Dance scholar Eugenia O’Brien of the Portland Ballet Company discusses the evening’s program featuring an National Endowment for the Arts/American Masterpiece Dance work by Twyla Tharp, “Sue’s Leg.” Precedes the 7:30 pm performance by Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.

Ovations Offstage pre-curtain lectures
are funded in part by the Maine Humanities Council 

$25 per person

Explore Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and its signature contemporary ballet style and technique with a rigorous class extending the skills of intermediate or advanced dancers with Jean-Philippe Malaty.

Jean-Philippe Malaty, Executive Director, has been instrumental in building Aspen Santa Fe Ballet from the ground up.  He was born in the Basque region of France, and recently became a United States citizen.  After receiving his degree in dance, he accepted scholarships to train at Europe’s prestigious Mudra (Maurice Béjart’s school in Brussels), and John Cranko’s ballet school in Stuttgart. At the invitation of David Howard, Jean-Philippe traveled to America to study at the David Howard Dance Center in New York City. He then performed soloist roles as guest artist with various companies throughout the U.S., including Joffrey II, Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Ballet Hispanico of New York, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He is in great demand as a guest teacher and has taught at schools and universities throughout the country.  Jean-Philippe is dedicated to asserting the prominence of the arts in the West, spearheading initiatives to bring dance into the community, and fostering programs that introduce children to the arts. He continues to provide invaluable creative assistance in all facets of the company’s operations. Jean-Philippe is equally proud to have forged a company based on an American ideal of energy, invention, popularity, eclecticism, and precision in what’s been called the “all star, no star” system.
 
“Dance is a celebration of the human spirit, and not a celebration of steps. Here at Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, we foster the spirit and the love of dance.” – Jean-Philippe Malaty

Click here to download a registration form.

Geared toward choral groups, participants explore vocal and breathing exercises, creative sound methods, vocal improvisation or beat-boxing, and group composition with Philip Hamilton and Kenny “The Human Orchestra” Muhammad.

Philip Hamilton and hip-hop artist Kenny Muhammad engage students with the beauty and power of the human voice through exercises that empower participants with their own uniquely personal form of cultural expression. The artists of Voices work directly with students and educators who attend the school-time performance. Only two workshops are available. 

Stefan Jackiw is only 24 but he is already a major rising star in the classical music world, following in the footsteps of his inspiration and fellow Harvard University graduate, Yo-Yo Ma. Music lover and Portland Ovations Board Member David Nicklas explores the three Brahms Sonatas that Stefan Jackiw will perform in the evening's recital. He will also present some brief biographical information about the artist.
Precedes the 7:30 pm performance by Stefan Jackiw.

Inspired by the great beauty and power of vocal music from all over the world, innovative composer and musician Philip Hamilton brings students the Voices project, a dynamic, pan-global concert of a cappella music. Known for his work with jazz and world music artists such as Pat Metheny and Gilberto Gil as well as collaborations with Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Rennie Harris Puremovement and Ronald K. Brown, Hamilton and his “vocal tribe” draw on vocal stylings and influences from around the globe to celebrate the transcendent power of the human voice. Hamilton’s “vocal tribe” draws on song stylings, rhythms, and influences from many cultures to celebrate the transcendent power of the human voice.

Download a registration form.

SUPPORTED BY

Explore the life of George Gershwin, one of America’s foremost composers who bridged tragic opera themes with contemporary issues of African-American life, causing Porgy & Bess to be scrutinized relentlessly for its controversial content. Lecture by Ellen Chickering from USM's School of Music.
Precedes the 8pm performance of Porgy & Bess. 

This variation on the popular Make a Little More Noise! series places special emphasis on creative recycling and instrument making. Students bring objects from home or make use of items provided by Eco Maine as raw materials for instruments and creating musical soundscapes.

Download the "Make a Little More Noise Goes Green!" Guide

Musicians/instructors from 317 Main Street Community Music Center located in Yarmouth will lead a lively discussion and musical demonstration about American acoustic music – its roots and how it has evolved from the early work of Bill Monroe to today’s emerging innovators such as Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers. Precedes the 8 pm performance by the Punch Brothers.

