Author: Angie Sykeny

Angie Sykeny is a Hippo staff writer covering local arts, theater, music and pop culture. She can be reached at [email protected].

The Art Roundup 21/07/15

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

“Perspectives,” a mixed-media sculpture by Philip Gauthier. Courtesy photo.

• Saturday market: This month’s Concord Arts Marketwill take place on Saturday, July 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Rollins Park (off Broadway Street, with parking at 33 Bow St.). The outdoor artisan and fine art market features 50 vendors, live music and a food truck. It will continue on the third Saturday of each month through October, and during Intown Concord’s Market Days Festival, when it will be held Thursday, Aug. 19, through Saturday, Aug. 21, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Main and Pleasant streets. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.

• Chorale reunited: The Concord Chorale’s virtual performance of Carmina Burana that premiered on July 10 is now available to stream on demand for free on the Chorale’s YouTube channel. The piece, composed by Carl Orff in the 1930s, is based on a collection of medieval poetry of the same name, particularly on the text’s recurring theme of “Rota Fortunae,” the theoretical “wheel of fortune” that determines every person’s fate. Its iconic opening movement, “O Fortuna,” will be “familiar to essentially everybody,” music director Jenny Cooper told the Hippo earlier this month. “It’s incredibly dramatic,” she said. “It’s been used throughout pop culture and in commercials and movies.” Fifty chorale members performed the piece together in person, joined by guest vocal soloists Lisa Cooper, soprano; Cailin Marcel Manson, baritone; and AJ Coppola, tenor; pianists Molly Lozeau and Elizabeth Blood; and a group of percussionists including timpanist Jonathan Hess and principal percussionist Matt Sharrock. The virtual concert also features the voices of chorale members who were not able to perform with the group in person; recorded audio of them singing at home was mixed into the audio of the performance video. Now rehearsing regularly in person, the Concord Chorale plans to perform for a live, in-person audience for their next concert in September. Visit concordchorale.org or call 333-5211.

• Thriller author: The Music Hall in Portsmouth presents a virtual event with New York Times bestselling author Megan Miranda on Tuesday, July 20, at 7 p.m. as part of its virtual Writers in The Loft series. Miranda will discuss her new novel, Such a Quiet Place. The thriller centers on Hollow’s Edge, a once idyllic, close-knit neighborhood reeling after the shocking murder of two people. The resident implicated in the crime has returned home, having had the conviction overturned. Now, everyone is a suspect, and a series of mysterious notes suggests that it won’t be long before the killer strikes again. The author discussion will be moderated by local young adult novelist Paul Durham. An audience Q&A will follow. Tickets cost $5 to access the event, which will be livestreamed on Zoom via Eventive. Visit themusichall.org or call 436-2400.

• Outdoor opera: The Manchester-based Piccola Opera presents its Summer Festival, with two shows at two outdoor venues in Rindge. First, the Piccola Youth Opera will perform a musical theater and light opera show, The Wonderful World of Music, on Friday, July 16, at 6 p.m. at Cathedral of the Pines (10 Hale Hill Road), and Saturday, July 17, at 2 p.m. at Franklin Pierce University (40 University Drive). The Piccola Emerging Opera will perform a classic opera, Purcell to Puccini — Operatastic!, on Friday, July 23, at 6 p.m., at Franklin Pierce University, and Saturday, July 24, at 2 p.m. at Cathedral of the Pines. Tickets cost $15. Call 781-5695 or visit piccolaopera.net.

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Art

Exhibits

• “FRESH PERSPECTIVES” Exhibit features works by New Hampshire artists Peter Milton, ​Varujan Boghosian, Robert Hughes and others. New Hampshire Antique Co-op (323 Elm St., Milford). On view through Aug. 31. Visit nhantiquecoop.com.

• “FASHION FORWARD: AFRICANA STYLE” Exhibit showcases Black fashion and explores connections between African American and African design aesthetics from past to present. The Seacoast African American Cultural Center (located inside the Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle St., Portsmouth). On view through Sept. 1. Gallery hours are Monday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; visitors must reserve a 45-minute time slot in advance. Walk-in guests will be accommodated as space permits. Tickets cost $10 for the general public and $5 for Historical Society members and are available through eventbrite.com. Visit saacc-nh.org.

• “THE BODY IN ART: FROM THE SPIRITUAL TO THE SENSUAL” Exhibit provides a look at how artists through the ages have used the human body as a means of creative expression. On view through Sept. 1. 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.

