Category: Art & Theater

Not all hearts and flowers

Mosaic Art Collective takes on Valentine’s Day

In its latest month-long themed exhibition, Mosaic Art Collective in Manchester turns to matters of the heart; fitting, given Valentine’s Day falls in the middle of February. However, the pieces submitted thus far — photos, sculptures, paintings and prints — cover the spectrum of emotions, and the depth of feelings.

“It’s not just lovey-dovey,” Mosaic’s founder and president Liz Pieroni said by phone recently. “I would say the ones that are depicting heartache are more definitely gripping.” One example of this is “Release,” a jarring graphite-on-paper drawing by Jaida Mei that depicts a woman facing a powerful wind that’s literally tearing her up.

“This is a new artist to us, so I haven’t met them,” Pieroni said, calling Mei’s work “really, really powerful and almost a little bit scary, almost surreal.”

More playful is “The Love Letter,” from New Hampshire Institute of Art graduate Andrew Freshour. The ink and watercolor print is reminiscent of a Tomie dePaola illustration. It shows a royal coach carried by two dogs in powder wigs. “It’s about self-love, self-indulgence … living your most authentic life,” Pieroni opined, calling its style “like a fairy tale but also very over the top … kind of like the Muppets meet real life.”

Yes, there are flowers as well, Pieroni continued.

“We also have some beautiful botanical paintings that are probably more palatable to some people, they’re just really beautiful,” she said. “Red Between the Lines,” from Manchester painter Susanne Larkham, is a zoomed-in pastel of a rose in many shades of red. Jonathan Pereira’s “Love in the Form of Time and Growth,” on the other hand, is multicolored and brimming with childlike innocence.

More submissions are expected for the open call event, Pieroni continued.

“We don’t really know what we’re going to get until the night before we select pieces,” she said, adding that invitational shows like the one in March with Manchester high school students to celebrate Youth Art Month are more predictable.

A Hooksett native and an artist herself, Pieroni moved back home from Vermont in the wake of the pandemic. “I have three small kids, [and] after homeschooling and trying to figure out all that, we were really in need of a little bit more help … and we wanted to be closer to family,” she said.

Searching for a gallery and realizing that the closest ones were either on the Seacoast or in Boston, she opened Mosaic Art Collective in September 2022.

“I was searching for a place to show my work locally, but I also needed an art studio,” she said. “I felt like I couldn’t be the only one in that same boat; ultimately, I was correct.”

Recently Mosaic began offering live music, and Pieroni is planning more.

“We’re trying to open up the gallery as much as possible,” she said. “The music event was one way, but then we’re also offering art talks. The Struggle Bus improv group did a performance here, and we also have run some workshops. We’re trying to find different ways of bringing people in, for all sorts of reasons.”

Art is available for purchase at Mosaic; some pieces can be acquired for as little as $36.

“The majority of things that we hang on the wall are under $500 typically, so they’re pretty reasonably priced,” Pieroni said. “Ultimately, you’re supporting a local artist, so you get good-person points.”

She urged anyone with uncertainty about ownership to consider Mosaic.

“Our biggest challenge is trying to bring people in who maybe haven’t purchased art before or considered themselves as collectors,” she said. “Finding those people and making it relevant to them and, also, a little less scary than walking into a gallery.”

ALL Heart Statuses
Where: Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, Manchester
When: Through Wednesday, Feb. 28 (opening reception Saturday, Feb. 10, at noon

Featured photo: The Love Letter – Andrew Freshour Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 23/02/01

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

• Youth ensemble: Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St. in Manchester; mcmusicschool.org) will hold New Hampshire Youth Ensembles concerts on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. (featuring the Suzuki Violin Group, String Pep, Concert Orchestra, Boom wackers, Percussion Ensemble, Rock & Blues Orchestra and the NH Youth Jazz ensemble) and at 6 p.m. (featuring Queen City Voices, Queen City Concert Choir, Flute Choir, Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra), according to a press release. The event is free and open to the public.

• Exhibit closing: “Heart of a Museum: Saya Woolfalk” at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) ends its run Sunday, Feb. 4. Described as “a new experiential installation by artist Saya Woolfalk, the exhibition is a commission for the museum that investigates the history of the institution and revisits its iconography and original design,” according to the website, which says the exhibition uses the mosaics designed by Salvatore Lascari that were the entrance of the Currier as the starting point. The Currier is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for 65+, $15 for students, $5 for ages 13 to 17, and children 12 and under get in free.

