Michael Levine News

Acorn Productions begins its 2011/12 season of programming for the community with a pair of free offerings for adults and kids at the company's studios in Dana Warp Mill in Westbrook.

The national buzz surrounding SPIDER-MAN, TURN OFF THE DARK may have died down, but that doesn't mean that the audience is any less wild about the show - or the stops, according to director Philip William McKinley. 'Maybe it's the reality TV factor, but when we stop, the audience goes nuts,' he tells Deadline.com. 'They love it because it is reality. If the show isn't perfect, what's wrong that that? The same thing could happen with The Bible.' Yes - The Bible.

In 1958, 14-year-old Robert James 'Bobby' Fischer stunned the chess world by becoming the youngest grandmaster in history, launching a career that would make him a legend. Over the next decade and a half, his breathtaking rise to the top of the game riveted the world and inspired an international chess phenomenon. Then, at the apex of his success, Fischer disappeared from the public eye.

In 1958, 14-year-old Robert James 'Bobby' Fischer stunned the chess world by becoming the youngest grandmaster in history, launching a career that would make him a legend. Over the next decade and a half, his breathtaking rise to the top of the game riveted the world and inspired an international chess phenomenon. Then, at the apex of his success, Fischer disappeared from the public eye.

Albert Schultz, Founding Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre Company, today announced that the company's production of The Aleph, part of the new One-Act Gems, a series of 45-75 minute long productions that also includes The Kreutzer Sonata performed by Soulpepper Founding Member Ted Dykstra, will preview on May 13, 2011 and open on May 17, 2011 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts.

Albert Schultz, Founding Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre Company, today announced that the company's production of The Aleph, part of the new One-Act Gems, a series of 45-75 minute long productions that also includes The Kreutzer Sonata performed by Soulpepper Founding Member Ted Dykstra, will preview on May 13, 2011 and open on May 17, 2011 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts.

Acorn Productions, a non-profit art presented located in the Dana Warp Mill, announces script selections for the short play portion of the tenth annual Maine Playwrights Festival, to be held at the St. Lawrence Arts Center on Munjoy Hill in Portland from April 14 to 29, 2011.

Sundance Institute announced today the acting company participating in its 2011 Theatre Lab held at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada from March 27-April 17. The Theatre Lab provides an atmosphere focused on artistic development and collaboration to develop and refine new theatre work with the support of full casts. Building upon the Sundance Institute's history of cultivating international exchange and dialogue, the 2011Theatre Lab projects and participants illustrate and explore the world's most innovative storytelling. A record number 89 artists began their Lab experience on World Theatre Day, bringing works from the United States, Mexico, and Tanzania to the three week workshop. Sundance Institute is grateful for the assistance of the Performing Arts Residency Program at The Banff Centre.

Sundance Institute announced today the acting company participating in its 2011 Theatre Lab held at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada from March 27-April 17.

Sundance Institute today announced the artists and projects selected for its 2011 Theatre Lab to be held at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, from March 27-April 17.

The Acorn Shakespeare Ensemble, presenters of the 'Naked Shakespeare' series, continues the company's 2010/11 season of events on Monday, March 7 at 8 p.m. with another edition of the troupe's popular 'Sonnet and Soliloquies' series at the Wine Bar on Wharf St. in Portland's Old Port. The March edition will feature the usual mixture of new pieces and old favorites, includes speeches delivered in an intimate setting in the round, and short scenes that are environmentally staged in the space. The performance is free with an $8 suggested donations. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and order food and drink to enjoy during the show.

The Acorn Shakespeare Ensemble, presenters of the 'Naked Shakespeare' series, continues the company's 2010/11 season of events on Monday, March 7 at 8 p.m. with another edition of the troupe's popular 'Sonnet and Soliloquies' series at the Wine Bar on Wharf St. in Portland's Old Port. The March edition will feature the usual mixture of new pieces and old favorites, includes speeches delivered in an intimate setting in the round, and short scenes that are environmentally staged in the space. The performance is free with an $8 suggested donations. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and order food and drink to enjoy during the show.

