Michael Landgarten & the Converts come to The Dance Hall to celebrate the release of their newest album.

Michael Landgarten is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter whose music blends the spirit of American rock, folk, and soul with an ear for timeless storytelling. He first picked up a guitar as a teenager, inspired by Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Who, Chuck Berry, and Otis Redding—artists who shaped the foundation of his sound. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Landgarten fronted and wrote for bands including The Doc Johnson Blues and The Zeftrons, both fixtures of the Portsmouth, New Hampshire music scene.

The bands newest release, Back to You, is a new collection of songs that channels Landgarten's lifelong influences and decades of lived experience. Rooted in melody and lyric-driven craft, his music reflects a deep reverence for the classic traditions he grew up with.

Michael Landgarten- Guitar, Vocals
Jay Fortin- Guitar
Marc McElroy- Bass
Robbie Kneeland- Drums

Kicking the night off will be special guest, Guy Capecelatro III.

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $12 student + fees

Breakaway Cafe brings another night of heavy music to The Dance Hall. All ages. Get your tickets in advance.

BACTERIA

ZINC

HIT-RUN DRIVERS

ARGOT

GUTLESS

6PM DOORS | 7PM BANDS

$16/$20 ALL AGES - SUPPORT THE TOURING BANDS

Enjoy an evening of performances by Ayan Imai-Hall, Catherine Stewart, and Kate Possi as they wrap up their year as Resident Artists.

The Dance Hall is proud to support local artists, their artistry and is excited to build community around the arts. Come meet the Resident Artists as they conclude their year in residency and offer a variety of performances to the community.

• Ayan Imai-Hall will be leading a jazz quintet, joined by Thom Keith (sax), Maddoc Johnson (tpt), Jim Lyden (bs) and Zak King (dr).

• Catherine Stewart will be taking the stage to present a theatrical experiment.

• Kate Possi will wrap up the evening with a set of original music and will be joined by Miles Ahlstrom (bs) and Lillie Cavanaugh (dr).

Free and open to the public.

Please make a reservation to let us know you're coming!

MAKE CREATE MORE: NEW WORK WEEKEND The Residency Readings

Join playwright and director Catherine Stewart for a weekend of readings, conversation, and creative exchange celebrating the culmination of her residency at The Dance Hall.

When siblings Joan and Hank Mercer invite celebrated true-crime podcaster Tanya Remnick into their suburban Maine home to investigate the decades-old disappearance of their parents, the search for a definitive story threatens to unravel the only family they have left.

A true-crime mystery wrapped in a family drama about vigilance, memory, and the different burdens men and women carry when violence becomes entertainment.

Cast: Susan Poulin as Joan, Wayne Asbury as Hank, and Emily Karel as Tanya

All events are free. RSVP encouraged.

Spend a weekend at The Dance Hall. Hear new work. Meet artists. Help shape what comes next.

Catherine Stewart is a playwright, director, and facilitator whose work explores the stories people inherit, the systems they inhabit, and the possibilities they imagine together. Her plays have been developed and presented by organizations including Northern Stage, Dartmouth College, Company One Theatre, Alliance Theatre, and The Players' Ring. She is the founder of Make Create More, a theatre-led design studio creating participatory experiences at the intersection of creativity, community, and social change.

__________________

Make Create More is a theatre-led design studio empowering visionary leaders and their communities. Founded by artist Catherine Stewart, the studio creates new plays, participatory performances, creative retreats, and community-based experiences that help people explore complex human systems through story, dialogue, and collective imagination.

Recent collaborations and projects have included work with Boston Foundation, PowerPlay Interactive Development, The University of New Hampshire, Colby College, and Seacoast Impact Collaborative as well as communities across New England and the South. The works featured this weekend represent the next chapter of that practice - early explorations that will serve as the foundation for exciting new productions, partnerships, and community-engaged projects in the months and years ahead.

MAKE CREATE MORE: NEW WORK WEEKEND The Residency Readings

Join playwright and director Catherine Stewart for a weekend of readings, conversation, and creative exchange celebrating the culmination of her residency at The Dance Hall.

An open studio session exploring the development of Good Breeding, a new physical theatre work about masculinity, lineage, and land. Audience members are invited to observe, participate, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of this solo piece for a male performer.

Participants are welcome to bring acoustic instruments connected to American folk traditions, including those rooted in the Appalachian Mountains and New England. Informal music-making may become part of the session as the work develops.

Drop in at any point between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

Collaborating partners: Matthew Recine and Shawn Crapo

All events are free. RSVP encouraged.

Catherine Stewart is a playwright, director, and facilitator whose work explores the stories people inherit, the systems they inhabit, and the possibilities they imagine together. Her plays have been developed and presented by organizations including Northern Stage, Dartmouth College, Company One Theatre, Alliance Theatre, and The Players' Ring. She is the founder of Make Create More, a theatre-led design studio creating participatory experiences at the intersection of creativity, community, and social change.

