Trickett opens house concert series

     ROCKLAND -- Folksinger Ed Trickett will make a rare Midcoast appearance Friday evening, May 5, in a house concert organized by Rockland Folk Arts, a new collaborative dedicated to bringing live folk music to the Rockland area.

     Trickett, a talented multi-instrumentalist on guitars, hammered dulcimer and piano, sings traditional and contemporary songs and ballads from the British Isles, North America and Australia. In addition to his work as a solo performer and recording artist, he performed for many years in a trio with Maine singer Gordon Bok and Ann Mayo Muir.

     Friday’s house concert will feature an opportunity to hear and see this talented musician in an intimate living room concert setting. The 7:30 p.m. concert will be held at the home of R. & E. Stuart, 5 Talbot Ave., just off Main Street. Suggested donation is $15, with all proceeds going to the performer.

     Reservations are not required, but are recommended given space limitations; call Kathy Westra at 594-6357.

The ‘70s live in Camden

     CAMDEN -- Youth Arts will present That ‘70s Dance, a groovy fund-raiser, 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at the American Legion Hall on Pearl Street.

     Favorite tunes are just part of the fun at the ‘70s themed dance, dinner and live auction to benefit Youth Arts. Featuring tunes by The Music Man and a buffet dinner of gourmet delights, the event promises lots of laughs as participants look back at the decade in which Youth Arts came alive. As the nonprofit’s main fund-raiser for the year, nearly all proceeds raised will directly benefit the students of School Administrative District 28 and the Community School District Camden, Rockport, Hope, Appleton and Lincolnville via year-long arts enrichment experiences.

     In addition to dancing and dining, a live auction of dazzling donated items and services will add to the festivities. Auctioned off by local personality Terry Bregy will be items including furniture by Phi Designs and Matt Berta, getaways in Spruce Head and at Sugarloaf, artwork by Marianne Smith, art camp with Antonia Munroe and much more. A silent auction of baskets filled with gifts from downtown Camden merchants is sure to be a hit as well.

     Tickets for That ‘70s Dance are $70 and are available through any Youth Arts board or program committee member or by calling Becky Ford at 236-3215. Wearing 1970s threads is optional.

     Those who cannot attend, but would like support the organization through a tax-deductible donation, are invited to send it to Youth Arts, P.O. Box 762, Camden, ME 04843. For information, visit www.youtharts.info.

Freedance concludes First Saturday series

     THOMASTON -- Collective Freedance will conclude its First Saturday dance series with a celebratory potluck supper and an evening of free form, no-partner-needed boogie-ing Saturday evening, May 6, at Watts Hall, Main Street.

     The potluck will begin at 6 p.m. and all are asked to bring something special and share a meal with friends. The celebration dancing will begin around 8 p.m. and go to midnight, fueled by an eclectic mix of music by Collective Freedance’s dedicated group of DJs.

     Admission will be $6. For information, call 632-8825 or 596-0881. Collective Freedance’s efforts to build community through dance will continue 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday’s at Rockland’s Lincoln Street Center for Arts & Education.

Civic Theatre auditions ‘Charlie Brown’

      CAMDEN -- Camden Civic Theater will hold auditions for its early summer musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday and 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Monday, May 7 and 8, at the Camden Opera House on Elm Street.

     The production, directed by Victoria Caldwell-Crain, will be performed at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, June 30 and July 1, 7 and 8; and 2 p.m. Sundays, July 2 and 9, at the downtown opera house.

     The Clark Gesner musical is based on the celebrated comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles Schultz. Characters to be cast include Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, Patty and Schroeder.

     Adult actors, 18 years and older, will be cast. Understudies are desired with at least one show guaranteed. Those trying out for a role in the production should bring a piece of music to sing along with a copy for the accompanist.

     For information about auditions, call 236-2281 or send an e-mail to info@camdencivictheatre.com.

A Biennial panel discussion

     ROCKPORT -- The Center for Maine Contemporary Art, 162 Russell Ave., will present a panel discussion at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 7, featuring four painters exhibiting in the 2006 Biennial Juried Exhibition.

     The discussion will be facilitated by CMCA assistant curator Kelly Jackson and will feature artists Megan Chase, Connie Hayes, Ted LaFage and Colin Sullivan-Stevens.

