Category: Cover Stories

And more advice on how to make your garden healthier, hardier and more exciting

By Matt Ingersoll and Angie Sykeny

[email protected]

There are all kinds of unique and cost-effective ways to make your garden stand out. Here are some ideas gathered from discussions with local gardening experts on how to get started.

Healthier soils

Most fruits and vegetables grow best in a well-drained sandy loam soil, rich in organic matter with a pH level (a measure of acidity) between 6.5 and 6.8. Exceptions are potatoes, which have a different pH requirement, and blueberries, which need a pH level of between 4.5 and 5.

Nate Bernitz, public engagement program manager for the UNH Cooperative Extension, recommends gardeners test their soil for pH levels before using it, ideally at least six months before planting to allow enough time to amend it properly. The UNH Cooperative Extension offers soil testing that includes pH, nutrient analysis and other overall recommendations for gardeners.

“For soil that is poorly drained, which can happen when there’s a lot of clay in the soil, adding organic matter from a source such as compost will help improve drainage,” he said. “Likewise for very sandy soil that does not retain water very well, compost … will help improve water retention ability.”

In a more established garden, Bernitz said, soil should ideally be kept covered throughout the year. During the winter a cover crop such as oats will do a great job of protecting the soil, while a mulch such as weed-free straw or chopped leaves gets the job done during the growing season.

Composting

Composting not only benefits your garden bed but also is great for the environment. Around 35 percent of household waste that commonly goes into municipal landfills is organic material that can be composted, said Ron Trexler, advanced master gardener with the UNH Cooperative Extension, and immediate past president and current vice president of the Hooksett Garden Club.

“There’s really no wrong way to do it. It’s basically just taking organic material and keeping it in a pile. [If you] keep the pile aerated and moist, then the stuff will decompose,” Trexler said.

Everything from leaves and grass clippings to food scraps from your kitchen can all be compostable. There are many types of compost bins that you purchase, but Trexler said anything that can be used to keep your compost materials in a stackable pile in a corner of your yard is all you need.

“You don’t want the pile covered, because you want air to get in there,” he said. “So it’s OK if rain gets in there, [and] it doesn’t matter whether the pile sits in the sun or sits in the shade. … The other thing is the pile tends to get compacted over time, so by turning it over and sticking holes in it or poking it with something, that helps to get some more into the pile, because that’s what it’s going to need in order to decompose properly.”

A compost pile can take anywhere from a couple of months to a few years to be usable, depending on how you manage the pile.

“Once your compost is finished, it smells like nice, rich dirt. It doesn’t have any odor to it at all,” Trexler said. “When everything is broken down, you can just take and sprinkle that in your garden or around your trees or out in your lawn … and let those plants get the advantage of all those nutrients that you just created.”

Mulches

A mulch can be any material spread on a soil surface, but Bernitz said some are better than others. Mulches are broadly categorized as being organic or inorganic — organic, he said, simply refers to whether it contains a natural material from a living source that will decompose. Examples include wood chips, bark mulch, grass clippings, pine needles, shredded leaves, straw, hay and sawdust. Inorganic mulches, on the other hand, come from either synthetic or non-living sources and can range from plastic to rock.

“Bark mulch isn’t usually the first choice for the vegetable garden, but is often a great option for trees, shrubs and flower beds,” Bernitz said. “Plastic mulch can be used in a vegetable garden, but for most gardeners, they will be better off using organic mulches around anywhere you are growing plants. … I wouldn’t recommend using stones or rocks as a mulch for plants in most instances. … Inorganic mulches tend to increase the temperature of the soil, which can increase plant stress.”

Bernitz added that, aside from adding soil amendments and organic matter, it’s important to kill weeds in your garden area.

“It’s best to do a very thorough job of killing perennial weeds before starting a new garden, as it’s harder to eliminate stubborn weeds in an established garden,” he said. “There are a number of strategies, including tilling the soil and laying down thick black plastic, tarps or cardboard.”

Hügelkultur (raised garden beds)

Hügelkultur, named for the German word meaning “hill culture,” is a cost-effective and sustainable gardening technique in which a raised mound is created using piles of logs, sticks, leaves and other organic material, which is then topped with a layer of your soil.

“Generally you have the bigger things at the bottom and the smaller things at the top,” said Ann Kinne of Manchester, a local botanist. “The logs … help to provide nutrients over a very long amount of time, and also, when it rains, they’re going to hold in all of that water like a sponge instead of just kind of draining away.”

The technique is not limited to any one specific type of garden — a hügelkultur bed can be started at any time of the year and will very gradually sink over time, depending on its size.

“It’s a good way of improving soil quality, [and] it’s really good for water retention,” Kinne said. “If you have an unsuitable spot for growing a lot of things, you can put one of these down, and there you go. An instant garden that takes care of itself and creates its own little ecosystem. … The other thing is that weeds have a pretty hard time taking root in them.”

Koi/goldfish ponds

With the right amount of regular maintenance, koi or goldfish ponds can make beautiful additions to your backyard garden. Sean Radomski is the one-man show behind Aquatopia, a Bow-based business launched in 2010 that specializes in both residential and commercial water garden installation features, including ponds big and small, as well as waterfalls and fountains.

“My goal essentially is to make a pond that looks like it’s been there forever, and then design it around that, so most of the time it’s going to be on an existing flower bed or on a certain section of lawn,” Radomski said. “A koi pond has certain size requirements that have to be considered, because koi fish … can get quite large, so they need to have enough room to swim around in.”

Most koi ponds he builds tend to be about 16 feet long by 20 feet wide, with water that’s at least two to three feet deep. Start to finish, a typical koi pond is usually installed within four or five days after its placement is selected and the materials are ordered. The fish themselves can also be part of the package as an option.

“Every project is different and unique … but it’s typically a pretty quick process once we’re in and out,” Radomski said. “We always try to [be] as low impact as possible, so we don’t come in guns blazing, ripping and tearing everything up.”

On average, Radomski said, koi ponds are right around the $10,000 mark to install. Part of his business also involves winterization and maintenance of ponds after they are built.

“The fish will actually hibernate in the pond,” he said. “We put an aerator in the pond for the wintertime, and that keeps a hole open in the ice so that respiration is still going to occur.”

Waterfalls

Waterfalls hold nearly all the elements and features of a koi or goldfish pond — minus, of course, the responsibility of taking care of the fish.

“One of the first questions I ask someone … is if they want a pond because they want that water sound or they want to have fish,” Radomski said. “I would say 50/50, people don’t realize that the pondless waterfalls exist. They don’t want to have fish, they just want that waterfall sound.”

