The Art Roundup 22/12/22

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

Last-minute art shopping: The big craft fairs are finished for this holiday season but there are still some places to do some last-minute shopping for arts and fine crafts. (Call to confirm hours for Christmas Eve.)

The Craftworkers’ Guild Holiday Craft Fair continues its run through Thursday, Dec. 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (the address is 5 Meetinghouse Road in Bedford; see thecraftworkersguild.org).

Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St. in Manchester; 232-5597, 550arts.com) will hold its Handmade Holiday Market through Friday, Dec. 23 (closed Wednesday, Dec. 21) from noon to 8 p.m.

The “Winter 2022 Members Art Show” will run through Saturday, Dec. 24, and is open Thursdays through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Bates Building (846 Main St. in Contoocook) for Two Villages Art Society.

At Creative Ventures Fine Art (411 Nahua St. in Milford; creativeventuresfineart.com, 672-2500) “Small Works — Big Impact” is on display through Saturday, Dec. 31; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m; Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Studioverne Fine Art Fused Glass (412 Chestnut St. in Manchester; studioverne.com) is cohosting “The Art of Gifting Art” with Creative Framing Solutions through Saturday, Dec. 31. The studio is open Wednesday, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday, noon to 7 p.m.; Friday, noon to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Expert Design Solutions (Ripano Stoneworks, 90 E. Hollis St., Nashua; nashuaarts.org) has its “Joyful Giving” exhibit on display through Jan. 29.

One more Nutcracker: Get an extra serving of the classic ballet after Christmas when the New Hampshire School of Ballet presents The Nutcracker Suiteon Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 6 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Sunday, Dec. 27, at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased via the Palace’s website. See nhschoolofballet.com for more on the school.

Art with your coffee: If you stop for coffee (and a doughnut, or maybe two doughnuts) at Flight Coffee Co. (209 Route 101 West in Bedford; 836-6228, flightcoffeeco.com) check out the photographs by Jennifer Fishbein, the shop’s spotlighted artist for December. See jenniferfishbeinphotography.com to see more of Fishbein’s work, which often highlights landscapes and animals.

Know of an exhibit at a coffee shop, restaurant, bank or other location? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com.

An evening with art
Take a break before the holiday weekend with the Currier Museum of Art’s “Art After Work” this Thursday, Dec. 22, from 5 to 8 p.m. when admission to the museum (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) is free and you can enjoy live music as you check out the exhibits. The museum’s shop is also open (should you be in need of a last-minute gift). On Dec. 22, the scheduled performers are Kemp Harris & Adam O and the exhibit tours are “State of the Art 2020: Locate” (at 5:30 p.m.) and “Cold Snap: Winter in the Currier’s Collection” (6:30 p.m.). Current exhibits also include “Gee’s Bend Quilts” and “Memoirs of a Ghost Girlhood: A Black Girl’s Window.”

Young actors auditions: Auditions for the Peacock Players production of Once Upon a Mattress Youth Edition will be Sunday, Jan. 15, and Monday, Jan. 16 (from 6 to 8 p.m. on both days) for the March 17 through March 26 production of the show, according to peacockplayers.org. Auditions are open for ages 6 to 14 and will take place at 14 Court St. in Nashua. Online submissions are also welcome and due by 6 p.m. on Jan. 16, the website said. Go online to sign up for an audition time.

Seymour in the summer: For those dreaming of warmer days, the Prescott Park Arts Festival has announced its summer 2023 musical —The Little Shop of Horrors. The show will open in the Portsmouth waterfront park on Friday, June 23, according to a press release. Virtual auditions for the musical are due Saturday, Feb. 4. Would-be Audreys and Audrey IIs can go to prescottpark.org/about/auditions for information.

Carol at the Palace
The Palace Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol wraps up with shows on Thursday, Dec. 22, and Friday, Dec. 23, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $51. After the Christmas weekend, the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) will return with one night of the Nutcracker (Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 6 p.m.) followed by Recycled Percussion’s run of shows from Wednesday, Dec. 28, through Saturday, Jan. 7.

Save the date for Burns Night: Celebrate poet Robert Burns at the Burns Night event on Saturday, Jan. 28, at Castleton (58 Enterprise Drive in Windham) starting at 5 p.m. The event will feature such Burns Night traditions as the Salute to the Haggis and To the Lasses, according to a press release. The evening will also include a traditional Burns Night supper and the music of Celtic Beats and the New Hampshire Pipes and Drums (with Scottish country dancing). The event encourages attendees to BYO Quaich (a traditional drinking bowl) for the whisky toasts, which will be on sale at nhssa.org/burns-night, where you can also find tickets, which cost $70 per person.

