Category: Art & Theater

The Art Roundup 21/07/22

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

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•​ Marriage comedy: The Majestic Theatre presents ’Til Beth Do Us Part on Friday, July 23, and Saturday, July 24, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, July 25, at 2 p.m., at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester). Married for 27 years, Suzannah and her husband Gibby find themselves in a state of complacency as they adjust to life in their newly empty nest. Hoping to advance her career, Suzannah hires an assistant, Beth, to get her house — and her husband — back in order. When Beth begins weaseling into other aspects of the couple’s life, Gibby suspects she has ulterior motives. It becomes a battle of wits between Beth and Gibby as Beth tries to derail the marriage and Gibby becomes more determined than ever to save it. “There are a lot of surprises, a lot of twists and turns, a lot of misdirection and comedy that’s predicated on timing,” director Joe Pelonzi told the Hippo earlier this month. “It’s kind of in the same vein as a lot of the British farces, but without all the slamming doors.” Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for seniors age 65 and over and youth age 17 and under. Call 669-7469 or visit majestictheatre.net.

• Heathers auditions: Manchester-based Cue Zero Theatre Co. is holding in-person auditions on Tuesday, July 27, at Granite State Arts Academy Public Charter School (19 Keewaydin Drive, Salem) for its upcoming production of Heathers The Musical. Interested performers must sign up on the Cue Zero website in advance for a 60-minute time slot between 6 and 10 p.m. Callbacks will be held on Thursday, July 29. The production is scheduled to run Oct. 22 through Oct. 24 at the Derry Opera House. Visit cztheatre.com or email [email protected].

“Going with the Flow” by Jane Balshaw, featured in “Tension” exhibit. Courtesy photo.

• Textile works: The Surface Design Association’s (SDA) New Hampshire Group presents an exhibit, “Tension: Process in the Making,” at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) July 24 through Sept. 4. It features contemporary fiber art by 15 artists juried by textile artist Jenine Shereos. “Reflecting on the past year, there has been a collective stretching; a pulling and tightening, beyond what we ever imagined was possible,” Shereos said in a press release. “The works in this exhibition feature New Hampshire textile artists as they examine the theme of tension in both form and concept.” An artists reception and jurors talk will be held at the gallery on Saturday, July 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. Current gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

• Community art for Nashua: The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, in partnership with the City of Nashua, present “Creative Union,” a new community-centered art project conceived by Elisa H. Hamilton. A number of free, hands-on workshops for all ages are being held throughout the summer in Nashua, where participants can create festive paper sculptures and handmade decorations for a community celebration that will be held in downtown Nashua this fall. Workshop dates are Thursday, July 22, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., at the Arlington Street Community Center (36 Arlington St.); Thursday, Aug. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at YMCA of Greater Nashua (24 Stadium Drive); Sundays, Aug. 8 and Aug. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Nashua Farmers Market at City Hall Plaza; and Thursday, Aug. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Grow Nashua Community Garden (Spring Street). Visit currier.org

• Fashion art: The Seacoast African American Cultural Center (located inside the Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle St., Portsmouth) has an exhibition, “Fashion Forward: Africana Style,” on view now through Sept. 1 that showcases Black fashion and explores connections between African American and African design aesthetics from past to present. See photos from Sapeurs: Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congo by London-based photographer Tariq Zaidi; vintage African fashion pieces from 1930s Liberia reflecting influences of Islam and African American immigration; and more than a dozen contemporary fashion and fabric art pieces created or owned by African and African American women living and working on the Seacoast and throughout the East Coast. Gallery hours are Monday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; visitors must reserve a 45-minute time slot in advance. Walk-in guests will be accommodated as space permits. Tickets cost $10 for the general public and $5 for Historical Society members and are available through eventbrite.com. Call 430-6027 or visit saacc-nh.org.

Art

Exhibits

• “FRESH PERSPECTIVES” Exhibit features works by New Hampshire artists Peter Milton, ​Varujan Boghosian, Robert Hughes and others. New Hampshire Antique Co-op (323 Elm St., Milford). On view in the Co-op’s Tower Gallery now through Aug. 31. Visit nhantiquecoop.com.

