Category: Art & Theater

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

• It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas: The Majestic Theatre (majestictheatre.net) will present the Meredith Wilson musical Miracle on 34th Street Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 9, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway in Derry). Tickets cost $22 for adults; $18 for 65+ and $15 for 17 and under, according to a press release.

• More Carol: Dickens’ A Christmas Carol continues through Sunday, Dec. 17, at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com) with performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and students.

• Art and song: The Mariposa Museum (26 Main St. in Peterborough; mariposamuseum.org) will present a performance by Windborne, a vocal group, at the Unitarian Universalist Church (25 Main St. in Peterborough) on Thursday, Dec. 7, at 6:30 p.m. A wassail reception will proceed the concert from 5 to 6:15 p.m. (tickets cost $20 online in advance, $25 on the day), according to a press release. While at the reception, visitors can view the exhibit “Stitching Time: The Social Justice Collaborative Quilts Project” featuring 20 quilts made by men serving life sentences at Louisiana State Penitentiary, the release said.

Handmade
Studio 550 Community Art Center (550 Elm St. in Manchester; 550arts.com, 232-5597) has holiday happenings in December. The center will host its annual Handmade Holiday Market featuring pottery and glass art Monday, Dec. 18, through Saturday, Dec. 23, noon to 8 p.m. each day (except Wednesday, when the center is closed), according to a press release. Two rooms will be filled with pieces made by more than 30 makers, including studio members and staff, such as mugs, bowls, ornaments, serving ware and more, the release said.

Members, staff and other artists have also created more than 100 cups and mugs for the Cups for a Cause display; buy one of these cups or mugs and proceeds will support the International Institute of New England, which provides resources for new Americans, the release said. The cups will be in a separate display and run about $20 each, the release said.

And when you’re in downtown Manchester in the week before the market, keep an eye out for mini-mugs and ceramic ornaments that will be hidden around town, the release said. Find an item and bring it to the market to win a prize.

• Birds: Auburn artist Deirdre Cleary will display her carved birds — which include song birds and waterfowl carved from basswood, cedar or tupelo — at Griffin Free Library (22 Hooksett Road in Auburn; 483-5374, griffinfree.org) starting Friday, Dec. 8, and running through Friday, Jan. 12, according to a press release. On Friday, Dec. 8, from 5 to 8 p.m. the library will host an artist reception to open the exhibit and Cleary will be on hand to discuss her work, the release said. Master Bird Carver Don Combs will also attend to demonstrate how to carve a bird from a wooden block, the release said.

• Music with their mouths: The a capella group Rockapella will perform Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. at Stockbridge Theatre (44 N. Main St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com, 437-5210). Tickets cost $35 to $40.

• Write it fancy: Calligraphy artist Adele Sanborn will do a free gift tag calligraphy demonstration on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. in Boscawen; twiggsgallery.org). See Sanborn’s work at cornerstonedesignnh.com. Twiggs is open on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. and on Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pops
The New Hampshire Philharmonic’s annual Holiday Pops concert will feature the Philharmonic Orchestra joined by guest pianist Roxane Park (pictured) and Santa Claus on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive in Salem). The show will also include a classic sing-along, according to a press release. Tickets cost $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, $10 for students; see nhphil.org. There is a livestreaming ticket option for the Dec. 17 show.

• Holiday with the Statesmen: The Granite Statesmen, an a capella group singing four-part harmony, will perform their Christmas Chorus on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. at Judd Gregg Hall (Nashua Community College, 505 Amherst St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $20; see granitestatesmen.org.

• New shows: The Seacoast Artist Association (130 Water St. in Exeter; seacoastartist.org) presents two new solo shows. “Dine,” featuring the works of artist Debra Woodward, contains oil paintings featuring diners enjoying eateries around the Seacoast, according to a press release. Watercolorist Gwen Morgan will have her works featured in “Wonders of Watercolor,” the release said. The artists will be at a “Second Friday” artist reception on Friday, Dec. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. that will also feature food, wine and live music from violinists Dacha and Sava Thurber, the release said. The shows will be on display through Sunday, Dec. 24. From Wednesday, Dec. 6, through Christmas Eve (when the gallery will be open 1 to 4 p.m.), the gallery will be open daily, the release said.

• Celebration of winter: The folk-Americana band Low Lily will perform “Low Lily’s Winter Solstice Celebration” on Sunday, Dec. 10, at the Bass Hall at the Monadnock Center (19 Grove St. in Peterborough). Tickets cost $25 for adults, $15 for kids. See pfmsconcerts.org.

• Big Christmas sound: The Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St. in Manchester; mcmusicschool.org, 644-4548) will hold Tuba Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. featuring players of tubas, sousaphones, euphoniums and baritones, according to the website. The concert is free and open to the public. If you play a tuba, sousaphone, euphonium or baritone and would like to join in, show up at 9:30 a.m. to register (the cost is $10); a rehearsal starts at 10 a.m. For more information on participating, contact Hailley McConnell at [email protected] or 644-4548, ext. 208.