     The panel discussion is included in the $5 admission fee, which is free for CMCA members and Rockport residents. For information, call 236-2875 or visit www.artsmaine.org.

People’s Poetry Project continues

     CAMDEN -- The Camden Public Library will host two events in May to extend the People’s Poetry Project: a poetry writers workshop at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 7; and a poetry reading at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 21.

     Free poetry workshop

     The poetry writing workshop will be led by poet Dawn Potter. The workshop is for writers who have a poem in progress and would like some assistance in shaping the work. The workshop is free, but as class size is limited, those interested should contact the library at 236-3440 to sign up.

     Potter has taught classes and workshops widely around the state, both in schools and in adult workshops. She is the author of “Boy Land & Other Poems” (Deerbrook Editions, 2004). Her poems, essays and reviews have appeared or are forthcoming in numerous journals including the Antioch Review and the Beloit Poetry Journal. In 2005, she was shortlisted for both the Robert Frost Foundation Poetry Award and the Kathryn A. Morton Prize for Poetry. She teaches widely in schools and workshops and lives in Harmony.

     Poetry reading set

     The People’s Poetry Project Sunday afternoon poetry readings have drawn rather large and enthusiastic audiences and may become a monthly event. Anyone interested in in reading May 21 or in the future should contact Jenni Lyn Cooper via e-mail to jlcooper@gwi.net. Several poets including Bruce Ross, specializing in Japanese forms of poetry, and Karen Jelenfy are already lined up to read.

A cappella world music in Rockland

     ROCKLAND -- Second Read Books & Coffee, 328 Main St., will host a performance by Zemya, a nine-woman a cappella vocal group based in Topsham, at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 7.

     The group performs a wide range of folk music from around the world in the native languages. Current repertoire includes songs from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, South Africa, Israel and the Americas, to name a few. The group takes its name from the Bulgarian word for “earth.”

     The group’s members are Joy Ahrens of Yarmouth, who performs with a number of choirs and choruses; Orlina Boteva, who grew up in Shumen, Bulgaria and previously sang with the Maine Balkan Women’s Choir; Pat Cannon of Brunswick, a graduate of Berklee College of Music; Ceci Gilson of Topsham, publisher of the national Lucille’s BluesLetter; fiber artist Deborah Gordon of Topsham, Zemya’s musical director; Cordelia Lane of Freeport, a former French and German teacher; Joy Powell of Topsham, who has performed as a solo rock and folk artist; and Ann Swardlick of Yarmouth, who performs with several choirs and musical groups.

     Sunday’s concert is free. For information, call 594-4123 or contact Gordon at 729-1730.

Saltwater debuts Monday MovieTalk series

     ROCKLAND -- Midcoast moviegoers are invited to spend the second Monday night of every month at the historic Strand Theatre on Main Street.

     Monday MovieTalk, presented by the Saltwater Film Society of Midcoast Maine, will feature a guest speaker introducing the night’s film presentation, as well as a casual half-hour discussion following the screening. Each Monday MovieTalk presentation will begin at 7 p.m.

     The first program in the series will be Monday, May 8, in connection with the Strand’s presentation of the acclaimed South African drama “Tsotsi,” based on the novel by Athol Fugard. Winner of the 2006 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, “Tsotsi” is a provocative, moving story of life in the grim surroundings of Soweto township, as seen through the eyes of a ruthless young gang leader thrust into the unexpected role of surrogate father to an accidentally-kidnapped baby.

     The film will be introduced by former United Nations staffer Paul Diamond, who will examine the film based on his own perspective on South African life and issues.

     The Saltwater Film Society of Midcoast Maine is a nonprofit organization committed to building community and downtown vitalization through appreciation of and education about cinema. For information, visit www.saltwaterfilmsociety.org.

Blues season gets under way

     ROCKLAND -- May kicks off a full season of music for Midcoast blues lovers. Every Monday night through the end of June will offer hot tunes and cool grooves at the Time Out Pub, 275 Main St., and there will be a special June concert at the Strand Theatre. The North Atlantic Blues Festival is set for the weekend of July 15 and 16.

     Remaining May concerts, all 7 p.m. Mondays at Time Out, are: May 8, Carl Weathersby; May 15, Bill Perry; May 22, Little Charlie & the Nightcats; and May 29, Chris Beard. Admission is $15 for Little Charlie & the Nightcats, $10 for the other shows. For reservations, call 593-9336.