__________________

Make Create More is a theatre-led design studio empowering visionary leaders and their communities. Founded by artist Catherine Stewart, the studio creates new plays, participatory performances, creative retreats, and community-based experiences that help people explore complex human systems through story, dialogue, and collective imagination.

Recent collaborations and projects have included work with Boston Foundation, PowerPlay Interactive Development, The University of New Hampshire, Colby College, and Seacoast Impact Collaborative as well as communities across New England and the South. The works featured this weekend represent the next chapter of that practice - early explorations that will serve as the foundation for exciting new productions, partnerships, and community-engaged projects in the months and years ahead.

MAKE CREATE MORE: NEW WORK WEEKEND The Residency Readings

Join playwright and director Catherine Stewart for a weekend of readings, conversation, and creative exchange celebrating the culmination of her residency at The Dance Hall.

Three women break into a laboratory to reclaim a body of research, only to find themselves confronting a much larger question: who gets to decide what counts as evidence?

A comic thriller sparked by an act of rebellion, Blood, Sweat and Tears explores the messiness of the female body and the cost of being told that lived experience doesn't belong in the data.

Cast: Monique Peaslee Foote as Jennifer, Colleen A. Madden as Dawn, and Constance Witman as Melissa.

Spend a weekend at The Dance Hall. Hear new work. Meet artists. Help shape what comes next.

All events are free. RSVP encouraged.

Catherine Stewart is a playwright, director, and facilitator whose work explores the stories people inherit, the systems they inhabit, and the possibilities they imagine together. Her plays have been developed and presented by organizations including Northern Stage, Dartmouth College, Company One Theatre, Alliance Theatre, and The Players' Ring. She is the founder of Make Create More, a theatre-led design studio creating participatory experiences at the intersection of creativity, community, and social change.

__________________

Make Create More is a theatre-led design studio empowering visionary leaders and their communities. Founded by artist Catherine Stewart, the studio creates new plays, participatory performances, creative retreats, and community-based experiences that help people explore complex human systems through story, dialogue, and collective imagination.

Recent collaborations and projects have included work with Boston Foundation, PowerPlay Interactive Development, The University of New Hampshire, Colby College, and Seacoast Impact Collaborative as well as communities across New England and the South. The works featured this weekend represent the next chapter of that practice - early explorations that will serve as the foundation for exciting new productions, partnerships, and community-engaged projects in the months and years ahead.

Join us at The Kittery Block Party for Bluegrass + Brews!

The Dance Hall will be THE stage for bluegrass and old-time music at the Kittery Block Party. Free entry. All ages!‍ ‍Beer on draft from our favorite local Breweries Woodland Farms & Tributary.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
11:00am - Lindsay Foote Band

12:30pm- The Lion Sisters

2:00pm-Kathleen Parks Band

Lindsay Foote Band:

Fresh off her Grand Prize win at the 2025 NewSong Performance & Songwriting Competition, Lindsay Foote has been lighting up stages throughout the Northeast. A regularly featured artist on CBS's "The Young and The Restless," Lindsay's music captures a raw, honest, and powerfully groovy sound. Blending elements from folk & pop with a gritty rock Americana edge, a night at a Lindsay Foote show is one you won’t forget. Backed by a dynamic band, her songs stay with you—haunting, hummable, and deeply felt.

The Lion Sisters

The Lion Sisters are a sibling duo from New Hampshire known for their tight harmonies and natural musical synchronicity. With Josi on fiddle and vocals and Lily on guitar and vocals, their sound blends folk and bluegrass with Irish fiddle, vintage country, and subtle pop and rock influences—creating a warm, contemporary style that’s distinctly their own.

Raised on a small family farm, the sisters draw inspiration from their rural surroundings, weaving nature and authenticity into their songwriting and visual identity.

This past year, they performed throughout New England, at festivals such as Ossipee Valley Music Festival and Joe Val Bluegrass Festival as well as numerous concert series and coffeehouses. With their signature sister harmonies and genre-blending sound, they are quickly emerging as a fresh voice in the modern acoustic scene.

Kathleen Parks Band

Kathleen Parks is a fiddler, singer, and songwriter who brings joyful and creative energy to the stage and studio. Known for her current work with Twisted Pine and Kat & Brad, now, also stepping into the solo spotlight with grace.

Her writing leans toward Pop, Folk, and classic Jazz, while her virtuosic fiddle blends and reimagines traditional and modern musical styles with boundless groove.  

This pride month, join Resident Artist Amy Desrosiers and a troupe of actors as they gallivant around the Dance Hall to bring the story of Gallathea to life. The comedy Gallathea, first performed in 1588, tells the story of two young women who disguise themselves as boys and run away to the woods to escape their doomed fates, where they unexpectedly unite and fall in love.

This lounge-style reading will bring you right into the forest and immerse you in the magic. If you enjoyed the Pop-Up Bar(d) Crawl in September, this event is for you!

