Shawna Deeley was a cook at The Village Cafe in Bradford when the pandemic forced its shutdown last year. After learning that the cafe would not be reopening, Deeley and her husband, Bill Yulov, decided to use their stimulus checks to invest in a brand new business venture — she now runs The Russian Dumpling Co. (find them on Facebook and Instagram @therussiandumplingco), a food trailer offering traditional Russian comfort options made from scratch. The concept, Deeley said, was inspired by Yulov’s family’s recipes — items include Russian-style pierogi with a few varying ingredient fillings, like potato scallion and cheddar, or sweet potato, mushroom and onion; as well as pelmeni, or Russian dumplings stuffed with beef, chicken or mushroom. Borscht, a traditional beetroot-based stew that can be served hot or cold, is also available with or without steak, along with carrots, cabbage, garlic and onion. Deeley said The Russian Dumpling Co. is one of the regular featured vendors at the Northlands Live drive-in concert series every Friday and Saturday at the Cheshire Fairground (247 Monadnock Hwy., Swanzey) and is also available for private events.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
I feel like I’m constantly walking around holding my spatula.
What would you have for your last meal?
I love Vietnamese pho. I used to live in Seattle and places that had pho were on pretty much every corner.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
I would say Moritomo [Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar] in Concord. They have really awesome sushi. There’s also a tiny place in Brookline called Juanita’s that does amazing Mexican food.
What celebrity would you like to see ordering from your food trailer?
Keanu Reeves. I feel like he’d be such a fun guy to talk to.
What is your favorite thing on your menu?
I think the chicken pelmeni is my favorite. They’re dumplings with ground chicken and herbs in them that are almost like little raviolis.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
I feel like I see a lot of little Mexican places all over the place now.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
We make homemade pizzas quite often. One of my favorite ones that we do has the lox smoked salmon. We put that on a pizza with cherry tomatoes and maybe spinach or arugula and it’s the bomb.
Sirniki (Russian farmer’s cheese pancakes) From the kitchen of Shawna Deeley of The Russian Dumpling Co.
1 pound farmer’s cheese or cottage cheese ½ cup flour 2 eggs 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil or other cooking oil ¼ cup sugar Pinch of salt ½ cup raisins (optional)
Combine ingredients in a mixer or by hand, then form the batter into little cakes in a saute pan at low to medium-level heat. Serve with butter, honey, sour cream or your favorite jam or compote.
Food & Drink
Summer farmers markets
• Bedford Farmers Market will be Tuesdays, from 3 to 6 p.m., in the parking lot of Wicked Good Butchah (209 Route 101), starting June 15. Visit bedfordfarmersmarketnh.org.
• Concord Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, on Capitol Street. Visit concordfarmersmarket.com.
• Derry Homegrown Farm & Artisan Market is Wednesdays, 3 to 7 p.m., at 1 W. Broadway. Visit derryhomegrown.org.
• Milford Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 300 Elm Street in Milford. Visit milfordnhfarmersmarket.com.
• New Boston Farmers Market will be Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the corner of Route 13 and Meetinghouse Hill Road, June 12 through Oct. 9. Visit newbostonfarmersmarket.webs.com.
• Salem Farmers Market is Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Tuscan Village South (12 Via Toscana Drive, Salem). Visit salemnhfarmersmarket.org.
• Warner Area Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Warner Town Hall lawn. Visit warnerfarmersmarket.org.
• Weare Real Food Farmers Market will be outdoors on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 65 N. Stark Hwy. in Weare. Visit wearerfm.com.
Featured photo: Sirniki (Russian farmer’s cheese pancakes). Courtesy of Shawna Deeley.
A new fast casual concept now open in Manchester specializes in customizable Hawaiian poké bowls, featuring sliced raw fish with a variety of bases, sauces and toppings to choose from.
Poké Spot, which opened May 17 in The Shoppes at 655 South Willow, is the latest venture of Steven Jiang, who also owns Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar in Concord. According to Jiang, poké (pronounced POH-kay) is a traditional Hawaiian dish with roots in Japanese and other Asian cuisines that has become popular in the United States in recent years.
“I know a lot of people that love poké but can’t get it anywhere around here,” Jiang said, “so I want to make it easier for people to get it and also bring fresh ingredients here to Manchester.”