‘A Testament to Peace’
The Concord Chorale will perform a concert titled “A Testament to Peace,” focusing on themes of peace and gratitude, with brass, organ, piano and percussion as well as The Purple Finches, a youth choir from Concord Community Music School, on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 10, at 3 p.m. (when there will also be a livestream option) at the South Congregational Church (27 Pleasant St. in Concord). See concordchorale.org/tickets for tickets to the event, which will also feature the chorale’s new collaborative pianist, Elizabeth Blood, according to a press release. Courtesy photo.

• Holiday concert: The Windham Community Bands will hold their 16th annual holiday concert on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. at Windham High School. The event is free to the public and will feature the Windham Swing Band, Concert Band and Saxophone Quartet, according to a press release. The event will also feature a bake sale.

• Irish dance tunes: Christmas with the Celts will come to the Stockbridge Theatre (44 N. Main St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com, 437-5210) on Thursday, Dec. 21, at 7 p.m. The show features a combination of “timeless ancient Irish Christmas carols and lively Irish dance with modern contemporary songs but with Irish instrumentation,” according to a press release. Tickets cost $30 and $35.

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

• Shop the artists: The Picker Artists (3 Pine St. in Nashua; pickerartists.com) will hold their annual holiday open house on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. See the website for a list of the building’s resident artists, who will sell pieces including photography, mixed media, glassware, jewelry and more.

• Holly Jolly Folly: The first two of four holiday concerts by the New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus will take place this weekend. Check out their “Holly, Jolly, Folly” show on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church (3 Lutheran Drive in Nashua) as well as Sunday, Dec. 3, at 3 p.m. at the Stratham Community Church UCC (6 Emery Lane in Stratham). You can also see them next Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m at the Park Theatre in Jaffrey and on Sunday, Dec. 10, at 3 p.m. at Derryfield School (2108 River Road in Manchester). Tickets cost $25 (ages 12 and under get in free); see nhgmc.com.

• Virtual tour: See the works of Art 3 Gallery’s (44 W. Brook St. in Manchester; art3gallery.com, 668-6650) current exhibit “The Power of Art” online in video gallery tours as well as onsite Mondays through Fridays from 1 to 4:30 p.m. The exhibit features paintings, sculptures, photographs, mixed media and more.

• Rat Knight: There are still a few days to see Brandon Cable’s exhibit “Rat Knight in Rochester,” which will hang at Carnegie Gallery of the Rochester Public Library (66 S. Main St. in Rochester) featuring the works of Cable, who self-published his first comic book, Rat Knight, described as a “tongue-in-cheek parody with its own unique twist on the thriller and superhero genres,” according to a press release. The exhibit runs through Saturday, Dec. 1, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays (9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays). See more of Cable’s art at brandoncableart.com. See rochestermfa.org for more on the exhibits of the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts.

• Here they come wassailing: The chorus Con Tutti will present a solstice concert, “Here We Come A’Wassailing,” on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at South Church (292 State St. in Portsmouth) featuring songs from Ireland, France, Ukraine, England, Wales, Italy and elsewhere, according to a press release. Tickets cost $20 and are on sale at contutti.org; remaining tickets will be sold at the door (door opens 30 minutes before concert time), the release said.

• Paintings and sculptures: An exhibit featuring the contemporary paintings and original ceramic sculptures of Shaune McCarthy will be on display at the Art Center (1 Washington St., Suite 1177, in Dover; theartcenteronlinegallery.com) through Friday, Dec. 30. “Shaune McCarthy gained initial recognition for her intricate figure sculptures showcased in galleries throughout New England. Her transition to painting has marked a distinctive chapter in her career, resulting in a harmonious blend of spontaneity, drama, and vivid patterns that define her contemporary works,” according to a press release.

The Art Center will also feature the works of more than 40 artists in its “Annual Contemporary | Abstract” exhibition, including paintings, collages, mixed media, printmaking, photography and sculptures, according to a press release. Featured artists include Tim Gilbert, Joe Flaherty, Beth Wittenberg, Dawn Boyer, Rebecca Klementovich, Maria “Pep” Manalang, Brian Wagoner (aka Bunkt_) and Brooke Lambert, the release said.

There will be a “Meet the Artist” event on Saturday, Dec. 2, 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.

• Music with their mouths: The a capella group Rockapella will perform Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. at Stockbridge Theatre (44 N. Main St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com, 437-5210). Tickets cost $35 to $40.

• Holiday with the Statesmen: The Granite Statesmen, an a capella group singing four-part harmony, will perform their Christmas Chorus on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. at Judd Gregg Hall (Nashua Community College, 505 Amherst St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $20; see granitestatesmen.org.