$15 advance | $20 at door | $8 students
*fees not included ($2 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Head to The Dance Hall for a night of Motown classics and more with the legendary Sharon Jones. A native of Portsmouth, NH, where Sharon shines as an original stand out of the Seacoast music scene - a true performer you simply cannot miss. This is music you will love to dance to. (Both seating and dancing room will be available!)

Featuring music from: The Spinners, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summers, Marvin Gaye, Elton John- Just to name a few!

The band:
Alan Rowe: Keys & Vocals
Mark Michaels: Guitar & Vocals
Mike Gruen: Bass
George Ferrell: Drums

An entertainer in the classical sense of the word, Sharon's versatility allows her to communicate with audiences in any setting. With her band, Sharon gives a riff-driven high-energy R&B and Blues performance that gets the crowds dancing. Her passion for performance radiates, and her expressiveness embraces her audiences. Ending Sharon's concerts is a challenge as the audience begs for more!

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $12 student GA
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

A Breakaway Takeover of The Dance Hall

RETORSION (BUDAPEST)

MORGUE BREATH (L.A.)

SADOCHISMO (NH)

TREPIDATION (NH)

MICROPLASTIC CONTAMINATION IN THE ECOSYSTEM (ME) (CHAD)

7:30PM DOORS | 8PM BANDS

$20 ALL AGES

SUPPORT THE TOURING BANDS

The Dance Hall welcomes pianist Mark Shilansky to the stage leading a band of good friends and improvisers from around the country.

Saxophonist Jim Pisano reunites with longtime bandmates Mark Shilansky (piano), Phil McGowan (drums), and Greg Loughman (bass), in conversation with The Dance Hall's Artistic Director and multiple woodwind master Eric Klaxton, and special guest New Hampshire native, UNH alum, and NYC denizen Bill Humphrey (alto sax).

Inspired by the American Songbook, Be-Bop, Post-Bop, and Modern Standards, the band will shape an evening of music that showcases their shared interests and shines a light on their individual voices.

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $12 student
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

"Inventive, modern mainstream jazz pianist” (Jon Garelick, Boston Globe) Mark Shilansky provides melodic improvisation and infectious compositions on his own and to a host of jazz luminaries, as well as to the classroom, as a professor at Berklee College of Music and the University of New Hampshire. Shilansky’s six recordings as a leader include 2007’s “Join the Club,” a mostly Latin Jazz affair featuring David Bowie saxist Donny McCaslin, and 2013’s “Fugue Mill,” the eponymous debut of his Jazz/Bluegrass/Celtic project featuring violin phenom Sara Caswell, and he is featured on over 60 recordings as a keyboardist, vocalist, composer/arranger, or producer, and in performance as band member for such artists as the New York Voices, Luciana Souza, and David Thorne Scott. As an artist he embraces the history of the styles in which he works, while seeking connections between them as a way of expressing a personal musical vision, characterized by lush harmonies, the exploration of the line between composition and improvisation, and an ever-present sense of humor. http://www.markshilansky.com

Multi-woodwind specialist Jim Pisano’s numerous invitations as a performer and teacher have taken him across the United States, as well as Europe and South Africa. Pisano has shared the stage as a soloist with many jazz luminaries, such as Phil Woods, Frank Foster, Louie Bellson, Clark Terry, Harry “Sweets” Edison, James Moody, Hank Jones, Randy Brecker, Terrell Stafford, The Lionel Hampton Big Band, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, The Artie Shaw Band, The Cab Calloway Orchestra, and the Dizzy Gillespie Reunion Big Band, among many others. Currently, Pisano maintains an active performance schedule — he recently formed an organ jazz group called Organique (saxophone, Hammond organ, guitar, and drums) that is dedicated to performing, composing, and recording works for this instrumentation.

We are especially excited to have as our most special guest Dover, NH’s own, by way of Queens, NY, Mr. William “Bill” Humphrey (alto saxophone). Bill’s studies with Dave Seiler and Charlie Jennison at UNH and dozens of performances with jazz legends Clark Terry led him to grad work with Jimmy Heath at Queens College, and a creative career with his own William Humphrey Quartet, along with the group miXed Company, dedicated to gospel-infused soul jazz and which he co-leads with his wife, soprano Jessica Rechner.

Eric Klaxtonis a multi-instrumentalist and composer residing in Southern Maine. Eric has extensive experience as an educator and currently serves as the Artistic Director for The Dance Hall- a non-profit performing arts venue in Kittery, ME. He maintains a private studio of saxophone, piano and clarinet students and offers workshops and lectures ranging in topic from New Orleans Music to Minimalism and Electronic Music. Eric is a founding member of The Soggy Po Boys, a group known for their personal and exciting presentation of the music of New Orleans. In addition to his work with various collective ensembles, Klaxton writes and arranges original works for various groups of his own, imbued with traditions from jazz, rock, folk, and electronic music. When he isn’t performing or teaching, Klaxton is an active producer and studio engineer.