• “THE BODY IN ART: FROM THE SPIRITUAL TO THE SENSUAL” Exhibit provides a look at how artists through the ages have used the human body as a means of creative expression. On view now through Sept. 1. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• “DON GORVETT: WORKING WATERFRONTS” Exhibit features more than 60 works by the contemporary Seacoast printmaker. The Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., Portsmouth). On view now through Sept. 12. Gallery hours are daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7.50 for adults and is free for kids under age 18, seniors age 70 and older and active and retired military. Admission is free for all on the first Friday of every month. Visit portsmouthhistory.org.

• “TWILIGHT OF AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM” Exhibit showcases New England painters and masters of impressionism Alice Ruggles Sohier and Frederick A. Bosley. On view now through Sept. 12. Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., Portsmouth). Gallery hours are daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7.50 for adults and is free for kids under age 18, seniors age 70 and older and active and retired military. Admission is free for all on the first Friday of every month. Visit portsmouthhistory.org.

• “ROBERTO LUGO: TE TRAIGO MI LE LO LAI – I BRING YOU MY JOY” Philadelphia-based potter reimagines traditional forms and techniques with inspiration from urban graffiti and hip-hop culture, paying homage to his Puerto Rican heritage and exploring his cultural identity and its connection to family, place and legacy. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view now through Sept. 26. On view now. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• “CRITICAL CARTOGRAPHY” Exhibit features immersive large-scale drawings by Larissa Fassler that reflect the Berlin-based artist’s observations of downtown Manchester while she was an artist-in-residence at the Currier Museum in 2019. On view now through fall. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.

• “TOMIE DEPAOLA AT THE CURRIER” Exhibition celebrates the illustrator’s life and legacy through a collection of his original drawings. On view now. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibit 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].

• “SUMMER HAZE” Concord artist and gallery owner Jess Barnet hosts her first group art exhibit. Gallery located in the Patriot Investment building, 4 Park St., Suite 216, Concord. On view Aug. 6 through Sept. 3. Visit jessbarnett.com.

Fairs and markets

• CONCORD ARTS MARKET Outdoor artisan and fine art market. Every third Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Now through October. Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Visit concordartsmarket.net.

• CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR Nine-day craft fair featuring work by hundreds of juried League of NH Craftsmen members. Sat., Aug. 7, through Sun., Aug. 15. Mount Sunapee Resort (1398 Route 103, Newbury). Visit nhcrafts.org.

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.

Theater

Shows

• WIZARD OF OZ The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Wed., July 21, and Thurs., July 22, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

•​ ‘TIL BETH DO US PART The Majestic Theatre presents. Virtual and in person at Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. Now through July 25, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.

• DANI GIRL The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Now through July 31, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $29 to $39. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

• YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN Prescott Park Arts Festival (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth). Now through Aug. 15, with shows daily at 7 p.m. Visit prescottpark.org.

•​ CABARET The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. July 22 through Sept. 5. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.

• THE LITTLE MERMAID Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 27, through Thurs., July 29, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

• TELL ME ON A SUNDAY The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. July 28 through Aug. 14, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., plus matinees on Tuesday, Aug. 3, and Thursday, Aug. 5, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $39. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

• BEAUTY AND THE BEAST The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., Aug. 3, through Thurs., Aug. 5, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

Concerts

• “PURCELL TO PUCCINI — OPERATASTIC!” The Piccola Emerging Opera performs a classic opera show. Part of the Piccola Opera Summer Festival. Fri., July 23, 6 p.m., at Franklin Pierce University (40 University Drive, Rindge), and Sat., July 24, 2 p.m. at Cathedral of the Pines (10 Hale Hill Road, Rindge). Tickets cost $15. Call 781-5695 or visit piccolaopera.net.

Eclectic artistry

Henniker illustrator, photographer, author keeps on creating

It was the barn that Jerry LoFaro fell in love with when he bought his property in Henniker 25 years ago. Since then, he’s used the space as a studio for painting, digital artwork, photography, writing and live music performances, sometimes sitting alone in his well-worn office chair and sometimes surrounded by friends during the intimate concerts that he and his wife Kathleen host.

“This barn — this is why we’re here,” he said of the building, which was built in ’91 and had been used as a dance school. “It was perfect for me, really kind of idyllic.”

With a resume as eclectic as it is long, LoFaro’s recent projects include working on a follow-up to his first book of photography, Abandoned Vehicles of New Hampshire: Rust in Peace, and taking behind-the-scenes and onstage pictures of musicians as the official photographer for Tupelo Music Hall in Derry.