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

• Pop-up art show: Artists Charlotte Thibault and Byron Carr will have a pop-up art show starting Friday, Nov. 24, and running through Dec. 29, according to an email. The show will feature New Hampshire landscape paintings and take place at the old CVS, 46 N. Main St. in Concord, the email said. Find work by Carr, which includes oil and watercolor of landscapes and waterfalls, at byroncarrfineart.com and find work by Thibault, who also works in oils and does landscapes, seascapes, harbor scenes, still life and concept paintings, at charlottethibault.com, the email said. The show will feature paintings, prints and cards and will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (open until 8 p.m. on Fridays).

• Three ghosts: The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) will kick off its month-long production of A Christmas Carol on Friday, Nov. 24, with a show at 7:30 p.m. The production will run through Saturday, Dec. 23, with shows Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $28 through $49.

• Holiday show: The New Hampshire Antique Co-Op (323 Elm St. in Milford; nhantiquecoop.com, 673-8499) will hold its annual holiday open house on Friday, Nov. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 26, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring raffles, a scavenger hunt, refreshments and more. Current exhibits include “Celebrating the American Landscape,” featuring works from artists of the late 1800s through the present, according to a press release.

• A life: The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) will present Man on the Hill, a musical theater production that follows the life of one man from boyhood through old age by New Hampshire composer and playwright John Stanley Shelley, on Friday, Nov. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 26. The show’s music is performed by the Duncan Idaho Band, according to a press release. Tickets cost $22 to $28. The show runs Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

• A Nutcracker: The New England Dance Ensemble will present The Nutcracker on Saturday, Nov. 25, and Sunday, Nov. 26, at 4 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Dr. in Salem) in a show featuring live music by the New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets cost $35 to $55 and are available at nede.org.

• Pops: The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra will return to the Seifert Performing Arts Center in Salem for its Holiday Pops shows on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $35 for adults, $30 for seniors and $10 for students. The Dec. 17 show will have a streaming option for $15. See nhphil.org.

• Winter show: The Greater Salem Art Association will hold its 2023 Winter Art Show & Sale Thursday, Nov. 30, through Saturday, Dec. 2, at Kelley Library (234 Main St. in Salem) featuring original works of fine art by local artists and a fine art raffle, according to a press release. The show will be open Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is free. See gsaa-nh.com.

• Holiday pops: The Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St. in Manchester; mcmusicschool.org, 644-4548) will present its Holiday Pops concert on Friday, Dec. 1, at 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.). The evening will feature a cash bar, refreshments, raffle prizes and a silent auction as well as performances by the Dino Anagnost Youth Symphony Orchestra of New Hampshire, the Flute Choir, the Queen City Youth Choirs and the NH Jazz Orchestra, according to a press release. Tickets cost $45 per person or $400 for a table for 10. Call or go online for reservations.

• Holiday spirit: Theatre Kapow will present the New Hampshire premiere of The Thanksgiving Play by Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse (a MacArthur Genius) Friday, Dec. 1, through Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage in Concord (Main Street in Concord; ccanh.com). “Three really REALLY well-meaning teachers and one actress walk into a school. The work at hand: a Thanksgiving pageant that won’t ruffle any features,” according to a press release description of this comedy. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. See tkapow.com for tickets.

• Contoocook Artisans fair: The annual Contoocook Artisans Holiday Craft Fair will be held Friday, Dec. 1, through Sunday, Dec. 3, at the American Legion Post 81 E.R. Montgomery Event Center (169 Bound Tree Road in Contoocook). A juried fine arts and crafts fair, the event will feature more than 30 artisans with locally made items including gifts for the home, baked goods, maple sugar and honey, baskets, holiday items, dolls and children’s toys, wooden items, jewelry, leather items, clothing, oil cloth accessories and handbags, specialty paper and books, felted treasures, pottery, photography, soaps, folk art, beadwork, quilts, Shaker items, Christmas ornaments and more, according to a press release. The fair will run Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• A Celtic holiday: The Manchester Community Music School will also present upcoming faculty shows — “Spanish Renaissance” featuring Adriana Ruiz (voice) and Pablo Kennedy (lute and theorbo) on Thursday, Nov. 16, and “A Celtic Holiday” featuring Aubrie Dionne (flute), Erin Dubois (flute and piccolo), Kylie Elliot (flute) and Rose Hinkle (flute), according to a press release. The shows start at 7 p.m. and are free with preregistration, which is required. See mcmusicschool.org.

• Holiday sounds: The 35th annual Messiah Sing! performances will take place at Mont Vernon Congregational Church on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m., and at the Milford United Methodist Church on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 4 p.m., according to a press release. The performance will feature a live orchestra as well as the chorus. Admission is free (donations accepted).

• The Dickens, you say: Theatrical company Carpe Diem will present A Dickens of a Christmas, the tale of a writer’s-blocked Charles Dickens, at the Old Salt Restaurant (Lafayette Road in Hampton) Monday, Dec. 4, through Wednesday, Dec. 6, and Monday, Dec. 11, through Wednesday, Dec. 13, according to a press release. The doors open at 5:30 p.m., show starts at 6 p.m. and includes a three-course dinner as well as live music and holiday carols. Tickets cost $59.99 and must be reserved by calling the restaurant at 926-8322, the release said.