“Eco-conscious, urban bohemians:
She Doesn’t Like Guthries is your happy place.”
We are very proud to be certified as a ‘Green Restaurant’ by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
For More Information, visit www.maine.gov/dep
Maine Microcinema in Lewiston has a new home at soon-to-open Guthries Independent Theater
Written by: Dennis Perkins
Sometimes the best ideas come from something small.
Just ask Colin Kelley, co-founder (with Maine filmmaker Craig Saddlemire) of Maine Microcinema, the Lewiston film series dedicated to showcasing Maine films. Begun in 2010, Maine Microcinema has provided a bimonthly venue for Maine moviemakers to present their works to the appreciative crowd of She Doesn’t Like Guthries, the interestingly named Lewiston eatery run by Heather and Randy Letourneau.
For the past four years, screenings have been held in the restaurant proper. But now, thanks to a recent successful fundraising campaign (and a lot of hard work), Maine Microcinema has a new home – right next door.
“Craig originally set up the screenings at Guthries,” explains Kelly who, when not helping Maine filmmakers get seen is the manager of digital media for Bates College. “Randy and Heather were very supportive, so he had a sheet, stuck it up in a girder, and hauled his own projector from home. Initially, I had some work I wanted to show, as did Craig. It wasn’t long enough to have our own screening, and we couldn’t justify one, being really new filmmakers, so we needed more people to even out that one showing. So many people turned out, and the response was so good, that we’ve done one every other month since then.”
Maine Microcinema has shown dozens of films, all made by Mainers and always with the filmmakers on hand to connect with a Maine audience at Guthries. It’s the definition of the term “labor of love” for all involved, with free admission supplemented by a pass-the-hat collection which goes to the filmmakers (most of whom choose to split the take with organizers).
Kelley cites Guthries’ intimate nature, great food and drink, and generosity with fostering Maine Microcinema’s local success – even with the challenges inherent in showing movies in a working restaurant.
But that’s about to change, thanks to a recent fundraising campaign on the crowdsourcing site Kickstarter, which raised more than a thousand dollars more than its stated goal of $7,500 to rent out and renovate the space next door to Guthries. “Randy came to me after a great screening,” says Kelley, “and asked about the idea of expanding the space next door for us and for Guthries’ weekly storytelling series, which always draws a huge crowd. I love our current space, but it gets pretty crazy, with the phone ringing or someone making a smoothie – it can cut into the experience. I said I loved the idea, and the next time I talked to Randy, he’d talked to the landlord and knocked a hole in the wall!”
That new space, with an estimated capacity of 75, will debut in a big way on Halloween night with a screening of the 2014 edition of the Maine horror anthology series “Damnationland.” And after that, Maine Microcinema plans to expand its mission further commensurate to its new digs.
“Our opening film (and last showing in the old space) is Maine film ‘How To Make Movies At Home’ on Oct. 15,” says Kelley. “Then ‘Damnationland’ to open the new space. Then, while we’ll keep the same mission we’ve always had to connect Maine filmmakers and their audience, we’re looking to do longer runs, and then to start booking independent theatrical films.”
Despite the myriad details that go into bringing in films from distributors (“A crazy amount of things go into that,” explains Kelley), the new Guthries Independent Theater is planning to become a destination for Mainers looking for arthouse movie fare – alongside Guthries’ usual fare. “Lewiston has a lot to offer,” says Guthrie. “People don’t think so, but they’re surprised when they come. Now they can come downtown, then see a great movie – along with a Guthries burrito and a beer.”
Asked about what advice Maine Microcinema has for any Portlanders looking to get inspired by their example, Kelley says, “You’ve gotta have more than one person. We’ve got a really wide group of people coming in with ideas and pitching in. There’s more will than way when you start out. And read up on distribution – that is quite a challenge.”
Well, if there’s one thing the Maine film scene is good at, it’s finding opportunities in challenges, and Kelley’s excited about the support shown by the Lewiston contingent. “People are really excited about this idea. It’s great that people donated to the Kickstarter, and now they have to come out and buy tickets. But if anyone can make this work, it’s Randy and Heather.”