Like ponds, waterfalls can come in a wide variety of custom designs and sizes, though they are generally less expensive by comparison. Waterfall designs feature a basin that’s backfilled with gravel, where the water goes through an underground vessel and recirculates.

“Most of the time, people already have an existing slope in their backyard that they want to kind of dress up,” Radomski said. “That’s extremely common, or maybe they have a blank spot in their yard that they want to liven up. … A waterfall will also create much more volume of sound than a fountain ever will, so if they really want a lot of volume, they’ll ask for a waterfall instead.”

Fountains

Garden fountains are much smaller, but the possibilities are endless, Radomski said.

“They can be everything from just a small little bubbling boulder, which is basically a rock with a hole drilled into it, to more elaborate concoctions,” he said. “A lot of people want the fountain to be on the front walkway entrance …or somewhere with a small space, because they just want that little bit of water sound but not necessarily the length [or size] of a pondless waterfall.”

Most garden fountains start at around $1,500 and average about $2,500 to install. Like waterfalls, fountains recirculate the water flow to create the sound, and require much less regular maintenance and winterization than ponds.

“Most people typically will maintain their own fountains and waterfalls themselves, although we do have a pump exchange service for those that just don’t want to mess with it,” Radomski said.

Wildflowers/native plants

Planting wildflowers is a great way to give your garden some diversity in color. Trexler said growing them effectively is all about understanding what their requirements are, as well as the time of year when each plant is expected to bloom.

“There are charts that show … the growth conditions that those particular plants thrive in [and] the times of year they bloom, so you want to figure out what’s a spring bloomer, a summer bloomer and a fall bloomer. … A mix of the different seasons will give you some nice color, otherwise what you’ll have is maybe some color just for a couple of months out of the year and then the rest of the year it’s just green.”

Pansies, violets and bulbs like daffodils and tulips are all among those that are blooming this time of year, Trexler said. Daylilies and bee balms bloom toward the middle of the summer, while asters and chrysanthemums are among the late-season bloomers, usually around September or October.

“If you go to a nursery or a garden center where you’d buy these plants, they’ll have charts that show you what the bloom time is and some information about what conditions the plant likes,” he said.

Mini sunflower field

Transform a vacant grassy area of your yard into a miniature sunflower field.

Hooksett gardener Jen Kippin started her sunflower field during the pandemic, she said, “to bring happiness to the neighborhood.”

“There were so many people in my neighborhood walking, riding bikes and walking their dogs,” she said. “[The sunflower field] is right on the street, so everyone can see it going by.”

Kippin’s field is approximately 25 feet by 60 feet in size and features a mix of sunflower varieties, including chocolate, rose and Mexican sunflowers, along with an autumn mix, white Italian, dwarf and more.

Create a mulched path through the field “for easier cutting and fun exploring,” she said.

A sunflower field is easy to maintain; just water it daily — no weeding required — and enjoy.

Herbs

If you want to grow something with a more practical use than flowers, but less intensive than fruits and veggies, herbs may be that happy medium you’re looking for. You can plant them in pots, raised beds or even your kitchen window, and if they’re perennials, as many herbs are, you only have to plant them once, and they’ll continue to blossom year after year.

“There are so many benefits to growing your own herbs,” said Amanda Paul of Wild Way Farm in Deering. “Not only are they easy to grow and usually to maintain, but they are also healthy for your body.”

Some of the most versatile herbs, Paul said, include thyme, which is “basic and useful in most dishes;” oregano “for delicious pizza and other tasty Italian dishes;” and sage to “complement your favorite Mediterranean dishes or add to stuffings … or Italian seasonings.”

“Store-bought herbs just don’t compare to fresh harvested herbs,” Paul said. “They are far fresher … and you will have flavorful additions for your favorite dishes in your very own garden.”

Edible landscape

Create a garden that looks good enough to eat with edible landscaping techniques.

“The reality is, we can’t eat lawns,” Paul said, “so maybe you try adding some aesthetically pleasing and productive edible plants to your ornamental flower gardens.”

Paul defined edible landscaping as “interplanting vegetables, herbs, berry bushes and even fruit trees to diversify aesthetic, incorporate color and increase the yield of edible plants.”

Research and careful planning are necessary for creating a successful edible landscape; you’ll need to make sure that the plants you choose are compatible with each other and share similar requirements for soil, sun and water.

“This is referred to as ‘companion planting,’” Paul said, “and it can increase yield and flower production, support pollinators by means of nectar or pollen, and even repel unwanted pests.”

Swiss chard, lettuces, kale, cabbages, parsley and summer squash work well for borders and bedding. Protect your roses or other prized plants by surrounding them with pest-deterring edibles, like onions, garlic and chives. Purple eggplants and colorful pepper varieties, Paul said, are a tasty way to “add statement color” and make your landscape pop.

Container gardening

You can grow just about any type of plant in a container — among the keys, Trexler said, are good drainage and proper soil, and grouping different plants that have the same growing requirements in the same container.

“Other than trees and shrubs, there isn’t really any type of plant that you can’t grow in a container,” he said. “It would just matter how large a container, so depending on the growth habit of that plant … would just be how large a container that you would use. So for instance, if you didn’t have a big yard but you wanted to grow tomatoes to use in your cooking, you can grow those in a container. … I would say you’d maybe a four- or five-gallon size for those.”

Unless you’re growing something from seed, Trexler said, a window that gets adequate light is a great place to put a plant that likes the sun. A shade plant, on the other hand, performs better when placed by an east- or north-facing window so that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

Aphids, which look like small, pear-shaped insects, and fungus gnats, which resemble tiny flies or mosquitos, are common pests that you have to watch out for indoors. But there are some things you can do to manage their potential invasion.

“Fungus gnats like moist soil … so by letting the top of your soil dry out, that’s kind of using a mulch of some sort on the top, and that also helps to inhibit their proliferation,” Trexler said.

Pot potatoes

You don’t have to be a farmer to grow your own potatoes; a pot, a potato and a sunny spot are all you need.

“There is a whole science of how to grow potatoes … but don’t get bogged down by it,” Pelham gardener Angel Cassista said. “The thing about plants is that they want to grow. … You just need to give them a chance.”

To start, leave a potato in a cool, dark area for a couple weeks, then bring it back into the light, which will prompt the potato’s “eyes” to sprout. When the potato has one to three eyes that are about half an inch long, it’s ready to be potted. Pick up a 3- to 5-gallon bucket, drill some holes in the bottom, fill it with dirt and “you have a potato pot,” Cassista said.

“The potato harvest might not be epic every time,” she said, “but they will have a richer taste than the ones you’re used to buying from the grocery store.”

