Dave Gambaccini is a Certified Commercial Investment Member and the senior advisor at Colliers Financial Services in Manchester, a commercial real estate brokerage firm and investment management company.
Explain your job.
I secure commercial loans for commercial real estate owners, investors and developers. I structure and underwrite loans … evaluate development or redevelopment budgets and … source loan proposals from multiple lenders at once, saving time and maximizing lending options for my clients.
How long have you had this job?
I [was previously] managing my own local firm, securing private equity and debt for commercial developments. I joined Colliers last year.
What led you to this career field and your current job?
I began investing in real estate in 2006, creating my own portfolio of properties. Eventually, it became a career. … I started on the brokerage side of the business … and moved into capital markets, helping [clients] to secure private investor money and lender debt.
What kind of education or training did you need?
I have earned the Certified Commercial Investment Member Designation … [which] represents proven expertise in financial, market, user, and investment analysis, as well as negotiations. … CCIMs complete a rigorous program of advanced coursework and training in financial and market analysis and demonstrate extensive experience in the commercial real estate industry. Less than 10 percent of commercial real estate professionals are CCIMs.
How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?
When the pandemic really set in, real estate developments came to a screeching halt. There was too much uncertainty, which created less demand for private equity and debt. As Covid restrictions and market fluctuations stabilized … the demand for private equity started coming back; however, investor confidence was still low, which brought an increased demand for debt. Now, with the looming threat of increasing interest rates, we are … helping our clients secure cash out refinancing to take advantage of the low cost to borrow capital.
What do you wish you had known at the beginning of your career?
It took a while before I found my path. … I have a science degree [and] spent nearly 15 years in corporate America before turning personal investments into a career. … Finding industry mentors helped guide my path, and finding them sooner may have helped.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
I secure purchase loans, refinancing, cash out refinancing, permanent and construction loans and even bridge or mezzanine loans. Working directly with a lender is common; however, I can source multiple lenders at the same time [so that] you are getting the most competitive offer from multiple sources.
What was the first job you ever had?
I started working for my father when I was 12 … [at his] landscape [and] construction company.
What is the best piece of work-related advice you have ever received?
Always conduct yourself as if your name is on the door. Who you are is more important than what you do. Your reputation and how you treat people and conduct business is what gets you through life.
Five favorites Favorite book: Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss. The kids love it. Favorite movie:Any Pixar movie — full of adult humor, yet kid-friendly. Favorite music: All the music I grew up listening to while working with my dad — Dean Martin, Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Jerry Reed, outlaw country and, of course, ’90s hair bands. Favorite food: Italian, specifically our authentic family recipes. Favorite thing about NH: Easy access to mountains, lakes, beaches, oceans and my family in Massachusetts.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• Wild Salamander owners retiring: Wild Salamander Creative Arts Center (30 Ash St., Hollis) will close its doors in June, according to an announcement on its website. Owners KC Morgan and Charlie Morgan said in the announcement that, after 10 years of running the art center, they have decided to retire. “It has been an honor, a privilege, and a great deal of fun to be a part of the journey for artists both young and old, seasoned and beginner, student and teacher,” they said. “We have made friends who will forever be a part of our lives. We look forward to finding new ways to bring awareness to the arts in our local community.” Over the last decade, Wild Salamander has hosted 2,300 classes and camps, where more than 6,000 students have been taught by 100 artists, and the center’s Whitty Gallery and Wild Little Art Shop have generated more than $120,000 for local artists, the announcement stated. Registration is open for in-person and online classes and workshops that will continue being offered through June. Programs are offered for kids and adults and include working with clay, felting, drawing, jewelry making and more. February hours for the gallery and shop are Tuesday from noon to 6 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m.; Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit wildsalamander.com or call 465-9453.