For Portland filmmakers looking for a place to show their movies, for audiences looking for a new place to see challenging films, and for motivated Portlanders looking to fill our city’s arthouse theater gap – look to Guthries and mainemicrocinema.com.
Guthries hopes to open art-house movie theater in Lewiston
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/guthriesplace/guthries-independent-theater
Written by Daniel Hartill, Staff Writer, Sun Journal
LEWISTON — The owners of She Doesn’t Like Guthries plan to create their own theater.
Randy and Heather Letourneau, who opened their restaurant seven years ago, have knocked out a closet wall in the back of their 115 Middle St. eatery to access to the former Maple Room theater at 22 Park St.
They plan to curtain the windows, erect a screen on the small stage and create a seating and dining area. If all goes well, they plan to begin showing independent movies by early November.
They’re also asking for help.
The Letourneaus have begun a campaign on website Kickstarter to help them raise $7,500. With two weeks left, the site has 43 backers and pledges worth more than $3,200. To see the video pitch, go to guthriestheater.com.
“We’re going to open it one way or another,” Randy Letourneau said. If (Kickstarter) works, I can fast forward. Instead of waiting three years for everything to be really nice, maybe if the community is as excited as we are, we’ll get a needed boost.”
One boost will come from years of experience hosting events in the small restaurant, from movies to live music to storytelling.
“We do so much in this small space that it becomes almost overwhelming,” Randy Letourneau said.
Guthries screened movies for the former Lewiston Auburn Film Festival and continues to host monthly Maine Microcinema screenings. Last September, it also hosted “The Corner,” a series of monthly storytelling events with people giving short, first-person monologues.
Music will remain at the restaurant, Letourneau said. But the new theater will host movies and storytelling and even improvisational comedy.
Colin Kelley, one of Maine Microcinema’s producers, believes the venue could draw new people to the area. Though the community has lots of movie screens with Flagship Cinemas in Lewiston and Auburn, they rarely run the kind of independent movies featured at art-house theaters like Railroad Square in Waterville or Brunswick’s Eveningstar and Frontier cinemas. Currently, Portland has no full-time art-house theater.
“I think having something like Guthries cinema is going to draw people who may have been overlooking the city before,” Kelley said. “And I think they’re going to be surprised at what they find.”
Kelley believes Letourneau’s food offerings — the restaurant plans to offer a theater menu of entrees, appetizers and movie munchies at the theater — will also be a draw.
“Part if it will be eating a delicious burrito and enjoying one of those cold, frothy beverages in that space,” Kelley said.
The atmosphere ought to be familiar to anyone who has spent time at She Doesn’t Like Guthries, Randy Letourneau said.
He doesn’t imagine row upon row of chairs in the theater. Rather, Letourneau plans on a mix of tables and laid-back seating. Visitors to the theater will enter on Park Street — there will be no public connection to the Middle Street restaurant — and pass through a ticket lobby and into the intimate theater space.
Capacity will probably be fewer than 100 seats and tickets will be kept under $10, he said.
“The goal isn’t for ticket sales to generate the revenues,” he said. Proceeds will likely come from the food.
It will give them the flexibility to keep admission prices down and curate the films, he said.
It’s the kind of deal that’s worked in the restaurant, where filmmakers and bands do not get paid from the restaurant. Rather, they pass around the hat after a screening or concert for people wishing to donate. The restaurant also hangs original art on its walls and takes no cut of any sales.
“We’re booked almost a year in advance for music. We’re booked almost a year in advance for art on the wall,” Randy Letourneau said. “We hope it’s going to be like that in the theater.”
Attendance at L-A Film Festival surpasses expectations
Written by: Max Mogensen, Special to the Sun Journal
LEWISTON — Organizers estimated that as many as 1,000 people attended the Lewiston-Auburn Film Festival on Saturday, surpassing expectations and encouraging thoughts of future events.
More than 100 films from local, American and international filmmakers were showcased in 13 locations around the Twin Cities, culminating in an awards gala at Fuel restaurant.