The best thing about pot potatoes, Cassista said, is that they’re as beautiful as they are tasty.

“I put mine prominently around the patio,” she said. “They grow big and green and bushy with lacey dark leaves … and will have white or purple or pink flowers. … They’re gorgeous, so don’t hide them.”

Heirlooms

“Heirloom plants,” according to Paul, is a term used to describe “an age of a particular cultivar.”

“Some say 50 years. Some say 100 years. Some say 1945 to 1951 is the latest a plant could have originated to be considered an heirloom,” she said, “but, by definition, heirlooms must be open pollinated varieties bred and stabilized for growing and desired traits.”

Open pollinated varieties self- and cross-pollinate through wind, insects and themselves by carrying pollen from one plant to another.

The primary advantage of heirlooms is that, with care, the seeds can be saved and used each year, and even passed on through generations, but there are other benefits, too.

“Heirlooms are usually packed with flavor, are hardier and have adapted over time to the environment in which they’re grown,” Paul said. “I grow heirlooms almost exclusively for these reasons.”

Indoors to outdoors

The growing season in New England is short and finicky, but you can increase your chances of having a successful crop by starting your seeds indoors around two to eight weeks before the last frost of spring.

“Each plant has a different level of concern regarding frost exposure. … You can check your almanac for the last frost in your area, or ask your gardening neighbors,” Cassista said. “You’ll know when it is time to transplant your seedlings when the weather is warm enough for your plants.”

While they’re growing indoors, keep the seeds by a sunny window, or, better yet, Cassista said, use a grow light.

“Most houses are too dark to grow well, even the brighter ones,” she said. “Invest a little bit of money. … You can just buy a light and put a grow bulb in it.”

After being transplanted outdoors, plants may go through “transplant shock,” where their growth appears to slow down or stop, but don’t let that deter you from starting your plants indoors, Cassista said; the plants have a better chance of surviving transplant shock than they do of surviving the New England growing season being planted from seed outdoors.

“The name is more dramatic than the actual thing,” she said. “It’s a minor setback. The plants recover.”

Critter deterrents

There are a number of safe, easy ways to deter unwanted critters from your plants.

Goffstown gardener Jane Turcotte suggested putting rubber snakes — the more brightly colored, the better — in and around your garden, which work well for scaring off rabbits, birds and deer.

“I’ve seen deer approach, catch sight of a fake snake and take off like a shot,” she said.

Make sure you place them in a way that looks natural so that they’re convincing.

“I lay them across the tops of my fencing or coil them in, on or around containers,” Turcotte said.

If you’re looking to protect your fruit, put out painted red rocks in the weeks prior to the fruit’s harvest. Birds will believe the rocks are fruit at first, but after multiple disappointments, they will stop trying to eat the rocks.

“By the time your fruit is ready, birds will have the idea that bright red things aren’t food,” Turcotte said.

If you’re willing to try something a bit outside of the box, Turcotte said, the most effective way to keep critters away is with human urine.

“Wild animals are highly sensitive to smells and know, evolutionarily, that humans are a threat and predators, and that our smell means danger,” she said.

Keep a “dedicated jar in your bathroom” to collect your “vermin deterrent,” then pour it around the perimeter of your garden every few days.

Weeds

Weeds aren’t always a bad thing. Paul said that some native weeds are beneficial to the ecosystems in which they grow as they help to keep the soil healthy, improve growing conditions and promote desirable pollinator activity in your garden.

“I actually love weeds,” Paul said. “So many get a bad reputation simply because we’ve been groomed over time to think that anything but perfectly manicured lawns is unacceptable.”

Some weeds that Paul said she “doesn’t mind as a gardener” include clover, which have “flower-like tops” and reduce the need for irrigation by helping to maintain soil moisture; dandelions, which are “refreshingly pretty yellow flowers after long drab winters” and facilitate pollinators during early spring, when blooming flowers are still scarce; yarrow, which contribute white and yellow blooms and are “commonly grown as an ornamental;” and milkweed, which produces “beautiful and fragrant flowers” and is known for attracting monarch butterflies.

Trellises

One of the many vertical gardening techniques involves using a trellis, which is not only great for growing in smaller spaces but also makes harvesting easier and keeps produce up off the ground.

“Some crops need something to climb, like pole beans and peas,” Bernitz said. “Some crops don’t need a trellis but benefit from growing on a strong trellis, including squash, cucumbers and even melons. … Tomatoes also benefit from support.”

A trellis can be crafted from a wide variety of materials, but typically will consist of two vertical supports with mesh, netting or fencing running between them. Bernitz said a trellis may need to be supported by stakes to ensure it doesn’t tip over from strong winds.

“Some gardeners love archways built from cattle panels and anchored at either end, [and] some like using string suspended from wood or bamboo in various creative ways,” he said. “You can buy pre-made trellises … or use materials lying around your home and yard.”

Heavier items like certain gourds and winter squash would need to be individually supported on a trellis if being grown vertically, Bernitz said. Cucumbers, zucchini and other lighter crops don’t need to be supported individually, but benefit from growing on a trellis.

Stones

Stones can be a simple and inexpensive way to embellish your garden.

Stacy Lamountain of Moose Meadow Flower Farm in Litchfield calls it “hardscaping.”

“Whether you place a big boulder in an ornamental bed or use [stones] to line the edge of a pond … they bring another texture to the landscape,” she said.

Try building a garden pathway with broken slate slabs that allow greenery to grow through the cracks, Lamountain said, or a “faux broken down stone wall” with single stones and small stacks of stones “artfully scattered, as if the wall fell apart.”

“It’s an art piece of hardscape, a design element in the yard and a habitat for local critters,” she said. “Win-win.”

Stones can have a practical use as well.

“Grit, or small stones mixed into potting soil or even into clay soil, can significantly help with drainage so that the plants don’t get soggy bottoms and rot,” Lamountain said.

Dragon garden

Get creative with themed gardens. Kippin, for example, is working on a “dragon garden” with her grandsons.

“I wanted to create a sense of fantasy and fun,” she said.

She ordered seeds for as many plant varieties with the name “dragon” in them as she could find: dragon tongue, dragon egg, purple dragon and snapdragon.

“The grandboys and I will be building a small castle with rocks we’ve collected from all over the yard,” she said. “I want this garden to be fun and creative, and nothing more.”

Fairies and gnomes

Fairies, gnomes and other figurines can add a touch of whimsy to your garden.

“With the joy and beauty that a garden brings, it’s no wonder we find gardens a magical place and pretend they are home to mini people,” Lamountain said.

