This week, some might say the most famous play of all time, Shakespeare’s King Lear, will be broadcast live from London to our theater. Come see a master work by a master theater company. Then head off to the movies or the races!

Le Week-End (R, 1 hour 33 minutes)

In this magically buoyant and bittersweet film, Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan play a long-married couple who revisit Paris for a long weekend for the first time since their honeymoon, in hopes of rekindling their relationship- or, perhaps, to bring it to an end.  Final showings Wednesday April 30 at 2 PM & 7 PM. Presented in partnership with Mexicali Blues.

National Theatre Live: Shakespeare’s King Lear (3 hours 40 minutes)

This production of King Lear is set in relatively contemporary times but is not quite as explicitly modern as the National’s recent Othello production. Performed on the National Theatre’s large Olivier stage, the production is suitably epic in scale: it flies by at a fast pace and is a fresh, arresting and compelling take on the well-known play. Simon Russell Beale puts in a performance which many reviews call “extraordinary.” Screens on Thursday, May 1 live at 2 p.m. and rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Finding Vivian Maier (NR, 1 hour 24 minutes)

Who is Vivian Maier? Now considered one of the 20th century's greatest street photographers, Vivian Maier was a mysterious nanny who secretly took over 100,000 photographs that went unseen during her lifetime. Since buying her work by chance at auction, amateur historian John Maloof has crusaded to put this prolific photographer in the history books. Maier's strange and riveting life and art are revealed through never-before-seen photographs, films, and interviews with dozens who thought they knew her. Plays: Friday, May 2, Wednesday May 7 at 2 and 7 p.m., Saturday, May 3 at 7 p.m., Sunday, May 4 at 7 pm. and Thursday, May 8 at 2 p.m. Presented in partnership with King Eiders Pub.

The 2014 Kentucky Derby

“The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” and the first leg of the US Triple Crown will be shown Saturday, May 3, immediately after Inaugural poet Richard Blanco, with a post time of 6:20 p.m. A continuation of our free sports broadcasts made possible through the generosity of the Genada Foundation, this time with mint juleps!

Live Music

Two free spring-time concerts featuring local student musicians: Lincoln Academy bands and Jazz bands will play at the theater on Sunday, May 4 at 3 p.m. and the Seacoast Youth and Community Orchestras take the stage Tuesday, May 6 at 7 p.m.

Movies coming soon

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” opens Friday, May 9; “The Lunchbox” opens Friday, May 16; Disney’s Bears opens Friday May 23; John Turturro and Woody Allen in “Fading Gigolo,” and Colin Firth in “The Railway Man.” The theater’s complete monthly schedule and information on all theater events are available at www.atthelincoln.org.

You can also check us out by viewing our Facebook page, calling the theater’s box office at 207-563-3424, or by dropping by for a visit. The office is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Be sure to sign up for our weekly e-blast. Each week we send out a listing of what is playing for the week. To sign up, visit our website and click “contact” or send an email at info@atthelincoln.org. The Lincoln Theater is located at 2 Theater Street in downtown Damariscotta. Curtain going up!