THEATER

Hackmatack Playhouse in Berwick presents “West Side Story,” one of the most popular and beloved Broadway musicals of all time. The ballads, dances and rumbles of West Side Story will run for three weeks. Performance times are: July 16-19 and 22-26 at 8 p.m. with matinees on Thursdays July 9, 16 and 23 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 for Wednesday and Thursday performances and $30 for weekend shows, with discounts for seniors and $10 tickets for students. For more information, go to hackmatack.org or call 698-1807.

The Originals present the New England premiere of “Ten Times Two: The Eternal Courtship” on July 17, 18, 23-25 at 7:30 p.m. and July 19 at 2:30 p.m. at the Saco River Theatre. The production is a romantic comedy in which Ephraim, an evil-doer cursed with immortality, makes a bet in the year 1399 with the host that he can win the love of a barmaid, Constance. The July 19 performance will include a post-show conversation with actors and the director following the show. The Saco River Theatre is located at 29 Salmon Falls Road in Buxton.

“RENT” will be on stage at City Theater in Biddeford from July 17 to Aug. 2. This revolutionary rock opera by Jonathan Larson is the imaginative retelling of the classic Puccini opera, “La Boheme.” This is a story of a “community of starving artists celebrating life in the face of death and Aids at the turn of the century.” The show runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There is no performance on Sunday, July 19. Tickets are $20 and are available at www.citytheater.org or by calling 282-0849.

“Victor/Victoria” will be on stage at The Ogunquit Playhouse through July 18. This is a glamorous production of the musical comedy, complete with the original and touring sets designed by Robin Wagner. For more information, go to www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.

Valerie Harper and Sally Struthers to join cast of “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” the new Gershwin musical comedy on stage at the Ogunquit Playhouse. The production combines laughter, romance and Broadway magic for an evening of glamour set to the songs of the Gershwins. The show will run July 22 to Aug. 15. For more information, go to www. ogunquitplayhouse.org.

“Shakespeare’s Stories: A main stage production for kids, by kids” will be presented by The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, 142 Free St. in Portland. Main Stage performance times are: Wednesday, July 22 at 6 p.m.; Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.; Wednesday, July 29, Thursday, July 30 and Friday July 31 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.; Saturday, July 25 and Aug. 1 at 11 a.m.; and Sunday, July 26 and Aug. 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information, go to www.kitetails.org.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” opens at the Theater at Monmouth on Friday, July 23 at 7:30 p.m. The production follows the journey of four young lovers as they find their way through the forest to each other. There will be a preview of the show on July 23 at 7:30 p.m. and an opening performance on July 24 at 7:30 p.m. Additional performance dates and times are as follows: Aug. 1, 5, 13, 15 and 18 at 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 6, 19 and 23 at 1 p.m.; and Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. Ticket prices range from $10 to $30. For more information, contact the box office at 933-9999 or visit www.theateratmonmouth.org.

Disney’s “Winnie The Pooh Kids” will be onstage at the Ogunquit Playhouse on Saturday, July 25 at 10 a.m. and noon and Sunday, July 26 at 10 a.m. All tickets are $13. For more information, call 646-5511 or go to www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.

The Saco River Theatre is launching a new series of summer theater camps for area middle and high school students. The Saco River Theatre Summer theater-making intensives will be creative, week-long day camps led by professional instructors and open to area students ages 13 to 18. Camps in filmmaking take place from July 27-31. Playwriting camps will be held Aug. 3-7. The intensives will be held at Saco River Theatre at 29 Salmon Falls Road in Bar Mills. The camp fees are $150 per participant for the full-week camp. For more information, visit www.sacorivertheatre.org.

“Acting with the Felt Sense,” a workshop for adult actors, will be held on Monday, July 27 from 7-9:30 p.m. and Wednesday, July 29 from 7-9:30 p.m. Participants must come prepared with a one-minute memorized monologue. All levels are welcome to participate in the introductory workshop on Monday, July 27. The Wednesday, July 29 session will be focused toward mature, professionally trained actors and participation is only by permission of the instructor. The workshop is held at the New Hampshire Theatre Project, 959 Islington St. in Portsmouth. Admission is $50 for one workshop and $75 for both. For more information, contact Artistic Director Genevieve Aichele at 603-431-6644 ext. 2, or email gen@nhtheatreproject.org.

Maine State Ballet presents the ballet “Coppélia” that will run Aug. 6-15 at its theater at 348 U.S. Route 1 in Falmouth. “Coppélia” is about an inventor, Dr. Coppelius, who has made a life-size dancing doll. It is so lifelike that Franz, a village youth, becomes infatuated with it and sets aside his true heart’s desire, Swanhilda. Performance dates for this show are Thursday, Aug. 6 at 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 7 at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 8 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $17-23 with $2 discounts for children and seniors. Reserve seats online at www.mainestateballet.org or call the theater at 781-3587.

ART

River Tree Arts has announced an upcoming schedule of classes. “Introduction to Photoshop” will take place on July 18 from 10 a.m. to noon. This is a workshop that highlights the tools used in Photoshop to improve and manipulate photographs. “Metalsmithing for Teens” will take place on July 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students will use metalsmithing tools to form, shape and design their own designs. Hammering, polishing, wire wrapping and hot/cold process soldering will be the main focus of the class. “DIY Maine Lobster Buoys” will be held on July 21 from 6-8 p.m. Attendees will leave with their own authentic full size lobster buoy. For more information about all of these events, call 967-9120.  