The latter gig started with an iPhone and front-row seats to numerous shows. The self-proclaimed “music freak” would sit in front of the stage and take pictures with his phone, without giving much thought to their artistic quality. It was a far cry from his usual approach to art — LoFaro has been a successful painter and illustrator for years, with work that has graced the covers of books and magazines, advertising and promotional items for brands like Aflac, Coca-Cola and Disney, and, his proudest achievement, boxes of Celestial Seasonings tea. For that work, he uses techniques like airbrushing and digital art, but taking pictures had never really been a thing.

“Most of my photography [at that point] had been a [starting point] for my illustrations,” he said. “It was part of a process and wasn’t really a goal in and of itself.”

But LoFaro was posting his concert shots online, and people were commenting. Knowing that he had an audience, LoFaro started bringing a better camera to the shows, discreetly taking shots from his lap.

“I had no goal other than to have fun and take better pictures,” he said.

Tupelo’s social media director noticed the photos, though, and started posting them on Tupelo’s social media sites. When the venue moved from Londonderry to Derry in 2017, LoFaro was asked to be the official photographer.

“I kind of was grandfathered in,” he said, aware that he got the job over professional photographers with years more experience. “But I’m an artist — what I lack in skill, I make up for in editing and artistry.”

Abandoned Vehicles of New Hampshire, which was published earlier this year, is a new creative venture for LoFaro, one that started when he turned his camera toward rusty old cars he found throughout the state.

“It was just something that captured my interest,” he said.

One of his four Instagram accounts is dedicated to his rusted cars photography, and one of his followers happens to work for a publisher, America Through Time.

“I knew I had a book in me,” LoFaro said.

The star of the book is a Hudson Commodore, a car he found in the middle of a field in Loudon and later bought from the owner of the salvage yard for $200. The Hudson is now a centerpiece in his front yard.

LoFaro said the response to the book has been great.

“I was inundated with people sending messages and locations [of abandoned cars] all over the state,” he said. “I have so much material [for a follow-up book].”

In the meantime, LoFaro is working on a book of photography about Henniker — something never imagined doing when he left New York City in 1995, when he was still working with his agent and big clients in New York.

His favorite client was Celestial Seasonings; he did artwork for them for close to 20 years.

“The way they feature artists on the box, it really just spoke to me,” he said.

It started with redoing the image on the box of Morning Thunder, the company’s first caffeinated tea. LoFaro also, among other things, created several variations of the Sleepytime bear — and that’s when he started transitioning from painting by hand to digital art.

“I had no interest in digital art,” LoFaro said. “I’m in love with the process of painting: mixing the paint, preparing the boards, the tactile element.”

A good friend of his, though, owned what Lafaro says was a “pioneer” computer art school in Weare. After Sept. 11, 2001, LoFaro’s lifeline to work in New York City all but vanished, and he got no jobs for several months after. With extra time on his hands, he agreed to take computer art classes.

“I was the worst student in the class because I had no computer experience,” he said. “It was excruciating.”

But after he got past the initial learning curve, LoFaro realized how much he could do with digital art — and how good it could be.

“I reinvented myself. I was still painting, but I can do this a lot better,” he said.

LoFaro maxed out his credit cards to buy a used computer system, and the day he got it, he took a job making clouds for a video game — that had to be done the next day.

“That was my trial by fire,” he said.

Lafaro said the more he learned about the intricacies of digital art, the more he could relate it to his airbrush work.

“It really was an incredible natural evolution,” he said.

And then there’s the music. A band’s photo shoot in the barn morphed into a bigger idea; in 2016, the LoFaros started hosting concerts, with the musicians playing on a small stage that LoFaro built. They were well-attended, so he built a bigger stage, and they’ve had more than 100 people in attendance for some of the shows. Those stopped during Covid, but LoFaro is hoping to get them going again by fall.

He’s back at Tupelo, too, and looking forward to shooting a few good shows this season. Right now he and owner Scott Hayward are in the process of creating posters of the 52×60-inch mural on canvas of LoFaro’s photos that hangs on the venue’s front wall. That will be sold at the venue and online later this summer.

If that seems like a lot of balls in the air, LoFaro isn’t quite ready to stop juggling.

