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“Come to the Cabaret old chum…” and expect a lot of song, laughter and razzle-dazzle.
LEWISTON! CABARET illuminates the stage of the Franco-American Heritage Center’s beautiful new Heritage Hall on Saturday, April 30, 7:30 PM featuring a wide array of stage performers young and old assembled for one night of great entertainment by Lewiston’s ever-popular Cabaret host Louis Philippe.
Enjoy the great atmosphere created by FAHC Producer Richard Martin, along with light foods and cash bar as starry performances fill the newly-renovated performance venue.
Admission is $18, including light foods and a cash bar. FMI, contact the Franco American Heritage Center at 689-2000, or visit http://www.francoamericanheritage.org.
Step out and see the stars:
LAURA HURD WHITED
Laura grew up in Portland, but has a deep family connection to Lewiston: her father and grandmother (and great aunts and uncles and 2nd and 3rd cousins) were all born and raised in this remarkable city!
Trained at the Boston Conservatory, Laura has performed in many cities around the country most regularly in The Best of Broadway, a fundraiser for the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Merrill Auditorium. She is on hiatus from that show in order to sing here tonight and also with the cast of There’s Nothing Like A Dame, a revue of women singing men’s songs at Anthony’s Dinner Theater this past April and again this June. Last summer, Laura had the opportunity to play the part of a lifetime–Judy Garland in the one-woman show The Property Known as Garland, a fictional backstage account of the legendary singer’s final concert appearance. She will revive her “Judy” as a special guest with “The Rat Pack” at Anthony’s in July. Great fun!
Special thanks to husband, Jess and children, James and Emma for taking care of things at home so Laura can go out and play! And to Louis …I mean Father Frenchie…for his friendship and guidance. Now, On With The Show!
LOUIS GRASSI
Born-and-bred Mainer, 23-year old Louis Grassi has always possessed a desire to entertain. At the age of 15, he carried out that innate wish when he started taking guitar lessons. After being encouraged to utilize his vocal talents more publicly, this young singer-songwriter quickly established himself as a passionate, multi-dimensional musician.
In 2009, Louis released his debut recording, “Mystery of Myself” which featured four of his own compositions. A year and a half later, he released two more EPs, which gave way to his first full-length album entitled “Manifestation.”
Early 2011 marked the start of a national radio campaign that promoted his endearing single “Scrap Paper.” The song became a staple on internet radio of the Americana genre, and averaged 200+ spins a week.
TERESA DYER
Ever since she was a little girl she’s been smitten by the glamour and excitement found in the world of the theater. She often gets cast to play the roles of royals…from Countess Aurelia in Madwoman of Chaillot to Lady Olivia in Twelfth Night to the white witch Queen of Narnia. The world of Cabaret is only a stone’s throw from that of the theater, and although stripped of sets and costumes, the Cabaret stage allows Teresa the chance to make magic with the lyrics and melody of a well loved song. She thanks Louis Philippe for the opportunity to appear in his hometown of Lewiston in one of his famous cabarets.
THOMAS FERENT
Appearing in Cabarets is a fun thing for this resident of Naples and veteran of community theater. He has appeared in productions at Deertrees in Harrison, Eastern Slope Playhouse in North Conway, NH, Sebago Schoolhouse in Standish, Oxford Hills Music and Performing Arts (OHMPA) in Norway and at the Denmark Arts Center in Denmark.
Among his favorite roles have been Mr Biggley in How to Succeed, Ragpicker in Madwoman of Chaillot, Horton the Elephant in Suessical, Miles Gloriosus in Forum and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night.
Cabarets are a fun thing for Tom because they allow him to sing songs that he never has had a chance to perform in musical theater.
When not on the boards, he can be seen performing daily as Mr Lakefront selling Maine lakefront real estate to the world.
LAURIE SIDELINGER
Laurie’s passion for singing first blossomed at the age of four. She attributes her vocal and performing abilities to her very talented parents and family. Their unending encouragement over the years helped her gain confidence and a love for various styles of music. For almost two decades she performed with the Lewiston based band Horizon, has traveled from Canada to Boston singing her “songs from the heart.” Most recently, Laurie has collaborated with five other female vocalists from the Lewiston -Auburn area–Kathy Haley, Deb Morin, Bonnie Edwards, Bette Sanborn and Jeannie Martin–to perform in The Girls of L-A: The Divine Divas Of Song for two sold out concerts at the Franco American Heritage Center. Aside from her time spent in various recording studios working on jingles and projects, Laurie enjoys singing for weddings, wedding planning, performing for community events, and has been employed for 21 years with the administrative staff of International Paper.
MARC MAILHOT
Marc was born on April 5, 1951 in Batavia, NY, moved to Westbrook, Maine in 1954, and has lived there ever since. He began his musical career in September 1957 at age six formally studying piano under the late renowned Maine teacher Louis Sirois for 11 years…and played his first formal public performance in a Piano Recital in May 1960. He began playing drums in 1964 inspired by his father playing drums before him and the British Invasion beginning with The Beatles. Marc continues playing and performing on both instruments today.
During his career, Marc has performed literally thousands of gigs with pioneering Maine Bands Love, Inc. and Pegasus in the 1960’s and 1970’s and currently performs with The Chapparals and as a Solo Artist. Marc has also written, recorded, toured extensively, and produced.
