Events - All
Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Meetinghouse Theatre Lab presents: Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Directed by Ellen Lancaster
Every Sunday, Nick crosses the river from New York to New Jersey and has dinner with his four Italian-American grandparents. It’s a tradition built on love, laughter, and a lot of food. But when Nick reveals he’s accepted a job across the country, his grandparents are determined not to let him leave without a fight. Over the River and Through the Woods is a heartfelt and hilarious comedy that celebrates family bonds, generational differences, and the bittersweet moments of growing up.
PG-13
Over the River and Through the Woods is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service., www.concordtheatricals.com
Two weekends: September 11-13 and 18-20
Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 2pm
Tickets: $20
Tickets are available through the link below and at the door. Doors open a half hour before showtime.
Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night
Join us for Open Mic Night - the first Tuesday of every month!
This monthly event gives new artists a chance to shine on stage, showcasing local talent. Musicians, bands, poets, performance artists and more are encouraged to join! All are welcome. This event is free, though donations are appreciated.
Hosted by Paula “Polly” DiGati
For more information, please contact:
doc.polly.blues@gmail.com
Meetinghouse Theatre Lab - Out of the Hat!
October through April, 2025 - 2026
Out of the Hat! - Readers’ Theatre Series
What’s "Out of the Hat!?” It’s a fresh, compact production with a rehearsal time of one day and performed that same night. The play, the director, the cast are all picked "out of the hat" so to speak -- this makes it fresh and exciting.
It goes like so ... we gather at 11:00am to read the chosen play -- many of us for the first time. After a first read, the director for the play retires to cast the show. Once done, the group works to put the play on its feet with the result being an outstanding and very fresh performance at 6pm.
Come to read and play at 11:00am or come to watch it that evening. Admission is free, although donations are gratefully accepted.
Interested in reading? We would love to have you! To read, you will need yourself, writing utensils, dark clothes, a potluck, energy and a penchant for fun.
Please message Meetinghouse Theatre Lab on Facebook or e-mail Cathy at cathyjohnson2012@hotmail.com if you would like to be a part of the day's production.
Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night
Join us for Open Mic Night - the first Tuesday of every month!
This monthly event gives new artists a chance to shine on stage, showcasing local talent. Musicians, bands, poets, performance artists and more are encouraged to join! All are welcome. This event is free, though donations are appreciated.
Hosted by Paula “Polly” DiGati
For more information, please contact:
doc.polly.blues@gmail.com
Meetinghouse Theatre Lab - Out of the Hat!
October through April, 2025 - 2026
Out of the Hat! - Readers’ Theatre Series
What’s "Out of the Hat!?” It’s a fresh, compact production with a rehearsal time of one day and performed that same night. The play, the director, the cast are all picked "out of the hat" so to speak -- this makes it fresh and exciting.
It goes like so ... we gather at 11:00am to read the chosen play -- many of us for the first time. After a first read, the director for the play retires to cast the show. Once done, the group works to put the play on its feet with the result being an outstanding and very fresh performance at 6pm.
Come to read and play at 11:00am or come to watch it that evening. Admission is free, although donations are gratefully accepted.
Interested in reading? We would love to have you! To read, you will need yourself, writing utensils, dark clothes, a potluck, energy and a penchant for fun.
Please message Meetinghouse Theatre Lab on Facebook or e-mail Cathy at cathyjohnson2012@hotmail.com if you would like to be a part of the day's production.
Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night
Join us for Open Mic Night - the first Tuesday of every month!
This monthly event gives new artists a chance to shine on stage, showcasing local talent. Musicians, bands, poets, performance artists and more are encouraged to join! All are welcome. This event is free, though donations are appreciated.
Hosted by Paula “Polly” DiGati
For more information, please contact:
doc.polly.blues@gmail.com
Meetinghouse Theatre Lab - Holiday Readings
Holiday Readings with Meetinghouse Theatre Lab
Join us for a special program of holiday readings presented by Meetinghouse Theatre Lab.
We’ll gather together to enjoy stories, seasonal favorites, and get into the holiday spirit.
More details to be announced.
Rings and Strings Holiday Concert
Rings and Strings Holiday Concert
Featuring Gordon Thomas Ward, Veronica Ward, and the Schoodic Ringers Handbell Choir
Join us for a special holiday concert with Rings and Strings, a dynamic acoustic duo featuring award-winning folk-rock singer-songwriter Gordon Thomas Ward and celebrated handbell artist Veronica Ward.
