For the past 10 years, O’Donovan has fronted the alt-bluegrass/string band Crooked Still, which she formed when she was 18. She has toured in 10 different countries, performed with the Boston Pops and the Utah Symphony Orchestra and has appeared on countless radio and television programs.
A release about the show describes her career as follows:
Aoife (pronounced EEF-ah) grew up in a musical family, immersed in folk music. She went on to study contemporary improvisation at the New England Conservatory of Music in her hometown of Boston.
Since her first professional engagement singing lead for the folk group The Wayfaring Strangers, she has maintained a wide variety of side projects and collaborations, working with numerous other artists including Ollabelle, Sometymes Why, Karan Casey and Seamus Egan, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Darol Anger, Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins, Christina Courtin, Noam Pikelny and Chris Thile (The Punch Brothers).
Most recently she has recorded and performed with Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan and Chris Thile as a guest vocalist on “The Goat Rodeo Sessions.”
Her natural talent for songwriting recently came to the attention of Alison Krauss, who recorded Aoife’s song “Lay My Burden Down,” which is included on Krauss’ album “Paper Airplane” and can also be heard in the film “Get Low.”
In June 2010, O’Donovan released her first solo recording in the form of a limited edition 7-inch vinyl, titled “Peachstone.”
Tickets cost $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For more information, call 761-1757 or visit www.OneLongfellowSquare.com.
Maine Audubon parties with peonies
FALMOUTH — Maine Audubon’s Peony Bloom and Ice Cream Social — a free, annual event at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm Center — will start at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“This community event, generously sponsored by People’s United Bank, features locally made ice cream, live music and a craft project,” a Maine Audubon release states.
“This event is one of my favorites every year,” Maine Audubon executive director Ted Koffman said in the release. “The peony is such a special flower and we use its blooming to celebrate some of our most special supporters. The sweet scent of the peony filling the air, combined with ice cream, music, crafts and the beauty of a late spring evening, make for a fantastic night for the entire family.”
Peonies are herbaceous perennials known for being large and fragrant. Peonies bloom in late spring and early summer, and come in shades of red to white or yellow. The flower is native to Asia, southern Europe, and western North America.
Live music will be provided by Flight 317, a student group from 317 Main St. in Yarmouth. Heidi Boyd, a craft book author from Brunswick, will help visitors create their own Peony Pixies, and a drawing will take place for attendees to take home one of five heirloom peony plants from Gilsland Farm.
Peony Day is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.maineaudubon.org.
Theater of Spirit stages 8 Hall one-acts
NEWCASTLE — Theater of Spirit will perform “The Days Are As Grass” at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday at the Second Congregational Church.
Tickets cost $12 for general admission or $10 for seniors. They are available at the Maine Coast Bookstore or at the door.
The production includes eight one-act plays by Carol Hall, performed by local actors Bill Glendinning, Page Stearns, Kim Fletcher, Sunny Kirkham, Charles Asbury, Elizabeth Rowe, Sonia Clime, Mike Rowe, Henrik Strandskov and Jane Gear.
“This collection explores the fragility of hope, memory, old friends, lost loves and the inevitability of time,” a Theater of Spirit release states.
Hall is known for writing both music and lyrics for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and “To Whom It May Concern.”
Women vocal group, Zemya, sings tonight
PORTLAND — Zemya performs in concert at the Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo St., at 8 p.m. today.
“The women of Zemya blend beautiful edgy harmonies in a repertoire taken from world folk music, singing songs from the Balkans, the United Kingdom, Russia and the United States.
Tickets cost $10 at the door. To learn more, visit www.zemyasings.com.
Les chansons des enfants to perform
LEWISTON — The Chorale Les Deux Rives, a 48-member children’s chorus, will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. Monday at the Franco-American Heritage Center, 46 Cedar St.
The members of this Canadian touring group are students between 9 to 12 years from the Lycée Claudel in Ottawa. The group has been in operation for many years, releasing its own CDs of music for children and families.
Tardy duo plot wildlife park juggling show
GRAY — Matthew and Jason Tardy will present their one-hour show titled “Two: High Energy Juggling” at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Maine Wildlife Park.