• “TWILIGHT OF AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM” Exhibit showcases New England painters and masters of impressionism Alice Ruggles Sohier and Frederick A. Bosley. On view through Sept. 12. Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., Portsmouth). Gallery hours are daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7.50 for adults and is free for kids under age 18, seniors age 70 and older and active and retired military. Admission is free for all on the first Friday of every month. Visit portsmouthhistory.org.

• “TENSION: PROCESS IN THE MAKING” The Surface Design Association’s (SDA) New Hampshire Group presents an exhibit featuring fiber art and textiles by New Hampshire artists. July 24 through Sept. 4. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

Fairs and markets

• CONCORD ARTS MARKET Outdoor artisan and fine art market. Third Saturday each month, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Now through October. Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Visit concordartsmarket.net.

• ARTS ON THE GREEN Arts and crafts fair will feature painters, potters, artisan jewelers, stained glass makers, bead workers, photographers and metal crafters. Presented by The Center for the Arts Lake Sunapee Region. Sunapee Harbor. Sat., July 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit centerfortheartsnh.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.

Theater

Auditions

• HEATHERS THE MUSICAL Presented by Cue Zero Theatre Company. Auditions held Tues., July 27. Granite State Arts Academy, 19 Keewaydin Drive, Salem. Performers must be age 18+. Signups for a time slot in advance are required. Visit cztheatre.com.

Shows

• PETER PAN The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Wed., July 14, and Thurs., July 15, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

• SLEUTH The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Now through July 17, with showtimes Wednesday through Saturday, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $37. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

• DANI GIRL The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Now through July 31, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $29 to $39. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

•​ PIPPIN The Seacoast Repertory Theatre PAPA Jr. presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through July 18. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.

• YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN Prescott Park Arts Festival (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth). Now through Aug. 15, with shows daily at 7 p.m. More information is TBA. Visit prescottpark.org.

• WIZARD OF OZ The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 20, through Thurs., July 22, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

•​ CABARET The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. July 22 through Sept. 5. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.

Acting normal

Marriage comedy opens at the Majestic Theatre

As life steadily returns to normal, the Majestic Theatre presents a play about the normal things in life — home, marriage, career — but with a farcical twist.

’Til Beth Do Us Part opens for its two-weekend run at the Majestic Studio Theatre in Manchester on Friday, July 16.

Written by Jesse Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten — the comedy playwright trio known as Jones Hope Wooten — the show is, as director Joe Pelonzi describes it, “a situational comedy, where things don’t go as planned.”

“There are a lot of surprises, a lot of twists and turns, a lot of misdirection and comedy that’s predicated on timing,” he said. “It’s kind of in the same vein as a lot of the British farces, but without all the slamming doors.”

Married for 27 years, Suzannah and her husband Gibby find themselves in a state of complacency as they adjust to life in their newly empty nest. Suzannah hopes to advance her career but is bogged down by household duties, with which she gets no help from Gibby. Enter Beth, an assistant Suzannah hires to get her house — and her husband — back in order. Under the nose of an oblivious Suzannah, Beth begins weaseling into other aspects of the couple’s life, taking a special interest in Suzannah’s career, and in an upcoming business dinner that could be a big step forward for Suzannah. It becomes a battle of wits between Beth and Gibby as Beth tries to derail the marriage and Gibby, who has caught on to Beth’s ulterior motives, becomes more determined than ever to save it.

“It’s full of normal situations that most people have been in before and can really relate to,” Pelonzi said, “except, in the play, those normal situations end up going in a more comic direction.”

“It’s the perfect [show] to come see after a year and a half of being deprived of our normal interactions and normal life,” actor Judy Mitchell added.

Mitchell, who has been acting in New Hampshire on and off for nearly 30 years, will reprise the role of Suzannah, which she played in a past production of ’Til Beth Do Us Part, also directed by Pelonzi, for Bedford Off Broadway.

“It’s a fun show, and I had a lot of fun playing Suzannah,” Mitchell said. “I was happy to do it again when Joe [Pelonzi] asked me.”

As is traditional for a farce, the characters in ’Til Beth Do Us Part are “a little bit over the top, almost caricatures,” Mitchell said, which calls for a less conventional acting approach.

“Rather than [reflecting on] my own personal experiences or looking at the depth of emotion like I would for a more realistic type of character, I look more at [Suzannah’s] actions and reactions,” she said. “The facial expressions and body language play as much of a part as any emotional development would for a character [in a non-farce].”

’Til Beth Do Us Part is the Majestic Theatre’s second in-person show since the pandemic, and Mitchell’s first time back on stage.

