The Grand Presents the Best Recent Movies With Its “CineGrand” Film Series in May!

ELLSWORTH, Maine – The Grand’s Weekly CineGrand series– a series of the best of the recent films, many of which are recent Oscar or Golden Globe winners and nominees- concludes its Spring season beginning on Tuesday 5/14 at its regular time of 7:30 pm (and special 1 pm afternoon matinee closed-captioned encore screenings beginning on Wednesday 5/15) Tickets for all CineGrand screenings are General Admission and are priced as follows: $8 for Adults, $7 for Seniors/Students (15 and under) and $6 for Grand Members (as well as Matinee screenings). See these great films the way the directors made them to be seen- through a state-of-the-art digital projection system- on the Coastal Eye Care giant screen.  See it any other way... and it wouldn't be Grand! The May CineGrand titles are as follows...

-"Vice"- (Tuesday, May 14th at 7:30 pm and a special matinee closed-captioned encore screening on Wednesday, May 15th at 1 pm) From the Oscar-nominated director of “The Big Short” comes the epic story about how a bureaucratic Washington insider quietly became the most powerful man in the world as Vice-President to George W. Bush, reshaping the country and the globe in ways that we still feel today. Featuring Oscar-nominated performances from Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Sam Rockwell with support from Steve Carell, Tyler Perry, Lily Rabe and Allison Pill. (2018. US. 2hrs, 12min. Directed by Adam McKay. R.)

-"On the Basis of Sex"- (Tuesday, May 21st at 7:30 pm and a special matinee closed-captioned encore screening on Wednesday, May 22nd at 1 pm) The film tells an inspiring and spirited true story that follows young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturn a century of gender discrimination. With Armie Hammer, Sam Waterston, Kathy Bates, Justin Theroux and Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg. (2018. US. 2hrs. Directed by Mimi Leder. PG-13.)

- "Green Book"- (Tuesday, May 28th at 7:30 pm and a special matinee closed-captioned encore screening on Wednesday, May 29th at 1 pm) This year’s Best Picture Oscar winner tells the story of when Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali, who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance), a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on "The Green Book" to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism, danger-as well as unexpected humanity and humor-they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime. With Linda Cardellini. (2018. US. 2hrs, 10 min. Directed by Peter Farrelly. PG-13.)

For more information on this or other Grand events, including on Thursday, May 16th at 7 pm, a live, projected, high-definition production of Shakespeare’s classic magical story “The Tempest” from the acclaimed Stratford Festival– please call the box office at 207-667-9500 or visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheGrand1938/

The Grand Presents the Best Recent Movies With Its “CineGrand” Film Series in August!

Ellsworth, Maine - The Grand’s Weekly CineGrand series– a series of the best of recent films- continues its Summer season on Tuesday 8/14 at its regular time of 7:30 pm. Tickets for all CineGrand screenings are General Admission and are priced as follows: $8 for Adults, $7 for Seniors/Students (15 and under) and $6 for Grand Members. See these great films the way the directors made them to be seen- through a state-of-the-art digital projection system- on the giant Coastal Eye Care screen. See it any other way... and it wouldn't be Grand! The August CineGrand titles are as follows...

"Double Lover"- (Tuesday, August 14th at 7:30 pm) Crafting a deliriously cinematic web of suspense, shock, eroticism, and power dynamics, writer/director François Ozon (“Swimming Pool”) returns to master the thriller genre with “Double Lover.” In the new film, Ozon reunites with two actors whom he previously directed in breakout roles, Marine Vacth (“Young & Beautiful”) and Jérémie Renier (“Criminal Lovers”), now helming them in an intense exploration of a woman venturing into dangerous romance. With Jacqueline Bisset. (2018. French with English subtitles. 1 hr, 47 min. Directed by François Ozon. R.)

"Loveless"- (Tuesday, August 21st at 7:30 pm and a special matinee closed-captioned encore screening on Wednesday, August 22nd at 1 pm) The Russian nominee for the 2017 Best Foreign Film Oscar tells the story of Zhenya and Boris who are going through a vicious divorce marked by resentment, frustration and recriminations. Already embarking on new lives, each with a new partner, they are impatient to start again, to turn the page- even if it means threatening to abandon their 12-year-old son Alyosha. Until, after witnessing one of their fights, Alyosha disappears. (2017. Russian [with English Subtitles]. 2 hrs, 9 min. Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev. R.)