“Two” has been touring professionally at theaters, colleges and resorts for more than 17 years, including three performances at the White House.
No fee beyond admission to the park will be charged to attend the performance.
Admission to the park is free for ages 3 and younger; $5 for ages 5 to 12; $7 for adults; and $5 for seniors. Groups of 15 or more pay $3.50 per person. For information, call 657- 4977 or visit www.mainewildlifepark.com.
Old Port Festival marks 39 years Sunday
PORTLAND — The 39th annual Old Port Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in the Old Port and features six stages of music, activities, food and a Maine arts and crafts section. The free festival is for all ages and is held rain or shine.
The festival kicks off at 11 a.m. with a parade starting at the top of Exchange Street and features local mascots, music, dancers, giant puppets, stilt walkers and more.
From noon to 5 p.m., live music will be presented on six stages throughout by the Maine Academy of Modern Music, Dispatch Magazine, COAST 93.1, 98.9 WCLZ, Today’s Country with WPOR 101.9, and Bull Feeney’s Irish Music.
A yearly highlight of the festival is the Maine Made Artist and Crafters area on Market Street. More than 90 artists from throughout the state display and sell their unique works. Supporting the best of Maine’s creative economy, people enjoy items such as handcrafted clothing, fine art, prints, pottery, photography, jewelry and more.
The diverse festival also offers activities and adventures for the whole family. The Children’s Museum and Theatre sponsors arts and crafts for kids in Post Office Park. Local musicians and performers also entertain hourly. Up on Newbury Street, adrenaline junkies can swing like trapeze artists on Summit Adventure Systems’ trapeze swing, and the Maine Rock Gym sets up a 25-foot rock wall for climbers of all ages and abilities on upper Market Street along with a bungee trampoline that launches people two stories in the air. Traditional amusement rides are located on Federal Street with a train ride, “spin the apple” and pirate ship rides, plus the fun house, balloon dart and more.
For a schedule of events, activities and performers, visit portlandmaine.com.
‘Boys Will Be Boys’ to play at Lucid Stage
PORTLAND — “Boys Will Be Boys — An OUT-rageous New Musical Revue” will play from Thursday through June 17 at Lucid Stage, 29 Baxter Blvd.
The show premiered at the Duplex Cabaret Theatre in New York City, then traveled to Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Portland performances will be the New England premiere.
A release describes the plot as follows:
Poor Ishmael Gonzalez suffers from Gay Attention Deficit Disorder, a condition that renders some gay men unable to stay focused on any trend for more than a few weeks. But, before you can say “Barney’s Warehouse Sale,” five of Ish’s friends skip to the rescue with a delicious (or disastrous) musical “fun-raiser” to benefit The Ishmael Gonzalez Fund to Fight Gay-D.D.
The fundraiser-slashcabaret revue is so successful that the friends take it on the road with a “Round the World in 80 Gays” tour to raise more money for the cause.
In this hilarious, intimate evening, the performers expose themselves (sorta) and their views on love, the challenges of contemporary gay life and the essential fabulosity of being gay.
Lyrics and dialogue are by Joe Miloscia. Music is by Kenneth Kacmar. The show features Adam Normand, Bartley Mullin, Brian McAloon, Dan Neuville and Rebecca Rinaldi.
John Bryson directs. Kevin Smith provides musical direction.
Show times are 8 p.m. Thursday, June 15 and June 16. A June 17 matinee starts at 2 p.m.
Advance tickets range in price from $12 to $10. General admission prices range from $17 to $15.
New Slant on live storytelling slated
PORTLAND — The sixth installment of the storytelling series, Slant, will return to Space Gallery at 7:30 p.m. June 15.
Modeled after “The Moth” live storytelling series, Slant features six people telling 10- minute tales without notes or scripts.
The Telling Room, Portland’s community writing center, curates and hosts this free event. Doors open at 7 p.m.
The theme for this session is “The Moment,” and is inspired by the Smith Magazine series and book of the same name. Three of the evening’s storytellers, Cheryl Della Pietra, Kim Rose and Matthew Leader, have stories published in the book, while the other three presenters will be invited from within the Maine community at large to tell stories of “an instant when your life changed.”