“It’s a little anxiety-producing to get out in front of people again, so I kind of had to push myself and talk myself into doing it,” she said, “but I’m very glad I did, because I needed this. [Theater] is as much a part of me as breathing.”

’Til Beth Do Us Part
Where: Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester
When: July 16 through July 25, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $20 for adults, and $15 for seniors age 65 and over and youth age 17 and under.
More info: Call 669-7469 or visit majestictheatre.net.

Featured photo:The Majestic Theatre presents ‘Til Beth Do Us Part. Courtesy photo.

Neigh-borly service

Volunteers needed at equine therapy center

UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Goffstown is looking for volunteers to assist with its equine therapy programs starting in September. Operations manager Kathryn Conway talked about the opportunity and how lending a hand at UpReach can make a difference in the lives of the program participants and the volunteers themselves.

What does UpReach do?

Our mission is to improve lives with the power of the horse. We partner with horses to help people who [are living with] physical and cognitive disabilities or challenges; have experienced or witnessed trauma and are dealing with PTSD; are recovering from substance misuse; and people who want to augment their existing therapies and improve their health and wellness overall by working and connecting with horses. … We’re also running a program right now for frontline health care workers, first responders, caregivers and educators called Caring Connections, where you can come spend an hour in the peaceful company of our horses and ponies and just recharge, breathe and relax. You can brush them, lead them, come with colleagues, come by yourself — it’s very unstructured. There’s no cost; it’s just our way of thanking everyone for the hard work they’ve been doing over the past year and a half.

What kinds of volunteer opportunities are available?

We’re looking for people to assist with lessons. Depending on the independence level of the individual [lesson] participants, we may use up to three volunteers to support a participant during a lesson: two [to walk beside] the horse on either side, and one to lead the horse. … We also have a number of slots for people who aren’t necessarily interested in working with a student in a lesson, but would rather do barn chores … like help clean stalls, move hay around, clean water buckets and do some general maintenance around the property.

What is the time commitment?

We look for people who are willing to commit one to two hours a week for periods of six to eight weeks. If you’re working on barn chores, it’ll be closer to two hours. … Some volunteers come a couple of times a week. … It all depends on your schedule. Lessons usually run from 10 a.m. to sometimes as late as 6 p.m., so there’s a lot of flexibility.

Who would be a good fit for this volunteer work?

Anyone interested in being part of a team where they can help people, and anyone who likes horses and wants to get up close and personal with horses and learn more about them. … Even if [your level of interest in horses] is just, ‘Well, I think they’re really pretty,’ you’ll most likely end up falling in love with the horses. … It’s OK if you don’t have horse experience, because we will train you.

Is there an age requirement?

The minimum age is 14, so it’s great for high school kids … and [college] students … whose schools have a community service program; they can get their service credit hours by volunteering here.

What does training entail?

We have two training dates [to choose from] in August. … The mandatory volunteer training is three hours long. For people who want to work with the horses directly, there’s a supplemental training that’s an hour and a half long. … Most people who volunteer with us end up wanting to handle a horse at some point, so we highly suggest that volunteers just do both trainings right off the bat.

What are the benefits of volunteering at UpReach?

If you’re looking for a volunteer opportunity [where you can] directly help make life better for somebody else, and you also happen to like horses, this is really a win-win. … We have four miniature horses living here now, and they are such joyful little creatures; it’s pretty hard not to smile when you’re watching them. Being around horses just makes you feel better … and can definitely give you an increased sense of wellness and happiness and peace.

Vounteering at UpReach

To volunteer at UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center, complete and return a volunteering form, available at upreachtec.org/volunteerforms. Training sessions are offered on Saturday, Aug. 14, starting at 9 a.m., and Tuesday, Aug. 24, starting at 1 p.m. The term begins on Sept. 7. UpReach is located at 153 Paige Hill Road in Goffstown. For more information or to reserve your spot for a training session, visit upreachtec.org, call 497-2343 or email [email protected].

Featured photo: Kathryn Conway. Courtesy photo.

On The Job – Anthony Coy

Anthony Coy

Custom apparel account manager

Anthony Coy is an account manager for the Keene-based custom apparel business Beeze Tees Screen Printing, working out of the business’ second location and retail store in downtown Manchester.

Explain your job.

I connect with people, events and businesses that need [custom] stuff. … Basically, they call, email or come into the store and say, ‘Hey, I need some T-shirts,’ and I say, ‘Cool. What’s your logo? Where [on the shirt] do you want it? How many do you need?’ and I hook it up. They pay for it, and we print it.

