Portland’s magnificent Kotzschmar Organ will be undergoing extensive repairs next year. No doubt, we will miss the historic organ while it is out of commission for up to 18 months. This means that every concert that utilizes the Kotzschmar between now and its 100th anniversary next summer should be treasured. With that as context, Tuesday’s […]

PAM BURR SMITH

Portland Ballet Company stages “The Victorian Nutcracker” at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Friday at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. In a season of traditional Christmas programs, the production stands out for its originality and sense of place. It’s set in Victorian-era Portland with the city’s historical figures, and the stage sets are designed based on Deering […]

This week • Skidompha Public Library, 184 Main St., Damariscotta, hosts an evening of poetry, readings and music with “A Little More Heartwood Christmas” at 7 p.m. Thursday. Heartwood Theater Company will bring back a few favorites from last year’s show, along with some new material. John Adams will narrate “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” […]

One sure sign of a good book is that you can read it straight through enjoyably. The sign of a superb book is that you find yourself debating its propositions and arguments weeks after reading it. “American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America” by journalist-historian Colin Woodard is a […]

Housed in an authentic Worcester lunch car (the original food truck) and set on pilings over a gully, the A-1 Diner in Gardiner remains a classic. There are no additions or extensions, no up-to-date decor. It’s a stainless steel box with a couple of neon signs, 16 round stools at the counter and a row […]