The Franco Center is opening its 25th season on Sept. 6 and 7 with a Best of Broadway production. These local performers have rehearsed the biggest hits of Broadway shows all summer. Courtesy of the Franco Center

Hop on over to Lewiston next weekend as the Franco Center kicks off its 25th season with the biggest hits of favorite Broadway shows on Sept. 6 and 7 under the direction of Jake Hodgkin.

Exceptional local performers in the 7 p.m. Best of Broadway shows include Jim Hodgkin, Jim McKinley, Eden Bauer, Jen LeBlanc, Jackie Preston, Jenn St. Pierre, Josh Witham, Heather Marichal, Jeff Fairfield, Torrey Gimpel, Michelle Breton, Madison Shepard, Ashleigh St. Pierre, Adrian Morneau, Wes Pierson, Elise Pierson, Lacey Moyse, Bette Sanborn and dancers from Grace Center for Movement.

Crew members for Best of Broadway include Director Jake Hodgkin, Assistant Director Bette Sanborn, Choreographer Samantha Herriot, Stage Manager Missy Hodgkin, Assistant Stage Manager Allison Marston, Sound Designer Mark Vigue, and Lighting Designers Jake Hodgkin and Sarah Greaton.

A pre-show reception with light appetizers will be held before the Sept. 7 show only. Guests can meet some of the Best of Broadway cast at the reception. Tickets for this VIP reception can be added during the ticket ordering process online at francocenter.org, in person at the box office and over the phone at 689-2000. The box office is open from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesday.

The rest of the 2024-25 season

“La Rencontre” (the gathering), in which diverse cultures, performing arts and languages come together at the Franco Center, will return four times during the season, in September, December, March and June. Each event will be focused on French culture and includes a meal and some form of entertainment.

A wine tasting will take place Sept. 26 with long-time volunteer Edmond Gay as host. He will discuss how to drink wine and the pairing of wine with food. Light appetizers will be served at this early evening event.

Fleetwood Mac fans should mark their calendars for the Crystal Vision tribute band’s concert on Oct. 12. Band members have been touted as not only sounding like the original band members but also looking like them in appearance, too, said Theresa Shanahan, who is in charge of development/events at the Franco Center.

Returning to the Franco Center Oct. 27 is the community-based Fiddle-icious orchestra. Led by master fiddler Don Roy, accompanied by his wife Cindy on piano, the orchestra performs traditional tunes, dances and songs passed down from Scottish, Irish, Quebecois and Acadian ancestors.

Coming to the Franco Center in mid-autumn, Mystery 207 will bring its murder-mystery dinner party to Heritage Hall on Nov. 9. The group’s publicist said the audience will be engaged as witnesses and get to participate in fun skits and check out physical evidence.

More than 30 performers will sing, dance, act and produce an energetic and festive Christmas production complete with an immersive light show directed by Jake Hodgkin. “The Sights and Sounds of Christmas” will take place Dec. 20-22. Hodgkin said he wants the audience to “bring the Christmas spirit home” after attending this show.

Looking ahead to 2025, Dueling Pianos will perform Feb. 8. Two pianists will play songs from a variety of genres simultaneously on two pianos. The pianists take requests from the audience and make the show interactive.

The Franco Center is handicapped accessible through its elevator entrance on the Lincoln Street Alley side of the building. Parking is in the mill lot on Oxford Street. The venue is at 46 Cedar St. in Lewiston.