• Sounds of Dune:The music of frequent movie composer Hans Zimmer (Dune, The Dark Knight, Gladiator) will be the focus at the Candlelight Concert on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 6 and 8:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $43 to $60.

• At Balin: Next weekend at Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Somerset Plaza, Nashua; balinbooks.com) author Deborah Roof will sign her book Words, Wonder and the Divine in You on Saturday, Feb. 10, from noon to 1 p.m.

• More playwrights, more stories: The next “Expanding the Canon” play reading circle from Theatre Kapow will take place Sunday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. featuring the work Blanche and Stella by A.A. Brenner. See tkapow.com and contact [email protected] for information on joining this Zoom event.

• The kids take ABBA to Greece: The Londonderry High School Drama Club will present Mamma Mia! Thursday, Feb. 15, through Saturday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. daily plus 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Derry Opera House (26 W. Broadway in Derry). Tickets to this show, which they rate as PG-13, cost $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students. See lancerdramaclub.org.

• Coming up from Community Players of Concord: The next main stage production from the Community Players of Concord is coming Friday, Feb. 16, through Sunday, Feb. 18. Witness for the Prosecution, a play by Agatha Christie, is described as “suspenseful thriller” about a man accused of murdering a rich widow, according to communityplayersofconcord.org. The show is at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday; tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for 17 and under and 65+.

• “Banjos, Bones and Ballads”: Folklorist and traditional music performer Jeff Warner will perform Thursday, Feb. 22, at 11 a.m. in studio A at the YMCA of Downtown Manchester (30 Mechanic St. in Manchester), for a show open to both members and non-members (non-members will need an ID), according to a Y Facebook post. He will present 19th-century music including music that would have been familiar to people of Adirondack Mountain lumber camps, Outer Banks fishing villages and New England whaling ports, according to the post. See jeffwarner.com for more on Warner and his music.

• Improv night: Queen City Improv will perform at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com) on Friday, Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and are on sale now.

The Players will also hold auditions for their early May main stage production, Pride and Prejudice, on Sunday, Feb. 25, from 4 to 6 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 26, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Players’ studio (435 Josiah Bartlett Road in Concord). See communityplayersofconcord.org/auditions for the requirements.

• Save the date for Dana: The March schedule has three events coming up at the Dana Center for the Humanities (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester; tickets.anselm.edu, 641-7700). On Friday, March 1, Ernest Thompson — the playwright and screenwriter who won an Oscar for On Golden Pond — will discuss his latest book, The Book of Maps, and tell stories from his 50-year career, according to the website. The event begins at 7:30 p.m; tickets cost $45. On Thursday, March 14, Delfeayo Marsalis, a jazz and blues trombonist and composer, will perform at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $35. On Saturday, March 16, celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with Irish folk band The Jeremiahs and the trio Kalos at 7:30 p.m.; tickets cost $45.

Wartime music
The Thursday, Feb. 1, “Bach’s Lunch” program at the Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St. in Concord; ccmusicschool.org) has had a program change; the Feb. 1 program will be “Echoes of Struggle and Triumph” featuring works by composers from World War I and World War II, according to a press release. Flutist Erin Dubois, clarinetist Stephanie Ratté and bassoonist Maria Isaak will present music from “Rosy Wertheim, a Dutch Jewish composer who lived and hid in Amsterdam during World War II; Walter Piston, an American composer born in Maine who became a Navy musician during World War I; Jacques Ibert, a French composer whose musical studies were interrupted during World War I and his music later banned during World War II; and Joachim Kötschau, a German composer and organist who was 26 when World War II began,” the release said. The event is free and open to the public.

The Art Roundup 23/01/25

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

• Classical by candlelight: Candlelight Concerts, thea presentation of classical and other musical genres in “a live, multi-sensory musical experience,” will perform Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and more on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 6 and 8:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $43 to $61. See candlelightexperience.com for more on the concerts.

• At the music school: The Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St. in Concord; ccmusicschool.org) will hold a Purple Finches Youth Chorus open sing on MOonday, Jan. 29, according to a newsletter. The event is free and open to the public. Fledglings (for kids in grades kindergarten through 2nd) meetsmeet at 4:10 p.m., Fliers (for grades 3 to 5) meetsmeet at 5 p.m. and Finches Select (for grades 6 through 8) meet at 6 p.m.

