Art & Theater – Page 48

The Art Roundup 22/04/07

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

• Surreal paintings with a message: A new special exhibition featuring the work of Arghavan Khosravi opens at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) on Thursday, April 14. The artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes such as exile, freedom and empowerment; center on female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The exhibition will remain on display through Monday, 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.

• Nature-inspired art: See Two Villages Art Society’s exhibition “Reawakening,” on view at the Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook), before it’s gone on Saturday, April 9. It features work by artist members of the New Hampshire chapter of the Women’s Caucus for the Arts. “As sunshine and warmth return to the earth in spring, so we reawaken to our lives,” WCA/NH exhibitions committee chair Linda Greenwood said in a press release. “The theme not only illustrates our reawakening of spring, but it also represents an illustration of memories that remind us again of passions lying deep.” Regular gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

Catch the New Hampshire Art Association’s exhibition “Stitched Together – Elements of Nature from Textile Fragments,” featuring the work of Cheryl Miller, at the Greater Concord

Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (49 S. Main St., Concord) now through April 15. Miller, a textile artist, creates fabric collages using hand dyed cottons, batik and machine-stitched vintage fabrics. The exhibit includes a series of her textile collages inspired by the colors in nature. “The compositions are mostly abstract but also incorporate some elements of landscape, trees or leaves,” she said in a press release. “The idea of these pieces is to evoke a mood through the use of color and focus on small details in nature.” Gallery hours at the Chamber are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All works are for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• Children interpret classical music: The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra presents its annual “Drawn to the Music” concert on Saturday, April 9, and Sunday, April 10, at 2 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center at Salem High School (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem). The program will include music from Russian composer Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird, as well as “Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Mussorgsky and “Mother Goose” by Maurice Ravel. The concert is a collaborative arts project for which elementary school students from across New Hampshire submitted their original artwork inspired by the featured music. According to a press release from the orchestra, more than 650 visual art pieces will be projected above the orchestra throughout the two performances “so audience members can experience the performance through each student’s creative vision.” The concert on Saturday will feature artwork by students from the Nashua area, and the concert on Sunday will feature artwork by students from Salem, Goffstown, Hooksett, Atkinson, Plaistow, Merrimack, Newington, Portsmouth, Farmington and Conway. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors age 60 and up, $8 for students age 21 and under and $5 for Salem School District students and must be purchased online in advance. A digital livestream option is also available for the Sunday concert for $15. Visit nhphil.org.

ART

Exhibits

• “REAWAKENING” Two Villages Art Society presents an exhibition featuring work by artist members of the New Hampshire chapter of the Women’s Caucus for the Arts. Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). On display now through April 9. Regular gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

• “STITCHED TOGETHER – ELEMENTS OF NATURE FROM TEXTILE FRAGMENTS” New Hampshire Art Association exhibition features the textile collages of Cheryl Miller, inspired by the colors in nature. On display now through April 15. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All work is for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230 for more information.

• “APPEAL OF THE REAL: 19TH CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD” exhibition features photographs taken throughout the Mediterranean to record the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through June 12. 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 for more information.

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display from March 31 through July 3. 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 for more information.

• “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 from April 14 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 for more information.

• “ECHOES: ABSTRACT PAINTING TO MODERN QUILTING” exhibition features abstract paintings inspired by the bold colors, asymmetry, improvisational layout, alternate grid work and negative space in composition of modern quilting. Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from April 22 through May 14. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

“NATURE AT NIGHT: PAINTINGS BY OWEN KRZYZANIAK GEARY” Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from May 27 through June 18. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

• 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 [email protected] for more information.

Special events

• UPCYCLED FASHION SHOW Presented by Makers Mill and the Governor Wentworth Arts Council. Designers of all ages are invited to create fashion pieces composed of at least 75 percent recycled, reused or repurposed materials. Sat., April 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. Makers Mill (23 Bay St., Wolfeboro). Registration for designers is free and open now through the end of March or until participation is full. Visit makersmill.org/blog or call 569-1500 for more information.