“I’m on this journey, and I’m open for anything,” he said.

Featured photo: Jerry LoFaro poses in front of the Tupelo tapestry of his photos. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 21/07/15

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

“Perspectives,” a mixed-media sculpture by Philip Gauthier. Courtesy photo.

• Saturday market: This month’s Concord Arts Marketwill take place on Saturday, July 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Rollins Park (off Broadway Street, with parking at 33 Bow St.). The outdoor artisan and fine art market features 50 vendors, live music and a food truck. It will continue on the third Saturday of each month through October, and during Intown Concord’s Market Days Festival, when it will be held Thursday, Aug. 19, through Saturday, Aug. 21, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Main and Pleasant streets. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.

• Chorale reunited: The Concord Chorale’s virtual performance of Carmina Burana that premiered on July 10 is now available to stream on demand for free on the Chorale’s YouTube channel. The piece, composed by Carl Orff in the 1930s, is based on a collection of medieval poetry of the same name, particularly on the text’s recurring theme of “Rota Fortunae,” the theoretical “wheel of fortune” that determines every person’s fate. Its iconic opening movement, “O Fortuna,” will be “familiar to essentially everybody,” music director Jenny Cooper told the Hippo earlier this month. “It’s incredibly dramatic,” she said. “It’s been used throughout pop culture and in commercials and movies.” Fifty chorale members performed the piece together in person, joined by guest vocal soloists Lisa Cooper, soprano; Cailin Marcel Manson, baritone; and AJ Coppola, tenor; pianists Molly Lozeau and Elizabeth Blood; and a group of percussionists including timpanist Jonathan Hess and principal percussionist Matt Sharrock. The virtual concert also features the voices of chorale members who were not able to perform with the group in person; recorded audio of them singing at home was mixed into the audio of the performance video. Now rehearsing regularly in person, the Concord Chorale plans to perform for a live, in-person audience for their next concert in September. Visit concordchorale.org or call 333-5211.

• Thriller author: The Music Hall in Portsmouth presents a virtual event with New York Times bestselling author Megan Miranda on Tuesday, July 20, at 7 p.m. as part of its virtual Writers in The Loft series. Miranda will discuss her new novel, Such a Quiet Place. The thriller centers on Hollow’s Edge, a once idyllic, close-knit neighborhood reeling after the shocking murder of two people. The resident implicated in the crime has returned home, having had the conviction overturned. Now, everyone is a suspect, and a series of mysterious notes suggests that it won’t be long before the killer strikes again. The author discussion will be moderated by local young adult novelist Paul Durham. An audience Q&A will follow. Tickets cost $5 to access the event, which will be livestreamed on Zoom via Eventive. Visit themusichall.org or call 436-2400.

• Outdoor opera: The Manchester-based Piccola Opera presents its Summer Festival, with two shows at two outdoor venues in Rindge. First, the Piccola Youth Opera will perform a musical theater and light opera show, The Wonderful World of Music, on Friday, July 16, at 6 p.m. at Cathedral of the Pines (10 Hale Hill Road), and Saturday, July 17, at 2 p.m. at Franklin Pierce University (40 University Drive). The Piccola Emerging Opera will perform a classic opera, Purcell to Puccini — Operatastic!, on Friday, July 23, at 6 p.m., at Franklin Pierce University, and Saturday, July 24, at 2 p.m. at Cathedral of the Pines. Tickets cost $15. Call 781-5695 or visit piccolaopera.net.

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Art

Exhibits

• “FRESH PERSPECTIVES” Exhibit features works by New Hampshire artists Peter Milton, ​Varujan Boghosian, Robert Hughes and others. New Hampshire Antique Co-op (323 Elm St., Milford). On view through Aug. 31. Visit nhantiquecoop.com.

• “FASHION FORWARD: AFRICANA STYLE” Exhibit showcases Black fashion and explores connections between African American and African design aesthetics from past to present. The Seacoast African American Cultural Center (located inside the Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle St., Portsmouth). On view through Sept. 1. Gallery hours are Monday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; visitors must reserve a 45-minute time slot in advance. Walk-in guests will be accommodated as space permits. Tickets cost $10 for the general public and $5 for Historical Society members and are available through eventbrite.com. Visit saacc-nh.org.

