Year: 2024

Classical video games

Symphony NH performs Game Over(ture)

By Michael Witthaus
[email protected]

For many years, video game companies operated like old-school movie studios. Everything was done in-house, including the music. That began to change in the late 1990s, a shift that would impact the life of Austin Wintory, a young composer studying at USC. A lifelong gamer, Wintory had always been intrigued by the scores of Final Fantasy and Legend of Zelda, but he had no interest in working 9 to 5 at a tech company.

“The whole appeal of being a composer is you make your own hours,” he said in a recent phone interview. “You pursue your own opportunities … perpetually take swings and gambles, and bet on yourself. It’s an entrepreneur-type path, like running a small business.”

One day, a fellow student invited him to work on a game he was developing. Wintory recalls it as “very humble, tiny little project” that itself went nowhere, “but it led to him introducing me to some of his classmates … in particular was this guy named Jenova Chen, who was working on his master’s thesis video game project.”

Flow, the game Chen was developing and recruited Wintory for, became an online hit in 2006. Its success led Sony to hire them to code a version for the PlayStation, which had more music composed by Wintory. It became a hit on that platform, as did a sequel (that he didn’t work on).

In 2009, the team reunited to make Journey, a game that “exploded beyond anyone’s wildest imagination,” Wintory said. “It essentially made me a so-called video game composer, even though I’ve never seen myself that way… I was always passionate about games, and always wanting to be a composer. In hindsight … they were always on a collision course.”

Journey became the first video game to be nominated for a Grammy, shoehorned into the “Score Soundtrack for Visual Media” category. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score for Girl With the Dragon Tattoo took the prize, but Wintory set a precedent that led to the creation of a video game category 10 years later. He’s been nominated both years it’s existed.

He responds with humility at the notion that he’s some kind of trailblazer.

“I honestly find it baffling; I don’t claim to be the one who should have been the first,” he said. “Many iconic scores came before me that simply weren’t nominated.”

Over the years, Wintory has become friendly with Symphony NH Music Director Roger Kalia, and on March 23 and March 24 he’ll guest conduct music from Journey, along with the Final Fantasy Seven’s climactic finale “One Winged Angel,” a piece he sheepishly requested Kalia let him lead at the concert.

“It’s always fun to conduct more than just my own music, but I am the guest, it’s Roger’s show; I’m not trying to pull focus or steal undue podium time,” he said, adding that his selection recalls operatic works like Verdi’s Requiem. “Carlos Orff’s ‘O Fortuna’ from Carmina Burana. It’s a piece in that kind of a vein, an absolute massive grand symphonic statement. It’s a real popular one because that game was just such a landmark.”

Kalia, he continued, has conducted Journey himself several times — on the West Coast where Wintory lives, and with the Evansville Symphony Orchestra. Wintory considers the Game Over(ture) concert, which will also include music from Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Brothers and Prince of Persia,an ideal way to help expand the reach of classical music.

“What I love about these kinds of shows is they’re a real celebration of … cultural touchstones that people are likely to be imminently familiar with,” he said. “I’m a believer in the preservation of the classical repertoire, and the solemn duty orchestras consign themselves to. Making sure that this massive, particularly orchestral canon is well looked after, taken seriously, performed and continuously exposed to new audiences.”

Beyond that, though, is a need for “showcasing the music audience members are likely to have some kind of contact with or familiarity with on a day-to-day basis; not just appeal to so-called classical music lovers. Roger has a very similar mind and is a great advocate of that sort of programming. I’m incredibly lucky and grateful to be a periodic beneficiary of it.”

Game Over(ture)
When: Saturday, March 23rd, 8pm
Location: Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord
Tickets: $20.75 and up at symphonynh.org

Also Sunday, March 23rd, 3pm, Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm St., Nashua ($10 and up)

Featured photo: Avatar of Austin Wintory created by Angela Bermúdez. Courtesy photo.

99 Awesome Things to do This Spring

Compiled by Amy Diaz
[email protected]

Spring is full of awesomeness.

Spring officially began March 19 and unofficially ends Memorial Day weekend when we start to slide into summer mode. Between now and then there are oodles of fun indoor, outdoor, artsy, music-y, foodie, bookworm-ish things happening. Here are 99 to consider putting on your calendar.

1. Golf! In a Facebook post last week, Derryfield Golf Course & Country Club (625 Mammoth Road in Manchester; derryfieldgolf.com, 669-0235) announced that nine holes would open on March 18. Call or go online to book a tee time.

2. Watch some indoor hockey action at the Black Ice Pond Hockey Championships Friday, March 22, through Sunday, March 24, at Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett. The games are free to watch. See blackicepondhockey.com and the event’s Facebook page for schedule updates.

3. Skate! Kick off your weekend at Remix Skate & Event Center (725 Huse Road in Manchester; skateremix.com, 912-7661), which offers all-ages roller skating from 3 to 8 p.m. and 18+ Friday Night Flashbacks from 8:30 to 11 p.m., with a DJ — on Friday, March 22, the scheduled DJ is DJ Steve Fox, according to the venue’s Facebook page. Tickets for the adult portion of the evening cost $20 (which includes skate rental). See the website for tickets and for the rest of the week’s schedule.

4. Get kooky at the Pinkerton Players production of The Addams Family at the Stockbridge Theatre (44 N. Main St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com) on Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 24, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15.

5. Root for the lacrosse teams at Southern New Hampshire University. The men’s team’s next home game is scheduled for Saturday, March 23, at 1 p.m. at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium on the SNHU campus (the stadium is on Victory Lane in Hooksett) versus American International College. The women’s next home game is Friday, March 22, at 5 p.m. versus Franklin Pierce University. Regular season games are free to attend; see snhupenmen.com for the full schedule.

6. Get more maple. Ben’s Sugar Shack (8 Webster Hwy. in Temple; bensmaplesyrup.com) continues its tours of the syrup operation on Saturday, March 23, and Sunday March 24, as well as Saturday, March 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the website.

7. Catch Rivier Raiders men’s baseball on Sunday, March 30, when they play a doubleheader against Norwich at noon and 3 p.m. at Historic Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St. in Nashua). The women’s softball team plays at Raider Diamond and their first home games will be against Fitchburg State on Saturday, March 23, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Games are free to attend. See rivierathletics.com.