Young musicians form Maine-featured on the public radio broadcast of From the Top at Merrill Auditorium, taped on March 24- share their love of their instruments and music with your classroom.

From the Top – National Public Radio’s showcase for young musicians, hosted by acclaimed concert pianist Christopher O’Riley – will come to Portland Ovations for a live recording of the hit program on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 in Merrill Auditorium.  Portland Ovations is teaming with the producers of From the Top to identify talented young people from throughout Maine who are interested in applying to be showcased on the live taping, which will also feature renowned flutist Sir James Galway. The following FAQs explain how talented young musicians in Maine and beyond can apply and audition to perform at the live taping.

Who is eligible for From the Top?

Classical musicians ages 8 to 18 who have not yet graduated from high school.  Young performers can audition as soloists or small ensembles or as composers who have a piece they wish to have performed.  From the Top also considers applications from large ensembles.  While the show focuses mostly on the classical repertoire, from time to time other genres will be featured, especially if there is a connection with the heritage of the region in which the show is being taped.  For example, in Maine, a young fiddler or flutist in the French Canadian or Cape Breton Celtic traditions might also be considered.

Are there any scholarship opportunities connected with From the Top?

Yes.  Each year, From the Top and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation award approximately twenty $10,000 scholarships to pre-college classical musicians who appear on the show.  Students must demonstrate high levels of artistic achievement as well as financial need to be eligible for the award.  Interested applicants apply for the scholarship in tandem with their application to appear on the radio program.  More information about the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award can be found on the From the Top web site at www.fromthetop.org.

What is the timeline for casting Portland Ovations’ presentation of From the Top?

From the Top needs applicants to submit audition forms and recordings at least three to four months prior to the taping date.  This means all application materials should be received by From the Top no later than December 18, 2009 and preferably sooner.

How do musicians apply for consideration?

Musicians can submit an application and recording by mail.  The application can be downloaded at www.fromthetop.org.  There is a $20 application fee which can be paid online or by check.  The fee is waived for students with financial need who are also applying for From the Top’s Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award scholarship.

Where should applications be submitted?

Applications should be mailed to From the Top, 295 Huntington Avenue, Suite 201, Boston, MA 02115.

Will there be an opportunity for free studio recording sessions for musicians interested in recording audition CDs for From the Top?

Yes. Portland Ovations is collaborating with the Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) and the New England School of Communications to host free recording sessions in Bangor on Saturday, November 21 from 12 noon until 4pm in Gracie Theatre at Husson College. A piano will be available at the Gracie Theatre sessions for musicians whose auditions require it. A limited number of time slots remain available for these Bangor recording sessions. To schedule a session on November 21, contact Suzanne Nance at MPBN at 207.941.1010 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The From the Top recording sessions scheduled for Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) in Portland on Thursday, December 3 from 3 to 7 pm are fully booked. No recording time slots remain at PATHS. Young musicians who have been closed out of this recording opportunity are encouraged to contact MPBN to learn if any recording slots remain for the Bangor sessions on November 21.

Debbie Blunden-Diggs, artistic director of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC), gives an overview of the evening’s program and the company’s commitment to honoring the spirit and history of African-American dance. DCDC is recognized for possessing the world’s largest repertoire of works by African-American choreographers. Precedes the 8 pm performance by DCDC.

High school- and college-age intermediate and advanced dancers explore the Horton Technique as a basis for contemporary dance, led by members of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.

Download a registration form here.

