Category: Art & Theater

The Art Roundup 24/06/27

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

• On display now: Catch the art exhibit “Exploration: Line/Shape/Form” on display through Thursday, Aug. 22, at Art 3 Gallery (44 West Brook St. in Manchester; art3gallery.com, 668-6650). The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 12:30 to 4 p.m. and by appointment. Get a peek at the show on the gallery’s website.

• American songbook: Welcome to The Club brings the music of the great American crooners to the Rex Theatre (823 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) Friday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m. This is a reinvention of the classic Copacabana Club with a full 19-piece Big Band and hits from Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Mel Tormé, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennett. Tickets are $29.

The Lavender Scare
NSquared Dance will present The Lavender Scare in collaboration with New Hampshire Dance Collaborative and Manchester True Collaborative at The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St in Manchester) on Thursday, June 27, at 7 p.m. “The Lavender Scare”was the dismissal and resignations of thousands of federal workers because of their sexuality and took place during the 1940s to the 1960s alongside McCarthyism, according to a press release. The performance is a 45-minute dance work. Tickets range from $20 to $35. Visit nsquareddance.org/performances.

• Summer theater: Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua) as part of their Sunday Cinema Classics Series will be screening Summer Stock (1950) on Sunday, June 30, at 1 p.m., according to their website. The movie follows a small-town farmer, down on her luck, who finds her homestead invaded by a theatrical troupe invited to stay by her ne’er-do-well sister. It stars Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Visit nashualibrary.org.

• Flip for the circus: The Circus is in town. FL!P Circus, created by the Vazquez family, is bringing its 2024 production and its air-conditioned red and white big top tent to the Mall at Rockingham Park (99 Rockingham Park Blvd., Salem) from Friday, June 28, to Sunday, July 7, according to a press release. This all-new show was specially curated to showcase an eclectic mix of international human performers. Show times are 7 p.m. on weekdays; 1, 4, and 7 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets range between $25 and $45, and certain discounts, like family or military, can apply. Visit FlipCircus.com.

• Artists reception: The Saxtons River Art Guild is excited for its first exhibition, to run from Friday, June 28, to Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Jaffrey Civic Center (40 Main St.) with an opening reception for the artists to be held on Friday, June 28, from 5 to 7 p.m., according to a press release. At the reception, artists from the Saxtons River Art Guild will be present to talk about their artworks. There will also be receptions on Friday, June 28, from 5 to 7 p.m. for the group shows in the Auditorium gallery and the Cunningham Gallery upstairs. The Saxon River Art Guild was founded in 1976 by a small group of artists who lived in Saxtons River, Vermont, and gathered informally for painting classes with various instructors. It is now a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote and encourage the advancement of the fine arts, with about 80 members throughout the Monadnock region in New Hampshire and the Southern Connecticut River Valley area of Vermont, according to the press release. Visit jaffreyciviccenter.com.

—Zachary Lewis

A great hang

Concord art gallery welcomes NH artists

To understand the business philosophy of Meme Exum, owner of The Glimpse Gallery in Concord, the story of how she acquired her first piece of art is instructive. At age 20 she studied political science at Georgia State, waiting tables to support herself. Her only roommate was Angelina, an angelfish from the Amazon River.

Exum had an emotional connection with the fish, who’d nibble her finger when she fed it. One day she rushed off to work worried her aquarium’s pH balance wasn’t right, and when she returned from her shift her beloved companion had passed. Heartbroken, she asked a friend, a student at Georgia State’s art school, to paint her portrait.

She paid $50 for the small painting of Angelina in a spray of river silk with tiny bubbles escaping from her mouth. The image now greets visitors to Glimpse; it’s both a logo and the source of the gallery’s name. With the bubbles, “you’re getting a glimpse of her in her native habitat,” Exum said.

What does this have to do with running an art gallery located on the alley side of a building across the street from the Statehouse? First of all, Glimpse isn’t a moneymaker. Exum breaks even on costs, and her web design company pays the bills. She charges a wall space fee sufficient to cover maintenance but doesn’t take a commission when something sells.

She mounts six exhibitions a year, relying on word of mouth to draw people in. The current show offers works from seven artists whose works range from surreal images of stair-climbing fish to watercolor horizons, colorful canvas sculptures that echo Van Gogh, and portraits of players on the NBA Champion Boston Celtics.