8. Cheer the Rivier College Raiders men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. The next home game for the men’s lacrosse team will be Saturday, March 23, at noon, on Joanne Merrill Field at Linda Robinson Pavilion when they face Dean College. The women’s team’s next home game is Saturday, March 30, at noon when they face New England College. The games are free to attend. See rivierathletics.com.

9.Watch the Southern New Hampshire University Penmen baseball team play the Saint Anselm Hawks at Penmen Field on Wednesday, March 27, at 3 p.m. The women’s softball team will play a doubleheader against Mercy University at home on Saturday, March 23, with games at noon and 2 p.m. at the SNHU Softball Field (on Eastman Drive). The women will then play American International College on Sunday, March 24, at noon and 2 p.m. See snhupenmen.com for the schedule.

10. Catch Avenged Sevenfold with special guests Poppy and Sullivan King on Saturday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester; snhuarena.com). Tickets cost $34.95 through $129.95.

11. Laugh at the Mike Koutrobis Comedy Special Recording onSaturday, March 23, at 8 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St.; nashuacenterforthearts.com). Tickets cost $27. See the story on page 36.

12. Hear the Sounds of Seattle, a show featuring Five Against None (a Pearl Jam tribute band) and Song Garden (a Chris Cornell tribute band) on Saturday, March 23, at 9 p.m. at Angel City Music Hall (179 Elm St. in Manchester; angelcitymusichall.com). Tickets cost $10 for this 21+ show. See the website for Angel City’s full line-up this spring, including Legends of Rock night on Saturday, April 27, featuring tributes to AC/DC, Social Distortion and the Ramones.

13. Keep the St. Patrick’s Day spirit going at the Manchester St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 24, at noon on Elm Street stepping off from Salmon and Elm streets and heading to Central and Elm streets, according to saintpatsnh.com. The Citizens Shamrock Shuffle, a 2-mile run/walk on Elm Street, starts at 11 a.m. (with a Lil’ Leprechaun Run for ages 8 and under at 10:30 a.m); see millenniumrunning.com/shamrock for details on the race and to register.

14. Listen to author Chris Bohjalian discuss his works including his newest book The Princess of Las Vegas in conversation with NHPR’s Rick Ganley on Wednesday, March 27, at 7 p.m. at BNH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $39 for one person and one hardcover copy of The Princess of Las Vegas or $49 for two admissions and one book. Author Julia Alvarez will also appear on the BNH Stage this spring on Monday, April 15, at 7 p.m. In the Chubb Theatre, also part of the Capitol Center for the Arts’ stages, author David Sedaris will talk on Sunday, April 21, at 7 p.m. and author Erik Larson will discuss his work on Tuesday, May 21, at 7 p.m.

15. Enjoy “An Evening of A Capella with Tonehenge and the Afternotes” on Wednesday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord; theaudi.org). Admission is free, doors open at 7 p.m. Other shows at the Audi this spring include William Florian in Concord on April 13 and The Shana Stack Band on April 24.

16. Read readers’ picks! Hippo’s Best of 2024 is slated to hit streets next week, Thursday, March 28. Get all the winners in categories like best pizza, best margarita, best doughnut and some things that have nothing to do with food.

17. Thou shalt check out Cecil B. DeMille’s first crack at The Ten Commandments, the 1923 silent film that blends the story of Moses with a modern (1920s modern) story, which will screen with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis on Thursday, March 28, at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $10.

18. Watch the movies of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Friday, March 29, with a reception at 6 p.m. and screening at 7 p.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). See the website for different ticket packages including an online-only option.

19. Put on your fuzzy ears and your unicorn horn for a presentation of Bubbly Beautiful Kitty-Corn by the book’s author Shannon Hale and illustrator LeUyen Pham, creators of the Kitty-Corn series, on Friday, March 29, at 6:30 p.m. at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com). Other author events this spring include Howard Mansfield for his book I Will Tell No War Stories on April 25 and Jilly Gagnon with her book Love You, Mean It on May 7.

20. Shop Concord’s Giant Indoor Yard Sale on Saturday, March 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord), according to the arena’s schedule of events.

21. Get some Saint Anselm College Hawks lacrosse. The women’s team’s next home game is Saturday, March 30, at noon against the D’Youville University Saints. The men’s team will play its next home game on Saturday, March 30, at 3:30 p.m. versus the Bentley University Falcons. Both games take place at Grappone Stadium on the Saint Anselm College campus in Manchester. See saintanselmhawks.com. Games are free to attend.

22. Cheer on the Saint Anselm College Hawks baseball team, whose upcoming home games include Saturday, April 6, and Sunday, April 7, at noon, both at Sullivan Park on the Saint Anselm College campus in Manchester. The women’s softball team will play their next home games on Saturday, March 30, at noon and 2 p.m., both against the Assumption Greyhounds, at the South Athletic Fields on the Saint Anselm College campus. See saintanselmhawks.com. Games are free to attend.

23. Root for your faves at Road to WrestleMania on Saturday, March 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester; snhuarena.com). Tickets cost $30 to $125.

24. Enjoy a chocolate bunny or a full brunch buffet with the many Easter eats offerings. Easter Sunday is March 31; check out all the dine-in and takeout food offerings in this week’s Hippo on page 26.

25. Laugh with the Queen City Improv troupe. They will perform on Monday, April 1, at Stark Brewing Co. (500 Commercial St. in Manchester) from 7 to 9 p.m. Or catch them at Chunky’s (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com) on Friday, April 19, at 8 p.m., where tickets cost $20. See all of their upcoming shows at queencityimprov.com.

26. Listen to a conversation between writers Joe Hill and Michael Koryta, who writes under the name Scott Carson, on Monday, April 1, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $10 for general admission, $39 for admission and a book. See nashualibrary.org.

27. Try new brews during NH Craft Beer Week 2024, running Thursday, April 4, through Saturday, April 13. The week will feature more than 120 events throughout New Hampshire, according to nhbrewers.org, where you can check back for updates of events including Pint Days (April 7-13).