Phil McGowan has been performing throughout the New England area and has been enjoying an active career as a drummer, performing at concert halls, clubs, music festivals and cruise ships which ventured into Europe, Africa and Asia, and has shared the stage with many inspiring artists, including Judy Collins, American Idol Finalists John Stevens and Siobhan Magnus, The Portland Symphony Orchestra, Billy Pierce, Herb Pomeroy, and many others. Currently, Phil is maintaining an active schedule as a drummer and music educator, and can be seen performing throughout the Greater Boston area.

Dear friends,

We regret to say the flight delay has compounded further, and we can no longer run the show this evening. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

We are so grateful for your support of this music and hope to see you again soon.

-the dance hall team

The Dance Hall is excited to bring back the "Sardinian Sorcerer of Sound", guitar wizard, melody magician...Paolo Angeli!

Guitarist Paolo Angeli is a musical conjurer, an artist whose imaginative leaps defy gravity. A composer, ethnomusicologist and instrument builder who draws on his deep knowledge of traditional Sardinian music, he inhabits a timeless zone as a soil-rooted master and brash experimentalist. While suffused with Mediterranean cadences, Angeli’s original pieces encompass flamenco, jazz, Baroque, post-rock and new music. He plays a prepared Sardinian guitar of his own invention, a fantastical 18-string hybrid combining elements of guitar, cello and drums.

A feast for the eyes as well as the ears, Angeli in full flight is an astounding sight, as he bows, strikes, hammers, plucks and strums an instrument with strings going in all directions and foot-pedal-controlled motorized propellers. With sympathetic strings creating shimmering drones, he adjusts tunings on the fly to create exquisitely lapidary, orchestral music using electronic effects in real time (he eschews loopers, creating every sound in the moment).

It’s not surprising that this singular musician has improvised and collaborated with masters such as Pat Metheny, Fred Frith, Evan Parker, Zeena Parkins, and Phillip Greenlief, and has sold out a concert at Carnegie Hall (New York) as well as two nights at SFJazz in Los Angeles. Angeli’s music may be unclassifiable, but it takes no expertise to recognize its strange and extravagant beauty.

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $12 Student

*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Rising stars of the Boston folk scene bring original and traditional music from the Celtic, Scaninavian, and Quebecois traditions. This co-bill is a real treat. Clara Rose & Raphaella Hero, followed by the Elias Cardoso Trio.

Opening the night is Clara Rose and Raphaella Hero , a duo of uncommon depth who weave together Scandinavian, Celtic, and American fiddle traditions with original compositions and improvisation. Though young, their playing carries the soulfulness of old masters—virtuosic yet unhurried, reverent yet free. Grounded in formal training and shaped by time spent in Sweden's vibrant folk landscape, their music holds space for healing, connection, and wonder. At every performance, they offer listeners a sanctuary: an invitation to return to the body, quiet the mind, and celebrate presence through sound.

Elias Cardoso is a multi-instrumentalist (fiddle, guitar, voice) from Boston, Massachusetts.  He has performed all over the United States and Europe, with bands such as Old Blind Dogs, Socks in the Frying Pan, Mari Black, Celtic Rhythms, and his band Glenville, among others.

His new band, featuring guitarist Adam Hendey (The Fire) and fiddler Clara Rose(Acoustic Nomads) plays original and traditional music from the Irish, Scottish, and Quebecois traditions, and their debut album will be released this summer.

Coming to The Dance Hall from NYC, ContraPunctus features four distinct voices in contemporary music, including Maine's own Mike McGinnis.

The group takes its name and inspiration from counterpoint, musical lines interwoven in conversation, while embracing the full breadth of their collective experience across jazz, free improvisation, rock, and folk traditions. Their repertoire moves fluidly between original compositions, reimaginings of Carla Bley, Baden Powell, and Billy Strayhorn, and spontaneous improvisations. At once rooted and exploratory, ContraPunctus invites listeners into music that is alive in the moment; polyphonic, adventurous, joyful and generous. LISTEN HERE TO THE NEW ALBUM

Meet the band:

Mike McGinnis(Alice Coltrane, Anthony Braxton, Yo La Tengo): saxophone/clarinet

Carmen Staaf(Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jenny Scheinman): pianist

Gui Duvignau (Michael Wolff, Sofia Ribeiro) : bassist

Hamir Atwal (Tune-Yards, Myra Melford, Ben Goldberg): drummer

From Maine Public Radio: “Genre-defying and prolific are two words that keep coming to mind when exploring the work of clarinetist, saxophonist and composer Mike McGinnis. A native of Sanford Maine in York County, Mike has been New York based for more than three decades now, forging a varied career bridging jazz, contemporary classical and the avant garde. This has included being leader, co-leader and sideman on more than 50 albums, serving on faculty at The New School the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and, not least, performing in a Tony winning Broadway production and an Ang Lee film.

In May, he’ll be here with his ensemble ContraPunctus at The Dance Hall in Kittery, right on the heels of the release of their self-titled debut album—out earlier this month.” Listen to the full interview with Heather MacDougall HERE.