Explore using movement in your classroom to engage and deepen students’ learning. You don’t have to be a dancer!  Join a member of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company for a 1-1/2-hour workshop to learn methods for integrating dance and creative movement into classroom curricula and presenting dance in a classroom setting.  One of the goals of the workshop is to improve student achievement by assisting teachers to be able to incorporate fine arts experiences in lesson plans.  $30 per person.   Limited Enrollment.  Contact hours are available.  To register, call or email Barri Lynn Moreau, Portland Ovations Director of Education and Outreach 207-773-3150 x3 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Dr. Elliott Schwartz, composer and retired Bowdoin music professor, discusses the new work commissioned by the St. Lawrence String Quartet from one of our country’s most prolific and controversial composers, John Adams, a New England native. Breaking down preconceptions about what classical music is and can be, Adams’s style attracts classical and new music lovers alike. Precedes the 7:30 pm performance by the St. Lawrence String Quartet.

The St. Lawrence String Quartet leads a masterclass or coaching activity with young Maine musicians recommended by our music education partners. Open to the public for observation.

Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall Portland Conservatory of Music Executive Director Dr. Deirdre McClure, an opera conductor, provides insight into how La Bohème went from page to stage to one of the most beloved and frequently staged operas of all. Dr. McClure also shares her opera conducting secrets during an interactive session. Precedes the 8 pm performance of La Bohème.

Join Skip Cole, Superintendent of Campobello International Park, and former parks superintendent of FDR’s home in Hyde Park, New York to discuss the longtime political relationship between the United States and Canada and their co-ownership and administration of Campobello, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s beloved getaway in New Brunswick, now an international park.  Broadening the view, our speakers Donald Soctomah, Passamaquoddy historian and author, and Jean Flahive will offer some additional cultural and historical perspectives on Campobello Island, Maine’s nearby neighbor to the north. Soctomah and Flahive have recently co-authored Remember Me: Tomah Joseph's Gift to Franklin Roosevelt.
Precedes the 8 pm performance by Ed Asner as FDR.

String quartet Brooklyn Rider is known for its creative programming and exciting collaborations with Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project and internationally acclaimed contemporary composers such as Zhou Long and Osvaldo Golijov. Dr. Dan Sonenberg speaks with Brooklyn Rider musician and composer Colin Jacobsen about his cultural and musical influences. Precedes the 8 pm performance by Brooklyn Rider.

Join Donna Cassidy, USM professor of American & New England Studies and Art History, for a discussion of the range of visual art programs tied to the New Deal through a digital slide show.  As the 1930s economic stimulus package, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal (1934-1941) provided employment for visual artists through diverse programs from the Index of American Design to the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration (FAP/WPA).  This lecture will give an overview of these programs with particular attention to the Treasury Section of Fine Arts which awarded commissions for over 1000 murals across the United States, including a dozen in Maine.  These public murals not only put artists to work but helped communities and the nation define themselves at an unstable economic and historical moment.

Cassidy’s articles on early twentieth-century American art and culture have appeared in Smithsonian Studies in American Art, American Art Journal, Winterthur Portfolio, and numerous anthologies and exhibition catalogues.  She is the author of Painting the Musical City: Jazz and Cultural Identity in American Art, 1910-1940 (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1997) and Marsden Hartley: Race, Region, and Nation (University Press of New England, 2005). A scholar of New England art, she served as editor for the art section of the Encyclopedia of New England (Yale University Press, 2005). She was awarded the USM Trustee Professorship for 2005-2006 for a new research project on transnationalism and American modernist art.  As part of this project, she is working on a book and exhibition entitled Beyond the Northern Border: U.S. Artists in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, 1880-1940.

Contact PortTix at 207-842-0800 for tickets to Portland Ovations’ presentation of Ed Asner as FDR, Friday, March 5, 2010 in Merrill Auditorium.

Pre-performance lectures are funded in part by a grant from the Maine Humanities Council.

Cape Verdeans have been in Maine for generations.  Join George Hillman, one of the contributors to Maine’s Visible Black History with family history back four generations from Cape Verde, to learn more about this interesting country and its cultural influences.  Precedes the 8 pm Maria de Barros performance.

Sample some eclectic music of Brooklyn Rider at the Hannaford Supermarket in Portland. Meet the quartet in the deli/bakery area of the store. Check out their CDs. Maybe get an autograph before you attend the concert on Saturday night at USM Hannaford Hall

This event has been cancelled.

