THEATER

“RENT” will be on stage at City Theater in Biddeford through 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. Tickets are $20 and are available at www.citytheater.org or by calling 282-0849.

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 through Aug. 15. For more information, 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. 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.

Broadway stars take the stage for “Young Frankenstein” at Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick. The show will run from Aug. 5-22 with showtimes at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Mel Brooks’ iconic 1970s movie became a Broadway smash in 2007. Serving as a parody of the classic 1930’s horror film, the musical was nominated for three Tony Awards and a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album, in addition to winning the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. Ticket prices range from $43-$70. Tickets are available online at www.msmt.org, over the phone by calling 725-8769, or in person by visiting the box Office located at in the Pickard Theater at 1 Bath Road in Brunswick.

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.

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ART

River Tree Arts in Lower Village, Kennebunk has released an upcoming schedule of classes and events. On July 31 through Aug 21, “Pottery: Accelerated,” from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for grades 7 and up. Over the course of four weeks students will explore everything clay from basic hand-building techniques to the pottery wheel. On July 31, there will be a “Scientist Lecture for Protecting our Oceans” at 4 p.m. The guest speaker will be Wendy Lull, who is the director of Sea Coast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire. This event is free and open to the public. Also on July 31, there will be an opening reception for “Protecting our Oceans: The Gulf of Maine Project,” an exhibition in the Irvine Gallery at River Tree Arts by artists inspired by and dedicated to the preservation of Maine’s natural seascape and oceans. This event is free & open to the public. On Aug 3 -7, “Adventures in Engineering Camp with Made Science” will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for grades entering 1-6. In this four day class, students will span the fields of chemical, aerospace, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering. For more information on these events, call 967-9120.

“Art To Heal Wellness Week,” a cancer survivors art program, will take place Aug. 18 – 21 at Heartwood College of Art, 2 Main St. in Biddeford. There will be classes in clay, printing, quilt block design, felting, calligraphy, book making, painting and jewelry. To sign up or for more information, contact Berri Kramer at 205-7150.

Biddeford+Saco ArtWalk is July 31 from 5-8 p.m. in downtown Biddeford and Saco. This month’s theme is red, white, and blue and ArtWalkers are encouraged to use #biddefordsacoartwalk on Instagram and other social media to share their experience of the evening through photographs. This month features a City Hall exhibition called “SeeingME: Profiles of Resilience,” a profile of stories, struggles and victories that form the changing face of HIV/AIDS in Maine with photographs by Smith Galtney. The exhibition will be followed by the musical “RENT” at City Theater at 7:30 p.m. “Ode to Letters” opens in Engine’s new location at 128 Main St. For a complete listing of venues and events, visit www.biddefordsacoartwalk.com.

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

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

“The Art Videos at the Gallery Series” continues on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Barn Gallery in Ogunquit with the viewing of films about the life and works of two artists, Maine Masters Dahlov Ipcar and Cabot Lyford. Admission is free and there is plenty of free parking.

MUSIC

VentiCordi will perform “Suite, Rhapsodic Beethoven” at The Sanford-Springvale Historical Museum on Saturday, July 31. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. with the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. The performance will be a program of chamber music for winds and strings, with works by Madeleine Dring, Franz Krommer, Charles Loeffler and Beethoven. Admission for this event is $15 for adults and seniors and free for anyone under the age of 21. The museum is located at 505 Main St. in Springvale. For more information, call 324-2797.

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: , Sarah Blacker on Aug. 5 and Sylvain’s Acadian Aces on Aug. 12.

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“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.

Katherine Moller will perform a concert of Celtic and traditional music at the Sanford-Springvale Historical Museum on Friday, Aug. 7. Doors open at 6:45 p.m., with the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for this event are $15 and are available at the Springvale Public Library or at the door. The Historical Museum is located at 505 Main St. in Springvale.

An outdoor concert will be held every Saturday through Aug. 29, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Wells Harbor Park on Landing Road, off U.S. Route 1, in the Hope Hobbs Gazebo. Concerts will be held rain or shine and the rain location is Ward Gym at Wells Junior High School on U.S. Route 1. This is a free event. People are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair to sit on and even bring a picnic dinner. There is plenty of free parking or the Wells Trolley will bring people to the concert location. Refreshments are available and profits will go the Wells Public Library and the Wells High School Project Graduation and lots of park bench seating is available. On Aug. 1, On Tap, a group with wonderful instrumentation and great vocals take folks on a tour of Pop favorites from The Beatles up to today. For more information, visit www.ontap-maine.com. On Aug. 8, Eddie Forman Orchestra will perform strong, lively Polka music and lyrics with great enthusiasm for a fun-filled evening. For more information, visit www.eddieforman.com.

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.

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.

“Moving Panorama of Pilgrim’s Progress” will be performed on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 5 p.m. at Saco City Hall. Tickets for the show are $5 at the door. The show illustrates a time period when ideas about faith, art, and landscape all traveled along the same narrow highway in the course of American life. A precurser to the modern motion picture, also known as “Bunyan’s Tableau,” was a moving panorama consisting of immense lengths of fabric painted to depict popular stories, events and locations of the time. For more information about the panorama or the performance, call 283-3861.



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