Workshops and classes

• “HANDS-ON 3D PRINTING FOR BEGINNERS” A one-day crash course covering the basics of 3D printing. Making Matters NH (88 Village St., Penacook). Sat., April 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $15 for Making Matters members and $50 for nonmembers. Call 565-5443 or visit makingmattersnh.org for more information.

• “INTRO TO 3D PRINTING” Port City Makerspace (68 Morning St., Portsmouth). Wed., April 13 and June 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $25 for members of the makerspace and $45 for nonmembers. Call 373-1002 or visit portcitymakerspace.com for more information.

THEATER

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.

Shows

• THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY The Anselmian Abbey Players present. Dana Center’s Koonz Theatre at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). Sat., April 9, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., April 10, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for general admission and $8 for students. Seats are reserved in advance online. Visit anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities or call 641-7000.

• LOVE, SEX, AND THE IRS The Majestic Theatre presents. Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester). Fri., April 9, and Sat., April 10, at 7 p.m., and Sun., April 11, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7649.

• PUFFS! OR SEVEN INCREASINGLY EVENTFUL YEARS AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL OF MAGIC AND MAGIC Cue Zero Theatre Co. presents. Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem). Fri., April 29, through Sun., May 1. Visit cztheatre.com for more information.

Classical

• DRAWN TO THE MUSIC 2022 – STORIES IN MUSIC The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., April 9, at 2 p.m., and Sun., April 10, at 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476 for more information.

Multicultural watercolors

Nashua exhibition represents faces from around the globe

Kavitha Chandrasekaran has painted every single day since she moved to Nashua three years ago, and now she’s sharing the products of that devotion in a solo exhibition at the Nashua Public Library.

“This is my first [show],” Chandrasekaran said. “I can’t believe I’ve created so many paintings.”

“Faces in Watercolors,” on display through April 30, features portraits of people from Africa, Vietnam, Thailand and India; the latter is Chandrasekaran’s homeland. She moved to the U.S. in 2013, first to Atlanta, then New York, finally landing in Nashua due to her husband’s job change.

Chandrasekaran said it was boredom that prompted her to pick up a paintbrush.

“When I came to Nashua my kids were very small, so I couldn’t get a full-time job,” said Chandrasekaran, who has a master’s in human physiology. “But when they napped I had some time.”

painting of three young boys, smiling — “Those Eyes.” Watercolor by Kavitha Chandrasekaran.

It was the first time Chandrasekaran had tried painting; previously the only art she’d done was drawing back in her early school days. She started by teaching herself how to paint with acrylics.

“[Then] I started exploring watercolor [and spent] hours scrolling on Instagram — Instagram made me try watercolor,” she laughed.

Chandrasekaran said she loves the way you can’t predict exactly how the watercolor effect is going to look when she’s working on the backgrounds for her portraits, but there’s a more practical reason why she’s stuck with watercolors.

“I don’t need lots of supplies, so when my kids wake up I can just pack up and put things away,” she laughed.

People’s faces resonate with Chandrasekaran in a way that landscape painting hasn’t; she’s tried the latter, but she said that after 10 or 15 paintings, she still didn’t like how they turned out.

Her desire to create a custom calendar with images of her children drew her into portraiture. She didn’t know how to draw figures, so she studied and taught herself the basics, then started to learn how to tell a story through the faces she paints.

“The eyes are very important to me because that is the most expressive part of a face,” she said.

For this exhibition, some of the portraits are based on photos she found on Instagram and was given permission to paint. Some she picks as a reference to start with and changes a little bit so they have their own unique look. The photos of Indigenous people in particular caught her eye.

“These photos were very expressive, and I got very attracted to their jewelry and [accessories],” Chandrasekaran said.

During this time when she hasn’t been able to travel to India, or anywhere really, for a couple of years, Chandrasekaran said immersing herself in the faces of people from around the globe has been a comfort. She is hoping, though, that she will be able to introduce her kids, who are 6 and 4, to India this summer. But for now, she’s embracing the cultures of Nashua.

“This is a foreign land to me, but I made it my home,” she said.

