Brewer Youth Theatre tackles Sondheim show

Hearing from Brewer Middle School coordinator Rich Kimball about the Brewer Youth Theatre’s latest activities always makes me smile, and his latest letter was no exception.

BYT will present “Into the Woods” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, and Friday, Nov. 14, and at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Brewer Middle School Auditorium, 5 Somerset St.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors, and are available at the door.

“This is, by far, the most challenging piece we’ve ever attempted,” Kimball wrote of the award-winning play with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim that debuted on Broadway in 1987.

In fact, he added, most school productions feature “the student version, but our actors decided, right away, that they wanted to do the full Broadway show.”

Kimball’s letter also contained a caution for parents.

“The theme of the show is fairly dark, so it may not be appropriate for young children who might be scared by witches, giants and big, bad wolves.”

Kimball wrote that the students have been working on the songs since early September with music director Clayton Smith, and that they “have worked incredibly hard at learning these very difficult Sondheim numbers.”

The 23-member cast features senior Paul Morrow as the baker and junior Sarah Hodgins as his wife.

Juniors Khalan Bridges and Abbie Armstrong are Jack and his mother; Megan Fraser is Little Red Riding Hood; and Ashley Austin is Cinderella.

Senior Emily Strang will appear as the witch, played by Bernadette Peters in the Broadway production.

With costumes by Sandy Hodgins, the set by Don Stanhope and Kate Doyle, and artistic talents contributed by “an army of students,” Kimball expects this to be a very memorable show.

Table rental for artisans and crafters is $20 for the holiday craft fair 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, in the cafeteria of St. Joseph Hospital, 360 Broadway in Bangor. If you are interested in renting space, call Vicky Donaldson, 262-1860. There is no admission to attend.

The Mount Desert Island Hospital Auxiliary Christmas boutique, fair and luncheon are taking place this week.

The boutique is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, and Friday, Nov. 14, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Bar Harbor Gift Shop, 113 Main St. Boutique items include nearly new clothing, handbags and accessories.

The Christmas fair and luncheon is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at the Masonic Hall on High Street in Bar Harbor. It will include a $50 door prize, raffle items, handicrafts, white elephant items, baked goods and homemade fudge, pies and sandwiches. Boutique and fair items can be left at the home of Eva Davis, 9 Mountain Ave., Bar Harbor.

For more information, call Jackie Agnese at 276-3278, or Cheri Belsan at 288-9950.

Kathy Connolly reports that members of the Central High School Class of 2004 Project Graduation Committee is hosting a craft fair 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at CHS on the Main Road in Corinth.

“We are still in need of crafters for this event,” Connolly wrote.

You are asked to reserve your space by Saturday, Nov. 15. You can do so by calling 327-1325 or 285-3517.

On behalf of the Hancock County Medical Mission, board member Debbie Cox invites you to a sweater sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, in the Cafeteria Conference Room of Blue Hill Memorial Hospital in Blue Hill.

The sale features hand-knit sweaters made at an Ecuadorean women’s cooperative. Sweater prices range from $25 to $45. For many of the Ecuadorean families, the sale of the sweaters is their main source of income.

The nonprofit HCMM arranges a yearly trip to Ecuador or Bolivia during which local volunteer medical practitioners and support staff provide free medical and surgical care to those unable to afford it.

Proceeds from the sweater sale are used by HCMM to purchase medical supplies. HCMM also provides scholarships for high school students to join the mission as translators.

For those making plans to participate in or attend the annual Bangor Rotary Festival of Lights Parade I wrote about recently, I just want you to know I hit the wrong key when typing the parade start time.

It begins at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, on the corner of Buck and Main streets, and proceeds through downtown Bangor. For more information, call Deb Farnham at 848-0829.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.