Jiang described Poké Spot as a “Japanese-Hawaiian Chipotle,” in which customers can either choose from one of several signature poké bowls or build their own. All bowls come in one of two portion sizes — regular, featuring up to two scoops of proteins, and large, with up to three.
Building your own poké bowl starts with choosing your base (sushi rice, brown rice, quinoa, spring mix or wonton chips), followed by the protein. While most of the proteins feature sliced raw fish (tuna, salmon, yellowtail or octopus), tofu is also available as a vegetarian option.
The next steps feature your choice of green onion, jalapeno, red onion or cilantro to be mixed in with the base and protein, followed by one of eight sauces that are all made in house.
“We have the house poké sauce, which is probably the most traditional sauce that everybody uses back in Hawaii,” Jiang said. “It’s a soy sauce base, mixed with sugar and mirin. … I would say it’s a little bit of a spicy version of a teriyaki sauce.”
Other sauce options include miso lime, spicy mayo and sesame ginger vinaigrette. You can further customize your poké bowl with nearly a dozen additional toppings, including seaweed or crab salad, or masago (fish eggs), as well as vegetables like radishes, carrots and microgreens.
The final step involves choosing your “crunch,” or the featured ingredient at the very top of your bowl. Those options include sesame seeds, wasabi peas, crispy onions, shredded nori (dried edible seaweed) or furikake (Japanese rice seasoning).
If this all sounds like a lot to choose from, Poké Spot does also have a selection of eight signature bowls on its menu, with pre-selected arrangements of bases, proteins, veggies, sauces and toppings that Jiang said are all based on corresponding flavor pairings. There is a small offering of specialty drinks too, including imported Japanese teas and canned Hawaiian Sun tropical drinks with flavors like passion fruit, lychee and guava.
Advance online ordering is available through the website, and the eatery will soon offer its own delivery service to the Manchester and Bedford areas. Two additional Poké Spot locations, in Nashua and Rochester, are currently in the planning stages.
Poké Spot Where: 655 S. Willow St., Suite 100, Manchester Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. More info: Visit pokespotnh.com or follow them on Instagram @pokespotnh
From pizza, tacos and macaroni and cheese to locally produced brews, spirits and sweet treats, there will be an array of foods and drinks to discover during the annual Taste of the Region, happening on Wednesday, June 16. After the pandemic forced the event to go virtual last year, Taste of the Region is back at its normal spot at Derry’s Tupelo Music Hall for 2021, this time under a large tented space outdoors.
More than 25 restaurants, breweries and other businesses from Derry and a few surrounding towns will be offering samples and vying for your vote in at least one of three categories — “savory,” “sips” or “sweets.” Each vendor can opt to participate in one, two or all three of them.
“We’ll have one entrance into the tented area … and people will be able to move among the tables,” said Ashley Haseltine, president of the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event. “They can either sample as they go or sit down at the tables at the outdoor restaurant area that the Tupelo has set up for this season.”
This year’s participating vendors include a combination of returning and new faces to the local dining scene. Destination India Bar & Restaurant, which opened its doors on East Broadway in Derry earlier this year, is among them, as well as The Nutrition Corner, a Derry shop offering protein smoothies and teas, and Bellavance Beverage Co. of Londonderry, which Haseltine said will act as a liaison between attendees and even more local businesses.
“They’re a distributor, so what they’re actually going to be doing is offering products from some of our other Chamber members that can’t make it to the event themselves,” she said.
Other vendors will include Kiss the Cook Macaroni & Cheese, a Derry-based business offering a few types of homemade macaroni and cheese to go; The Residence at Salem Woods, a senior living facility that Haseltine said will be offering tacos; and Rig A Tony’s Italian Takeout, which has in the past featured a display of desserts like coconut macaroons and whoopie pies. Clam Haven, also owned by Rig A Tony’s founder Lisa DeSisto, will be at the event as well.
During the tasting, attendees are invited to vote for their favorite item in each of the three categories. Haseltine said each onsite vendor will have a code you can scan with your phone, which brings you to an online voting system. If you especially like what you try, vendors will also be selling discounts on gift cards and certificates during the tasting.