28. Watch lots of movies at the New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival, which will run April 4 through April 14, with a bonus week of virtual screenings through April 21. The festival kicks off on Thursday, April 4, with a reception at 5:15 p.m. at the Spotlight Room at the Palace Theatre in Manchester followed by a screening at 7 p.m. of Remembering Gene Wilder. Events take place at theaters and locations throughout the state. See 2024nhjff.eventive.org for this year’s line-up of films and events and the available film ticket packages.

29. Meet Robert Frost when actor Gordon Clapp performs as the poet in Robert Frost: This Verse Businesson Thursday, April 4, at 7 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theatre (44 N. Main St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com). Tickets cost $25 and $30.

30. Catch Club D’Elf on Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. at BNH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $30.75 in advance, an additional $5 at the door. The BNH Stage will feature several other concerts this spring including Senie Hunt (in the Cantin Room) on April 7, Mullett on May 18 and the Granite State Blues Challenge on May 19.

31. See Rufus Wainwright perform on Thursday, April 4, at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com), one of the venue’s many standout shows this spring. Tickets cost $54 or $59. Other shows on the schedule include Spyro Gyra’s 50th Anniversary tour (March 23 at 8 p.m.), comedy night on April 13, Tusk (Fleetwood Mac tribute) on April 20 and more.

32. Meet Pete the Cat at the Books Alive! event at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) on Friday, April 5, at either 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. and Saturday, April 6, at either 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. On both days, play sessions are from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. (the Friday also features “First Friday” play time from 4:15 to 7 p.m.). Admission costs $12.50 for adults and kids over 12 months old, $10.50 for 65+.

33. Shop the Made In NH “Try It & Buy It Expo” scheduled for Friday, April 5, from 1 to 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Center of New Hampshire Expo Center, DoubleTree By Hilton Manchester Downtown Hotel. Admission costs $8 for adults, $7 for 65+, and is free for kids under 14, according to businessnhmagazine.com/events/made-in-nh-expo, where you can purchase tickets.

34. Sing “bum bum BUM” when So Good: the Neil Diamond Experience tribute show comes to the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) on Friday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29 to $39.

35. Hear the American Spiritual Ensemble, described as featuring singers, an accompanist and an African drummer having a “repertoire ranging from spirituals to classical to jazz and Broadway numbers highlighting the Black experience” on Friday, April 5, at 8 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $43.75. The show is one of many concerts at the Cap Center this spring including Buddy Guy on April 12, Gregorian: Pure Chants in Concert on April 20, Straight No Chaser on their Yacht Rock Tour on May 5, and Kansas on May 10.

36. Find new reads, meet authors and get tips for writing your own book at the Derry Author Fest onSaturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway, Derry, 432-6140, derrypl.org), which will feature workshops, panels and networking for aspiring authors and dabblers. Attendees can stay all day or just drop in for a session. Book sales and signings are interspersed between workshops. The day begins with a keynote address from Virginia MacGregor. See derryauthorfest.wordpress.com/schedule for a detailed schedule.

37. Shop the Capital City Craft Festival on Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord) featuring more than 100 artisans selling arts, crafts, specialty foods and more, according to castleberryfairs.com. Admission costs $8 for adults, under 14 get in free.

38. Get literary at Exeter Litfest, a free event (donations welcome) on Saturday, April 6, at Exeter Town Hall (Front Street) and Exeter Library (4 Chestnut St.). A kick-off party will be held Friday, April 5, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Exeter Public Library with a free concert by Sharon Jones. Events on Saturday include a Crime and Mystery Brunch at Sea Dog restaurant, tickets required; an event with children’s authors Matt Tavares and Suzanne Slade at the Exeter Public Library at 11 a.m.; poetry readings, writers’ panels and author talks during the afternoon; a book-swap table; and a keynote address with Andre Dubus III at 4 p.m. at Exeter Town Hall. See exeterlitfest.com.

39. Get a taste of the classical music of Spain and Spanish composers at Bolero!, a concert from the New Hampshire Philharmonic on Saturday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 7, at 2 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive in Salem). Tickets cost $5 to $35 and the Sunday show has an online option. See nhphil.org.

40. Watch The Peking Acrobats on Sunday, April 7, at 4 p.m., one of several shows coming to the Nashua Center for the Arts this spring. Tickets cost $29 to $59. See nashuacenterforthearts.com for more on this and other shows such as Preacher Lawson (April 6), Adam Ezra Group (April 20), Rodrigo Y Gabriela (May 5) and more.

41. Get eye protection. There’s going to be a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, and the Granite State will have a good view of it (weather permitting). Northern New Hampshire will see the sun completely blocked, while the rest of the state will see it mostly blocked. Get your eclipse glasses before they sell out, if you want to look at the sun during the eclipse. Regular sunglasses are not good enough.

Then, check out one of these pre-eclipse events. On Wednesday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m., the New Hampshire Astronomical Society presents “What to Expect from a Solar Eclipse” at Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway, Derry, derrypl.org, 432-6140); register to attend at the library’s website. See nhastro.com for more events from the Astronomical Society. On Tuesday, April 2, from noon to 1 p.m. Plymouth State University professor and planetarium director Dr. Brad Moser presents a “Lunch and Learn” at the Puritan Backroom in Manchester; tickets cost $15 per person, which includes a lunch buffet and a pair of solar eclipse viewing glasses. Get tickets at plymouth-usnh.nbsstore.net/lunch-and-learn-eclipse. And on Wednesday, April 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. the UNH Department of Physics and Astronomy welcomes the public to a free informal all-ages event, “The Science of Solar Eclipses,” on the UNH Durham campus. See extension.unh.edu/eclipse for details and lots of eclipse-related resources.

If you want to go up north for eclipse totality, check out visitnh.gov/solareclipse for viewing tips, event listings, and lodging information to make a night of it.

On eclipse day here in southern New Hampshire, McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord (2 Institute Dr., 271-7827) will have eclipse activities included with general admission from noon to 5 p.m., such as making a pinhole camera, eclipse puzzles and lunar phases wheels. As of March 14, eclipse glasses were still available in the Center’s store, $2.50 per pair. See starhop.com for details and eclipse info. And in Manchester, SEE Science Center will host an eclipse viewing event at Arms Park from 2 to 4:30 p.m. with music from WZID and activities to explain eclipse science. Visit see-sciencecenter.org for eclipse simulation videos and more. SEE’s gift shop has eclipse glasses for $2 per pair.

