For those of you who don’t know, the Chocolate Church Arts Center in Bath shuts down its main performance building right after Christmas until mid-March. But the musicians, dancers, artists and thespians carry on through the coldest months of the year in the building next door, called the Annex.
Beginning in January, five presentations called the “Kill the Chill” series brought in Resurgence Dance Company, improv comedy with the Doppelbloopers, the Don Campbell Trio, Scottish folk music with Castlebay and two nights of showtunes and standards called “Impossibly Romantic,” a production of Studio Theatre of Bath.
Not only was attendance at an all-time high, several of the shows were sold out — proving hearty Mainers aren’t afraid to step out into the Arctic cold. Speaking of the Arctic, you may remember the first weekend in February when temperatures were 20-40 degrees below zero in Maine! One of the many volunteers who keep the arts center going — worried about this record-setting cold snap — stopped in at 6:30 a.m. that Saturday morning to make sure the evening show would go on as planned. All the pipes in the Annex were frozen. But in true “the show must go on” fashion, the problem was solved when staff and more volunteers arrived with heat guns to thaw out the pipes.
Two productions will finish out the “Kill the Chill” series before the main building reopens: Maine native Anni Clark arrives on Saturday, Feb. 25; and “Private Lives,” a hilarious Noel Coward play directed by Mort Achter, will be performed the first and second weekends in March at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturday nights and at 2 p.m. on Sundays.
Blending folk, pop and blues to share her stories, singer-songwriter Anni Clark traveled full time for 23 years with her six- and 12-string guitars, connecting with audiences of all ages. With seven albums and numerous songwriting, vocal and performance awards under her belt, she chose to work with behaviorally challenged students for 12 years, retiring from the field of education in 2016.
In November 2019, her video “I’m With You, Greta” was screened at the International Environmental Film Festival in Barcelona Spain and won “Best Folk Video” in the Music Video Portland Maine Awards in January 2020.
When the COVID-19 pandemic dictated that her live shows be put on hold, Anni went to work co-producing her first full studio album in 18 years. Titled “Will It Ever Be the Same,” the 12 tracks on her new album touch on themes of love, loss, transition, hope, social distance and the need to find closeness. Anni’s gift for spotting the silver lining even amidst chaos shines through on this new release.
Anni is sure to please longtime supporters and new fans alike. Tickets for Feb. 25 are $18 in advance and $22 the day of the show. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. at 804 Washington St. For more information, call (207) 442-8455 or go online at chocolatechurcharts.org.
Paula McKenney is a retired newspaper editor and a volunteer at the Chocolate Church Arts Center.
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