Art & Theater – Page 17

Taking you under the sea

How the Palace’s The Little Mermaid created its own underwater fairy tale

By Hannah Turtle

hturtle@hippopress.com

The Little Mermaid is in the headlines.

Just as the Palace Theatre prepared to kick off its production of the musical based on the classic Disney animated movie, the first teaser trailer dropped for Disney’s 2023 live-action film version of the story.

“We had no idea that was going to come out so close to opening, but the cast has been so excited about it,” said Sebastian Goldberg, assistant artistic director and choreographer of the production. “Everyone loves to try that riff that she [Halle Bailey, the actress playing Ariel] sings.”

The Palace’s The Little Mermaid runs at the Manchester theater through Oct. 2, with shows on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as well as on Thursday, Sept. 29.

Without the benefit of animation or CGI, the Palace’s production team had to get creative, tasked with designing a set that looks and feels as though it is deep in the ocean. In addition to strategic lighting, the set uses some unexpected materials.

“There’s this stuff, it’s called The Great Stuff, it’s normally used for insulation or as a gap filler in construction projects, but we’ve been using it a lot to design the set. When we let it dry and paint over it, it looks a lot like coral,” Goldberg said.

The set, though, is only half the battle in giving the show the impression of being “under the sea.”

“Every show has its own unique challenges. For our actors, it takes a lot of practice to give the impression of being underwater,” Goldberg said. “One thing they do is move their arms as though they’re treading water, so while they’re doing a scene, they also have to be conscious of that.”

Even without the unique challenges of designing a show that takes place underwater, The Little Mermaid is still somewhat out of the ordinary for the Palace, whose later mainstage productions this season include more traditional “adult” shows like Grease and A Christmas Carol.

“During our regular season, we don’t usually do these types of shows, but The Little Mermaid is such a big show and such a big part of so many people’s lives and childhoods,” Goldberg said.

To Goldberg, it’s a production that can be enjoyed by all ages.

“Ariel is a special character. She’s fiercely independent, she follows her heart, sometimes to a fault, but she has that endearing naivete that makes her so loveable,” he said. “That’s something the audience will be able to feel, and want to be on this journey with her while they watch the show.”

As they prepared for opening night on Sept. 16, Goldberg was hoping audiences will get something special out of seeing The Little Mermaid live.

“I hope that any time someone leaves the Palace that they remember there’s nothing quite like live theater. We’re all going through so much these days and theater is such an escape, and so I’m excited for people to let themselves get lost in the story, and to leave feeling a little lighter, maybe wanting to sing and dance through the street,” he said.

The Little Mermaid
Where: Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester; 668-5588
When: Now through Sunday, Oct. 2. Show times are Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., plus Thursday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 to $45 at palacetheatre.org

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 22/09/15

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

• Part of your world: The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) kicks off its season with Disney’s The Little Mermaid, which will have its opening night Friday, Sept. 16, and run through Sunday, Oct. 2. This professional production will be presented Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. throughout its run as well as Thursday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for youth and $15 for adults.

• Call for artists: The Beaver Brook Association (beaverbrook.org, 465-7787) is looking for artists to participate in the Fall Festival & Art Show on Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25. The theme this year is “untouched beauty.” The call is open to amateurs and professionals who would like to enter photography, paintings, collage and mixed media. Awards will be presented. The entry fee is $10 for one work, $15 for two and $20 for three works. Find the application form and the dropoff dates online; the dropoff deadline is Monday, Sept. 19, at noon.

• Ode to NH: Symphony New Hampshire also opens its season this weekend with “Ode to NH” on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). The program, which kicks off the 100th anniversary season, will feature historical and modern pieces written about or in New Hampshire, including Oliver Caplan’s Lunastella Fuga, John Adams’ “Shaking and Trembling” from Shaker Loops, Amy Beach’s Bal Masque and Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite. Tickets cost $10 for youth ages 13 to 17 and full-time students age 29 and under and range from $20 to $60 for adults and from $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up. Admission is free for youth under age 13. See symphonynh.org.

• Seasonal views: Two Villages Art Society hosts “Out of the Woods” at the Bates Building (846 Main St. in Contoocook; twovillagesart.org, 413-210-4372) opening Friday, Sept. 16, with an opening reception on Saturday, Sept. 17, from noon to 2 p.m.. It features a series of collaborative vignettes paying tribute to the seasonal changes of New Hampshire, created by a group of five local artists known as the 9th State Artisans. It will remain on display through Oct. 8. The gallery is open Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.

Currier updates
The Currier Museum of Art’s second-floor galleries have gotten a revamping, with new acquisitions mixed with old favorites, all reorganized and reimagined to provide new context to the work and space. The East Gallery now contains 19th-century collections, and the West Gallery introduces “Nature and Nostalgia,” which focuses on New Hampshire landscapes. To see the newly reworked exhibits, visit the Currier (150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144), during regular gallery hours Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Thursdays open until 8 p.m. For more information, visit currier.org.

• Buy art: The Concord Arts Market holds its second to last summer market of the season on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The market features juried artisans and artists and is in Rollins Park (33 Bow St. in Concord). See concordartsmarket.net.

• Fall classes: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org) has announced its fall season of adult art class offerings, beginning on Saturday, Sept. 24, including both in-person and online classes, weeks-long courses and single-day workshops. Offerings include “The White Line Woodcut and Beyond” with Kate Hanlon, an in-person workshop on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; “Art Sampler for Adults” with Robin Deary, an in-person six-week class on Thursdays, Sept. 29 through Nov. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.; “Drawing and Painting the Landscape” with Rachael O’Shaughnessy, an in-person five-week class on Thursdays, Oct. 20 through Nov. 17, from 1 to 3 p.m., and many more.

• Back to school: The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St. in Portsmouth; playersring.org) presents Seminar, a comedy from Pulitzer Prize nominee Theresa Rebeck, through Sept. 25. The show follows a series of aspiring novelists as they take classes with an unorthodox teaching style. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $27, $24 for seniors.

Sparrows
The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551) will screen Sparrows, a silent film starring Mary Pickford, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, with live musical accompaniment. The classic film is a thriller following orphans who flee an evil caretaker. Local composer Jeff Rapsis will accompany the work with music. The film will start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door. For more information, visit flyingmonkeynh.com.

— Hannah Turtle

ART

Events

• BRIDGES & CONNECTIONS SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM The Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13, Brookline, 673-7441, andresinstitute.org) hosts its annual Bridges and Connections Sculpture Symposium through Oct. 2. For three weeks, invited artists from all over the world will stay in Brookline to create sculptures for permanent installation at the Institute’s 140-acre outdoor sculpture park and trails. The public is invited to meet the artists and watch them work at designated times, TBA. A presentation of the completed sculptures at their permanent sites will take place on Sunday, Oct. 2. Visit andresinstitute.org/symposium-2022.