     June Time Out concerts will include Li’l Ronnie and the Grand Dukes, June 5; Deb Callahan, June 12; Albert Castiglia, June 19; and Lydia Warren, June 26. All are $10 shows.

     At 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 27, Coco Montoya will perform at the Strand Theatre, 328 Main St. Tickets are $23, available via the Strand box office, 594-6641.

     For the lineup and ticket information on the 13th annual blues festival in Harbor Park, visit www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com.

McLean is library’s Artist of the Month

     CAMDEN -- Photographer Patrisha McLean will show her fine art black and white portraits of children through the end of the month in the Jean Picker Room of Camden Public Library, Atlantic Avenue.

     McLean, who lives in Camden, has captured the essence of children on film for more than 10 years. She works outdoors from May through October using only natural light. Her photographs have been seen in People magazine and were portrayed as the work of a baby photographer played by Tatum O’Neal in the HBO series “Sex and the City.”

     McLean is one of only two photographers in Maine accepted into the International Registry of Children’s Photographers, a prestigious group of the best children’s photographers in the world. Her work may be see on her Web site: www.patrishamclean.com.

Harp as healing, and musical, force

     ROCKLAND -- Mildred Crocker will offer a program of music played on the harp at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 11, in the first floor Reading Room of Rockland Public Library, 80 Union St.

     In addition to performing, Crocker will speak about the uses of music in healing, well being and in caring for the dying. Using the harp for its healing qualities is not a new concept; it is a vocation that has existed for more than 3,000 years. In ancient Israel, King Saul called for David to play for him on the harp when Saul was in distress.

     “As a therapeutic and contemplative harper, I use live music to aid, both physically and spiritually, the ill and infirm, the dying and all who provide care for them,” Crocker said.

     Special accommodations for persons with disabilities can be made with 48 hours notice by calling the library at 594-0310. This evening is one in a continuing Thursday evening series of literary, film and musical offerings sponsored by the Rockland Public Library and Friends of the Rockland Public Library. Admission is free.

Gibbs shows Dailey photos

     WASHINGTON -- The work of Jefferson photographer Genie Dailey will be featured during the months of May and June at the Gibbs Library, 40 Old Union Road.

     While growing up in New Jersey, Dailey spent many vacations on the Maine coast and a number of her images reflect her affinity for coastal scenes. Her passion for 35mm photography was kindled during a trip to Alaska in 1994, and she remains loyal to film despite the digital revolution.

     “I guess I’m a ‘purist’ at heart. My goal is to capture a good image that doesn’t need retouching or enhancement,” she said.

     The exhibition will include both color and black-and-white prints. The Photographer’s Forum international photography contest judged Dailey’s work worthy of selection to the Finalist category in both 2004 and 2005, placing her work in the top 10 percent of more than 20,000 entries.

     Dailey holds a bachelor of arts degree in English from the College of New Jersey and has worked in the publishing and graphic arts industries for 30 years. She has been employed by J.S. McCarthy Printers in Augusta for the past 12 years, and her home-based photo business, Fine Points Photography, shares space and a name with her proofreading business, Fine Points Editorial Services.

‘Almost, Maine’ headed to Midcoast

     CAMDEN -- “Almost, Maine,” which recently appeared Off-Broadway in New York City, will be presented at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at the Camden Opera House on Elm Street.

     The romantic comedy by noted Maine author John Cariani was the most attended play of any season when it debuted last year at Portland Stage Company. Its successful run Off-Broadway was at the Daryl Roth Theatre. The Midcoast premiere is a collaboration between the Penobscot Theatre Company of Bangor, and the opera house. PTC produced “Almost, Maine” earlier this spring at the Bangor Opera House.

     The play revolves around residents of a small town in northern Maine who are falling in and out of love at an alarming rate. In the show, love is discovered and hearts are broken -- and sometimes mended -- almost.

     Tickets are $18 for reserved orchestra seating, available by calling (866) 468-7619 or online at www.ticketweb.com. General admission balcony tickets are $15 and are available at HAV II in Camden. Tickets for children younger than 13 in either orchestra or balcony are $8.

     For information, visit the Web sites: www.camdenoperahouse.com or www.almostmaine.com.