42. Buy your peanuts and Cracker Jack as the Fisher Cats hit the field for the first home game of the season on Tuesday, April 9, at 6:35 p.m. for the first of six games against the Somerset Patriots. On the schedule for the first games: The first 500 fans at Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s games get a magnet Fisher Cats’ schedule, mascot Fungo will get a birthday celebration on Friday (April 12), Saturday’s game (April 13, 4:05 p.m.) will celebrate the team’s 20th anniversary and Sunday’s game (April 14, 1:05 p.m.) will include “Kids Run the Bases” after the game. Other promotions include: Copa La Diversión when the team becomes the Gatos Feroces de New Hampshire (April 25 at 6:35 p.m.); Wizards & Wands on May 9 at 6:35 p.m.; and the Manchester Chicken Tenders night (when the team is briefly rebranded) on May 11 at 4:05 p.m. See milb.com/new-hampshire for the schedule and tickets.

43. Laugh with the comedy of Bob Marley, who will perform five shows at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) Thursday, April 11, through Sunday, April 14. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. every day except Saturday, when shows are at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Tickets cost $43.50.

44. Get poetic at the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival, a free weekend of readings, workshops, performances and prize winners hosted by the UNH English Department Friday, April 12, through Sunday, April 14, at the UNH Durham campus. Get the details at unhpoetry.com/about.

45. See the Majestic Theatre’s production of the comedy Birthday Club, described as “Five women get together for their birthdays, each with her own story, to drink, celebrate, commiserate and support each other,” on Friday, April 12, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 13, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 14, at 2 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net). Tickets cost $15 to $20.

46. Enjoy another installment of “A Distant Conversation,” a series looking at the works of two artists, when “Filippo de Pisis and Robert Mapplethorpe: A Distant Conversation” opens on Saturday, April 13 (it runs through Monday, Sept. 2), at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org). April 13 is also the Second Saturday, when admission is free for New Hampshire residents, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

47. Find comics at the Little “Giant” Comics Old School Comics Show (oldschoolcomicshow.com) on Saturday, April 13, at Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Tickets cost $15 for general admission, $50 for VIP admission (an hour early at 9 a.m. plus a red carpet entrance and a goodie bag), and for $125 admission that includes a dinner on Friday, April 12, with Jim Steranko (described as “one of the most prolific artists in the history of comics”), according to the website. The show features comic book vendors and comic book artists, including what the show is billing as Venompolooza, a line-up of artists who have worked on Marvel’s Venom comics.

48. Celebrate Earth Day with the Stonyfield Earth Day 5K on Saturday, April 13, at 9 a.m. The race begins and ends at Londonderry’s West Soccer Complex, near the site of the Stonyfield Earth Day Fair. The day will also include a kids’ fun run, vendors, games, a beer garden for ages 21+ and more, according to millenniumrunning.com/stonyfield5k, where you can register.

49. Take the kids to the Nashua Chamber Orchestra’s free family concert on Saturday, April 13, at 2 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua). Kids can get an up-close look at the instruments, according to nco-music.org.

50. Catch one or both of the Candlelight concerts at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) on Wednesday, April 17. At 6 p.m. it’s “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and More” and at 8:30 p.m. the show is “A Tribute to Adele.” Tickets to either show cost $43 to $60.

51. Join New Hampshire Roller Derby by checking out the Rookie Camp Meet and Greet on Thursday, April 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the Manchester Ballers Association (3 Sundial Ave. in Manchester), according to a post on the organization’s Facebook page. No experience is necessary. New Hampshire Roller Derby begins its lineup of home games with a mixed public scrimmage on Saturday, May 11, at 5 p.m. at JFK Memorial Coliseum (303 Beech St. in Manchester). See nhrollerderby.com.

52. See Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which will runat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) Friday, April 19, through Sunday, May 12, with shows on Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. and Thursday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $28 to $49.

53. Rediscover vinyl on Record Store Day, Saturday, April 20, when participating stores will have special releases. Locally, participating indie stores include Metro City Records in Manchester, Music Connection in Manchester, Pitchfork Records in Concord, Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough and Bull Moose in Salem, according to recordstoreday.com, where you can find more about the offerings.

54. Search for treasures at the Granite State Trading Cards & Collectibles Show on Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Admission costs $5, free for 12 and under. See jimmysplacesportscards.com.

55. Celebrate Earth Day at the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org) on Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The schedule includes a bird walk, amphibian exploration, a wildlife photography tour, the “Where Does It Go” game show, Raptor Encounter, a Caterpillar Lab presentation and an afternoon nature hike as well as attractions throughout the day such as a master gardener, composting demonstrations, upcycled crafts and seed giveaways, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets for $15 for a family of four. The Walking Gourmet food truck is also scheduled to attend.

56. Discover Discover WILD New Hampshire Day hosted by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (11 Hazen Drive in Concord) on Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free family event features live animals, big fish, trained falcons, archery, bb gun shooting, retriever dog demonstrations, kids’ crafts, hunting and fishing gear and more, according to wildlife.nh.gov/event/discover-wild-new-hampshire-day-2024.

57. Get a view of history when Howard Mansfield discusses his book I Will Tell No War Stories: What Our Fathers Left Unsaid About World War II on Saturday, April 20, at 2 p.m. at Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Somerset Plaza, in Nashua; balinbooks.com). Other author events at Balin this spring include Maggie Thrash on April 27 and Karen Eber on April 28.

58. Listen to Symphony NH’s presentation “New World: Dvorak and Sparr”featuring Antonin Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9 in E Minor ‘New World’” and the world premiere of composer D.J. SParr’s “Extraordinary Motion: Concert for Electric Harp” with poet/co-creator Janine Joseph and harpist Rosanna Moore, on Saturday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $10 to $63. See symphonynh.org.

59. Picture it: Nashua. Sunday, April 21. Golden Girls: The Laughs Continuecomes to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St.; nashuacenterforthearts.com) on with shows at 2 and 7 p.m. See goldengirlstour.com for a peek at the show. Tickets cost $52 to $72. The show will also be at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Thursday, April 11, at7:30 p.m.