The festival screened work in several categories, including short film, feature film, documentary and experimental, at 10 venues.
While hundreds of attendees had bought festival passes ahead of time, by 9 a.m. Saturday morning the festival’s ticket office (Antonio’s New York Deli and Bakery) was crowded with many more trying to get the red bracelets that gave them access to the venues.
“All the bracelets we purchased,” said festival board member Joshua Shea, “Some of which we thought we’d use next year, are gone. My thought is that we’re looking at 800 to 1,000 people.”
Shea, the driving force behind the festival, said he conceived the idea last year and had been working intensely over the last nine months to accomplish it. The project gained momentum in August 2010, when L/A Arts and the Maine Public Broadcasting Network joined Lewiston-Auburn Magazine (published by Shea) to produce the festival.
But, he said, he did not imagine the event would draw in crowds like those that packed venues on Saturday. At She Doesn’t Like Guthries, where experimental films were screened, attendees were lining the walls by noon. At Lewiston Public Library’s Callahan Hall, where documentaries were screened, the organizers struggled to bring in enough chairs. By 2:45 p.m., when the film “There Is My Home: Somali Bantu Farmers” began, there was hardly room to stand.
Fish Bones American Grill, where short films were screened, “was standing-room-only for quite a bit,” said Molly McGill, who handled media relations for the festival. The Hilton Garden Inn, which showed feature films, maintained “a healthy crowd,” she said.
“I’ve lived in this community for 25 years, and I love it, and I feel like there is this enormous potential here,” Jane Costlow of Auburn said during a break between experimental film screenings at She Doesn’t Like Guthries. Costlow said she had been to the festival’s fundraising dinner at the Bates Mill Atrium and had gone to test screenings for some of the films. She had also tried to buy tickets for the awards gala, she said, but they were sold out.
Joyce Morin of Lisbon came to the festival to see only “PAL Hop Days,” Bill Maroldo’s homage to Lewiston’s 1960s music scene. Morin’s brother, Ronny, was in The Royal Knights, one of the local bands featured in the film.
To decide which films to include in the festival, organizers used a “numerical judging system,” factoring in “technical quality, casting and story line” among other characteristics, McGill said. Nominees for a People’s Choice Award, voted on by festival attendees, were chosen in four categories: short film, experimental, feature and documentary.
Twenty-six of the 110 films screened during the festival were from Maine filmmakers, Shea said, while more than a dozen were made by foreign filmmakers. Ehab Morsi, a Syrian filmmaker who had six one-minute films in the festival, flew all the way to Maine to be in attendance.
Taylor McIntosh, an Edward Little High School alum and Keene College film student, had two films in the festival. His experimental film “Motion Picture” won the People’s Choice Award for its category.
“I guess I was trying to show how framing something in a certain way can change your view of it,” he said of the film.
Greg Bergeron of Auburn, whose experimental film “Caterpillar” was shown during the festival, was glad to see how much support the film festival received. “It’s a different community here” than in Boston or New York, he said, and the success of the festival suggested the emergence of a unique artistic community.
Craig Saddlemire of Lewiston won the award for Best in Maine for “The Rehearsal: One Week Before Inspired Voices 2010.” He also showed an experimental film, “Cat Window,” which takes place almost entirely in Lewiston.
“The more people can commit to the community that they’re in, the more diversity we have and the more stories we have to tell,” Saddlemire said.
In general, filmmakers seemed energized by the success of the festival, McGill said. “We want independent filmmakers out there to know that there is that support … to help them keep doing what they’re doing.”
Thirty-five volunteers, including Don Libby of Auburn, helped organize and run the event. Libby, who has worked with Community Little Theatre and the Freeport Community Players, expressed satisfaction with the current artistic climate of the area, though he suggested that more could be done. “Encourage it,” he said, “and maybe we’ll be the next big film festival, like Cannes.”
In the afternoon, before the showing of “PAL Hop Days” at the Franco-American Heritage Center, Shea was thinking about next year.