Gordon’s warm vocals and resonant guitar blend with Veronica’s rich, harmonically layered handbells as they perform a selection of holiday songs.
The concert also features the Schoodic Ringers, a community handbell choir from Downeast Maine, in their first performance at Hammond Hall.
Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Meetinghouse Theatre Lab presents: Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Directed by Ellen Lancaster
Every Sunday, Nick crosses the river from New York to New Jersey and has dinner with his four Italian-American grandparents. It’s a tradition built on love, laughter, and a lot of food. But when Nick reveals he’s accepted a job across the country, his grandparents are determined not to let him leave without a fight. Over the River and Through the Woods is a heartfelt and hilarious comedy that celebrates family bonds, generational differences, and the bittersweet moments of growing up.
PG-13
Over the River and Through the Woods is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service., www.concordtheatricals.com
Two weekends: September 11-13 and 18-20
Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 2pm
Tickets: $20
Tickets are available through the link below and at the door. Doors open a half hour before showtime.
Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Meetinghouse Theatre Lab presents: Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Directed by Ellen Lancaster
Every Sunday, Nick crosses the river from New York to New Jersey and has dinner with his four Italian-American grandparents. It’s a tradition built on love, laughter, and a lot of food. But when Nick reveals he’s accepted a job across the country, his grandparents are determined not to let him leave without a fight. Over the River and Through the Woods is a heartfelt and hilarious comedy that celebrates family bonds, generational differences, and the bittersweet moments of growing up.
PG-13
Over the River and Through the Woods is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service., www.concordtheatricals.com
Two weekends: September 11-13 and 18-20
Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 2pm
Tickets: $20
Tickets are available through the link below and at the door. Doors open a half hour before showtime.
Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Meetinghouse Theatre Lab presents: Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Directed by Ellen Lancaster
Every Sunday, Nick crosses the river from New York to New Jersey and has dinner with his four Italian-American grandparents. It’s a tradition built on love, laughter, and a lot of food. But when Nick reveals he’s accepted a job across the country, his grandparents are determined not to let him leave without a fight. Over the River and Through the Woods is a heartfelt and hilarious comedy that celebrates family bonds, generational differences, and the bittersweet moments of growing up.
PG-13
Over the River and Through the Woods is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service., www.concordtheatricals.com
Two weekends: September 11-13 and 18-20
Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 2pm
Tickets: $20
**To benefit the Schoodic Food Pantry, the incredibly talented pastry chef, Donna Harmon, will host a bake sale September 11-13 with delicious treats to enjoy at the show or to bring home!**
Tickets are available through the link below and at the door. Doors open a half hour before showtime.
Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Meetinghouse Theatre Lab presents: Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Directed by Ellen Lancaster
Every Sunday, Nick crosses the river from New York to New Jersey and has dinner with his four Italian-American grandparents. It’s a tradition built on love, laughter, and a lot of food. But when Nick reveals he’s accepted a job across the country, his grandparents are determined not to let him leave without a fight. Over the River and Through the Woods is a heartfelt and hilarious comedy that celebrates family bonds, generational differences, and the bittersweet moments of growing up.
PG-13
Over the River and Through the Woods is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service., www.concordtheatricals.com
Two weekends: September 11-13 and 18-20
Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 2pm
Tickets: $20
**To benefit the Schoodic Food Pantry, the incredibly talented pastry chef, Donna Harmon, will host a bake sale September 11-13 with delicious treats to enjoy at the show or to bring home!**
Tickets are available through the link below and at the door. Doors open a half hour before showtime.
Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Meetinghouse Theatre Lab presents: Over the River and Through the Woods, a play by Joe Dipietro
Directed by Ellen Lancaster
Every Sunday, Nick crosses the river from New York to New Jersey and has dinner with his four Italian-American grandparents. It’s a tradition built on love, laughter, and a lot of food. But when Nick reveals he’s accepted a job across the country, his grandparents are determined not to let him leave without a fight. Over the River and Through the Woods is a heartfelt and hilarious comedy that celebrates family bonds, generational differences, and the bittersweet moments of growing up.