60. Shop the spring fair at the Craftworkers’ Guild in Bedford (3 A Meetinghouse Road in Bedford, at the bottom of the hill in the library parking lot; thecraftworkersguild.org) Thursday, April 25, through Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fair features crafters working in a variety of media; items are also available to see and purchase online.

61. Load up on books on Saturday, April 27, Independent Bookstore Day, when participating bookstores hold events and have special offerings. See indiebound.org/independent-bookstore-day and check with your favorite bookstore for updates.

62. Watch Glitches in Reality, a magic show starring Simon Coronel, on Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 28, at 2 p.m. at Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $39 to $49.

63. Learn some important comics history at Portsmouth Mini-Con 40 on Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28, an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Dover-born Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles featuring Turtles creator Kevin Eastman and other creators and artists including from Mirage Studios. See portsmouthminicon.com for ticket package options.

64. Eat as many tacos as you can handle at the Taco Tour Manchester 2024 on Thursday, May 2, from 4 to 8 p.m. More than 60 restaurants will serve tacos for $3 each (bring cash), according to tacotourmanchester.com, where you can find information on parking and street closures, and a tour map.

65. Nosh for a cause at Taste of the Towns on Thursday, May 2, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Sheraton Nashua (11 Tara Blvd. in Nashua), where attendees will enjoy food and drink from area restaurants, distilleries and more. Tickets cost $75 and help support Nashua Center. See nashuacenter.org/taste-of-the-towns.

66. Get a spoof of Broadway when Forbidden Broadway comes to the Stockbridge Theatre (44 N. Main St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com) on Thursday, May 2, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $35 and $45. See a trailer at forbiddenbroadway.com.

67. Laugh with Kevin Nealon, who comes to the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com) on Thursday, May 2, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $45 to $60.

68. Dream big outdoor dreams at the New Hampshire Farm, Forest & Garden Expo on Friday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Deerfield Fairgrounds. The event will feature industry experts, barnyard animals, a kids’ ag discovery zone, 4-H and FFA competitions, workshops and more, according to nhfarmandforestexpo.org, where you can purchase tickets for $10 per person, ages 12 and under get in free.

69. Catch one of the New Hampshire Fiddle Ensemble spring concerts in New Hampshire: Friday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Rochester Opera House (31 Wakefield St. in Rochester); Saturday, May 11, at 6:30 p.m. at Interlakes High School Auditorium (1 Laker Lane in Meredith); Saturday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Exeter Town Hall (9 Front St.) and Sunday, May 19, at 2 p.m. at the Derryfield School (2108 River Road in Manchester). The ensemble features fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, basses, harps, cellos and more, according to a press release. See nhfiddleensemble.org for tickets.

70. See Wheatus, the band known for its 2000 release “Teenage Dirtbag,” on Friday, May 3, at 7 p.m. at Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St. in Manchester; jewelmusicvenue.com). Tickets cost $20; find a link to purchase tickets on the venue’s website.

71. Enjoy some Jane Austen live when the Community Players of Concord present Pride & Prejudice on Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord). Tickets cost $20 for adults, $17 for 65+ or 17 and under; see communityplayersofconcord.org.

72. Take in a classic when the Nashua Theatre Guild presents Thornton Wilder’s Our Town on Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. at the Court Street Theater (14 Court St. in Nashua). For tickets see nashuatheatreguild.org.

73. Get your free comics on Saturday, May 4, Free Comic Book Day, the annual celebration of comics featuring specially published books handed out at area comic book shops. See freecomicbookday.com for a peek at some of the comics that will be on offer and for participating shops in your area such as Merrymac Games & Comics (550 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack; merrymacgc.com) and Collectibles Unlimited (25 South St. in Concord; collectiblesunlimited.biz). Both Double Midnight Comics (252 Willow St. in Manchester; 341 Loudon Road in Concord, dmcomics.com) participate in the day; in years past, Manchester’s store has hosted costume contests and other events. (See the website for updates.) In Rochester, JetPack Comics (37 N. Main St.; jetpackcomics.com) is billing this year’s townwide celebration as the final Rochester Free Comic Book Day Festival, with comics available at locations throughout downtown Rochester, an event hall with vendors and guests, a costume contest and more.

74. Go outdoors to shop the farmers markets. Farmers markets return to the outdoors starting in May, with the Concord Farmers’ Market slated to return to its spot next to the Statehouse on Saturday, May 4, from 8:30 a.m. to noon and the Salem NH Farmers Market heading back to the Mall at Rockingham Park on Sunday, May 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. See agriculture.nh.gov for a listing of markets.

75. Run or walk the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire’s Run the Rail Trail 5-Miler on Saturday, May 4, at 9 a.m. beginning and ending at the museum, 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry. See aviationmuseumofnh.org to register.

76. Shop the Squam Lake Vintage & Makers Market at Cottage Place at Squam Lake (1132 Route 3 in Holderness; cottageplaceonsquam.com) on Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Admission is $5. The market will feature vendors, live music, food and a mobile bar, according to an email.

77. See cats compete at the Seacoast Cat Club’s Cat Show on Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 5, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Tickets cost $10 for adults and ages 12 and up, $8 for seniors, veterans and ages 5 to 12, according to a post on the group’s Facebook page. The event also features cat coloring books for the first 50 kids, vendors for cats and pets, a concession stand and more, the post said.

78. Catch one of the four scheduled spring concerts — titled Putting It All Together — of the New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus. The first show is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, at 7 p.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church (3 Lutheran Drive in Nashua). The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; rextheatre.org) has the show on its schedule for Sunday, May 5, at 3 p.m. (tickets cost $25). Other shows are scheduled for Saturday, May 18, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 19, at 3 p.m. at locations to be announced. See nhgmc.com for updates.

79. Run the Camienne Financial Cinco De Miles 5K on Sunday, May 5, at 9:15 a.m. at a race that begins and ends near Bedford High School. After the race, 21+ racers can enjoy a Modelo Oro or Teremana Small Batch Tequila Margarita, according to millenniumrunning.com/cinco, where you can register.

80. Join Lyle Lovett and Lisa Loeb: In Conversation and Song on Monday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St.; nashuacenterforthearts.com). Tickets cost $79 to $149.