This Week 22/12/22

Big Events December 22, 2022 and beyond

Wednesday, Dec. 28

Recycled Percussion, the legendary drumming group from New England, opens their run at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) today at 3 p.m. The group has performed on America’s Got Talent, opened at the 2017 Super Bowl, did a run on Las Vegas and has their own Emmy Award winning show on television called Chaos and Kindness. Tickets start at $37 and can be purchased at palaceteatre.org.

Thursday, Dec. 22

This is the last day for the snowman felting workshop at Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline). The winery will provide all the materials and the workshop is for crafters of all skill levels in the art of felting. The craft will be accompanied with a winter wine tasting for visitors of age or a nonalcoholic beverage for guests younger than 21. Additional kits can be purchased at the workshop. Cost is $47 per person and tickets can be purchased at averillhousevineyard.com.

Friday, Dec. 23

Today is the last day of the handmade holiday market at Studio 550 (550 Elm St., Manchester). The market will run from noon to 8 p.m. and will have a variety of artworks to shop for. There will also be demonstrations by local artists and gift cards for Studio 550 available for purchase. For questions, call 232-5597 or email info@550arts.com.

Friday, Dec. 23

Tonight is the last showing of Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St., Manchester) A Christmas Carol. Follow Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, so he can learn to keep the Christmas spirit all year round. Showtime is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are still available as of Dec. 19. Prices start at $25 and tickets can be purchased online at palacetheatre.org.

Tuesday, Dec. 27

The adult winter reading challenge begins today at Derry Public Library (64 East Broadway). The theme this year is reading the rainbow, meaning that readers must log a book with a cover the same color as one in the rainbow. It can be any genre of book, from graphic novels to nonfiction. The challenge will run through Feb. 28 and the person who reads the most books will win a gift card to The Grind Rail Trail Cafe. Stop by the library to pick up a log. Visit derrypl.org for more information.

Tuesday, Dec. 27

Magician Ben Pratt is performing a family-friendly magic show today at Chunky’s Cinema in Manchester (707 Huse Road). Pratt, who grew up in New Hampshire, has performed his magic show across the country. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased at chunkys.com.

Save the Date! Sunday, Jan. 1
Join Beaver Brook Association for a First Day Hike at noon on Sunday, Jan. 1, at Maple Hill Farm (117 Ridge Road, Hollis). The walk will take families around Beaver Brook that’s designed for them by the staff in the red yurt on the farm grounds. Visitors can bring the whole family, including leashed dogs. Visit beaverbrook.org.

Featured photo. Recycled Percussion. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/12/22

Like toilet paper all over again…

QOL was unfortunately in the market for some children’s fever medicine (your acetaminophen, your ibuprofen) last week and learned, as other parents probably already know, that the over-the-counter medicines are harder to get than Taylor Swift tickets, particularly the younger-kid-friendly liquid version (the Tylenol, not the tickets). A driving tour of many Greater Manchester grocery stores, big box stores and pharmacies turned up some kid tablet versions (boo to the idea of halving a chewable tablet) and exactly one liquid acetaminophen in a brand QOL has never heard of. Online searches also showed most area stores out of stock. News stories confirm that this situation is playing out nationwide, though a Dec. 3 story on npr.org reported that Johnson & Johnson, maker of Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Motrin, said, “there is no nationwide shortage — just a lot of demand.”

QOL score: -2

Comments: All of the stories emphasize talking to a pediatrician (i.e. not the internet) about your kid’s specific symptoms and possible alternatives if you can’t find medication.

Less fun part of a snow day

The first big snow of the season, which hit New Hampshire late Thursday, Dec. 15, and continued in some parts of the state through Saturday, left around 62,000 electric utility customers without electricity by Saturday, WMUR reported. Utility crews responded to downed wires and trees throughout the state causing the outages. As of Dec. 18, 448 customers were still without electricity, most residing in the Peterborough-Jaffrey area, around Conway and in the Upper Valley.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The storm, which dropped 1 to 2 feet of snow in many parts of the state, also created hazardous road conditions. WMUR reported that New Hampshire State Police had responded to more than 200 crashes, spinouts and vehicles off the road.

Kudos to the Sandman

Manchester’s own Adam Sandler has been named the winner of this year’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, NHPR reported. The award, considered one of the most prestigious honors in comedy, “recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th-century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens, best known as Mark Twain,” according to the Kennedy Center website. Sandler will receive the award at a gala performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on March 19, 2023.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Sandler paid a visit to the Puritan Backroom in Manchester last week, as captured in a TikTok video posted by ESPN.