A Canterbury Singers open sing for adults meets on Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Find out more about the group and how to join at ccmusic.org/canterbury-singers.

The school’s spring semester of classes begins on Monday, Jan. 29. Go online to see the spring offerings or call 228-1196.

And Slide Guitar 101, a workshop for early intermediate to advanced guitar players interested in the blues, will be held Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 7 to 8 p.m. The cost is $25 and the class will provide slides, ; bring your own guitar. Register online.

In addition to the Bach’s Lunch lecture on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 12:10 p.m., Peggo and Paul (the wife and husband team of Peggo and Paul Hodes) will offer a concert on Thursday, Feb. 8, at 12:10 p.m. called “Bach’s Lunch: Share the Love Valentine’s Day Concert with Peggo, Paul and Friends.” The event is held in the Recital Hall and is free and open to the public, according to a newsletter.An Integrated Arts Recital will be held on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. featuring student musicians who will also display visual art they’ve created to go along with the recital, according to a newsletter. The event is free and open to the public.

Blossoming Beyond
“Blossoming Beyond: Celebrating Queerness in Nature,” an exhibition that “showcases work that embodies the resilience, strength and beauty of both the natural world and the LGBTQ+ community,” according to queerlective.com, is slated to open at the New Hampshire Audubon Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn) on Wednesday, Jan. 24, and run through Saturday, March 30. An opening reception will be held Saturday, Jan. 27, from 2 to 5 p.m.

• More Paul: You can also catch the former 2nd District U.S. Congressman Paul Hodes on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. at a fundraiser for Gather (a nonprofit providing healthy food to individuals experiencing food insecurity in Seacoast communities), at 3S Artspace (319 Vaughan St. in Portsmouth; 3sarts.org), according to a press release. Tickets are pay what you choose starting at $22. Hodes will play with The Blue Buddha Band, the release said.

• At the audi: The Concord Community Concert Association will present the Frisson Ensemble at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord; theaudi.org) on Sunday, Feb. 4, at 2 p.m. The concert will feature a trio of cello, piano and clarinet, according to the website. Tickets cost $20 at the door or $23 online at ccca-audi.org. See frissonensemble.com for a look and listen to Frisson performances.

Saya Woolfalk
There are two more weekends to catch “Heart of a Museum: Saya Woolfalk” at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144). Described as “a new experiential installation by artist Saya Woolfalk, the exhibition is a commission for the museum that investigates the history of the institution and revisits its iconography and original design,” according to the website, which says the exhibition uses the mosaics designed by Salvatore Lascari that were the entrance of the Currier as the starting point. The exhibition is on display through Sunday, Feb. 4. The Currier is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for 65+, $15 for students, $5 for ages 13 to 17, and children 12 and under get in free.

• Afternoon of dance: NSquared Dance Company will present A Continuation of Love, a dance fundraiser with a Valentine’s Day theme, on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). “This performance is full of vignettes and will treat the audience to the full breadth of the company’s high-caliber dance styles,” said Zackery Betty, Cco-Ffounder of NSquared Dance, in a press release. “It’s also a chance for people to learn more about what we do and the importance of dance within the community as an expressive art form for entertainment and community engagement.” The event will also feature catered food and a silent auction, the release said. Tickets cost $40. See nhdancecollaborative.org.

Footloose The Musical: Youth Edition
Can Ren bring dancing to Bomont? The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts (669-7469, majestictheatre.net) presents Footloose The Musical: Youth Edition Friday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Jan. 28, at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway in Derry). Shows are at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $13 for 65+ and $10 for youth ages 17 and under.

• February at SAA plus a call for art: “Photos as Canvas,” a show featuring the digital artwork of photographer Dean Scott of Exeter, will open at the Seacoast Artist Association (130 Water St. in Exeter; seacoastartist.org) on Wednesday, Jan. 31, and run through Sunday, Feb. 25, according to a press release. An artist reception will be held on Friday, Feb. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. as part of the Second Friday Artwalk and will feature SAA exhibiting artist Cheryl Sager and her husband, Neal Zweig, in a Valentine concert, the release said.