81. Run or walk in the Rock ‘N Race 5K Race/Walk on Wednesday, May 8, at 5:30 p.m. at the Statehouse Plaza in Concord. The event, which benefits Concord Hospital Payson Center for Care Care’s HOPE Resource Center, according to concordhospital.org, where you can register to run. In addition to the race, the event features food, live music and more.

82. Get caffeinated at the Northeast Coffee Festival taking place Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, at locations in Concord. On Friday a market and live music will run from noon to 8 p.m. on South Main Street, with a workshop series on the BNH Stage. On Saturday the market and music run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with workshops from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a Latte Art Throwdown at 4 p.m., according to northeastcoffeefestival.com, where you can purchase passes.

83. Watch the magic at the Peacock Players’ teen mainstage production of Godspell Friday, May 10, through Sunday, May 19, with shows at 7 p.m. on Fridays and at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets cost $15 to $18 for adults, $12 to $15 for seniors and students. See peacockplayers.org.

84. See Catch Me If You Can The Musical presented by the Actorsingers on Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 12, at 2 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $20, $18 for seniors and students. See actorsingers.org.

85. Ready thyself for the New Hampshire Renaissance Fair, taking place Saturday, May 11, and Sunday May 12, and then Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19, in Fremont. See nhrenfaire.com for details and updates.

86. Load up on plants. Spring is garden club sale season, when you check out plant offerings and get tips from local gardeners. The Amherst Garden Club (amhrestgardenclub.org) will hold its plant sale on Saturday, May 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Wilkins School (80 Boston Post Road). The Colonial Garden Club of Hollis (hollisgardenclub.org) will hold its plant sale on Saturday, May 11, from 9 a.m. to noon at Lawrence Barn Field on Depot Road. The May Plant Sale for the Bedford NH Garden Club (bedfordgardenclubnh.org) is Saturday, May 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bedford Village Common (15 Bell Hill Road). The Nashua NH Garden Club (sites.google.com/view/nashuanhgardenclub) is also scheduled to hold its sale Saturday, May 18, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Nashua Historical Society. Know of an upcoming plant sale? Let us know at [email protected].

87. See the Flying Gravity Circus, featuring performers ages 10 to 18, on Friday, May 10, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 11, at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford; amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company, 672-1002). See flyinggravitycircus.org for tickets.

88. Enjoy a comics and pop culture convention geared to younger fans at Kids Con New England, which will take place Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Tickets for kids ages 5 and up cost $15; tickets for a family of four cost $55. The day features comic and children’s book creators; superheroes and other costumed characters; creative workshops; Jedi and superhero training; magic shows; face painting; video and tabletop games; a scavenger hunt, and more, according to kidsconne.com, where tickets are on sale now.

89. Enjoy a Mother of a Comedy Show featuring comedians Kelly MacFarland, Christine Herley and Kerrie Louise at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) on Saturday, May 11, at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30.

90. Hear French Fantasies, a concert from the NH Philharmonic focusing on the masterworks of French Romanticism, on Saturday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 12, at 2 p.m. at Sainte Marie Roman Catholic Church (378 Notre Dame Ave. in Manchester). Tickets cost $5 to $35. See nhphil.org.

91. Catch comedian Ace Aceto Saturday, May 11, at 8:30 p.m. at Headliners Comedy Club at the DoubleTree in downtown Manchester. Tickets cost $20 at the door and at headlinersnh.com, where you can see the full lineup of comedians performing at Headliners’ weekly shows.

92. Plan that Mother’s Day meal. Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12, and some restaurants are already taking reservations. At the Bedford Village Inn, for example, they’re offering a three-course Mother’s Day dinner with seatings from 2 to 7 p.m. (bedfordvillageinn.com). Keep an eye on Hippo’s food section for more meals for mom. Know of a big Mother’s Day to-do? Let us know at [email protected].

93. Have fun at the Kiwanis Club of Concord’s Spring Fair, scheduled to run Thursday, May 16, through Sunday, May 19, at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord), according to the arena’s spring schedule. See concordkiwanis.org or find them on Facebook for updates.

94. Eat at the Greek Food Festival at St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church (500 W. Hollis St. in Nashua; 889-4000, nashuagreekfestival.com) on Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18. Keep an eye on the website for details on when and how to load up on delicious gyros, pastries and more.

95. Introduce kids to a classic story and to the stage with the Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts’ production of Stuart Little on Friday, May 17, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 18, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 19, at 2 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net). Tickets cost $10 to $15.

96. Shake off all the liars and the dirty dirty cheats at Shake It Off! A (Taylor’s Version) Tribute featuring the Swiftie Tribute Band playing the music of Taylor Swift at three shows at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) on Friday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 18, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.Tickets cost $35 to $40.

97. See a New Hampshire premier production of the musical Between the Linespresented Friday, May 17, through Sunday, May 19,by Riverbend Youth Company at Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford; amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company, 672-1002).

98. Buckle up for Slabfest III, a two-day celebration of heavy noise and experimental and electronic music, at Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St. in Manchester; jewelmusicvenue.com) Saturday, May 18, at 4 p.m. through Sunday, May 19, at midnight, according to a post on the venue’s Facebook page. Check back for ticket information; the post lists 32 bands slated to perform. See slabfestnh.com for more on the event and bands.

  1. Embrace neo-swing with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, who will perform on Saturday, May 18, at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com). Tickets cost $45.

This Week 24/03/21

Thursday, March 21

The Prombegins its final weekend at Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Other shows this weekend are Friday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 23, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.. Tickets cost $38 to $59.

Friday, March 22

zClub Fitness (100 Factory St., 4th floor, Nashua, zclubnh.com, 521-7625) will hold a “Shamrocks and Shenanigans” 21+ Zumba party and wine tasting tonight from 6 to 8 p.m., with a high-energy Zumba session from 6 to 7:30 p.m. featuring Irish tunes. At 7:30 p.m., there will be a wine-tasting. This event open to members and nonmembers. Admission costs $15.

Friday, March 22

The 13th annual Black Ice Pond Hockey Championships and Winter Festival starts today and continues through the weekend at Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett (311 W. River Road, tri-townicearena.com, 485-1100). Admission is free for spectators. For a schedule of events, see blackicepondhockey.com.

