Follow Hansel and Gretel into the woods in Lewiston

LEWISTON — Tanglewood Marionettes will present their version of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel” at the Public Theatre on Saturday, May 30, at 2 p.m.

The story will come to life with marionettes, music and a colorful set in the shape of a giant storybook. Follow Hansel and Gretel into the woods where they meet a witch and overcome a series of challenges which help them to discover their inner strength and find their way home.

The Tanglewood Marionettes have been set in the 19th century, featuring melodies from the Humperdinck opera.

All tickets $15. Organizers say the production is best for children ages 6-12.

For tickets and more information, go to thepublictheatre.org, call 207-782-3200
or email [email protected].

The Public Theatre is at 31 Maple St.

Hear about the children of Madagascar in Lewiston

LEWISTON — Former Auburn resident and Peace Corps volunteer Vanessa Paolella will present a talk titled “What the World Doesn’t See: The Everyday Lives of Children in Madagascar” at the Great Falls Forum Thursday, May 28, from noon-1 p.m.

The free, public program will take place in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library, 200 Lisbon St.

Paolella is a returned Peace Corps volunteer and the founder of the Meylou Fund for the Deaf, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for deaf children in Madagascar. She lives and works at the Fianarantsoa School for the Deaf, where she helps care for more than 30 boarding students.

Before moving to Madagascar in 2023 for the Peace Corps, she lived in Auburn and worked as a staff writer at the Sun Journal, covering education and local government. She is a 2021 graduate of Bates College.

Admission is free to all forum events and reservations are only required if attending via Zoom. The Zoom registration link is us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pE0eRAsPTMO85tByne8XJA

The program is a bring-your-own, brown-bag lunch event. Coffee and bottled water will be available on site at the library.

More information on Thursday’s lecture is available by contacting the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3135 or [email protected].

Spill the tea and gossip with Jane Austen in Lewiston

LEWISTON — Actor, director, and educator Lena Ruth Yasutake will present “Jane Austen Spills the Tea” at the Lewiston Public Library on Wednesday, June 3, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

The free event for participants ages 12 and up promises and evening of hot tea and hotter gossip from the letters of Jane Austen, according to organizers. Spots are limited and registration is required.

Yasutake has channeled her passion for Austen into creating engaging, interactive programming about Austen’s life and work, according to organizers. She has presented educational programming at the Jane Austen Festival and the Morgan Library & Museum as well as libraries across the country.

“Jane Austen Spills the Tea” is an educational and interactive program that will teach participants more about the etiquette of Jane Austen’s day from letter folding to tea partying. Attending this program includes being served tea and snacks, including vegan and gluten-free options, an interactive demonstration using extant and reproduction Regency equipment, and a tutorial on Regency letter folding.

To register or more information, contact the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3134 or [email protected]. The library is located downtown at 200 Lisbon St.

Experience ‘Droplet Dance’ by Maine native Molly Gawler in Paris

PARIS — Molly Gawler, dancer, choreographer, musician and mom, will present “Droplet Dance,” a collection of solo dance works with “mesmerizing acrobatic movements, story elements, and live music from the folk traditions of Maine” on Saturday, May 30, at 7:30 p.m. at South Paris’ Celebration Barn Theater.

As a youngster, Molly studied ballet with Andrei Bossov in Pittsfield and furthered her dance training in college, before dancing with various choreographers in New York City. She has toured the world with Pilobolus Dance Theater. While a part of Pilobolus she appeared on “Oprah,” the Golden Globes, the “Royal Variety Show” and at the Academy Awards.

Now back home in Maine, she performs, plays fiddle, sings and teaches movement of all types. Gawler founded her own company in 2012 called Droplet Dance, featuring a collection of solo dance works with elements of acrobatics and story told by movement created with live music from the folk traditions of Maine.

Tickets for the Saturday performance are pay-what-you-can: $5-$30. For tickets and more information go to celebrationbarn.com or www.dropletdance.com.

Celebration Barn is at 190 Stock Farm Road.

Kick off the Art Walk LA season in Lewiston

LEWISTON — The city’s Art Walk LA kicks off on Friday, May 29, downtown at 5 p.m. Lewiston’s Art Walk LA features exhibits, performances, and artist vendors centered in the area of Dufresne Plaza at 72 Lisbon St.