"The Death of Stalin"- (Tuesday, August 28th at 7:30 pm and a special matinee closed-captioned encore screening on Wednesday, August 29th at 1 pm) The one-liners fly as fast as political fortunes fall in this uproarious, wickedly irreverent satire from Armando Iannucci (“Veep,” “In the Loop”). Moscow, 1953: when tyrannical dictator Joseph Stalin drops dead, his parasitic cronies square off in a frantic power struggle to be the next Soviet leader. Among the contenders are the dweeby Georgy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor), the wily Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi), and the sadistic secret police chief Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale). But as they bumble, brawl, and backstab their way to the top, just who is running the government? Combining palace intrigue with rapid-fire farce, this audacious comedy is a bitingly funny takedown of bureaucratic dysfunction performed to the hilt by a sparkling ensemble cast. With Jason Isaacs, Andrea Riseborough and Michael Palin. (2018. UK 1 hr, 47 min. Directed by Armando Iannucci. R. )

For more information on this or other Grand events, including on Tuesday, September 4th at 7:30 pm and a special matinee closed-captioned encore screening on Wednesday, September 5th at 1 pm, the September “First CineGrand” screening sponsored by First Advisors and First National Bank– “Tully,” the new comedy about motherhood in the 21st century from Academy Award (R)-nominated director Jason Reitman ("Up in the Air"), Academy Award (R)-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody ("Juno") and starring Academy Award (R) winner Charlize Theron– please call the box office at 207-667-9500 or visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheGrand1938/

Oscar® Loves CineGrand!

Guillermo del Toro and his cast and production team accepting this year's Best Picture Oscar® for “The Shape of Water.” 

Ellsworth, Maine - The Grand announces the many, many upcoming CineGrand films that are now both Oscar®-nominated and Oscar®-winning titles as well! The movies are a weekly series of the best of the recent films and all projected through the theater's state-of-the-art Digital Projection System with an evening screening on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm and a special closed-captioned matinee screening on the following Wednesday afternoon at 1:00 pm. Ticket prices for evening movies and are $8 for Adults, $7 for Seniors and Students and $6 for Grand Members. Wednesday matinees are $6. The Academy Award Nominated and Winning CineGrand movies for this year are:

Tuesday, March 20th at 7:30 pm/Wednesday March 21st at 1:00 pm– The Shape of Water. Winner- the Best Picture Oscar®, the Best Director Oscar® for Guillermo Del Toro, the Best Score Oscar® for Alexander Desplatt and the Best Production Design Oscar®.

Tuesday, March 27th at 7:30 pm/Wednesday March 28th at 1:00 pm– The Florida Project. Nominated- the Best Supporting Actor Oscar® for Willem Dafoe's performance.

Tuesday, April 3rd at 7:30 pm/Wednesday April 4th at 1:00 pm– The Post. Nominated- the Best Picture Oscar®, Best Supporting Actress Oscar® for Meryl Streep's performance and the Best Director Oscar® for Steven Spielberg.

Tuesday, April 17th at 7:30 pm– I, Tonya. Winner- the Best Supporting Actress Oscar® for Allison Janney's performance.  Nominated- Best Actress Oscar® for Margot Robbie's performance and the Best Editing Oscar®. 

In addition, we are booking these titles for May and June-
Phantom Thread. Winner- the Best Costume Design Oscar®. Nominated- the Best Picture Oscar®, the Best Actor Oscar® for Daniel Day Lewis' performance, the Best Supporting Actress Oscar® for Leslie Manville's performance, the Best Director Oscar® for Paul Thomas Anderson and the Best Score Oscar® for Jonny Greenwood.

All the Money in the World. Nominated- the Best Supporting Actor Oscar® for Christopher Plummer's performance.

Call Me By Your Name. Winner- the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar® for James Ivory. Nominated- the Best Picture Oscar®, the Best Actor Oscar® for Timothée Chalamet's performance and the Best Song Oscar® for “Mystery of Love”.

Loving Vincent. Nominated- the Best Animated Feature Oscar®.

Darkest Hour. Winner- the Best Actor Oscar® for Gary Oldman's performance and the Best Make-Up and Hair Design Oscar®. Nominated- Best Cinematography Oscar®, the Best Costume Design Oscar® and the Best Production Design Oscar®.

Roman J. Israel, Esq. Nominated- the Best Actor Oscar® for Denzel Washington's performance.
Molly's Game. Nominated- the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar® for Aaron Sorkin.

For more information on CineGrand or other Grand events, please call the box office at 207-667-9500 or visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339

MPBN Brings “Victoria” to The Grand

Ellsworth, Maine - Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN) continues its association with The Grand by hosting a free screening of the first hour of the Season 2 Series Premiere of the hit PBS historic drama “Victoria” projected on The Coastal Eye Care screen in high definition on Saturday, January 13th at 7 pm. Seats must be reserved by going to the Evenbrite link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/victoria-season-2-premiere-at-the-grand-tickets-39881933938.

