Upcoming performances of the Foothills Arts Center’s “Songs and Stories of the Foothills” in Strong, Jay, and Rumford will feature a set of songs with moods ranging from lively to nostalgic.

The songs are all tied together by a comical play about making friends through singing and story-telling.

The songs that form the core of the performances, written in Foothills’ workshops last fall, tell stories about life in western Maine. There is “River Valley Song,” written by a group of people in the Rumford area. It tells the story of how the Androscoggin River began playing a central role in the life of the community when the Indians farmed its banks.

There are songs of personal history too, written by individuals about their lives here. Titles include “Leaning Birch on Blue,” by Judy Zink of Farmington, “October is Coming,” by Brenda Hathaway of Farmington, and “My Father was My Hero,” by James Littlefield of Andover.

Besides these new songs, the Songs and Stories concert will present some of the songs from Foothills Arts Center’s original community musicals written over its 15-year history.

The Continental Harmony Community Chorus and Theater groups, made up of area adults and youth, are performing under the direction of conductor Dan Woodward and theater director Sarah Levensalor. The community is invited to attend these performances.

They will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 13, at Strong Elementary School; Sat., 7:30 p.m. May 14 at the Jay Middle School Cafeteria; and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at the Rumford Town Hall Auditorium.

Admission: $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and students, $2 forchildren under 13.

For more information, contact the Foothills Arts Center at 778-0448 or info@foothillsarts.org.

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