Marty Stuart, global orchestra to highlight November CCA performances
The Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine is offering a variety of performances throughout the 2019–20 season.
November events will include a musical adaptation of popular TV show “The Office,” a concert from a Canadian orchestra with a global focus, a performance by country singer-songwriter Marty Stuart and more.
Touring production “The Office! A Musical Parody” will come to the CCA at 3 p.m. Nov. 3. Currently playing off-Broadway in New York City, this show is the unauthorized parody of the hit TV show “The Office.” It’s a regular morning at paper company Dunder Mifflin until, for no logical reason, a documentary crew begins filming the lives of the employees. Favorite moments from all nine seasons are mashed up into one “typical” day with Michael, Jim, Pam, Dwight and others at The Office.
The Jupiter String Quartet will perform in Minsky Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8. Consisting of violinists Nelson Lee and Meg Freivogel, violist Liz Freivogel and cellist Daniel McDonough, this tight-knit ensemble is firmly established as an important voice in the world of chamber music. In addition to their performing career, they are Artists-in-Residence at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, where they maintain private studios and direct the chamber music program. The concert is a selection in the John I. and Elizabeth E. Patches Chamber Music Series; a reception for patrons and artists will follow.
Kuné — Canada’s Global Orchestra will take the stage at 8 p.m. Nov. 15. The orchestra was developed from a major initiative by The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto to explore and celebrate Canada’s cultural diversity and pluralism — Kuné means “together” in Esperanto. The ensemble seeks to communicate in ways that words, politicians and spiritual leaders cannot, and to help find that common language through music.
Have you ever wanted to see an alligator, or a 20-foot snake? Meet these creatures and more when “Rainforest Reptiles” comes to the CCA at 3 p.m. Nov. 17. A fun, interactive program featuring live animals from around the world, Rainforest Reptile Shows has been teaching audiences about animals — including their habitats, defense mechanisms and natural diets — since 1993. Founders Michael Ralbovsky and Joan Gallagher, along with the Rainforest Team, have more than 100 years of combined experience working with exotic animals. But the real stars of the show are the animals themselves and their unique stories.
And at 7 p.m. Nov. 20, country music torchbearer Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will give a performance celebrating the 20th anniversary of Stuart’s iconic album “The Pilgrim.” The Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and musician is living, breathing country music history, and he will share his remarkable life through story and song on the CCA stage.
Two recorded productions will be shown as part of the National Theatre (NT Live) series, which includes plays that are filmed in front of a live audience, transmitted via satellite to the CCA, then projected onto a high-definition screen — one of the largest in the state. When filmed, cameras are carefully positioned throughout the theatre to ensure cinema audiences get the best-seat-in-the-house view. “One Man, Two Guvnors” will be shown at 7 p.m. Nov. 1, followed by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at 7 p.m. Nov. 21.
Live broadcasts from The Metropolitan Opera will continue, with “Manon” at 1 p.m. Nov. 2, “Madama Butterfly” at 1 p.m. Nov. 16, and “Akhnaten” at 1 p.m. Nov. 23.
For more information, to view the full season schedule or to purchase tickets, visit the CCA website.