Opening

• “STORIED IN CLAY” The New Hampshire Potters Guild presents its biennial exhibition “Storied in Clay” at the exhibition gallery at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen headquarters (49 S. Main St., Concord) Sept. 26 through Oct. 27, with an opening reception on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Visit nhpottersguild.org.

• “FROM THE HIPPIE TRAIL TO THE SILK ROAD” exhibit fromTwo Villages Art Society will run at the Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook) Oct. 21 through Nov. 12. This is an exhibition by Kathleen Dustin that includes her original artwork, inspired by and juxtaposed with jewelry and textiles from around the world that Dustin has collected during her travels. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, Oct. 22, from noon to 2 p.m. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

Exhibits

• “LAYERED: COLOR AND TEXTURE” runs at Art 3 Gallery (44 W. Brook St., Manchester, 668-6650, art3gallery.com) through Sept. 15. Featured works highlight the interplay between color and texture, how the tactile quality of an object’s surface appeals to the sense of touch, and how the depths of light and color appeal to the sense of sight. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 1 to 4:30 p.m., with evening and weekend viewing available by request.

• “MANAGING MISCELLANEA” The Lamont Gallery at Phillips Exeter Academy (11 Tan Lane, Exeter) hosts “Managing Miscellanea,” an art exhibition that draws from the gallery’s “undefined” collection. It centers around questions of defining and maintaining collections, and showcases unseen works from the storage vault, including works by Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Motherwell. The exhibition runs through Sept. 24, available for viewing during the gallery’s normal hours: Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free but reservations are required. For more information, visit www.exeter.edu/lamontgallery.

• “COLORS OF AUTUMN” The September show for New Hampshire Art Association members runs through Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (139 State St. in Portsmouth; nhartassociation.org). The gallery is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Fairs and markets

• CAPITAL ARTS FEST The Capital Arts Fest, a free event hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25, outside on Main Street in Concord. There will be a fine art and craft fair, live music and dance performances, a historic walking tour of downtown Concord and more. Visit nhcrafts.org or call 224-3375.

THEATRE

Shows

• THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS The Winnipesaukee Playhouse (33 Footlight Circle, Meredith, winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org) professional company presents The Conference of the Birds through Sept. 17; tickets cost $29 to $39.

• MURDER FOR TWO The Winnipesaukee Playhouse (33 Footlight Circle, Meredith, winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org) runs Sept. 21 through Oct. 9; tickets cost $25 to $42. Showtimes are on various dates and times, Tuesday through Sunday.

• MAJESTIC-OPOLY The Majestic Theatre presents Majestic-opoly, its 17th annual auction and performance fundraiser, on Friday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m. at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester). The evenings will feature silent auctions, raffles and refreshments as well as performances from the company’s adult, teen and youth actors. Tickets cost $20 per person. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7649.

• MR. WOLF Theatre Kapow presents Mr. Wolf at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) with showtimes on Friday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 25, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $28 for adults and $23 for students. Visit ccanh.com.

• MISS HOLMES The Milford Area Players present Miss Holmes at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford) Sept. 23 through Oct. 2, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Visit milfordareaplayers.org.

• THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord, hatboxnh.com) will present The Government Inspector, presented by Phylloxera Productions, Oct. 7 through Oct. 23. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., and tickets cost $22 for adults and $19 for students and seniors.

• FREAKY FRIDAY Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) youth company presents Freaky Friday on Tuesday, Oct. 11, and Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for youth and $15 for adults.

• THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS The Community Players of Concord present The Wind in the Willows at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord) Friday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m., and tickets cost $15.

• DISNEY’S THE ARISTOCRATS KIDS The Peacock Players (14 Court St., Nashua, peacockplayers.org) youth theater company presents Disney’s The Aristocrats Kids Oct. 14 through Oct. 23. Showtimes are on Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.

• RED RIDING HOOD Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) youth company presents Red Riding Hood on Tuesday, Oct. 18, and Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for youth and $15 for adults.

Classical

Events

• DUO BALDO The Concord Community Concert Association presents a classical concert, “Duo Baldo,” featuring violinist Brad Repp on his 1736 Testore violin and pianist Aldo Gentileschi, at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord) on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 at the door or $23 online. Call 344-4747 or visit ccca-audi.org.

• WINDS OF TIME Symphony New Hampshire presents “Winds of Time,” with performances on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the Keefe Center in Nashua and on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m. at Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord). It features Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4, Du Puy’s Quintet for Bassoon and Strings in A minor III, Weber’s Clarinet Concertino in E-flat and Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings. Tickets cost $10 for youth ages 13 to 17 and full-time students age 29 and under and range from $20 to $60 for adults and from $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up. Admission is free for youth under age 13. Visit symphonynh.org.

• PIANIST RICHARD DOWLING The Concord Community Concert Association welcomes pianist Richard Dowling to Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord) on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $23. Call 344-4747 or visit ccca-audi.org.

• NATURE & MYTH The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra opens its 118th year with an orchestral showcase, “Nature & Myth,” featuring music by Beethoven, Walker, Grieg and Sibelius, on Sunday, Oct. 16, at 2 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m., at the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem). Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $8 for kids. Visit nhphil.org.

Welcoming weekend

Multicultural festivals celebrate the cultures of Nashua and Concord

By Hannah Turtle

hturtle@hippopress.com

This weekend, the region will host two events, one in Nashua, the other in Concord, but the celebration is a global one. Each city hosts its annual multicultural festival, Nashua’s in Greeley Park on Saturday, and Concord’s in Keach Park on Sunday. The events are part of a wider initiative, Welcoming Week.

“Our philosophy is to be welcoming to the refugees who have settled here, the immigrants who decide to resettle here. It’s about being open and welcoming to them as our neighbors, as part of our community, and making sure that the city government and the institutions here are welcoming as well,” said Jessica Livingston, the director of the Concord Multicultural Festival. “The festival is one of the ways to do that.”

Both festivals will include representation from different groups and cultures that make the two cities their home.

“We have performances and vendors from many different cultures, and we also have the flag parade, which has flags from over 70 countries, and they all represent people from our own community,” Livingston said.

Since the early 1980s, more than 7,000 refugees have made New Hampshire their home, according to Livingston. She said they come from countries all over the world, but many in the area come from the Democratic Republic of Congo, fleeing civil war, or from Bhutan and Myanmar, fleeing ethnic cleansing.

“Before we started accepting refugees in the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s, Concord was a much whiter community. Bringing in people from other cultures was very new to everyone, so in the early years, it was also a way to introduce the receiving community to new cultures through food and music and art,” Livingston said. “The festival was created in the early 2000s as a way to welcome the refugees that were being settled here, and by continuing to do this we continue to show that we embrace all the new neighbors we have here. … Over the years, it’s evolved. It’s now a place for everyone to share their culture, from the various African countries who have just recently seen settlers here, as well as Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Ukraine, the indigenous communities, and all the people whose ancestors immigrated here.”

