Author: The Hippo Press

The Art Roundup 24/12/19

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

• Still some Nutcracker: The Nutcracker season is not over yet. Ballet Misha will present The Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 1 and 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 22, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). Ballet Misha’s production is performed by professional dancers in the company, as well as apprentice company members and students at its affiliate school, Dimensions in Dance, according to a press release. The cast consists of more than 130 dancers who have rehearsed for months for this production involving hundreds of vibrant costumes, five beautiful sets and the music of Tchaikovsky, according to the press release. Tickets cost $30 to $35. Visit tickets.anselm.edu to purchase tickets online or call 641-7700.

The New Hampshire School of Ballet presents a full-length version of The Nutcracker on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (14 Canterbury Road, Concord). Tickets can be purchased at the door and are $25. There will be an additional performance on Sunday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St.,Manchester). Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased at the box office or online at palacetheatre.org or by calling 668-5588.

• Choir and strings: The First Church (1 Concord St. in Nashua; first-music.org) will present the 4th Advent worship services “Christmas at First” with Cantata 61 with the Chancel Choir and First Music Chamber Strings on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 9 and 11 a.m.

• Seasonal music: The Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter, 244-0202, thewordbarn.com) wraps up its 12 Nights of Christmas series of shows at the Orchard Chapel (143 Exeter Road in Hampton Falls). The last installments include A Celtic Christmas with Lunasa on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 5 and 8 p.m.; The Orchard Chapel Candlelight Carol Sing on Friday, Dec. 20, at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 22, at 5:30 p.m., plus a family matinee version on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 3 p.m.; A Winter Solstice Celebration with Low Lily on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 7 p.m., and A Holiday Family Story Hour on Monday, Dec. 23, from 6 to 7 p.m.

• New exhibit: The exhibit Searching for Natural Moments: Scenes from African Safaris and Costa Rican Rainforests will be at the New Hampshire Audubon McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) on Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will showcase photographs by Howard Muscott, according to their website. Muscott will be sharing images from two of Kenya’s most prolific wildlife locations and various habitats in Costa Rica and will take those who attend “on Safari … in the Masai Mara National Reserve and Amboseli National Park looking for iconic mammals like lions and cubs, leopards, cheetahs, elephants and zebras and other wildlife and on trails in the rain forests of Costa Rica in search of monkeys and birds,” according to the website. The exhibition will be on display until Saturday, Dec. 28. Visit nhaudubon.org or call 224-9909.

• Calling artists: The Seacoast Artist Association in downtown Exeter has announced its 2025 Theme Show calendar and all Seacoast artists are invited to enter, in person at the gallery or online at seacoastartist.org., according to a press release.The first show of the year is “Winter Wonderment” and artists can submit up to two pieces of framed work with wire hanger up to the 16” by 20”; pieces over 16” by 20” count as two pieces. It costs $10 per piece up to two pieces but participants may enter one large under 22” by 26” and one small. Artists are instructed to email their submissions by Friday, Jan. 3, with name and phone number as well as the label information of title, medium and price, along with a good jpeg for publicity, to [email protected]. The dropoff is scheduled for Saturday, Jan 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A committee chooses Best in Show and the winner will receive free entry in a future Theme Show. Visit seacoastartist.org for more information and the drop-off form.

Christmas bells are ringing

Sounds of a handbell choir

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

Experience what a bell can do at upcoming performances by one of the two quartets from the Granite State Ringers, the Garage Bell Band.

“The Granite State Ringers were founded in 2007 as an opportunity for ringers around the state of New Hampshire to ring at a higher level. At that time, many of our ringers were involved with church hand-held choirs, and they wanted a little more challenge in their music. So that was how the group was founded,” said Joan Fossum, Music Director and co-founder of the Granite State Ringers.

“We began with just inviting people from all over the state to come and ring with us and then what evolved is we are now an auditioned handbell choir and we offer auditions usually in the summer before we begin the fall to winter programs,” she said.

The organization has two performing quartets as well as the choir. “We are based in Concord. We have a studio in Concord, New Hampshire, and people come from all over the state and Maine and Massachusetts to ring with the group.”

The other quartet in the organization is the Rainy Day Ringers. “Those are names that were self-selected by the group, they fall under the auspices of the Granite State Ringers.”

Fossum explained how a collection of bells can produce songs: “The full choir plays on five and a half octaves of handbells. We have five and a half octaves of Malmark handbells and we have three octaves of Schulmerich handbells; we also have six octaves of hand chimes and that’s what the full choir plays on. The quartets vary for the music that they play. And again, the music is selected by the individual group.”