Join the fun at The Grand on January 13th, with for the first hour of the “Victoria Second Season Premiere” through the theater's state-of-the-art digital projection system. Jenna Coleman returns for a new season as the young queen who wants it all- romance, power, an heir, and personal freedom on “Victoria, Season 2,” created and scripted by bestselling novelist Daisy Goodwin. And now, fans can see the beginning of the next chapter of this hit series at the Grand as a special free presentation from MPBN. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the show starts at 7:00 pm. Just go to the link above and reserve your seats for this rare opportunity to preview an episode before it airs!

For more information on these or other Grand events- including on Tuesday, January 16th at 6 pm “Their Finest,” a funny, sweet look at the work of British propaganda film unit during World War Two starring Gemma Arterton, Jeremy Irons and Bill Nighy- please call the box office at 207-667-9500 or visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339

The Grand's Monthly Film Program- Film "The Opera House" on Saturday January 13th

Ellsworth, Maine - The Grand presents a special screening of the terrific recent documentary about the home of the New York Metropolitan Opera- “The Opera House,” on Saturday, January 13th at 1 pm, as the next film in its Monthly TruMovie series– a series of the best of the recent documentaries and fiction films based on real events. See the film screened as the director made it to be seen- on the big Coastal Eye Care screen through The Grand's state-of-the-art digital cinema projection system. Tickets for this General Admission presentation are $15. Anything else... wouldn't be Grand!

This new film by multiple Emmy Award–winning documentary filmmaker Susan Froemke, surveys a remarkable period of the Metropolitan Opera’s rich history and a time of great change for New York. Drawing on rarely seen archival footage, stills, and recent interviews, the film chronicles the creation of the Met’s storied home of the last 50 years, against the backdrop of the artists, architects, and politicians who shaped the cultural life of New York City in the ’50s and ’60s. Amongst the notable figures in the film are famed soprano Leontyne Price, who opened the new Met in 1966 in Samuel Barber’s “Anthony and Cleopatra”; Rudolf Bing, the Met’s imperious General Manager, who engineered the move from the old house to the new one; Robert Moses, the unstoppable city planner who bulldozed an entire neighborhood to make room for Lincoln Center; and Wallace Harrison, whose quest for architectural glory was never fully realized.

For more information on this or other Grand events- including the free MPBN preview screening of the first hour of the first episode of the new season of “Victoria” on Saturday, January 13th at 7 pm- please call the box office at 207-667-9500 or visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheGrand1938/

Image Caption: The Grand screens “The Opera House.” The New York Metropolitan Opera.

NT Live presents the stage version of Peter Pan on screen twice at the Grand!

Ellsworth, Maine - The Grand announces the next in a series of high-definition simulcast performances from The National Theatre of London– Sally Cookson's (NT Live: Jane Eyre) all-ages appropriate take on the JM Barrie's classic Peter Pan, screening in a special, encore, closed-captioned hi-def presentation through a brand-new digital projection system on Thursday, June 22nd at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. Anything else wouldn't be Grand!

General admission tickets for the screenings are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, $15 for Grand members, $13 for students, and $10 for youth (12 and under), and are available at The Grand Box Office, by phone (207) 667-9500, or online at www.grandonline.org.

All children, except one, grow up… When Peter Pan, leader of the Lost Boys, loses his shadow, headstrong Wendy helps him to reattach it. In return, she is invited to Neverland, where Tinker Bell the fairy, Tiger Lily and the vengeful Captain Hook await. A riot of magic, music and make-believe ensues. A delight for children and adults alike, Sally Cookson (NT Live: Jane Eyre) directs this wondrously inventive production, a co-production with Bristol Old Vic theatre.
So bring a friend and experience an NT Live production that made Michael BIllington of The Guardian rave “everything goes right in this delightful version” –The National Theatre of London's hi-definition encore presentation at The Grand of JM Barrie’s Peter Pan, presented both at 2 pm and 7:30 pm on Thursday, June 22nd.

The Grand is proud to be presenting all forms of theatre including various series of high definition simulcasts and encore performances from British theater including Internationally acclaimed theatre director Yaël Farber (Les Blancs) take on the classic story of Salome, screening in a special, encore, closed-captioned hi-def presentation on Thursday, July 20th at 7:30 pm.

A full schedule can be found online at www.grandonline.org. Or follow The Grand on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339.

“LunaFest 2017!”

The Grand Presents a Benefit Screening of “LunaFest 2017!”