Attendees can also now pick up a “dining passport” at the Chamber or at any participating restaurant or brewery, getting a stamp with each purchase that they make. Stamps will then be redeemed during the event for your chance to win an outdoor fire pit.
“We wanted to find ways to keep the core of the event intact, while also creating revenue opportunities for everybody participating,” Haseltine said.
Taste of the Region When: Wednesday, June 16, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Where: Outside the Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry Cost: $35 admittance per person (includes full access to food and drink tastings; tickets are available both in advance online and at the door, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Kyle B. Ross Memorial Scholarship Fund) Visit: gdlchamber.org Event is rain or shine. Masks are recommended but not required.
Participating food and beverage vendors • Bellavance Beverage Co. (bellavancebev.com) • Casa Java Cafe (casajavacafe.com) • Clam Haven (clamhaven.com) • Daydreaming Brewing Co. (daydreaming.beer) • Destination India Restaurant & Bar (destinationindianh.com) • Doire Distilling (doiredistilling.com) • Kiss the Cook Mac & Cheese To Go (kissthecookllc.com) • Kona Shaved Ice (kona-ice.com) • La Carreta Mexican Restaurant (lacarretamex.com) • Long Blue Cat Brewing Co. (longbluecat.com) • The Nutrition Corner (thenutritioncorner.business.site) • Nutrition in Motion (nimrd.com) • Pipe Dream Brewing (pipedreambrewingnh.com) • The Red Arrow Diner (redarrowdiner.com) • Rig A Tony’s Italian Takeout (rigatonysitalian.com) • Rockingham Brewing Co. (rockinghambrewing.com) • Sal’s Pizza (sal-pizza.com) • The Residence at Salem Woods (lcbseniorliving.com) • Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar (troysfreshkitchen.com) • Windham Terrace Assisted Living (windhamterrace.com) • Zorvino Vineyards (zorvino.com)
Feautred photo: The Residence at Salem Woods. Courtesy photo.
• Pre-order your Greek favorites: Get your orders in now for the annual Lamb Barbecue & Food Festival, which returns to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (1160 Bridge St., Manchester) on Saturday, June 19. Now through June 13, pre-orders are being accepted online at stnicholas-man-nh.org, for items like lamb barbecue or marinated chicken dinners, pastichio (Greek lasagna), dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves) and spanakopita (spinach pie), plus a number of fresh pastries, from baklava to kourambiethes (powdered cookies) and koulourakia (butter cookies topped with sesame seeds). Pickups will be on the day of the festival, between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., at a designated time. Walk-ins will be available starting at 2 p.m. until food is gone (takeout only, no seating available).
• More summer markets return: The New Boston Farmers Market will kick off its season on Saturday, June 12, at its usual spot on the corner of Route 13 and Meetinghouse Hill Road. According to co-manager Allison Vermette, the market will welcome craft vendors back for the first time since 2019 and will also feature some new prepared food vendors and likely food trucks throughout the season. Local musicians are due to perform on the nearby gazebo each week. The market will continue every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Oct. 9. Visit newbostonfarmersmarket.webs.com. On Tuesday, June 15, the Bedford Farmers Market is expected to begin its summer season — that market is back at the parking lot at 209 Route 101 in Bedford for the second consecutive year, manager Lauren Ritz told the Hippo. While there won’t be meat or coffee vendors this year (due to Wicked Good Butchah and Flight Coffee Co. being in the same shopping plaza), Ritz said there will be around 20 local vendors selling everything from fresh produce to maple syrup, baked goods, seafood and more. The Bedford Farmers Market will continue every Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. through Oct. 12. Visit bedfordfarmersmarketnh.org. For a full list of market openings, check out our coverage of the summer farmers market season in the Granite State, found on page 20 of the May 20 edition of the Hippo.
• Harvest at home: Join the Derry Public Library for Adventures in the Vegetable Garden, a two-part virtual program featuring Judith Taylor of Seeds2Plate. She’ll answer multiple questions related to your home vegetable garden, like how to combat pests and when to be ready to fire up the grill. Water management, fertilizing, harvesting and other topics will be discussed. Part 1 of this program is set for Wednesday, June 16, with Part 2 on Wednesday, June 23 — both will take place via Zoom from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Visit derrypl.org to register.