Garden figurines are accessible for all budgets and spaces, she said. You can often find inexpensive ones at a dollar store, or more unique pieces at country stores, gift shops or antique shops. Miniature figurines can be placed in patio gardens and other small spaces, or put inside a terrarium.

“Terrarium plants are all the rage right now, so there is an endless supply of tiny plants to create a world for fairies and gnomes right inside your home,” Lamountain said.

Finally, figurines are a great way to introduce “hesitant little gardeners” to gardening, Lamountain said, and encourage them to “play outside and create fairy lands.”

“My children love playing among the fairies and gnomes,” she said. “They make the homes of the fairy under trees, bushes and even in their sandbox.”

Featured photo: Hugelkultur (raised garden beds). Photos courtesy of Ann Kinne.

Traverse local cities on two wheels for fun, exercise and maybe even a speedier way to get around

Sharing the road

Plans and projects to improve city biking conditions

By Matt Ingersoll

[email protected]

Whether it’s a newly paved rail trail or a busy downtown street, local city officials, transportation planners and nonprofits have all worked together to make New Hampshire’s roads increasingly more bicycle-friendly. Here’s a look at how biking is getting safer as a regular means of transportation.

Manchester

Last month Jason Soukup of Manchester led the launch of a “bike school bus” pilot program, which encourages city kids in grades K through 12 to ride their bikes to and from school. The route runs the entire length of Elm Street, about four miles each way — now through the end of the school year, kids decked out in high-visibility reflective vests are led by parents and other adult chaperones and volunteers along the street’s bike lanes to school. It’s one of the several initiatives of Manchester Moves, a local nonprofit of which Soukup is the board secretary.

In addition to the bike school bus, Manchester Moves has a lending library program for all kinds of outdoor gear and equipment, including bicycles, which can be borrowed for up to one week.

“It’s just really cool to imagine a world where kids can ride their bikes to school again, so we’ve been trying to remove the obstacles for that,” said Soukup, whose own kids participate in the program. “I just returned from a trip to Europe … and it’s just a night and day difference the way that bikes go across the cities there compared to here. So we have a big culture shift that needs to happen within New Hampshire and Manchester and we’ll do just about anything we can.”

Manchester Moves works closely with the city’s Department of Public Works, which developed a bicycle master plan about five years ago with input from the city biking community.

“There are bike routes … that the city has been working to label with painted bike lanes,” Soukup said. “They call them sharrows. You see them in the middle of the roads; it’s a white painted lane with a [marking of] a little bike guy on it. That’s called a sharrow, meaning the cars are sharing the road with an arrow that says these are where bikes go.”

Owen Friend-Gray, Manchester DPW’s highway chief engineer, said that bike lanes and sharrows have been added to several of the city’s major roads all within the last couple of years, including multiple sections across Elm Street and Mammoth Road, as well as on both Maple and Beech streets between Bridge and Webster streets toward the North End.

“We also just completed a rail trail project that was just over a mile long to help improve one of the last segments of the Rockingham Rail Trail, which runs from Manchester out to the Seacoast,” Friend-Gray said. “Then we have other trails … that we’re working on parts and pieces of, like the South Manchester Rail Trail, to connect from the southern portion of the city down through Londonderry, Derry and eventually into Nashua … … So we’re doing quite a bit, especially with the rail trails, to try to get better connectivity and rideability throughout the city.”

Concord

In November 2010 the City of Concord released its first bicycle master plan. Craig Tufts of the Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission was its chief author.

A Concord resident, Tufts is also co-chair of a bicycling subcommittee through the citywide Transportation Policy Advisory Committee, which met for the first time two years earlier.

The plan outlined several infrastructure projects throughout the city with input from members of the biking community, many of which have been completed in the ensuing years.

“When we did that plan, we did a lot of public outreach and we learned a lot of things about what people wanted,” Tufts said. “We’ve developed great procedures for lane striping, which we didn’t have back then … [and] we also have a lot more miles of shoulders and bike lanes now.”

The longest bike lane runs along the Route 3 corridor, Tufts said, from the Fisherville Road and North State Street areas of Penacook all the way to downtown.

“That whole stretch of road there all has a lane now for bikes … and that was something that wasn’t there back before 2010, so that was a big improvement,” he said. “[Before] the Main Street project, Main Street used to be two lanes of car traffic in each direction, and it was just so much space dedicated to cars, and they redesigned it for wider sidewalks and better biking.”

On some city roads like Pleasant Street, the shoulder line was restriped to effectively widen the space for bicyclists and keep them away from passing cars. There has also been a switch to more improved detection technology for riders who stop at traffic lights on certain intersections.

“The switch to video detection … is gradually happening as old signals are replaced,” Tufts said, “but in the meantime, we have put out markers showing where a bike needs to stop to get a green [light]. … We did a lot of signals in the downtown area near the Statehouse.”

Right now, Tufts said, the most energy in improving biking across Concord involves connecting many of the rail trails in and around the city. Plans are in the works to eventually bring the Northern Rail Trail, which currently stretches from Lebanon all the way down to southern Boscawen, into the Capital City, while the Merrimack River Greenway Trail, a 12.7-mile trail running from Pembroke to Boscawen, has also been proposed.

“Pan Am Railways owns a railroad bed that runs from the Boscawen town line up in Penacook all the way to Horseshoe Pond,” Tufts said. “The Friends of the Merrimack River Greenway Trail … have been working really hard to get the city or the state to purchase that property, so that once it’s in public hands, it can be used for a trail.”

Nashua

While the overall bicycle infrastructure within Nashua can be considered limited compared to Manchester and Concord, there are a number of initiatives underway right in the heart of the city.

Among the most widely used bike and pedestrian pathways is the Nashua Heritage Rail Trail, said Jay Minkarah, executive director of the Nashua Regional Planning Commission.

“It runs from Main Street to Simon Street, parallel to West Hollis Street, so it’s a pretty long run … and in a location that allows it to be a real transportation alternative,” he said. “It goes through some of Nashua’s highest-density … areas and is used pretty heavily by bicycles.”

The City received funding to extend the Heritage Rail Trail all the way east to Temple Street, which Minkarah said would effectively double its length. Officials are also working on a riverfront improvement plan that would increase bike accessibility along the Nashua River.

“There’s also funding … to develop basically a multi-purpose path along Spruce Street directly east of downtown,” Minkarah said. “That would link the planned extension of the Heritage Rail Trail to the riverfront, so that’s really exciting.”