The audience at the Park Theatre in Jaffrey can expect holiday favorites to ring throughout the night. “We range from … a very rhythmic arrangement of ‘Up on the House Top’ to a series of pieces that we hope, the guiding light this year, that they would bring peace and comfort to people this time of year. For example, one of the pieces is the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria. Another is one written specifically for solo handbells and piano called ‘At Peace’ by Brian Childers.

The crew always keeps their handbell skills up to speed.

“We have rehearsals two to three times a month for three hours each time we get together. The quartet practices at least once a week for two to three hours. So that gives you an idea of the kind of time investment we have. If you’ve never seen us, you should come to one of the concerts.”

The chimes and bells vary in size and shape depending on their octave and note.

“Hand chimes are aluminum and they look, from the side, a lot like a tuning fork…. The biggest hand chime we have is about 6 feet tall and it sounds very much like one of the big pipes on a full-size organ, down to the smallest ones, which are about 4 inches long…. The longer the pipe the deeper the sound,” Fossum said.

The bells follow a similar pattern.

“Small bells are about 2 inches. The bell casting itself is about a little over 2 inches, all the way up to probably, I haven’t actually measured one, close to 12 to 14 inches from the rim of the bell to the bottom of it.” Each bell is like a key on a piano. “You have your natural notes or your regular notes, if you will, and those on the piano are usually the white keys, and then the accidentals are usually the black keys…. So if you have middle C, an accidental that would go with it would be C sharp, so that would be that black key that’s up and next to C, between C and D. So each finger in a full choir then is responsible for two notes and the accidental.”

If this talk of hand bells has awakened something inside you, you are in luck.

“We have auditions in the summertime and we’re constantly looking for people that would be interested in being part of the group. The commitment level is pretty high, so you’ve got to really want to do it.”

Granite State Ringers even have an option for those looking to learn the craft as well as an option for younger handbell ringers. “[The] non-auditioned learning choir [is for those who] have been interested … but don’t have the skill and/or the time to be part of the big group.”

An open house for prospective ringers will be held on Saturday, Jan. 11, from 10 a.m. to noon.

“So if you’re interested in learning more about bells I would encourage you to come visit the studio on the 11th of January,” Fossum said.

Granite State Ringers: Garage Bell Band
When: Friday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m.
Where: The Park Theatre, 19 Main St., Jaffrey
Tickets: $20. Children 12 and under $15.
theparktheatre.org or call 532-9300
granitestateringers.org

Granite State Ringers Open House
When: Saturday, Jan. 11, from 10 a.m. to noon
Where: 2 Industrial Park Drive, Building 2, Concord
granitestateringers.org

Featured image: Granite State Ringers. Courtesy photo.

This Week 24/12/19

Thursday, Dec. 19

There will be a 21+ Ugly Sweater Party and screening of 1989’s classic holiday movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation tonight at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) beginning at 8 p.m. Wear your ugliest sweater and you could win a Chunky’s Gift Bucket for Two. Tickets are $5.99 at the door or through Chunky’s website.

Thursday, Dec. 19

Legendary rock band Quiet Riot will take to the stage at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) at 8 p.m. with special guest All Sinners. Tickets start at $50.

Friday, Dec. 20

The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight, a band of 14 classical musicians, breathing beautifully dark energy into rock and metal tracks, will perform at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) tonight at 8 p.m. Bathed in candlelight, skeletal players with rhinestone masks will switch between haunting melodies and powerful walls of sound. Tickets start at $63.75.

Friday, Dec. 20

The rodeo is coming to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com). PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) premier event, Unleash the Beast, will take place tonight and tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 21, at 7:30 p.m. This is your chance to witness world-class athletes going head-to-head with powerful bucking bulls. Two-day tickets start at $73 through ticketmaster.com. Visit pbr.com/tours/unleash-the-beast.

Friday, Dec. 20

Vibe Yoga and Aerial Moon (182 Main St., Nashua, 759 8432, vibeyoga603.com) will host a Winter Solstice Celebration and Journey, tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. Mark the rebirth of the sun during this two-hour winter solstice celebration and Shamanic Journey led by Jeanelle Boyer. Register through the Vibe website. The cost is $35.

Saturday, Dec. 21

Celebrate the holiday season with Canadian Brass tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com). Tickets start at $39.

Saturday, Dec. 21

Get ready to embrace the holiday spirit with an unforgettable evening of music, dance and festive cheer as Christmas with the Celts takes the stage at the Stockbridge Theatre (22-98 Bypass 28, Derry, 437-5210, pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre) tonight at 7p.m. Tickets start at $35.

