Felix Cavaliere’s voice powered hits like “Groovin’,” “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long” and “It’s A Beautiful Morning” into the cultural zeitgeist, landing his band The Rascals in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He’s still on the road, satisfying fans who never stopped craving the group’s signature brand of blue-eyed soul, even though they split after less than a decade together.
At the relentless urging of E Street Band guitarist and satellite radio impresario Steven Van Zandt, The Rascals reunited in 2012 for the multimedia show Once Upon A Dream. It ran on Broadway and toured North America the following year. As the group swung through press conferences in different cities, Cavaliere decided to start work on an autobiography.
“They would ask us questions individually, and everybody had a different answer,” he said by phone recently. “I said, ‘Wow, was I there or did I dream this?’ It’s kind of like when you tell a joke and somebody repeats it, it’s never the same. … I thought, I’ve gotta make sure, for my sanity if nothing else, that I write down my story.”
Memoir Of A Rascal arrives March 22. A big part of the book covers their time with Atlantic Records. The Young Rascals were one of the first rock groups signed by the legendary R&B label. They made the deal after turning down an offer from producer Phil Spector.
Their decision to go was driven by a desire for creative control.
“I knew that if we went with Phil, we wouldn’t sound like what we sounded like,” Cavaliere said. “We would sound like Phil … that big wall of sound. But Atlantic said, ‘Yeah, you guys can produce yourselves,’ and I was adamant about that.”
The unanticipated presence of Atlantic co-producer Arif Mardin, who decades later helmed Norah Jones’s chart-topping debut album, made a big difference, Cavaliere said.
“Then good fortune comes into the picture,” he said with a laugh. “You can’t really put into words the addition that was to our music. … It’s like The Beatles with George Martin. This gentleman not only became one of my dearest friends, but like wow, man, was he talented! He was phenomenal.”
Working at the home of artists like Ray Charles, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin was “just a joy,” Cavaliere said. “First of all, my record collection at that time was three quarters Atlantic, and one quarter Motown. To be on that label was not only a treat, but that place was all about making good music. They made it so easy and comfortable for us, [and] for that I’ll always be grateful.”
Cavaliere spent most of the past year and half in Nashville, where he’s lived for several years, finishing his book and making an album called Then & Now, which pairs classic favorites with newly written tunes.
“Out of the two million songs that interest me, I chose five and re-recorded them. … I did Jackie Wilson’s ‘Higher and Higher’ and Ben E King’s ‘Spanish Harlem,’ and I wrote five new ones that were influenced by that,” he said.
In October he made a tentative return to the stage at a tribute concert for Lee Greenwood. Though it was an odd pairing for Cavaliere, whose liberal resume includes co-writing “People Got To Be Free” and working for Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign, the two go back to their early days as musicians.
“He’s an old friend, and he’s done well for himself,” he said. “We are on opposite poles of the universe, but that’s OK, he’s a good guy.”
The two initially connected when Cavaliere and future Rascals drummer Dino Danelli first played together at the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas, backing Sandu Scott, a forgotten singer bankrolled by her hotelier husband. Greenwood was with a group that approached him with an offer. Scott called her band Her Scotties, and for the duration of their brief run Cavaliere and Danelli wore traditional kilts on stage.
“Hey,” said Cavaliere, “everyone’s gotta work.”
An Evening With Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals
When: Friday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m. Where: Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester Tickets: $50.50 and $60.50 at palacetheatre.org
A new restaurant in Nashua is a one-stop culinary destination for authentic Caribbean eats, featuring Haitian, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Jamaican and Dominican items all under the same roof.
Jamaican jerk chicken. Photo courtesy of Caribbean Breeze.
Caribbean Breeze, now open in the former Norton’s Classic Cafe space on the corner of Main and West Hollis streets, is owned and operated by Gerald Oriol, a seasoned executive chef with more than three decades of experience. Originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Oriol said he came up with the idea for Caribbean Breeze’s concept after noticing a lack of area establishments that offered a variety of menu items from more than one island nation or territory.
“This is a true Caribbean restaurant,” Oriol said. “You can order food from different countries in the Caribbean [and] you have more than one choice if you wanted to try different flavors.”