ELLSWORTH – On Thursday, April

27th at 7 pm, The Grand will host “Lunafest 2017 - a night of short films by, for, about Women". Lunafest is an annual benefit for The Next Step Domestic Violence Project of Hancock County. Lunafest features films that celebrate and inspire us all. Tickets for this General Admission benefit presentation are $15.
Established in 2000 by LUNA, the makers of the Whole Nutrition Bar for Women, LUNAFEST connects women, their stories and their causes through film. This traveling film festival spotlights the work of a diverse array of talented women filmmakers with intelligent, funny and thought-provoking themes. *Please Note: Films are not formally rated, however, some content is not appropriate for children. We recommend that viewers be age 16+.

“Patriots Day”

The Grand Screens “Patriots Day”

ELLSWORTH – The Grand presents "Patriot's Day" on Friday, April 28th and Saturday April 29th, as the first film in its Monthly TruMovie Weekend series– a series of the best of the recent documentaries and fiction films based on real events all playing Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Saturday matinees at 2:00 pm. "Patriot's Day" stars Mark Wahlberg and takes a fictional look at the search for the Boston Marathon bombers. Ticket prices for CineGrand films are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, and $6 for Grand members. Matinee tickets are $6 for all seats.

"Patriot's Day" is the powerful story of a community's courage in the face of the bombing during the Boston Marthon. In the aftermath of an unspeakable attack, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons) and nurse Carol Saunders (Michelle Monaghan) this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of one of the most sophisticated manhunts in law enforcement history and celebrates the strength of the people of Boston.

For more information on this or other Grand events, including “La La Land" on Tuesday, May 2nd at 7:30 pm and a special closed-captioned matinee on Wednesday May 3rd at 1 pm. Please call the box office at 207-667-9500 or visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339

“20th Century Women”

The Grand Screens “20th Century Women”

ELLSWORTH – The Grand presents “20th Century Women" starring Annette Benning on Tuesday,

April 25th at 7:30 pm and a special closed-captioned matinee on Wednesday , April 26th at 1:00 pm. "20th Century Women" is the next film in its CineGrand series of the best recent movies, many of them nominated for this year's Academy and Golden Globe Awards. Ticket prices for CineGrand films are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, and $6 for Grand members. Matinee tickets are $6 for all seats.
It's the summer of 1979 and a Santa Barbara single mom and boardinghouse landlord (Annette Bening) decides the best way she can parent her teenage son (Lucas Jade Zumann) is to enlist her young tenants- a quirky punk photographer (Greta Gerwig), a mellow handyman (Billy Crudup) and her son's shrewd best friend (Elle Fanning) - to serve as role models in a changing world. With Alison Elliot and Alia Shawkat.

See “20th Century Women” at The Grand on Tuesday, April 25th at 7:30 pm and a special closed-captioned matinee on Wednesday April 26th at 1:00 pm.

For more information on this or other Grand events, including “La La Land" on Tuesday, May 2nd at 7:30 pm and a special closed-captioned matinee on Wednesday May 3rd at 1 pm. Please call the box office at 207-667-9500 or visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339

NT Live presents Twelfth Night live on screen at the Grand!

ELLSWORTH– The Grand announces the next in a series of high-definition simulcast performances from The National Theatre of London– Tamsin Greig (Episodes, Black Books, Green Wing) as “Malvolia” in a new twist on Shakespeare’s classic comedy of mistaken identity Twelfth Night, broadcast live and presented on Thursday, April 27th at 2 pm. General admission tickets for the screening are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, $15 for Grand members, $13 for students, and $10 for youth (12 and under), and are available at The Grand Box Office, by phone (207) 667-9500, or online at www.grandonline.org.
A ship is wrecked on the rocks. Viola is washed ashore but her twin brother Sebastian is lost. Determined to survive on her own, she steps out to explore a new land. So begins a whirlwind of mistaken identity and unrequited love. The nearby households of Olivia and Orsino are overrun with passion. Even Olivia's upright housekeeper Malvolia is swept up in the madness. Where music is the food of love, and nobody is quite what they seem, anything proves possible. Simon Godwin (NT Live: Man and Superman, NT Live: The Beaux’ Stratagem) directs this joyous new production with Greig as a transformed Malvolia. an ensemble cast that includes Daniel Rigby (Flowers, Jericho), Tamara Lawrence (Undercover), Doon Mackichan (Smack the Pony) and Daniel Ezra (The Missing, Undercover).

So bring a friend and experience an NT Live performance that made Susannah Clapp of The Guardian rave “there is almost more stuff and notions than even the Olivier can contain. There is real boisterousness and some loss: of lyricism and longing” –The National Theatre of London's live simulcast hi-definition presentation at The Grand of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night starring Tamsin Greig, presented at 2 pm on Thursday, April 27th.

