The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• Still time for art gifts: If you’re still doing some last-minute gift shopping, these arts and craft shows have you covered.
“Small Works —Big Impact,” the annual holiday exhibit at Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford), is going on now through Dec. 31, in person at the gallery and virtually on the gallery’s website (creativeventuresfineart.com/product-category/small-works-show). The exhibit features non-juried small works of art in a variety of media and styles, created by area professional and nonprofessional artists, priced affordably for holiday gift buying. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.
Two Villages Art Society’s (46 Main St., Contoocook) Holiday Art Show and Sale will be open on Thursday, Dec. 23, from noon to 4 p.m., featuring handmade gifts by more than 30 local artists, including paintings, pottery, mixed media, photography, fabric art and more. Visit twovillagesart.org or email [email protected].
The Craftworkers’ Guild’s Holiday Fair is still open for online shopping and will be open for in-person shopping at the historic Kendall House (3A Meetinghouse Road, Bedford) on Thursday, Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You’ll find seasonal decor, photography, fine art and prints, cards, gourmet treats, woodworking, fiber and fabric, stained and fused glass, mixed media, jewelry and more by juried local artists and craftspeople. Visit craftworkersguild.org.
The Seacoast Artist Association’s holiday exhibit, “Big Gifts in Small Packages,” is open at the gallery (130 Water St., Exeter) on Thursday, Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 26, Wednesday, Dec. 29, and Thursday, Dec. 30, from 1 to 4 p.m. The exhibit features a variety of small works of art priced under $100 for gift buying. Visit seacoastartist.org or call 778-8856.
The New Hampshire Art Association presents its holiday exhibition, “Let it Snow,” at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) through Jan. 2. It includes works in a variety of media, as well as books and cards for sale. 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.
• New Year’s music: Get your tickets now for The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra’s annual New Year’s Eve Champagne Pops concert, which will be held at the Music Hall Historic Theater (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth) on Friday, Dec. 31, at 8 p.m. The concert will feature special guest conductor Dr. Dirk Hillyer and guest vocalist Jacyn Tremblay, with music ranging from Broadway to Hollywood, including selections from Frozen, The Greatest Showman, Cabaret, Chicago, The Godfather, West Side Story and a collection of Gershwin swing pieces. Tickets cost $38. Attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test. Visit themusichall.org or call 436-2400.
• Last call for classics: There are still a couple of opportunities to catch the traditional Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol this holiday season.
The New Hampshire School of Ballet will perform The Nutcracker Suite at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) on Sunday, Dec. 26, at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $22. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.
The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) has its final showtime for A Christmas Carol on Thursday, Dec. 23, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $22 for students and seniors age 65 and up and $15 for kids under age 12. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123.
Festive painting
Muse Paintbar (42 Hanover St., Manchester) is offering family-friendly and adult paint-and-sip painting classes with a variety of winter and holiday themes now through December. Projects include a snow-capped sunset and Buddy the Elf on Thursday, Dec. 23, a white frosted eve on Sunday, Dec. 26, penguins at play on Wednesday, Dec. 29 and more. The cost ranges from $20 to $45, depending on the class. Visit musepaintbar.com to see the full schedule and book a class.
• Handmade gifts: The Sanbornton Community Arts Festival will take place on Saturday, Dec. 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Old Town Hall (19 Meetinghouse Road, Sanbornton). More than 30 local artisans will be selling unique handmade items, including jewelry, stained glass, cards, quilted wall hangings, birdhouses, baby blankets and knitted clothing, home decor, soaps, tie-dye shirts, gourmet treats, handbags and totes, candles, ornaments, flower arrangements and more. Search “Sanbornton Community Arts Festival” on Facebook for more information.
It’s the final weekend for Twiggs Gallery’s (254 King St., Boscawen) annual holiday showcase, “Sleighbell Studio,” which closes on Saturday, Dec. 18. The show features a wide selection of fine art, jewelry, cards, books, honeys, soaps and more, all locally made and priced affordably for gift buying. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.
NYC artist exhibit
The Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester) has a special exhibition featuring the paintings and sculpture of New York City artist Emily Noelle Lambert on view now through Jan. 9. Lambert has shown her work nationally and internationally in solo exhibitions in New York City, Chicago and South Korea as well as a number of group exhibitions. “I love swimming in a kind of visual mystery of things between abstraction, landscape and figuration,” Lambert said of her work in a press release from Saint Anselm. “I search for interactions between materials, colors and forms and often switch things up to keep my curiosity fresh.” The exhibition was curated by Fine Arts Professor Kimberly Kersey-Asbury, with assistance from fine art students on the layout and installation process. Visitors must wear masks inside the gallery. Visit anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities or call 641-7700.
• Carols galore: The Piccola Opera presents “The Dickens Carolers on Tour” at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord) on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for seniors and children and $20 for adults. Call 344-4747 or visit ccca-audi.org.
Eve Pierce and her band of singers and musicians will perform festive music in Depot Square in downtown Peterborough on Friday, Dec. 17, starting at 6 p.m., as part of the town’s annual holiday caroling program. Call 547-8323.
The Rockingham Choral Society presents its holiday concert, “Invitations and Carols,” on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (22 Fox Run Road, Newington), and on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 3:30 p.m. at Christ Church (43 Pine St., Exeter). Tickets cost $12. Visit rockinghamchoral.org.