Acorn Productions, a non-profit art presented located in the Dana Warp Mill, announces script selections for the short play portion of the tenth annual Maine Playwrights Festival, to be held at the St. Lawrence Arts Center on Munjoy Hill in Portland from April 14 to 29, 2011.

The Acorn Shakespeare Ensemble, presenters of the "Naked Shakespeare" series, resumes the company's 2010/11 season of events on Monday, February 7 at 8 p.m. with another edition of the troupe's popular "Sonnet and Soliloquies" series at the Wine Bar on Wharf St. in Portland's Old Port.

The Acorn Shakespeare Ensemble, presenters of the "Naked Shakespeare" series, resumes the company's 2010/11 season of events on Monday, February 7 at 8 p.m. with another edition of the troupe's popular "Sonnet and Soliloquies" series at the Wine Bar on Wharf St. in Portland's Old Port.

Sundance Institute today announced the artists and projects selected for its 2011 Theatre Lab to be held at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, from March 27-April 17.

The Acorn Shakespeare Ensemble, presenters of the "Naked Shakespeare" series, resumes the company's 2010/11 season of events on Monday, February 7 at 8 p.m. with another edition of the troupe's popular "Sonnet and Soliloquies" series at the Wine Bar on Wharf St. in Portland's Old Port.

Acorn Productions begins the second season of Fairy Tale Players at the company's Acorn Studio Theater at the Dana Warp Mill in Westbrook with an adaptation of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. The production is adapted and directed by Acorn's Director of Children's Programming, Keith Anctil, and features young performers who have been taking classes at Acorn over the past few years. 'Fairy Tale Players offers these talented youngsters a chance to take the next logical step in their development as actors,' says Acorn's Producing Director Michael Levine. 'Working on a fully-developed piece of theater allows them to complete the training process by applying what they have learnt in our classes to professionally-produced public performances.' The Fairy Tale Players presents classic fairy tales with a contemporary twist, adding modern references and tongue-in-cheek humor to create original adaptations that entertain family members of all ages. The Three Billy Goats Gruff will be performed 9 times between November 5 and 21, with tickets ranging from $5 for kids 12 and under to $7 for adults. Call Acorn at 854-0065 or visit www.acorn-productions.org for more info or to order tickets.

The Acorn Shakespeare Ensemble, presenters of the 'Naked Shakespeare' series, continues the company's 2010/11 season of events on Monday, November 1 at 8 p.m. with another edition of the troupe's popular 'Sonnet and Soliloquies' series at the Wine Bar on Wharf St. in Portland's Old Port. The November edition will feature four selections from Double Falsehood, the play recently determined by scholars to be the remnants of the lost play The History of Cardenio written by Shakespeare and John Fletcher. Naked Shakespeare has created a much-abridged narrated version of the play that includes the pieces the company feels are the most Shakespearean. Joining this piece on the schedule are scenes from Hamlet, Measure for Measure, and Othello, along with speeches from a number of other plays in the canon. The performance is free with an $8 suggested donations. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and order food and drink to enjoy during the show.

Acorn Productions continues the 2010/11 Studio Series of Friday Night Dramatic Readings in the Acorn Studio Theater with an evening featuring 2 one-act plays by Howard Rosenfield. Both plays are metaphorical in nature with strong influences from existential philosophy, absurdist drama, and the comedy of Laurel and Hardy. 'A Comet's Tale' begins when a failed suicide attempt lands Harry in Limbo, where events lead him to re-think his life-- and his choice. Both plays were developed by Rosenfield during sessions of 'Playwrights Lab,' a regular class taught by Acorn's Producing Director Michael Levine at the Acorn Acting Academy. As a result of script development done during the class, 'Lifting Rocks' was one of three one acts recently chosen for full production in January of 2011 at the Firehouse Theater Center in Newburyport, MA. focuses on how a summer job at a rock quarry changes a young man's view of work-- and of himself.