UNE-Biddeford presents artwork in “Pathways and Places: The Pigment of our Imagination” from Aug. 3 through Sept. 10. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Aug. 7 from 5-7 p.m. The exhibit will feature the artwork of Susan Mesick and Sheila Clough, both of Southern Maine. The artists collaborated in the creation of the exhibit, which demonstrates their artistic voices and complementary styles. The show is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Diane Noble at dbmn27@maine.rr.com or call 284-6394.

A collection of artistic works by the “Open Studio” art group will be on display at the University of New England’s Biddeford Campus Center through Aug. 3. Members of the “Open Studio” art group meet weekly to paint and draw under the guidance of local artist Russel Whitten. For more information about participating in the “Open Studio” art group, contact Whitten at oppaintah@aol.com. The exhibit at UNE is free and open to the public. The University’s Campus Center is located at 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford

“Artists by the Sea” art show will be on display at The Biddeford Pool Community Club at the corner of Yates St. in Biddeford Pool. The openings for the show are Friday, Aug. 7 from 5-7pm; Sat., Aug. 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MUSIC

The Soulmate Band will perform on July 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Wells Harbor Park. This is a group of six energetic musical “souls” who will present classic, unforgettable Motown, soul, funk, and disco music. The concert is part of the weekly Wells Summer Concert Series. For more information, visit www.thesoulmateband.com.

“Simple Gifts Music Festival” will take place on July 19 at the Alfred Shaker Museum, 118 Shaker Hill Rd. in Alfred. “O’Conner Method Play Along” will be held at 5 p.m. featuring tunes from the Mark O’Connor String Method. Audience members are invited to join in and play along. “Twilight Concert” will be held at 6 p.m. featuring several versions of Joseph Brackett’s beloved hymn, “Simple Gifts.” For more information, contact Andy Happel at 752-0927 or email andy@andyhappel.com.

Victorian Tea will perform on Sunday, July 19 from 1-4 p.m. at Parsonsfield Seminary, Route 160 in North Parsonsfield. The presentation will be done by reenactor Gwendolyn Quezaire Presutti, with music by harpist Judy Saiki of Boston Philhormonic Orchestra. Victorian victuals will be served. Tickets are $15 pre-paid and $20 at the door.

Organist Gail Archer will perform on Friday, Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Ogunquit Baptist Church, 157 Shore Road in Ogunquit. Archer is a Grammy-nominated, international concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor and lecturer. This event is free. For more information, contact 646-2160 or visit www.oguinquitbaptistchurch.org.

“Music in the Park,” Heart of Biddeford’s Wednesday night concert series, will bring eight weeks of free music to Shevenell Park on Main Street in Biddeford. Music in the Park will run each Wednesday from 5:30-7 p.m. through Aug. 12. All shows will be held at Shevenell Park at 147 Main St. The series will include a diverse range of music types over the eight weeks, including: Micromasse on July 15, Skyler on July 22, Sean Mencher & His Rhythm Kings on July 29, Sarah Blacker on Aug. 5 and Sylvain’s Acadian Aces on Aug. 12.

“Rhythm Future Quartet” will perform at the Saco River Theatre, 29 Salmon Falls in Bar Mills, on Saturday, Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The Boston quartet performs dynamic arrangements of gypsy jazz standards and original compositions. Tickets are $23 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. For more information, go to www.sacorivertheatre.org or call 929-6472.

SPECIAL INTEREST

“Silent Comedy with Harold Lloyd” will be shown on Thursday, July 30 at 8 p.m. at Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St. in Ogunquit. This will be a program of silent films, including “A Sailor-Made Man.” Live music will be provided by accompanist Jeff Rapsis, a New England-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent film presentations. Admission for this event is $10 per person for general admission. For more information, contact Jeff Rapsis at 603-236-9237 or email jeffrapsis@gmail.com.

“Dorothea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lightening” will be the next film featured in Barn Gallery’s Art Videos at the Gallery series on Wednesday July 22 at 7:30 pm. The Barn Gallery is located on Bourne Lane at Shore Road in Ogunquit. The admission if free for this event. This is a continuation of films about photographers as part of the Barn Gallery’s participation in the Maine Photo Project. Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) was a photographer whose portraits of displaced farmers during the Great Depression had an important influence on the future of documentary photography. For more information, go to www.barngallery.org.

“The Town that Refused to Die” will be shown at the Sanford-Springvale Historical Museum on Thursday, July 23 at 7 p.m. This historic film was the Armstrong Circle Theater’s hour long Nov. 29, 1955 program. The story is about the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce to attract new industries and businesses to Sanford following the closure of Goodall-Sanford in 1954. The film, once thought lost, was tracked down by Allen Mapes and was featured at Sanford’s International Film Festival on May 28. The Historical Museum is located at 505 Main Street, is handicapped accessible and is air conditioned. Refreshments will be served following the film.

The Sanford-Springvale Historical Society will be co-sponsoring a speakers forum at the Alfred Shaker Museum on four days in August and October. James Harmon will present “Culture and Collaboration: Sanford’s Film Festival” on Aug. 2. Anita Sanchez will present “Writing ”˜Mr. Lincoln’s Chair’: A True Story” on Aug. 23. Richard Judd will present “Historical Atlas of Maine: An Academic Odyssey” on Oct. 4. George Neptune will present “Wabanaki Confederacy: Nations of the Dawnland” on Oct. 25. The museum is located at 118 Shaker Hill Rd. in Alfred.

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