It opens July 9, preceded by four Friday evening receptions; the final one is June 28 at 5 p.m. It will include works from Julie Daniels, Mark Ruddy, Kevin Kintner, Rose Culver, Paul Gilmore, Cheryl Mitchell and Christina Landry-Boullion. Art prices can range from under $100 to a few thousand dollars.

“I simply am in it to get the art out,” she said, adding that she eschews social media. “That’s not the vibe, it’s more an underground following. You hear about it from other artists, you hear about it from people who truly love art. Then you come here, have a glass of wine or a non-alcoholic beverage and you simply see new art. If you don’t buy anything, you’re still supporting the artist.”

There’s another reason for her altruism, however.

After being bit by the collector bug in college, Exum got a job at an Atlanta architect’s office. There she ran a side hustle connecting her artist pals with interior designers.

“When I sold a piece from a struggling student who just graduated to an interior designer, that feeling of being the intermediary was my goal,” not money, she said. “It was a power for good.”

Her reward was being able to snag pieces she liked before they ended up on the wall of a million-dollar condo. “You know where I made bank?” she asked. “I get dibs on all the first art … I get to see all these artists and pick what I like.” In other words, she’s in business for reasons very similar to those of people who run used record stores or antique shops.

This explains the ancient Toyota pickup truck parked in front of Glimpse. “We’re never selling this, and our other car is a 10-year old station wagon,” Exum said. “Why buy a fancy car when we could have that cash available for when we see the right piece? We can buy it if we don’t have a car payment.”

Glimpse’s first exhibit in February had works from the online gallery Exum ran out of Atlanta before she and her husband moved north, along with pieces from her brother in Vermont and a few from a Bow artist. Since then she’s managed to fill the walls with mostly New Hampshire artists.

Choosing what to display doesn’t come down to her personal preferences; Exum tries to keep an open mind and find work outside of her comfort zone.

“I really look at pieces that I’m not necessarily drawn to, because we all like our own taste,” she said. “If I’m not really drawn to it let me see if I can understand it more and if that will give me a connection.”

Exum also knows there’s always more to glean.

“I am learning so much from the artists that Glimpse represents, like when they’ll mention an artist that I’ve never heard of,” she said. “It’s a very humbling place to be a gallery owner, and everyone’s telling you stuff you don’t know, but I’m just trying to absorb it as much as I can.”

First Glimpse Art Show
When: Friday, June 28, 5 p.m.
Where: The Glimpse Gallery, 4 Park St. (Patriot Building), Concord
More: theglimpsegallery.com

The Art Roundup 24/06/20

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

• Curtain calls: The Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) production of 42nd Street offers five shows in its final weekend: Thursday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 22, at 2 & 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $38 to $59. See Michael Witthaus’ look at the production in the June 6 issue of the Hippo on page 14 (hippopress.com to find the e-edition).

• On stage:Sleuth is presented by The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts on Friday, June 21, at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 22, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 23, at 2 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net, 669-7469). As described on the website, the show presents the ultimate game of cat and mouse played out in a cozy English country house owned by ca elebrated mystery writer whose guest is a young rival who shares his love for games. Tickets are $15 and $20.

• Craft: Hall Memorial Library (18 Park St. in Northfield; hallmemoriallibrary.org, 286-8971) will hold a Summer Craft Show on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Premiere:The Nashua Historical Society at The Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum (5 Abbott St., Nashua) will be hosting the premiere of the documentary ​At Home and Abroad: Nashua and World War II on Saturday, June 22, at 11:30 a.m. and at 1 p.m., according to their website. The documentary chronicles the stories of civilians, veterans and Holocaust survivors as Nashuans share personal and family World War II stories. The film was created by local filmmakers John Sadd and Jeremy Frazier. The showing is free and open to the public. Doors open at 11 a.m. Visit nashuahistoricalsociety.org.

• Fest in the Clouds: Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough is hosting its second annual Community Arts Festival on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival will feature more than 100 booths with the works of local crafters, artists and community organizations and attendees can look forward to a scavenger hunt, art activities for kids, and other events, according to a press release. Seecastleintheclouds.org.