• The Sun Pub at Pats Peak opens: The Sun Pub, an outdoor dining experience at Pats Peak (686 Flanders Road, Henniker), will open for the season on Thursday, June 10, according to a press release. A new pub-style menu to be served on Pats Peak’s valley lodge deck includes various appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, salads, pizzas and more, plus weekly food and drink specials, and desserts like soft-serve ice cream, homemade strawberry shortcake and s’mores. New this year, there will be a full bar available, in addition to beer and wine options. Outdoor games like cornhole and disc golf baskets are also set up. Dinner is served under the lights every Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m., weather permitting, and also around Pats Peak’s private event schedule. Visit patspeak.com/sunpub.
Tom Betteridge is vice president of mechanical engineering at Turner Building Science and Design, a Concord-based team of engineers specializing in creating safe, comfortable and energy-efficient indoor environments.
Explain your job and what it entails.
I work with clients to solve their building issues having to do with heating and cooling, indoor air quality and ventilation. … I work primarily at the desk, designing mechanical systems and generating drawings and blueprints and specifications for the construction [workers]. … Then I’ll go to the construction site to verify that the construction was done properly.
How long have you had this job?
A little over two and a half years.
What led you to this career field?
I was really good at math and science in high school, and I enjoyed understanding physics and how things are put together. That drove me to go to engineering school. There, I really enjoyed thermodynamics as a course curriculum. After [school], I had an opportunity to join an engineering consulting firm. … I used to work for a national firm and traveled all over the country, and I realized I wanted to spend more time at home with my family and have a bigger impact locally. Turner gives me the ability to do that, so I [took a job there].
What kind of education or training did you need?
You need a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and you need to sit for two eight-hour exams: a fundamentals of engineering exam, which you typically take around graduation from college, and then, after a four-year internship, a professional engineering exam. If you pass those exams, you become a licensed professional engineer, and you become legally liable for the designs you produce.
What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?
Business casual.
How has your job changed over the last year?
A lot of our [work] lately has been dealing with Covid-related building issues, [designing systems for] clients wanting to make sure their buildings are safe for their staff.
What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?
It doesn’t get easier. Even when you learn how to do the tasks better and more efficiently, that gets boring, so you strive for the next challenge, and the challenges keep growing. But embrace those challenges, because when you look back, you realize you’ve accomplished more than you ever thought you would.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
Because I work so much on the technical side of things, it’s hard to put things into layman’s terms for people, but if someone is willing to have a conversation and ask additional questions to gain clarity, they end up learning something, and I end up learning how to see things from a different perspective.
What was the first job you ever had?
I worked as an electrical contractor for a small electrician firm. I did that from when I was 15 years old through college.
What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?
Get to know your boss’s boss. It’s not about trying to step over your boss; it’s about getting a bigger perspective and being able to look past what your supervisor needs from you to see what their boss requires of them.
Five favorites Favorite book: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek Favorite movie: Top Gun Favorite music: Mostly rock and alternative Favorite food: Mexican Favorite thing about NH: The outdoors
I hope you can help me out. Perhaps 25 years ago, when my aunt died, her daughter told my mom she could choose something from my aunt’s home. My mom chose this piece, which she had long admired. She thought it was beautiful but I have never liked it a bit. Still, though my mom died a dozen years ago I have kept it as she thought it was valuable. Please tell me otherwise so I can finally give it to somebody, anybody, without feeling guilty. Harvey from Manchester
Dear Harvey, First let’s say there shouldn’t be any guilt if you find this piece a new home with someone who will cherish it again. What you have is a piece of flashed ruby glass. Most likely it had two other smaller candle holders, one on either side of the center bowl. It was meant to be placed on a mantel or in the middle of a table.
Flashed glass was very popular during the late 1880s and early 1900s. It was done by a specific method that applied a film-like covering over a clear glass (this is a very simplified explanation). The design was then etched to appear through the ruby or cranberry coloring to expose the clear glass. It looks beautiful but most didn’t hold up well in time. Scratching was an issue.
The deer design was a common one and very eye-pleasing. Now with that all taken into account, the value of a piece like yours would be in the $85 range to a new buyer. It’s a tougher market these days because it’s harder to fit into a modern decor. Still a beautiful piece, but it may be tough to sell. I hope you do find a new admirer for it.