Artists are also welcome to submit artwork for the February Valentine e-themed show “Let Me Show You What I Love,” the release said. Drop-off is Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or at the aAssociation’s website, according to the press release. Attendees at the Second Friday event will vote for a people’s choice award, with the winner receiving a future free month’s entry, the release said. The March theme will be “Shadows and Light” with a drop -off on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The gallery is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Email [email protected] with questions.

Also at SAA, Cleo Huggins’ show of oil paintings “Sea Creatures” will open on Wednesday, Jan. 31, and run through Sunday, Feb. 25. according to a release. Huggins will also be at the artist reception, which will feature a raw bar provided by Huggins and her husband, according to the release.

• Author event: Matthew Delmont, author of the new book Half American: The Heroic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad, will discuss his book on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. at the Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org), according to a press release. The event will include author conversation, audience Q&A and a post-show meet and greet, the release said. Tickets cost $34 and include a signed book.

Bach’s Lunch
The Bach’s Lunch at Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St. in Concord; ccmusicschool.org) will feature a “Songwriting Lecture with Peggo and Paul” on Thursday, Feb 1, at 12:10 p.m. This husband-and-wife duo (together for 45 years) have collaborated on numerous compositions and recordings, according to a newsletter. Peggo is a classically trained vocalist and Paul plays by ear, the newsletter said. The lecture will include discussion of their composition process along with performances of examples, the newsletter said. Call 228-1196 or visit ccmusicschool.org/event/bachs-lunch-songwriting-2024.

A decade of rhythm

Dancing Queens salutes ABBA-and more

There are a few things to know before heading out to see the Palace Theatre’s latest musical extravaganza, Dancing Queens — The Ultimate ABBA & Disco Tribute, running through Feb 11. First, a bit of ’70s finery, like white bell bottoms or a mohair fedora, will definitely heighten the mood, and glitter’s not a wrong touch either. Second, patrons should come prepared to dance, with swaying arms held high, and a Palace-provided glow stick in hand.

Finally, as the title implies, the evening doesn’t just center on the Swedish pop sensation, though every important song is represented, along with a few nuggets like “Thank You for the Music.” The show is also about the musical craze that made ABBA’s ascension possible, from Donna Summer to two dance floor numbers still vying for the title of the genre’s all-time best, “Disco Inferno” and “I Will Survive.”

ABBA is a winning formula for the Palace, which staged Mamma Mia! in 2021 — for the second time. Dancing Queens differs from the Broadway musical. Conceived and directed by the venue’s Creative Director Carl Rajotte, it has no storyline, just joyous songs performed by co-lead singers Michelle Rajotte, Militia Vox and Sydney Phipps. There’s also a lot of dancing, by duos and well-choreographed ensembles.

Rajotte, the director’s younger sister, played Donna in both Palace Mamma Mia! productions, while the other two singers are newcomers to the Palace stage. Phipps last performed with the Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based American Music Theatre, while Vox’s credits include a duet with Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and tours with The Rocky Horror Show and Rock of Ages.

Vox shines in both the Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” segment and the three-song Diana Ross tribute.

“I really wanted Militia for the cast,” Director Rajotte said the Monday after Dancing Queens’ opening weekend. “I found her voice to be so different from the other two, and it definitely gives a different feel to the music with her metal background.”

A house band includes John Tengowski, Jay Walters, Mike Lecuyer, Will Tecia, and backup singers Asia DeShields and Cara Chumbley. They’re led by Musical Director GE Enrique on piano, who also sings lead on Rick James’ “Super Freak” and the Michael Jackson smash, “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough.”

Featured dancers include two American Music Theatre alums, Andy Kastrati, who recently served as Show Captain there, and Missy Clayton, who’s also performed in several Palace shows, as has Brad Weatherford, another Mamma Mia! cast member. Dancers Dylin McCarthy, Rachel Muhleisen, Rose Meyers and Savannah Enoch are Palace newcomers.

Wardrobe, designed by Jessica Moryl, is another show highlight; most cast members are changing outfits 25 times over the course of the evening. Moryl served as Rajotte’s assistant for many years before moving to Washington, D.C., where her husband leads a military band, “but she still flies out to design our costumes,” Rajotte said.

Although Dancing Queens is the Palace’s third bite of the ABBA apple, enthusiasm for the group hasn’t abated. If anything, social media has spread their music across generations. That’s what prompted Rajotte to revisit it, but this time with some additional musical context.

“ABBA’s music is really mainstream again,” he said. “I think it’s social media, TikTok and other platforms used by influencers. That’s why I wanted to do it.”