• Symphony Saturday: The Boston Civic Symphony with Conductor Fransico Noya and Pianist Frederick Moyer will perform Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor Op. 22, Chevalier de Saint-Georges – Symphony Op 11 No. 2, and Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor at Colby-Sawyer College’s Sawyer Center Theater (541 Main St., New Boston) on Saturday, June 22, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for students. Visit summermusicassociates.org or call 526-8234.

• Outdoor theater: The annual mainstage production for the Prescott Park Arts Festival in Portsmouth opens Friday, June 21, when Legally Blonde The Musical hits the stage at 7 p.m. The show runs most Thursdays through Sundays until Aug. 11, all at 7 p.m. with matinées on Sunday, June 30 and Sunday, July 28 at 1 pm, according to prescottpark.org where you can find information on reservations.

WHAT IF? SHAKESPEARE
Cue Zero Theatre Company at the Arts Academy of New Hampshire (19 Keewaydin Drive, Salem, onthestage.tickets/cue-zero-theatre-company) presents William Shakespseare’s Long Lost First Play (Abridged) on Friday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 22, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15. In this play, an ancient manuscript proves to be the long-lost first play written by none other than 17-year-old William Shakespeare from Stratford, according to the company’s website, which says they “are totally not completely making this up.”

MUSICAL HORROR PUPPETS
Puppeteers for Fears, Oregon’s only dedicated puppet musical horror troupe, will perform their original show Cthulhu: the Musical!on Wednesday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m. at CapitolCenter for the Arts BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) as part of the company’s 2024 summer tour, according to a press release. As described in the press release, the play is adapted from the 1929 short story “The Call of Cthulhu” by H.P. Lovecraft and tells the story of his most famous creation, Cthulhu, a giant, malevolent, octopus-faced elder god who hibernates beneath the ocean, communicating to humans through their dreams, slowly driving them mad. In a statement, PFF Artistic Director Josh Gross said, “We are always looking to turn classic themes on their head instead of rehashing tired storylines…. When I said, ‘Cthulhu: the Musical,’ for the first time, a bunch of heads immediately turned in my direction, and strangers started asking where they could see it. So I knew we had to do that as a show, even though the challenge of turning something so dark into musical comedy was pretty daunting. … There was a lot of comedy to be found and this show is so much fun to perform.” Tickets are $25 and the show is intended for those 18 and older since the material is R-rated, according to the press release.

—Zachary Lewis

Family business

Jersey Boys at Winnipesaukee Playhouse

By Michael Witthaus
[email protected]

Along with being a jukebox musical about a great American vocal group, Jersey Boys has a lot of drama. The director of an upcoming production of the show at Winnipesaukee Playhouse believes that experiencing it is akin to buying a theater ticket and a concert ticket at the same time.

The Tony-winning musical, opening June 21, follows the Four Seasons vocal group’s arc of success, a path marked by triumph and tragedy. Iconic songs include “Sherry,” “Rag Doll,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” but the human stories — music and the mob, frayed family ties and other struggles — are equally compelling.

“I think there’s a tendency to assume with a show like this that we’re just going to sing and have some fun,” Teisha Duncan said in a recent phone interview. “But these are people who lived, who we can easily access stories about. They’re building a full-bodied production of character work. It’s not just about being able to sing the part and having these distinct voices.”

Jersey Boys is Duncan’s third production in three years with the Meredith theater, and her first musical. A Black Jamaican woman, Duncan didn’t expect to direct the show.

“It’s very rare that they give me things that are very much concentrated in a part of American history,” she said, “but I grew up listening to the Jersey Boys, I knew Frankie Valli. It’s very much a part of our canon, the music.”

She’s also spent time on stage in the musical theater world, acting in Disney’s The Lion King and The Color Purple and others. Jersey Boys is a bigger challenge, though.

“This is my first jukebox musical that I’m directing and at this scale of work,” she said, and expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “Even though it’s a separate part of my artistry, I’m glad that they trusted that I know the genre enough to direct it.”

It’s an eagerly anticipated show; already, tickets are selling faster than any production in the playhouse’s history. It’s also an ambitious undertaking, with a set that can be quickly reconfigured for more than 50 scene changes, including the Brill Building, nightclubs, New York City bridges and even a state penitentiary.

“It has to transition in real time,” Duncan said. “And it’s exciting to experiment with that, to see how we can create continuity through these transitions and relationships so there isn’t a moment where the audience has to wait for a setup. All of that happens as a rolling pattern.”