Art for bid The New Hampshire Art Association’s permanent collection auction is open for online bidding now through Saturday, Feb. 26, closing at 5 p.m. The auction features 75 pieces acquired by NHAA over the last 40 years, including pieces by former and current NHAA members. “Over the years, NHAA has been home to some very talented artists, and we are pleased to be able to offer some of their pieces to the public at very reasonable prices,” NHAA board president Renee Giffroy said in a press release. Bidders can see the pieces in person at NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth). Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. To 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• Last call for these fabric art exhibits: Catch the “Translating Nature Into Fabric” exhibit at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua) before it’s gone on Saturday, Feb. 26. It features 15 art quilts by Hollis artist Ellen Fisher, with nature-based designs, such as trees and streams, inspired by Fisher’s career as a landscape designer and conservationist. “I am not as interested in making other people’s designs but very interested in figuring out my own, and I do this with great respect for the traditional quilting world,” Fisher told the Hippo last month. “I have a real root system in traditional quilting that I have just interpreted in my own way.” Most quilts are for sale. The exhibit can be viewed during library hours, which are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Visit nashualibrary.org or call 589-4600.
See the special exhibit “As Precious as Gold, Carpets from the Islamic World” at the Currier Museum of Art(150 Ash St., Manchester) before it closes on Sunday, Feb. 27. On loan from the Saint Louis Art Museum, the exhibit features 32 carpets with various geographical origins, dating from the 15th century to the 19th century, including a Spanish rug, three Egyptian rugs, Lotto and Holbein patterned carpets, a 16th-century Ushak medallion and a late 17th-century small medallion carpet. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17, and is free for members and children under age 13. Museum hours are Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Masks are required for visitors age 2 and up, and proof of vaccination is required for visitors age 5 and up (at least one dose for visitors under age 12, and at least two doses for visitors age 12 and up). Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• A dance through life: Manchester-based theater company Theatre Kapow presents Dance Nation at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry), with showtimes on Friday, Feb. 25, and Saturday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m. The Pulitzer Prize-finalist play by Clare Barron follows a group of pre-teen competition dancers, played by adult actors, as they navigate the challenges of growing up. “Just reading Dance Nation was like being struck by lightning,” director Wanda Strukus said in a press release. “It’s bold, intense, and fierce. It’s filled with an adolescent urgency, joy, and terror that truly feels like a force of nature.” Attendees must present proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test and must wear a mask to enter the theater. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for seniors age 62 and up and students. Visit tkapow.com/dancenation.
Auto oil See “Vehicular Narratives,” an exhibition of paintings by local artist William Turner, at The Art Center (located inside the Washington Mill, 1 Washington St., Suite 1177, Dover) before it’s gone on Monday, Feb. 28. Turner worked in the auto body restoration business for 30 years before becoming a full-time painter, earning BFA and MFA degrees in visual arts and painting from the former New Hampshire Institute of Art (now the Institute of Art and Design at New England College). His oil paintings, which he describes as “narrative realism,” have depicted distressed vehicles and machinery, vintage toys and stories from Greek and Roman mythology and folklore told through imagery of automobiles. All works are for sale. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with private appointments available by request. Visit theartcenterdover.com.
ART
Auctions and sales
• NEW HAMPSHIRE ART ASSOCIATION PERMANENT COLLECTION AUCTION Fundraiser auction features 75 pieces acquired by NHAA over the last 40 years, including pieces by former and current NHAA members. Pieces will be on view starting Wed., Feb. 16, at NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth). Online bidding will run Fri., Feb. 18, through Sat., Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Masks are required indoors. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230 to learn more.
Exhibits
• “FOR THE LOVE OF IMPRESSION” Exhibit features prints created using traditional techniques and materials, combined with contemporary aesthetics, new materials, and technology by eight local artists who are members of the group New Hampshire Printmakers. Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). Now through March 5. All pieces are for sale. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.
• “SETTING THE STANDARD” Exhibit features new work from League jurors in all media areas. League of New Hampshire Craftsmen headquarters, 49 S. Main St., #100, Concord. Now through March 31. Regular exhibition hours are Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 4 p.m. Visit nhcrafts.org.
• “ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI” Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view April 14 through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children under age 13 and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “ECHOES: ABSTRACT PAINTING TO MODERN QUILTING” Exhibit features abstract paintings inspired by the bold colors, asymmetry, improvisational layout, alternate grid work and negative space in composition of modern quilting. Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). April 22 through May 14. Visit twovillagesart.org.
“NATURE AT NIGHT: PAINTINGS BY OWEN KRZYZANIAK GEARY” Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). May 27 through June 18. Visit twovillagesart.org.
Workshops and Classes
• PASTEL PAINTING WORKSHOP Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Sat., Feb. 26, 1 to 4 p.m. The cost is $40. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com.