“We thought it was really important to show that there are so many fantastic local filmmakers doing great work,” he said. “We’re not going to limit ourselves. We have a long-term plan to make this one of Maine’s premier film festivals.”
Awards for People’s Choice:
Documentary: “There Is My Home: Somali Bantu Farmers of Lewiston, Maine” (Amy Brown, New York)
Experimental: “Motion Picture” (Taylor McIntosh, Auburn)
Short: “The Bully” (Jared Kimball, Portland)
Feature: “Scooter McGruder” (Bill McLean, Monmouth)
Best in Show: “The Third Letter” (Grzegorz Jonkajtys, Los Angeles)
Best in Maine: “The Rehearsal: One Week Before Inspired Voices 2010” (Craig Saddlemire, Lewiston)
Executive Producer Award: Donato Corsetti
Engaged audiences treated to ecclectic musical possibilities at Guthries
Written by: Emily Tuttle, Special to the Sun Journal
Editor’s note: This is the first story in an occasional series by freelancer Emily Tuttle on local venues offering up music.
LEWISTON — Just about any musician will tell you that the space has to fit the music. That goes for the floor size, decor, the patrons and everyone’s mood.
The name, “she doesn’t like guthries,” says a lot about the kind of live music that wanders into this downtown space. If you know the name Guthrie, then the name and the eclectic assortment of music acts make perfect sense. And when you get to know owners Heather and Randy Letourneau, it makes sense that there’s no cover charge.
A big fan of folk music, Randy wanted to call the place Guthries when it opened three years ago. Heather, with nothing against Woody Guthrie’s music, was waiting for a better idea.
“I just wasn’t committed to the name,” said Heather. “I kept putting him off, but we had to have a logo and get things going. So (Randy) added the “she doesn’t like” part to it.”
In the spirit of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, Heather said they wanted to pass the hat and let audience members show their appreciation for the musicians.
And you never really know what kind of artists you’re going to encounter. A recent Friday night featured Jeff Platz Quartet of New Jazz, a Boston-based combo brought in by Maine bass player Kit Demos.
“This place is like a light in the dark,” said Demos in between sets. “These guys are very accommodating. The kind of music we play can only kind of work in a place like this.”
Demos played the standup base with spider web fingers that touched every surface of the instrument. Platz, composer and masterfully deft guitarist for the quartet, said he was getting in performance shape for an upcoming tour in Germany.
The incongruent meanderings of the individual quartet members coupled with the precisely measured phrases of avant jazz had the audience mesmerized. It wasn’t like listening to music in a bar. It was more like attending a private performance or an ethereal demonstration of musical possibilities.
“Our audiences are always so attentive and so engaged,” said Heather. “It’s more like a listening room. I think the musicians really appreciate that.”
Randy, who has played in a band since his days at Lewiston High School, and Heather wanted a business that supported local and original art, whether musical or visual. They wanted a place where families can bring their children to hear different styles of music. They wanted a place where people feel comfortable and creative.
A quick look around captures a snapshot of the local art scene, with oil canvases on the walls. A sign reads, “Reserved for local artists wishing to share their passion and pastimes with those of us at Guthries.”
The organic menu informs you that “musicians, artists, and craftsmen that have graced our venue are a tribute to local creativity, talent, and expertise.”
Along with acts booked for Friday nights that happen to be touring up and down the East Coast, She Doesn’t Like Guthries has started Thursday night bluegrass jams and jazz nights. At 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, Three Point Trio, a local jazz band will perform. At the same time on the fourth Thursdays, the stage is open for bluegrass players and singers to take the spotlight.
Even though the Letourneaus, with two children, have decided to shut down on Saturday nights, they have expanded their hours the remaining days. Guthries is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. It is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Upcoming events and more information about Guthries is available at www.guthriesplace.com.
You’ll find a couch, good food, nice people and probably a musical surprise. It will all be something that real people are committed to, which is art that asks to be appreciated.
A weekend in Lewiston
By Kegan Zema
Once in a while, the Orono-Old Town-Bangor scene can grow tiresome and it’s time for a weekend away. Luckily, the University of Maine’s centralized location gives you plenty of options for getaways to a number of the state’s tourist hot spots. This series of articles will look at some popular spots so you’ll know what to do when you get there.