Safety first
Here’s a look at some of the statewide bicycle safety laws. See dot.nh.gov for more details.
• Bicycles are considered vehicles — therefore, bicyclists must stop at stop signs and red lights, yield to pedestrians and ride on the right side of the road with traffic.
• Riding on sidewalks or riding the wrong way on one-way streets is prohibited.
• Stop for pedestrians in all crosswalks. Don’t pass cars that are stopped at a crosswalk.
• Helmets are required by law for cyclists under 16 years of age.
• Bicyclists must wear at least one form of reflective apparel, such as a vest, jacket or helmet strip, during the period from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise.
• When riding after dark, you must use a white front headlight and a red rear light or reflector that is visible from at least 300 feet away.
Source: New Hampshire Department of Transportation’s Bicycle and Pedestrian program

Joy ride

Urban areas offer fun cycling experiences

By Angie Sykeny

[email protected]

New Hampshire has many locales for a leisurely bike ride, and its three biggest cities — Manchester, Concord and Nashua — easily make that list.

“Every bike ride offers a single story to add to the chapters in your life,” said Janet Horvath, recreation and enterprise manager for the City of Manchester. “An urban destination like Manchester is a great choice for a unique change of pace.”

Cyclists have “a tremendous array of choices” to enhance their ride in the Queen City, Horvath said. Hit some of the main attractions in downtown with a ride from West Side Arena to the Millyard and the Fisher Cats stadium, or a ride to Livingston Park via Maple Street, which has bike lanes north of Bridge Street, where you’ll find a hiking trail, Dorrs Pond, athletic fields and other amenities.

“Parks offer a chance to commune with nature in the largest urban area in the state,” Horvath said.

In the south end, take a destination ride to Crystal Lake Park, which features a beach, a playground and a pavilion. On the west side, Horvath said, Rock Rimmon Park is “the destination park to see.”

“Cool off at Dupont Splash Pad, take a hike to the top of the ‘Rock,’ or read a book from the book nook,” she said. “Play on the playground, join a pickup game of basketball or pickleball and check out the skateboard features to round out your visit.”

Other bike-friendly features of Manchester, Horvath said, include bike lanes on popular routes, like Elm Street, as well as bike racks and bike repair stations throughout the city “to help out if your trip doesn’t go as planned.”

In Nashua, Mine Falls Park is the prime spot for a bike ride.

“There’s a huge trail system there, with miles and miles of trails that are all accessible to bikes,” said Jeff DiSalvo, Nashua’s recreation program coordinator. “The trails are nice and wide and well-kept, some paved, some dirt, and it’s just a really open area, so people can make [their ride] whatever they want it to be.”

The park rewards cyclists with a variety of natural scenery, including forests, open fields and wetlands.

“It’s just nice to be kind of secluded from the rest of Nashua and separate from the busyness of it,” DiSalvo said.

Concord’s trail systems offer all kinds of cycling experiences, assistant city planner Beth Fenstermacher said, from advanced mountain biking to easy street riding.

“There are a bunch of trails and loops out in the woods with different levels of difficulty, and then there are opportunities to connect to some of the more rural routes that go through Concord for on-street biking,” she said.

A painted bike path runs through downtown, where cyclists can enjoy the city’s shops and restaurants during their ride.

“It’s nice to be out on a nice day in that urban setting, and to be around other people,” Fenstermacher said. “You can stop and get a drink, or get an ice cream, or visit one of our breweries, and take advantage of all those amenities that urban areas provide.”

Horvath said the same of Manchester — that the city’s many activities and attractions are what make it an attractive place to bike.

“You can incorporate a variety of experiences easily in one day,” she said. “Ride to a park, swim in a pool, ride to a museum, see a matinee show and eat international cuisine all in one day.”

Jason Record

QC Bike Collective is a nonprofit organization that works to make biking safer and more convenient for people who live, learn or work in Manchester. It provides space, tools and equipment for community members to repair their bicycles at minimal cost and accepts donated bicycles to salvage useful parts and recycle them, or return them to working order and sell them at an affordable price. A few people who are involved in QC Bike shared their thoughts on city riding.

QC Bike Board of Directors and volunteer, both in the shop and for community outreach. Hooksett resident and shop user.

Do you bike city streets mainly for fun or as a means of transportation?

Mostly fun, but I did bike commute before Covid shut down my office in the Millyard.

What do you love about it?

I love the perspective and awareness of your surroundings that you just don’t get in a car. There are some many great street art pieces, statues, parks, and other features in the city that go easily unnoticed zipping by at 30 mph.

Any favorite routes in Manchester?

Definitely the rail trails, especially the refurbished Rockingham Rail trail. Lake Shore Drive is a favorite public road.

What’s the most challenging part of biking in a city?

Cars and distracted drivers

What’s one of your must-haves for biking gear?

Front and rear flashing lights, high-visibility clothing, and a rear fender

What’s one thing you would recommend to newer city bikers?

Get out there and explore, challenge yourself little by little, and enjoy the ride!

Tammy Zamoyski

Former QC Bike staff, currently Community Partner and volunteer. Manchester resident and shop user.

Do you bike city streets mainly for fun or as a means of transportation?

Transportation.

What do you love about it?

Everything is so close; it rarely takes more than a few minutes longer to bike somewhere vs. drive.

Any favorite routes in Manchester?

I most often take the Piscataquog Trail. It’s a less direct route to my destination, but it’s worth it to not have to be on the road with vehicles.

What’s the most challenging part of biking in a city?

I’m still pretty new to this city, so navigation can be difficult. Sometimes you have to be flexible with your route if the speed [or] volume of vehicular traffic isn’t what you were expecting. Also, the street signs around here can be hard to read, or even find!

What’s one of your must-haves for biking gear?

Properly dressing for the weather can make or break your ride!

What’s one thing you would recommend to newer city bikers?

I’d highly recommend finding a “bike buddy” or riding mentor to ride with until you feel comfortable hitting the road on your own.

Florian Tschurtschenthaler

QC Bike Board of Directors and volunteer, both in the shop and for community outreach. Manchester resident and shop user.

Do you bike city streets mainly for fun or as a means of transportation?

Both.

What do you love about it?

Biking is an efficient and fun alternative to driving around the city. Most of the distances within the city are short enough to be biked easily and especially around the center of the city it can be faster to bike than to take the car. Also it has obvious health and environmental benefits.

Any favorite routes in Manchester?

Elm and Chestnut streets are the best north-south passages. The footbridge by the Fisher Cats stadium is by far the best way to get across the river.

What’s the most challenging part of biking in a city?

Many of the streets, especially east-west, don’t have bike paths and the sidewalks are too poorly maintained to be a good alternative, especially in the winter when the snow doesn’t get cleared.

What’s one of your must-haves for biking gear?

Bright bike lights.

What’s one thing you would recommend to newer city bikers?