Chandrasekaran plans to keep painting and wants to try to submit some of her work to more galleries and become more familiar with the local art scene.

“The painting is what now keeps me going every day,” she said. “This is something that I enjoy and want to [continue to] explore.”

“Faces in Watercolors”
Where: The gallery at Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St.
When: Now through April 30 any time the library is open
Meet the artist: There will be an artist’s reception on Thursday, April 14, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Visit: nashualibrary.org

Featured photo: “Akha.” Watercolor by Kavitha Chandrasekaran. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 22/03/31

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

• Everyone is connected: The Anselmian Abbey Players present The Theory of Relativity at the Dana Center’s Koonz Theatre at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester), with showtimes on Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, April 10, at 2 p.m. The 2014 musical, with music and lyrics by Neil Bartram and a book by Brian Hill, explores stories of seemingly isolated individuals who discover how their lives are intertwined with one another’s through interrelated moments. Tickets cost $10 for general admission and $8 for students. Seats are reserved in advance online. Visit anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities or call 641-7000.

• Visual verse poetry: Celebrate April as National Poetry Month at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner) with a visual verse poetry reading on Thursday, April 7, at 6 p.m. Local poets will read their poetry from Diversity is Beauty, the latest Visual Verse Book, a collection of poems assembled through a collaboration with the center for the Arts New Hampshire Lake Sunapee Region Literary Arts Series. Doors will open at 5 p.m., and visitors are invited to come early and browse the galleries before the reading starts. The event is free and open to the public. Copies of the book will be for sale for $10 for museum members and $15 for non-members. Those who cannot attend the event in person can join via Zoom. Visit centerfortheartsnh.org/literary-arts.

• Tax scam: The Majestic Theatre presents Love, Sex, and the IRS at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester), with showtimes on Friday, April 9, and Saturday, April 10, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, April 11, at 2 p.m. The play by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore follows two out-of-work musicians who are living as roommates in New York City and filing their tax returns as a married couple in order to save money. When the IRS visits the pair to investigate the validity of their marriage, the masquerade quickly turns comedic. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7649.

Slow Art Day 2022
Join the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) in the worldwide celebration of Slow Art Day 2022 on Saturday, April 2. Slow Art Day, according to slowartday.com, is “a global event with a simple mission: help more people discover for themselves the joy of looking at and loving art.” Founded in 2010, the event has had more than 1,500 art museums and galleries participate. The Currier will host an hour-long guided visit, starting at 11 a.m., exploring three works of art through mindful looking and improvisational dialogue focused on being in the moment. Attendees can choose one, two or all three of the works; the studies will begin at 11:05, 11:25 and 11:45 a.m., followed by a shared reflection in the lobby at 12:05 p.m. A docent will be available for each work to guide the program. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• Warhol’s “stillies”: A new special exhibition, “Warhol Screen Tests,” opens at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) on Thursday, March 31. In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. It will remain on view through July 3. 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 under age 13 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.

• Call for female a cappella singers: Women’s a cappella chorus The Rhythm of New Hampshire Show Chorus has returned to in-person rehearsals and is looking for female singers in the region to join. “We have a well-designed step process to introduce new visitors to the barbershop a cappella style,” director Jessie Caynon-Oslan said in a press release. “We promise that the audition process will be friendly and encouraging.” 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. Additionally, The Rhythm of New Hampshire Show Chorus will hold its “Spring Singsation,” a five-week program where guests can learn a few songs to sing at a performance with the group, from May 5 through June 2. Visit rnhchorus.org or email [email protected].

ART

Exhibits

• “SETTING THE STANDARD” Exhibition features new work from League jurors in all media areas. League of New Hampshire Craftsmen headquarters, 49 S. Main St., #100, Concord. On display now through March 31. Regular exhibition hours are Tuesday through Thursday, from noon to 4 p.m. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org for more information.