Vancouver’s ScrapArtsMusic is an unparalleled sonic and visual experience, rooted in street performance, jazz, and world music traditions, using one-of-a kind instruments handcrafted from industrial scrap. Fueled by the same genius that produced the likes of Blue Man Group and Stomp, ScrapArtsMusic delivers a highly physical, power-packed percussion performance with great theatrical flair. This performance features original music, an introduction to “scrap” instruments, insight into Scrap Arts’s music and choreography, audience interaction, and a question-and-answer period. 

Download a registration form.

Download the ScrapArtsMusic Study Guide.

Explore the creative process using recycled objects, led by ScrapArtsMusic artistic director, composer and instrument maker Gregory Kozak. This is a professional development workshop for teachers or hands-on tour of ScrapArtsMusic’s innovative instruments for one classroom of students. The origins and inspirations for ScrapArtsMusic’s instruments and music are discussed, plus participants are able to create their own “found sounds”. Workshop takes place on Merrill stage immediately following the School-Time Performance. (Student workshop suggested for grades 4 and higher.) 

A lively panel discussion with ScrapArtsMusic, EcoMaine, and Reverb to promote awareness of “greening” any organization.  These professionals work to find solutions to sustain the environment; join in the discussion.  Precedes ScrapArtsMusic 7 pm performance. 

Learn more about pre- and post-apartheid South Africa and how political change has influenced the Soweto Gospel Choir and its mission, from Portland resident Tim Honey, visitor to and volunteer in South Africa since the 1960s.
Precedes the Soweto Gospel Choir 7 pm performance.

How do you find your voice, in music, in writing, or in life? And how can your voice transform the words you put down on a page? Discuss these and other questions related to writing and music with two innovative artists who love to communicate through voice. Learn more about their creative process and the musical and literary influences, cultures, and life experiences that continue to inspire them.
 
This free workshop is open to students in 6th-12th grade. To reserve your spot visit www.tellingroom.org or call (207) 774-6064 with questions. This workshop is limited to 20 students.
 
"Voices" is often compared to productions like Stomp, Bring in da Noise, and Def Poetry Jam, and it celebrates the versatility and diversity of a common human instrument, the Voice. Hamilton's music has been hailed as "powerful" and "explosive" by the New York Times, and renowned beat-box artist Kenny "The Human Orchestra" Muhammad is a veteran of performances with the New York Symphony Orchestra, Public Enemy, Vernon Reid, and more.

Co-Sponsored by The Telling Room and Portland Ovations

Connect with members of the Grammy® Award winning Soweto Gospel Choir at an in-store appearance at Bull Moose Music on Thursday, February 4 at 12:15 pm. Spend your lunch break with live music and DVD/CD signing!

The in-store appearance is a collaboration between Portland Ovations and

Photographs by Jan Pieter van Voorst van Beest, Text by Pat Nyhan, Foreword by Reza Jalali

Who are these new Mainers, and why have they come here? They are from war-torn countries such as Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Cambodia; from poor Latin American nations; and from economically vibrant places like Hong Kong, India, and Europe—in other words, from across the global spectrum. They came to Maine for a job or to reunite with their family or because they fell in love or to attend college here or to flee persecution in their homelands. Please join Reza Jalali, who teaches at the University of Southern Maine and manages the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, and others as they discuss New Mainers: Portraits of Our Immigrant Neighbors. During the renovation of the Main Library, please join us for this program at Community Television Network, 516 Congress Street (just a few blocks from the Library).

Free and open to the public

Feel free to bring your lunch. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.

Made possible with the generous support of the Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust.
Books on sale courtesy of Longfellow Books.
Brown Bag Lecture coffee sponsor: Coffee by Design.

POSTPONED: The Brown Bag Lecture series of book discussions with Reza Jalili and contributors to New Mainers: Portraits of Our Immigrant Neighbors, a collaboration between the Portland Public Library and Portland Ovations, meeting on Tuesday, January 5, 12, and 19th from 10:30-noon.

