HARRISON — The January senior social and luncheon featured a “wicked good” time for participants who learned Maine “English” from a local theater group.

The Harrison Village Library Readers’ Theater, comprised of the library’s director and two local area actors, were the hit of the event.

Paula Holt, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, said the seniors went to the Harrison Village Library after a lunch in the Community Room of the town office to see the Library Readers’ Theater act and read “The Wicked Good Guide to Mainah English.”

“Our librarian, Kathleen Kramer, along with local actress Jane Riseman and our very own Bill Wood, aka Bruce the Dental Health Moose, had the audience laughing while reading the many nouns, verbs, adjectives and phrases that are commonly used in Maine, some of which say one thing but mean something else,” said Holt in a statement about the event.

“They also engaged the seniors by asking what certain Maine terminology meant along with what other words/slang they know or use. Needless to say they were ‘wicked’ funny!”

Riseman, a well-known local area director and actress and a library trustee, told the Sun Journal that she came up with the idea for the Readers’ Theater about a year ago as a way to promote the library to senior citizens in town.

With the enthusiastic support of Holt, Kramer and Riseman developed several routines, including the Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s On First?” skit and a George Carlin skit on the difference between football and baseball.

“They went over really well,” Riseman said.

Holt then invited the group back this year to perform, and Wood, another local area actor who is well known for his Artemus Ward retrospective and as Bruce the Dental Health Moose, was added to the theater group.

Riseman said Wood went online and found the list of Maine words, and a skit was developed for the recent senior social. Participants added their own “Maine” words they learned as children. The theater group gave out books to those who could define what a certain Maine word meant, Riseman said.

“It was a fun little bit,” she said.

Following the presentation, the seniors went back to the Community Room for dessert.

Holt said the Harrison Lions Club sponsored the lunch. Volunteers who helped serve lunch, play games and clean up included Lisa Winslow, Sue Carr, Barb Catalli, Town Manager Bud Finch, Matt Frank and Kevin Varney.

Sue Budroe won the word-search game, and Paul Szott won the guess jar.

The department will also sponsor other senior play games from 1 to 3 p.m on Tuesdays at the community room. Beverages and light snacks will be available for those playing cards, cribbage, board games, puzzles and other games.

Holt said the next senior social is Feb. 4.

ldixon@sunjournal.com