Manchester sports history
The Manchester Historic Association’s Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester) celebrates Manchester’s sports history from 1989 through 2009 with a special exhibit, “Queen City Athletic Hall of Fame.” The exhibit features original photos depicting many of the 240 Hall of Fame inductees, as well as trophies, artifacts and memorabilia from the city’s sports community during those two decades. Admission to the museum costs $8 for adults, $5 for seniors age 62 and up and college students, $4 for youth ages 12 through 18 and is free for children under age 12. Current museum hours, according to the website, are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit manchesterhistoric.org.
ART
Exhibits
• HOLIDAY ART SHOW AND SALE Featuring handmade gifts by more than 30 local artists, including paintings, pottery, mixed media, photography, fabric art and more. Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). Now through Dec. 23. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org.
• CRAFTWORKERS’ GUILD HOLIDAY FAIR Features seasonal decor, photography, fine art and prints, cards, gourmet treats, woodworking, fiber and fabric, stained and fused glass, mixed media, jewelry and more by juried local artists and craftspeople. Now through Dec. 23. In-person shopping at the historic Kendall House (3A Meetinghouse Road, Bedford), open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and an online shop. Visit craftworkersguild.org.
• “SMALL WORKS — BIG IMPACT” Creative Ventures Gallery presents its annual holiday exhibit in-person at the gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford) and virtually on the gallery’s website (creativeventuresfineart.com/product-category/small-works-show). The exhibit features non-juried small works of art in a variety of media and styles, created by area professional and nonprofessional artists, priced affordably for holiday gift buying. Now through Dec. 31. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.
• “LET IT SNOW” The New Hampshire Art Association presents its holiday exhibition. Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth). Now through Jan. 2. Features works in a variety of media, as well as books and cards for sale. 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.
• EMILY NOELLE LAMBERT Solo exhibition by New York City artist Emily Noelle Lambert. Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). On view now through Jan. 9. Masks required inside the gallery. Visit anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities or call 641-7700.
• “THE DYSFUNCTION OF SOCIAL PRACTICE” Kelley Stelling Contemporary presents an exhibition featuring paintings, sculpture and performance works by five New Hampshire artists. Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord). Now through Jan. 14. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with evening and weekend visits available by request. Visit kelleystellingcontemporary.com.
• “SALON 2021” Exhibition features offbeat and experimental works in a variety of media by regional artists with diverse studio practices and artistic approaches. The Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord, 225-3932, kimballjenkins.com). Now through Jan. 14. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with evening and weekend visits available by request.
• “BIG GIFTS IN SMALL PACKAGES” The Seacoast Artist Association’s annual holiday exhibit, featuring a variety of small works of art priced under $100 for gift buying. Now through Jan. 7. 130 Water St., Exeter. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 to 4 p.m. Visit seacoastartist.org or call 778-8856.
• “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, 2022. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “1,000 CRANES FOR NASHUA” Featuring more than 1,000 origami paper cranes created by hundreds of Nashua-area kids, adults and families since April. On display now at The Atrium at St. Joseph Hospital, 172 Kinsley St., Nashua. Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org.
• “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.
• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.
• “TOMIE DEPAOLA AT THE CURRIER” Exhibition celebrates the illustrator’s life and legacy through a collection of his original drawings. On view now. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.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].
• “9/11” Exhibit features images of the September 11 attacks and the aftermath, taken by war photographer Jim Nachtwey. On view now. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. 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.
• “FOR THE LOVE OF IMPRESSION” Exhibit features prints created using traditional techniques and materials, combined with contemporary aesthetics, new materials, and technology. Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). Feb. 11 through March 5. 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.
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
• 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.
• GENERAL ART CLASSES In-person art classes for all levels and two-dimensional media. held with small groups of two to five students. Private classes are also available. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Students are asked to wear masks in the gallery. Tuition costs $20 per group class and $28 per private class, with payment due at the beginning of the class. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.
• 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.
THEATER
Shows
• PETER PAN The Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St., Portsmouth) presents. Thurs., Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $32 to $50. Visit seacoastrep.org.
• THE NUTCRACKER The New Hampshire School of Ballet presents. Sun., Dec. 26, at 6 p.m., at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tickets cost $22. Visit nhschoolofballet.com.
• TRUE TALES LIVE Monthly showcase of storytellers. Held virtually via Zoom. Last Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m., through December. Visit truetaleslivenh.org.
• SCENE CHANGES Produced by New World Theatre. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Jan. 7 through Jan. 23. 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.
• MARY & ME Produced by Glass Dove Productions. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Jan. 28 through Feb. 13. 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.
• LAST GAS Produced by the Community Players of Concord. Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord. Feb. 11 through Feb. 13. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $16 for youth ages 17 and under, $16 for seniors age 65 and up. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• NEW YEAR’S EVE CHAMPAGNE POPS The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra presents its New Year’s Eve concert. The Music Hall Historic Theater (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth). Fri., Dec. 31, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $38. Visit themusichall.org or call 436-2400.
• “WINTER VOYAGES” The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m., and Sun., Feb. 20, 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org.
• DRAWN TO THE MUSIC 2022 – STORIES IN MUSIC The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., April 9, 2 p.m., and Sun., April 10, 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org.