In Concord, the festival will include performances from a whole host of different groups, including Emperor T-Jiga and the Akwaaba Ensemble, a group that brings West African drumming and dance to the community; Barranquilla Flavor, a Colombian dance group that specializes in traditional Colombian folkloric dances; and performers of Irish step dance, traditional Nepali dance, Argentinian tango, and much more.

These festivals, however, have a larger purpose than just celebration.

“While it’s a celebratory event, our goal is ultimately to address the racism and intolerance that can come about when we talk about refugees and immigrants, so it’s a way to bring people together over shared values, and mitigate some of the things that pull us apart,” Livingston said.

The festivals allow local community members to get involved in welcoming efforts, support immigrant businesses, and get to know each other. For Livingston, it’s a vitally important event, as well as one of personal significance.

“I’m an event planner by trade, but this is by far my favorite event to do. It’s so much more than an event. There’s all these smaller moments, and they’re wonderful,” Livingston said. “There are some people in this community that came here as refugees and may not have felt welcome, but then seeing the way we celebrate them, it makes them feel seen. There’s a lot of beautiful connections between people.”

Multicultural Festival weekend
When: Sunday, Sept. 18, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Keach Park
More information: concordmulticulturalfestival.org

Nashua Multicultural Festival
When: Saturday, Sept. 17, 1 to 4 p.m.
Where: Greeley Park
More information: cgsnashua.org/events/nashua-multicultural-festival

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 22/09/08

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

• Art by the sea: As a part of this year’s Hampton Beach Seafood Festival (which runs Friday, Sept. 9 through Sunday, Sept. 11, on Ocean Boulevard at Hampton Beach; see page 34 for more on the event), the festival hosts its second annual Pop-up Art Show right on the beach.

“It was such a success last year, so we’re really excited to do it again,” Alyssa Pine, founder of the art show, said. “Having the art on the beach bar is so great for people, because it’s something to do while they enjoy the food and the music.”

The art show will showcase 15 local artists. On Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will be a live painting event where visitors can watch the artists create in real time. After the artists are finished with their pieces, visitors can vote for their favorite.

The artists will paint on canvases and have their pieces auctioned off on Sunday at 11 a.m. At the auction, the winner of the people’s choice vote will also be announced and awarded.

In addition, the pop-up show will feature a private art gallery showing on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. Attendees at the ticketed event will be the first to see the unveiling of the finished artwork and will have the opportunity to buy artwork at a set pre-auction price. There will be hors d’oeuvres and a private cash bar. “It’s a real art gallery opening — just in the sand,” Pine said. Visit seafoodfestivalnh.com/art.

Dancing about New Hampshire
New Hampshire Dance Collaborative presents an event called “Excerpts and Investigation” on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Factory on Willow, at 252 Willow St. in Manchester. The event will feature three brief segments of a dance called “The Shire” by NSquared Dance and will conclude with a moderated discussion led by Matt Cahoon, artistic director of theatre KAPOW and former director of The Stockbridge Theater. “The Shire” is NSquared’s Zackery Betty’s bioregional exploration of the state of New Hampshire. To learn more about NHDC or register for free to attend Excerpts and Investigation, visit nhdancecollaborative.com.

• From the garden: BJ Eckardt, a New Hampshire Art Association artist, is the featured September artist at Creative Framing Solutions (410 Chestnut St., Manchester) with the exhibit titled “Inspirations from the Garden,” a show of oil paintings, according to nhartassociation.org. The show will run through Friday, Sept. 30; an opening reception will be held on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. The gallery’s most recent hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (open until 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays) and the first and third Saturdays of the month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Double feature: The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) will present “Martin and Osa Johnson: Adventure’s First Couple,” a combination lecture and movie screening, on Thursday, Sept. 15. The Johnsons were “a Kansas couple who gained worldwide fame in the early 20th century for far-flung exploits combining adventure, aviation and wildlife photography,” according to a press release. The program starts at 6 p.m. and is open to the public and will feature Dick Jackson of Rochester, a longtime aircraft restoration expert who spent 40 years restoring a Sikorsky S-39 flying boat identical to the type used by the Johnsons, the release said. The event will also include a screening of Baboona, a 1935 documentary the Johnsons compiled from film they shot in Africa in the early 1930s, the release said. Tickets available at the door and cost $10 per person.

— Hannah Turtle

ART

Exhibits

• ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• “PIXELS, WOOD, CLAY” Two Villages Art Society presents an exhibition of work by artists Tony Gilmore, Rick Manganello and Caren Helm. The Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). through Sept. 9. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. There will be an opening reception on Sat., Aug. 13, from noon to 2 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

• BARBARA MATA will display her paintings in an exhibit, “Russia’s Illegal Invasion of Ukraine,” at The Art Center in Dover (1 Washington St., Suite 1177, Dover; nhartassociation.org, theartcenterdover.com) Thursday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Oct. 31.

• THOM HINDLE The Art Center (1 Washington St., Dover; theartcenterdover.com, 978-6702) presents “Images of the Past: The Thom Hindle Collection” from Saturday, Sept. 3, through Friday, Sept. 30, along with an An Evening with Thom Hindle, an in-person book signing on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 6 to 9 p.m., celebrating Hindle’s newest release, Dover, New Hampshire Through Time Volume Two. The collection, according to a press release, is “an insightful, historically significant exhibition dedicated to the rich history of Dover, New Hampshire, and surrounding areas.” Hindle has taught classes at UNH and is a past president of Dover’s historical society. He’s perhaps best known as a local photographer, the release said, with a longtime photography business on Atkinson Street in the Garrison City. The exhibit features photographs Hindle reproduced from original glass negatives representing the works of never-before-exhibited local and Boston-area photographers. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• “MEMOIRS OF A GHOST GIRLHOOD: A BLACK GIRL’S WINDOW” In the exhibit on display at the Currier Museum of Art (50 Ash St. in Manchester; 669-6144, currier.org), “artist Alexandria Smith has created an immersive multimedia environment using wallpaper, paintings on wood, found objects and sculpture. It will be accompanied by an original site-specific composition //windowed// by Liz Gre,” according to the website. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday.

• “THE PEOPLE’S SCULPTOR: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOHN ROGERS” Exhibit celebrates the art of American sculptor John Rogers, who came to Manchester in 1850, and explores the influence that Manchester had on Rogers’ life and work. Presented by the Manchester Historic Association. On view now through September. Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester). Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors age 62 and up and college students, $4 for youth ages 12 through 18, and is free for kids under age 12. Call 622-7531 or visit manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum.

• ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibition in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com.

• “COLORS OF AUTUMN” This September show for New Hampshire Art Association members runs through Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (139 State St. in Portsmouth; nhartassociation.org). An opening reception will be held Friday, Sept. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. The gallery is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m.

Fairs and markets

• CONCORD ARTS MARKET The juried outdoor artisan and fine art market runs one Saturday a month, June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Market dates are Sept. 17 and Oct. 15. Rollins Park, 33 Bow St., Concord. concordartsmarket.net. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.html.

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 for more information.

Workshops and classes

• STAINED GLASS The League of NH Craftsmen — Meredith Fine Craft Gallery (279 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) will host a beginner’s stained glass class with juried artist Susanna Ries on Sunday, Sept. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The class will have students cutting, copper foiling, soldering, and framing a stained glass panel in one day. Basic stained glass construction will be taught and students will go home with a finished piece ready to hang. Students should bring cork board, scissors, masking tape, an apron, latex gloves, safety glasses and covered shoes. Tuition is $55, with a $35 materials fee paid to the instructor on the day of class. Pre-registration is required by Sept. 4. To register, visit meredith.nh.crafts.org or call 279-7920.

• SOLDERING The League of NH Craftsmen is holding a soldering class at its Meredith studio (279 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) with Joy Raskin on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuition is $110 per student, with an additional materials fee of $10 to the instructor at the time of the class. Registration is required by Sept. 3. To register, call 279-7920 or visit meredith.nhcrafts.org

• ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.

• 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 or email arthousejb@gmail.comfor more information.

THEATRE

Classes/workshops

• STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS Monthly workshop series hosted by True Tales Live storytelling showcase. First Tuesday (except November), from 7 to 8:30 p.m., virtual, via Zoom. Registration is required. Visit truetaleslivenh.org for more information.

Shows

• DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID, the season-opening musical at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588), will run Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 2. The shows run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a show also on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 to $46.

• TITANIC THE MUSICAL Presented by the Manchester Community Theatre Players. Manchester Community Theatre Players Theatre, located at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester; manchestercommunitytheatre.com, 327-6777). Showtimes on Fri., Oct. 14 and Oct. 21, and Sat., Oct. 15 and Oct. 22.

• TRUE TALES LIVE Portsmouth-based storytelling showcase. Monthly, last Tuesday (no shows in July and August), from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Shows will be held in person (Portsmouth Public Media TV Studio, 280 Marcy St., Portsmouth) starting in April, and returning to the Zoom format for the winter, starting in November. Each month’s showcase is centered around a different theme. The series is free and open to all who want to watch or participate as a storyteller. Pre-registration for attendees is required for Zoom shows but not required for in-person shows. Visit truetaleslivenh.org and email info@truetaleslive.org if you’re interested in being a storyteller.

Classical

Events

• ORCHESTRAL SHOWCASE “NATURE & MYTH” at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sun., Oct. 16, at 2 p.m., and Sat., Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring sounds from Beethoven, Walker, Grieg and Sibelius. Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

• HOLIDAY POPS at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sat., Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. Featuring Christmas carol sing-alongs and classical and popular holiday favorites, as well as an appearance from a special visitor from the North Pole. Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

• WINTER SERENITIES at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sat., Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., Feb. 19, at 2 p.m. Featuring Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (by Vaughn-Williams). Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

• DRAWN TO THE MUSIC: MUSICAL TALES at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sat., April 15, and Sun., April 16, at 2 p.m. Featuring Stravinsky’s Petrushka, the music for a ballet about puppets that come to life. Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

• SPRING POPS: HOLLYWOOD IN AFRICA at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sat., May 20, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., May 21, at 2 p.m. Featuring Grammy Award-nominated African musician Mamadou Diabate on the balafon, a xylophone-like instrument. Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

Open calls

• THE RHYTHM OF NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOW CHORUS Women’s a cappella chorus is looking for female singers in the region to join. The group, an affiliate of the North American singing organization Harmony, Inc., performs a wide variety of music, including Broadway musical songs, patriotic songs, pop, jazz and seasonal pieces, for community and veterans’ events and private functions. Rehearsals are held weekly on Thursdays from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 W. Broadway, Derry. Masks are required for singing, but both vaccinated and unvaccinated singers are welcome. Visit rnhchorus.org or email info@rnhchorus.org for more information.

Picture purrfect

Artists bring new works to Cat Alley

By Hannah Turtle

hturtle@hippopress.com

Located in the heart of downtown Manchester, Cat Alley has long been one of the city’s quirkier spots. Named by cotton mill workers in the early 1900s for its high population of dueling street cat mobs, it has since been host to all manner of cat-themed art and fun.

“It’s one of the first items in Manchester in and on Atlas Obscura,” said Liz Hitchcock, the Principal of Orbit Group, which now owns the real estate. “It became this really iconic place in Manchester, but after a number of years it started to chip and get graffitied. It was starting to look a little dull.”

Ten years ago, the previous owners of the space invited local artists to paint feline-themed murals to brighten up the space. However, over the course of time, those murals have begun to crack, fade and fall victim to vandalism.

“Quite frankly, it made my heart sad because it was this place we had so much reverence for, and it had fallen into disrepair,” Hitchcock said.

So this year Orbit Group decided to do something to revive the space, with the help of a Community Event and Activation Grant funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.

“We decided, when the arts grant became available, to do something big and make the place better,” Hitchcock said. “We had already been doing smaller things, we did the cat arch, and the cat bike racks, and the cat crosswalk, but we really wanted to go big. We started by asking artists to submit ideas, and from there we have our finalists.”

Starting on Aug. 22, a team of 18 artists began work creating new murals and preserving and refurbishing some of the old ones. Their work will culminate in a ribbon cutting event on Sept. 12 at Bookery Manchester. There, the murals will be revealed, the artists will chat with viewers, and T-shirts will be for sale with the artists’ original work.

“There’s this great thing about having artists downtown that just resonates with me,” Hitchcock said. “When you have artists downtown doing their art, it’s a way for our community to show that we care deeply about the arts.”

As for Cat Alley’s future, Hitchcock hopes it will remain a vibrant and joyful part of the community, a part that for years to come will continue to be exactly what it has been for the past years: “just a fun area for people to come and hang out.”

Cat Alley revival
Where: 848 Elm St., Manchester
More info: Go to orbitgroup.com/cat-alley-revival for a look at the progress.

Ribbon-cutting event
Where: Bookery, 844 Elm St., Manchester
When: Monday, Sept. 12, 5 to 7 p.m.
Tickets: Free to attend for the public

Cat Alley Artists
Find links to these artists’ work on the Orbit website.