When the opening night show on Jan. 19 was peppered with dressed up 50- and 60-somethings, Rajotte wondered if three more weekend shows would be similar. They were.

“All ages came, and everyone was just as loud,” he said. “It’s a hit in that way and that was the goal, appeal to the crowd that grew up with it, and with new fans.”

Mindful that the bands’ fans are a pretty dedicated bunch, the show maintains a four-to-one ABBA-to-disco ratio.

“I’d love to do just a disco show, and that may yet happen — even those hits are becoming mainstream for this generation,” Rajotte said. “But people are coming to see ABBA, and the disco hits are a little extra. So it’s made for their music.”

Dancing Queens – The Ultimate ABBA & Disco Tribute
Where: Fridays, 7:30pm; Saturdays, 2 and 7:30pm, and Saturdays, 2pm, through Feb. 11
When: The Palace Theater, 80 Hanover St. Manchester
More info: $28 and up at the palacetheater.org

Featured photo: Previous New Hampshire Theatre Awards. Courtesy photos.

The Art Roundup 23/01/18

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

• OG Oscar winner: Here in the thick of the Oscar season for 2023 movies, check out one of the winners of the first Oscars. Emil Jannings, the first winner of a Best Actor Oscar, stars in the movie that got him the statue, The Last Command (1928), which will screen on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 2 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre (40 Main St. in Wilton), according to a press release. This silent film will screen with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. Admission is free with a suggested $10 donation.

• Exhibit layover: The “Flying Home for the Holidays” exhibit at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4820) will extend its run through Sunday, Feb. 4. The exhibit features World War II-era uniforms and large-format posters, according to a press release. The museum is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 1 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for ages 13+ and $5 for ages 6 to 12 and is free for kids 5 and under, 65+ and veterans and military.

The museum will also host Ken Perkins, a New Hampshire pilot who helped bring Charles Lindbergh to Hawaii in 1974 before his death, for a program called “Lindbergh’s Last Flight” on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m.

• Closing the book: Portsmouth Book & Bar (40 Pleasant St. in Portsmouth), a venue for food, drink, music, art and poetry as well as a book shop, has announced that it is closing its doors on Sunday, Jan. 28. See bookandbar.com for a schedule of events up until that final day, including Beat Night on Thursday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m.; a musical performance by Tourist Attraction on Friday, Jan. 19, at 8 p.m.; Taylor Marie Band with Andrew Kavanaugh on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 8 p.m.; The Lion Sisters with Jim Prendergast on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m.; singer-songwriter open mic night on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m., and Standup Night hosted by Jake Valeri on Friday, Jan. 26, at 8 p.m. A “Hello, Good-Bye: Send-off and Celebration Weekend” is planned for Saturday, Jan. 27, and Sunday, Jan. 28. Some events are ticketed; see the website.

Art & Bloom
The Concord Garden Club and local artists present “Art & Bloom,” the annual show featuring floral arrangements paired with works by local artists, on display Thursday, Jan. 25, through Saturday, Jan. 27, at Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St. in Concord). The show comes together with club members, local florists and others picking a piece from a Kimball Jenkins exhibit and then crafting arrangements inspired by that piece, according to concordgardenclubnh.com/art-and-bloom, where you can see a gallery of past arrangements with the works that inspired them. The show will be on display Thursday, Jan. 25, from 2 to 5 p.m., with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Call for art: The Meredith Sculpture Walk is accepting applications to take part in the lakefront Meredith Sculpture Walk exhibit, a juried event with installation slated for mid-May through mid-June, according to a press release. The application period is open through March 31, with notifications to go out by April 30. Applications are open to new and returning artists with new pieces for up to two sculptures per applicant, the release said. See greatermeredith.org.

• Support for teen artists: Mosaic Art Collective (66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester; mosaicartcollective.com, 512-6309) has started an open studio for students from Manchester’s public high schools, according to a press release. The students have studio time, work on creative exercises and work together with mentor artists and will have an exhibition to spotlight their work at the end of the semester, the release said. Spaces are still available; contact [email protected].

