Catch an Off-Broadway hit at Lewiston’s Public Theatre

LEWISTON — “Still,” the Outer Critics Circle nominee for Best New American Play, opens Friday, Jan. 30, for a two-week run at The Public Theatre.

An Off-Broadway hit, a love story that’s “funny, heartbreaking, sexy and smart,” presents a couple “who broke up in their 30s (and) get another chance at love in their 60s,” according to the theater.

“Secrets are exposed, second chances are given, and an avocado goes flying” in a story that “takes you on an entertaining journey filled with unexpected plot twists and surprises.”

The professional production stars Equity actors Joe Gately and Janet Mitchko, who is also The Public Theatre’s artistic director. Directing is Mark Routhier, who has worked with the NOLA Project in New Orleans, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Magic Theatre in San Francisco, and the National New Play Network.

“Still” runs from Jan. 30-Feb. 8 with evening and matinee performances. Go to thepublictheatre.org or call 207-782-3200 for tickets and more information.

The theater is at 31 Maple St.

View national artists’ works at Farmington exhibition

FARMINGTON —  Emery Community Arts Center at the University of Maine at Farmington will present “Spaces Places Traces,” an exhibition of mixed media artwork by 10 nationally recognized New-England-based artists, from Jan. 30 to March 12.

Curated by UMF art faculty members Ann Bartges and Jesse Potts, the exhibition’s opening reception will be held Friday, Jan. 30, from 5-7 p.m. in Emery’s Flex Gallery. The events are free and open to the public.

Featured artists include Patricia Brace, Jackie Brown, Joshua DeMello, Bethany Engstrom, Pia Paulina Guilmoth, Hilary Irons, Peter Precourt, Julie Poitras Santos, Susan L. Smith and John Umphlett.

“Spaces Places Traces” presents a thematic selection of artworks that engages artists’ interactions with specific locations and natural phenomena.

The Emery Community Arts Center is on Academy Street, between Main and High streets, in downtown Farmington. The gallery is open Monday-Saturday, noon-7 p.m. Closed Sundays and holidays. Check Emery’s website for updates at wpsites.maine.edu/emerycommunityartscenter/.

Take in a theremin concert in Lewiston

LEWISTON — The Etherphonic Theremin Orchestra will present a concert featuring Bates College student performers Friday, Jan. 30, from 7:30-9 p.m.

The theremin is considered to be one of the pioneering electronic musical instruments. Invented by Russian physicist Leon Theremin in 1919, it is played without any physical contact, but rather by the positioning of a player’s hands near the instrument’s antenna.

The production, under the direction of Barry R. Morse, is part of the Olin Arts Center Concert Series.

For more information email [email protected], call 207-786-6135 or go to www.bates.edu/olin-concert-series/information-tickets/ for tickets. The event is free.

The Olin Arts Center is at 75 Russell St.

Hear Jason Anderson on tour in Bath

BATH — Jason Anderson will make a stop at the Chocolate Church Arts Center on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 7:30 p.m. as part of his Winter Piano Tour III.

Good for all ages, Anderson’s tour has become a beloved winter tradition in the Northeast. He is an award-winning songwriter based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. His work blends elements of folk, rock and indie, characterized by raw, emotive lyrics and evocative storytelling, organizers sayd.

For more information visit chocolatechurcharts.org, call 207-442-8455 or email [email protected].

The Chocolate Church Arts Center is at 804 Washington St.

Learn how to ‘talk to somebody who sees it differently’

WEST PARIS — “How To Talk To Somebody Who Sees It Differently” is the theme of an upcoming presentation at the West Paris Public Library on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 2:30-5:30 p.m.

The free workshop, subtitled “Melt Defenses, Make Connections, Heal Divides,” will be facilitated by educator Robin Dunn and life coach Stephanie Frykholm.

Organizers say among the things participants will learn are: the three things to listen for in any conversation; the key element missing in most “paraphrasing”; what to say when you don’t know what to say; how to create trust with one sentence.

Registration is required. To register, call 207-674-2004 or email [email protected]. For more information go to www.westparislibrary.org or call 207-674-2004.

The library is at 226 Main St.

Feel the joy of the Da Capo Chorus in Bridgton

BRIDGTON —The Da Capo Chorus will bring a program of diverse music to The Magic Lantern Theater on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 2-3:30 p.m.

Da Capo is “a vibrant and engaging choral group that has been bringing joy to the local community since 2008,” according to organizers.  

The chorus is “committed to delivering an enjoyable, entertaining, and diverse program for our audience. Our mission is to enhance the cultural experience of the community while fostering musical enjoyment and education for our members,” according to the group. “We strive to create a space where everyone can appreciate the beauty of music and the joy of performance, cultivating a deeper connection to the arts for both performers and listeners alike.”

For tickets and more information, go to www.magiclanternmovies.com.

Magic Lantern Theater is at 9 Depot St.

Enjoy a silent film comedy festival in Farmington

FARMINGTON — ArtsFarmington will start off 2026 with a silent film comedy festival featuring Doug Protsik on “old-time piano” on Sunday, Feb. 1, from 7-9 p.m.

This is the 100th anniversary of the release of the classic, full-feature silent film “The General” with Buster Keaton. According to organizers, the festival will offer classic 20-minute shorts featuring Buster Keaton and others. Such shorts propelled the likes of Buster Keaton into the era of the feature-length film. A vote at the end of the festival will establish the “best film” in the eyes of the audience. 

Doug Protsik will play the piano backdropping the action in the silent films.

The festival will take place in the Emery Arts Center at the University of Maine at Farmington.  Suggested adult admission is $20, “more if you can, less if you can’t,” according to organizers. “All welcome, no one is turned away.” Free for UMF students and youth 18 and under.

Tickets may be purchased at the door or through the website at artsfarmington.org. 

The Emery Arts Center at UMF is off Main Street next to the Farmington Public Library.

Blend and blur with Reggie Watts in Gardiner

GARDINER — Johnson Hall Opera House is set to host Reggie Watts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30.

Watts is an internationally renowned musician/comedian/writer/actor who most recently starred as the bandleader on CBS’s “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” In 2021, he was the DJ at the 2021 Emmy awards.

According to organizers, “Using his formidable voice, looping pedals and his vast imagination, Watts blends and blurs the lines between music and comedy, wowing audiences with performances that are 100% improvised.”

Tickets are $58.74. For tickets or more information, go to johnsonhall.org.

Johnson Hall Opera House is at 280 Water St.

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