Thursday, July 1st, 7:30 p.m. Maine comedian John McDonald

Thursday, June 24th, 7:30 p.m. The a cappella ensemble Impromptu! will be performing a collection of Songs of the Sea bringing a diverse collection of sea shanties, lullabies, spirituals, and songs from Disney, Gilbert and Sullivan, the Beatles, Irving Berlin, and the Grateful Dead. Most of the selected songs were inspired by or have some other connection to the sea, and the lyrics of the others at least mention it in passing! Now in its eighth year of performing a cappella music in Eastern Maine and beyond, Impromptu was formed in the Bangor area in 1995 as the brainchild of Bronwyn Kortge, Luke Hedger, and Joanne Goldman. Though its faces have changed over the years, through its 80 or so performances across Hancock, Knox, Waldo, and Penobscot Counties, the ensemble has maintained its standards of excellence and joy in performance, focusing on perfecting a unique blend of voices—to critical acclaim. Impromptu’s harmonies have been described as "simply seamless," and the group has been hailed for bringing "a brand new sound and a new level of professionalism to the Maine music scene" (Paul Sullivan). The variety of this concert’s musical selections mirrors the diversity of Impromptu itself, whose singers include two lawyers, two music teachers, a physician, a full-time mom, a physical therapist, a park ranger, a nurse, and two recent high-school graduates. Each has a passion for ensemble singing in the a cappella style, and they are pleased to present this collection of songs to audiences all along the coast. Tickets $10 in advance, $12 at the door Reservations strongly recommended Tel. 963-5557

Thursday, July 1st, 7:30 p.m. Maine comedian John McDonald In this age of DVDs MP3s it’s good to know that this traditional humorist, storyteller and writer is still enjoying tremendous popularity. Those who have seen him perform know that storyteller John McDonald is one good reason for the continuing popularity of funny stories. For 20 years now John has been spinning yarns professionally, taking his stories to audiences throughout the country. Using his sharply honed skills and unique wit to recreate his side-splitting tales he never fails to leave his audience howling. Over the years John has entertained around the country at countless conventions, conferences, banquets, theaters, fairs, festivals and schools - the Maine Storytellers Festival in Camden, and festivals in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Texas, California and Michigan - to name a few. In recent years John has become one of Maine’s favorite columnists - writing an award-winning humor column that appears each week in 14 Maine newspapers. He has also written two best-selling books: "A Moose and a Lobster Walk into a Bar," his latest, and "The Maine Dictionary," a humorous look at Maine words and Phrases. As a writer, John has contributed countless feature articles and humorous stories to newspapers and magazines throughout New England. He has also written, produced and appeared in many award-winning radio and television commercials. John also hosts a popular radio talk show on WGAN in Portland. Come and enjoy a memorable evening when John returns with lots of new stories that just have to heard . Tickets $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Reservations strongly recommended Tel. 963-5557

Thursday, July 8th, 7:30 p.m. Stone Wall Secrets: The Stone Walls of Maine will be emphasized in Professor Robert Thorson’s talk which will highlight several aspects of the geology of our state that make them quite different from walls found elsewhere.  First is the fact that the present coast of Maine lay far inland from the edge of the ice sheet.  This allowed it to flow faster, and on rocks that were aligned nearly parallel to the ice flow direction in many places.  Hence, the deeply indented rugged coast was largely swept free of loose stone relative to the rougher terrain in western and southern New England.   Stone walls there, especially in old villages, are usually built with quarried stone; this is especially true of those areas that became estates and tourist destinations.   Granite is the dominant theme of walls in the coast of Maine. Second is the fact that the present coastline once lay below the level of the sea at the time of deglaciation.  Lowlands, which penetrated as far inland as Farmington,  were filled with marine mud and sand, producing broad areas without a stone in sight.  Where the glaciers paused, however, they produced moraines, ribbon-like ridges of boulder gravel and sand, where stone walls are very common, especially on old pastureland.Third, much of Maine’s deep woods lack stone walls, either because the land was never converted to a grazing/tillage landscape, or because the rocks are simply too soft to allow boulders to survive glacial action. Dr. Thorson’s book Stone Wall Secrets, was published by Tilburyhouse in Gardner Maine, and will be available for signing.  Dr. Thorson grew moved from Alaska to New England in 1984, to become Professor of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Connecticut.  Since he was first smitten by stone walls in the woodland, he has viewed them principally as landforms, habitats, and ruins.  His visiting academic appointments at Yale University (1990), Dartmouth College (1992), and as a Fulbright Scholar at Universidad Tecnica de Federico Santa Maria (Valparaiso, Chile, 1999), as well as European adventures, have broadened his experience.  Though a geologist by training, he has recently been wandering through the landscapes of the humanities and social sciences. Admission is free: All donations go to support Stone Wall Conservation. Reservations strongly recommended Tel 207 963 5557