A small gift (in February)

New Hampshire Eversource customers may see a slight decrease in their energy bill next year. The utility recently filed its proposal for its next energy service rate adjustment, which would go into effect on Feb. 1, with the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission. If approved, the rate will be 20.2 cents per kilowatt-hour, down from 22.6 cents per kilowatt-hour, the rate set in August.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The adjustment would lower the supply portion of the average residential customer’s bill by approximately seven percent.

QOL score: 91

Net change: -1

QOL this week: 90


What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 22/12/22

No TikTok

Gov. Chris Sununu signed an executive order on Thursday, Dec. 15, adding New Hampshire to the growing list of states that have banned the use of the Chinese-owned video-sharing mobile app TikTok and other foreign technologies on state networks and state-issued devices. The order states that there is reasonable belief that such technologies may enable the manufacturer to collect sensitive data about citizens and businesses; commit cyber-espionage against government entities; conduct surveillance and tracking of individual users; and modify algorithms to spread disinformation; among other concerns. “This move will help preserve the safety, security, and privacy of the citizens of New Hampshire,” Sununu said in a press release.

Searching for Covid

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health Services announces the implementation of a wastewater surveillance program for the purpose of monitoring Covid-19 levels in New Hampshire communities. According to a press release, the virus can be shed in wastewater, and viral fragments in community-wide samples collected from wastewater treatment facilities can be used to track trends in changing levels of the virus over time. The program will collect data at State Public Health Laboratories and potentially enable the Department to issue earlier warnings about rising levels of the virus in communities. “This is another tool we can use to help monitor Covid-19 spread in our state,” DPHS Director Patricia Tilley said in the release. “Wastewater surveillance does not depend on individuals testing for Covid-19, so this new program has the potential to provide additional and earlier insight about Covid-19 in our communities.”

Vigil

Catholic Medical Center’s Health Care for the Homeless, Families in Transition NH, Hope for NH Recovery, The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester and the NH Coalition to End Homelessness were scheduled to lead the sixth annual Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day Vigil on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 6 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Manchester. Luminaries will be lit for individuals affected by homelessness who have died in 2022. Participants are encouraged to bring battery-operated candles if they have them.

Shibinette steps down

New Hampshire Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette officially stepped down from the position on Friday, Dec. 16, after announcing her resignation in July. Appointed to the position by Gov. Chris Sununu in January 2020, Shibinette has led the Department of Health and Human Services’ response to Covid-19 and regularly accompanied Gov. Sununu at televised press conferences to provide updates on the pandemic. Gov. Sununu said in a statement he “cannot thank her enough” for her service to New Hampshire over the course of the pandemic. “Throughout her tenure, Lori has played a key role in my administration as New Hampshire’s top health official,” he said. “From the early days of the pandemic to her leadership at New Hampshire Hospital, Lori has earned the respect and trust of New Hampshire’s citizens. I consider her a great friend and wish her all the best in whatever she decides to do next.”

Recovery Friendly Workplace

The New Hampshire Department of Corrections announces its participation in Recovery Friendly Workplace, a program in which workplaces commit to recognize recovery from substance use disorder as a strength and promote a willingness to work with team members in recovery. “As Corrections professionals, we chose this line of work because of our desire to help others,” Commissioner Helen Hanks said in a press release. “The Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative provides our department with an important tool to further our goal of providing a healthy, safe, and stigma-free environment, where employees feel comfortable reaching out for help when they need it.” Gov. Chris Sununu’s Advisor on Addiction and Behavioral Health, David Mara, joined by Shannon Swett and Samantha Lewandowski from Recovery Friendly Workplace, presented the Department with a designation from the governor recognizing its participation in the program on Friday, Dec. 16.

Encampments removed

City and state officials removed three homeless encampments on state- and city-owned properties in Concord, NHPR reported, requiring the residents, of whom there were about 15 to 20 per encampment, to evacuate the areas by Dec. 15. Complaints from community members and organizations and health and safety concerns regarding sanitation, drug use and property damage prompted officials to take action. The City Council appropriated $35,000 to clean up the areas. State law prohibits unapproved housing structures on state property that are not defined as campgrounds, according to the article.

Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit that provides essential items to children in struggling families, now has a donation bin at the Xfinity store at 1500 S. Willow St. in Manchester, according to a press release. The most needed items are clothing, winter coats and jackets and shoes, but other items are also accepted, including new socks and underwear, new pajamas, children’s books, arts and crafts supplies, school supplies, unopened diapers and training pants and new hygiene items. Visit cradlestocrayons.org.