To sign up for the discussion series or for more information about the upcoming re-scheduled discussion times, contact Sandy at the PPL  207-871-1700 x758. http://www.portlandlibrary.com/programs/brownbag.htm

Ovations Offstage lectures are funded in part by funding from the Maine Humanities Council.

The highly successful Make a Little More Noise workshop series returns with pre- or post-performance, hands-on classroom workshops that explore the potential of the human body and “found” objects as percussion instruments. Mime, musician, composer, theater artist, and educator Jerry Sanders leads the workshops.

Join composer Dr. Elliott Schwartz as he discusses the afternoon’s repertoire of pianist Peter Serkin, one of America’s finest pianists, known for his command of four centuries of classical music and his passionate advocacy for contemporary composers. Precedes Peter Serkin’s 3 pm recital.

Tom Ayres, an expert on American folk music and culture, reflects on the impact of and renewed interest in American folk music forms over the past 50 years. Precedes the performance by Arlo Guthrie & Family at 8pm.

Join a taiko drummer and teacher who will give students and teachers a hands-on experience with taiko drums and the history of this colorful ever-changing art form. Liz Berg will share her journey with taiko drums starting in California in 2001, when she began studying with Grand Master Seiichi Tanaka, at the San Francisco Taiko Dojo. Currently living in Portland, she teaches taiko classses at the Taiko Maine Dojo, as well as at Colby and Bates College 

Gain insights into the Japanese history and folklore surrounding taiko drums from a student of this ancient but evolving form of percussion. From the making of taiko drums to drumming groups, this form has many adherents in Maine and around the United States. Join a taiko drummer for an informative lecture on the beginnings of taiko drumming and teaching this form to students.

Performing on a mind-altering array of traditional percussion instruments large and small, including massive, barrel-like odaiko drums six feet in diameter, the men and women of Yamato present a heart-pounding spectacle of athleticism, grace, precision and exhilarating musical expertise. Founded in 1993 in Nara, considered the birthplace of Japanese culture, the master drummers of Yamato bring the ancient art of taiko drumming resoundingly to young audiences worldwide. 

Download the Yamato Study Guide

Download a registration form.

Fritz Grobe – Maine native, former director of Celebration Theater, and Cirque Mechanics alumnus – dazzles us with an insider’s view of the process of bringing a cirque nouveau performance from concept to life. Precedes the performance by Cirque Mechanics at 7 pm.

Teams of students, working with Cirque Mechanics artists, use the tools of physics, history, and art to recreate scenes from everyday life at school. Students will be guided in scriptwriting, choosing music, and performing. (Suggested for grades 6-12)

Advanced and pre-professional theater and circus artists increase their skill and technique with the circus arts, learning from and inspired by the cirque nouveau artists of Cirque Mechanics.

For more information and to register, contact Trace Salter at 207.319.7734 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Maine composer Dr. Elliott Schwartz speaks about the music to be performed by Joshua Bell, who will take the Merrill stage for a 7:30 pm performance.

Dance educator and choreographer Nancy Salmon looks at the creative process of Pilobolus, the unique dance company begun back in the 1970s at Dartmouth College. Pilobolus thrills audiences with ingenious choreography, daring physicality, and raw athleticism, all spiced with a hefty dose of humor. Precedes the Pilobolus performance at 8 pm.

Participants discover how anyone can create dance – and how anyone who has something to say can do so through movement. This class can be structured for experienced dancers or gymnasts.

Download a registration form here.

Supported by Center for Cultural Exchange, National Endowment for the Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, the Maine Arts Commission and the Maine Humanities Council.

PCA Offstage activities are made possible with support from the Maine Arts Commission and the Maine Humanities Council

VERY LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE, ACT NOW FOR TICKETS!