• WINTER ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.
• DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org.
• GENERAL ART CLASSES Weekly art classes offered for both kids and adults of all skill levels and cover a variety of two-dimensional media, including drawing and painting with pastel, acrylic, watercolor and oils. Classes are held with small groups of three to eight to five students. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Kids classes, open to ages 10 and up, are held on Thursdays and Fridays, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Adult classes are held on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuition is pay-as-you-go at $20 per student per class, due upon arrival. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.
THEATER
Shows
• LIFESPAN OF A FACT Produced by Lend Me a Theater. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Now through March 6. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members and $16 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com.
• DEADLY Cue Zero Theatre Co. presents an original movement-based theater piece by Crystal Rose Welch. Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem). Fri., March 4, through Sun., March 6. Visit cztheatre.com.
• LITTLE WOMEN The Franklin Footlight Theatre presents. Franklin Opera House (316 Central St., Franklin). Thurs., March 10, through Sat., March 12, 7:30 p.m.; and Sun., March 13, 2 p.m. Tickets cost $16 for adults and $14 for students and seniors. Visit franklinoperahouse.org or call 934-1901.
• BYE BYE BIRDIE Mainstage production by The Palace Theatre. 80 Hanover St., Manchester. March 11 through April 3. Tickets range from $25 to $46. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.
• CHICKEN LITTLE presented by Upside Arts. The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth). March 12 through March 20, with showtimes on Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $18 for adults and $15 for kids under age 12. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123.
• PUFFS! OR SEVEN INCREASINGLY EVENTFUL YEARS AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL OF MAGIC AND MAGIC Cue Zero Theatre Co. presents. Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem). Fri., April 29, through Sun., May 1. Visit cztheatre.com.
• MUSICAL MOM Produced by the Community Players of Concord. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). May 5 through May 15. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $22 for students, seniors and members and $19 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com.
• LAST GAS Produced by the Community Players of Concord. Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord. Fri., May 6, through Sun., May 8. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $16 for youth ages 17 and under, $16 for seniors age 65 and up. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org.
• THE BALD SOPRANO Produced by the Community Players of Concord. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). June 17 through June 26. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members and $16 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com.
Classical
• WINTER MAINSTAGE CONCERT The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra performs. The Music Hall Historic Theater, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth. Sun., March 13, 3 p.m. Tickets cost $25 to $35 for adults, $20 for students and $25 to $30 for seniors age 60 and up. Call 436-2400 or visit themusichall.org.
Carrie Green Loszewski, vice president of engagement for the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, talked about Girl Scout cookie season and how customers can buy cookies and support their local Girl Scouts.
What challenges are Girl Scouts facing with cookie-selling this year?
Like so many industries over the last two years, we’ve been hit in the Girl Scout cookie industry the past few months with shortages and delays. The bakers we contract with have experienced some staffing shortages and ingredient delays and, now, some transportation issues that have resulted in us not receiving the full order of cookies we placed. We were able to fill all the orders the girls took for the first part of the sale in January — that’s when they go door to door and ask their neighbors and friends and family [to buy cookies], and they collect orders on their order card or through our digital app. Those orders get placed in what we call the ‘initial order,’ and those were all delivered last weekend. Our ‘covered orders,’ which are a smaller portion of our sale and are the cases you see the girls selling outside Walmart and the grocery stores on the weekends — for those, we didn’t receive the full amount of different varieties of cookies we ordered.
What are the different ways people can buy cookies?
We have a cookie locator on our website where people can enter their zip code and see all the booths … happening within 20 or 30 miles. … The girls also have the ability [to sell through] our online platform called Digital Cookie. They set up their own electronic cookie store, upload a video, their goals and set all the parameters. Then, they can share that link with friends and family, who can purchase cookies using a credit card. If they’d like, they can select to still have their cookies [hand] delivered by the Girl Scout. … [People who don’t know a Girl Scout personally] can go to that cookie locator on the website and select a troop’s digital link … to purchase cookies online to be shipped to their house. The cookies often come within two to three days. … We also have DoorDash available in the Manchester area, so people who live in that vicinity can order their cookies through DoorDash.
How are troops keeping themselves and customers safe while selling in the community?
