18 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine Theater Guide to feel more recent tensions and reverbera- tions, Kenney is a deeper pattern-spotter. He’s been mulling over the idea of present- ing Ragtime in Maine “for over five years.” Still, particularly this summer, “theater has a responsibility to give back to the com- munity and culture,” says Kenney. “Mem- bers of my own immediate family feel very differently about current affairs.” From the exploits of Harry Houdini to a functioning Ford Model T on stage, Rag- time isn’t a walk in the park production- wise. “It’s a lot to take on when you know you have foot the bill,” Kenney says. “But we knew that regardless of how peo- ple feel about it political- ly, we must examine how this country came to- gether and what we are. The president is the lead story every single day of our lives in this country. Most of our con- versations harken back to