In 1785, Martha Ballard began a diary, faithfully recording the weather, her daily household tasks, her midwifery duties and incidents that reveal the turmoil of a new nation. When historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich unearthed Ballard's diary, she was immediately captivated. This is the recreation of the lives of that 18th century midwife and the 20th century historian who brought her words to life.

The Augusta Colonial Theater, in conjunction with Augusta's Martha Ballard Committee, is pleased to present this PBS American Experience documentary that examines both Ballard's story and the detective work undertaken by Ulrich in piecing together seemingly mundane diary entries into a tale that sheds light on early American lives in rural Maine. The city of Augusta has embraced this work as it is part of our history.

Join us on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 1 - 3:30 pm at Farber Forum in Jewett Hall at the University of Maine at Augusta. Learn a little about the Augusta Colonial Theater's restoration efforts, various events sponsored by the city's Martha Ballard Committee, then sit back and enjoy the film. Run time is approximately 1 hour, 20 minutes. Afterward, be treated to a Q&A session with producer Laurie Kahn-Leavitt and the actress who portrays Martha Ballard, Kaiulani Sewall Lee, also a direct descendant of the Sewell family portrayed in the movie.

Thank you to our generous sponsors, University of Maine at Augusta, Maine Evergreen Hotel, and season sponsor Kennebec Savings Bank. We appreciate your partnership in bringing quality programming to the community.

Many thanks to the Martha Ballard Committee, started by Larry Fleury and now led by Connie Hanson and Roger Pomerleau.

We can't wait to see you there. Please join us for this educational community event. Embrace our history. Join the conversation.

A Midwife's Tale: Martha Ballard's Diary

Film Screening and Discussion and Q&A with the Producer and Lead Actress