The Grand is proud to be presenting all forms of theatre including various series of high definition simulcasts and encore performances from British theater including Tom Stoppard's classic, existential, comedic take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet-  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, screening in a special, encore, closed-captioned hi-def presentation on Thursday, May 18that 2 pm.

A full schedule can be found online at www.grandonline.org. Or follow The Grand on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339.

The Grand's screening of "​I Am Not Your Negro" on ​Thursday, ​​March 23rd

Ellsworth, Maine - The Grand presents one of this year's Oscar®- nominated documentaries “I Am Not Your Negro,” screening on Thursday, March 23rd at 7:30 pm as part of the non-profit performing art venue's mission to enrich the lives of people in Downeast and Eastern Maine by presenting diverse, unique, high-quality programs that provide entertaining, artistic, educational and social experiences. Ticket prices for the film are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, and $6 for Grand members and are General Admission seating.

Based on a never-finished book by the incendiary American novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic, James Baldwin., the documentary had its origins in 1979, when Baldwin wrote a letter to his literary agent describing his next project, “Remember This House.” The book was to be a revolutionary, personal account of the lives and successive assassinations of three of his close friends- Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. At the time of Baldwin's death in 1987, he left behind only thirty completed pages of his manuscript. Now, in his exciting, provocative new documentary, master filmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished. The result is a radical, up-to-the-minute examination of race in America. It is a film that questions black representation in Hollywood and beyond. And, ultimately, by confronting the deeper connections between the lives and assassination of these three leaders, Baldwin and Peck have produced a work that challenges the very definition of what America stands for. With narration by Samuel L. Jackson.

​​ I Am Not Your Negro” at The Grand on ​​ Thursday, ​​ March 23rd at 7:30 pm and see the Oscar®- nominated documentary about which A.O. Scott of The New York Times writes “Whatever you think about the past and future of what used to be called 'race relations' — white supremacy and the resistance to it, in plainer English — this movie will make you think again, and may even change your mind.”

For more information on this or other Grand events, including on Tuesday, March 28th at 7:30 pm and a special closed-captioned matinee on Wednesday March 29th at 1 pm the next CineGrand film selection – “Arrival,” a mysterious story of hope and wonder starring Amy Adams and nominated for several Oscars™ this year including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Directing and winning for Best Sound Editing– please call the box office at 207-667-9500 or visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339

Oscar® Loves the Brand New CineGrand!

Ellsworth, Maine - The Grand announces the lineup for the return of the Winter and Spring CineGrand – a series of the best of the recent films, most of them nominated for this year's Academy Awards and all projected through the theater's brand-new Digital Projection System. The films will be shown weekly with an evening screening on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm and a special closed-captioned matinee screening on the following Wednesday afternoon. Ticket prices for evening movies and are $8 for Adults, $7 for Seniors and Students and $6 for Grand Members. Wednesday matinees are $6. The line-up of titles for Winter and Spring CineGrand are:

Tuesday, February 14th at 7:30 pm/Wednesday February 15th at 2:00 pm– Love and Friendship Directed by independent film legend Whit Stillman, this acclaimed film celebrates Valentine's Day with an adaptation of Jane Austen's classic romantic story of wit and wisdom. Beautiful young widow Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale) visits the estate of her in-laws to wait out the colorful rumors about her dalliances circulating through polite society. Can she keep from creating new scandals? Don't count on it! With Chloe Sevingy, Stephen Fry and Jemma Redgrave.

Tuesday, February 21st at 7:30 pm/Wednesday February 22nd at 3:30 pm– The Girl on the Train A

The Grand to launch new digital projector with 3D screening of Disney Pixar’s “Up”

A still from Disney Pixar’s “Up.” The Grand is showing the movie in 3D, free to the public, to celebrate the launch of their new digital projector.

ELLSWORTH – The Grand Theater in Ellsworth will host a “Projector Premiere” on Saturday, February 11, and show the 3-D movie, Disney Pixar’s “Up.” The movie screening will celebrate the success of a $165,000 fundraising campaign to purchase a brand-new digital projector, sound system and screen for the historic theater. This event is open to the public and admission is free with donations accepted. Doors open at 7 for the 7:30 showing.

The new digital projector system allows The Grand to dramatically improve picture quality and sound, offer current release films sooner, show musicals and stage plays through simulcast, include subtitles for National Theater Live broadcasts, and the ability to show films in 3D – the only one of its kind in Hancock County. 

