Monson, Maine, USA
About this Event
The work unfolds in three movements—Slate, Lake, and Mountain—drawing on the geological and social history of Central Maine’s slate region.
Anchored by the poem Monson, Maine, USA and set to music by Frigg, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, and Maria Kalaniemi and Eero Grundström, the performance is at times comic, at times heartrending. It is a portrait of people and landscape, exploring how both change and solidify over time.
The performance brings together four distinguished artists, acclaimed educators, poets, choreographers, and performers, including Maine’s Poet Laureate, Dawn Potter.
All of the artists who constructed Monson, Maine, USA are professionals in their own fields but not necessarily in one another’s. Thus, making and performing this piece has also been a lesson in risk, vulnerability, surprise, and, most importantly, the powerful imaginative bonds that emerge from collaborations among multiple disciplines.
A portion of the proceeds will support the Conference on Poetry and Learning’s Scholarship Fund at Monson Arts.
Thursday, October 19 at 7:00 PM (Doors 6:30 PM), approximately 60 minutes.
Tickets are $20 for Mechanics' Hall Members, $25 for General Admission. There is a $5 surcharge the day of the show. No one is turned away for lack of funds at the door.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Gretchen Berg is a performance artist, educator, and poet. She has taught at Bowdoin College, Bates College, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education and has created hundreds of collaborative performances with students and teachers in public schools throughout Maine. She is the author of the poetry collection So Far (2022) and is working on a second manuscript.
Teresa Carson holds an MFA in poetry and an MFA in theater, both from Sarah Lawrence College. She is the author of seven collections of poetry—most recently, Re [Moved] [Used] [Covered] (2025). She lives in Florida, where she founded and directs the nonprofit organization Argument of Time.
Gwyneth Jones teaches modern dance technique, repertory, and choreography at Bowdoin College. She has danced professionally with numerous companies and was awarded a Maine Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship. She also served as a guest artist and company teacher at London Contemporary Dance Theatre and as the choreographic consultant to the playwright and director Richard Nelson for productions at the Public Theater and Hunter College in New York City.
Dawn Potter is poet laureate of Maine. The author or editor of ten books of prose andpoetry, she has also won a Maine Literary Award for nonfiction and has received grants and fellowships from the Elizabeth George Foundation, the Writer's Center, and the Maine Arts Commission. She directs poetry programs at Monson Arts.
ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND
The Conference on Poetry and Learning is held each summer at Monson Arts, brings teachers, teaching artists, and poets into cross-disciplinary collaborations that support classroom goals, collegiality, and self-discovery. Scholarships are reserved for participants who could not otherwise afford to attend, a number that increases every year as institutions become less able or willing to pay for professional development. The work done at the conference stretches into schools, homes, and workplaces across the United States, supporting student engagement and achievement and creating community structures for teachers and artists who work in challenging, often isolated conditions.
PARKING & TRANSPORTATION
The Greater Portland Metro’s Congress & Casco Street Stop is directly in front of our building, served by routes 1, 7, 8, and 9B.
Street Parking: Available on Congress, Casco, Cumberland, Free Street, and nearby streets. Pay by meter or the Passport Parking App. Free after 6 PM, on Sundays, and between Parris and Alder Street. Some blocks may vary — look for posted signs.
Garages: The Arts District Garage (41 Brown St) has 250+ spaces, is open 24/7, and accepts credit card only, with entrances on Brown, Cumberland, and Casco. The Elm Street Garage (21 Elm St) is conveniently near the Portland Library. The Spring Street Garage is three blocks away at 45 Spring St.
ACCESSIBILITY
To enter our building, patrons will need to navigate a single step or use a modular ramp. Please note that the wheelchair ramp has a steep 17" incline.
A wheelchair-accessible elevator is available. The elevator is 60" deep, 48" wide, with a 32" door opening. There are four wheelchair-accessible bathrooms on the third-floor level, adjacent to the Ballroom.
If you have a wheelchair or need accessibility accommodations/questions, please contact us at [email protected] or 207-773-8396.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 44.52