• “THE BODY IN ART: FROM THE SPIRITUAL TO THE SENSUAL” Exhibit provides a look at how artists through the ages have used the human body as a means of creative expression. On view through Sept. 1. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• “TWILIGHT OF AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM” Exhibit showcases New England painters and masters of impressionism Alice Ruggles Sohier and Frederick A. Bosley. On view through Sept. 12. Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., Portsmouth). Gallery hours are daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7.50 for adults and is free for kids under age 18, seniors age 70 and older and active and retired military. Admission is free for all on the first Friday of every month. Visit portsmouthhistory.org.

• “TENSION: PROCESS IN THE MAKING” The Surface Design Association’s (SDA) New Hampshire Group presents an exhibit featuring fiber art and textiles by New Hampshire artists. July 24 through Sept. 4. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

Fairs and markets

• CONCORD ARTS MARKET Outdoor artisan and fine art market. Third Saturday each month, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Now through October. Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Visit concordartsmarket.net.

• ARTS ON THE GREEN Arts and crafts fair will feature painters, potters, artisan jewelers, stained glass makers, bead workers, photographers and metal crafters. Presented by The Center for the Arts Lake Sunapee Region. Sunapee Harbor. Sat., July 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit centerfortheartsnh.org.

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.

Theater

Auditions

• HEATHERS THE MUSICAL Presented by Cue Zero Theatre Company. Auditions held Tues., July 27. Granite State Arts Academy, 19 Keewaydin Drive, Salem. Performers must be age 18+. Signups for a time slot in advance are required. Visit cztheatre.com.

Shows

• PETER PAN The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Wed., July 14, and Thurs., July 15, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

• SLEUTH The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Now through July 17, with showtimes Wednesday through Saturday, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $37. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

• DANI GIRL The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Now through July 31, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $29 to $39. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

•​ PIPPIN The Seacoast Repertory Theatre PAPA Jr. presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through July 18. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.

• YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN Prescott Park Arts Festival (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth). Now through Aug. 15, with shows daily at 7 p.m. More information is TBA. Visit prescottpark.org.

• WIZARD OF OZ The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 20, through Thurs., July 22, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

•​ CABARET The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. July 22 through Sept. 5. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.

Acting normal

Marriage comedy opens at the Majestic Theatre

As life steadily returns to normal, the Majestic Theatre presents a play about the normal things in life — home, marriage, career — but with a farcical twist.

’Til Beth Do Us Part opens for its two-weekend run at the Majestic Studio Theatre in Manchester on Friday, July 16.

Written by Jesse Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten — the comedy playwright trio known as Jones Hope Wooten — the show is, as director Joe Pelonzi describes it, “a situational comedy, where things don’t go as planned.”

“There are a lot of surprises, a lot of twists and turns, a lot of misdirection and comedy that’s predicated on timing,” he said. “It’s kind of in the same vein as a lot of the British farces, but without all the slamming doors.”

Married for 27 years, Suzannah and her husband Gibby find themselves in a state of complacency as they adjust to life in their newly empty nest. Suzannah hopes to advance her career but is bogged down by household duties, with which she gets no help from Gibby. Enter Beth, an assistant Suzannah hires to get her house — and her husband — back in order. Under the nose of an oblivious Suzannah, Beth begins weaseling into other aspects of the couple’s life, taking a special interest in Suzannah’s career, and in an upcoming business dinner that could be a big step forward for Suzannah. It becomes a battle of wits between Beth and Gibby as Beth tries to derail the marriage and Gibby, who has caught on to Beth’s ulterior motives, becomes more determined than ever to save it.

“It’s full of normal situations that most people have been in before and can really relate to,” Pelonzi said, “except, in the play, those normal situations end up going in a more comic direction.”

“It’s the perfect [show] to come see after a year and a half of being deprived of our normal interactions and normal life,” actor Judy Mitchell added.

Mitchell, who has been acting in New Hampshire on and off for nearly 30 years, will reprise the role of Suzannah, which she played in a past production of ’Til Beth Do Us Part, also directed by Pelonzi, for Bedford Off Broadway.

“It’s a fun show, and I had a lot of fun playing Suzannah,” Mitchell said. “I was happy to do it again when Joe [Pelonzi] asked me.”

As is traditional for a farce, the characters in ’Til Beth Do Us Part are “a little bit over the top, almost caricatures,” Mitchell said, which calls for a less conventional acting approach.