The Grand has raised $153,000 of the total $165,000 needed to complete the project, leaving $12,000 to raise.

The Grand Board of Director’s President Carla Haskell says “This is truly community supported performing arts and film. To our projector campaign donors who have had the vision to support arts in Ellsworth: thank you! We’re almost there, but it’s not too late for individuals or businesses in the community to participate and make a contribution to this historic campaign. This projector will serve everyone in our community.”

The new digital projector system is the biggest renovation project undertaken by The Grand. The projector and screen are being replaced and a new speaker system is being installed. The projector also requires a special room built to protect it from dust and moisture. That portion of the campaign was supported solely by Mrs. Edith Dixon. The new screen, made possible through a donation from Larry Piazza of Coastal Eye Care, is replacing the original 1938 screen.

Top donor, The First Bank President Tony McKim says “First National Bank is delighted to support The Grand and this wonderful project. Since 1938 The Grand has provided audiences with amazing experiences in the arts that have been vital to the fabric of our communities. We are proud to be part of it!”

To help The Grand meet its final goal of $12,000 for the projector campaign, you may send a contribution to the projector fund at The Grand, or give online at www.grandonline.org.

About The Grand

The Grand is a Non-Profit performing arts center on Main Street in Ellsworth, Maine. Built in 1938, it is a significant local example of Art Deco architecture, with a prominent marquee and a stepped steel-and-glass tower. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 1, 2012. To learn more about The Grand and all of our events visit www.grandonline.org, call the box office at 207-667-9500, or follow us on Facebook.

Verdi’s Nabucco Live in HD at The Grand

Ellsworth, Maine - The “Live in HD” high-definition simulcast series of productions and hi-def encores from The New York Metropolitan Opera continues its 2016 – 2017 season at The Grand on Saturday

​​ January 7th at 1 pm with a presentation of ​​ Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco, starring the legendary Plácido Domingo who brings another new baritone role to the Met under the baton of his longtime collaborator James Levine. Tickets are $27.00 for adults, $25.00 for Grand members and $20.00 for students (15 and under).

“The Met: Live in HD,” the Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning series of live transmissions offering a significant portion of the Met season to DownEast and MidCoast Maine communities, continues its eleventh season with two giants of this most dramatic of musical arts overcoming and transcending their own health issues to present one of the Italian composer's most celebrated pieces. The success of Verdi’s third opera, a stirring drama about the fall of ancient Jerusalem at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar (aka “Nabucco”), catapulted the 28-year-old composer to international fame. The music and Verdi himself were subsumed into a surge of patriotic fervor culminating in the foundation of the modern nation of Italy. Specifically, the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (“Va, pensiero”), in which the Israelites express their longing for their homeland, came to stand for the country’s aspirations for unity and that exciting era in Italian history, the Risorgimento, or “Resurgence.” And now, this production of Verdi's work is brought to melodic life by Ukranian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska (“Abigaile”), American tenor Russell Thomas (“Ismaele”) and American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton (“Fenena”) with support from a production team that includes Revival Stage Director J. Knighten Smit, Set Designer John Napier, Costume Designer Andreane Neofitou and Lighting Designer Howard Harrison.

“The Met: Live in HD series” is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor, The Neubauer Family Foundation. Global corporate sponsorship of The Met: Live in HD is provided by Bloomberg. Transmission of The Met: Live in HD in Canada is made possible thanks to the generosity of Jacqueline Desmarais, in memory of Paul G. Desmarais Sr. The HD broadcasts are supported by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury home builder®.

For more information on the Met opera at The Grand, including the upcoming summer encore of Met favorites, please call the box office at 207-667-9500. For more information on events at The Grand visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow The Grand on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339

Image attached: The cast of the “Live in HD” high-definition simulcast of Verdi’s Nabucco.

The Grand Wants You to “Let It Go” at the “Frozen Sing-a-Long!”

Ellsworth, Maine - At 2:00 pm on Sunday, December 4th, The Grand encourages audience members to sing along with Disney’s "Frozen," the coolest comedy-adventure ever to hit the big screen!


When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna (Kristen Bell), a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa (Idina Menzel), the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell. Encountering mystical trolls, a funny snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad), Everest-like extremes and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction. And now in this special "Sing-a-long Edition" you can join in the characters in every song they sing- even "Let It Go!" “Frozen”'s Elsa will even be on-hand to meet and greet before and after the show. With Alan Tudyk, Ciaran Hinds and Maurice LaMarche. Tickets for this General Admission presentation are $10 for Adults and $5 for Youth (12&under).