PG-13
Over the River and Through the Woods is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service., www.concordtheatricals.com
Two weekends: September 11-13 and 18-20
Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 2pm
Tickets: $20
**To benefit the Schoodic Food Pantry, the incredibly talented pastry chef, Donna Harmon, will host a bake sale September 11-13 with delicious treats to enjoy at the show or to bring home!**
Tickets are available through the link below and at the door. Doors open a half hour before showtime.
Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night
Join us for Open Mic Night - the first Tuesday of every month!
This monthly event gives new artists a chance to shine on stage, showcasing local talent. Musicians, bands, poets, performance artists and more are encouraged to join! All are welcome. This event is free, though donations are appreciated.
Hosted by Paula “Polly” DiGati
For more information, please contact:
doc.polly.blues@gmail.com
Festival Performance: Winter Harbor Music Festival
Winter Harbor Music Festival
Join the Winter Harbor Music Festival for their annual Chamber Music workshop performances featuring festival faculty, community members, and participants.
Tickets sold by Winter Harbor Music Festival
Festival Performance: Nate Sabat
Nate Sabat
With upright bass as his sole tool for accompaniment, Nate crafts wildly intricate arrangements, each one inextricably tied to its song. His playing, while rooted in American folk music, goes far beyond any preconceived notions of the instrument's role within the genre. With a relaxed, vocal sound and equal fluency with pizzicato and the bow, Nate takes full advantage of the never-ending variety of sounds and textures the bass has to offer. GRAMMY-winning cellist Eugene Friesen says, "Nate has so much going for him: The ability to propel any groove with chops and subtlety, a sweet bow sound that can vocalize any melody, fiercely great intonation, and, most importantly, a musical intelligence and intuition that operates with a constant smile.”
Tickets: $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the the show.
Festival Noon Performance: Maurie Grafton and Friends
Maurie Grafton and Friends
Bluegrass, celtic, and old-time acoustic music on vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin and others!
By donation. Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
Festival Performance: Tough End String Band
Tough End String Band
The Tough End String Band serves up a spicy-hot acoustic brew concocted in Orono’s historically notorious Tough End neighborhood.
This group has fun entertaining audiences with the diversity of its selections: a tango evolves into surf rock; some 1930’s jazz song might follow a traditional fiddle medley; or a bluegrass tune is juxtaposed with White Stripes Formed almost 10 years ago in the lively pub scene that has re-emerged in Orono’s Tough End (a century after the area was filled with musicians, mills, taverns, and brothels), the band has expanded its performances to festivals, fairs, receptions, and other venues. In addition, it has produced three studio-recorded albums – and, during the pandemic, two full-length, online-concert videos.
The current TESB members include Anthony Viselli on fiddle and mandolin, Sam Furth on Guitar, and Susan Elias on upright bass.
Tickets: $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the the show.
Festival Noon Performance: The Snarkyz
The Snarkyz
Diana Quinn, Lisa Ann Wright, Nick Smiley and special mystery guests play a fun and eclectic mix of roots, Americana, standards and originals.
By donation. Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
Festival Noon Performance: Rick Barter and the Accidental Trio
Rick Barter and the Accidental Trio
Presenting a mix of Americana (folk, early rock, blues) and original tunes.
By donation. Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night
Join us for Open Mic Night - the first Tuesday of every month!
This monthly event gives new artists a chance to shine on stage, showcasing local talent. Musicians, bands, poets, performance artists and more are encouraged to join! All are welcome. This event is free, though donations are appreciated.
Hosted by Paula “Polly” DiGati
For more information, please contact:
doc.polly.blues@gmail.com
Festival Performance: Carolyn Gage’s Lace Curtain Irish
Carolyn Gage’s Lace Curtain Irish
A one-act play featuring Katie Migdal
Thirty-five years after the infamous Fall River axe murders, an Irish woman, working in her kitchen in Anaconda, Montana, opens a newspaper to read about the death of the alleged murderer, Lizzie Borden. The woman is Bridget Sullivan, the Bordens’ former maid. A gripping, solo, one-act that turns history on its head!
Join us after the show for a meet and greet with the playwright, Carolyn Gage.
Tickets: $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the the show.
Festival Performance: Contra Dance
Contra Dance with Willy Clemetson, Alice Slater, and Pepin Mittelhauser
All are welcome to come dance, whatever your age or ability. No partner or experience needed! Lively music from talented local musicians and instruction provided throughout. Come solo or bring friends and family!