An all-female creative team includes Duncan, choreographer Chloe Kounadis and musical director Judy Hayward. The cast has a few returning members like New York actress Drea Campo, part of the Playhouse production of [title of show] last summer, and a lot of fresh faces.

“We have a nice blend of newbies to both the show as well as the theater house, and they’re all excited about it,” Duncan said. “Some of them have done the show, but they’ve played other roles. Our Frankie, I think he played DiCarlo in the last production, and our DiCarlo played Guardio.”

When asked to name her favorite part of the show, Duncan recalled audience response the night it was announced for the 2024 season, and the era’s evocative power.

Successful theaters “have a conversation with their community, and they listen to them,” she began. “They want to connect to parts of their life and memories that are exciting and create theater that’s reflective of who lives in [and] engages with that community, the parts of their memory that pull them back to what makes them happiest.”

The cheers and applause that greeted news of Jersey Boys still rings in her ears, she said.

“It feels like that dialogue between the Winnipesaukee Theatre and the community members is actually happening, and we want to keep that conversation strong,” she said. “We want people to come in and really tap into those beautiful memories. There is a specific sound of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons. You hear that song, and you’re right into that. It brings out some of the happiest memories of most people’s lives. So, I love that about Jersey Boys.

• Curtain calls: The Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) production of 42nd Street offers five shows in its final weekend: Thursday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 22, at 2 & 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $38 to $59. See Michael Witthaus’ look at the production in the June 6 issue of the Hippo on page 14 (hippopress.com to find the e-edition).

• On stage:Sleuth is presented by The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts on Friday, June 21, at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 22, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 23, at 2 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net, 669-7469). As described on the website, the show presents the ultimate game of cat and mouse played out in a cozy English country house owned by ca elebrated mystery writer whose guest is a young rival who shares his love for games. Tickets are $15 and $20.

• Craft: Hall Memorial Library (18 Park St. in Northfield; hallmemoriallibrary.org, 286-8971) will hold a Summer Craft Show on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Premiere:The Nashua Historical Society at The Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum (5 Abbott St., Nashua) will be hosting the premiere of the documentary ​At Home and Abroad: Nashua and World War II on Saturday, June 22, at 11:30 a.m. and at 1 p.m., according to their website. The documentary chronicles the stories of civilians, veterans and Holocaust survivors as Nashuans share personal and family World War II stories. The film was created by local filmmakers John Sadd and Jeremy Frazier. The showing is free and open to the public. Doors open at 11 a.m. Visit nashuahistoricalsociety.org.

• Fest in the Clouds: Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough is hosting its second annual Community Arts Festival on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival will feature more than 100 booths with the works of local crafters, artists and community organizations and attendees can look forward to a scavenger hunt, art activities for kids, and other events, according to a press release. Seecastleintheclouds.org.

• Symphony Saturday: The Boston Civic Symphony with Conductor Fransico Noya and Pianist Frederick Moyer will perform Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor Op. 22, Chevalier de Saint-Georges – Symphony Op 11 No. 2, and Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor at Colby-Sawyer College’s Sawyer Center Theater (541 Main St., New Boston) on Saturday, June 22, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for students. Visit summermusicassociates.org or call 526-8234.

• Outdoor theater: The annual mainstage production for the Prescott Park Arts Festival in Portsmouth opens Friday, June 21, when Legally Blonde The Musical hits the stage at 7 p.m. The show runs most Thursdays through Sundays until Aug. 11, all at 7 p.m. with matinées on Sunday, June 30 and Sunday, July 28 at 1 pm, according to prescottpark.org where you can find information on reservations.