The most important thing when sharing the road with drivers is to be predictable. Use hand signs and act as if you were driving a car. Take the lane if you need to. … It’s often safer than to squeeze on the side of a narrow road.

Scott Silberfeld

Long standing QC Bike volunteer – fundraising and for community outreach. Manchester resident and shop user.

Do you bike city streets mainly for fun or as a means of transportation?

Fun.

What do you love about it?

Good exercise, get to see what is going on around the city.

Any favorite routes in Manchester?

Through Elm Street and down Calef Road to South Manchester Bike Trail.

What’s the most challenging part of biking in a city?

Drivers are not as considerate to bike riders as many other cities.

What’s one of your must-haves for biking gear?

Helmet.

What’s one thing you would recommend to newer city bikers?

Use bike lanes as much as possible and ride defensively.

Kim Keegan

QC Bike Board of Directors and volunteer. Manchester resident.

Do you bike city streets mainly for fun or as a means of transportation?

I bike for fun mostly. If I have an event or appointment where I think I may be able to bike there safely and it’s not raining or too cold, I’ll ride my bike.

What do you love about it?

Freedom from trying to find a parking place when I get to my destination, and the added exercise.

Any favorite routes in Manchester?

I stick to my neighborhood, primarily. Smyth Road, Hillside Middle School, Currier Art Museum.

What’s the most challenging part of biking in a city?

I don’t really feel safe in many parts of the city when I’m on my bike. I am an older rider and not in such great shape. Wouldn’t take much for some younger person to jump out and unseat me, and take my bike — or worse.

What’s one of your must-haves for biking gear?

A safety yellow jacket or safety vest, good brakes, well-inflated tires, water bottle, and of course a helmet!

What’s one thing you would recommend to newer city bikers?

Drive the routes first and be observant of road conditions, traffic and speed of cars, and personal safety in the areas. There are areas that would be great to bike to, if you didn’t have to go through bad areas to get to them. Do your research online first and plan your route accordingly.

Dave Rattigan

QC Bike volunteer and rider contact of Jason Record’s. Manchester resident.

Do you bike city streets mainly for fun or as a means of transportation?

Fun (retired), but easy transportation also, which is fun.

What do you love about it?

Being able to upkeep a machine that takes you places by your own power … but mainly coasting and maintaining a good rhythm.

Any favorite routes in Manchester?

Bedford to Lake Massabesic. I’ve been city riding on a mountain bike for several decades, on tar and dirt cut-thru’s

What’s the most challenging part of biking in a city?

Crossing the bridge of death (Queen City), or worse, the Amoskeag bridge.

What’s one of your must-haves for biking gear?

Wearing a diaper and a single-speed mountain bike.

What’s one thing you would recommend to newer city bikers?

Ride aggressively and find cut-thru’s to stay off main streets.

Kevin Kingsbury

Rider contact of Jason Record’s

Do you bike city streets mainly for fun or as a means of transportation?

Bike in the city for fun.

What do you love about it?

What I love about it is feeling like a kid again. Riding everywhere as an adult I did as a kid.

Any favorite routes in Manchester?

Favorite routes are any! But riding through airport terminals at night is great, and inner-city back alley loops are super fun!

What’s the most challenging part of biking in a city?

The challenging things are like Dave said, bridges, and also surprise pot holes and people the wrong way in the bike lanes.

What’s one of your must-haves for biking gear?

Must have a spare tube, and a mid-ride beer!

What’s one thing you would recommend to newer city bikers?

Recommend riding with groups until you get comfortable riding the streets on your own. And find/make your own cut through sand shortcuts!

Brian (Beast Of The East) Cray

Rider contact of Jason Record’s

I avoid the city because of road conditions.

Featured photo: The “bike school bus” pilot program, which encourages kids to ride their bikes to school. Photo courtesy of Manchester Moves.

Local actors, directors and other theater artists discuss bringing their productions to life

A detective thriller, a parody about a certain wizarding school and children’s tales with a macabre twist are just a few of the shows coming to New Hampshire theaters this spring. Actors, directors and other theater personnel talked about their respective shows, what makes them unique and what it takes to get them stage-ready.

Anna Mae Murphy, actor

Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, presented by Cue Zero Theatre Co., at Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem), with showtimes on Friday, April 29, and Sunday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 1, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 ($16.25 with fees). Masks and proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test taken within three days of the performance are required. The show is also available to livestream for $15. Visit cztheatre.com or email [email protected].

What attracted you to this show?

I found out about this show just a couple of days before auditions through a Facebook group I’m in for theater in New Hampshire. I hadn’t heard of Puffs before, but I quickly fell in love with it during my research and thought it would be a lot of fun to audition for something again after a few months.

Describe the character you’re playing.

The character I’m playing is Megan Jones, who puts on a tough act but is a big softie at heart. When you first meet her, she really rejects her family’s long lineage of Puffs and idolizes her mom, who became something greater in her eyes by working for the Dark Lord and ended up in Wizard Prison because of it. Megan’s big dream is that her mom will break out and come rescue her from this school she feels has failed her. At first, Megan does everything she can to reject being a Puff. But her friendships with Wayne and Oliver lead her on a journey of embracing her identity as a Puff and realizing her house and the Puffs around her are incredibly special. When I think of Megan, I think of someone who has a lot of layers, a lot of self-love to learn, but also someone who cares deeply about her friends and is way goofier than she’ll ever admit.

What have you been doing to prepare?

Preparing myself for this character began early on in one-on-one rehearsals with Christie [the director] where we got to have a long discussion and really dissect this character and create a solid foundation to build upon. When I came across something I didn’t really understand about Megan’s character, whether reading lines alone or rehearsing with the group, I worked to see it in the big picture of who Megan is and understand the context behind it. That’s really helped me to build her [character] even more. It’s also been so fun to build her further through rehearsing with the other people in this cast, and all the fun little moments we’ve created for our characters. Seeing the characters and their relationships to each other blossom has been so cool and often leads to some hysterical moments. One more thing I’ve done to prepare is I made a Megan Jones playlist with songs that remind me of her, and I like listening to it to help get into character.

What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?

I’m looking forward to people seeing this super funny show. I never get tired of these jokes, and everyone in this cast is hilarious. They’re always improvising new things, and they get funnier each time we’re all together. Everyone has worked so hard, and I can’t wait to hear all the laughter from the audience. It’s going to be amazing finally sharing this with people.

Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?

I think audiences will enjoy this show because it’s a familiar story with a unique twist. While new stories are always fun, it’s nice to sometimes return to what is familiar and find appreciation for it in new ways. People will recognize many of the major plot points, and I think they’ll really enjoy seeing it from this new perspective. It’s nostalgic and truly hilarious, and finding things that bring a smile to our faces has been so important these past couple of years.