We’ll take a breather halfway through for a social intermission—the perfect time to grab some water, share a snack, and meet your fellow dancers.
Tickets: $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the the show.
Children 12 and under always free.
Photo credit: Amy Brubaker
Willy Clemetson grew up in Belfast and is involved in a great many growing musical projects at home and abroad, including Northern Harmony and The Well Tree, and tours with Maine-based contra dance bands Springtide and Spintuition. Willy Clemetson has distinguished himself with his peaceful and powerful approach to music, with attention to detail balanced by deep connection to the community that music creates.
Alice Slater, originally from the UK, now lives locally in Surry and contra dance is her jam! She dances every weekend and loves sharing this joy with others, especially newcomers. Her warm and friendly teaching will have you moving and smiling all night.
Festival Performance: Things That Shouldn’t Move - A Puppet Slam
Things That Shouldn’t Move: A Puppet Slam
An evening of curated short-form puppetry acts intended for adult audiences with curator and host, Mark Lerman.
PG-13
Tickets: $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the the show.
Festival Noon Performance: The Daroll Whitney Ukelele Club
The Daroll Whitney Ukelele Club
Vocals, ukeleles, and other stringed or other instruments playing songs we like. An informal group of folks who enjoy making music together. Come hear our music and join in if you like!
By donation. Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
Festival Performance: Chameleon
Chameleon
Saxophonist Phillip Greenlief presents Chameleon, his new chamber jazz trio, featuring Ryan Blotnick (guitar) and Jonathan Henderson (acoustic and electric bass). These new compositions range from hard-bop blues to hybrid works that call upon folk music and contemporary classical traditions
Tickets: $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the the show.
Children 12 and under always free
Photo credit: Chuck Koton
Festival Noon Performance: Leonore and Brian
Leonore and Brian
Leonore and Brian are an eclectic folk duo, who write and play their own songs - nature, family, war and peace, and, of course, love songs. They have performed together over many years and recorded several CDs. Both are vocalists. Brian Dyer Stewart plays piano and guitar, Leonore Hildebrandt plays percussion and guitar.
By donation. Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
Festival Noon Performance: Barb and Tracy Lyman
Barb and Tracy Lyman
Piano and acoustic guitar duo playing favorites from the 60’s, 70’s and beyond.
By donation. Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
Festival Performance: Gordon Thomas Ward’s Mr. Harenten and the Serenity Ledge Picnic
Gordon Thomas Ward’s Mr. Harenten and the Serenity Ledge Picnic
Let your imagination soar with this delightful, multimedia presentation of the beloved children’s literature story Mr. Harenten and the Serenity Ledge Picnic. Author and award-winning songwriter Gordon Thomas Ward will transport you to a charmed woodland realm along the coast of Maine, right here in Winter Harbor, that is home to Mr. Harenten, a thoughtful and timid Snowshoe Hare, and an assortment of his animal friends.
Mr. Harenten dreams up the idea of having a grand picnic with his friends. When he realizes he’s created a predicament, his solution relies on devising a plan to overcome his fear of gathering clover behind the dark and imposing Ledge House. Mr. Ward guides the audience through the story with the help of projected images, puppets, storytelling, and live music.
Tickets: $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the the show.
Children 12 and under always free
Festival Performance: Chelsea Berry
Chelsea Berry
Dubbed “the Pink of folk music” by acclaimed singer songwriter Susan Werner, Chelsea’s shows are driven by her dynamic stage presence, heartfelt lyrics and stories, and masterful writing.
Tickets: $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the the show.
Festival Performance: Larry Smith: The Titanic and Grindstone
Larry Smith: The Titanic and Grindstone
Schoodic Arts for All and the Winter Harbor Historical Society Present Winter Harbor’s own Larry Smith in a talk about the connections between Grindstone and the Titanic.
Tickets: $10 suggested donation.
Proceeds to benefit Schoodic Arts for All and the Winter Harbor Historical Society
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the show.
Festival Noon Performance: Carl Karush
Carl Karush
Carl Karush on guitar, mandolin, Bulgarian tambura, vocals. Folk music - from country blues to southern appalachian to international Eastern European with a few originals thrown in.