Merk Aveli
Mariana Beer
Aaron Cooper
Aimee Cozza
Mike Durkee
Emily Drouin
Max Gagnon
Melissa Griffin
David Hady
Liz LaManche
Gianna Masella
Taylor McClure
Arielle Peterson
Annabelle Meszynski
Lindsay Middleton
Kori “Quest 9” Thomas
Saddie Tupper
Brooke Van Gurp

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 22/09/01

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

• New season of performances and speakers: The Walker Lecture Series, which presents free speakers and performances at the Concord City Auditorium (Prince Street in Concord) kicks off its 2022 fall season on Wednesday, Sept. 21, with a documentary about the theater company The Community Players of Concord. The Players: The 95-Year History of the Community Players of Concord will screen followed by a talkback with Players and the filmmakers, according to a press release. That presentation, like all Walker Lecture Series events, starts at 7:30 p.m. Future shows include Gary Brandt and Jackie Davidson on Wednesday, Sept. 28, with “Singing the Good Old Songs Again”; the Jersey Tenors presenting a rock/opera mash-up on Wednesday, Oct. 5; “Dance with Words” featuring language author Richard Lederer and folk-singing humorist Bill Shipper on Wednesday, Oct. 19; filmmaker Marlin Darrah with “Turkey, Cradle of Civilization” on Wednesday, Oct. 26; Jane Oneail with “Frenemies: The Art World’s Greatest Rivalries” on Wednesday, Nov. 2; the Granite State (Bell) Ringers on Wednesday, Nov. 30, with “A Nutcracker Christmas,” and Handel’s Messiah, which will be presented at St. Paul’s Church (22 Centre St. in Concord) on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. See walkerlecture.org for details.

• Monday at the museum: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will be open Monday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — though normally closed Mondays, the museum is open on some holiday Mondays. Admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17; children under 13 get in for free. Or stroll the galleries for free on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of Art After Work (the weekly series offering free admission, live music and exhibit tours). Joel Cage is scheduled to play Thursday, Sept. 1, and the scheduled tours are “Currier New Connections” on the second floor at 5:30 p.m. and the Arghavan Khosravi exhibit at 6:30 p.m., according to the website.

Welcome “Still: The Art of Still Life”
Twiggs Gallery will go from Wool to Still this September. The exhibit “Wool: Contemporary Fiber Art Exhibition” will be open at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. in Boscawen; twiggsgallery.wordpress.com, 975-0015) through Friday, Sept. 2. (The gallery is open Thursdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.) Catch the exhibit before it ends and read Hippo’s story about the show on page 14 of the June 9 issue (go to hippopress.com to find the e-edition).

On Saturday, Sept. 10, the new exhibit “Still: The Art of Still Life,” a contemporary art exhibit that will feature seven New England artists working in a variety of media, will open with an artist reception from 1 to 3 p.m., according to a press release. That exhibit will feature the artists Caleb Brown, Shela Cunningham, Bess French, Marcia Wood Mertinooke, Barbara Morse, Shawne Randlett and Marlene Zychowski and will run through Saturday, Oct. 29.

• Sing! The Souhegan Valley Chorus is inviting interested singers to join them as they open their fall season Tuesday, Sept. 13, according to a press release. The chorus is an auditioned community chorus whose members range in age from high schoolers to seniors and have a wide range of abilities, the release said. The chorus performs a variety of music, from classical to modern, and holds two concerts a year, the first of which is in December. The chorus rehearsals are held on Tuesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 10 Union St. in Milford, from September through December. The first two rehearsals of the fall season are open for new members and registration starts at 6:30 p.m., the release said. See souheganvalleychorus.org.

• Majestic-opoly: Support the Majestic Theatre at Majestic-opoly, the theater’s 17th annual auction and performance fundraiser, scheduled for Friday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m. The evenings will feature silent auctions, raffles and refreshments as well as performances from the Majestic’s adult, teen and youth actors, according to the website. The events will take place at the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7469). Tickets cost $20 per person and are available for purchase via Majestic’s website.

• September shows: The Seacoast Artist Association (130 Water St. in Exeter; seacoastartist.org, 778-8856) will hold a reception for its new shows on Friday, Sept. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. The association’s new “Body of Work” exhibits, which focus on the works of a specific artist, are the photo exhibits “Close to Home” from photographer Dennis Skillman of East Kingston and “The Seasons of Light and Color” from photographer Dave Saums. These exhibits will be on display through Sunday, Oct. 2. Also on display through the end of the month is the show “Autumn Splendor,” a theme show featuring multiple artists. The gallery is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

• Art about Ukraine: New Hampshire Art Association artist Barbra Mata will present an exhibit of paintings titled “Russia’s Illegal Invasion of Ukraine” at The Art Center (1 Washington St., Suite 1177, in Dover; theartcenterdover.com, 978-6702) in September and October. Mata is a mixed media abstract painter living in Newmarket, and her work reflects the brutality of war, according to a press release. An artist reception will be held Saturday, Oct. 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. The Art Center is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ART

Exhibits

Fairs and markets

Tours

Workshops and classes

THEATRE

Classes/workshops

Shows

• LES MISERABLES presented by the Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St., Portsmouth; seacoastrep.org, 433-4472) teen company from Aug. 25 through Sept. 4, with showtimes on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for students and $30 for adults.

Classical

Events

Open calls

Quilts with a story

Gee’s Bend exhibit brings visionary art

By Hannah Turtle

hturtle@hippopress.com

The newest exhibition on display at Manchester’s Currier Museum of Art is steeped in a rich history. “Gee’s Bend Quilts,” with five quilts on display,illuminates a distinctive style of art developed by Black women in Gee’s Bend, a small community south of Selma, Alabama. The quilts were acquired with the help of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation.

“Our collection ranges in time period from more historic quilts to contemporary quilts,” said Kurt Sundstrom, senior curator at the Currier. “To put the quilts in context, we included works from our permanent collection, including quilts from New England in the 19th century, and a contemporary quilt by Faith Ringgold.”

Gee’s Bend, an isolated rural community, gets its name from landowner Joseph Gee, who established a cotton plantation there in 1816 where 17 enslaved people lived and worked. After emancipation, many remained in the area as sharecroppers, according to information online from Souls Grown Deep, the foundation that helped organize the Currier exhibit. In the 1930s the family of a merchant who had given community members credit came to collect, taking tools, food, animals and seed. The land was then sold to the federal government, which employed a new project, called Gee’s Bend Inc., which sold tracts of land back to the inhabitants. This allowed the Native American and African American communities to have control over the land, which was, at the time, incredibly rare.

“Put in context, it becomes evident that the Gee’s Bend quilts are of incredible quality and aesthetic importance,” Sundstrom said. “As far as design and skill level, they were far more developed than any other quilters at the time. They’re among the greatest quilt makers in America.”