They have to follow all the safety protocols; they’re expected to wear masks and follow any requirements by the store [where they’re selling]. Some troops got really creative last year and this year with large chutes [to distribute] the cookies or used a Plexiglas display as part of their booths to make sure everyone stays safe.
Which cookies are available and which are in short supply?
Some booths won’t have all the varieties customers are used to seeing. The shortages are mainly with the Tagalongs, Trefoils and the new cookie the Adventurefuls. We’ve still got plenty of Thin Mints, which are the No. 1 selling cookie … and the Do-si-dos, Lemon-ups and S’mores should all be available at the booths. There are fewer cases of Samoas, but most booths should have some. … [For online orders,] we have some varieties [labeled unavailable] because … we aren’t sure what we’re going to be receiving for reorders, and we don’t want people to purchase them online and then not [receive what they ordered] … but we’re hoping we’ll be able to [make] more varieties [available] once we know what we’re going to be receiving for reorders, which will hopefully be in the next few weeks.
How can a customer support Girl Scouts if the cookies they want aren’t in stock?
We’re encouraging customers to try a different variety that maybe they haven’t tried before, or to stock up on [other cookies that are in stock]. … Customers can also choose to donate a box if they don’t see a variety they want to eat. [Donated boxes] will be given by the troop to local fire departments or hospitals or military veterans.
What are the proceeds from cookie sales used for?
The cookie program is the main money-earner for our troops. They’re using these funds to go camping in the summer, to go on trips, to do service projects in their community and to help them earn badges.
What kinds of skills are the girls learning from selling cookies?
The cookie program has always been a great way for girls to learn business skills. … [With the shortages], they’re learning firsthand how to help customers who might be disappointed and how to sell some of the different varieties we have available. … The skills they’re learning have also stayed really up to date. Twenty or 30 years ago, when I was selling cookies, it was all about building your confidence to knock on someone’s door or make a phone call. Now, they definitely still build those types of skills, but they’re also learning about what information to share on a video [online] … so that it makes a good sales pitch and how to share a store link to get the most customers to see it.
Featured photo: Carrie Green Loszewski. Courtesy photo.
Mike Dane is a heating, ventilation and air conditioning installer and service technician. He and his son Mason Dane own and operate their business Dane HVAC out of Nashua.
Explain your job and what it entails.
My job is about helping people by installing and servicing furnaces, boilers and heat pumps.
How long have you had this job?
I have been a heating and AC technician since 1990. My son and I started our own company in 2020.
What led you to this career field and your current job?
After leaving the Army, it was the advice of a career counselor that got me started in this field, and it was Covid that pushed me to start a business with my son. … My son and I were working in Boston, and the pandemic shut everything down, so we came together as a family and started our own little business.
What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?
Very casual — jeans and a T-shirt, mostly.
What kind of education or training did you need?
To do heating, ventilation and air conditioning, you’re going to need to learn a lot about electrical, plumbing, carpentry, drywall and painting. … I went to a two-year trade school to get started. Since then, I have had many training classes and certifications. … I feel like I am well-qualified to flip houses with what I have learned through heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
What was it like starting a business during the pandemic?
Starting a business during the pandemic wasn’t too bad, actually, but I do have to say that we didn’t get any stimulus money, which would have been nice. We saved six months of bills, and I started with my son, so if the business didn’t have a good week, then I didn’t have to pay my kid. It only happened a couple of times, and it wasn’t as stressful.
What do you wish you had known at the beginning of your career?
I’ve made some mistakes along the way: chasing money instead of being loyal to one company — I ended up driving to Boston every day and wasn’t any happier — and spending way too much time working and not enough time camping. … I wish I knew everything that I know now so that I wouldn’t have made as many mistakes along the way.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
How satisfying it is to complete a job and to look back and see what you have created with your own hands.
What was the first job you ever had?
Working on my grandparents’ farm.
What is the best piece of work-related advice you have ever received?
You can’t always be right, but you can always be polite.