Saturday, Dec. 21

There will be a Christmas Contra Dance with Dudley Laufman & Friends at the Citywide Community Center (14 Canterbury Road, Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov/1364/Community-Center) tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. Beginners, singles and families are welcome. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 15 to 20, and children under 15 can dance for free. Visit concordnhcontra.wordpress.com.

Save the Date! Saturday, Dec. 28
Don’t miss your chance to see what fans love about the Harlem Globetrotters: the dunks, alley-oops, looooong shots, magic, history and more. See Globetrotter stars and their renowned rivals, the Washington Generals, at SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester; snhuarena.com). There will be shows at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets start at $35.

Featured photo: Ugly Sweater Party at Chunky’s.

Quality of Life 24/12/19

Green light in the sky

As reported by WMUR in a Dec.10 online article, a comet will be visible in night skies in January, after an absence of 50,000 years. Discovered two years ago, the comet, whimsically named C/2022E3 (ZTF), “will make its closest approach to the sun on Jan. 12, according to NASA,” the story reported. This loop around the sun represents the near edge of an orbit that normally takes the comet through the extreme far edges of the solar system. “The icy celestial object,” WMUR reported, “which has steadily brightened as it approaches the sun, will subsequently make its closest pass of Earth between Feb. 1 and Feb. 2, around 26 million miles away, according to EarthSky — as the comet nears Earth, observers will be able to spot it near the bright star Polaris, also called the North Star, and it should be visible earlier in the evening.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: While keen-eyed observers might be able to see the comet unaided at the end of January, most sky-watchers will need the help of binoculars or a telescope.

A rude shock for Rochester dogs

According to a Dec.11 online story by WMUR, Rochester City officials are investigating a number of complaints from pet owners that their dogs have been shocked while peeing against city light poles. WMUR quoted dog owner William McKay: “I walked him over to a pole, he lifted his leg up, and then he just screamed real loud, jumped up in the air and ran away.” According to the report, this has been traumatic for pet owners as well. “My dog started walking,” the story quoted Rochester resident Ryan Naples, “and he lifted his leg to pee, and all of a sudden, it was the most excruciating noise I’ve ever heard in my life. For about 30 seconds, he was just screaming and panting, laying on the ground, freaking out.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: As reported by WMUR, “The city said it’s looking into what’s causing the shocks. It has cut power at all the reported sites as the investigation continues.”

The odds may be in your favor

A recent study by VegasInsider.com compared payouts in lotteries across the country and found that “New Hampshire had the best overall chance of winning any sort of prize, with a 1-in-10 chance of winning something,” according to a Dec.12 press release. The study used the official websites and odds chances of state lotteries. “The results showed that the games specific to New Hampshire, Kentucky, Iowa, and New Mexico have the most likely odds of winning the big prize of 1:10,000,” the press release read.

QOL score: +1

Comment: New Hampshire’s relatively small population might be responsible. According to the press release, “bigger populated states with bigger state lottery jackpots were the least likely to succeed for the top money. New York had the worst chances, with a whopping 1-in-45,047,474, followed by Texas and Florida, which had chances of [one in] over 20 million.”

Last week’s QOL score: 72

Net change:+1

QOL this week: 73

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

Let us know at [email protected].

See SEE

SEE Science Center offers all ages science exploration

Shana Hawrylchak is the Executive Director of SEE Science Center. She spoke to the Hippo about all the exciting happenings at the Center. SEE’s mission is “to engage our community in the joyful, active exploration of science and innovation.” Along with her leadership at SEE, according to a press release, Shana is an active volunteer serving in leadership roles with many Manchester organizations, including Manchester Connects and the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and she instituted and chairs Hands-on Museums of New Hampshire.

What is the SEE Science Center and what sorts of family activities are there?

We’re a hands-on science museum and we’re really focused on kids 2 to 14 and their families. Kids are natural scientists, so they will start experimenting with anything and everything, and we like to really cultivate those innate abilities. At SEE we really are designed so that people can explore on their own and find what they love and really play with that. … We have over 90 hands-on exhibits here at SEE, and … we also do demonstrations about three times a day, so you’ll get to interact with the presenters. Coming up with the vacation weeks we’re going to have volunteers coming in to help, so there’ll be science activities that folks can do on the floors as well.

Would you like to talk about the Science on Tap program?