The tradition of Gee’s Bend quilts began in the 19th century as a way for Gee’s Bend women to keep themselves and their families warm in subpar living conditions, and over time developed a distinct and wholly original style, likely influenced by both Native American and African textiles, according to Souls Grown Deep’s website. The tradition remains alive and well, and in 2003, 50 quilt members founded the Gee’s Bend Collective, owned and operated by the women of Gee’s Bend.

In 2015, three Gee’s Bend quiltmakers were the recipients of the National Heritage Fellowship, awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts.

On the Currier’s exhibit, Sundstrom was equally effusive.

“Part of our mission as a museum is to represent the great art production centers of the world. A lot of museums have not paid attention to the work that minority groups have done, and we want to make sure that we don’t fall into that trap,” Sundstrom said. “It is without hyperbole that we can say these women are some of the most visionary artists of the 20th century.”

Gee’s Bend Quilts
Where: Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester
When: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., running until 8 p.m. on Thursdays
Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for students, $13 for seniors, $5 for ages 13 to 17, and free for kids under 13
More info: call 669-6144 or visit currier.org

Featured photo: “Housetop” variation, 2004 denim and twill, 81 x 74 in. by Louisiana Bendolph (b. 1960)

The Art Roundup 22/08/25

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

• Wooden Nickels benefit concert: Wooden Nickels will perform on Saturday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. as a benefit for The Village Players Theatre (51 Glendon St., Wolfeboro), which suffered a fire during the pandemic. The Village Players is a nonprofit community theater that welcomes onstage and non-stage members of all ages. Wooden Nickels, a classic rock band, will play for one night only to help raise funds for the theater. Tickets are $25 and are available at village-players.com or at the door.

• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat auditions: Auditions for The Village Players Theatre’s (51 Glendon St., Wolfeboro) production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will take place on Sunday, Aug. 28, at noon for children in grades 4 and up, and at 1:30 p.m. for adults; as well as Monday, Aug. 29, at 5:30 p.m. for children in grades 4 and up and at 7 p.m. for adults. Auditioners are asked to prepare a song and learn a dance. Complete directions and registration details can be found online at village-players.com/joseph-dreamcoat. Rehearsals for the show begin Sept. 11 and continue on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Performances will be held Friday, Nov. 4, through Sunday, Nov. 6, and Friday, Nov. 11, through Sunday, Nov. 13. Not all cast members will be called for every rehearsal. Contact show director Kathleen Hill at teacheractress@gmail.com for more details.

Shrek the Musical
Tickets are on sale now for the Riverbend Youth Co.’s production of Shrek the Musical, happening at The Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford) on Friday, Aug. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 27, at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 28, at 2:30 p.m. Admission to all shows is $15 for adults and $10 for children and seniors. Purchase tickets at amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company.

• Stockbridge season: The Stockbridge Theatre (44 N. Main St., Derry) has announced its 20th anniversary season, which features a wide array of shows in a variety of popular genres, including stand-up comedy, pop music, jazz, dance, circus and more. Tickets to each event are available now. The season includes a performance from David Dorfman Dance, Julian Fleisher’s 1975, Rockapella, and the Peking Acrobats. Visit stockbridgetheatre.com.

• Stained glass class: The League of NH Craftsmen — Meredith Fine Craft Gallery (279 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) will host a beginner’s stained glass class with juried artist Susanna Ries on Sunday, Sept. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The class will have students cutting, copper foiling, soldering, and framing a stained glass panel in one day. Basic stained glass construction will be taught and you will go home with a finished piece that is ready to hang. Students should bring cork board, scissors, masking tape, an apron, latex gloves, safety glasses and covered shoes. Tuition is $55, with a $35 materials fee paid to the instructor on the day of class. Pre-registration is required by Sept. 4. To register, visit meredith.nh.crafts.org or call 279-7920.

• Learn soldering: In addition to the stained glass class, the League of NH Craftsmen is also holding a soldering class at its Meredith studio with Joy Raskin on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This class will cover the basics of how to set up your work area including a place to solder, a review of the safety issues, all the soldering basics from butt joints to stick soldering, and hands-on soldering. This class is great for those who have been taking jewelry classes but want to improve. Tuition is $110 per student, with an additional materials fee of $10 to the instructor at the time of the class. Registration is required by Sept. 3. To register, call 279-7920 or visit meredith.nhcrafts.org.

The End of All Flesh
The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) hosts a concert reading of Tony Award- winning playwright Greg Kotis’s new musical The End of All Flesh in Portsmouth from Thursday, Aug. 25, through Saturday, Aug. 27. A tale of a post-apocalyptic American family in the distant future, The End of All Flesh is a dark comedy that tackles issues of climate change, gender norms, generational gaps and more. Performances take place at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is $20. Kotis is also hosting a writing workshop on Saturday, Aug. 27, at 11 a.m., which will explore the fundamentals of writing an original musical. Admission to the workshop is $30, with limited attendance available. Visit playersring.org.

• SPIN: Beginning Aug. 31, Karen Christians and the Loading Dock Gallery will host “SPIN,” an installation of 350 circular spin casting molds. The installation aims to reimagine how we view artworks in context, with each casting a work of art itself that comes together to create a complex and intricate scene. “SPIN” runs from Aug. 31 through Sept. 25 at Loading Dock Gallery (122 Western Ave., Lowell, Mass.). It will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays, from noon to 5:30 p.m., and Sundays, from noon to 4 p.m. The gallery will also host a reception for the installation on Saturday, Sept. 3, from 3 to 5 p.m. Visit theloadingdockgallery.com.

ART

Exhibits

• JESSICA KELLY Local artist working in photography whose work will be featured at the New Hampshire Boat Museum (399 Center St., Wolfeboro, 569-4554, nhbm.org) in the museum’s gallery in August. The art depicts coastal scenes and other natural beauties. Kelly’s work is available for viewing with paid admission to the museum. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults, $7 for students and seniors, and free for children under 13, members, and active military personnel.

• “STANDING TOGETHER” The Seacoast LGBT History Project holds its sixth annual show, titled “Standing Together,” at RiverStones Custom Framing and The Franklin Gallery (33 N. Main St. in Rochester; riverstonescustomframing.com) through Wednesday, Aug. 31. The Gallery is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit the Seacoast NH LGBT Facebook page, email seacoastnhlgbthistory@gmail.com or call RiverStones at 812-1488.

• “GEE’S BEND QUILTS” Exhibit, on display at the Currier Museum of Art (50 Ash St. in Manchester; 669-6144, currier.org), features five quilts from Gee’s Bend in Alabama, where several generations of women collectively developed a distinctive style of quilt making, according to the website. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday.