Marc served on the teaching staff at Starbird Music in Portland in the 1960’s and early 1970’s and continues teaching privately. He is also a Piano Tuner and a proud member of the Maine Arts Commission, Portland Music Foundation, New England Songwriters Guild, The Maine Songwriters Association and the North American Music Teachers Association.
An alumni of Lyndon State College in Lyndonville, VT who also attended the University of Southern Maine, Marc is the Founder and President of Marco Polo Music.
ELLEN TUCKER
Ellen is originally from NYC and has performed in theaters on the East Coast from Florida to Maine State Music Theater, including numerous productions at Portland Lyric Theater and Portland Players. She plays the guitar and recently performed her songs in New York City and at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. She is thrilled to be reunited with Father Frenchie and this talented cast of stars.
Ellen is most proud of her two children— Tucker, a senior at Ohio State University, and Aleka, a graduate of NYU Tisch School of Performing Arts, who is now living and performing in NYC. She is an RN and works for AMEDISYS Home Care of Portland.
FATHER FRENCHIE
Father Frenchie is the self-proclaimed Ambassador of Goodwill who brings his message of hope and love to everyone of all denominations. He officially became a recording star in 2008 with the release of his first CD, “Father Frenchie Comes To Lewiston.”
Typically, one can find Father Frenchie making his rounds to a myriad of nursing homes, health care facilities, retirement communities, etc. On many occasions, he’ll be asked to share his wisdom and insight for church functions or senior citizen groups, and even variety shows.
Complete with broken French accent, misused language, double entendres and colorful characters, he shares typical everyday lifetime experiences as a traveling Catholic priest here in Maine.
DEBBIE POULIN & PAUL JALBERT
Paul Jalbert was born and raised in Auburn and takes pleasure in singing on a daily basis.
He is a local barber whose many musical accomplishments include performing in various plays for Community Little Theatre and singing in local churches. He was also affiliated with Magic Pops Chorus for several years and is a current member of the “Just Us Entertainers”.
Debbie Poulin was born and raised in Lewiston. She is the mother of three and has one grandson who is her greatest treasure. She always sang her children to sleep at bed time and music was always on in the house. As a child she was blessed to have been exposed to music from every decade.
Debbie has always enjoyed singing but never performed in front of an audience until her debut in the late 90’s when she became affiliated with the “Magic Pops Chorus. In 2000 she was asked to become a member of the “Just Us Entertainers” and at the present time she continues to enjoy performing with them.
Paul and Debbie have known each other for more than 25 years and have been singing together for approximately 8 of those years. They can be seen in two upcoming performances of the “Just Us Entertainers” to be held on Friday, May 13 at the Multi-purpose Center which is a fund raiser for the Senior Citizens and again on Friday, June 3 at the Heritage Center for the Festival Franco Fun.
DON SPEAR
– Maine Humorist, Raconteur, Oral Historian and Occasional Song and Dance Man – is known as “The Pondering Pundit.”
A native of Bath, Maine, Don began his stage career in 1943 at the Boy Scout Camp in Raymond and continued developing his stagecraft at Morse High School before going on to graduate from University of Maine and Georgetown Law School. After serving two years in the Army, he was employed as an attorney in the General Counsel’s Office of the Commerce Department in Washington, DC. In June of 1959, he married the boss’s secretary and returned to Bath to enter private law practice.
His career highlights include: Prosecuting Attorney for Sagadahoc County, Executive Director of the Bath Urban Renewal Authority, Boardmember of Bath Memorial Hospital, The Bath Area YMCA, Salvation Army, the Patten Free Library, the Old Ladies Home and Plant Memorial Home; Founding Trustee of Hyde School and Maine Maritime Museum; Bath Rotary Club President and Chairman of the Bath Savings Institution Board of Trustees.
A performer with many hats, Don is armed with a variety of entertainment arsenal that he presents in public and private performances around the state.
KATHLEEN PETERSON
Kathleen began her many years in local theater at Windham Center Stage Theater in Oliver…but only after being coerced by a few cocktails to get onstage to audition. She went to portray many roles for WCST, and also Portland Lyric Theater—Funny Girl and Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.
She served in many capacities for Reindeer Theatre Company, from being on stage in any role that needed to be filled or singing in any music revues that needed voices to producing, directing, and any and every area of backstage or tech crew work. Her favorite role was Baby Snooks in RTC’s Golden Days Of Radio.
She admits she is more comfortable in the background than the spotlight, but still enjoys doing a few shows here and there…and hopes you enjoy some good old country music classics.
GABRIELLA LATINI
Gabriella is a 14-year old artist who plays guitar, piano, saxophone, trombone, and bass…and loves to sing. Recently, she was acclaimed as winner of the Westbrook Idol competition—the youngest contestant to make it to the Finals—and was the official entertainer for the 2010 Maine Breast Cancer Walk, singing for thousands of people in Portland’s Monument Square.
Gabriella shares her talent with her church choir and her own band, and also sings with the Westbrook Jazz Band, recently receiving the top score at a music festival. She has sung at The Sea Dogs games and also for many funerals and weddings. “I love to be on stage and in the spotlight and hope I get many more opportunities to do so!”
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