Back in September, we explored Portland. Moving north on I-95, we hit the twin cities of Lewiston and Auburn. Affectionately dubbed L/A by some Mainers, Lewiston is a smaller city than both Portland and Bangor, yet still has plenty to do if you’re looking for a weekend away. At just under two hours away, it’s great for a day trip, but if you’ve got a buddy studying at Bates College, you might as well see if you can crash there.
The Lewiston / Auburn area — only the Androscoggin River separates the twin cities — may not be as tourist-friendly as Portland, but what it lacks in shops and restaurants it makes up for in character. Much like a lot of Bangor hot spots, it is the locals who run the show and they are often easy to pick out. As one Lewiston native — The Maine Campus business manager Peter Ouellette, who was consulted for this piece — put it, “you can tell that they’ve probably gone through some tough times.”
Despite its size, there is no shortage of places to check out in Lewiston. Quirky bars and restaurants dot the area, each with their own unique atmosphere. Meanwhile, college town hangouts for the Bates students are interspersed among small local businesses. And there’s a ski mountain just a short drive away.
Friday
Private School Privileges – If you didn’t have the grades or the cash to make it into Bates College, don’t worry. During a visit to Lewiston, you can get a glimpse of the private school life without having to pay back $200,000 in loans. Grab lunch just off campus at Russell St. Variety (88 Russell St.; 207-786-5586) where they offer some of the cheapest Italians around — although when Bates College fourth-year Ben McCall was asked, he said the store was more renowned for late-night booze runs.
If the weather holds up, or if you wait until the spring to go, toss a Frisbee on the Bates campus or just take a stroll. It won’t take long — their campus is about four or five times the size of the Collins Center for the Arts parking lot — but at least it’s a change of scenery from Little Hall. You can also take a walk up the peak of Mt. David — though it’s actually more of a hill — where you can get great views of the town, according to McCall. There’s also Kennedy Park on the corner of Park and Pine streets, though I’ve been told it would be ill-advised to go there at night.
If you’re really feeling like a party-pooper, you can check out the Lewiston Mall (20 East Ave.; 207-783-4701). It’s certainly more of a shopping center than an actual mall, but at least it has a Bull Moose Music store (20 East Ave.; 207-784-6463; bullmoose.com)
She’s a Maineiac
In the Portland edition we talked about the three minor league sports teams in the city. Well, in Lewiston you’ve got the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team the Maineiacs, who you might be able to catch at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee (190 Birch St.; 207-783-2009; lewistonhockey.com).
If the game doesn’t work out, feel free to check out some of the local flavor on Friday night. Head to Pepper and Spice (875 Lisbon St.; 207-782-7526; pepperandspice.com) for what Ouellette described as the best Thai food he has ever had. Or try Wei Li in Auburn (945 Center St.; 207-344-0022) for what McCall dubbed the best Chinese food.
Loosey Goosey
According to both Ouellette and McCall, no visit to Lewiston would be complete without a drink at the Blue Goose Bar & Grill (69 Sabattus St.; 207-783-3287). This classic hole-in-the-wall bar has an old-time pub charm, even with 50 people crammed into it, and features an eclectic mix of weathered natives and local youngsters.
Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Company was featured in the Portland edition, but their Auburn outpost (68 Main St.; 207-376-2739; grittys.com) is just as popular at this locale. The same loyal drinkers tend to frequent the bar, which offers great views of the Androscoggin River (and all its pollution) from their patio.
Saturday
Rock ‘n’ Roll Diner
The area’s breakfast hot spot is a longtime staple. Rolly’s Diner (87 Mill St.; 207-753-0171; rollysdiner.com) is the best breakfast around, according to Ouellette, but get there early because it’s nearly impossible to get in on the weekends. If you can’t get it there is always Happy Days Diner (67 Mill St.; 207-783-1800) just down the street.