“Rather than [reflecting on] my own personal experiences or looking at the depth of emotion like I would for a more realistic type of character, I look more at [Suzannah’s] actions and reactions,” she said. “The facial expressions and body language play as much of a part as any emotional development would for a character [in a non-farce].”

’Til Beth Do Us Part is the Majestic Theatre’s second in-person show since the pandemic, and Mitchell’s first time back on stage.

“It’s a little anxiety-producing to get out in front of people again, so I kind of had to push myself and talk myself into doing it,” she said, “but I’m very glad I did, because I needed this. [Theater] is as much a part of me as breathing.”

’Til Beth Do Us Part
Where: Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester
When: July 16 through July 25, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $20 for adults, and $15 for seniors age 65 and over and youth age 17 and under.
More info: Call 669-7469 or visit majestictheatre.net.

Featured photo:The Majestic Theatre presents ‘Til Beth Do Us Part. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 21/07/08

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

Live poetry and spoken word return: After a 15-month hiatus, Slam Free or Die’s live events are back at The Stark Tavern (500 N. Commercial St., Manchester). The weekly series of open mic nights for poets and spoken-word artists takes place in the restaurant’s function room every Thursday, with doors open and sign-ups beginning at 7 p.m., and the open mic at 8 p.m. The series also features several poetry slams every month. The events are open to all ages. There is a cover charge of $3 to $5 at the door, which can be paid with cash or by Venmo. Visit facebook.com/slamfreeordie, e-mail [email protected] or call 858-3286.

Coming together with cranes: A new community art installation, “1,000 Cranes for Nashua,” will be on display in The Atrium at St. Joseph Hospital (172 Kinsley St., Nashua) starting on Thursday, July 8. It features more than 1,000 origami paper cranes created by hundreds of Nashua-area kids, adults and families since April. “We have cranes of all sizes, colors, styles and skills,” project organizer Kate Pritchard said in a press release. “When stringing them together, you get a personal sense of the hands that folded them all, which makes them feel so distinctive individually, yet so powerfully united as a whole.” An opening reception with food, drinks and music will take place at 6:30 p.m. Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org.

Artists look at animals: “Fur & Feathers/Paws & Claws,” is on view now through Sunday, July 18, at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). The animal-themed art exhibit showcases paintings, drawings, prints, photography, jewelry and artist books by nine local artists reflecting on the world of domesticated pets and work and farm animals. “There is definitely quite an eclectic mix of styles and mediums,” gallery director Laura Morrison told the Hippo last month. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

Kids shows all summer long: The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents a series of shows at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) with a Tuesday-through-Thursday run every week in July and August. The first show, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is on stage now through Thursday, July 8. Peter Pan will run Tuesday, July 13, through Thursday, July 15, followed by Wizard of Oz, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Showtimes are at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

“Setting Sarah,” a painting by Lennie Mullaney, featured in the NHAA Sheafe Warehouse Exhibit and Sale. Courtesy photo.

All kinds of art in Prescott Park: The New Hampshire Art Association’s annual Sheafe Warehouse Exhibit and Sale is going on now through Aug. 29 at Prescott Park (105-123 Marcy St, Portsmouth). It features works in a variety of media by nearly 40 NHAA artists. “There’s a real sense of excitement on the part of our artists, who are anxious to share the new works of art they have been creating over the past year,” Renee Giffroy, NHAA Board President, said in a press release. The Exhibit and Sale is open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from noon to 7 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

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Art

Exhibits

• “FRESH PERSPECTIVES” Exhibit features works by New Hampshire artists Peter Milton, ​Varujan Boghosian, Robert Hughes and others. New Hampshire Antique Co-op (323 Elm St., Milford). On view in the Co-op’s Tower Gallery now through Aug. 31. Visit nhantiquecoop.com.

• “FASHION FORWARD: AFRICANA STYLE” Exhibit showcases Black fashion and explores connections between African American and African design aesthetics from past to present. The Seacoast African American Cultural Center (located inside the Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle St., Portsmouth). On view now through Sept. 1. Gallery hours are Monday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; visitors must reserve a 45-minute time slot in advance. Walk-in guests will be accommodated as space permits. Tickets cost $10 for the general public and $5 for Historical Society members and are available through eventbrite.com. Visit saacc-nh.org.