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $12 student
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Rasa String Quartet presents: Counterpoint in Bloom

Every musical masterpiece begins with a simple line, groove, or pattern. In Counterpoint in Bloom, Rasa String Quartet explores how that nascent seed can flourish into a boundless ecosystem. Featuring Bach and Beethoven alongside Guns N’ Roses, Prince, and foot-stomping folk traditions from around the globe, this genre-blending program takes you on a journey from humble riff to full-throttle banger!

Emma Powell(violin),Maura Shawn Scanlin (violin),Kiyoshi Hayashi(viola), Mina Kim (cello)

The Program:

J.S. Bach: The Art of Fugue – Contrapunctus I

Guns N’ Roses: Sweet Child O’ Mine

The Fretless: Birds’ Nest

Alexandra Vrebalov: Pannonia Boundless

Prince: Purple Rain

J.S. Skinner: Bovaglie’s Plaid (arr. Ben Plotnick)

The Fretless: Alphonso McKenzie’s / Salkantay

Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet, Op. 59 No. 3, Mvt 1

Danish String Quartet: Shore

Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet, Op. 59 No. 3, Mvt 4

$26 advance | $32 day-of | $15 student
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Beats by DJ MAM • RSVP online • Donation at the door
Join us for a joyful evening of music, dancing, and community as we come together to support our friend, neighbor, and teacher Namory Keita.

Namory, a master drummer from Sangbarala, Guinea, has been teaching weekly classes at TDH with Seacoast West African Dance + Drum since 2012, sharing not only music and tradition but generosity, patience, and his deep cultural knowledge with our community. After years of effort and significant expense, Namory has finally been able to bring his family from West Africa to begin a new chapter together here in southern Maine.

To celebrate and support Namory and his family, we’re hosting a community dance night featuring DJ MAM, an evening to come together, dance, and give back to someone who has given so much to this community. Funds raised will help support Namory and his family, helping to cover the many costs that come with relocation.

If you’ve taken a class with Namory, you already know his warmth and extraordinary musicianship. And even if you haven’t met him personally, you’ve likely felt the joy he brings while performing at events like the Kittery Block Party, NH BIPOC Fest, and beyond. 

Let’s show up for Namory the way he has shown up for us!

Come dance. Bring friends. Give what you can.

"Low Lily brandishes their formidable individual Folk foundations within a collective sound that’s as smart with sense of pop phrasing and flair as it is roots-savvy."-Roots Music Report

With the release of their new record ‘Angels in the Wreckage’ (produced by Dirk Powell), the Vermont-based American Roots band LOW LILY brings their infectious sound to a new level. With the energy of fiddle music, the introspective quality of contemporary folk, the precision of bluegrass, and the drive of Americana, the members of Low Lily (Liz Simmons, Flynn Cohen, and Natalie Padilla) combine their individual talents into one stunning soundscape.

Low Lily has shared their signature sound with enthusiastic audiences throughout North America and the UK, garnering two #1 songs on international folk radio and two Independent Music Award wins. In 2018, the band released a full-length album with 2X award-winning title track “10,000 Days Like These" and their original song “Hope Lingers On”, which has been sung by choirs around the world as an anthem for peace and justice.

Elsie Gawler is a multi-instrumentalist and songster rooted in Maine's traditional folk music and culture. With her family, the Gawler Family Band, she has played throughout the state and beyond, sharing traditional fiddle tunes, songs, and original works since she was 6 years old. From this foundation she has branched out and launched her debut solo album, Sweet As Honey. The album is a collection of 9 original songs inspired by sacred connection to earth and community. While continuing to play regularly with The Gawler Family Band, her other projects include duo Elsie & Ethan , and trio The Gawler Sisters. She has also been a long-time member of the group Childsplay .

$20 Advance | $25 day-of | $15 Student

*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

SUGARCANE premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Directing Award and over a dozen other awards.

A stunning tribute to the resilience of Native people and their way of life, SUGARCANE, the debut feature documentary from Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, is an epic cinematic portrait of a community during a moment of international reckoning.

In 2021, evidence of unmarked graves was discovered on the grounds of an Indian residential school run by the Catholic Church in Canada. After years of silence, the forced separation, assimilation and abuse many children experienced at these segregated boarding schools was brought to light, sparking a national outcry against a system designed to destroy Indigenous communities. Set amidst a groundbreaking investigation, SUGARCANE illuminates the beauty of a community breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma and finding the strength to persevere.

Rated: R

107 Minutes

$16 general admission | $10 student (Children under 18 to be accompanied by guardian)

*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Join PMAC at The Dance Hall for the Jazz Institute Spring Show!