A sinkhole roughly 12 feet long and 6 feet wide formed near Commercial Alley in Portsmouth on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 17, the Portsmouth Herald reported, resulting in the closure of Market Street. The closure was still in effect as of Monday afternoon as city public works crews worked to fill in and pave over the hole. According to the article, city officials said the two active pipes running beneath Market Street remained intact and did not cause the collapse.

The Upper Room, a family resource center at 36 Tsienneto Road in Derry, is looking for teens who want to make an impact in their community. According to a press release, teens are invited to inquire about the center’s Community Service Learning Program, where they can participate in service at local nursing homes, thrift shops and food pantries and projects like an anti-tobacco campaign, Drug Take Back Day and more. The group meets on Mondays and Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. Teens may attend one or both days and must commit to staying for the full three hours. Call 427-8477, ext. 114.

Power to the People — 12/15/22

With heat and electric bills taking a bigger bite out of household budgets, we talk to local energy professionals about why and what to expect this winter. They also discuss how you can pay less now and in the long run, and detail steps you can take to seek out assistance and meet your family’s needs.

Also on the cover Celebrate 2023 with NHSCOT’s Hogmanay, a traditional Scottish New Year’s celebration, at LaBelle Winery in Derry (page 14). Loon Chocolate and 603 Charcuterie present a two-day holiday market filled with all kinds of last-minute gift-giving opportunities (page 25). It’s the end of an era for Manchester’s culinary scene, as longtime chef Edward Aloise and his wife, Claudia Rippee, owners of Republic Cafe and Campo Enoteca on Elm Street, get ready to step away from the kitchen and enter retirement (page 24).

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Kiddie Pool 22/12/15

Family fun for the weekend

Getting crafty

Make your own cocoa mug at Voices of Clay (16 Meetinghouse Hill Road, Brookline) on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Kids will get to build a mug out of slab-rolled clay and decorate it with underglaze paint to make it uniquely their own. The mugs will be ready for pickup one month after the class. The price of the class is $35. A space can be reserved at voiceofclay.squarespace.com.

• Drop kids off at AR Workshop (875 Elm St., Manchester) for a mini Santa and friends wood block workshop on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 3 to 5 p.m. This program is recommended for kids ages 6 and older. Choose a reindeer, a snowman, Santa, an elf or a gingerbread man. A set of three costs $29; all five cost $45. Visit arworkshop.com for more information and to register.

Meet Santa

• Santa is coming to the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford) for a Christmas Festival on Saturday, Dec. 17, at 5 p.m. The festival will include a tree lighting, a bonfire, s’mores kits, food trucks and face painting. Visit theeducationalfarm.org for more information.

• Join the New Boston Parks and Recreation department for s’mores with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the town’s gazebo. The tree lighting ceremony will be at 5 p.m. and kids can visit with Santa afterward. There will be cocoa and hot cider in addition to the s’mores. Visit newbostonnh.gov for more information.

Museums and libraries

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover) is having two free admission days for Service Credit Union Members on Thursday, Dec. 15, and Saturday, Dec. 17, for the 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. sessions. For more information on how to use the discount for a playtime session or to register for a play session, visit childrens-museum.org.

• Friday, Dec. 16, is the last chance kids will have to visit the Concord Public Library (45 Green St.) to write a letter to Santa. The library has all the materials needed for kids to write their list and check it twice. The event runs all day, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the children’s section. Visit concordnh.gov for more information.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord) is premiering a new planetarium show called “The Great Spirit Bear Chase” on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 7 p.m. The show was made to tell the story of the night sky from the perspective and cultural traditions of indigenous people. Admission is free and there will be hors d’oeuvres served. Visit starhop.com for more information.

Showtime

• Find out who did it at the free family mystery show A Merry Little Crime Scene at Emmanuel Church (14 Mammoth Road, Hooksett) on Sunday, Dec. 18. The comedy mystery show follows people searching for who stole a missing piece of the nativity scene. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the show starts at 6 p.m. Visit emmanuelhooksett.com for more information.

• Join Chunky’s Cinema in Pelham (150 Bridge St., Pelham) for a family-friendly showing of Elf (2003 PG) on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 6:30 p.m. The show follows Buddy, a human adopted by one of Santa’s elves, as he goes on an adventure to find his biological family.

YMCA holiday

• The theme for the teen night at the Y is Yankee swap at the Westwood Park YMCA (90 Northwest Blvd., Nashua) on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 3 to 6 p.m. Teen ages 13 to 16 can participate by bringing a gift to exchange with others. There will also be other activities and snacks and refreshments. The cost of the event is $5 for YMCA members, $10 for nonmembers. Tickets can be bought in advance or at the door. Visit nmymca.org for more information.

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