Jersey
When: June 21 through July 6, Fridays and Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays , 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Where: Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith
Tickets: $25 to $52 at the winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org

The Art Roundup 24/06/13

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

• It’s Member Appreciation Week at the Currier Museum of Art from Wednesday, June 12, through Sunday, June 16. The week includes private tours, special discounts, giveaways, an extensive raffle and more, according to their website. Raffle prizes include a private tour (for up to four) of the Frank Lloyd Wright houses, a free art class at the Currier, a gift basket from the museum shop and more. Members will receive a 25 percent discount at the museum gift store and there is a fun scavenger hunt throughout the week. On Thursday, June 13, at 11 a.m. the Currier’s senior curator, Kurt Sundstrom, will present an overview of the Currier’s permanent collection, showing some of the history behind featured and lesser-known works; this event is for Currier members and registration is required since capacity is limited. On Friday, June 14, there will be a collection tour with Director of Engagement and practicing artist Bruce McColl, who will highlight some of his favorite works; registration is required. On Saturday, June 15, from 9 to 10 a.m., the museum will hold a members-only hour with complimentary coffee available in the Winter Garden Café and members receiving a free hardcover copy of UÝRA: The Living Forest, edited by the chief curator, Lorenzo Fusi. On Sunday, June 16, members will receive 30 percent off brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Winter Garden Café, where they can also enjoy live music. Visit currier.org.

Rustic Art
“Metalsum” will be on display at the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, nhaudubon.org) through Friday, July 12. The show features rustic metal artwork with an emphasis on portraying the natural world by Jane Kolias, a New Hampshire native now residing in Vermont, according to the event website. Inspiration for these designs comes from observing nature, the creativity of fellow artists, and the found objects themselves, and each finished piece has its own unique configuration and blend of components which become garden and landscape pieces, wall hangings and tabletop items, according to the same website. Visit the exhibition Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) on Thursday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m. will host New Hampshire author Brinda Charry, discussing the paperback edition release of her debut novel, The East Indian, according to their website. Charry, a former academic, has released numerous books and articles in her field of study, English Renaissance literature. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com.

• Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua) will host a book discussion of The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, which is about an U.S. Olympic crew team from 1936, on Thursday, June 13, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. All are welcome at this community book group, which usually meets on the second Thursday of the month. Visit nashualibrary.org.

• Prescott Farm’s (928 Whiteoaks Road, Laconia) Community Connections Programs will be offering a course titled Spinning Yarn on a Drop Spindle on Saturday, June 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants will put some twist into yarn by learning to spin their own with a drop spindle and attendees will learn to use a weighted stick to twist wool into yarn, according to the website. Visit prescottfarm.org.

NY Artist Collab
The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester), as part of a series of exhibitions and commissions looking at the relationship between fine art and crafts conceived for the museum’s Welcome Gallery, has collaborated with New York-based artist Elisabeth Kley for an exhibit titled “Cymodocea,” which will run until Sunday, Aug. 18. Kley’s installation combines her signature ceramic sculptures with wall paintings, interspersed with a selection of her works on paper, and is reminiscent of the Pattern and Decoration movement, according to the website. The exhibit is supported by Outer Space Arts in Concord. Visit currier.org.

• The New Hampshire Historical Society will host a lecture on Thursday, June 13, from 7 to 8 p.m. titled “Swenson Granite Company, 1883 to 2016.” For more than 130 years the Swenson Granite Co. has quarried stone in New Hampshire, providing building blocks that created the Library of Congress, the Brooklyn Bridge, battlefield memorials at Gettysburg, and dozens of other notable structures around the country, according to the NHHS website. Kurt Swenson, the fourth generation of Swensons to manage the company, will present the story of this once family-owned business and the future of the granite industry in New Hampshire. The event is co-sponsored by the Concord Historical Society, with support from the Walker Lecture Fund, and admission is free and open to the public, with no registration required. Visit nhhistory.org.

• The Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) will host An Evening With Gaelic Storm Wednesday, June 19, at 8 p.m. This band is one of the biggest Celtic acts in the business. Tickets start at $39.

• Tribute band The Magic of Motown will perform at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) Chubb Theatre on Tuesday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $57.75.

Radio Remedy
The Radio Hour, a one-act choral opera by Jake Heggie, tells the story of Nora (played by Lisa Lovett), a middle-aged woman having a very bad day who seeks solace by locking herself inside her apartment and turning on the radio. The choir is split in two at the beginning of the show, with one choir representing Nora’s inner voice and the other choir as the radio show. The music explores a variety of textures, colors and sounds: traffic noise, swing tunes, radio ads, a quasi-rap song, big band and finally a full, celebratory flowering of grand choral singing, according to the website. Performances will be on Saturday, June 15, at 7 p.m. at the South Church Concord (27 Pleasant St., Concord) and on Sunday, June 16, at 4 p.m. at the Plymouth Congregational Church (4 Post Office Square, Plymouth). Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and military, and free for students. Visit nhmasterchorale.org for tickets.