Thursday, July 15th, 7:30 p.m. Diane Linscott returns with a new line up from a winter in the Sarasota area where she just finished her sixth season at Island’s End.  Most recently she was a featured artist with The Bob Alberti Trio at The Jazz Corner in Hilton Head, South Carolina.  She has recorded with top musicians, has four CDs on an independent label, one for Jazzology and a sixth, You Must Believe in Spring, will be released in July, 2004.  Of her singing Buddy Bregman, Los Angeles producer, arranger, conductor wrote, "Diane is a real find...I’ve worked with the greatest of them all-among them Ella, Carmen, Judy, so I’m pretty sure I know what I’m talking about.  She is great." Supporting Diane will be a some of the best in jazz, Charlie Prawdzik on piano, Jim Howe on bass, Mike Bennett on drums and Bo Peplowski on saxaphone.Charlie Prawdzik, pianist arranger/composer studied piano at Yale University and graduated Notre Dame University.  Prawdzik continues to be the pianist of choice for premier jazz musicians and singers throughout the country. Jim Howe, for the last five years has lead a Trio at The Press Room in Portsmouth, NH.  Combined with an active gig schedule, he also teaches at Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH. Mike Bennett, drums, studied with Allan Dawson and is certainly one of the finest percussionists in Maine.  He has played many years with A Train and was a member of The Patti Wicks trio.  "Bo" (AKA John) Peplowski has played with many musical legends over the span of his long career; from Stan Kenton, the Commodores, the Dinah Shore Show, Conte Condoli and the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, and his musical energy continues. The combination of the Diane Linscott & these magnificent musicians promises an exceptional evening of jazz. Tickets $10 in advance $12 at door Reservations recommended Tel: 207 963 5557.

Thursday, July 22nd, 7:30 p.m Living and Loving the Outdoor Life, a perspective as told by Fly Rod Crosby. Cornelia Thurza Crosby’s remarkable life (1854- 1946) gave rise to a certain amount of legend: she was the first woman to legally shoot a caribou in Maine, held the first Maine Guide license issued, caught 200 trout in one day, and was rumored to have shot against Annie Oakley in a sharp shooting competition. Julia Hunter who will present an illustrated slide show and wrote the insightful biography "Fly Rod Crosby" will separate fact from fiction while exploring the career of a woman who worked tirelessly to promote the sporting life in Maine at the turn of the century. Miss Crosby was an articulate writer herself, her column, "Fly Rod’s Note Book," was syndicated throughout the eastern United States. The Maine Central Railroad employed her to travel to expositions and fairs, where in her outdoor dress of dark green doeskin with a scandalously short skirt, she stood in front of a small log camp decorated with the paraphernalia and trophies of the sporting life, spoke with passersby about the delights of Maine, and showed them her scrapbook of photographs—enticing them to travel the rails to the woods.  Most of the photographs in her album were taken by E. R. Starbird, a commercial photographer specializing in Maine woods views; many of these images will be included in the program together with excerpts from Fly Rod’s writings that add to what is a fascinating picture of the Maine woods at the turn of the century. Ms. Hunter will provide what promises to be a great evening of incite into the unusual life of this remarkable woman and Maine outdoor life around the turn of the century. Admission is free. All donations support the Maine State Museum where Julia Hunter is the registrar and curator of textiles. Seat reservations strongly recommended Tel: 207 963 5557.

