Join MIO’s Spring Performances and Events!
Dear Community,
Maine Inside Out has kicked off spring with workshops, community events, performance preparation, planning our Juneteenth celebration, and welcoming new staff.
Our team continues to work with amazing students and artists, and as always, learn from the people who connect with and support MIO’s theater and art for social change. We’re excited to share performance and community event dates, and look forward to seeing you there!
Events
Lewiston Middle School Student Performances and Dialogue:
Lost In Sight
Monday, May 15 5-6:30 pm
Some Dreams Come True, Some Dreams Become Nightmares
Thursday, May 18, 5-6:30 pm
Portland Public School’s King Middle School Student Performances and Dialogue:
The Adventures of KMS and MIO
Tuesday, May 23, 5-6:30pm
Behind the Doors of KMS
Wednesday, May 24, 5-6:30pm
Mountain View Correctional Facility Performance and Dialogue:
Thursday, June 22, 4-5:30pm
(If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to morgan@maineinsideout.org with your full name and date of birth by June 15.)
MIO’s Juneteenth Event in Kennedy Park Lewiston:
Juneteenth: A Change We’re Waiting For
Friday, June 16, 4:30-6:30pm
THE SYSTEM Open Mic Night
We hosted a successful open mic night, THE SYSTEM, in April. Performers from our community filled our Lewiston site with music, spoken word, and connection. Our featured artist was James Timothy “Tim” Holland, Jr., better known by his stage name Sole.
Our open mic nights are key to making sure we stay connected as an MIO community, and a space where we continue to work together toward a world where everyone matters and belongs. We’ll host more open mic nights later this year - be on the lookout for dates. If you’d like to sponsor an open mic night, please click here to learn more!
Theater Team Update
MIO’s theater team is in full swing creating theater in three places, King Middle School, Lewiston Middle School, and Mountain View Correctional Facility. Each group is building their original plays and performances around their own unique set of lived experiences and some themes are emerging around trust and listening.
A big part of our work right now is growing our training and capacity and team of theater facilitators. We hold regular structures for planning, debrief, and praxis as teams are working with MIO artists to create original plays. We hold weekly “Joker workouts” with the full MIO staff team to practice theater games and techniques, and to play together. In January the full MIO staff team did a forum theater training with Theatre of the Oppressed NYC.
Our staff team is also prioritizing external training and going to see live performances together, including Memphis Jookin’ and The Parable of the Sower Opera. Thank you Portland Ovations and Maine Humanities Council for the tickets!
From left to right: Portland theater team, Lewiston theater team, MIO team with Theater of the Oppressed trainers from TONYC in January, and facilitating a workshop at Maine Law School in April.
Maine Inside Out’s theater facilitation teams offer 60-120 minute theater of the oppressed workshops. We are booking workshops for the Fall (August - September) and would love to connect if you are interested in bringing an MIO workshop to your school, organization, conference or gathering.
New Staff
Dominick Morrison, Portland Public Schools Project Facilitator
Dominick writes: My name is Dominick and I have been a part of Maine Inside Out since I was 15 years old. Maine Inside Out would go to Long Creek Development Center and teach us theater for social change. I immediately fell in love with theater. Our play was called Free the Real.
Maine Inside Out is known for being a strong support community and family. Throughout my journey I had hit rock bottom but with Maine Inside Out’s persistent love and compassion and many other people in my community, I can say proudly that I am housed, sober, and thriving for a better life. I’m a facilitator and working with inspiring student artists to make theater.
Hassan Sheikh, Portland Public Schools Project Facilitator
Hassan has been part of MIO from the beginning as a cast member in MIO’s Journey Through Punishment Troupe in 2013. In 2023 Hassan joined the team as a theater facilitator in MIO’s Portland Schools project.
Molly Gallagher Burk, Philanthropy Lead
Molly leads our collective efforts to engage donors, foundations, and businesses in supporting MIO’s mission in order to sustain and grow our impact. Having worked with individual donors and funders for 15+ years, she is committed to creating solidarity and partnership between people with financial privilege and underfunded communities. Prior to joining Maine Inside Out in January, Molly held development positions with 317 Main Community Music Center, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and Bowdoin College. She earned an MBA from Antioch University New England and a BS in Communications from Boston University. She continues to be actively involved in equity and racial justice work both in her professional life and local community. Molly and her family live in Portland.
Support MIO
Maine Inside Out is powered by the generosity of our community. Our work is made possible through charitable support, and we deeply appreciate gifts of all sizes and varieties. MIO honors all of the ways we can invest in building a world where everyone matters and belongs.
We are grateful for all who are part of our work this year, and we welcome others to join us!