Five favorites Favorite book: Anything with a superhero Favorite movie: Avengers: Endgame Favorite music: Classic rock Favorite food: Cheesecake Favorite thing about NH: The seasons, the mountains and the water
Featured photo: Dane HVAC owners Mike Dane (left) and his son Mason Dane (right). Courtesy photo.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• Making impressions: Catch the New Hampshire Art Association’s exhibition “Impressions: Nature,” featuring the work of Allenstown artist Daniela Edstromat, at the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (49 S. Main St., Concord) before it’s gone on Thursday, Feb. 17. Edstrom’s art explores the abstract qualities of light, form and color found in the New England landscape. “Sunlight and its play of light and shadow is perceived as halos of vibrating strokes and bold minimalist shapes,” the artist said in a press release. “Elements such as leaves, trees — the organic aspects of the woodland environment — are seen in emphatic primary colors and highlighted by gestural marks of rich complementary hues.” Gallery hours at the Chamber are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All works are for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
Sally Dion, featured artist in “For the Love of Impression” exhibition. Courtesy photo.
Two Villages Art Society has a new exhibition, “For the Love of Impression,” on view at the Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook) now through March 5. It features eight local artists who are members of the group New Hampshire Printmakers. Their work utilizes traditional techniques and materials, combined with contemporary aesthetics, new materials and new technology. “Printmaking is a time-honored artistic process in which images are transferred from a wooden, metal or glass matrix onto another surface, such as paper or fabric,” Two Villages Art Society president Alyssa McKeon said in a press release. All pieces are for sale. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.
Greek tragedy modernized The Winnipesaukee Playhouse Education Department presents Oedipus Rex at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse theater (33 Footlight Circle, Meredith), with showtimes Thursday, Feb. 17, through Saturday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 20, at 2 p.m. The 2,000-year-old Greek tragedy by Sophocles is fitting for today’s times as it explores universal themes, like fate versus free will, throughout a story that’s set during a widespread plague. The Playhouse’s production will be an alternate version of the play with a contemporary spin, juxtaposing modern society with the backdrop of the ancient world. “Rehearsing, performing, and seeing Greek tragedy really is an experience like none other,” director Timothy L’Ecuyer said in a press release. “It has been rewarding to see the way this cast had dug into a 2,000-year-old text and found things that ring true to them.” The cast features nine local students ages 13 through 19. Tickets range from $11 to $20. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.
• Theatrical adaptations: Jonesing for Theatre, in collaboration with Dive in Productions, presents I Love You Because at the Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) with showtimes on Friday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 19, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 20, at 2:30 p.m. The musical is a gender-reversed retelling of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, set in modern-day New York City. “As a hopeless romantic, I love the idea of someone wanting you because of faults and idiosyncrasies rather than simply tolerating them,” performer Nicole Jones told the Hippo last month. “It’s hopefully happy, romantic and so funny — all things that everyone could use more of right now.” Tickets cost $28 for adults and $25 for seniors age 65 and up and students. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123.
The Windham Actors Guild presents The 39 Steps at Searles School and Chapel (3 Chapel Road, Windham), with showtimes on Friday, Feb. 18, and Saturday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 20, at 2 p.m. The show is a humorous reimagining of an Alfred Hitchcock film that uses a small group of performers to perform a large number of different roles. “The sheer absurdity of the plot and the situations in which the characters find themselves and the way the story is presented on stage are fresh and fun and escapist in a time where everyone could use a complete departure from reality,” performer Jonathan Kaplan told the Hippo last month. Tickets cost $16 for adults and $12 for seniors, students and military. Call 247-8634 or visit windhamactorsguild.com.
Dancing through life Manchester-based theater company Theatre KAPOW presents the New Hampshire premiere of Dance Nation at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord), with showtimes on Friday, Feb. 18, and Saturday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 20, at 2 p.m. The Pulitzer Prize-finalist play by Clare Barron follows a group of pre-teen competition dancers as they navigate the challenges of growing up. “Just reading Dance Nation was like being struck by lightning,” director Wanda Strukus said in a press release. “It’s bold, intense, and fierce. It’s filled with an adolescent urgency, joy, and terror that truly feels like a force of nature.” A post-show panel discussion about the themes of the play will be held after the show on Sunday. Tickets cost $28 for adults and $23 for students. Visit ccanh.com/show/theatre-kapow-dance-nation.
• Musical journeys: The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs its winter concert, “Winter Voyages,” on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 20, at 2 p.m., at the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Dr., Salem). Featured pieces will include Wagner’s Prelude to Das Rheingold, Vaughn Williams’ Norfolk Rhapsody, Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations and Robert Schumann’s Rhenish Symphony. Tickets range from $5 to $30 and must be purchased in advance. Masks are required. The concert will also be available via livestream for $15. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476.