Featured Student Ensembles:
Brewery Lane Big Band
Jazz Pioneers
Sat Teen Jazz Ensembles
Wed Teen Jazz Ensembles

About PMAC:
Portsmouth Music and Arts Center (PMAC) is a 501c3 nonprofit community music and arts school serving the Seacoast. PMAC’s mission is to build community through the arts by providing all people with the opportunity to achieve their full creative potential, regardless of their age, ability, or economic status. We accomplish this through high quality music and visual arts education programs and by creating ensemble, performance, and exhibition opportunities for students, professionals, and audiences.

$10 general admission
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Square & Round Dancing with caller Grace Clements feat. Ruth and Ben String Band. 7:30-9:30pm.

THE DANCE Ben and Ruth (who run The Somerville Square Dance down in Bean Town) are bringing the good times to Kittery. They’ll be starting off with a beginner's lesson for about 20 minutes, after which anyone and everyone joins in. Grace Clements will call easier dances (mostly squares with some rounds and waltzes prinkled in) then morph into more difficult ones as the night goes along. None of the dances will be hard, this is meant for beginners and veterans alike! These dances are not gendered, you don’t need a partner, and you don’t need to have done this before!

THE BAND Led by guitarist Ruth Rappaport and her fiddler son, Ben Wetherbee, this intergenerational band's repertoire includes rousing, powerful old-time fiddle tunes and traditional, modern, and original songs that feature tight harmony singing. They are very spirited and people of all ages love their enthusiastic and innovative music.

Ruth Rappaport lays down the beat behind some of the best fiddlers, old-time string bands, and other traditional instrumentalists active today. For 15 years she traveled widely with the acclaimed eclectic string band The Poodles. Ruth shines as a vocalist with a repertoire that ranges from mountain ballads and gutsy blues to honky tonk hits and old folk songs.

Ben Wetherbee has made a mark for himself as a popular old-time, roots rock, Cajun, and alt music fiddler. His fiddling is inspired by traditional Appalachian music; Northeastern old-time music from Ithaca, Vermont, and Massachusetts; Bluegrass; Cajun/Creole music; New England contra dance music; experimental music; and more. He is also a singer/songwriter, guitar player, poet, and artist. His other musical combos include The Ben Wetherbee Honky Tonk Band, The Queens County Rat Club, Hell and Scissors, and I Want a Cat.

Ruth and Ben are joined byJoel Wennerstrom on clawhammer banjo. His playing is featured on various recordings, including Hammer & String’s “The Girl Who Broke My Heart” with Rhys Jones and Cleek Shrey, “Wooden Nickels” with Laura Feddersen and Owen Marshall, “The Pleasure of Your Company” with Harry Bolick, and “All in Good Time" with Alan Kaufman and Don Stratton.

$20 general | $15 student | Children 10 and under FREE
*fees not included (+$3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Join PMAC for the Spring 2026 Adult Rock and Blues Show, featuring the Classic Rock Band, Alt Rock Band, Roots Rock Blues and Beyond I, and Roots Rock Blues and Beyond II bands.

About PMAC:Portsmouth Music and Arts Center (PMAC) is a 501c3 nonprofit community music and arts school serving the Seacoast. PMAC’s mission is to build community through the arts by providing all people with the opportunity to achieve their full creative potential, regardless of their age, ability, or economic status. We accomplish this through high quality music and visual arts education programs and by creating ensemble, performance, and exhibition opportunities for students, professionals, and audiences. 

PMAC's Adult Ensemble program covers a variety of genres, instruments and is open to a variety of playing levels. For more information about PMAC’s adult ensemble opportunities and more, please visit pmaconline.org.

$10 general admission
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

A swath of talented local artists and crafters will be at Spring Arts + Drafts 2026!

Stop by 11:00 - 3:00PM for :

• Fine Art

• Jewelry

• Prints

• Ceramics

• Vintage Clothing

• and more

  
  

  Flyer by Jade

Presented by The Dance Hall, little house dance performs "they have taken nothing" (2017) and "to quiet the marks II" (2023). ~CONTENT WARNING : Partial Nudity~

they have taken nothing (2017)and to quiet the marks II (2023)are intimate performances that explore themes of resilience, bodily autonomy, and feminine strength. While the remount of these works has been a part of our plans for a while, there seems to be a certain amount of divine timing in our decision to perform these works at this moment in history. The creation of they have taken nothing began in the wake of the 2016 election, and to quiet the marks II was initially developed in the weeks leading up to the overturning of Roe v Wade.

about little house dance

Founded by Heather Stewart (she/they) in 2020, little house is a professional dance company established on principles of democratic process, collaboration, sustainability, and high caliber dance performance in service of a strong arts ecosystem in Maine. After several years of working as an independent artist Heather established little house in order to formalize her collaborative relationships with other dancers, musicians, visual artists, and writers. As an organization, little house exists to challenge the notion that quality dance can only arise in cities that have already been categorized as designated dance hubs.

little house seeks to build mindful working partnerships with venues, presenters, audiences, patrons, and production, particularly in Maine. Our aim is to create meaningful and deeply physical dance experiences with the people around us. The company's model primarily functions as a platform for the creation of new dance works led by choreographer and artist Heather Stewart. Work from little house is made for audiences who are invested in seeing performance that stretches the boundaries of movement potential, while touching on experiences that are uniquely human. Additionally, the company is committed to fostering community growth by offering classes, workshops, and opportunities for our artists to develop and present their own creative work. little house is a queer-led company, and our work strives to elevate and center the work of LGBTQIA+++ artists.