Connor Forbes, actor

Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, presented by Cue Zero Theatre Co., at Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem), with showtimes on Friday, April 29, and Sunday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 1, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 ($16.25 with fees). Masks and proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test taken within three days of the performance are required. The show is also available to livestream for $15. Visit cztheatre.com or email [email protected].

What attracted you to this show?

I’ve been a fan of a certain boy wizard for a long time, so getting to finally be a part of that world in one way or another has always been a goal of mine. First hearing about this show back in 2018 or 2019, I knew it was a show I wanted to be in.

Describe the character you’re playing.

Wayne is an optimist and a dreamer. He has these big plans for himself and how he’s going to change the world, however cruel the world may be to him, or whoever stops him from fulfilling the goals he has for himself.

What have you been doing to prepare?

For one, I’ve definitely been practicing my wand techniques, but, in all seriousness, I’ve gone back to reread the books set at a certain school of female magic and male magic, including any spinoff material to immerse myself back into that world. I’ve also been consuming a fair amount of retro media, as my character Wayne is very much immersed in the pop culture of the ’80s and ’90s.

What have rehearsals been like?

Christie, the director, has made the rehearsal process such a blast. It’s been such a fun environment to be a part of, and everyone involved in this show, from the cast to the production team to the crew and everyone in between, has been incredible to work with.

What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?

I’m very much looking forward to bringing a new perspective to those seven years at magic school — an underdog perspective. The Puffs, as a group, are the ones who’ve never been destined for anything, and for there to be a story that’s all about them truly warms my heart.

Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?

I think audiences need a break from reality, even if it’s only for two hours. Movies and television are a thing that can provide that, but I’ve found that nothing brings that sense of wonder to a person like live theater does. Plus, this show is heartfelt, action-packed and just plain funny. Even if you aren’t a fan of that certain boy wizard, this show is a laugh-out-loud good time.

Genevieve Aichele, director

An Inspector Calls, presented by New Hampshire Theatre Project at West End Studio Theatre (959 Islington St., Portsmouth) from May 6 through May 22, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $30 ($33.26 with fees) for general admission $26 ($29 with fees) for seniors, students and veterans and must be purchased in advance. Masks are required in the theater. Visit nhtheatreproject.org or call 431-6644.

What attracted you to this show?

I’ve been wanting to produce this show for several years now. It’s a well-paced, clever play with excellent dialogue and great roles for actors, and its theme of social responsibility is more important than ever. For a piece written in 1945, it’s astonishingly pertinent today.

How are you interpreting the show as a director?

The only change I’m making is that we’re not using British accents. I wanted the play to feel very accessible and contemporary.

What have rehearsals been like?

A joy. I have a solid professional cast. … Each of them brings thoughtful character interpretations to their role, and everybody is fully prepared for rehearsals.

What is the biggest challenge of directing this show?

Trying to stay true to the period stylistically while making the themes accessible to contemporary audiences. This play is written like an Agatha Christie-type mystery, so keeping the pace taut and heightened without descending into melodrama is also a challenge.

What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?

The process of creating a piece for the stage with a collaborative team is what I love most about directing. Not just working with the excellent cast, but also [with the] costume designer, set designer and lighting designer, discovering things together. For instance, I really wanted to cast against type and have a woman play the title role of the Inspector, even though it might be anachronistic, but [the costume designer], in her costume research, discovered that there actually were female police officers in England at the time the play takes place in the early 1900s. This changed our approach to the character.

Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?

The script is excellent, the characters are fascinating and the story is absolutely pertinent to our world today. There are even lines that echo eerily; they could be spoken in 2022 instead of 1912. [The Inspector says,] ‘We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.’ In an era of instant global communication and connection, these issues seem even more important [today] than they were 75 years ago.

Steve Short, company manager, co-producer and sound designer

The Play That Goes Wrong, presented by the Manchester Community Theatre Players at the Manchester Community Theatre Players Theatre, located at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester), with showtimes on Fridays, May 13 and May 20, and Saturdays, May 14 and May 21, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and must be purchased in advance. Masks and proof of vaccination are required to enter the theater. Visit manchestercommunitytheatre.com or call 327-6777.

What attracted you to this play?

Having been involved in community theater for 17 years, I’ve seen a lot of mishaps and blunders, both on and off stage. This will be our third production in this genre, about a theater company putting on a play that goes horribly awry.

How are you interpreting the play?

Some of the sound effects are pretty simple, but some require some imaginative editing. I can’t go into more detail; you’ll have to come see the show.

What have rehearsals been like?

We’re pretty early in the rehearsal process. The cast has mostly been laughing hysterically, as putting the script into action on stage has been pretty funny.

What is the biggest challenge of this play?

It can be difficult to stage many of the set failures that are found in the script without a Broadway bankroll. The Manchester Community Theatre Players can be quite imaginative within the confines of a community theater budget.

What are you looking forward to most about bringing this play to the stage?

Audiences are desperate to see theater on stage rather than in Zoom boxes, and theater companies love the feedback that audiences provide.

Why do you think this is a play audiences will enjoy right now?

It’s a very funny show.

Billy Butler, writer, composer and director

Children of the Grim, presented by Bitter Pill at the Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) from May 13 through June 5, with showtimes on Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $28 for adults and $25 for seniors age 65 and up and students. Masks and proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test are required. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123.

What inspired you to write this show?

When I was a child, in the old timey days before cable TV and the internet, my mother used to read to me a lot — classics like The Wizard of Oz books and the Narnia chronicles, as well as Grimm, Native American mythology, Mother Goose, Aesop, Edward Gorey and, my favorite, campfire ghost stories. Bitter Pill generally plays to an adult audience, and I began to notice a lot of families at our concerts. We started editing our set lists to be more accessible for those shows. I wanted to create something an out-of-the-ordinary family would enjoy within the aesthetic of our band, so I started writing Children of the Grim inspired from my childhood stories. There are so many wonderfully dark, strange and bizarre tales from all over the world. It’s funny how those macabre stories used to be totally acceptable for children; there was a time when we knew that the universe is a dark and dangerous place. Even the early days of Disney had such dark overtones. We’re using some verbatim tales as well as nursery rhymes set to original music. I also wrote my own tales and songs. There’s no through-line, but there are definitely themes, all told in a series of vignettes and songs. I’m not sure how to describe it in theatrical terms, but maybe it’s a song-cycle meets a scene-cycle.

Describe the music. What does it add to the show?