ART
Auctions and sales
• NEW HAMPSHIRE ART ASSOCIATION PERMANENT COLLECTION AUCTION Fundraiser auction features 75 pieces acquired by NHAA over the last 40 years, including pieces by former and current NHAA members. Pieces will be on view starting Wed., Feb. 16, at NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth). Online bidding will run Fri., Feb. 18, through Sat., Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Masks are required indoors. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230 to learn more.
Exhibits
• “TRANSLATING NATURE INTO FABRIC” Exhibition features nature-inspired artistic quilts by Ellen Fisher. Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St., Nashua. On view now through Feb. 26, during library hours. Visit nashualibrary.org.
• “AS PRECIOUS AS GOLD: CARPETS FROM THE ISLAMIC WORLD” Exhibit features 32 carpets dating from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view now through Feb. 27. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children under age 13 and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “VEHICULAR NARRATIVES” Exhibit features New Hampshire Art Association artist William Turner, whose narrative realism oil paintings have depicted distressed vehicles and machinery, vintage toys and stories from Greek and Roman mythology and folklore told through imagery of automobiles. All works are for sale. The Art Center (Washington Mill, 1 Washington St., Suite 1177, in Dover). On view now through Feb. 28. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with private appointments available by request. The exhibition can also be accessed via an online gallery. Call 978-6702 or visit nhartassociation.org or theartcenterdover.com.
• “SETTING THE STANDARD” Exhibit features new work from League jurors in all media areas. League of New Hampshire Craftsmen headquarters, 49 S. Main St., #100, Concord. Now through March 31. Regular exhibition hours are Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 4 p.m. Visit nhcrafts.org.
• “ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI” Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view April 14 through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children under age 13 and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “ECHOES: ABSTRACT PAINTING TO MODERN QUILTING” Exhibit features abstract paintings inspired by the bold colors, asymmetry, improvisational layout, alternate grid work and negative space in composition of modern quilting. Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). April 22 through May 14. Visit twovillagesart.org.
“NATURE AT NIGHT: PAINTINGS BY OWEN KRZYZANIAK GEARY” Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). May 27 through June 18. Visit twovillagesart.org.
• 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/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email [email protected].
• “NEW HAMPSHIRE NOW” A collaborative photography project presented by the New Hampshire Historical Society and the New Hampshire Society of Photographic Artists, on display in eight exhibitions at museums and historical societies across the state. Nearly 50 photographers participated in the project, taking more than 5,000 photos of New Hampshire people, places, culture and events from 2018 to 2020 to create a 21st-century portrait of life in the Granite State. Exhibition locations include Belknap Mill Society in Laconia; Colby-Sawyer College in New London; Portsmouth Historical Society; Historical Society of Cheshire County in Keene; the Manchester Historic Association; Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University; and the Tillotson Center in Colebrook; with the flagship exhibition at the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord. Visit newhampshirenow.org and nhhistory.org
Tours
• NASHUA PUBLIC ART AUDIO TOUR Self-guided audio tours of the sculptures and murals in downtown Nashua, offered via the Distrx app, which uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provides audio descriptions at each stop on the tour as tourists approach the works of art. Each tour has 10 to 15 stops. Free and accessible on Android and iOS on demand. Available in English and Spanish. Visit downtownnashua.org/nashua-art-tour.
Workshops and classes
• PASTEL PAINTING WORKSHOP Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Sat., Feb. 26, 1 to 4 p.m. The cost is $40. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com.
• WINTER ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.
• DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org.
• GENERAL ART CLASSES Weekly art classes offered for both kids and adults of all skill levels and cover a variety of two-dimensional media, including drawing and painting with pastel, acrylic, watercolor and oils. Classes are held with small groups of three to eight to five students. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Kids classes, open to ages 10 and up, are held on Thursdays and Fridays, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Adult classes are held on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuition is pay-as-you-go at $20 per student per class, due upon arrival. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.
THEATER
Shows
• LIFESPAN OF A FACT Produced by Lend Me a Theater. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Feb. 18 through March 6. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members and $16 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com.