How long have you had this job?

I’ve been here since the store opened in January [2020].

What led you to this career field and your current job?

I worked in customer service and sales for a long time at Comcast … and then for Amazon … but I was always looking for something better. I saw this ad [for the job] on Facebook Jobs and thought, ‘Well, I’ll talk to them about it.’

What kind of education or training did you need?

You have to know how to talk to people, especially when they’re spending thousands of dollars on T-shirts, and my sales experience has definitely helped me to be able to navigate [those conversations] better.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

We wear [apparel with] the Beeze Tees [logo], but the cool thing is we can choose whatever [apparel] we want, and Beeze Tees prints it for us for free. I went with a bunch of nice, comfy T-shirts.

How has your job changed over the last year?

When we first opened on Hanover Street, which was right before Covid — we were open for a month and a half before we had to close — everyone was telling us, ‘Oh, Hanover Street is a very busy street. You’ll get lots of foot traffic.’ I’ve still yet to see it, so there’s been a very big change in our expectations from when we first opened. It seems like things are starting [to improve], though; with the Palace [Theatre] reopening, we’re hoping to see more people popping in.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

I wish I knew more about hats. I’ve never been a hat guy, but apparently it’s a very big thing with a lot of options. That was the hardest thing for me to wrap my brain around. I get that there are different kinds of T-shirts — comfy, short-sleeve, long-sleeve — but the hat thing? I still don’t know as much as I’d like to.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

How easy it is for someone to come in here with almost nothing [planned out] and have us turn around a really cool product for them. A lot of people are worried, like, ‘I don’t have any artwork,’ but I can work with almost nothing. If you pop in here and talk to me, we can make something work.

What was the first job you ever had?

KFC, slinging chicken.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

Whatever you’re doing — it doesn’t matter what it is — do it well.

Five favorites
Favorite book: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Favorite movie: The Star Wars series
Favorite music: Rammstein
Favorite food: Cheese
Favorite thing about NH: You’re an hour from everything; White Mountains, Boston, the coast — it’s all just an hour from Manchester.

Featured photo: Anthony Coy

The Art Roundup 21/07/08

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

Live poetry and spoken word return: After a 15-month hiatus, Slam Free or Die’s live events are back at The Stark Tavern (500 N. Commercial St., Manchester). The weekly series of open mic nights for poets and spoken-word artists takes place in the restaurant’s function room every Thursday, with doors open and sign-ups beginning at 7 p.m., and the open mic at 8 p.m. The series also features several poetry slams every month. The events are open to all ages. There is a cover charge of $3 to $5 at the door, which can be paid with cash or by Venmo. Visit facebook.com/slamfreeordie, e-mail [email protected] or call 858-3286.

Coming together with cranes: A new community art installation, “1,000 Cranes for Nashua,” will be on display in The Atrium at St. Joseph Hospital (172 Kinsley St., Nashua) starting on Thursday, July 8. It features more than 1,000 origami paper cranes created by hundreds of Nashua-area kids, adults and families since April. “We have cranes of all sizes, colors, styles and skills,” project organizer Kate Pritchard said in a press release. “When stringing them together, you get a personal sense of the hands that folded them all, which makes them feel so distinctive individually, yet so powerfully united as a whole.” An opening reception with food, drinks and music will take place at 6:30 p.m. Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org.

Artists look at animals: “Fur & Feathers/Paws & Claws,” is on view now through Sunday, July 18, at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). The animal-themed art exhibit showcases paintings, drawings, prints, photography, jewelry and artist books by nine local artists reflecting on the world of domesticated pets and work and farm animals. “There is definitely quite an eclectic mix of styles and mediums,” gallery director Laura Morrison told the Hippo last month. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

Kids shows all summer long: The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents a series of shows at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) with a Tuesday-through-Thursday run every week in July and August. The first show, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is on stage now through Thursday, July 8. Peter Pan will run Tuesday, July 13, through Thursday, July 15, followed by Wizard of Oz, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Showtimes are at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

“Setting Sarah,” a painting by Lennie Mullaney, featured in the NHAA Sheafe Warehouse Exhibit and Sale. Courtesy photo.