The music is folk and played on all stringed instruments — acoustic guitars, mandolin, banjo and cello. Most of the show is original music, but [there are] also some traditional songs that may have been long forgotten. Music is what feelings sound like, and we present them in a way that isn’t banging people over the head with too many theatrics. Some of our songs create all the imagery needed simply by just singing them, without the fancy choreography or flashy lights.

What have rehearsals been like?

After our first rehearsal at the beginning of March, two of our actors contracted Covid. We lost a little more than a week’s worth of work. I knew this was a possibility and scheduled the process keeping in mind that Covid would very likely rear its ugly head. They went into quarantine, and we all tested multiple times before getting together again. Everyone got healthy very quickly, and we got right back to work. Since then, we’ve had a great time putting it together — a lot of laughs and plenty of goofiness.

What is the biggest challenge of directing this show?

Learning a new show is always challenging since there’s no reference point. There are no cast recordings or videos. It’s one of the reasons I love doing new work, whether [it’s] my own or others’. There are no expectations, and the creative process of bringing something new to life is frighteningly exciting. The biggest challenge, however, is that it’s been three years since I’ve directed anything, so the insecurities are hitting harder than usual. I’m second guessing, doubting myself and feeling the impostor syndrome here and there. These are all very normal [feelings] in a normal world, but in this new abnormal [world], things are much more elevated. Navigating it is tricky, but everyone involved is so 100 percent committed that I walk away from each rehearsal with more and more confidence. That’s how collaboration works — lifting each other and embracing the good and bad.

What do you hope the audience will take away from your show?

Humming a tune, and a bittersweet taste in their mouth.

What are you looking forward to most about seeing your show on stage?

It’s always a pleasure to see your work come to life before an audience for the first time. I imagine even more so these days. I look forward to being in the same room, breathing the same air, feeling the same feelings. Some say theater, music and arts are an escape; I don’t agree. People go to a concert or see a play or a movie to feel something, to sit in the dark and be reminded that we’re luminous beings. I know I always walk away from art feeling lighter and maybe even a little enlightened.

Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?

It’s not a typical play or musical, especially for families. Nothing is sugar-coated, and it’s dark, but also quite funny and poignant. It’s also short — a little more than an hour with no intermission. These old and new tales are an important reminder to embrace the dark, because, without it, how do we find the light?

Christie Conticchio, director

Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, presented by Cue Zero Theatre Co., at Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem), with showtimes on Friday, April 29, and Sunday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 1, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 ($16.25 with fees). Masks and proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test taken within three days of the performance are required. The show is also available to livestream for $15. Visit cztheatre.com or email [email protected].

What attracted you to this show?

I was attracted to this show at first as a fan of the fandom and, second, as a Puff myself. I had the privilege to see it off-Broadway as part of my sister-in-law’s bachelorette party and fell in love with the message that behind this seemingly misfit group are loyal, caring, hardworking individuals, and I connected with those characteristics.

How are you interpreting the show as a director?

As a director, my interpretation is to keep the heart, soul and lighthearted nature. This show has a lot of heart, and, once you lose that then it’s disingenuous.

What have rehearsals been like?

Rehearsals have been so collaborative and respectful. I honestly got very lucky with this cast.

What is the biggest challenge of directing this show?

The sheer amount of props, costume pieces, sound cues and lighting. This show has well over 100 props. I got very lucky with two productions finishing before mine, so many of my props are borrowed from Powerhouse Theatre or Manchester Central High School. In addition, the sound cues and timing of wand- and spell-making and that coordination will be important.

What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?

I’m looking forward to getting this in front of an audience. This is a funny show, and the talent in the cast is undeniable. We worked on improv skills, building community and fostering ideas from the cast, and I hope it’s noticeable. Each actor had a one-on-one session with me, and seeing how each character holds their wand and casts spells is so subtle, but I hope that, in the small theater, it’s a detail that’s appreciated.

Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?

If people are a fan of the fandom and are looking for a light-hearted comedy in a stressful world, this is the show to see. Also, sitting in the front row has some advantages in this show. What exactly are those advantages? You’ll just have to come and see.

Emily Karel, actor

An Inspector Calls, presented by New Hampshire Theatre Project at West End Studio Theatre (959 Islington St., Portsmouth), from May 6 through May 22, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $30 ($33.26 with fees) for general admission, $26 ($29 with fees) for seniors, students and veterans, and must be purchased in advance. Masks are required in the theater. Visit nhtheatreproject.org or call 431-6644.

What attracted you to this show?

First and foremost, the subject matter. The play deals with the struggle between individualism and collectivism and the disparity between those in the upper class and those in the lower class. With this work, Priestley asks us to reflect on how our actions affect those around us. Though the events of the play take place in 1912, these themes remain painfully relevant.

Describe the character you’re playing.

Sheila is the daughter of Arthur and Sibyl Birling. She fits into her parents’ carefully curated world of taste and refinement, but only just. She has a hot temper and is more intelligent than her family or fiance give her credit for. Her discomfort with the social and societal role she’s expected to play becomes evident fairly early on and only intensifies as the events of the play unfold.

What have you been doing to prepare? What have rehearsals been like?

In terms of preparation, I like to learn my lines as soon as possible. I feel it’s nearly impossible to do the work I need to do to build my character and support my castmates in the rehearsal room if I’m glued to the page. I like to come into the first rehearsal as close to off-book as possible. This play is a period drama, so I’ve been spending time outside of rehearsal researching the time period in which the events of the play take place. Also, in addition to making decisions about Sheila’s inner life, I need to find her psychically. BBC period dramas have been helpful research tools. Watching the characters on screen can help me get a sense of how young women in that time period moved and held themselves. The first season of Downton Abbey is especially useful since it takes place during the exact same time period as Inspector.

What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?

I’m looking forward to hearing what audiences take from the show.

Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?

I’ve been in this show before; I played Sheila in college. My experience of the play this time around is quite different, having come out of two-plus years of the Covid pandemic. I can’t help but be struck by the enormous class divide that exists in this country and how it has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. We’ve been divided into those who can stay home, stay safe, order our groceries in and implore others to do the same, and those who simply cannot. Some jobs can’t be done remotely. Some of us weren’t afforded the luxury of staying safe. The sad truth is that many of us … have quite a lot in common with the Birlings. We think we’re doing the right thing, taking care of ourselves and those we love, but we’ve been blind to our own immense privilege. My hope is that the experience of this play, whether from the stage or the audience, will encourage all of us to step outside of ourselves a bit more.

Featured photo: From left to right, Anna Mae Murphy playing Megan, Connor Forbes playing Wayne, and Noah Greenstein playing Oliver in Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic. Photo by Paula Trout.