will take place on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a weekly group instructed by Amanda Hawkins where attendees will work from a still life or their own photography. The fee for this class is $10. “TinkerCAD 3D Design Class (K-12)” will take place weekly on Tuesdays from 4-5:30 p.m and is also instructed by Amanda Hawkins. Participants will create their own 3D object using a simple shape-based program and then 3D print their object. The fee or this class is $10 and includes a small 3D print. Engine is located at 265 Main St. in Biddeford. For more information, go to www.feedtheengine.org.

“April Vacation Makers Camp” will be held at Engine on April 20-24 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This class costs $235 for a full week nonmember and $200 for Engine members. Day rate for a nonmember is $65 and $50 for Engine members. The camp invites curious young artists, designers, engineers and scientists ages 7-11. For more information, go to www.feedtheengine.org or call 370-9130.

“The Language of Art: Student Art Show” will be on exhibit through April 25 at the Dyer Library, 371 Main St. in Saco. This is a biennial student art show, with this years’ theme being “The Language of Art.” The show focuses on the main principles of art. “Industry and Virtue Joined : Schoolgirl Needlework of Northern New England” will be on display May 9 through Oct. 4. The exhibit is on schoolgirl needlework, with extensively researched and documented samplers and silk embroideries from Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, call 283-3861 or go to www.dyerlibrarysacomuseum.org.

MUSIC

“Rhythm Future Quartet” featuring Jason Anick and Olli Soikkeli will perform gypsy jazz on Sunday, April 12 at 3 p.m. at Atlantic Hall in Cape Porpoise. Tickets are $30 for preferred seating and $20 for general admission. For reservations, call 967-8784 or email [email protected]. For more information, go to www.rhythmfuturequartet.com.

Singer-songwriter Marc Cohn will perform on April 17 at 8 p.m. at Jonathan’s Ogunquit, 92 Bourne Lane. Tickets are $49 in advance and $54 day of the show and are available online at www.jonathansoqunquit.com or by calling 646-4777.

The Soggy Po’ Boys will be performing at the First Parish Federated Church, 150 Main St. in South Berwick on April 18 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, $10 for seniors 65 and over, $5 for students and children 12 and under are free.

The Portland String Quartet will perform at the Historical Museum, 505 Main St. in Springvale on Saturday, April 18. Doors for this show open at 6:45 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. The program will consist of works by Beethoven, Schubert and American composer Peter Schickele. Tickets are $20 for adults, and free for anyone under 21. To reserve tickets, call 324-2797.

Spectrum, a classic rock & roll dance band, will be performing at the Grange Hall, 31 West Road in South Waterboro on Saturday, April 18 from 7-10:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person. This event is BYOB and no one under 21 will be admitted. For more information, call 247-5878.

“Big Easy Roots & Gospel Fest” presented by ProjectMusicWorks will be held on Sunday, April 19. The festival will be a celebration of New Orleans roots, blues and gospel music. A reception with free hors d’oeuvre and a cash bar will begin at 3 p.m., followed by a concert at 4 p.m., featuring The Soggy Po’ Boys, The RMS Five, and the Rock My Soul Choir and Band. A silent auction and 50/50 raffle will run throughout the afternoon and merchandise from all three groups will be available for sale. Advance discount tickets for the event are $25 per person, $20 each for a table of ten, and $30 for VIP seating and reservations. Children 12 and under are admitted free. All tickets at the door on the day of the event will be $30. Buying tickets in advance is strongly recommended. Tickets may be purchased online at www.projectmusicworks.org or by calling 450-8016.

SPECIAL INTEREST

The exhibit “Transportation ”“ Trains, Trolleys and Airplanes,” will open on Thursday, April 16 from 5-7 p.m. This is a new photographic exhibit at The Historical Museum, 505 Main St. in Springvale. Some of the photos on display will include the Springvale train depot before the first station was built, the opening of trolley service to Springvale and Goodall Worsted’s fiftieth anniversary excursion to Old Orchard. This event is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, call 324-2797.

“Portland Comedy Co-op presents: Fun Longfellow!” on Monday, May 4 at 9 p.m. at 181 State St. in Portland. Admission for the show is $5. Host Will Green will be joined by Portland comedians Aharon Hebert and Kevin Neales, Boston’s Sam Jay and NYC comedian Brad Howe. The closing comedian for the night will be Tawanda Gona out of Boston. He is a comic in residence at Comedy Studio and most recently appeared in the Cleveland Comedy Festival and the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta. This event is all ages, though 18 and up is recommended. Doors for this show open at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at www.onelongfellowsquare.com.

AUDITIONS

City Theater of Biddeford will hold auditions on April 13 and 14 at 6 p.m. for Jonathan Larson’s musical “RENT.” The production will be casting 5 men, 3 women and an ensemble. The play is under the direction of Linda Sturdivant, with musical direction by Kevin Smith and choreography by Mariel Roy. This an open audition. Come prepared to sing something in the style of a rock musical. An accompanist will be provided. Bring sheet music and dress comfortably for a dance audition. For more information, go to www.citytheater.org.

Maine State Music Theatre will hold open call audutions for “Footlight Follies” on Saturday, May 2 at 11 a.m. at the Maine State Music Theatre Administrative Offices & Studio at 22 Elm St. in Brunswick. “Footlight Follies” is a fundraising evening combining the talents of the local community, MSMT’s acting company and Board of Trustees as well as past MSMT veterans. The end result is seven outdoor stages brimming with talent and two full acts on the main stage at the Pickard Theatre. For more information, visit the website at www.msmt.org.