By donation. Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
Festival Performance: Downeast Book Babes
Downeast Book Babes: From Ancient Rome to Downeast Maine—A reader’s Journey
The Downeast Book Babes present an evening of storytelling and poetry—a little mystery, a little history, haiku and tanka, some audience participation, and fun.
Tickets: $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Tickets available at the door 30 minutes prior to the the show.
Sherry Christie’s love affair with Ancient Rome started with Rosemary Sutcliff and Mary Renault. While she was busy writing for financial businesses, a Roman tale started unfolding in her imagination. It took years for the first scribbles to become Roma Amor, but book two (Amber Road) followed quickly, with a future book three hot on its heels. She lives in Jonesport. https://roma-amor.com
The award-winning author of a haiku collection and two short-story collections set Way Downeast, Catherine J.S. Lee continues to celebrate her coastal corner of Maine in stories, poems, and photographs. A high school educator, journalist, activist, and community-radio DJ, she still finds time to chase clouds and sunsets with her digital cameras, tend her perennial gardens, and be deeply involved in the local arts community.
Faye Weatherbee, author of the ongoing Blueberry Bay Cozy Mystery series, lives in a Downeast town very much like the one in her books—tossing in a glimpse of Maine history and a glimmer of magical realism as amateur sleuth Lisa and her clue-sniffing Havanese, Ziggy Starnose, find themselves fish out of water. Faye also shares her love of living here in her Substack series “Beyond the Page.” Like good mysteries, our event may harbor a reveal... https://fayeweatherbeebooks.com
Acclaimed poet, singer and songwriter Danielle Woerner and her husband Claude Johnson fell in love with the Downeast-Acadia region two decades ago. Since 2014, their Sunrise County Arts Institute in Milbridge has offered writing groups, concerts, singing lessons, and school drama activities. Danielle's poetry has been included in international journals and, closer to home, anthologies published by Resolute Bear Press (Robbinston) and the Eastport Arts Center, plus her own chapbook. https://daniellewoerner.com, Substack
Festival Noon Performance: The Carl Smith Playboys
The Carl Smith Playboys
Guitar duo playing a tribute to the country music of the Carl Smith Playboys.
By donation. Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
Festival Noon Performance: Carol Bailey String Band
Carol Bailey String Band
Our program this season is "We the People - Our Story in Song" in celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation. The songs drawn from this whole time tell our story and show the ways we gained and protected our rights and freedom. We love to have the audience sing with us as we celebrate what we need to do to keep the rights and freedom we cherish.
By donation. Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
About the Band - A program of the Litchfield Senior Center, the Carol Bailey String Band is an all-volunteer band, whose members come from more than a dozen towns. In their 60s through their 90s, band members discovered the timeless fun of making music together and of spreading joy to other people. They sing all kinds of music, once described as "music that everyone likes", and they play a wide range of instruments, including guitars, ukuleles, mandolins, harps, bass, cello, banjo, snare drum and other percussion instruments, and sometimes recorders, violins, harmonicas, and slide trombone--and they keep learning more instruments! The band has presented lively performances at the Schoodic Arts for All Summer Arts Festival, Franco American Heritage Center, schools, senior centers, assisted living facilities, grange halls, churches, community centers, and the Litchfield Fair.
Festival Opening Celebration - Ice Cream Social
Festival Opening Celebration - Ice Cream Social
Join us for an ice cream social to celebrate the opening of the 28th Schoodic Arts Festival!
With music by: Nate Andrew
Flea Market Flip Fundraiser: Auction Bidding Opens!
Help us keep the 'free' in free events! Donations are always welcome and appreciated.
We welcome volunteers. Please email info@schoodicartsforall.org or give us a call at 207-963-2569 to sign up.
Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night
Join us for Open Mic Night - the first Tuesday of every month!
This monthly event gives new artists a chance to shine on stage, showcasing local talent. Musicians, bands, poets, performance artists and more are encouraged to join! All are welcome. This event is free, though donations are appreciated.
Hosted by Paula “Polly” DiGati
For more information, please contact:
doc.polly.blues@gmail.com
Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night
Join us for Open Mic Night at Hammond Hall - the first Tuesday of every month!
This monthly event gives new artists a chance to shine on stage, showcasing local talent. Musicians, bands, poets, performance artists and more are encouraged to join! All are welcome. This event is free, though donations are appreciated.
For more information, please contact:
doc.polly.blues@gmail.com