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Bangor

End the War-Build the Peace

A solemn ceremony mourning the loss of resources and lives to the war in Iraq will highlight the End the War, Build the Peace rally at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Paul Bunyan Park.

After a tolling of bells by area churches, a reading of the names of some of the Iraq war dead will be introduced by Mary Alice Horrigan of Dedham, a Gold Star mother who lost her son in Iraq on June 17, 2005.

Participants may lie down to represent the war dead or stand as mourners as bagpipes are played. They will be surrounded by banners created by Bar Harbor residents Patty Ryan and Dee Karnovsky with the names of the U.S. war dead.

Peter Baldwin of Brooks will introduce a replica of Lady Liberty, lying in state to represent the loss of liberties. The replica was part of the Kennebunkport “Stop the War” rally last August when 4,000-6,000 participants marched to the Bush compound. Baldwin will urge participants to join in a reading of parts of the Declaration of Independence “to help revitalize and resurrect her.”

Participants will be invited to rise up with signs and symbols representing alternatives to war, such as health care, housing, education, a clean and sustainable environment and cooperation. Signs and posters will be available.

Area choirs Voices for Peace and Women with Wings will sing together to affirm commitment to peace and a vision for a sustainable future. Participants will line Main Street in a “Chain of Concern.”

Before the ceremony, singer-songwriter David McLean of Lincolnville will perform his song, “The Circle is Broken.” His song is on the recently released “Songs of Peace and Songs of Protest from Maine Musicians for Peace” CD.

The economic costs of war will be presented by students with 10 banners produced by the American Friends Service Committee, each showing what the funding of one day of war could provide in services.

Participants are encouraged to walk, bike or use alternative forms of transportation to the event to raise awareness about the need for a sustainable environment to prevent wars.

Co-sponsors include Military Families Speak Out, Bangor Chapter of Veterans for Peace, From Every Village Green, Pax Christi, Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, Peace and Justice Center of Northern Maine, Work for Peace, Midcoast Peace and Justice, Peace and Justice Group of Waldo County, St. Francis Community, Radio Free Maine, Maine Peace Action Committee, Island Peace and Justice, Peninsula Peace and Justice, Peace Action Maine, and Waterville Bridges for Peace.

To volunteer as a co-sponsor or to obtain information, call 942-9343.

Fellowship contra dance

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor invites people of all ages to its second annual Fall-into-Fellowship contradance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, 120 Park St.

Caller Chrissy Fowler and musicians Adam Broome, Jaige Trudel and Glen Loper will spark new and experienced dancers to kick up their heels in the beautifully remodeled Dorothy Memorial Hall.

Beginners’ lessons will be given at 7 p.m. No partners are needed, just bring clean shoes, socks or bare feet ready to dance. Admission is $5, $12 family. For information call Suzanne Kelly, 942-0897.

Classes in theatrical arts

Penobscot Theatre is accepting enrollment in its Dramatic Academy, a curriculum of courses to inform, instruct and inspire future actors in theatrical arts. Classes will be held at the Bangor Opera House.

. Acting Studio, 6-8 p.m. Mondays. Series one: Sept 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, and Nov. 5 and 12. Series two: Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, and 25, and March 3. For adults and those age 17 and older, taught by Scott R.C. Levy, Penobscot Theatre’s producing artistic director. Study scene and monologue. $200, includes viewing of final dress rehearsal of play in production.

. Musical Theater, 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays. Series one: Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, and Nov. 6, 13, 20 and 27. Series two: Feb. 26, March 4, 11, 18, 25, and April 1. For ages 12-21, with Nathan Halvorson, PTC resident director. Students will practice and perfect their personal musical performance. Series one, $200. Series two, $150.

. Between the Lines, 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesdays. Session two: “Tale of The Allergist’s Wife,” Oct. 17, 24 and Nov. 3. Session three: “Peter Pan,” Dec. 5, 12 and 19. Session four: “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” Jan. 30, Feb. 6 and 13. Session five: “Little Shop of Horrors,” March 12, 19 and 26. Session six: “Night of the Iguana,” April 30, May 7 and 14. For all ages. Three sessions, $40. All sessions, $200.

To enroll in the Penobscot Theatre Company’s Dramatic Academy, call the theater box office at 942-3333 or e-mail education@penobscottheatre.org.