Start working on your best monster cartoon! Studio 550 Art Center in Manchester is encouraging kids of all ages to stay creative this summer by hosting a Summer Monster Cartoon Contest. Design a monster, give it a name and tell a story about it with words and images. According to a press release, the contest is open to all ages, but submissions will be divided into appropriate age groups. Judges will be looking for creativity, attention to detail and a good storyline. The deadline for submissions is 8 p.m. on the day of the annual summer Monster Hunt, Aug. 21. For submission details, visit 550arts.com or call 232-5597. According to the release, first-place winners will receive a Clay Workshop for two, second place will get a Take & Make home art kit, and third place will receive complimentary table fees for a Paint-your-Own-Handmade Pottery visit for two. Double Midnight Comics and the Manchester Historic Association will also be offering prizes.
Wheels up
Check out vintage cars at the Manchester Firing Line (2540 Brown Ave., gunsnh.com) on Monday, June 14, from 5 to 8 p.m. The car show is free and will take place each Monday through Labor Day. You can bring your own vintage car or just come to check out the cars on display.
Roller skating returns from now through July 30 at the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord, 228-2784, concordnh.gov). Skating hours are Tuesday through Friday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5 and skate rentals are available for $5 at the Pro Shop.
Kids in the kitchen
The Culinary Playground (16 Manning St., Derry) has several upcoming cooking classes for kids. Teams of one adult and one child age 6 or up can make homemade pasta for cheese ravioli together on Sunday, June 13, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The cost is $50 per team. On Saturday, June 19, kids can bake a glazed blueberry lemon coffee cake (10 a.m. to noon for ages 6 to 10, and 1 to 3 p.m. for kids over 10), and on Sunday there’s a class for making cinnamon rolls as a special Father’s Day treat. Visit culinary-playground.com for a full schedule and prices.
I saw a friend recently who was bubbly and excited about her garden. “It’s full of color and stays that way all summer!” she exclaimed. “And it is NO work! All I have to do is water it daily, and give it a little fertilizer every few weeks.” She invited me to come see it, so of course I went.
What my friend has is a small outdoor courtyard that she has transformed into an outdoor room, complete with a small metal table and chairs sitting on an outdoor carpet. She has purchased lots of annuals and is growing most in pots (hence the need for daily watering), along with a few easy perennials.
The house is L-shaped and defines two sides of the space, with a low railroad tie retaining wall for the third side; the front is open and once allowed her to park her car right by the side door to the house. No more.
In addition to the annual flowers, she has a few perennials growing in the ground and lots of whimsy. She stops whenever she sees a “FREE” sign by the side of the road. A chair with no seat? Bring it home, paint it bright blue, and put it in the garden. See a sculpture of a head, or an interesting vase at a yard sale? Get it!
The annual flowers she generally buys as hanging baskets because they have well-established plants with blossoms from Day 1. Lots of color. Supertunias, verbenas, and marigolds of various descriptions are some of her favorites. When she gets them home she takes them out of their horrid plastic pots and puts them in nice ceramic pots. If she goes away for a few days she has someone come by to water.
A vining or trailing plant she likes this year is one I have never seen before. It has bright red trumpet flowers and is a Proven Winner trademarked plant called Lofos Wine Red, a lophospermum hybrid. Keep it in sun with mostly dry planting mix, and it blooms all summer, attracting hummingbirds. In general, trademarked plants like this offer good results with minimum effort.
Right now she has a big pink bleeding heart in full bloom, though that will bloom only for a few weeks. She has a groundcover that I use in shady areas called sweet woodruff that serves as a nice filler near it and is blooming right now. It has fragrant white blossoms and delicate lacy foliage that stays green and handsome all summer. Later an astilbe will blossom nearby.
Hosta is another important plant in her garden. She has many with large, green leaves. And although hostas are generally grown for their foliage, later in the summer they will send up flower stalks with white blossoms.
The side of the space that gets the most afternoon sun is filled with Stephanandraincisa or lace shrub. This is a deciduous woody shrub that spreads by root and roots in wherever the tips of branches touch the ground. It only gets a couple of feet tall, but has very dense foliage — dense enough that grasses and weeds do not come through. It blooms in June, with small white star-shaped flowers. The leaves are shaped a bit like maple leaves. Her stephanandra was planted 25 years ago and still looks great — it covers the bed that is over 50 feet long and 4 feet wide.
