THE MAINE DISH Runs This Weekend at Portland Ballet Studio Theater

Seventeen actors, 12 playwrights, 4 directors, 1 delicious theme - FOOD! THE MAINE DISH: A Feast of Plays about Food will have its world premiere at the Portland Ballet Studio Theater running this weekend, March 5 through 8 during MAINE RESTAURANT WEEK.

Snowlion Rep has teamed up with Maine Restaurant Week to present this unique evening of theater centered around the theme of food. The members of Snowlion Rep's resident play development group, PLAYLAB, were given the word "food" and invited to write a short play. Twelve 10-minute plays were written and underwent the PLAYLAB developmental workshop process. The plays are wide in scope and variety, taking place in locales such as restaurants, a garden, a TV studio, a hillside in Africa, and outer space, among others. There are comedies, dramas, and even a musical. All the playwrights are Maine residents and bring their own unique vision to the idea of "food."

There will be 6 performances of The Maine Dish, all during the one weekend of Maine Restaurant Week, as follows:

Thursday March 5 at 7:30 pm

Friday March 6 at 7:30 pm

Saturday March 7 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm

Sunday March 8 at 2 pm and 5 pm

Performances are at the Portland Ballet Studio Theater, 517 Forest Avenue, Portland. Tickets are $18 for all seats, available at www.snowlionrep.org or by calling (207) 518-9305.

The shows are directed by Al D'Andrea, Harlan Baker, Ann Tracy, and Margit Ahlin with lighting design by Iain Odlin, costume design by Joseph Blough, and set design by Craig Robinson. The production stage manager is Jewels Murphy. The cast, who play multiple roles, is as follows:

Brent Askari

Karen Ball

Michael Cheung

Kate Cyr

Andre Demers

Cameron Foley

Aristote Hekima

Bridgette Kelly

Julia Langham

Victoria Machado

Patricia Mew

Kate Michaud

Kerry Rasor

Tristan Rolfe

Andrew Shepard

Kacy Woodworth

Eric Worthley

The plays are as follows:

TUNG SING by Harlan Baker

Adventure is on the menu at one young man's favorite Chinese restaurant.

SERVED HOT by Brent Askari

A desperate restauranteur cooks for a customer who possesses a dark secret.

THE CLARITY OF PIZZA by Carolyn Gage

A lesbian and her hetero best friend fight over a guy and discover a slice of liberation.

FAST CASUAL by David Sussman

A young man and his girlfriend's roommate discover shared beliefs - and dangerous feelings - over lunch.

PASTA AND POETRY by Ann Tracy

A TV cooking show pits a lady cabdriver against her gun-toting brother-in-law in an epic food fight.

ASSORTED GREENS by Margaret Nomentana

Art gallery visitors find food for thought.

MY HARVEST TABLE by Laura Emack

In their first shared summer, a new bride and her teen stepson face off amidst anthropomorphic vegetables.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS by MK Wolfe

Swedish Christmas traditions are in jeopardy when Anika brings home a shocking surprise to mom.

MADELEINES by Bess Welden

Mother's favorite Passover recipe changes everything Debra thought she knew about her family.

HUNGRY LIKE A by Callie Kimball

Bob and Janathia conspire to buck the system at a bizarre addiction treatment center.

NYARING by Delvyn C. Case Jr.

Two African children seek comfort and a good meal as rebels hunt them down.

THE AMAZING DR. JONES by Mark Shaughnessy

In a far-flung laboratory, two scientists musically mine the molecular origins of food.

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