• “THE BODY IN ART: FROM THE SPIRITUAL TO THE SENSUAL” Exhibit provides a look at how artists through the ages have used the human body as a means of creative expression. On view now through Sept. 1. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• “DON GORVETT: WORKING WATERFRONTS” Exhibit features more than 60 works by the contemporary Seacoast printmaker. The Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., Portsmouth). On view now through Sept. 12. Gallery hours are daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7.50 for adults and is free for kids under age 18, seniors age 70 and older and active and retired military. Admission is free for all on the first Friday of every month. Visit portsmouthhistory.org.

• “TWILIGHT OF AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM” Exhibit showcases New England painters and masters of impressionism Alice Ruggles Sohier and Frederick A. Bosley. On view now through Sept. 12. Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., Portsmouth). Gallery hours are daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7.50 for adults and is free for kids under age 18, seniors age 70 and older and active and retired military. Admission is free for all on the first Friday of every month. Visit portsmouthhistory.org.

• “ROBERTO LUGO: TE TRAIGO MI LE LO LAI – I BRING YOU MY JOY” Philadelphia-based potter reimagines traditional forms and techniques with inspiration from urban graffiti and hip-hop culture, paying homage to his Puerto Rican heritage and exploring his cultural identity and its connection to family, place and legacy. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view now through Sept. 26. On view now. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• “CRITICAL CARTOGRAPHY” Exhibit features immersive large-scale drawings by Larissa Fassler that reflect the Berlin-based artist’s observations of downtown Manchester while she was an artist-in-residence at the Currier Museum in 2019. On view now through fall. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.

• “TOMIE DEPAOLA AT THE CURRIER” Exhibition celebrates the illustrator’s life and legacy through a collection of his original drawings. On view now. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibit 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].

• “TENSION: PROCESS IN THE MAKING” The Surface Design Association’s (SDA) New Hampshire Group presents an exhibit featuring fiber art and textiles by New Hampshire artists. July 24 through Sept. 4. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

• “SUMMER HAZE” Concord artist and gallery owner Jess Barnet hosts her first group art exhibit. Gallery located in the Patriot Investment building, 4 Park St., Suite 216, Concord. On view Aug. 6 through Sept. 3. Visit jessbarnett.com.

Fairs and markets

• CONCORD ARTS MARKET Outdoor artisan and fine art market. Every third Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Now through October. Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Visit concordartsmarket.net.

• ARTS ON THE GREEN Arts and crafts fair will feature painters, potters, artisan jewelers, stained glass makers, bead workers, photographers and metal crafters. Presented by The Center for the Arts Lake Sunapee Region. Sunapee Harbor. Sat., July 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit centerfortheartsnh.org.

• CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR Nine-day craft fair featuring work by hundreds of juried League of NH Craftsmen members. Sat., Aug. 7, through Sun., Aug. 15. Mount Sunapee Resort (1398 Route 103, Newbury). Visit nhcrafts.org.

• GREELEY PARK ART SHOW Annual outdoor juried art show hosted by Nashua Area Artists Association features a variety of artwork for sale. Sat., Aug. 21, and Sun., Aug. 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 100 Concord St., Nashua. Visit nashuaareaartistsassoc.org.

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.

Workshops and classes

• GENERAL ART CLASSES In-person art classes for all levels and two-dimensional media. held with small groups of two to five students. Private classes are also available. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Students are asked to wear masks in the gallery. Tuition costs $20 per group class and $28 per private class, with payment due at the beginning of the class. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.

• 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.

Theater

Auditions

• HEATHERS THE MUSICAL Presented by Cue Zero Theatre Company. Auditions held Tues., July 27. Granite State Arts Academy, 19 Keewaydin Drive, Salem. Performers must be age 18+. Signups for a time slot in advance are required. Visit cztheatre.com.

Shows

• SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Wed., July 7, and Thurs., July 8, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

• SLEUTH The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Now through July 17, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., plus a matinee on Thursday, July 8, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $37. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

•​ PIPPIN The Seacoast Repertory Theatre PAPA Jr. presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through July 18. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.

• YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN Prescott Park Arts Festival (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth). July 9 through Aug. 15, with shows daily at 7 p.m. More information is TBA. Visit prescottpark.org.