Thursday, July 29th, 7:30 p.m Seth Warner’s performances on guitar and lute have been described as "ethereal" by the Portland Press Herald. Seth is returning with a completely new program of music and again no doubt another stunning performance. As a performer on historic plucked string instruments he is a vibrant soloist and ensemble player on lute, theorbo, vihuela and guitars ranging from those of the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. Seth holds a Masters degree in musicology from the University of New Hampshire where he studied historical performance with Olav Chris Henriksen and also graduated from the University of Southern Maine School of music. His concert appearances have taken him from our hall in Maine to Miami, Florida and many points in between. In demand as a continuo player on baroque guitar and theorbo, he has performed in concerts and dramatic productions in the works of Corelli, Peri, Monteverdi and Purcell with soloists and ensembles throughout New England. Seth served on the faculty of The University of Maine Farmington and maintains a busy private teaching schedule based in Portland, Maine. Highlights from his last summer season have included a concert with Scott Lemire during the 2003 Boston Early Music Festival as well as the release of The Leaves be Green, a CD of English lute duets recorded with Mr. Lemire. This is a performance is not to missed! Tickets $10 in advance $12 at door. Reservations strongly recommended Tel: 207 963 5557

Thursday August 19th , 7:30 p.m. Celebrating Maine’s Lobster Fishery: Dr. Robert Bayer, Executive Director and Cathy Billings, Assistant Director of The Lobster Institute will discuss Maine’s robust lobster fishery and its economic impact in our State. Maine’s lobster fishery will be compared with the rest of the lobstering region. The Institute will share insights and observations from lobstermen expressed at the Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen’s Town Meeting hosted by the Institute in Portland this past April. The meeting drew attendance from lobstermen from Long Island Sound through Nova Scotia. Admission is free. All donations to support The Lobster Institute. Seat reservations strongly recommended Tel: 207 963 5557.

Thursday August 26th , 7:30 p.m. Megan Light has become a recognizable name here in the community, with her strong voice, determination, and winning success in past performances. We began noticing Megan in high school Caberets, and many musical plays, one which she starred in as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Upon high school graduation, Megan attended The University of Southern Maine, where she majored in Music Performance, becoming a well rounded musician and individual. Her experience as a vocalist excelled far beyond the vocal groups and other required college performances. In the winter of 2002 Megan sang the National Anthem for the State House, which was a privilege and honor. The past year has been very active for Megan in the Portland area. She was involved with New England’s best known funk band Sly Chi where she found a home at "The Big Easy", Portland’s best blues club. The love of the stage and her popularity with the crowd provided a constant reassurance of what she is destined to do, sing and perform. Megan was also in an 80’s band called "The Awesome", with the collaboration of Maine’s most talented musicians. Megan’s talent excels far beyond her amazing vocal skills. Any individual who has seen her magic is touched by her. This past winter, her course of direction drastically changed. Megan had the privilege to hang out and sing for Robert Reynolds, the bass player of the Mavericks and Scott Huff, guitar player in the Keith Urban Band. Their response was promising, convincing her to make the move to Nashville this fall. Megan’s farewell show, "Transitions", reflects her past, present and future experiences as a musician. You will experience a variety of styles ranging from classical, jazz, blues, contemporary, and originals. Megan has dazzled every audience in the past years with booked shows and success. "Transitions" the last show before her departure, will be the best show yet. Don’t you want to say "I knew her when"? Tickets $10 in advance $12 in advance $12 at the door. Reservations strongly recommended Tel: 207 963 5557