More than a dozen years ago I planted bulbs for my friend in another part of the property. My goal was for her to have blossoms from March until late May from spring bulbs, and the bulbs are still going strong: first snowdrops in March, followed by crocus, then daffodils. I selected daffies for their bloom time: some early, some mid-season, some that bloom in late May. Like everything at this property, the goal was to have no-labor or low-labor beds, so the beds were well-mulched with chipped bark.
What other plants grow at this garden? She had a steep rocky hillside with gravelly, poor soil. Grass grew on it, but it was impossible to mow. Someone suggested a creeping sumac, and she had it installed. It is variously called skunkbush sumac, creeping three-leafed sumac, or “Autumn Amber.”
The Autumn Amber sumac is a trademarked variety and boasts of ”a profusion of small chartreuse-colored flowers that bloom in delicate clusters before new foliage appears.” In fall the leaves transform into “striking hues of ambers, yellows, oranges and/or reds before dropping for the winter”. I have only seen it once before, even though it is hardy to Zone 4. It is supposed to be very good for tough, hot dry places. It is dense enough that I saw no grass growing through it.
Each year my friend picks a theme for her garden by the kitchen door. This year she focused on birds: metal birds, colorful bird houses, hummingbird feeders. She likes to find flourishes for the plants at yard sales and thrift stores, trying to keep her purchases to under $5.
I asked my friend how she would describe herself as a gardener. “I’m a lazy gardener who doesn’t like to weed. I love color and whimsy and like to repurpose everyday objects.” Nothing wrong with that — it gives her more time to volunteer, and take walks on her woodland trails.
Featured photo: Lofos Red Wine attracts hummingbirds. Courtesy photo.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
“Cat of Nine Tales” by Gail Smuda, featured in “Fur & Feather/Paws and Claws” exhibit. Courtesy photo.
• Welcome back: After being closed for 15 months, MainStreet BookEnds (16 E. Main St., Warner) is reopening to the public on Tuesday, June 15. “We have reorganized, and it feels like our grand opening back in 1998,” the store stated in a recent email newsletter. “We are only here now because of all the support and encouragement you so generously gave during this time.” Store hours will be Tuesday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit mainstreetbookends.com or call 456-2700.
The Trumpet Gallery (8 Grove St., Peterborough) reopened last week and is celebrating its return with a meet-the-artists day on Saturday, June 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery’s resident artists represent a variety of media, including jewelry, sculpture, wood, drawing, painting, watercolor, wax and more. Gallery hours are Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit trumpetgallery.com or call 801-4502.
• All about animals: An animal-themed art exhibit, “Fur & Feathers/Paws & Claws,” will open at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) on Saturday, June 12, with an artist reception from 1 to 3 p.m. It will feature paintings, drawings, prints, photography, jewelry and one-of-a-kind artist books by eight artists reflecting on the world of domesticated pets, work and farm animals. The exhibit will remain on display through Sunday, July 18. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.
• Nature reimagined: The New Hampshire Art Association’s exhibition “Transformations: Nature and Beyond” featuring the work of digital artist William Townsend remains on view at the gallery in the Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (49 S. Main St.) until Thursday, June 17. Townsend uses digital tools and techniques to alter line, form and color in photographs of natural objects, such as trees in a forest or seaweed on a beach. In some pieces, Townsend duplicated and inverted parts of the photograph and merged the parts into a symmetrical form, or converted the scene into an oval shape. “These effects transform the original photographed objects into images beyond nature,” an NHAA press release said about the exhibit. “His goal is to reveal the mystery and wonder that live within the realm of the mystical imagination.” All works are for sale. Viewing hours at the Chamber gallery are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• Young performers at the Palace: The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) presents James and the Giant Peach Jr., performed by its youth company, on Friday, June 11, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, June 12, at noon. Based on Roald Dahl’s classic children’s story, the musical follows a boy named James who discovers a magic potion that grows a giant peach, which he takes on a journey across the ocean with a group of singing insects. The Palace Theatre’s teen apprentice company will perform Xanadu Jr.on Thursday, June 17, and Friday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m. Inspired by the 1980 film of the same name starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, the musical comedy follows a struggling artist, Sonny Malone, who is visited by a Greek muse disguised as a mortal named Kira, who inspires him to build a disco roller skating rink. Tickets for both shows cost $12 for children and $15 for adults. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.