Click here to download registration form

Click here to download the flyer for our School Time Performances

Students celebrate Black History Month with this engaging concert that honors two of America’s great civil rights leaders: US Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. and author Dr. Maya Angelou. Known collectively as A Civil Rights Reader, Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR)’s original compositions are the foundation for a spellbinding performance by this twenty-first century musical pioneer that includes the actual voices of these American giants in excerpts from their famous speeches and poems. Performing will be DBR along with his quartet, the SQ Unit on the violin, viola, and cello. Dedicated to creating socially and politi- cally conscious music DBR blends funk, hip-hop, and classical music to create a personal sonic vision that critics have described as “revolutionary.” Rich with cultural references, his works range from classical scores and energetic chamber works to rock songs and electronica. Connects to Maine Learning Results in Music a–e; Language Arts a2, d, e, and f; Social Studies Eras in US History; Cross-Content Connections in English Language Arts with Social Studies, Career/Education Development, and VPA. A study guide and interactive resources will be available on our website and at iTunes University K-12, coming soon to Maine.

Click here to download study guide

Reminders—WE ARE EXPECTING A FULL HOUSE! 1. Plan to arrive early—ESPECIALLY if you are arriving with a large group. PCA staff will greet large groups with buses and check in your group.
2. There are no tickets to this performance. Schools/groups will be seated by ushers. Seating assignments have been arranged by PCA staff based on your reservation sheet numbers and accessibility needs. Contact person for home school groups and individuals can check in at the table in the lobby and then will be escorted to their seats.
3. Review with your group the location of exits, the exit procedures, audience expectations, and bathroom locations.
4. Inform PCA Great Performances if anyone in your group needs special accessibility seating accommodations or hearing devices before your group arrives at Hannaford Hall. (Call Director of Education Barri Lynn Moreau immediately if you have changes 207-773-3150 x227)
5. Seat your group first before bringing students to restrooms. All students must be accompanied by a teacher or chaperone.
6. There is no intermission in this performance. LATE SEATING may or may not be allowed at the discretion of DBR.
7. At the end of the performance, PLEASE ask students and teachers to remain in their seats until your school is dismissed from a representative on stage. In most cases, your group will be dismissed according to the order of busses parked on Belmont Street.

BUS TRANSPORTATION & PARKING FOR LARGE GROUPS You can drop off large groups on Bedford Street in front of Abromson Center and then park busses across from Hannaford Supermarket in the Back Cove Parking lot. Individual cars can be parked in the parking garage next to the center.

Please note in the event of school cancellations due to inclement weather.
If the PCA event is presented as scheduled, we are contractually obligated to pay the performers. PCA PERFORMANCES ARE NOT CANCELLED UNLESS THE CITY OF PORTLAND CALLS AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN. QUESTIONS? Call PCA for updates or consult our website. 207-773-3150 http://www.pcagreatperformances.org

Etiquette for live performances · Arrive at the venue well in advance of the scheduled curtain time to avoid disturbing the performers or other patrons – and to avoid missing a moment.
· Keep food or drink out of the auditorium.
· Be as quiet as possible during the performance so that you and your fellow audience members can hear everything that goes on.
· Show your enthusiasm with applause at the end of a performance or, if the artists ask, with active participation.
· Try to stay in your seat for the entire performance unless there is an emergency.
· Turn off mobile phones or pagers before the performance begins.
· Backpacks or other large bags are not allowed inside most venues
· Please consider carefully whether a performance will be appropriate for infants or young children.

PCA's School-time Performances are made possible in part with support from Bank of America, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation, Fisher Charitable Foundation, and the Hudson Foundation.

VERY LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE, ACT NOW FOR TICKETS!

Click here to download registration form

Click here to download the flyer for our School Time Performances

Led by choreographer Jacques Heim of Cirque de Soleil, Diavolo redefines dance through dynamic movement, creative expression, the inventive use of sets and props, and innovative musical selections. Beyond its spectacular movement, Diavolo uses the kinesthetic power of dance to explore the sciences of the body and physics along with principles of trust, teamwork, and individual expression. Connects to Maine Learning Results in Dance; Science (The Physical Setting – Force and Motion d4) Pre-K–2, 3–5, 9–diploma; and Cross-Content Connections in Health and Physical Education with Math, Science, and Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). A study guide and interactive resources will be available on our website and at iTunes University K-12, coming soon to Maine.