Organizers say Art Walk LA fosters community and celebrates the vitality of Lewiston/Auburn by turning the downtown into a bustling arts district on the final Friday of each summer month, from May to September.

A list of participating venues and featured creators can be found on the LA Arts Art Walk LA page.

You’ll come running for Livingston Taylor in Gardiner

GARDINER — Livingston Taylor — songwriter, Top-40 hit maker, music professor, and mentor to other musical luminaries — will appear at Johnson Hall Opera House on Sunday, May 31, at 7:30 p.m. for “An Evening with Livingston Taylor.”

“With over 100 shows a year, Livingston brings a rare blend of humor, heart, and musical brilliance to the stage. His concerts feel less like performances and more like shared experiences—rich with personal stories, timeless songs, and an effortless connection with the audience. Drawing from a catalog of more than 25 albums, along with beloved classics, every show is dynamic, intimate, and deeply engaging,” say organizers.

A Berklee College of Music professor for over 30 years, Taylor has written Top-40 hits recorded by his brother James Taylor, and has shared the stage with Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffett and more. His students include Charlie Puth, John Mayer, Susan Tedeschi, Molly Tuttle, Liz Longley, and Gavin DeGraw.

Tickets are $30. For tickets and more information, go to www.johnsonhall.org.

And speaking of Johnson Hall, the venue will present “An Evening with The Janzen Boys” two days earlier, on Friday, May 29, starting at 7:30.

The Janzen Boys are a father-and-son-led folk/roots trio from Winnipeg, Manitoba, known for their tight three-part harmonies, heartfelt songs, and touching live shows, say organizers. Often described as a male counterpart to The Wailin’ Jennys, their sound is frequently compared to artists like Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Young, and the Barenaked Ladies, known for heartfelt originals and familiar covers.

Tickets are $20. For tickets and more information, go to www.johnsonhall.org.

Johnson Hall Opera House is at 280 Water St.

Hear Bayo Akomolaf in Bath

BATH — The Chocolate Church will present “An Evening of Ideas with Bayo Akomolafe: When Gods Migrate” on Tuesday, June 2, at 6:30 p.m.

Akomolafe is an international speaker, “posthumanist thinker, poet, teacher, public intellectual, and essayist, deeply rooted in his Yoruba heritage. Central to Dr. Akomolafe’s explorations is his expression, ‘the times are urgent, let us slow down,'” say organizers.

In his talk, Akomolafe will explore ideas of sanctuary, spiritual displacement, and creating “new openings to age-old problems,” say organizers.

Among his many accomplishments, Akomolafe is the author of two books, “These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home” and “We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak.” 

Tickets are $5-$20. For more information and tickets, call 207-442-8455, email [email protected] or go to www.chocolatechurcharts.org.

In Auburn, learn about 53 critical days in Nazi Germany

AUBURN — On Wednesday, May 27, from 4-5 p.m., the Holocaust Human Rights Center of Maine will present “Dismantling Democracy: 53 Days in Nazi Germany” at the Auburn Public Library.

The free program will explore the critical weeks following Hitler’s appointment as chancellor in 1933, when the Nazi Party legally and systematically dismantled the democratic foundations of the Weimar Republic, say organizers.

The program, which organizers say is grounded in primary sources and historical context, will offer insights into a pivotal moment in history — “one that reminds us how quickly democratic institutions can erode.” 

The library is at 49 Spring St. For more information, call 207-333-6640.

Line dance in Lewiston with Continental Shakedown

LEWISTON — A lively night of line dancing is in store on Wednesday, June 3, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Franco Center featuring music by Continental Shakedown and dance suggestions for each song from the Franco Center’s own Jake Hodgkin.

Organizers say no experience is needed and no partner is needed. Just the desire to move and have a good time. Meanwhile, Continental Shakedown will bring their blend of classic rock, country, blues, and more for a danceable experience.

Doors and cash bar open at 6 p.m. Admission is $15 at the door.

For more information, to www.francocenter.org or call 207-689-2000.

The Franco Center is at 46 Cedar St.

Have an event you’d like to get in? Email details to [email protected] to be considered for inclusion in the weekly listing. And add your event to the Sun Journal calendar here: www.sunjournal.com/events-calendar/.