Fairs and markets

• CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR The annual nine-day outdoor craft fair hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen features hundreds of craftspeople with vendor booths, plus special craft exhibitions, demonstrations, hands-on workshops and more. Sat., Aug. 6 through Sun., Aug. 14. Mount Sunapee Resort, 1398 Route 103, Newbury. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org for more information.

• 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 June 11, July 30, 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 for more information.

Special events

• SPRING OPEN STUDIOS Art Up Front Street Studios & Gallery, 120 Front St., Exeter. The artists’ collective features seven working artist studios. Sat., May 7, and Sun., May 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 418-6286 or visit artupfrontstreet.com for more information.

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

• “BLACKSMITHING BASICS” Beginner level workshop. Sanborn Mills Farm(7097 Sanborn Road, Loudon). Fri., May 20, through Sun., May 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost is $375. Call 435-7314 or visit sanbornmills.org for more information.

• WINTER 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 [email protected] more information.

• 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.

THEATER

Classes/workshops

Shows

• BYE BYE BIRDIE Mainstage production by The Palace Theatre. 80 Hanover St., Manchester. Now through Sun., April 3, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. Tickets range from $25 to $46. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588 for more information.

• MUSICAL MOM Produced by the Community Players of Concord. The Hatbox Theatre (located inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Thurs., May 5 through Sun., May 15. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $22 for students, seniors and members and $19 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com or call 715-2315.

• LAST GAS Produced by the Community Players of Concord. Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord. Fri., May 6, through Sun., May 8. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $16 for youth ages 17 and under, $16 for seniors age 65 and up. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org or call 224-4905 for more information.

• THE BALD SOPRANO Produced by the Community Players of Concord. The Hatbox Theatre (located inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Fri., June 17 through Sun., June 26. Showtimes are 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. Visit hatboxnh.com or call 715-2315.

• 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 [email protected] if you’re interested in being a storyteller.

Classical

• “FROM THE NEW WORLD” Symphony New Hampshire presents. Concerto for electric harp featuring Rosanna Moore, performing Farrenc, Overture No. 1 and Dvořák, Symphony No. 9. A New Hampshire premiere. Sat., April 23, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua); and Sun., April 24, from 3 to 6 p.m., at Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). Tickets cost $20 to $60 for adults, $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up, and free for children with a paying adult. Visit symphonynh.org or call 595-9156 for more information.

• “THE MUSIC OF JAMES BOND” Symphony New Hampshire presents. The performance will include Themes from 007, a Medley for Orchestra and themes from other spy film favorites, including Mission Impossible, Pink Panther and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Sat., May 7, from 7:30 to 8:50 p.m. Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). Tickets cost $20 to $60 for adults, $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up, and free for children with a paying adult. Visit symphonynh.org or call 595-9156.

• SPRING POPS – BROADWAY AND MORE The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., May 21, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., May 22, at 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476 for more information.

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 [email protected] for more information.

Capital authors

Meet four Concord-area writers at “An Evening to Remember”

Concord author Paul Brogan is on a mission to show locals that the Capital City area is home to talented writers of all genres — in fact, he’s using all of the royalties from his recently published book, The Concord Theatre, to pay for what he hopes will be an ongoing free series of talks that spotlight these local authors.

The first event will bring four of those writers — Brogan included — to the Bank of NH Stage for “An Evening to Remember: Conversations with Concord Area Authors” on Wednesday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m.

“There are lots of people in this area who write, who love to write, who express themselves beautifully in all genres,” Brogan said. “I want to do something that makes the people of the area understand that we have some really talented people who are writers. We know we have really talented performers [like] Seth Meyers, Adam Sandler, Sarah Silverman, and there are [well-known] writers like Dan Brown and Jodi Picoult, but I want to showcase some of the people who aren’t selling books at that same level but who are writing passionately … [and] writing because they have something they want to say.”

“An Evening to Remember” will be led by former longtime NHPR host Laura Knoy and feature Brogan as well as authors Margaret Porter, Virginia Macgregor (who writes as Nina Monroe) and Mark Okrant.

“Laura will talk with each of us and let us tell a little bit of our story, ask questions and encourage people in the audience to ask questions [about things like] why do we do it, how we get inspired,” Brogan said.