Click here to download study guide

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PATRONS OF THE DIAVOLO SCHOOL-TIME PERFORMANCE
Directions to Merrill Auditorium

Reminders—WE ARE EXPECTING A FULL HOUSE!

1. Plan to arrive early—by 9:30 am ESPECIALLY if you are arriving with a large group; SHOW STARTS AT 10:30am and will end at 11:30am.
2. There are no tickets to this performance. Schools and groups will be seated by ushers. Seating assignments have been arranged by Portland Facilities Division staff. Contact person for home school groups and individuals can check in at the table in the lobby and then will be escorted to their seats.
3. Review with your group the location of exits, the exit procedures, audience expectations, and bathroom locations.
4. Inform PCA Great Performances if anyone in your group needs special accessibility seating accommodations or hearing devices before your group arrives at Merrill. (Call Director of Education Barri Lynn Moreau immediately if you have changes 207-773-3150 x227)
5. Seat your group first before bringing students to restrooms. All students must be accompanied by a teacher or chaperone.
6. There is no intermission in this performance. LATE SEATING may or may not be allowed at the discretion of Diavolo dance company.

BUS TRANSPORTATION & PARKING FOR LARGE GROUPS
Myrtle Street will be closed to general traffic. If you are traveling by bus, please make sure you and your students stay on the bus until a Portland facilities representative boards your bus to give your contact person the seating assignment and your entrance/exit location. At the end of the performance, PLEASE ask students and staff to remain in their seats until your school is dismissed from a representative on stage. In most cases, your group will be exiting through the doorway you entered and will be dismissed according to the order of buses parked on Myrtle Street.

Community Outreach
Introduction


“Art increases the sense of our common humanity.”  

                                                                       Michael Chabon, American author

Live art is a vital expression of the human experience and condition. Ovations Offstage believe that the understanding, appreciation and relevancy of the performing arts are enhanced through humanities-based lectures, meet-the-artist opportunities, and artistic residencies coupled with interactive or web-based resources linked to our community’s needs. Community outreach places artists and their art forms in historical, literary, cultural, aesthetic and social contexts. Through diverse activities, events, and suggested resources, it is our hope that audiences of all ages and backgrounds will invite the arts and humanities into their lives, share their experiences with others, and make them a vehicle for life-long learning and exploration of the different cultural views of the arts.

“I am sure that only art will bring together all the peoples of the world.”

                                                    Ousmane Dia artist and sculptor from Senegal



The 2009-10 season offers two broad-based themes to connect performances:
  Traverser la Frontière
Traverser la Frontière focuses on our shared arts and cultural heritage with Canada. It looks at the different art forms that flourish in Canada and resonate with Mainers through their own cultural heritages. Ovations Offstage presents family series theater with Stellaluna from Toronto and the puppet theater of Goodnight Moon & The Runaway Bunny from Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia; Ed Asner as “FDR”, based on Sunrise at Campobello; the St. Lawrence String Quartet, originally from Banff; cirque nouveau from Montréal’s Cirque Mechanics; and Toronto’s Scrap Arts Music.
PCA is grateful to the government of Canada for providing funding support for the Traverser la Frontière series.
Maine and Its Ties to Africa
Maine and Its Ties to Africa explores cultural influences brought to our state from a continent filled with diversity. The series explores how artists view their relationship with their African-American heritage or the rich cultural influences from the African diaspora. Ovations Offstage presents the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company;  the joyous, powerful sounds of Soweto Gospel Choir; Cape Verdean songstress Maria de Barros; Philip Hamilton’s compelling “Voices”; and the powerful opera Porgy & Bess.  
Ovations Offstage is grateful to the following for their funding support for the Maine and Its Ties to Africa community outreach activities: the National Endowment for the Arts, the New England Foundation for the Arts’ “Expeditions” program, and the Travelers Foundation, the charitable arm of Travelers.