Hit the Slopes
With the winter months fast approaching, your best bet for a trip to L/A might be a visit to Lost Valley Ski Area in Auburn (200 Lost Valley Rd.; 207-784-1561; lostvalleyski.com), about a 15-minute drive from downtown Lewiston. This relaxed ski facility skips out on the glam of some areas, but with affordable hourly rates, it’s a great way to hit the powder without your wallet feeling the pain. They even offer night skiing.
If you don’t know how to ski, or there is no snow during your visit, go take a hike at Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary. This park is just outside of town and is frequented by Bates students looking for a dose of nature, according to McCall.
Vitruvian Dining
It’s important to remember a trip to Lewiston won’t be expensive. Despite the amount of rich college kids, most every place in the area is affordable because it is such a small location. But if you want to spend a little more — perhaps if you’re on a date — there’s always DaVinci’s Eatery (150 Mill St.; 207-782-2088; davinciseatery.com). This restaurant mostly features classic Italian cuisine but has a lot more character than your local Olive Garden.
Or you can hit up Fish Bones American Grill (70 Lincoln St.; 207-333-3663; fishbonesag.com). Located inside of a renovated mill from Lewiston’s glory days, Fish Bones offers some interesting spins on traditional dishes. They offer dishes like Maine Lobster Crepes, stir-fry and a selection of seafood and steak.
If it’s great local live music you’re after, head to She Doesn’t Like Guthries (115 Middle St.; 207-376-3344; guthriesplace.com). Artists from all over southern Maine will travel to Guthries to play a set, and the food ain’t too shabby either. They offer a healthy mix of coffee, tea, soup, salads, paninis and burritos, as well as a selection of beer and wine. It’s the perfect place to park yourself Saturday.
Eats: Cool summer salads: The refreshing taste and cold reality of Guthries’ Super Food Salad
Written by: Ruthie DeCoster, Special to the Sun Journal
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who, when the temps creep well up into the 80s and 90s, wonders how and what to eat without cranking up the oven. Like clockwork, this dilemma rears its ugly head each and every summer.
Salads and cold soups at Guthries
I called Heather Letourneau, owner along with husband Randy, of She Doesn’t Like Guthries, the restaurant and pub located on Middle Street in Lewiston.
She didn’t need to sell me on Heather’s Super Food Salad, currently a favorite of mine. Somehow, the baby spinach takes an even more wonderful and healthy turn when sprinkled with walnuts, dried cranberries, slices of fresh avocado and served with a side of warm sweet potato! Whether on its own or served with half a sandwich, it’s a fabulous blend of flavors. The balsamic vinaigrette is served on the side, not too much of which is needed to bring all the flavors together. Letourneau said she had been making this salad for herself for quite some time before adding it to their menu.
Another popular salad meal at Guthries is the Mediterranean Chick Pea salad, also on top of baby spinach, covered with chick peas, of course, sliced tomato, onions, spicy black olives and feta cheese, served with olive oil on the side.
Traditional gazpacho, a tomato-based soup loaded with a medley of chopped veggies, is one of several chilled soups that round out the Guthries summer menu. Like the endless supply of salsa and guacamole the Letourneaus make, all their soups are made from scratch and use fresh ingredients.
Cool options are plentiful around town, so not to worry. But perhaps the worst part is you just know that oven will be waiting for you next week!
A Better Lewiston-Auburn
Written by: Virginia Wright
The question was simple: If you could be granted one wish for a better Lewiston-Auburn, what would it be? The answers, from seven people involved in education, politics, business, and other aspects of the Twin Cities life, are more complex and varied. A common theme, however, is a deeply felt yearning for others, including their fellow residents, to recognize the unique qualities of the community that they have come to love.
Heather Letourneau, Lewiston native and owner with husband Randy Letourneau of She Doesn’t Like Guthries, a vegetarian restaurant and pub:
“We’d like a more centralized downtown, where people can park and easily walk or bike to restaurants, stores, and the things we need. Businesses are so sprawled out in Lewiston now, and you have to drive to everything. It would be nice to have zoning that encouraged more businesses to move downtown, so there would be more foot traffic and a stronger downtown feel.”