Brogan’s writing story began relatively recently.

“I went to Catholic schools and writing was one of those things nuns instilled in you … but I never did anything with my writing for a long, long time,” Brogan said. “I was past 50 when I finally sat down and wrote my first book.”

That book, Was That A Name I Dropped?, was published in 2011, and Brogan didn’t get the writing bug again until several years later, when he was inspired by the old Concord Theatre being converted into the Bank of NH Stage. He had worked at the Concord Theatre for 27 years, starting when he was 14.

“I had such affection for the [Concord Theatre], so I wrote a book three years ago about the theater’s history and Concord’s history with movies,” he said.

The feedback he got after his latest book came out showed him how few people are aware of what New Hampshire authors have to offer, with people saying things like, “I didn’t know anyone around here could write,” and assuming that you have to be in a more metropolitan area “to have the muse hit you,” Brogan said. But that’s because most people aren’t taking advantage of local resources; Brogan calls Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord, for example, “a writer’s best friend,” with owner Michael Herrmann hosting book launches for local writers and displaying their books in a special section. He also said the NH Writers’ Project is a great resource, but “would wager that a lot of people don’t click on that website.”

So Brogan started thinking about putting on an event to spotlight local authors and spoke with fellow author Margaret Porter at Gibson’s one day, asking her what she thought about it. She was all in, and the two approached Monroe and Okrant to see if they’d be interested as well. They were on board, and Porter suggested they ask Knoy to moderate the discussion.

“I said, ‘If you can get her, she would be amazing.’ … And she jumped at it,” Brogan said.

Knoy met with Brogan and Porter recently to check out the venue.

“Within an hour I felt like we’d been friends for years, and I think she’s the perfect person to put us all on stage at ease, and put the audience at ease,” Brogan said.

They want to make sure the whole atmosphere is comfortable too.

“We want it to be [like] the audience is looking at people in a living room having a conversation and then have the audience become involved and then stay around and mingle,” Brogan said.

Porter said she’s looking forward to sharing a small sample of the creativity within the Concord region, as well as their experiences of writing and publication.

“We hope to provide helpful information, maybe even some inspiration, to anyone aspiring to write fiction or nonfiction, or has questions about pursuing a writing career,” she said.

Brogan said he wanted to make the event free so that people can check it out without making any kind of financial commitment.

“They can come see the Bank of NH Stage — now there’s no excuse not to check the place out — and meet Laura in real life. … There’s a number of reasons for someone to give it a try,” he said.

Both Porter and Brogan hope the audience will come away with new notions and ideas and a curiosity to read one of their books or to check out the section of local authors at Gibson’s.

“New Hampshire has long been noted for its literary associations, a legacy that we’re privileged and excited to continue,” Porter said.

“We hope, if it really goes nicely, we’ll do a second one next year with different area authors,” Brogan said.

“An Evening to Remember: Conversations with Concord Area Authors”
When: Wednesday, April 6, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord
Cost: visit ccanh.com to register

Featured photo: Laura Knoy, Margaret Porter, Paul E Brogan. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 22/03/24

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

• High standards: Catch the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s triennial exhibit “Setting the Standard,” on view at the League’s headquarters gallery (49 S. Main St., No. 100, Concord), before it’s gone on Thursday, March 31. The exhibit features new works by 45 League jurors, master craftsmen who volunteer to work with League hopefuls and review their work to uphold the League’s standard of artistic excellence. A variety of media is represented, including wood, textile, clay and metal. “These works … will reflect the spirit of the maker,” League executive director Miriam Carter said in a press release. “Given the difficulties faced during the past several months, the work of our members takes on an almost indomitable nature, mixing the strength and resilience of the artists with the vulnerability that we have all experienced,” Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. Pieces are for sale and can be picked up when the exhibit closes. Visit nhcrafts.org or call 224-3375.

