Denise Marois, left, and Connie Cote, right, will perform at the Friday, June 5 meeting of La Rencontre.

Performing artists will entertain La Rencontre

LEWISTON – La Rencontre will meet at 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 5, at the Franco-American Heritage Center. A meal will be followed by a theatrical program by local performing artists Connie Cote and Denise Marois.

The meal will feature chicken pot pie, dessert and beverage at a cost of $7 a person. Patrons are encouraged to speak only French during the two-hour program.

Denise Marois, along with local personality, Connie Cote, who has agreed to come out of retirement for this special performance, will perform a variety of musical selections to include Broadway songs from”My Fair Lady” and “The Sound of Music,” as well as songs made famous by French artists Edith Piaf and Mirielle Mathieu. Marois will perform an interpretation of Celine Dion’s “The Prayer.”

Cote has been a leader and advocate of Franco-American culture as a radio host of French programming for 47 years and the creator of the local Franco-American festival. She was County Commissioner and a member of the State legislature for many years in service of the Lewiston-Auburn community and is a member of Festival FrancoFun 2009.

Marois is originally from Berlin, N.H., and is the choral director for Our Lady of Ransom Church in Mechanic Falls. She has developed a repertoire of music steeped in Franco-American and musical theater traditions. She has been a member of Theatre North in Berlin, Portland Players in Portland and owner/producer of Maine Street Entertainment and Mystery for Hire.

Everyone is invited to attend and reservations can be made by calling Claudette Violette at 786-6936 or the center at 783-1585.