We’re in our 11th season, so it’s a really great program. It’s part of the Science Cafe movement across the United States, where adults get the chance to actually talk informally about science. We do it over at Stark Brewing Co., so you can go get yourself a beverage, a nice meal, and then interact with scientists. Each scientist will get like five minutes to talk about their area of science, and then it’s all about the questions that people are asking them. It’s an opportunity to really, that thing you’re curious about, really dive into some of the details on it and make sure that, ‘oh, I actually understand what’s happening,’ and get to talk to somebody. … it’s a chance for people to actually interact with someone doing the science.

What is the Science Cafe movement?

It’s really this movement of science museums across the country working to try to bring science to people. We also use a lot of jargon in science, which can make it pretty impossible for folks to really see what’s going on. A lot of concepts they might be able to completely understand if you remove some of that jargon. I think if we don’t engage with people in science, people don’t understand what’s happening, they’re not going to support it, and they’re also going to be a little dubious about what the science is telling us. It’s really important that everybody is sort of involved in those discussions and can ask questions with scientists to really improve their own understanding but also identify areas that they might want to explore themselves.

You were recently awarded the Emerging Leader Impact Award from the New Hampshire Center of Nonprofits. Would you want to talk a little bit about that?

It was awesome. It’s very nice to be able to win an award and get recognized, and I would say when somebody leading an institution gets an award it means that the people working at the institution did a good job. I wouldn’t be getting recognized if my team wasn’t doing a great job at what they do. So I think we’ve had the opportunity at the Science Center to really work with a lot of organizations and the team here at SEE has been really open to trying new things. It’s just an exciting time to be at the Science Center because of partnerships, a great crew here, and everybody is really working toward a common goal of just getting kids interested and excited about science.

What exciting exhibits do you think will be coming up in 2025?

So we have a lot of work we are doing for something that is opening in 2026. I can’t give too many details about it, but you’ll start seeing some materials coming out in 2025 as we’re working to do some major upgrades to the Lego Millyard Project downstairs. 2026 is the 20th anniversary of that project. You will start seeing a lot of upgrades and additions to the model, as well as new exhibits coming around that model, really showcasing some of the cool science stories that are happening there.

How did the Lego Millyard Project come to be?

[W]e’re in the building with FIRST…. It’s another nonprofit that encourages kids to get involved in science and STEM through robotics … and they have an ongoing partnership with Lego. We were lucky enough to be able to work with Lego through FIRST’s partnership to be able to design the Lego Millyard project. And it was a pretty awesome project. We got two master builders from Lego [who] came here … and helped design all of the buildings you see down in the project. It took about two years to create, about 10,000 man-hours, over three million Legos. It’s a pretty huge endeavor, but we are still a Guinness World Record holder for the largest permanent display of a minifigure scale in the world. It also won a historic preservation award because there’s a lot of buildings that are no longer there that have been represented to scale in the model. Legos are like this wonderful, imaginative vehicle for play, so it’s exciting for us to really show this model that not just represents the history of Manchester, but also encourages people to explore and think about the things they can create.

How did you become interested in running a science museum?

I from a very young age wanted to be in museums. When I was in third grade, I was studying cultures around the world and my mom took me and my little brother to see the mummies at the New York State Museum. I think I started my first museum in middle school. I’m getting close to 30 years in museums, which is insane to me but I think what I love about it is I feel like it’s all those wonderful things that make us human that … a lot of times you don’t get the chance to celebrate, like museums are spaces of thinking deeply, of being around your family and friends, of exploring something new that you maybe didn’t know about … that feeling of discovery is always right around the corner and I just love the feeling of being able to come to work and being like, ‘what am I going to learn new today?’ I don’t know that everybody gets a chance to do that in their jobs. For me, it’s just amazing.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention about the SEE Science Center?

I would definitely say for folks who might be visiting during the holiday week, we always encourage them to pre-register. You don’t have to pay ahead of time, but you can save your spot so we make sure that when you come you can get through the door…. We hope to get lots of folks here for the holidays, because it’s always tons of fun when we get all the kids on the floor. There’ll be great exhibits, demonstrations, and hopefully a lot of volunteers running kid activities, so it should be a lot of fun.

–Zachary Lewis

The SEE Science Center
Where: 200 Bedford St., Manchester
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with last admission 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m with last admission at 4 p.m.
Tickets: $14 per person ages 3 and up
More info: see-sciencecenter.org or call 669-0400.

Featured image: Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 24/12/19

18+ only

According to a press release, The New Hampshire Lottery and the National Council on Problem Gambling collaborated for a Gift Responsibly Campaign to remind the public that holiday-themed scratch tickets and other lottery games are not appropriate for children under the age of 18.