[Photo Caption​:​ ​ ​​ The characters of Disney's "Frozen. ​"​ ]

About The Grand
The Grand is a Non-Profit performing arts center on Main Street in Ellsworth, Maine. Built in 1938, it is a significant local example of Art Deco architecture, with a prominent marquee and a stepped steel-and-glass tower. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 1, 2012. To learn more about The Grand and all of our events visit www.grandonline.org, call the box office at 207-667-9500, or follow them on Facebook.

NT Live presents No Man's Land live on screen at the Grand!

Ellsworth, Maine - The Grand announces the next in a series of high-definition simulcast performances from The National Theatre of London– Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, following their hit run on Broadway, returning to the West End stage in Harold Pinter’s No Man's Land, broadcast live from Wyndham’s Theatre, London, on Thursday, December 15th at 2:00 pm. General admission tickets for the screening are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, $15 for Grand members, $13 for students, and $10 for youth (12 and under), and are available at The Grand Box Office, by phone (207) 667-9500, or online at www.grandonline.org.

One summer's evening, two ageing writers, Hirst and Spooner, meet in a Hampstead pub and continue their drinking into the night at Hirst's stately house nearby. As the pair become increasingly inebriated, and their stories increasingly unbelievable, the lively conversation soon turns into a revealing power game, further complicated by the return home of two sinister younger men (Owen Teale and Damien Molony.) The broadcast will be followed by an exclusive Q&A with the cast and director Sean Mathias.

So bring a friend and share the experience at The Grand of the play that Michael Billington of The Guardian calls a “...masterwork” –The National Theatre of London's live simulcast hi-definition presentation of the glorious revival of Pinter’s comic classic No Man's Land, presented at 2 pm on Thursday, December 15th.


A full schedule can be found online at www.grandonline.org. Or follow The Grand on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339.

Image attached: The poster for the National Theatre production of No Man's Land.

The Grand Brings Back A Charlie Brown Christmas- Live!

Ellsworth, Maine - The holiday television classic A Charlie Brown Christmas comes alive on the Stanley Subaru stage at The Grand in Ellsworth in a new all-teen production of the theatrical adaptation. The Grand continues its commitment to local theater by presenting this wonderful, musical take on the real meaning of the holidays runs on Friday, December 16th and Saturday, December 17th at 7 pm with additional performances at 2 pm on Sunday, December 18th. Tickets for this General Admission production are on sale now and are $12 for adults and $8 for youth 12 and under. Tickets can be obtained at the box office, by phone, or online at grandonline.org.

With direction from Robin Jones (director of The Farnsworth Invention and The Grand's Beginner/Advanced Youth/Teen Summer Theater Camp), this production of Charles Schultz's holiday story brings local teen performers to the Grand stage as such classic characters as Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Snoopy, and, of course, good ol' Charlie Brown himself. The production contains songs from the musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, the Vince Guaraldi holiday musical favorite “Christmas Time is Here” as well as the carol “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”. The cast of talented teen performers includes Justin Hatch, Brianna DeMaso, Olivia West, Nick Hansen, Abby Green, Kayla Hardison, Lillian Philbrook, Brady Kelley, Lucy Morison and Kasey Jordan. In addition to Jones, the production staff includes Nina Robinson-Poole (Assistant Director/Choreographer), Rebecca Edmondson (Music Director), Kimberly Fitch (Administration, Costumes), Garrett Harris (Sound Tech,) and Peter Miller (Tech Design, Props).

For more information on the production, or to become a member of The Grand, please call our box office at 207-667-9500. For more information on events at The Grand, visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow The Grand on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339

Saariaho’s L'Amour De Loin Encores in HD at The Grand

Ellsworth, Maine - The “Live in HD” high-definition simulcast series of productions and hi-def encores from The New York Metropolitan Opera continues its 2016 – 2017 season at The Grand on Saturday December 17th at 12 pm with an encore of its December 10th simulcast of Saariaho’s

​​ L'Amour De Loin, one of the most acclaimed stage works of the 21st century. Tickets are $27.00 for adults, $25.00 for Grand members and $20.00 for students (15 and under).