Brewer

Visit by ‘Hannibal Hamlin’

Hannibal Hamlin is coming to Brewer.

Richard Newcomb of Hampden, who has been studying and portraying Abraham Lincoln’s first vice president for several years, will be featured during the program of the Brewer Historical Society at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, at the Clewley Museum, 199 Wilson St. Refreshments will be served, and all are welcome.

Holden

Class on mushrooms

Calling all fungi lovers. Greg Marley, founder of Mushrooms for Health, will present a mushroom class at Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden. “Identifying Maine Mushrooms” is a lecture and field class packed into one fun day of learning. Lecture and discussion will be interspersed with outdoor identification and exploration. The class also will head to the kitchen for cooking and tasting mushroom samples.

With a focus on the wonders of wild mushrooms, the class will build skills and knowledge needed to identify common mushroom species.

Mushrooms for Health, Marley’s company, provides education and health-promoting products made with Maine medicinal mushrooms.

“Identifying Maine Mushrooms: An Introductory Class on Wild Mushrooms” will be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, at Fields Pond Audubon Center. The cost is $40 members, $45 others. Preregistration is required by calling 989-2591 or e-mailing htwining@maineaudubon.org.

Orono

Family star shows

The Maynard F. Jordan Planetarium, Wingate Hall, University of Maine, will present three family star shows in October. Two of the programs use the Jordan Planetarium’s new Omnidome system to surround visitors with the panoramic views and action of full-dome video.

Encounter the solar system’s most elegant planet, Saturn, in an all new way at 7 p.m. Fridays at “Ring World Omnidome.” Travel with the Cassini probe as it explores the stunning planet, including its rings, moons and recent updates of the mission in progress.

Delve into the mysteries of extraterrestrial life at 7 p.m. Saturdays in “The X-Tra Terrestrial Files.” Join special agents as they investigate some unusual activity happening in the Midwest, and decide if the existence of extraterrestrial life is possible or just a myth.

Experience the Earth in a whole new way through “Earth’s Wild Ride Omnidome” at 2 p.m. Sundays. The program uses the new Omnidome system to take a spectacular ride through some of Earth’s past turbulent events. Young visitors will enjoy the story told through eyes of a grandfather talking to his grandchildren on a futuristic moon colony.

Shows are about one hour long and include a tour of Maine’s fall night sky. Admission is $3 and seating is limited, so reservations are recommended. For information, reservations or questions, call 581-1341 or visit the Jordan Planetarium online at www.galaxymaine.com.

Concert for Clean Clothes

The Bangor Clean Clothes Campaign, the Maine Peace Action Committee, the Progressive Student Alliance and SweatFree Communities will sponsor live music by the San Francisco-based Valerie Orth Band at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at the Bear Brew Pub, 36 Main St. The cost is $5.

Off-stage, Orth has been working to stop sweatshops through “sweat-free” laws for the past three years, both in San Francisco and nationally, which brings her to Maine where the first state sweat-free law was passed in 2001.

While celebrating Maine’s leadership in the Clean Clothes Campaign, music lovers and community activists will thank Gov. John Baldacci for his leadership in the movement and urge him to step up his commitment to end public purchasing from sweatshops.

It also will be a night to learn about what activists in other parts of the country are doing to end sweatshops.

For information, call PICA at 947-4203.

Areawide

Tour’ of Hook organs

Organist Kevin Birch of St. John’s Catholic Church in Bangor will offer a tour in sights and sounds of representative organs by E&GG Hook in the state of Maine at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 1, at Stockton Springs Community Church. The church has an 1847 E&GG Hook organ.

Birch gave a similar presentation in Berlin, Germany, this past summer.

The program is sponsored by the Stockton Springs Historical Society, the Stockton Springs Sesquicentennial committee and the Bangor Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

Since 1992 Birch has been music director at St. John’s Catholic Church in Bangor, where, in addition to choir training and service playing, he is director of St. John’s Organ Society, dedicated to the preservation of the church’s 1860 E&GG Hook organ.

Birch is a member of the faculty at the University of Maine School of the Performing Arts, where he teaches organ and harpsichord. He has performed organ recitals throughout the United States, in Europe, South America and for three national conventions of the Organ Historical Society.

His performances include the recently released “Exsultate: Sacred Choral and Organ Music with the Chamber Choir at St. John’s in Bangor.”