$26 advance | $32 day-of | $20 student
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

~CONTENT WARNING : Partial Nudity~

Come enjoy a fun-filled, belly-laugh-inducing evening with a PLAY READING of G Matthew Gaskell's hit comedy "All the Rage".

About the play:

It’s finally here! George and Rhonda’s wedding day!--which means the brothers are headed back to the church to make sure everything is perfect. There’s only 90 minutes to go and nothing will stand in the way of the bride and groom and their special day… except an ancient curse, a mysterious box, and-- of course-- the Cone of Silence.

About this event:

Perhaps you attended last summer's play reading of Gaskell's Sharp Dressed Men at The Dance Hall and laughed so hard your cheeks hurt! Well, All the Rage is the sequel to that story, and packs a comedic punch just as hard as its predecessor!

**Worth noting- this play stands on its own, so fear not if you haven't seen Sharp Dressed Men (...but if you HAVE, you'll appreciate some of the deep cut jokes & references.)

Featuring:

G Matthew Gaskell as Henry

Andy Fling as Tom

Christopher Savage as George

Whitney Smith as Sally

Jamie Bradley as Victor

Phil Hobby as the Reverend

Christine Penney as Celeste

and Stage Directions by Alex Picard

What people are saying:

"The style of this comic marathon is somewhere between Seinfeld and Monty Python... This comedy is wild throughout."

-Maine's Journal Tribune

"'All the Rage' is a slick, clean, hilarious machine...comedic jewels, comedy on smart pills. The dialogue is crisp, the humor largely quick even when characters aren't, and the individuals lovable — always.”

-Seacoastonline.com

“Gaskell, a keen observer of the human condition in his role as a playwright (the SHARP DRESSED MEN trilogy, AS TIME GOES BY, YE MERRY GENTLEMEN, RAY OF LIGHT, WHERE'S WALDO, BACKGROUND CHECK and more) just can't write his plays any other way: he serves up the funny until you expose your soft underbelly laughing, then comes up from the dark depths and slides the point home with something that's keen enough to cut, but not blunt enough to bludgeon. If it bedevils us, Gaskell's not afraid to write about it: whether a key moment in one of his plays turns out funny, poignant, or a bit of both, is anyone's guess as to what's going to come at you- but that's also part of the fun.”

-Caught In The Act Blogspot, Michael J. Curtiss

Ida LeClair "the funniest woman in Maine” returns to the Seacoast in a brand new show!

Written by Susan Poulin with Gordon Carlisle

Performed by Susan Poulin

Directed by David Kaye

Join Ida as she celebrates her fifty years as a cashier down to the A&P. She'll fill you in on how she got started, what keeps her coming back year after year and how she's feeling about that old question of retirement. Down to the A&P, there are lots of laughs, of course, and more drama and intrigue than you'd think. Heck, as the only supermarket in Mahoosuc Mills, everyone passes through, eccentric locals and wacky tourists alike. And Ida has a front row seat to all of it: the good, the bad and the ugly. Ida just loves the A&P, and you will, too!

Selected by Portland Magazine as one of the "Ten Most Intriguing People in Maine,” award-winning writer and performer Susan Poulin is the author of fourteen plays, seven of which feature her alter ego, Ida LeClair, “the funniest woman in Maine.” She writes the popular Maine humor blog and podcast, Just Ask Ida, and is the author of Finding Your Inner Moose: Ida LeClair’s Guide to Living the Good Life and The Sweet Life: Ida LeClair’s Guide to Love and Marriage published by Islandport Press. Susan continues to be a leader in bringing a female voice to New England storytelling and humor, and sharing the healing power of laughter with audiences. For the latest on Ida, visit: idaswebsite.com

$19 advance | $24 day-of | $12 student

*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Based out of Southern Maine, Old Hat fuses tight vocal harmonies with a driving acoustic rhythm section. With a sound draws from folk, old time, bluegrass, and country traditions, the band is comprised of Whitney Roy (Guitar, Vocals),Steve Roy (Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals), Amanda Kowalski (Bass) and Julie Metcalf (Fiddle, Vocals).  

Whitney’s lilting vocals provide the backbone of the vocal blend, while her solid rhythm guitar anchors the band’s pulse. Steve is a veteran of New England’s acoustic music scene, and has performed and toured with many of the acoustic world’s top acts. Amanda is one of the more sought after bass players in the worlds of bluegrass and old time music, and her rhythmic drive and energy on stage are second to none.