• “MEMOIRS OF A GHOST GIRLHOOD: A BLACK GIRL’S WINDOW” In the exhibit on display at the Currier Museum of Art (50 Ash St. in Manchester; 669-6144, currier.org), “artist Alexandria Smith has created an immersive multi-media environment using wallpaper, paintings on wood, found objects and sculpture. It will be accompanied by an original site-specific composition //windowed// by Liz Gre,” according to the website. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday.

• “WOOL: CONTEMPORARY FIBER ART EXHIBITION Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) through Sept. 2. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

Fairs and markets

• CONCORD ARTS MARKET The juried outdoor artisan and fine art market runs one Saturday a month, June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Market dates are Aug. 20, Sept. 17 and Oct. 15. Rollins Park, 33 Bow St., Concord. concordartsmarket.net. The first market will be held on Saturday, June 11. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.html.

Tours

Workshops and classes

• GENERAL ART CLASSES Weekly art classes offered for both kids and adults of all skill levels and cover a variety of two-dimensional media, including drawing and painting with pastel, acrylic, watercolor and oils. Classes are held with small groups of three to eight to five students. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Kids classes, open to ages 10 and up, are held on Thursdays and Fridays, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Adult classes are held on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuition is pay-as-you-go at $20 per student per class, due upon arrival. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.

THEATRE

Classes/workshops

Shows

• THE GREAT ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC SHAKESPEARE COMPANY presented by Granite Playwrights at the Hatbox Theatre (inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) through Aug. 28, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members and $16 for senior members.

• DISNEY’S FROZEN KIDS presented by the 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Seriesat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) through Thursday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

• CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ’90s MUSICAL presented by the Actorsingers at the Janice B. Streeter Theatre (14 Court St., Nashua; actorsingers.org) Friday, Aug. 26, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 27, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 28, 2 p.m. TIckets cost $20 for adults, $18 for 62+ (plus fees).

• SHREK THE MUSICAL presented by the Riverbend Youth Company at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford; svbgc.org/amato-center) from Friday, Aug. 26, through Sunday, Aug. 28.

Classical

Events

Open calls

The hunt is on

Studio 550’s monster hunt returns

By Hannah Turtle

hturtle@hippopress.com

For its 10th year, Manchester’s Studio 550 Art Center is hiding 100 clay monsters throughout the heart of downtown during its annual Monster Hunt. Kicking off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, the hunt features a whole host of perks and prizes in store for anyone who can find a monster.

The monster hunt is an event that values the unexpected, getting its start with little fanfare.

“The first year we did it, it was just for fun. We didn’t tell anyone we were doing it — we just hid monsters downtown,” Studio 550 founder Monica Leap said. “People started asking what was going on, and then started asking when the next time we were doing it was, and that’s how it began.”

Ten years later, the event at its core is very much the same. Today, Studio 550 has expanded the monsters’ reach and has incorporated a slew of extra events in partnership with local businesses. This year there will be a special kids’ hunt right before the real one, happening at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown at 9:45 a.m. Studio 550 will also host various monster-related events throughout the day on its campus, including a bookmobile with the Manchester City Library.

As for the business partners, there’s no shortage of monster fun. Bookery Manchester, for instance, will hold a monster book reading and monster booklist; Shadow and Soul is selling monster-themed vinyl stickers and enamel pins; and Beeze Tees will offer special monster games and monster merchandise. Even some Queen City eateries are joining in on the festivities — Cafe la Reine will serve a special monster-themed beverage, while Dancing Lion Chocolate makes “monster food” chocolate medallions. Other specialty themed treats will include a monster sundae from Granite State Candy Shoppe, a monster cupcake from Queen City Cupcakes, and a monster-themed doughnut and latte from Wild Orchid Bakery.

It’s all part of a larger goal to integrate the local community in the monster fun. The biggest part of this push comes in the form of monster murals, bringing together local businesses and the Manchester Citywide Arts Festival.

“We’re hiding 10 monster murals in local businesses downtown, all painted by local artists,” Leap said. “People can get a monster map and go to the businesses to find the murals, and if you find them all you’re entered into a raffle.”

After a decade of success holding the event, Leap has a simple answer to why the community loves the monsters.

“Well, they’re funny,” she said. “It takes hours and hours to make a hundred of these clay monsters. They’re all different, and they each have their own personality.”

But more than that, it’s also about adding some whimsy to Manchester.

“It’s fun to go to an ordinary place and find something so unexpected. It’s really imaginative,” Leap said. “We want people to have the chance to look at their everyday surroundings and be surprised, [and] that’s kind of beautiful.”

10th annual Monster Hunt
When: Saturday, Aug. 27; hunt begins at 10 a.m., with ongoing festivities at participating businesses throughout the day
Where: Multiple locations in downtown Manchester
Visit: 550arts.com

Featured photo: Painting by Zoe Brooke. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 22/08/18

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

• A week of art in Boscawen: Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) is celebrating Boscawen’s Old Home Week with several free events highlighting local history, music, art and poetry, from Saturday, Aug. 20, through Sunday, Aug. 28, including a free chamber music concert, a fiber art show, barn stories and more. Twiggs is celebrating sheep farming roots with “BAA-scawen’s Flashy Flock,” a community art project featuring 30 sheep shapes cut out of wood. Boscawen residents used the cut-outs as a blank canvas to exercise their creativity and, on Saturday, Aug. 20, all of the painted sheep will be revealed in front of Boscawen homes and businesses as part of the “Flashy Flock Mob” of artsy sheep. Festivities will continue with “The History of Agriculture as Told by Barns,” a presentation by John Porter on Tuesday, Aug. 23; a free concert with the Kaia String Quartet on Wednesday, Aug. 24; a fiber art demonstration on Saturday, Aug. 27; and a poetry reading on Sunday, Aug. 28. See twiggsgallery.wordpress.com for the full schedule.

• The shows will go on: An increased number of Covid cases among staff members of the New London Barn Playhouse (84 Main St.) has forced the postponement of the production’s opening of Footloose, according to a statement from the theater. “We are hopeful to have a safe and successful opening day on August 17,” reads an Aug. 9 statement posted to the venue’s website and Facebook page. An Aug. 15 post announced the reopening of the box office on Tuesday, Aug. 16, at 11 a.m. Children’s Theater Series performances of Matilda are set for Saturday, Aug. 20, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 11 a.m., while performances of Almost, Maine have been delayed to open on Aug. 26. Visit nlbarn.org or call the box office at 625-6710.

Frederick Moyer piano recital
Local pianist Frederick Moyer is hosting a recital on Thursday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church (461 Main St., New London). The program, titled “Classical Jazz,” will feature solo piano works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff and Gershwin. The second half will feature jazz works by Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea and Bill Evans, with Bob Savine on drums and Evan Palmer on bass. This concert is part of a series called “Notes and Footnotes,” in which Moyer mixes commentary with music. Tickets are $25 each and available online at summermusicassociates.org.