Art
Exhibits
• NEW HAMPSHIRE SOCIETY OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTISTS’ 21ST ANNUAL EXHIBIT Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord). On view through June. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit kimballjenkins.com.
• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.
• ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibit in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com.
Fairs and markets
• CONCORD ARTS MARKET Outdoor artisan and fine art market. Every third Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June through October. Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Visit concordartsmarket.net.
Special events
• 14TH ANNUAL NASHUA INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM Three renowned sculptors are creating three outdoor sculptures for permanent installation in the city. The public can watch the sculptors work and interact with them during breaks (masks and social distancing required). Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through June 12. A closing ceremony and sculpture reveal will take place June 12 and will be recorded for online viewing. Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org.
• “FIRED UP!” OUTDOOR CERAMICS SHOW AND KILN OPENING Hosted by Kelley Stelling Contemporary at the studio of NH Potters Guild artist Al Jaeger (12 Perry Road, Deerfield). Sat., June 19, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit kelleystellingcontemporary.com.
Theater
Shows
• THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE The New Hampshire Theatre Project presents. Virtual. Thurs., June 10, through Sat., June 12, 8 p.m., and Sun., June 13, 2 p.m. Tickets $20. Visit nhtheatreproject.org.
• PIPPIN Seacoast Repertory Theatre PAPA Jr. presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. June 10 through July 18. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• DISCOVERING MAGIC WITH ANDREW PINARD The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Wed., June 16, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• BETRAYAL The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. June 16 through July 3, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $27 to $37. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.
• QUEEN CITY IMPROV The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Thurs., June 17, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• XANADU JR. Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester. Thurs., June 17, and Fri., June 18, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for children and $15 for adults. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• STEEL MAGNOLIAS The Majestic Theatre presents. Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. June 18 through June 27, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.
• COMEDY OUT OF THE ’BOX The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Thurs., June 24, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• PIPPIN The Palace Teen Company presents. Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester. Thurs., June 25, and Fri., June 26, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for children and $15 for adults. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• BRING IT ON Kids Coop Theatre presents. Fri., June 25, and Sat., June 26. More information is TBA. Visit kids-coop-theatre.org.
• TRUE TALES LIVE Monthly showcase of storytellers. Held virtually via Zoom. Last Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m., now through June, and September through December. Visit truetaleslivenh.org.
• SLEUTH The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. June 30 through July 17, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., plus matinees on Tuesday, July 6, and Thursday, July 8, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $37. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.
• MAD HAUS The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Wed., June 30, and Sun., Aug. 18, 8 p.m. Tickets cost $15. The show is also available to livestream. Visit seacoastrep.org.
• SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 6, through Thurs., July 8, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• PETER PAN The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 13, through Thurs., July 15, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• ‘TIL BETH DO US PART The Majestic Theatre presents. Virtual and in person at Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. July 16 through July 25, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.
• WIZARD OF OZ The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 20, through Thurs., July 22, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• CABARET The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. July 22 through Sept. 5. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• THE LITTLE MERMAID The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 27, through Thurs., July 29, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• BEAUTY AND THE BEAST The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., Aug. 3, through Thurs., Aug. 5, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• RAPUNZEL The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., Aug. 10, through Thurs., Aug. 12, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• CINDERELLA The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., Aug. 17, through Thurs., Aug. 19, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• SLEEPING BEAUTY The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., Aug. 24, through Thurs., Aug. 26, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.
• HEATHERS THE MUSICAL Presented by Cue Zero Theatre Company. Oct. 22 through Oct. 24. Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, Derry. Visit cztheatre.com.
• THAT GOLDEN GIRLS SHOW: A PUPPET PARODY at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Sat., Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35.
Classical
Concerts
• “GATHER AT THE RIVER” A performance by Pemigewasset Choral Society and New Hampshire Master Chorale. Sat., June 19, 6:30 p.m., and Sun., June 20, 4 p.m. Rotary Amphitheater, Riverfront Park, behind Main Street, Plymouth. Admission is free. Donations appreciated.