The Telling Room is a nonprofit writing center in Portland, dedicated to the idea that children and young adults are natural storytellers. They believe that the power of creative expression can change communities and prepare youth for future success.
More information is available at www.tellingroom.org.
Solstice Spectacular unveils rare mix
PORTLAND — Following three years of sold-out performances, Rosa Noreen’s fourth annual Solstice Spectacular Variety Show brings together artists who have never before shared a stage, from international belly dancers to hip hop musicians to aerial artists.
This year’s show will take place at One Longfellow Square on Saturday. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins promptly at 8 p.m.
Scheduled performers include:
— Musician and master of ceremonies Samuel James
— Rosa Noreen, an emerging star of belly dance on the national level.
— Ruby Beh of California, a highly-acclaimed Turkishstyle belly dancer
— Balkan music duo Cinder Conk, which plays just an accordion and an upright bass.
— Aerial artist Miss Bliss of Boston
— “Calamity” Cait Capaldi, a local belly dancer who blends Middle Eastern dance with Flamenco.
— Zafirah of Montreal, who will perform her signature veil poi belly dance act.
— Portland hip hop artist Sontiago, who will be joined by Dilly Dilly and the Portland High School step dance team.
Tickets cost $15 in advance or $18 at the door, and can be purchased at onelongfellowsquare.com.
The venue is located at the 181 State St.
Self-guided Portland garden tours offered
PORTLAND — A self-guided tour of Portland gardens will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 16.
Those who take the tour can “discover some of Portland’s urban sanctuaries,” a release from organizers states. “Speak with local gardeners and learn their tips and tricks. Stop in at the Reiche School for demos, food, crafts and garden tours led by students.”
Tickets cost $17.50 in advance or $20 the day of the show. Proceeds benefit The Opportunity Alliance’s Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs.
Tickets can be purchased at Skillins Greenhouses, O’Donal’s Nursery and Big Sky Bread Co., by calling 773-0202 or online at www.opportunityalliance.org.
Chorus plans ‘Bending Toward Justice’
ROCKPORT — The Midcoast Community Chorus (MCC) will perform in concert at 7 p.m. June 16 in the Strom Auditorium at Camden Hills Regional High School.
The concert benefits local nonprofit organizations that address a community need or social injustice.
The June 16 concert, “Bending Toward Justice,” will include gospel, international, spiritual, folk, Appalachian and African music.
Joining the chorus will be Sean Fleming on keyboards, Bruce Boege on saxophone, Jeff Densmore on percussion, Chuck McGregor on bass and Phil Clement on guitar, with guest appearances by Jeff Wolovitz on percussion, Nora Willauer on cello and Sam McKenna on oboe.
MCC is a non-auditioned, multi-generational chorus established in 2008.
General admission tickets cost $15 and are available at: HAV II in Camden, The Grasshopper Shop in Rockland and The Green Store in Belfast.
Reserve seating for $30 and $22 and credit card sales are available by calling 975-0582 or info@mccsings.org.
For more information, visit www.mccsings.org.
Organ concert honors scholarship recipients
PORTLAND — The Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ will present the annual Hermann Kotzschmar Memorial Scholarship concert at 7:30 p.m. June 19 at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St.
The scholarship provides financial aid for Portlandarea students who demonstrate exceptional musical ability.
“Every year the committee is astounded by the talent of these young musicians,” Kathleen Grammer, executive director of Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, said in a release about the concert. “FOKO is so proud to help support these budding artists in their musical education and immersion. They are making the music of today and tomorrow. Congratulations to all who auditioned!”
As part of the Kotzschmar Organ’s 100th anniversary celebration, these students will be presented their awards during the concert.
The concert features past recipients and is free and open to the public. All donations will go to the scholarship trust fund. No tickets are required.
For information, call 553- 4363 or visit www.foko.org.
Photography exhibit focuses on ‘Old West’
SOUTH PORTLAND — An ongoing photography exhibit by members of the Portland Camera Club at the South Portland Library now features images by Douglas Coleman of Kennebunk.
The exhibit, titled “The Old West,” will run through June 18.
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