Category: Art & Theater

The Art Roundup 24/06/20

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—Zachary Lewis

Family business

Jersey Boys at Winnipesaukee Playhouse

By Michael Witthaus
mwitthaus@hippopress.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Art Roundup 24/06/13

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—Zachary Lewis

Have improv, will travel

Colin Mochrie takes the show on the road

By Zachary Lewis
zlewis@hippopress.com

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

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

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

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

Mochrie and Sherwood met on the hit television show.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mochrie is quite fond of the television show.

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

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

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

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

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

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

colinandbradshow.com

Featured Photo: Colin Mochrie. Courtesy Photo.

The Art Roundup 24/06/06

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

• Music outdoors: Concerts on the Common is put on by the Londonderry Council of the Arts at the Town Common (265 Mammoth Road, Londonderry) on Wednesday evenings in the summer from 7 to 8:30 p.m., totaling 11 free and family-friendly performances that will run until Wednesday, Aug. 14. On Wednesday, June 12, Jessica Lynn will perform. In case of rain the show will be held at Matthew Thornton Gym. Visit londonderryartscouncil.org.

• More music outdoors: The 13-week Tuesday night Henniker Summer Music Series starts off with a local six-piece acoustic Americana band featuring strings and shared vocal harmonies called Peabody’s Coal Train on Tuesday, June 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Angela Robinson Bandstand in the Community Park, according to a press release. The show is free but donations are welcome. In case of rain, the concert will be held inside the adjacent Community Center. Food can be acquired at the venue or can be brought in for picnics. The series, featuring new acts each week, will run until Tuesday, Sept. 3. Visit Facebook.com/HennikerConcert.

• Art outdoors: The Concord Arts Market, an outdoor artisan and fine art market, will run one Saturday a month from June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Market dates are June 8, July 13, Aug. 10 and Sept. 14. Visit concordartsmarket.net.

• On stage: Paradise Now! will be presented by Theatre Kapow at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, June 7, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 9, at 2 p.m. A group of women join a pyramid selling scheme promoting a range of essential oils in this U.S. premiere of the funny new play by Margaret Perry about ambition, exploitation and the search for connection in a fractured world, according to their website.See tkapow.com.

• The Currier Museum of Art will be holding its annual Member Appreciation Week from Wednesday, June 12, through Sunday, June 16, which includes private tours, special discounts, giveaways, an extensive raffle and more, according to their website. Starting from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12, there will be a members-only art-making activity in the Green Studio to get creative energy moving for all skill and experience levels, and there is no fee or registration required, according to the same website. At 3 p.m. there will be an exhibition tour with Chief Curator Lorenzo Fusi, who will give an overview of their newest installation, Elisabeth Kley’s “Cymodocea,” in the museum’s Welcome Gallery, as well as a guided discussion of the current exhibition “Filippo de Pisis and Robert Mapplethorpe: A Distant Conversation,” according to their website. Registration is required since capacity is limited, and is just the beginning of the Currier’s Member Appreciation Week. Visit currier.org.

—Zachary Lewis

In the money

Palace season finale 42nd Street shines

By Michael Witthaus
mwitthaus@hippopress.com

The final musical in the Palace Theatre’s 2023-2024 season is far and away its best. From the tap-tastic overture that begins the show, with the curtain rising just enough to reveal 20 pairs of legs in full dance, to the triumphant ending number that gives it a title, 42nd Street is a gem, packed with dazzling dancing, classy choreography and standout stars.

The show about show business won a Best Musical Tony when it debuted in 1980. Set in the Depression era, it follows rehearsals for Pretty Lady, a fictitious production that holds a few fortunes in its hands, including director Julian Morse (Dan Fenaughty), a Broadway legend looking to reverse his latest losing streak, and Peggy Sawyer (Jenna Bienvenue), fresh off the bus from Allentown with hopes of a spot in the chorus line.

Dorothy Brock is Pretty Lady’s star, due to a financial marriage of convenience. Her goofy but rich boyfriend financed the show on the condition that she be the leading lady, though she can’t dance and is past her prime. Larissa Klinger plays the role with nuance and grace; her performance is an understated gem.

Early on, different cast members offer scene-stealing turns — Megan Quinn as Maggie Jones, the brassy co-writer of Pretty Lady, and Ashton Lambert, playing high stepping tenor Billy Lawlor as the kind of person who treats a trip to the store as an audition — his over the top efforts to charm Peggy produced repeated out loud laughs from the audience.

Ultimately, however, 42nd Street’s lead actors carry the day, with Fenaughty commanding in a role originally played by Jerry Orbach. The cynical stage titan softens on the way to singing “Lullaby of Broadway” to remind Peggy of why she should hold on to her dreams. For her part, Bienvenue perfectly portrays her ingenue’s transformation from a chaos agent who can turn dance practice into a bowling alley in an earthquake, to finding her inner star.

Also, high marks are due to director and choreographer Carl Rajotte, for rising to the challenge of a production that has dancing in almost every scene. In particular, “Shadow Waltz” and its use of the Palace’s multimedia screen system was breathtaking. Closing extravaganzas in both acts are also stellar, all a reminder that technical investment in the theater is paying off handsomely.

With classic songs like “We’re In the Money” and “I Only Have Eyes For You” along with the infectious numbers “Go Into Your Dance” and “Dames,” it’s understandable that 42nd Street was the first film musical adapted for Broadway to succeed; it’s been produced hundreds if not thousands of times since.

It’s also director Rajotte’s favorite, for both its entertainment value and sentimental reasons.

“This is my fifth time doing 42nd Street,” he said during rehearsals. “I love Golden Age shows, but they tend to be a little out of date or sometimes the flow of the show is a little bit slower. This one was written in 1980 so it has that fast pacing, but with that charming Golden Age feel … it’s the best of both worlds.”

It’s also the show that brought Rajotte to Manchester. Twenty-five years ago, his father moved here after his mother had passed. One day he called his son, an actor in New York City, and told him about a professional theater company in his new home town. “I said, no, I would have heard of it,” Rajotte recalled.

In a wonderful bit of kismet, just a couple of days later Rajotte picked up a copy of Backstage, a newspaper for actors, and saw an announcement for auditions in New York for a production of 42nd Street at the Palace. He answered the call and was cast as Pretty Lady choreographer Andy Lee.

After that, he left on tour with another show.

“I figured I probably won’t be back again, but then Peter Ramsey called me while I was on tour and said, ‘Hey, how about you come back and choreograph and direct for us?’ I did a couple of shows, and then took the job full-time. This was really the intro, this show. So it’s dear to my heart.”

42nd Street
When: Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through June 23
Where: Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester
Tickets: $28 to $49 at palacetheatre.org

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