• PETER PAN The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 13, through Thurs., July 15, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

• DANI GIRL The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. July 14 through July 31, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $29 to $39. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

•​ ‘TIL BETH DO US PART The Majestic Theatre presents. Virtual and in person at Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. July 16 through July 25, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.

• WIZARD OF OZ The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 20, through Thurs., July 22, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

•​ CABARET The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. July 22 through Sept. 5. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.

• THE LITTLE MERMAID The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents. Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tues., July 27, through Thurs., July 29, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

A single voice

Concord Chorale performs together in person for virtual concert

After months of rehearsing from home over Zoom, and then from their cars in what became known as “driveway rehearsals,” the Concord Chorale is singing together under one roof again.

Last month, 50 Chorale members, along with an instrumentalist group of percussionists, pianists and vocal soloists, gathered in an empty church to perform and record a free virtual concert of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana that will premiere on the Chorale’s YouTube channel on Saturday, July 10.

A sneak peek at Concord Chorale’s virtual concert, premiering on July 10. Courtesy photo.

“Finally being able to hear everyone singing in harmony after spending a year apart was wonderful,” said Regina Wall, a second-year member, singing alto.

Carmina Burana’s iconic opening movement, “O Fortuna,” will be “familiar to essentially everybody,” music director Jenny Cooper said.

“It’s incredibly dramatic,” she said. “It’s been used throughout pop culture and in commercials and movies.”

The piece, which Orff composed in the 1930s, is based on a collection of medieval poetry of the same name, particularly on the text’s recurring theme of “Rota Fortunae,” the theoretical “wheel of fortune” that determines every person’s fate. It’s a timely theme for today, Cooper said.

“I find it really moving to hear the voices of people from so long ago who were also [thinking about] the lack of control that we have in our lives … and were experiencing many of the same feelings that we have now,” she said.

Wall agreed.

“It touches on universal themes … like having life kick you in the butt,” she said. “Even though the words were written hundreds of years ago, they’re still applicable to us today.”

Cooper encouraged members to reflect on the piece’s emotional content and use it as a springboard for cathartic discussion about the current state of the world.

“It really allowed us to dig into some of that anger and fear — fear of the unknown, fear of wondering what’s going to happen — that we’ve all been feeling over the past year and a half,” Cooper said.

Though the traditional arrangement for Carmina Burana includes a full orchestra, Cooper decided to simplify the instrumentation for the virtual performance, but there is one element that she wasn’t willing to trim down.

“The percussion in this piece is so central to the feeling of it,” she said. “Everything from the huge bass drums and the gong to the bells and the glockenspiel — percussion has the ability to give it that full range of feelings, from huge to tiny, from terrifying to intimate.”

The Chorale presented its first virtual concert in January (which is still available to watch online). Since they could not perform together in person, the members recorded themselves performing their individual parts of the piece, and those recordings were spliced together to simulate a unified performance. Cooper said she anticipated having to use the same method for the Carmina Burana concert, but CDC guidelines eased up three weeks before the performance date. The new guidelines permitted the Chorale to rehearse and perform together in person, indoors and unmasked, so long as all members present had received the Covid-19 vaccine.

For the five members who have not been vaccinated, Cooper made accommodations to ensure that they could participate in rehearsals and the upcoming performance; they’ve been joining the in-person rehearsals from home over Zoom, and, for Carmina Burana, they’ll be able to record themselves performing at home, just as they did for the January concert, and have their voices mixed into the audio of the in-person recording.

“I highlighted specific movements in the piece [in which] I thought it would be great to have those extra voices added in,” Cooper said.

The Concord Chorale will continue rehearsing in person and hopes to perform for a live, in-person audience for their next concert in September.

“It’s a conversation that will have to keep going as we see how the virus progresses and the efficacy of the vaccine,” Cooper said, “but I think we’re really well-informed and have been making safe choices, so the plan is to move ahead into a regular in-person season.”

Concord Chorale presents Carmina Burana
Where: Virtually, available to stream on the Chorale’s website and YouTube channel.
When: Saturday, July 10, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, July 11, at 3 p.m. The concert will be available to stream after Sunday on demand for one year.
Cost: Free
More info: Visit concordchorale.org or call 333-5211.

Featured photo: The Concord Chorale. Courtesy photo.

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