• DEADLY Cue Zero Theatre Co. presents an original movement-based theater piece by Crystal Rose Welch. Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem). Fri., March 4, through Sun., March 6. Visit cztheatre.com.
• LITTLE WOMEN The Franklin Footlight Theatre presents. Franklin Opera House (316 Central St., Franklin). Thurs., March 10, through Sat., March 12, 7:30 p.m.; and Sun., March 13, 2 p.m. Tickets cost $16 for adults and $14 for students and seniors. Visit franklinoperahouse.org or call 934-1901.
Classical
• WINTER MAINSTAGE CONCERT The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra performs. The Music Hall Historic Theater, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth. Sun., March 13, 3 p.m. Tickets cost $25 to $35 for adults, $20 for students and $25 to $30 for seniors age 60 and up. Call 436-2400 or visit themusichall.org.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness New Hampshire chapter welcomed Susan Stearns as its new executive director last month. Stearns discussed the position and how she plans to lead NAMI NH in addressing the state’s mental health care needs. You can reach the NAMI resource line at 1-800-242-6264.
What is your background in this type of work?
I’ve worked in the nonprofit field all of my adult life in New Hampshire, and I’ve been working in mental health for the last 20-plus years. Truthfully, I have stayed in this line of work, being an advocate for people with mental illness, because I have loved ones in my family with mental illness. Having had the [personal] experience of trying to navigate [mental health] systems and challenges, it’s work that ultimately chose me. I’ve been here at NAMI New Hampshire as an employee for almost nine years — I was the deputy director — but I’ve been a longtime member and supporter of NAMI New Hampshire for about 20 years because of my experience as a family member [of people with mental illness].
What does your job as executive director entail?
It’s leading our organization, but also working with our partners across the mental health system to ensure that individuals and families affected by mental illness and suicide can have access to the support and services they need to get treatment, recover and live full lives in their communities. … NAMI New Hampshire is part of a nationally recognized suicide prevention program, so we offer suicide prevention and intervention training; we offer postvention training for communities after a suicide loss; and we do a lot of work with survivors of suicide loss and survivors of suicide attempts.
What are some of New Hampshire’s greatest needs when it comes to mental health care?
The biggest need that we’re seeing is access to care. New Hampshire has, for probably close to nine years now, had a real problem with people experiencing mental health crises being able to access crisis care in a timely fashion. … We’ve seen some significant strides in recent years toward [addressing] that; on Jan. 1 of this year, New Hampshire launched its rapid response access points and statewide rapid response mobile team. … People [experiencing a mental health crisis] will now have access to a proper response [from mental health professionals] as opposed to having to call 911 and get a response from law enforcement. That’s going to be transformational for our system.
How has the pandemic impacted mental health care in the state?
The need for mental health care has gone up, and we’re seeing and hearing from a lot of folks who are struggling to get initial appointments with providers. That, of course, is very concerning, because what is the long-term impact for folks who are reaching out, needing help, and not able to access that care in a timely way? How does that play out? Do they wind up in a mental health crisis further down the road if they aren’t able to get that earlier intervention? … I also want to point out that our mental health workforce providers are, at the same time, experiencing the same challenges that all of us are going through at this time. They’re helping people through these challenges when they, too, are living through them. The pandemic has really impacted everyone’s mental health.
What do you hope to accomplish as director?
Advocating for individuals and families affected by mental illness and suicide, and advocating for … long-term investments to ensure that we have a robust system … of mental health services. … Ideally, we would have a system [in which] people would be able to access the level of care they need when they need it so they don’t have to board in an emergency department.
What do you find rewarding about this work?
I had the opportunity a week or so ago to … sit in on a meeting with a group of high school students … who have experienced suicide loss in their school communities and have really stepped into a leadership role around creating a safe space for students to be open with their mental health needs, support each other, dispel stigma and bring mental health out into the open. That was one of the most inspiring conversations I’ve gotten to listen to in a while. … We also have speakers … who are folks living with mental illness who are trained to tell their story and offer up hope in that process. It’s always really moving to hear those stories and realize how folks can go through some very dark days, but, with help and by seeking treatment, they can come out on the other side, so to speak, and be able to then share that story of hope with others and help to promote hope and healing. It’s those moments — seeing that transference of hope or people holding onto hope for each other — that is one of the most rewarding things I experience.