• Musical prince: The Pinkerton Players will perform Pippin at the Stockbridge Theatre (located at Pinkerton Academy, 5 Pinkerton St., Derry), with showtimes on Friday, March 25, and Saturday, March 26, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 27, at 2 p.m. The musical, based on the book by Roger O. Hirson, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, is the story of a young prince searching for meaning in his life, as told by a traveling theater troupe. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Call 437-5210 or visit stockbridgetheatre.com.

• Ancient lens: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) has an exhibition, “Appeal of the Real: 19th Century Photographs of the Ancient World,” on view now through June 12. It features photographs of the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, taken prior to when tourists could take their own photographs, often at the request of wealthy European and American tourists. 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 under age 13 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.

• Stories on Zoom: The Portsmouth-based monthly storytelling showcase True Tales Live returns with a virtual show over Zoom on Tuesday, March 29, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. This month’s theme centers on activism and exercising rights. The series is free and open to all who want to watch or participate as a storyteller. Registration is required. Shows have been held over Zoom during the pandemic but will tentatively be held in person at the Portsmouth Public Media TV Studio (280 Marcy St.) starting in April. Interested storytellers are encouraged to participate in a storytelling workshop, which is held on the first Tuesday of every month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. over Zoom. Visit truetaleslivenh.org or email [email protected].

• Birdie’s back: The Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St., Manchester) current mainstage production, Bye Bye Birdie,continues now through April 3, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. The classic Broadway musical is set in 1958 in the small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, and centers around an Elvis-like rock ’n’ roll star named Conrad Birdie who is drafted into the Army. As a publicity stunt, Birdie’s agent and songwriter arranges for Birdie to appear on a television program, where he will perform a new song called “One Last Kiss” and give one lucky girl from his fan club a real last kiss before reporting for duty. Ticket prices range from $25 to $46. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

• Premiere play by local playwright: New World Theatre presents the premiere production of Places You Go, an original play by New Hampshire playwright William Ivers, at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord) from March 25 through April 1, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. The play follows Maddy Wear, a young musician destined for Julliard, and the tensions that arise in her family while she is in the hospital recovering from a car accident. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.

ART

Exhibits

• “STITCHED TOGETHER – ELEMENTS OF NATURE FROM TEXTILE FRAGMENTS” New Hampshire Art Association exhibition features the textile collages of Cheryl Miller, inspired by the colors in nature. On view now through April 15. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All work is for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• “REAWAKENING” Two Villages Art Society presents an exhibition featuring work by artist members of the New Hampshire chapter of the Women’s Caucus for the Arts. Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). On view March 18 through April 9. An opening reception with the artists and live music will be held on Sat., March 19, from noon to 2 p.m. Regular gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” exhibition features 20 films from Andy Warhol’s silent black and white Screen Tests, shown in loops across four largescale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view March 31 through July 3. 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 under age 13 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.

THEATER

Shows

Classical

• DRAWN TO THE MUSIC 2022 – STORIES IN MUSIC The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., April 9, 2 p.m., and Sun., April 10, 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org.

11 features, 5 shorts

NH Jewish Film Fest offers in-theater & virtual screenings

This year’s New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival is combining the benefits of virtual screenings — reaching more people in more places, for example — and hosting in-person screenings too, to bring back that festival vibe that’s been missing for the past two years.

“It’s been a journey, that is for sure,” festival co-chair Pat Kalik said of holding the event during the pandemic. “We did get some benefits from going virtual, but we missed, of course, the community feeling of seeing a movie in the theater and then having the discussion after.”

This year’s festival, which runs March 31 to April 10, will feature five in-theater screenings, two of which will have post-screening discussions. Virtual attendees will have a 48-hour window to watch each movie any time during the festival, and there will be virtual screenings of four of the in-theater films as well after the festival ends.

The festival features independent and foreign films from 12 countries. Kalik said they start screening films in July and view about 50 before picking their final lineup. She said they try to pick different kinds of films, from dramas to documentaries, to appeal to all tastes.

“Our goal is to bring these films to the community, films that would not come to the independent theaters in New Hampshire,” Kalik said. “Some of the films are subtitled — some people won’t go to subtitled films, but we try to get a mix. … My hope is that everyone will give these types of films a try.”