The eatery’s dinner menu breaks down each item by its origin and gives you the option to choose plated entrees or side dishes from there. For the most part, Oriol said, their differences have to do with traditional cooking styles, spices and seasoning bases, rather than the foods themselves. Griot, for instance, is a Haitian dish featuring pork shoulder marinated in a citrus spice, braised and then fried before it’s served with pikliz, a spicy pickled vegetable slaw. Pernil, on Caribbean Breeze’s Puerto Rican menu, is also pork shoulder, but is slow-cooked and served with arroz con gandules, or a combination of rice and pigeon peas.
Pineapple upside down cake. Photo courtesy of Caribbean Breeze.
Other options include Haitian-style red snapper; Jamaican oxtail, curry or jerk chicken; mofongo, a Puerto Rican dish featuring fried mashed plantains; pollo guisado, or Dominican stewed chicken; scratch-made pineapple upside-down cake as a dessert; and ropa vieja, the national dish of Cuba featuring shredded slow-cooked beef served with black beans and rice.
Because the space had an established loyal following for its breakfast when it was known as Norton’s, Oriol said, he decided to continue it. That menu includes many familiar items the former cafe was known for, from pancakes, French toast and Belgian waffles to egg sandwiches, omelets and more. A lunch menu, served six days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., similarly features many of the same burgers, sandwiches, wraps and salads.
Oriol hopes to add more Caribbean entrees to the menu as time goes on, while the bar in the back of the restaurant will also soon be serving various beers imported from each island. Eventually, he said, he’d like to begin branding Caribbean Breeze as a franchise with additional locations.
Caribbean Breeze
Where: 233 Main St., Nashua Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 9 p.m. (2:30 to 9 p.m. for DoorDash or GrubHub) Call 883-4340 or find them on DoorDash or GrubHub to place an order.
Featured photo: Haitian red snapper.Photo courtesy of Caribbean Breeze.
James LeBoeuf is a local outdoor enthusiast, writer and musician. He grew up in the southern New Hampshire region and seeks out nature wherever he can find it. Below, he shares his appreciation for the Windham Rail Trail.
The Windham Rail Trail is a true local gem of southern New Hampshire.
Situated between Route 28, Route 111 and North Lowell Road in Windham, it offers a welcome respite from the rigors of the commerce of Route 28 as it travels up out of Massachusetts and into Salem. It is a haven for all outdoor activities that don’t require a motor, as no motorized vehicles are allowed. And one of its most popular uses is biking — which you can do even in the dead of winter.
Life of the trail
First, a little history. (I gathered my information from the Windham Rail Trail Alliance website, windhamrailtrail.org, and from nashuacitystation.org.)
The Windham Rail Trail started out like all of the other rail trails, as a railroad. From 1847 to 1849 a project was undertaken to build a rail line to facilitate movement of products between two then mill cities — Manchester, New Hampshire and Lawrence, Mass. This section was part of a new connection as there already existed a Salem portion and a Derry portion. The Windham section proved to be very costly as much land needed to be filled in to bring the surrounding lowlands up to grade and to also bore through the long granite ledges that stood in the way. This line operated until 1980, when it was abandoned and the rails were removed for scrap.
Here is where the story starts for us rail trailers. In 2003 the State of New Hampshire called for a citizens advisory committee to develop an off-road travel way along the Interstate 93 corridor. The initial idea was to develop a path that ran all the way to Concord that would encourage ways other than an automobile to head north. The Salem, Windham and Derry rail beds proved to be perfect for this. The decision was made to pave the trails to make them more usable and much easier to maintain. Together with the partially paved Salem trail and the Derry trail this forms the longest paved rail trail in the state.
Get biking
When I was growing up there were a few neighborhood daredevils I knew who even in the snow would take out their trusty bikes and slip and slide around. Usually it was a short-lived adventure as the cold and snow took over. Let’s face it, those skinny-wheeled 10-speeds of old were dry-weather machines.
Today there are all sorts of bikes made for all-season use: Think fat tire bikes. These sturdy bikes along with light and warm clothing keep the biking fun going even when the snows grace the trails. More than once I heard the familiar call of “ on your left!,” which is an alert that a cyclist is approaching faster than you are traveling and wants to pass, while I was cross-country skiing. The Windham Rail Trail is truly a four-season all-weather place.
There is more than one way to access the Windham Rail Trail but I find the best starting point to be off North Lowell Road in the Windham Depot section of Windham.
You can access this off both Route 111 and Route 28. The way off Route 111 on North Lowell Road winds along a wooded stretch passing equine farms and fields until it comes into the depot proper. As you round a curve you will see the Windham Junction gift shop. They serve a nice pre-ride breakfast or a post-ride lunch.