All kinds of art in Prescott Park: The New Hampshire Art Association’s annual Sheafe Warehouse Exhibit and Sale is going on now through Aug. 29 at Prescott Park (105-123 Marcy St, Portsmouth). It features works in a variety of media by nearly 40 NHAA artists. “There’s a real sense of excitement on the part of our artists, who are anxious to share the new works of art they have been creating over the past year,” Renee Giffroy, NHAA Board President, said in a press release. The Exhibit and Sale is open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from noon to 7 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

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Art

Exhibits

• “FRESH PERSPECTIVES” Exhibit features works by New Hampshire artists Peter Milton, ​Varujan Boghosian, Robert Hughes and others. New Hampshire Antique Co-op (323 Elm St., Milford). On view in the Co-op’s Tower Gallery now through Aug. 31. Visit nhantiquecoop.com.

• “FASHION FORWARD: AFRICANA STYLE” Exhibit showcases Black fashion and explores connections between African American and African design aesthetics from past to present. The Seacoast African American Cultural Center (located inside the Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle St., Portsmouth). On view now through Sept. 1. Gallery hours are Monday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; visitors must reserve a 45-minute time slot in advance. Walk-in guests will be accommodated as space permits. Tickets cost $10 for the general public and $5 for Historical Society members and are available through eventbrite.com. Visit saacc-nh.org.

• “THE BODY IN ART: FROM THE SPIRITUAL TO THE SENSUAL” Exhibit provides a look at how artists through the ages have used the human body as a means of creative expression. On view now through Sept. 1. 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.

• “DON GORVETT: WORKING WATERFRONTS” Exhibit features more than 60 works by the contemporary Seacoast printmaker. The Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., Portsmouth). On view now through Sept. 12. Gallery hours are daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7.50 for adults and is free for kids under age 18, seniors age 70 and older and active and retired military. Admission is free for all on the first Friday of every month. Visit portsmouthhistory.org.

• “TWILIGHT OF AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM” Exhibit showcases New England painters and masters of impressionism Alice Ruggles Sohier and Frederick A. Bosley. On view now through Sept. 12. Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., Portsmouth). Gallery hours are daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7.50 for adults and is free for kids under age 18, seniors age 70 and older and active and retired military. Admission is free for all on the first Friday of every month. Visit portsmouthhistory.org.

• “ROBERTO LUGO: TE TRAIGO MI LE LO LAI – I BRING YOU MY JOY” Philadelphia-based potter reimagines traditional forms and techniques with inspiration from urban graffiti and hip-hop culture, paying homage to his Puerto Rican heritage and exploring his cultural identity and its connection to family, place and legacy. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view now through Sept. 26. 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.

• “CRITICAL CARTOGRAPHY” Exhibit features immersive large-scale drawings by Larissa Fassler that reflect the Berlin-based artist’s observations of downtown Manchester while she was an artist-in-residence at the Currier Museum in 2019. On view now through fall. 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.

• 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].

• “TENSION: PROCESS IN THE MAKING” The Surface Design Association’s (SDA) New Hampshire Group presents an exhibit featuring fiber art and textiles by New Hampshire artists. July 24 through Sept. 4. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

• “SUMMER HAZE” Concord artist and gallery owner Jess Barnet hosts her first group art exhibit. Gallery located in the Patriot Investment building, 4 Park St., Suite 216, Concord. On view Aug. 6 through Sept. 3. Visit jessbarnett.com.

Fairs and markets

• CONCORD ARTS MARKET Outdoor artisan and fine art market. Every third Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Now through October. Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Visit concordartsmarket.net.

• ARTS ON THE GREEN Arts and crafts fair will feature painters, potters, artisan jewelers, stained glass makers, bead workers, photographers and metal crafters. Presented by The Center for the Arts Lake Sunapee Region. Sunapee Harbor. Sat., July 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit centerfortheartsnh.org.

• CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR Nine-day craft fair featuring work by hundreds of juried League of NH Craftsmen members. Sat., Aug. 7, through Sun., Aug. 15. Mount Sunapee Resort (1398 Route 103, Newbury). Visit nhcrafts.org.

• GREELEY PARK ART SHOW Annual outdoor juried art show hosted by Nashua Area Artists Association features a variety of artwork for sale. Sat., Aug. 21, and Sun., Aug. 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 100 Concord St., Nashua. Visit nashuaareaartistsassoc.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

• 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

Auditions

• HEATHERS THE MUSICAL Presented by Cue Zero Theatre Company. Auditions held Tues., July 27. Granite State Arts Academy, 19 Keewaydin Drive, Salem. Performers must be age 18+. Signups for a time slot in advance are required. Visit cztheatre.com.

Shows

• SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Wed., July 7, and Thurs., July 8, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

• SLEUTH The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Now through July 17, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., plus a matinee on Thursday, July 8, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $37. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

•​ PIPPIN The Seacoast Repertory Theatre PAPA Jr. presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through July 18. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.

• YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN Prescott Park Arts Festival (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth). July 9 through Aug. 15, with shows daily at 7 p.m. More information is TBA. Visit prescottpark.org.

• PETER PAN The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 13, through Thurs., July 15, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

• DANI GIRL The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. July 14 through July 31, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $29 to $39. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

•​ ‘TIL BETH DO US PART The Majestic Theatre presents. Virtual and in person at Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. July 16 through July 25, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.

• WIZARD OF OZ The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 20, through Thurs., July 22, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

•​ CABARET The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. July 22 through Sept. 5. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.

• THE LITTLE MERMAID The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 27, through Thurs., July 29, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

A single voice

Concord Chorale performs together in person for virtual concert

After months of rehearsing from home over Zoom, and then from their cars in what became known as “driveway rehearsals,” the Concord Chorale is singing together under one roof again.

Last month, 50 Chorale members, along with an instrumentalist group of percussionists, pianists and vocal soloists, gathered in an empty church to perform and record a free virtual concert of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana that will premiere on the Chorale’s YouTube channel on Saturday, July 10.

A sneak peek at Concord Chorale’s virtual concert, premiering on July 10. Courtesy photo.

“Finally being able to hear everyone singing in harmony after spending a year apart was wonderful,” said Regina Wall, a second-year member, singing alto.

Carmina Burana’s iconic opening movement, “O Fortuna,” will be “familiar to essentially everybody,” music director Jenny Cooper said.

“It’s incredibly dramatic,” she said. “It’s been used throughout pop culture and in commercials and movies.”

The piece, which Orff composed in the 1930s, is based on a collection of medieval poetry of the same name, particularly on the text’s recurring theme of “Rota Fortunae,” the theoretical “wheel of fortune” that determines every person’s fate. It’s a timely theme for today, Cooper said.

“I find it really moving to hear the voices of people from so long ago who were also [thinking about] the lack of control that we have in our lives … and were experiencing many of the same feelings that we have now,” she said.

Wall agreed.

“It touches on universal themes … like having life kick you in the butt,” she said. “Even though the words were written hundreds of years ago, they’re still applicable to us today.”

Cooper encouraged members to reflect on the piece’s emotional content and use it as a springboard for cathartic discussion about the current state of the world.

“It really allowed us to dig into some of that anger and fear — fear of the unknown, fear of wondering what’s going to happen — that we’ve all been feeling over the past year and a half,” Cooper said.

Though the traditional arrangement for Carmina Burana includes a full orchestra, Cooper decided to simplify the instrumentation for the virtual performance, but there is one element that she wasn’t willing to trim down.

“The percussion in this piece is so central to the feeling of it,” she said. “Everything from the huge bass drums and the gong to the bells and the glockenspiel — percussion has the ability to give it that full range of feelings, from huge to tiny, from terrifying to intimate.”

The Chorale presented its first virtual concert in January (which is still available to watch online). Since they could not perform together in person, the members recorded themselves performing their individual parts of the piece, and those recordings were spliced together to simulate a unified performance. Cooper said she anticipated having to use the same method for the Carmina Burana concert, but CDC guidelines eased up three weeks before the performance date. The new guidelines permitted the Chorale to rehearse and perform together in person, indoors and unmasked, so long as all members present had received the Covid-19 vaccine.

For the five members who have not been vaccinated, Cooper made accommodations to ensure that they could participate in rehearsals and the upcoming performance; they’ve been joining the in-person rehearsals from home over Zoom, and, for Carmina Burana, they’ll be able to record themselves performing at home, just as they did for the January concert, and have their voices mixed into the audio of the in-person recording.

“I highlighted specific movements in the piece [in which] I thought it would be great to have those extra voices added in,” Cooper said.

The Concord Chorale will continue rehearsing in person and hopes to perform for a live, in-person audience for their next concert in September.

“It’s a conversation that will have to keep going as we see how the virus progresses and the efficacy of the vaccine,” Cooper said, “but I think we’re really well-informed and have been making safe choices, so the plan is to move ahead into a regular in-person season.”

Concord Chorale presents Carmina Burana
Where: Virtually, available to stream on the Chorale’s website and YouTube channel.
When: Saturday, July 10, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, July 11, at 3 p.m. The concert will be available to stream after Sunday on demand for one year.
Cost: Free
More info: Visit concordchorale.org or call 333-5211.

Featured photo: The Concord Chorale. Courtesy photo.

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