Thursday, September 9th , 7:30 p.m. Dr. Harold W. Borns Jnr. will take us On the Trail of Maine’s Ice Age in a slide illustrated program highlighting the evidence of the last glacial recession that created the distinctive Down East landscape. The rolling lands of Washington County are carpeted in the low-growing wild blueberry which are dotted by boulders, some the size of pickup trucks. From the vantage of a ridge snaking through the fields, geologist Harold Borns looks out across the panorama near Cherryfield, six miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean, and sees evidence of a very different setting. He describes a time, almost 14,000 years ago, when ocean waves broke against sheer ice cliffs and rivers poured off the edge of a dying ice sheet, carrying streams thick with sediment into coastal waters. "This was the beginning of Maine as we know it today. Everything was locked in the ice or under water. The first point of land to appear was probably the top of Cadillac Mountain says Borns, a professor of geological sciences and member of the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute. As the ice retreated year after year, the sea moved in and covered the land. Today, the shells and fossils of marine animals that once colonized the sea floor in an Arctic-like ocean are analyzed to determine where and when the creatures lived, and in what conditions. Coupled with the landforms that stretch along Down East Maine, the fossils have given Borns and his colleagues important clues about how the ice collapsed, the sea invaded and the climate changed as the last Ice Age came to an end. The resulting landscape still bears the scars. It has become a scientific treasure, one of a few places in the world, says Borns, where the signs that were left by the death throes of an ice sheet are so clear and indelible. Dr. Borns is presently working in collaboration with others to create a trail guide that will allow one to tour the "Trail of Maine’s Ice age" by car; his program will be a perfect scoop preview to this upcomng publication. Admission is free. All donations to support the University of Maine Earth Science Department Student Fund. Seat reservations strongly recommended Tel: 207 963 5557.

Thursday, September 16th , 7:30 p.m. Instrumental finger-style guitar player Eric Horschak will be playing his own original compositions. Eric’s skillful slide technique and virtuosity on the 12-string are reminiscent to that of John Fahey and Leo Kottke. His intricate and subtle 6-string pieces like Open Pasture, Salmon Sun, and Passing By reflect experiences hiking with his Husky dog Buddy and everyday life on the coast. His CD "Guilding the Lily" has been widely well recieved "The simple sounds surge into the air and grasp each song. Sweetness slips from the strings and enters the ear in a seamless and effortless manner."... "It is amazing to think that twelve strings and ten fingers can produce the trouble free sounds that are actually so complex" as described in the Fishermans Voice, 2003. Come and enjoy this local talented musician. Eric will be bringing a new repetoire to his exciting program and even a few extra suprises up his sleeve. Tickets $10 in advance $12 at the door. Reservations strongly recommended Tel: 207 963 5557

Thursday, September 23rd, 7:30 p.m. The Deep Water Corals of Maine will be shown in an extraordinary high resolution video taken by Dr. Des Les Watling of Universty of Maine in nearby ocean waters. A research cruise to the Gulf of Maine in August 2003 revealed underwater landscapes dominated by magnificent deepwater corals. The collaborative project, is led by Les Watling from the University of Maine who will present this program. The cruise on the RV Connecticut utilized the Kraken ROV and explored sites likely to support deepwater corals. The research team discovered at least one new species of octocoral and collected another that has not been described for the Gulf of Maine. We will hear how the coral samples collected will be studied to understand aspects of their reproductive and genetic biology and how the observations of fishes using deepwater corals as habitat are important in our understanding of the ecological role of corals for sustaining populations and communities of fishes. Don’t miss one of the first opportunities to see the corals of Maine and hear first hand from Dr. Watling about this most exciting discovery of the coral gardens of Maine. Admission is free. All donations go to support this ground breaking project. Seat reservations strongly recommended Tel: 207 963 5557.