“The Met: Live in HD,” the Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning series of live transmissions offering a significant portion of the Met season to DownEast and MidCoast Maine communities, continues its eleventh season with Kaija Saariaho’s breakthrough opera which finally has its Metropolitan Opera premiere in a dazzling new production by Robert Lepage, featuring glimmering ribbons of LED lights that extend across the length of the stage and over the orchestra pit. The opera transpires in a medieval setting and distills its narrative down to a minimalist plot that focuses on the inner lives of its protagonists. Saariaho discovered the kernel for the opera’s story in the figure of Jaufré Rudel, one of the earliest troubadours, who lived in the first half of the 12th century. Only a handful of his poems have survived, and little is known for certain about him beyond that he was a prince of Aquitaine in the southwest of France. But the tales that circulated posthumously about his exploits made Jaufré popular with later aficionados of the art of courtly love, and 19th-century poets like Robert Browning took a fresh interest in him. And now, LePage's production of Saariaho's work is brought to melodic life by soprano Susanna Phillips, bass-baritone Eric Owens and mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford with support from a production team that includes Associate Director Sybille Wilson, Set and Costume Designer Michael Curry, Lighting Designer Dominique Bruguière as well as Lightscape Image Designer Lionel Arnould. Susanna Mälkki conducts.

“The Met: Live in HD series” is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor, The Neubauer Family Foundation. Global corporate sponsorship of The Met: Live in HD is provided by Bloomberg. Transmission of The Met: Live in HD in Canada is made possible thanks to the generosity of Jacqueline Desmarais, in memory of Paul G. Desmarais Sr. The HD broadcasts are supported by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury home builder®.

For more information on the Met opera at The Grand, including the upcoming summer encore of Met favorites, please call the box office at 207-667-9500. For more information on events at The Grand visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow The Grand on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grand-Auditorium/112755987339

Image attached: Susanna Phillips and Eric Owens star in the “Live in HD” high-definition simulcast of Saariaho’s L'Amour De Loin.

“NT Live: War Horse” Encores in HD at the Grand!

Ellsworth, Maine - On​ December 8th at 2 pm and 6 pm, The Grand announces the last in a series of high-definition encore performances from The National Theatre of London- the internationally acclaimed production of  “ War Horse,” based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo. Tickets for this General Admission presentation are $18 for Adults, $16 for Seniors, $15 for Grand Members, $13 for Students and $10 for Youth (12&under) and are available at The Grand Box Office, by phone (207) 667-9500, or online at www.grandonline.org.

The play is the powerful story of a young boy called Albert and his beloved horse, Joey, who has been requisitioned to fight for the British in World War I.

Caught in enemy crossfire, Joey ends up serving on both sides during the war before landing in No Man’s Land, while Albert, not old enough to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find his horse and bring him home. A remarkable tale of courage, loyalty and friendship, “War Horse” features ground -breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing and galloping horses to life on stage.

So bring a friend and share the experience at The Grand of a production that Ben Brantley of The New York Times calls “theatrical magic.”

[Photo Caption: One of the many magical scenes from the NT Live HD encore of “War Horse.”]

About The Grand
The Grand is a Non-Profit performing arts center on Main Street in Ellsworth, Maine. Built in 1938, it is a significant local example of Art Deco architecture, with a prominent marquee and a stepped steel-and-glass tower. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 1, 2012. To learn more about The Grand and all of our events visit www.grandonline.org, call the box office at 207-667-9500, or follow them on Facebook.

Robinson Ballet Unwraps “The Nutcracker” at The Grand!

Ellsworth, Maine – On Saturday, December 10th at 2 pm and 7 pm and on Sunday, December 11th at 2 pm, The Grand is excited to announce the annual holiday tradition of The Robinson Ballet performing the Tchaikovsky classic “The Nutcracker” on the Stanley Subaru Stage.

From E.T.A. Hoffmann's story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky created this seminal holiday classic. One of Tchaikovsky’s  most famous compositions, the ballet concerns a young German girl who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fierce battle against a Mouse King. The score is sure to warm the hearts of everyone as the familiar, iconic melodies from the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy to the Russian Dance are played. In this production of the timeless family favorite, The Robinson Ballet brings the professionalism that is associated with a company of dancers that has a 30-plus-year teaching and performing legacy in Maine. Don’t miss out on this holiday classic tale of a girl, a magician, a Nutcracker Prince, and a Rat King!

Tickets are $17 for Adults and Seniors, $15 for Members and $8 for Youth (12 and under). All seats are reserved. Performances are often sold out, so you are encouraged to reserve your seats early. For more information on this or other Grand events, please call the box office at 207-667-9500 or visit The Grand website at www.grandonline.org or follow The Grand on Facebook.

[Photo Caption: A scene from The Robinson Ballet's annual holiday production of the Tchaikovsky classic “The Nutcracker”.]


About The Grand
The Grand is a Non-Profit performing arts center on Main Street in Ellsworth, Maine. Built in 1938, it is a significant local example of Art  Deco architecture, with a prominent marquee and a stepped steel-and-glass tower. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 1, 2012. To learn more about The Grand and all of our events visit www.grandonline.org, call the box office at 207-667-9500, or follow them on Facebook.