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Beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 17, with a performance from Maine folk icons Schooner Fare, audiences will be welcomed back into the historic theater for the Fall 2021 season at the Chocolate Church Arts Center in Bath. Comprised of brothers Stephen and Chuck Romanoff, Schooner Fare combines talents on six and twelve-string guitars and banjos, and their distinctive vocal and instrumental arrangements are synonymous with the “Down East” style.

Eliza Edens Submitted photo by Elizabeth Ibarra

Aisha Burns Submitted photo by Steph Larsen

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The nonprofit arts center will continue its opening weekend at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 19, with a concert headlined by up-and-coming Maine band Dead Gowns. Fronted by guitarist and songwriter Genevieve Beaudoin, the group pulls from garage rock, folk, and soft rock. Dead Gowns will be supported by performances by the violinist, singer and songwriter Aisha Burns, as well as by songwriter Eliza Edens, a finalist in the renowned Kerrville Folk Festival songwriting competition.

CCAC will present rising stars, Oshima Brothers at 7:30 p.m on Saturday, Sept. 25. Raised in a musical family in rural Maine, the brothers have honed a harmony-rich blend of contemporary folk and acoustic pop. On stage, brothers Sean and Jamie create a surprisingly full sound with dynamic vocals, electric and

Oshima Brothers Submitted photo

acoustic guitars, octave bass, loops, and percussion. With singles like “These Cold Nights” and “Colorblind”, Oshima Brothers have scored hundreds of thousands of plays across music streaming services and views on YouTube.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the CCAC theater to go dark, the organization has presented dozens of shows outdoors and virtually. These Fall 2021 season will be the first at the approximately 300-person theater in over a year and a half. CCAC is requiring that all attendees show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test (within 48 hours prior to a performance) at the door. Face coverings will be strongly recommended at some events and required at others, per requests from performing artists.

The Chocolate Church Arts Center is located at 804 Washington St., Bath. Tickets for all performances and show listings for the entire season are available at chocolatechurcharts.org or by calling (207) 442-8455.