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Maine Humanities Council addresses domestic violence through drama and discussion

    From April 16 to April 18, the Maine Humanities Council will present a live performance and panel discussion in Portland, Lewiston and Bangor to expand and deepen public conversations about domestic violence in Maine. The programs — at the John Ford Theater at Portland High School (April 16), the Franco-America Heritage Center in Lewiston (April 17) and Husson University in Bangor (April 18) will feature nationally acclaimed theater group Outside the Wire. A readers’ theater performance of scenes from Tennessee Williams’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” will be the catalyst for community discussion of this critical issue.

    Bob Young of the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department will be representing area at the panel taking place at Husson on April 18. Tickets for the event are available at Womancare in Dover-Foxcroft, 564-8165.
    The performances come at an important moment in statewide dialogue on domestic violence. Gov. Paul LePage has highlighted ending domestic violence in Maine as a major priority, calling for broader discussion of the problem and seeking Mainers’ support in addressing it. The Maine Humanities Council is partnering with domestic violence prevention agencies throughout Maine to bring their expertise to this program.
    A domestic violence assault is reported every hour and 38 minutes in Maine. Nearly half the murders in Maine are domestic violence related. “Community discussion like this can help advance our state’s ongoing dialogue about domestic violence,” said Hayden Anderson, executive director of the Maine Humanities Council. “These performances give us an opportunity to confront difficult issues. They challenge our preconceptions and urge us toward thoughtful action.”
    The performances star film and Broadway actors Bryce Pinkham, featured in “Ghost” and on TV’s “The Good Wife”; Gretchen Egolf of films including “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “The Namesake”; as well as Maine actor and director Sally Wood, who has starred in performances across the state with the Theater at Monmouth and Portland Stage.
    The performances have received major support from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, The Maine Community Foundation, and donors to the Fund for Literature & Medicine. Additional support has been given by Maine Health and the Maine Medical Center. 
    The Maine Humanities Council is an independent, statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the people of Maine deepen their understanding of themselves, their communities, and the world. The council works with volunteer literacy programs, educators, school systems and libraries to promote the power and pleasure of ideas through its programming; the Council also provides grants supporting projects in community history, exhibits, workshops and other areas of study.

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