—Zachary Lewis

Have improv, will travel

Colin Mochrie takes the show on the road

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

Described as a hardworking and imaginative mammal in his bio on the show’s website, Colin Mochrie (Hilaritycus smoothius, as it says), known for his improv expertise on Whose Line is it Anyway? will be taking the stage in Portsmouth with Brad Sherwood, a fellow Whose Line-er at the Music Hall on Thursday, June 13, at 7:30 p.m. as part of their “Asking for Trouble” tour.

“It’s like a live version of Whose Line,” Mochrie said. “There’s a lot of games that would be familiar to a Whose Line fan … some games that we just made up ourselves…. We don’t have a host, we don’t have other people to work with. It’s just two hours of goofy fun.”

Audience members will have a good idea but will never know exactly which improv games to expect at the unscripted show.

“We do start off with a basic foundation but it can easily change…,” Mochrie said. “We do a new one that’s kind of fun, just because it scares me; we do sort of a musical tribute to the town that we’re playing, so it’s going to be a musical about Portsmouth, we’re hoping.”

Mochrie and Sherwood met on the hit television show.

“It was actually his idea to go on tour,” Mochrie said of Sherwood.

Every Super Bowl Sunday, Drew Carey, the former host, would take the cast to perform in Vegas in multiple shows leading up to the big game. Sherwood popped the question during one of these marathon improv sessions.

Afterward, they gave the idea a test run, and it worked. The tour has been running over 20 years.

“We’ve been friends, God, over 30 years now. It really helps when you’re working with someone, especially in improv, somebody you trust and you like. We both have sort of the same viewpoint on improv and what we like to do with it,” Mochrie said. Although nothing lasts forever. “So far. It could always turn, of course, because, you know, he has problems, but so far, so good.”

The Scottish-born Canadian improvisational comedian was drawn to the craft at an early age and referenced comedian Jonathan Winters and Robin Williams, as improv influences.

“I just saw this demonstration … that had been invented by this Englishman in Calgary called theater sports, and it was improv in sort of a sports setting where this referee would issue challenges and then you would improvise. I thought, ‘Oh, well this could be fun.’ It was something I enjoyed doing. I never thought, ‘Oh, this is going to be my career,’ just because there wasn’t an outlet.”

If Mochrie isn’t producing laughs on stage with Sherwood, he most likely will be on another stage doing the same.

“I improvise with a lot of different improv groups around the country,” he said. He also does an improv tour with his wife, Debra McGrath, as well as a tour with a hypnotist called Hyprov. “The beauty of improv is you’re kind of open to everything.”

Mochrie was open to the idea of a Whose Line live tour and noted that they had shot enough so that another season with host Aisha Tyler will be able to air: “It’s just a show you can’t kill, it keeps coming back.”

Mochrie is quite fond of the television show.

“I think the beauty of it was, we only shot two weekends a year so … unlike shows that go on forever and ever, we didn’t have a chance to get on each other’s nerves, so everybody still really enjoyed each other…,” he said. “We’re all good friends. We’re constantly tweeting and emailing and keeping in contact with each other. It is a good group.”

Not only has Mochrie been on both British and American versions of Whose Line is it Anyway; he’s also performed in numerous film and television roles and most recently in the film Villains Inc., which came out in April. He is also an award-winning writer , performer and producer.

“I do have fun doing scripted stuff on film and television. What I enjoy about stage more, I think, is that we are the architects of our own fate,” he said. That sense of autonomy is a driving force behind his work: “Doing improv and doing our show, we’re in charge. If the show sucks, it’s because we suck. If it went great, it’s because we were good. There’s no one else to blame and I like having that pressure.”

“I just love [that] every show is different. Every show is for that audience. No one else will ever see it again,” Mochrie said. “So it keeps it fresh for us. I think that’s part of the reason we’re still enjoying each other and the show after all this time.”

Asking for Trouble
• Thursday, June 13, 7:30 p.m. at The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org
Tickets $44 to $88

• Sunday, Oct. 6, 5 p.m. at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Tickets $49 to $75

colinandbradshow.com

Featured Photo: Colin Mochrie. Courtesy Photo.

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