One of her favorites is the documentary that’s going to open the festival at Rex Theatre.

“I thought The Automat was a fascinating film, and that’s going to be our opening night at the Rex in Manchester,” Kalik said. “[At Automat restaurants] you would put money into a wall of windows, and behind each window was the food you wanted to buy. This is a film about the history of the Automat.”

The closing film is Cabaret at Red River Theatres in Concord. Typically the festival features newer films; in this case, it’s celebrating Cabaret’s 50th anniversary. The screening will be followed by a discussion with film buff Zachary Camenker of Concord.

“The film kind of broke the glass ceiling 50 years ago in ways that people weren’t expecting,” Camenker said.

Cabaret, which is about Berlin nightlife during the Nazi rise to power, won eight Academy Awards. Camenker said it’s the winningest film that did not win best picture in Oscar history; it lost that award to The Godfather.

Still, “It’s one of those musicals that has stood the test of time,” he said. “It’s a good reminder of where things were a century ago as opposed to where they are now.”

Another film that looks back at a difficult time in history is “Upheaval: The Journey of Menachem Begin.” The documentary explores the life of the Israeli prime minister.

Director Jonathan Gruber of Black Eye Productions in New York said he didn’t know much about Begin before he started working on this project.

“I didn’t realize how instrumental he was in Israel’s becoming a state,” Gruber said. “I was just impressed with him as a leader. He never enriched himself through his position.”

Begin was a controversial leader, though, which Gruber saw firsthand in his interviews. He said he heard some criticism that the film is slanted favorably toward Begin, while others have thought the opposite.

“Begin does not get a free pass in the film,” Gruber said. “We annoy everybody.”

Gruber, who was born in Israel, was able to get all of his interviews done in person overseas just before the pandemic started. He used a third-camera angle for some of the film.

“The content is so powerful but I also visually wanted to make it arresting,” he said.

Gruber will discuss the documentary via Zoom on Tuesday, April 5, at 7 p.m.

With the exception of Cabaret, Zoom will be used for all film discussions.

“I think we’ve learned a lot because of [the pandemic], and we’re going to take advantage of it in the future, but it’s not going to replace the traditional film festival where you can go to the theater and bond and eat and drink,” Kalik said.

New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival
When: March 31 through April 10
Where: Various locations in the state and online
Cost: $12 per in-theater ticket or per virtual household ticket
More info: For festival pass information, movie trailers and more, visit nhjewishfilmfestival.com.

Here are the films according to festival descriptions.

In-theater screenings

The Automat

Thursday, March 31, 7 p.m. at The Rex, Manchester

Documentary, 2021, U.S., English. Before fast food, one American restaurant empire was unstoppable. Experience the untold story of the Automat with this documentary film starring Mel Brooks about the popular 1950s restaurant chain that served its meals in vending machines.

Following the screening, director Lisa Hurwitz will discuss her film via Zoom, and Automat collector Steve Stollman will join the conversation.

Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen

Sunday, April 3, 1 p.m. at 3S Art Space (Portsmouth), The Rex (Manchester) and Showroom (Keene)

Documentary, 2022, U.S., English. Narrated by Jeff Goldblum, Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen captures the humor and drama of film director Norman Jewison’s quest to recreate the lost world of Jewish life in tsarist Russia and re-envision the beloved stage hit as a wide-screen epic.

The Un-Word

Thursday, April 7, 7 p.m., Red River Theatres, Concord

Narrative, 2020, Germany, German with English subtitles. In this German satire, tempers flare after a Jewish student is goaded by Muslim classmates into a schoolyard brawl, injuring an Iranian and a Palestinian student. A hopelessly naive teacher arranges a summit with the fuming parents and spineless principal. But her do-gooder attempts at peacemaking, complete with Palestinian and Israeli flags decorating the snacks, expose her own misguided beliefs.