Saturday, March 23

The Great New England Fine Craft and Artisan Show takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Capital City Sports & Fitness Complex (10 Garvin Falls Road in Concord, just off Exit 13 of Interstate 93). There will be 100 exhibitors, live music, free parking, food trucks and an appearance by the Easter Bunny. Tickets are $5; see gnecraftartisanshows.com.

Saturday, March 23

Spyro Gyra brings their 50th Anniversary Tour to the Tupelo Music Hall in Derry (10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com, 437-5100) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $57.

Saturday, March 23

The Currier Museum’s (150 Ash St. in Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org) “Looking Together” series takes close looks at particular work of arts, guided by a docent. Today the painting will be “Fishwives”(1883) by Winslow Homer. Tomorrow’s session (March 2)4, will examine “The Family” (1963) by Marisol. Looking Together takes place at 11 a.m. and noon. These sessions are included with the purchase of a museum general admission ticket. Participants should meet in the lobby.

Sunday, March 24

Manchester’s annual St. Patrick’s Parade steps off today at noon and runs down Elm street from Salmon to Center streets. The parade will include fire trucks, pipe and drum bands, mounted police officers, marching bands, Irish dancers, therapy dogs and more according to saintpatsnh.com.

Wednesday, March 27

The Walker Lecture Series presents “An Evening of A Capella with Tonehenge and the Afternotes” tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord, theaudi.org, 228-2793). Tonehenge is a seven-man a cappella group and the Afternotes is a women’s a cappella group based in the Seacoast region of New Hampshire and southern Maine. Admission is free. See walkerlecture.org.

Save the Date! Thursday, April 4
New Hampshire Craft Beer Week is a 10-day celebration of the craft beer scene across New Hampshire. The highlight of the week will be New Hampshire Pint Days, from Sunday April 7, through Saturday, April 13, when breweries across the state feature special events and promotions. Visit nhbrewers.org.

Featured Photo: . Courtesy Photo.

Quality of Life 24/03/21

Warmest winter

This has been New Hampshire’s warmest winter on record. As reported by New Hampshire Public Radio on March 12, the winter season was 9 degrees warmer than usual on average. According to NHPR’s report, at the National Weather Service’s climate site in Concord the temperature never dropped below 0 degrees, something that has only happened twice since 1868, when weather records started being kept in the state.

QOL score: -1 for the general weirdness of it all

Comments: According to a March 17 story by WMUR, as of Sunday afternoon, March 18, Lake Winnipesaukee is completely ice-free, again setting a new record.

Household bills above average here

According to a recent report, Manchester residents pay $5,547 more per year on their household bills — about 22 percent more — than the national average. According to the 2024 U.S. Household Bill Pay report by Doxo, a bill-paying smartphone app, the average American household spends around $2,126 each month on its most essential household bills, and the average Manchester household pays $2,588, or approximately 42 percent of its household income. These bills run the range from rent or mortgage to cable bills to life insurance. According to the same report, things look better for New Hampshire as a whole.

QOL score: -1

Comments: The average monthly cost of bills statewide was $2,052, about 4 percent lower than the national average, the report said.

Missing something?

According to a March 15 Facebook post, a brewer at To Share Brewing Co. in Manchester found something unexpected as he was processing the grain for a batch of smoked IPA last Wednesday: a wedding ring. Brewery co-owner Aaron Share reports that he found the ring as he was straining out the grain from the beer he was brewing, and was briefly afraid that the ring was his, but his own ring was still on his finger.

QOL score: -1 for some anonymous grain malter

Comments: According to the Brewery’s Facebook post, To Share has reached out to its suppliers to try to track down the ring’s owner, but at this point it is still a mystery.

A dramatic rescue

A worker at a construction site on Canal Street in Manchester was rescued after he became trapped under an excavator last Tuesday, March 12. As reported on March 12 by Manchester Ink Link, Manchester fire companies responded to an accident on the worksite and found an excavator upside down in a trench, with its operator pinned on the underside. According to a March 12 from the Fire Department, Manchester crews performed a technical rescue that involved “stabilizing, lifting, cribbing and shoring up the machine.” The fire companies used hydraulic rams, high-pressure airbags and hand tools to free the worker, who was transported to Elliot Hospital with what the Union Leader’s story about the event described as serious injuries.

QOL score: +1 for the rescue, and hopefully a speedy recovery for the worker

Comments: The department’s press release described the rescue as a “high-risk, low-frequency event” and noted, “A successful extrication under the circumstances requires a well-trained, highly focused, and professional team working in a complex and dynamic environment.”

QOL score: 63

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 61

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at [email protected].

Time to dance

The Big Story – The NCAA Basketball Tournament: The overall top seed is defending champion UConn, who begin that defense at the TD Garden in Boston in a regional that oddly has three of last year’s Final Four teams in San Diego State, Florida Atlantic and aforementioned UConn. Overall it’s 68 teams playing at four sites around the country. Let the mayhem begin for what is the best four-day extravaganza American sports has to offer.

Sports 101: From the all-time leader to fifth, who are the top five career scorers in the NCAA Basketball Tournament history?

News Item – Are Pats Preparing to Tank? The new people in charge of Patriots personnel have been underwhelming so far. Which means after re-signing their own free agents from a 4-13 team, they’ll leave free agency with the exact three needs they had when it started: a big play receiver, a left offensive tackle and a real starting QB, not a one-year place filler with a career record as a starter of 18-30.

News Item – Proposed Trade: Given how obvious the Patriots issues are, drawing up the plan doesn’t seem that hard. It’s a two-year rebuild at best, so we’ll let the QB wait till next year and attack it via a trade down from the third overall pick. The following example (not real) illustrates the concept: Pats give up third overall pick to Minnesota and their third-round pick in 2025 for the 11th and 23rd picks this year, Minnesota’s 2025 first-round pick and receiver Jordan Addison. (90 catches for 911 yards and 10 TDs), then use the first-round picks on a O-tackle and big play guy. Then fill the next biggest needs, a guard and run-stopping D-lineman.

News Item – Red Sox Spring Update: You can’t count on spring training records, but the 14-9 start is encouraging. The two most interesting questions so far: (1) Will gifted rookie Ceddanne Rafaela win the CF job or be sent back to AAA? He’s currently tied for the team lead with four homers while hitting .273 with 8 RBI in 43 at-bats; (2) Will they finally put Tanner Houck in a starting role where he belongs? He’s off to a 2-0 start with a 2.40 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 15 innings.

