Happy New Year!
Read on to hear about the exciting events we have taking place in our venues and public spaces this coming month.
Andy Downs, Director, Public Assembly Facilities
Hear Here 2020 Sunday, January 26, 2020 @4:00 pm Merrill Auditorium
Creative Portland presents Hear Here 2020, a live concert celebrating and showcasing Portland’s performing arts gems on the big stage. This second-annual variety show will feature multiple genres of extraordinary talent who are prime for national exposure. The 2019 inaugural event featured a rapper, a dancer, a pop singer, a strings ensemble, a punk rock band, and drummers from Burundi Africa. Affordable ticket prices ($25 adult general admission and $12 students & children), as well as special ticket giveaways to artists and underserved populations, are made possible by the generosity of co-presenters The Crewe Foundation and David E. Shaw. Proceeds will go to Creative Portland for the planning of the 2020 Arts & Culture Summit in June.
Maine Roller Derby Winter Classic Saturday, January 25 @5:30pm Portland Expo
It's Maine Roller Derby's cure for the winter blahs: their first game of 2020! Watch the R.I.P. Tides and Ship Wreckers face-off again for the first time since their nail-biter Coming Out Bout. Both teams are eager to start their new season strong, and with a host of new talent, this is sure to be an enthralling game of derby. The bout takes place at the Portland Expo, where you can get right up to the action with close off-track seating and stadium seating on both sides of the track. The concession area will be open, and Maine Roller Derby merchandise will be for sale before, during and after the game.
Saturday, February 8, 2020 @7:00pm Merrill Auditorium New England Fights, Maine's undisputed #1 fight promotion, debuts at Merrill Auditorium with a night of mixed-martial-arts cagefighting action!
Riverdance: 25th Anniversary Show TONIGHT! Wednesday, January 15 @7:30pm Merrill Auditorium
This is Riverdance as you’ve never seen it before! A powerful and stirring reinvention of this beloved favorite, celebrated the world over for its Grammy award-winning score and the thrilling energy and passion of its Irish and international dance. Twenty-five years on, composer Bill Whelan has re-recorded his mesmerizing soundtrack while producer Moya Doherty and director John McColgan have completely reimagined the ground-breaking show with innovative and spectacular lighting, projection, stage and costume designs. Immerse yourself in the extraordinary power and grace of its music and dance – beloved by fans of all ages. Fall in love with the magic of Riverdance all over again!
Upcoming Maine Red Claws Games Thursday, Jan. 16 @7pm vs Salt Lake City Stars
Friday, Jan. 31 @7pm vs Westchester Knicks
Saturday, Feb. 1 @7pm vs Greensboro Swarm
Thursday, Feb. 6 @7pm vs Canton Charge
Thursday, Feb. 20 @7pm vs College Park Skyhawks Get your tickets today!
Win Two Tickets to a Red Claws Game! Follow Portland Expo's Instagram page instagram.com/portlandexpomaine for a chance to win two tickets to see the Maine Red Claws take on the Canton Charge on Thursday, February 6 @7pm. Contest ends on Wednesday, January 22– GOOD LUCK!
Portland Ovations Presents: Raising the Barre Series MOMIX: "Viva MOMIX" Friday, February 7, 2020 7:00 PM Merrill Auditorium This miraculous dance company balances whimsy with athleticism, playfulness with artistry, illusion with invention, creating a signature style that sets it apart from its peers. Viva MOMIX celebrates the company’s 40-year history by featuring favorite vignettes from some of its best-loved and unforgettable performances, including Botanica, Opus Cactus and Lunar Sea. It’s an evening of pure talent resulting in pure entertainment. Under Artistic Director Moses Pendleton, innovative lighting, clever costuming and dynamic dancers combine to create fantastical imagery breathtaking to behold. You may never see dance – or the natural world around you – the same way again.
Racin' Preview Returns to the Expo! Friday, Feb. 21 & Saturday, Feb. 22 Portland Expo
Come check out over 60 race vehicles on display from tracks in Maine & New Hampshire.
The Illusionists – Live from Broadway Saturday, February 1 @8:00pm Merrill Auditorium This mind-blowing spectacular showcases the jaw-dropping talents of the most incredible Illusionists on earth. THE ILLUSIONISTS – LIVE FROM BROADWAY™ has shattered box office records across the globe and dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever to be seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.
Romantic Tchaikovsky Sunday, January 19 @2:30pm & Tuesday, January 21 @7:30pm Merrill Auditorium
Program Info:
ROBIN HOLCOMB: No Thing Lives to Itself SAINT-SAËNS: Piano Concerto No. 2 TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 2 “Little Russian”
Spotlight On:
Swan Lake Wednesday, February 19 @7:30pm Merrill Auditorium
The National Ballet Theatre of Odessa, Ukraine brings Tchaikovsky’s romantic masterpiece to life. The ballet tells the tale of maiden who is cursed by a wizard to spend her days as a swan and her nights as a human. The story of her quest to free herself and join her beloved has endured for generations. The National Ballet Theatre of Odessa is recognized as one of the most accomplished classical ballets in Europe and boasts an extremely varied repertoire. The company is located within the prestigious Opera Theater, where the greatest divas of Russian ballet, from Anna Pavlova to Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya, performed. Since 2009, Yuri Vasyuchenko, an Honorary Artist of Russia and exclusive soloist for Bolshoi, has served as the ballet manager.
Baby Shark Live! Wednesday, June 10 @6:00pm Merrill Auditorium
Grab the family and take an adventure into the sea with Baby Shark as he joins up with his friend Pinkfong to sing and dance through some of your favorite new and classic songs! Some of the hit songs include, Baby Shark, Five Little Monkeys, Wheels On The Bus, Jungle Boogie, and Monkey Banana Dance.
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Looking to purchase tickets to one of the many exciting shows at Merrill? Don't forget to buy them directly through PortTIX, the only company authorized to sell tickets to our events.