• Canterbury Shaker Village hosts artists: This summer and fall, Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road) welcomes artist Hilary Irons as part of its Artist-in-Residency program. The program brings together contemporary artists to live at the Village while they produce works inspired by the landscape and culture of the Shakers. Irons is scheduled to be in residence from Aug. 15 through Aug. 25 to work on her paintings. Other artists-in-residence include Maria Molteni, Anna Hepler, David Whelan, Kreh Mellick and Andrew Hayes, and Anastatia Spicer. Visit shakers.org.

• Off-Broadway offers free student tickets: The Village Players are now offering free admission to high school and college students for ReEntry: Actors Playing Jazz, directed by Wolfeboro summer native and Academy Award-winner Estelle Parsons. It’s coming to Wolfeboro for two nights, on Wednesday, Aug. 17, and Thursday, Aug. 18, at 7:30 p.m. at The Village Players theater (51 Glendon St., Wolfeboro), a nonprofit community theater that welcomes onstage and non-stage members of all ages. ReEntry: Actors Playing Jazz is the story of six formerly incarcerated men who have come together after release from prison to start a theater group with a goal to keep them on the right side of the law. The performance is a benefit for The Village Players. Tickets for adults and non-students, $25, will be on sale at village-players.com.

• World War II presentation: Join the Wright Museum of World War II (77 Center St., Wolfeboro) for “When You Ride Alone, You Ride With Hitler,” a lecture by Prof. Marion Dorsey on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m. on World War II rationing programs. According to a press release, the Wright Museum features more than 14,000 items in its collection that are representative of both the homefront and battlefield during World War II. Admission to the lecture is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Visit wrightmuseum.org/lecture-series or call 569-1212.

• Book talk with Ken Gloss: On Thursday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m., Ken Gloss, proprietor of the Brattle Book Shop in Boston, will discuss the value of old and rare books during an event at Gilford Community Church (19 Potter Hill Road). Gloss, a rare book specialist who often appears on television, will discuss the history of his bookshop and his life in the book business, and will answer questions and provide free verbal appraisals of books. Registration is not required. Visit gilfordcommunitychurch.org.

• Bachelors of Broadway: The Colonial Theatre (609 Main St., Laconia) hosts Bachelors of Broadway: Gentlemen of the Theatreon Sunday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. The three-man show features arrangements of songs from many popular musicals including Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables and more, all performed by talented Broadway performers. Tickets are free and will be available starting Friday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m., via coloniallaconia.com. You can also call 1-800-657-8774.

Migraciones
The Pontine Theatre in Portsmouth begins its season next week with a production of Migracionesby Paradox Teatro, from Friday, Aug. 26, through Sunday, Aug. 28. Showtimes are at the 1845 Plains Schoolhouse (1 Plains Ave., Portsmouth) at 7 p.m. on Friday; at 3 p.m. on Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Following the Sunday performance will be a workshop with company members. Written by Sofia Padilla and Davey Steinman, Migraciones is a “meditation on the global migration situation,” according to a press release. Tickets are $29 and are available for purchase at pontine.org.

• Photo finish: The Art Center (1 Washington St., Dover) presents “Images of the Past…The Thom Hindle Collection” from Sept. 3 through Sept. 30, along with an An Evening with Thom Hindle, an in-person book signing on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 6 to 9 p.m., celebrating Hindle’s newest release, Dover, New Hampshire Through Time Volume Two. The collection, according to a press release, is “an insightful, historically significant exhibition dedicated to the rich history of Dover, New Hampshire, and surrounding areas.” Hindle himself has taught classes at UNH and is a past president of Dover’s historical society. He’s perhaps best known as a local photographer, the release said, with a longtime photography business on Atkinson Street in the Garrison City. The exhibit features photographs Hindle reproduced from original glass negatives representing the works of never-before-exhibited local and Boston-area photographers. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit theartcenterdover.com or call 978-6702.

• ’Tis (almost) the season: Tickets are on sale now for the Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra’s production of “Christmas with the Crooners,” happening at The Colonial Theatre (609 Main St. in Laconia) on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m. The show features a mix of traditional carols and modern holiday tunes by crooners Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Andy Williams and more. Tickets range from $22 to $32 for adults and from $12 to $22 for students. Visit coloniallaconia.com or call 1-800-657-8774 to purchase tickets.

ART

Exhibits

• JESSICA KELLY, a local artist, whose work will be featured at the New Hampshire Boat Museum (399 Center St., Wolfeboro, 569-4554, nhbm.org) in the museum’s gallery in August. Working in photography, the art depicts coastal scenes and other natural beauties. Kelly’s work is available for viewing with paid admission to the museum. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults, $7 for students and seniors, and free for children under 13, members, and active military personnel.

• STANDING TOGETHER The Seacoast LGBT History Project holds its sixth annual show, titled “Standing Together,” at RiverStones Custom Framing and The Franklin Gallery (33 N. Main St. in Rochester; riverstonescustomframing.com) through Wednesday, Aug. 31. The Gallery is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit the Seacoast NH LGBT Facebook page, email seacoastnhlgbthistory@gmail.com or call RiverStones at 812-1488.

• “GEE’S BEND QUILTS” The exhibit, on display at the Currier Museum of Art (50 Ash St. in Manchester; 669-6144, currier.org), features five quilts from Gee’s Bend in Alabama where several generations of women collectively developed a distinctive style of quilt making, according to the website. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday.

• “MEMOIRS OF A GHOST GIRLHOOD: A BLACK GIRL’S WINDOW” In the exhibit on display at the Currier Museum of Art (50 Ash St. in Manchester; 669-6144, currier.org), “artist Alexandria Smith has created an immersive multi-media environment using wallpaper, paintings on wood, found objects and sculpture. It will be accompanied by an original site-specific composition //windowed// by Liz Gre,” according to the website. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday.

Fairs and markets

Tours

Workshops and classes

THEATRE

Classes/workshops

Shows

• NUNSENSE, the musical that has been updated with new jokes, will be presented by the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7649) on Friday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 21, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 to $20.

• SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS presented by the 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Seriesat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Thursday, Aug. 18, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

• LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL JR.presented by Palace Youth Theatre summer camp at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Friday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 20, at 11 a.m., and Friday, Aug. 26, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for kids.

• THE GREAT ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC SHAKESPEARE COMPANY presented by Granite Playwrights at the Hatbox Theatre (inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) from Aug. 19 through Aug. 28, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members and $16 for senior members.

• DISNEY’S FROZEN KIDS presented by the 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Seriesat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Tuesday, Aug. 23, through Thursday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

Classical

Events

Category: Art & Theater

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