News Item – Rick Pitino: From his days complaining about no fan support at BU to his excuse-filled stint as Celtics coach to his “it wasn’t my fault” major rule violations that led to his being fired at Louisville, little Ricky is still whining after all these years. This time over 20-13 St. John’s not making the NCAA tournament and then petulantly refusing to play in the hometown NIT.

The Numbers

10 – magic number for the Celtics to clinch home court throughout the NBA playoffs.

Thumbs Up – Celtics: True, the Utah Jazz aren’t very good. But considering the obstacles faced, the Celtics’ 123-107 win over Utah last week earns a shoutout, as (a) it was the final of a five-games-in-eight-nights road trip covering 3,400 miles and (b) it came on Game 2 of a back-to-back, (c) after arriving from Portland, Oregon, at 3 a.m. while also losing an hour due to time zone hopping, and most importantly (d) three of their top six players, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown, sat out with injuries. They stayed focused and finished off the road trip with a business-like win.

Sports 101 Answer: With 407 points Duke’s Christian Laettner is the Tournament all-time leading scorer. He’s followed by Elvin Hayes (358), Danny Manning (328), Tyler Hansbrough (325) and Oscar Robertson (324).

Final Thought – A Little History – What a Game! Saturday (March 23) is the 50th anniversary of the most monumental college basketball game in history.

No, not Bird vs. Magic in 1979. That had big TV ratings but the game was boring as Indiana St. was barely in it, Bird played terribly and Gregory Kelser was MVP, not Magic.

This was five years earlier, where UCLA’s never-to-be-matched streak of winning seven straight NCAA titles was ended by NC State in an epic double-OT battle.

With all due respect to Magic and Larry, this game’s stars were better college players, and both played big as UCLA’s Bill Walton went for 29 points and 18 rebounds while David Thompson scored 28 points for NC State. The Bruins let big leads slip away in the final minutes of regulation and the second OT. But after UCLA’s frantic four-shot last gasp, NC State hung in to win 80-77 as the streak finally was ended.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

Future nurses

Nashua HS program offers experience

Lori Chisholm, Program Head of Nashua High School Careers and Technical Education – Health Occupations program, on the donation of eight Stryker Hospital beds through continued partnership with Southern New Hampshire Health.

Can you describe how this partnership changes or enhances the current health educational program at Nashua High School?

Southern and Nashua High have been kind of partnered throughout the years on different levels. Over the last year or so they have actually financially helped us with donations for some of the supplies we use as well as our pinning ceremony at the end of the year. This year they were actually able to donate eight Stryker hospital beds.

We had been replacing our beds one by one with our Perkins grant that we get through the school because they are quite costly. We have two labs, and each lab has five beds in it, so that was a huge help, for the students to actually have beds that work.

Laura Forgione [executive director of inpatient nursing, professional practice, and Magnet Program at Southern New Hampshire Health] … has been coming out every year and speaking to the students as well about their programs. Integrating them into the license nursing assistant part of the hospital as well as medical assisting and then on to nursing if that’s the way they choose to go. So it’s good for them to come into the school as well just to let us know about the programs that they are offering over there.

What is the student response?

One of my students that graduated from this program last year … went on to be accepted into the Rivier School of Nursing. At the beginning of this calendar year he actually asked for a recommendation for an LNA job at Southern. I do know that one of our students is actively working there, to the best of my knowledge. I think it just allows them to have information about different avenues that they can pursue and what the hospitals have to offer. Unfortunately, the State of New Hampshire and all the other states require that all the clinical hours the students get [are] in long-term care facilities. Which is unfortunate because I do think they would gain great experience being able to do that in the hospital as well. It restricts us a little bit in being able to even further the partnership with having students go there for clinicals because it is not approved by the board of nursing by the State of New Hampshire.

How important is hands-on experience for health care professionals?

Hands-on experience is extremely important. We actually start it with our students in the first year of the program, which is their junior year, typically, in our Health Science 1 class. Both the Health Science 1 and Health Science 2 class have full functioning labs that look like, in each room, five different hospital bed areas with curtains and blood pressure cuffs and side tables and overbed tables. We actually work on skills with them for their whole junior year as well as their senior year because in their senior year they actually go out and they take care of real people. They help them get showered, they help them if they can’t go in the shower, you know, get washed up in bed, get them dressed, help them to go to the bathroom, their hair, their teeth. So, they really are hands-on right from the get-go when they go out into the clinical environment. The lab environment is very important because it allows them to practice on each other before they actually touch people that rely on them to be able to help safely transfer them out of bed into a wheelchair.

What is the process of entering the program and how hard is it to get in?

It’s an awesome program. We allow area students to come that don’t have programs like this. We have students from Hollis, Brookline … Milford, Merrimack …. Obviously North and South, even though the actual program is at the South location of the high school. It not only benefits just the Nashua kids but the surrounding towns. So it depends upon the year, to be quite honest. When I had worked part-time in 2007 they had actually added a third teacher, and I was it, because the enrollment was so high. They are approved by the Health Science 1 teacher and the head teacher. If they have any questions they obviously come to me as well. Since Covid, the numbers have been down until this past year. Health Science 1 started with about 65 students. The most we can take in Health Science 2 is 48 because once we get out into the clinical environment I have one other instructor that I work with and we can each only take eight students at a time, and that is per the board of nursing of the State of New Hampshire.

For different reasons people drop out of Health Science 1. It wasn’t what they thought it would be, they aren’t performing as well as they thought they would. Next year I think I’ll have about 40-ish students. They can also do other tracks. Most of our students do the LNA track. I have a few kids that are doing physical therapy. I have two that are on our dental track. We are trying to get Pharmacy. Years ago we were able to let them go out into a clinical environment, into an actual pharmacy and work with a pharmacist and a pharmacy tech to see if that’s something they are interested in, but it is being held up at the pharmacy level because they have to get approval.

Not all of the students come out as LNAs. Some of them in Health Science 1 decide they want to be physician assistants, which, really, going into college they don’t need my program, the Health Science 2 program. They really would benefit from heavy loading on the sciences in their high school journey.

—Zachary Lewis

Featured image: Lori Chisholm. Courtesy photo.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!