Old Hat has performed on world class stages such as Prescott Park Arts Festival, Ossipee Valley Music Festival, Portsmouth Music Hall, Stone Mountain Arts Center and Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival.

$20 advance | $25 advance | $12 student
*fees not included ($3 TDH facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Led by guitarist, singer, and songwriter Jarred Garneau, the band makes their debut at The Dance Hall joined by Max Chase & Friends.

The Jarred Garneau Group brings soulful songwriting and fiery musicianship together in a blend of blues, rock, soul, funk, and jazz. Featuring a lineup of some of New England’s most seasoned players, the group thrives on deep musical chemistry and a shared passion for improvisation and storytelling.

They’ve shared the stage with members of the Allman Brothers Band and performed at respected venues and festivals across New England, building a reputation for shows that pulse with groove and emotional honesty. Whether on stage or in the studio, The Jarred Garneau Group crafts music that’s groove-heavy, soulful, and rooted in emotional honesty—music that connects as much through its feeling as its fire.

Max Chase & Friends Featuring:
Mike Carter (guitar), Barrett Goeman (drums), Matt Lavigne (bass)

Max Chase is an American musician, singer, songwriter known for his exciting, spirited performances on the Hammond Organ. The established and in demand keyboardist and singer brings over twenty years of extensive live performance and session work together with an all-star band and a soulful blues-rock set in his latest project, Max Chase & Friends.

$20 advance | $25 day-of | $10 student
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

Sam Amidon is a singer and multi-instrumentalist (banjo, guitar, fiddle) from Vermont, US, now based in London, England. His most recent solo album “Salt River” was released by River Lea / Rough Trade in January 2025. In February 2026 he was featured on the album "Willows" alongside violinist Pekka Kuusisto and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, and in December 2025 Amidon and Ganavya released a pair of co-written and performed songs, "Would Be Better" and "Willow Street". He has previously released seven acclaimed albums of songs on Bedroom Community and Nonesuch Records. 

Amidon's material for these albums often consists of adventurous reworkings of traditional American ballads, hymns and work songs, with the New York Times writing that Amidon "transforms all of the songs, changing their colors and loading them with trapdoors." The albums have been deeply collaborative in nature, inviting contributions from musicians such as Nico Muhly, Shahzad Ismaily, Bill Frisell, and on “Salt River,” saxophonist/producer Sam Gendel.

The release of “Salt River” comes on the heels of Sam’s work with choreographer Michael Keegan Dolan on the dance theatre music show Nobodaddy, for which Sam was nominated as “Outstanding Creative Contribution” by the National Dance Awards Critics Circle in the UK. He also worked on the recently released film “History of Sound,” starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, wherein Amidon served as a music advisor as well as performer on the soundtrack. The film had its premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. 

Previously, Sam Amidon has recorded or performed as a guest artist with musicians such as Bon Iver, The National, Dijon, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Gloaming, Lonnie Holley, Manami Kakudo, Jacob Collier, Marc Ribot, and Beth Orton, among many others. He has appeared internationally as a soloist with ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet, The Aurora Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra with Pekka Kuusisto, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Oregon Symphony, Roomful of Teeth, and the Britten Sinfonia. 

$25 advance | $30 general admission | $17 student
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

The Dance Hall brings you Daisy's Big Parade, a story about the internal struggle between being who you are & who the world tells you to be.

Taylor O’Donnell: voice/piano
Mike Effenberger: keys
PJ Donahue: Drums
Brad Myrick: guitar
Scott Kiefner: upright, electric bass
Stefanie Guzikowski: voice
Nate Laban: guitar/voice

ABOUT THE ALBUM:The two main characters in the story are Daisy and Anna Lee. They are in fact, the same person. Daisy is the mask we put on to please the world. Daisy seeks fame, fortune, attention and will mow down anyone in her path to get it. She is a reckless addict who cares about one thing- herself. Daisy wants the world to adore her. She wants her big parade.

Musically, Daisy is represented by the bluesy band pieces. The first three tracks give us a good glimpse at the loose cannon that Daisy is. It’s not until track 4 that we start to see the other side of Daisy, the side she does not want the world to see- Anna Lee.… read more about the project and Daisy’s storyHERE.

$20 advance | $25 day -of | $12 student
*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)

The Soggy Po Boys are back at The Dance Hall with their new line up, ready to bring the party, New Orleans style.

The Soggy Po Boys, native to New England, have become an institution. They are spreading the good news of New Orleans music across the northeast and beyond, playing at concert halls and street corners; music festivals and burlesque festivals; bars and libraries; wherever the party requires. Part of the beauty of New Orleans music is that it's celebrated and appreciated wherever it goes, from the street to the theater.   

Exploring the vast musical traditions of New Orleans and expanding their repertoire to look beyond NOLA jazz, the band includes traditional Caribbean tunes (it’s been said that New Orleans is the northernmost city in the Caribbean), as well as Meters funk, soul, and brass band / street beat music.

$20 adv | $25 day-of | $12 Student

*fees not included ($3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)