Tiger Within

Sunday, April 10, 1 p.m., Red River Theatres, Concord

Drama, 2020, USA, English. Multiple Academy-Award-winner Ed Asner, in one of his last performances, stars in this tender story of the unlikely friendship between Samuel, a Holocaust survivor, and Casey, a skinhead teen runaway. Despite their respective traumas and initial mistrust of one another, they form a powerful bond that yields a sense of family and mutual support.

Cabaret

Celebrating Cabaret’s 50th Anniversary!

Sunday, April 10, 3:30 p.m., Red River Theatres, Concord

Musical/Romance, 1972, U.S., English

Starring Liza Minelli, the musical about Berlin nightlife during the Nazi rise to power won eight Academy Awards.

Following the screening, New Hampshire educator and film enthusiast Zachary Camenker will lead a discussion about the history and impact of the film a half century later. (This screening is in-person only and does not have a virtual option.)

Virtual-only screenings

200 Meters

Drama, 2020, Palestine, Jordan, Qatar, Italy, Sweden (Arabic, Hebrew, English with subtitles). Mustafa and his wife live 200 meters apart in villages separated by the Israeli border wall. One day he gets a call every parent dreads: His son has been injured in an accident. Rushing to cross the Israeli checkpoint, Mustafa is denied on a technicality. But a father’s love won’t give up, and he will do anything to reach his son.

Apples and Oranges

Documentary, 2021, Israel (Hebrew, English with subtitles). A wave of foreign volunteers came to Israel in the 1960s through 1980s to work on a kibbutz, a communal village centered around agriculture. During the ’80s, the war in Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict forced volunteers to decide whether supporting the kibbutz meant supporting the state of Israel.

On Monday, April 4, at 7 p.m., Director Yoav Brill will discuss his film and reflect on the changing nature of the volunteers as Israel’s geopolitical situation evolved.

Greener Pastures

Drama, 2020, Israel (Hebrew, English with subtitles). Dov, a widower, is forced by his family to move to a nursing home. He’s broke since he lost his pension, and he blames the state. When Dov notices that all his fellow residents smoke legal medical cannabis, he realizes that weed can be his salvation — selling it, not smoking it.

Neighbors

Drama, 2021, Switzerland, France (Kurdish with English subtitles). In a little village on the Syrian-Turkish border in the early ’80s, a 6-year-old Kurdish boy experiences his first year in an Arab school and sees how his little world is radically changed by absurd nationalism.

Persian Lessons

Narrative Feature, 2020, Russia, Germany, Belarus (German, French, Italian, English and Persian with English subtitles). Occupied France, 1942. Gilles is arrested by Nazi SS soldiers alongside other Jews and sent to a camp in Germany. He avoids execution by swearing to the guards that he is not Jewish, but Persian. This lie temporarily saves him, but Gilles gets assigned a life-or-death mission: to teach the Farsi language to Koch, the head of camp, who dreams of opening a restaurant in Iran once the war is over.

Upheaval: The Journey of Menachem Begin

Documentary, 2020, USA (English) Prime Minister Menachem Begin was a tireless fighter for the Jewish people. He was, at the same time, a controversial leader.

On Tuesday, April 5, at 7 p.m. Director Jonathan Gruber will discuss his documentary on the life of Menachem Begin.

Short films (virtual only)

Beefies

Comedy Short, 2021, U.S. (10 minutes, English). Josh wants to find his late mother’s “beefies” recipe for Passover but must reconnect with his estranged brother to do so.

Ganef

Short, 2020, U.K. (14 minutes, English with Yiddish phrases), London, 1962. 6-year-old Ruthie discovers Lynn, the cleaner, is a thief.

Masel Tov Cocktail

Short, 2020, Germany (30 minutes, German, Russian with English subtitles). A Russian-Jewish teen in Germany offers a comic take on modern Jewish life.

The Shabbos Goy

Comedy Short, 2019, U.S. (7 minutes, English). God literally forbids Chana to turn off her vibrator gone rogue.

The Tattooed Torah

Animated Short, 2021, U.S. (21 minutes, English, Hebrew). True story of the rescue and restoration of a Torah from Czechoslovakia.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

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11 features, 5 shorts

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