• Commedia dell’arte: The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St. in Portsmouth; playersring.org) will present an original commedia dell’arte, I See No Arlecchino, running Friday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Feb. 11. Showtimes will be Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:30 and 7:20 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. According to a press release: “Jessica Miller, a cast member …, described commedia as a ‘highly physical slapstick comedy with a cast of stock characters … lovers, the old miser, etc.’” “I like to think of it as a live-action cartoon with a very thin, if at all existent, fourth wall,” Miller said according to the release. “It’s pure, raucous comedy.” Admission costs $28, $25 for students and 65+.

• New show: Works by painter Sharyn Paul will be on display in the exhibit “We Are Water” through February at The Art Center (1 Washington St. in Dover; theartcenteronlinegallery.com). For a look at Paul’s work, see sharynpaul.com. She will attend the Meet the Artist event on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Recycled returns: If you missed Recycled Percussion during their Palace Theatre run over the holidays, you can catch up with them in early February at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com). The band will bring their blend of music, comedy and percussive theatricality to Nashua on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 3 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets cost $39.50 through $49.50.

• Like Maestro but live: The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony (as seen in the movie Maestro) with the Plymouth State University and Keene State College Choral groups at performances in February — on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 2 p.m. at the Plymouth State University Silver Center and two at the Seifert Performing Arts Center in Salem. The Salem performances will be Saturday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m. (with a livestreaming ticket option for the Sunday concert). For tickets (which cost $35 for adults, $30 for seniors and $10 for students to the Salem shows) see nhphil.org.

• 40 years of fun: The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) continues its “40 Years of Play” exhibit through Thursday, Feb. 29, in Gallery 6. The exhibition includes artwork, puppets and other items that look back at the museum’s 40 years, including photographs, according to a press release. The museum and gallery are open Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon; Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9 am. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon. You don’t have to pay admission to visit the gallery; to visit the museum as well, reserve a play slot online. Admission costs $12.50 for everyone over 12 months, $10.50 for 65+.

• Art, music, winter: Winterfest Lowell will take place Friday, Feb. 16, and Saturday, Feb. 17, in downtown Lowell, Mass., and feature ice carvings, fire sculptures, live music, magic, family activities, an art tent and a local vendors marketplace as well as food trucks, a chocolate festival on Saturday and a soup bowl competition (also Saturday). See lowellwinterfest.com.

Lights, camera, action

New Hampshire Theatre Awards return to the scene

Returning after a Covid-induced hiatus are the New Hampshire Theatre Awards on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord. Professional, community and youth theater productions from the 2023 season will be awarded and parts of some of the shows will be performed.

“[New Hampshire Theatre Alliance] runs an adjudication process,” said Irene Cohen, the president of the organization and co-producer of the award show. “A theater company … will submit their works to be adjudicated … and [the adjudicators] complete a ballot and the ballot is scored. … Then we have an awards night for outstanding performance, very similar to the Tonys. … There was a group who spent time during the pandemic, about a year and a half, working on an entirely new ballot, so we’re excited about that.”

Adjudicated productions include Guys and Dolls by Weathervane Theatre, Agatha Christie’s Murder On The Orient Express by M&D Playhouse, Steel Magnolias by Carriage Lane Players, Disney’s Newsies at Ovation Theatre Company and Mean Girls: High School Version, also produced by Ovation Theatre Company. Awards will be given for outstanding actors and actresses in musical and play productions, outstanding supporting actors and actresses, choreography, lighting, sound design, costume design and outstanding professional, community and youth productions, among others. New this year is an award for playwriting.

“The theater community in New Hampshire is very vibrant and prolific. … Almost every weekend of the year you can find some type of community, professional or youth theater production,” Cohen said. “One thing that we’re excited about is that we’ve made a change in the awards to a non-gendered award name starting in the 2024 adjudication season and that decision came about with some feedback from our community. … it’s been very very well-received.”

According to Cohen, this change will set the New Hampshire Theatre Alliance apart from other theater organizations.

After the ballots are run, the top 10 finalists will be announced. Then, during the event, the semifinalists will be revealed, followed by the winner.

“The process and the organization … is all run by volunteers,” Cohen. “We don’t have a paid executive director, we don’t have paid staff. The adjudicators are going all over the state to adjudicate these shows and we wind up with this event at the end of all that based entirely on the volunteered time of this community. … I’m just in awe of the power and strength of this community of artists in New Hampshire.

19th New Hampshire Theatre Awards
Where: Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord
When: Saturday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m.
More info: get tickets at ccanh.com

Featured photo: Previous New Hampshire Theatre Awards. Courtesy photos.

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