We’re still a week away from the astronomical start of summer, but Maine’s seasonal theater and music festivals won’t wait for the solstice. In Brunswick, Maine State Music Theatre lifted the curtain on its 53rd summer season last week with a wonderful professional production of “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” a tuneful and nostalgic jukebox musical that […]

Greater Portland Auditions, Calls for Art Saturday 6/11 Open Auditions for Maine Red Claws Dance Team and Cheer Squad, 9 a.m. Lady Red Claws dance team tryouts; 1 p.m. Claw Crew cheer and tumbling squad tryouts, Portland Expo Building, 239 Park Ave., for age 18+, high school graduate, $20 registration fee, maineredclaws.com. Books, Authors  Wednesday […]

Greater Portland Auditions, Calls for Art Saturday 6/4 Kids Auditions, for Shakespeare’s Kids summer production of “A Midsummer’s Night Dream,” 10 a.m., for ages 10-18, prepare one minute monologue, a production of Freeport Shakespeare Festival, to be performed at Coastal Maine Botanical Garden Aug. 6-7, and L.L. Bean Discovery Park Aug. 9-11; rehearsals in late […]

Memorial Day marks the traditional start to the summer season in Maine. Although that notion advances the astronomical almanac by nearly a month, last weekend’s breath of warm air put many of us in a summertime mood. That’s certainly the feeling at Ogunquit Playhouse right now, as the 2011 season got started with “Avenue Q,” […]

This is a great time of year for bird watching and for enjoying wildflowers. The many preserves and trail systems of the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust provide outstanding opportunities to do both. We recently enjoyed a hike along the upper reaches of the Spurwink River on the mile-long Spurwink Trail, then crossed Spurwink Avenue at […]

Greater Portland Auditions, Calls for Art Musica de Filia auditions for girls and womens choir, 5:30–7:30 p.m. May 24-25, Musica de Filia studio, 550 Forest Ave., Suite LL5, musicadefilia.com, Cyndy, 807-2158.  USM School of Music Youth Ensemble Auditions, for Southern Maine Children’s Chorus, Portland Young People’s String Consort, Portland Youth Junior Orchestra, Portland Youth Symphony […]

Musical theater takes center stage this week, as two excellent productions opened last week and continue for a couple more weekends. Tops is “Side Show,” a Broadway musical that closes Portland Players’ 80th season, in South Portland. There’s a new theater company in Freeport. “Gershwin Girls, an original musical revue based on the songs of […]

Greater Portland Auditions, Calls for Art Musica de Filia auditions for girls and womens choir, 5:30–7:30 p.m. May 17-18 and May 24-25, Musica de Filia studio, 550 Forest Ave., Suite LL5, musicadefilia.com, Cyndy, 807-2158.  USM School of Music Youth Ensemble Auditions, for Southern Maine Children’s Chorus, Portland Young People’s String Consort, Portland Youth Junior Orchestra, […]