Bangor

Original dance, drama by high school students

Students in seven academic classes from three area high schools – Brewer High School, Hampden Academy and John Bapst Memorial High School – have been working for several weeks with Maine artists to create original dance and drama pieces.

They will perform their work for the public 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 120 Park St., Bangor.

The students’ collaborative work is part of “Building Community Through the Arts,” organized by the Maine Alliance for Arts Education. The regional program, now in its ninth year, brings professional choreographers and playwrights into classrooms in high schools throughout Penobscot and Piscataquis counties to help students create group works which combine curricular themes with issues the students want to address.

The social studies classes of Jason O’Reilly at John Bapst and Meredith O’Reilly’s English class at Brewer High School are working with theater artist Cathy Plourde.

Jeremy Phelps’ drama class at Brewer High School is working with theater artist Amanda Huotari.

At Hampden Academy, Sam Manhart’s communications class and Ben Aldridge’s music theory class are working with dance educator Katenia Keller, and an English class of teacher Lisa Scofield is working with dance educator Sarah McCormick.

For most of the students, it is their first experience in creative theater and dance. Also participating on April 3 are classes from Dexter Regional High School, Penquis Valley High School in Milo and Piscataquis Community High School in Guilford.

Admission is free. Building Community Through the Arts is supported this year by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Frances Hollis Brain Foundation and the Robbins-de Beaumont Foundation. A detailed schedule will be available by Saturday, March 29, at www.maineartseducation.org.

Hermon

Two arts benefits

The last weekend in March will go out with the roar of the crowd at two arts benefits planned in Hermon.

The Hermon Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association will sponsor a talent show at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 28, in the school gymnasium.

Students from kindergarten through fourth grade will present more than 20 acts, including singing, dancing, instrumental music, gymnastics and magic. Some staff members also will perform.

Donations will be accepted at the door to help replace the stage curtains and repair some of the lighting at the school, according to Kim Nichols of the PTA.

“The goal is to give students an opportunity to showcase their talents on stage and, most importantly, help them develop an appreciation of the performing arts,” Nichols said. “What better way to do that than to give them a microphone, an audience and an opportunity to have fun onstage?”

Next, the Hermon Arts Boosters will sponsor a benefit concert by Flash in the Pans, a community steel band from the Blue Hill Peninsula. The concert will be held 7-9 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at Morgan Hill Event Center on Route 2.

The concert will benefit the formation of a steel pan (drum) program in Hermon. Admission is $4 for children under 12, $6 for adults and children over 12, and $15 maximum for a family. Information is available by calling 848-7100.

Members of Flash in the Pans have performed benefit concerts for the past 18 years as part of their mission to spread the tradition of performing and sponsoring steel drum (pan) music throughout the Blue Hill Peninsula and beyond, and in the process, strengthening a tradition of community-based live music.

John Kollman, choral music teacher at Hermon High School who performs with Flash in the Pans, said that steel pan music originated in Trinidad, where descendants of slaves made instruments out of oil drums. The music is accessible, Kollman said, because the pans are relatively easy to play, meaning players of all musical abilities can make music together.

“Steel pan music is for everyone,” he said.

Holden

Fields Pond classes

Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden will offer these classes:

. Children’s drawing class for those ages 4-10, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 5, at Fields Pond. Teacher is Carolyn Wallace-Zani. The cost, one adult and one child, is $10 members, $12 others. Parents participate, too. Bring favorite art supplies.

. Art lessons for adults, drawing from nature, 11 a.m.-noon or 1:30-2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at Fields Pond. Teacher Carolyn Wallace-Zani. The cost is $10 per lesson for members, $12 others. Bring a regular school pencil, sketch pad, eraser and your enthusiasm for drawing and nature.

. Penobscot Valley chapter program: “The Feeding Ecology of Balaenopterid Whales in the Gulf of Maine,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 3, at Fields Pond. Presenter is Sean Todd, director and senior scientist, Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic. Free.

. Downeast Island boat trip 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 5, at Schoppee Point Boat Launch. Rain date is Sunday, April 6. Leaders are Norman Famous and Judy Markowsky. The cost is $30 members, $35 others. Pre-registration and payment is required. Space is limited by boat size. To carpool, meet at Fields Pond Audubon Center at 6:15 a.m. Meet the boat at 8:30 a.m. at Schoppee Point boat launch near Roque Bluffs State Park.

. Fields Pond Book Discussion Group: “Stirring the Mud: On Swamps, Bogs and the Human Imagination” by Barbara Hurd, 7 p.m. Thursday, April 10, Dirigo Pines, Orono. Discussion leader is Joyce Rumery. Free. Call 866-3400 for directions.

. Restoring a Landscape, Restoring Community, writing workshop and discussion for adults and young writers, noon-4 p.m. Saturday, April 12, Eddington Salmon Club, Eddington. Presenters are Cheryl Daigle and Holly Twining. The cost is $5 members, $6 others. Pre-registration required. All ages welcome.

Call 989-2591 or e-mail htwining@maineaudubon.org for information or to register.