GARDINER – The Open Book Players will hold auditions for its production of Dylan Thomas’ “Under Milk Wood” from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 3, at Johnson Hall.The play, completed by Thomas just before his death in 1953, will be presented March 15-16.A moving and hilarious account of a spring day in a small […]

POLAND – The Poland Players will perform Arlene Hutton’s “As It Is In Heaven,” a play set in a Kentucky Shaker village in the early 19th century, Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 at Poland Regional High School.The play depicts the Shakers’ philosophical and religious beliefs as they try and establish a monastic community. It is […]

LEWISTON – Paul D. Miller, the musician, essayist and media artist also known as DJ Spooky, will present a live performance of his internationally renowned multimedia project “Rebirth of a Nation” Saturday, Feb. 2, at Lewiston Middle School.The performance, made possible through Bates College, will be followed by a panel discussion featuring the artist with […]

FARMINGTON – Award-winning author Rigoberto González will be the first reader in the University of Maine at Farmington’s spring 2008 Visiting Writers Series. He will read from his work at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 7, in The Landing in the UMF Olsen Student Center.The reading, free and open to the public, will be followed by […]

PORTLAND – The fire which completely destroyed City Hall together with valuable records, and did considerable damage to nearby buildings, was under control at 11 o’clock this forenoon. The fire was discovered by City Editor Francis Littlefield of the Argus at 2:30 a.m. The loss is estimated at about $1 million. There were no fatalities […]

Dana Gross will perform songs from his recently released CD, “Pirate Love Songs,” when he returns to She Doesn’t Like Guthries Saturday, Jan. 26. The Portland artist has been described as being part of Portland’s old-timey roots revival. “With veins of Delta blues, folk revival and Bob Dylan, Gross works his guitar and harmonica behind […]

Film focusWHAT: “Rambo”CAST: Sylvester Stallone with Julie Benz, Paul Schulze and Graham McTavishDIRECTOR: Sylvester Stallone, also co-writerRATED: R for graphic violence, vulgarities, sexual assaults and gruesome imagesRATING: 2 stars ‘Rambo’ Showman Stallone can’t resist pushing audience’s buttons It doesn’t seem possible that a gung-ho, all-American war machine like John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) could have spent […]

AUBURN – Weekly Saturday night professional comedy will continue at The Fireside Inn & Suites (formerly the Auburn Inn) Saturday, Feb. 2, with a show featuring Stephen Bjork, Brian Joyce and Joe Espinola, aka Joe Espi.One of the funniest observational humorists in Boston, Bjork has gone cross-country as a headliner, performing at clubs such as […]

“Duma Key,” by Stephen King; Scribner; 611 pages; $28Consider the Stephen King kitchen, where the ingredients in the pantry are like comfort food: They’re always ready for another recipe.There’s the damaged and creative protagonist (“The Dark Half,” “Misery,” “Lisey’s Story”), the menacing residence (“Bag of Bones,” “The Shining”), the vaguely cryptic friend with unusual abilities […]

Augusta: Exhibits of Maine’s natural environment, prehistory, social history and manufacturing heritage are featured year-round; “Cabinet of Curiosities, the Museum Science Collections and You” continues at the Maine State Museum, State House Complex. Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Closed all […]