In a statement, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Lottery Charlie McIntyre said, “we want to share a critical reminder for gift givers that all lottery games, including holiday-themed games, are only for those 18 years of age and older. While lottery games and scratch tickets are great gifts, they should not be gifted to minors. There are many risks to gifting underage people lottery tickets and it is critically important the New Hampshire Lottery and the National Council on Problem Gambling work together to keep lottery games in the appropriate hands.”

According to the same release, the New Hampshire Lottery restricts underage lottery play by including a printed reminder on each product showing all players must be 18 to play, and New Hampshire Lottery retailers are trained to verify lottery game customers’ ages with a photo ID prior to finalizing a sale.

Funding for families

According to a press release, Concord Hospital Health System (CHHS) has received more than $353,000 in grants and donations to enhance maternity, prenatal and postnatal ob/gyn patient care across central New Hampshire, and these gifts contribute to a $2.8 million campaign supporting major renovations at The Family Place at Concord Hospital, innovative pilot programs and critical resources for families.

In a statement, Melissa Devine, the director of women and children’s value stream at The Family Place at Concord Hospital, said that “a unique aspect of The Family Place at Concord Hospital is patients remain in the same room through every stage of labor, delivery, and recovery. The upgrades will enhance that unique experience, ensuring families thrive in a safe and inviting environment during their stay.”

Some specifics of the funding include The Family Place Renovations: $250,000 from an anonymous donor, $40,000 from The Abbie F. Mosely Charitable Trust, Citizens Bank, N.A., Trustee, $17,445 from The Jessie Gould Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and $2,500 from Bruce Dyke, according to the release.

In a statement, Mario Rosario, practice manager, said, “we established a Maternity Comfort Closet at Concord Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology in Laconia to support parents. It provides newborn clothing and other essentials to help families prepare for their baby’s arrival and address the need for basic necessities in a meaningful way.”

Lorax tax

According to a press release, the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration (NHDRA) is increasing education efforts for landowners, municipalities and loggers to help them understand and follow New Hampshire’s laws and regulations regarding logging and timber harvesting.

The NHDRA recently developed and introduced a guide on New Hampshire’s Timber Tax, which is accessible on the NHDRA website and provides an overview of the tax and how it is assessed, while also providing links and directions to forms, resources and additional information, according to the release.

New Hampshire’s forest products industry generates more than $1.6 billion annually in direct economic impact and sustains more than 7,000 jobs according to the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension’s most recent Forest Products Industries’ Economic Contribution report, and with more than 80 percent of the Granite State covered by trees, the total economic output from our forests from direct, indirect and induced economic impact and from forest-based recreation exceeds $2.5 billion, according to the press release.

Logging occurs year-round but winter is traditionally when loggers are most active, and forestry is New Hampshire’s oldest land-based industry, dating back to the 1600s.

New Hampshire legislators enacted a Timber Tax in 1949 “for the purpose of encouraging conservation of the forest resources of the state”and each municipality is responsible for assessing the Timber Tax on the landowner of the property from which the lumber is harvested, according to the release.

The Timber Tax is set at 10 percent of the “stumpage value” — the value of wood, measured per thousand board feet of saw logs or tons of pulpwood — at the time of cutting, according to the same release.

One penalty known as “doomage” provides that the municipality may assess two times what the tax would have been if the report of wood cut had been filed accurately and on time, according to the release.

DRA has several resources for landowners, municipalities and loggers on its website, revenue.nh.gov/taxes-glance/timber-tax, such as details on how the Timber Tax is assessed, necessary forms, a series of Frequently Asked Questions, and links to partner organizations, including the New Hampshire Timber Owners Association and the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, according to the release.

Those interested can also call 230-5950 or email [email protected] for assistance.

“Coming Home” is an art exhibit at the Community Art Gallery in the Feed Loft at the Canterbury Country Store (3 Center Road, Canterbury) where artists explore the meaning of home. It’s free to view. Visit canterburycountrystore.com or call 783-9933.

Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord (225-1111, ccanh.com) will be hosting The Heather Pierson Trio as they play a Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 2 and 7 p.m. at the BNH stage.

Lucy’s Voice, a mystery novel by J. Dennis Robinson, will have its launch at the Woodman Museum (182 Central Ave., Dover) on Friday, Dec. 20, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with remarks from the author as well as book signing in the Museum’s Thom Hindle Gallery. Call 742-1038 or visit jdennisrobinson.com.

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