• SUZUKI STRINGS Violin students perform. Canterbury Shaker Village(288 Shaker Road, Canterbury). Sun., Aug. 15, 4 p.m. Suggested donation $10 per person. Call 783-9511 or visit shakers.org.
Full-scale productions return to the Hatbox Theatre
The stories of Sherlock Holmes come to life in Phylloxera Productions’ Holmes and Watson, opening June 11 for a two-week run at the Hatbox Theatre in Concord.
Director and producer Gary Locke long dreamed of bringing a Sherlock Holmes play to the New Hampshire stage but was disappointed by the scripts he found. An avid fan of the classic mystery series, he had high standards, and he wasn’t prepared to settle.
“Most Sherlock Holmes plays are just dreadful. They have their own ideas of how the characters act and look, and they make it into a joke,” Locke said. “I’m a person who wanted to do absolute justice and fealty to Conan Doyle and his world and his characters. I wanted to do the best Sherlock Holmes play possible.”
Then, he came across Holmes and Watson, a play written by Jeffrey Hatcher, published in 2017. Hatcher “knew his stuff,” Locke said; he had written a number of Sherlock Holmes adaptations for stage and screen throughout his career, including the screenplay for the 2015 feature film Mr. Holmes,starring Ian McKellen as the iconic detective. Locke was sold.
“I started reading it and was so excited, like a little kid at Christmastime. I just couldn’t believe how good it was,” he said. “I said to myself, ‘I’ve finally found it. I’ve found my Sherlock Holmes script. I can finally tick this box on my bucket list.’”
Interweaving three Sherlock Holmes stories, Holmes and Watson is set in 1894 England, following a scuffle between Holmes and his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty that resulted in Holmes going over the Reichenbach Falls. The detective is assumed by most to be dead, though his body is never found. While mourning the loss of his best friend, Dr. Watson receives a telegram informing him that three men being held in a remote asylum off the coast of Scotland have claimed to be Holmes, still alive. The detective work falls on Watson now, as he must discover which one of the men, if any, is the real Holmes.
“It’s a story about friendship, loyalty and solving a very strange puzzle, with lots of surprises,” Locke said.
Locke said he’s confident the play will earn the approval of Sherlock Holmes purists like himself.
“If you know Holmes, you’ll see how Hatcher’s encyclopedic knowledge of the Holmes stories shines through,” he said. “He’s got the characters and their voices down so good.”
For those not as familiar with the series, Locke said, Holmes and Watson is “a genuine crowd-pleasing puzzle” that engages the audience in trying to solve the mystery themselves.
“It’s loaded with clues, and if you really pay attention you can follow the clues and figure it out,” he said.
The Hatbox Theatre’s first mainstage production of the year, Holmes and Watson marks the theater’s “re-re-opening,” theater owner and operator Andrew Pinard said; after the initial Covid shutdown, the Hatbox reopened in July 2020 with a mainstage production of Phylloxera Productions’ Copenhagen, with plans to follow with Holmes and Watson,but the strict capacity limitations being enforced at that time, combined with the public’s reluctance to start attending live shows again, made it impossible to generate a profit, and Pinard decided to reclose the theater.
“Holmes and Watson … got pushed back until audiences were ready and we could accommodate enough audience members safely,” Pinard said.
Now, as long as masks are worn and seats are distanced at least three feet apart, the Hatbox is able to operate at around 85 percent capacity.
“This enables us to … get to a point where productions not only break even but might actually come out ahead a little for their next production,” Pinard said.
For Locke, the reward of this show comes not from making a profit, he said, but from giving New Hampshire theater artists and theater-goers an opportunity to return to what they love.
“The cast is having the time of their lives, and I know that the audience is going to be really appreciative of the show we put on,” he said. “Obviously I don’t want to lose money, but if I do, at least I know it was well-spent.”
Holmes and Watson Where: Hatbox Theatre, Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord When: June 11 through June 27, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets: $22 for adults; $19 for students, seniors and members; and $16 for senior members Info: Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com
Featured photo: Holmes and Watson at the Hatbox Theatre. Courtesy photo. Courtesy photo.