As you pass the store on your left old C16 comes into view. C16 is a restored caboose from the heyday of the railroad. Across the street is an ample parking lot. As you head out onto the trail proper look off to your right and down into the wood. You will see remnants of a mill stream cutting through the mire and granite. This stream passes under the trail and will feed the many marshes and ponds you will see. As you enter the trail, trees arch overhead and woods line both sides.
Nature & wildlife
The trail is overall flat with some slight grades, but none that would be considered a true hill. Proceeding down the trail the waters open on the left as serene marshes, at times right at trailside, at other times down below the grade. One of the most intriguing aspects of the trails are the granite “tunnels” the trail passes through. These are not truly tunnels as they have no roof but instead are steep granite walls that rise up right off both sides of the trail. These are vestiges of the rail line. The fact that they had to cut through so much granite to lay the rail bed down creates a treasure for us today. In winter intricate ice sculptures form from the waters that flow through holes in the stone. And keep your eyes open for the varied wildlife that can be found here. You can spot many varieties of waterfowl, hawks, fisher cats and deer. Early on the trail I did spot a beaver dam that created a small pond and a bit of a fast-water stream.
There are many side trails that veer off if you are inclined to explore. Most any day of the week during any season you can find a wide variety of people enjoying the peace of the woods and the fresh air, from parents with children taking a walk to folks walking dogs to well-suited cyclists on top-tier bikes.
With only two road crossings the trail is different from most. If you are seeking exercise either vigorous or moderate or just need to shake that cabin fever, the Windham Rail Trail can accommodate.
Winter sports have never appealed to me. Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating — I can think of dozens of things I’d rather do, most of which involve being warm and cozy and, well, inside. But snowshoeing is different: It doesn’t take much skill beyond being able to walk, but it’s still a decent workout; the setting is typically beautiful and serene, where you’re surrounded by nature rather than crowds of people; and it’s pretty accessible, with inexpensive rentals available and trails all over the state.
Tom Walton, who created the Snow or No We Go snowshoe trail series that takes place over several weekends this winter in Canterbury and Franklin (see the full story at hippopress.com in the Jan. 13 edition), steps up his snowshoeing game by running — which is much easier to do with made-for-racing snowshoes that are light and only a little bigger than your shoes.
“Snow is one of the best surfaces to run on, and single-track through the woods is beyond beautiful,” Walton said. “Snowshoe racers like a packed trail because it’s faster. We use racing snowshoes, very light, from Dion.”
Even non-racing snowshoes are much lighter than they used to be, and not nearly as bulky, making it an activity that kids and even the most uncoordinated adults can do. And Walton pointed out that it is beneficial during a time of year when it’s often easier to stay inside.
“Sunlight is critical for health, both physical and emotional,” he said. “[And] it is great aerobic exercise. … Being outside on snow on a crisp, clear day running through the woods is heaven.”
Several local organizations offer snowshoe rentals and access to their trails, and some towns and nonprofits maintain trails throughout the winter — often for cross-country skiing or snowmobiling, which make for good snowshoeing trails as well.
Or, if you want to buy your own snowshoes, you can forge your own path.
“Well-marked trails are a plus but not necessary because you can ad lib and follow your own tracks back,” Walton said.
Here are a few suggestions for local rentals and trails; for more suggestions throughout the state, visit visit.nh.gov and search for snowshoeing under “activities.”
Snowshoe rentals
Need to rent a pair of snowshoes? These local places offer rentals (usually dependent on trail conditions, so call or check their websites for the most up-to-date information).
America’s Stonehenge (105 Haverhill Road, Salem, 893-8300, stonehengeusa.com) offers snowshoe rentals when trail conditions are good; as of Jan. 17, the trails were closed because conditions were poor, according to the website, and will reopen when there’s more snow. Rentals are $20 for ages 13 and up and $14 for 12 and under. Admission to the snowshoe trails without rentals is $13 for ages 13 and up and $7.50 for ages 12 and under. Snowshoes are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and reservations are not accepted.
Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis) offers snowshoe rentals for $10 a day. They’re available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting, and arrangements can be made for weekend rentals as well ($20). Visit beaverbrook.org or call 465-7787 to reserve, or to find out more about upcoming guided hikes.
Gunstock Mountain Resort (719 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, 293-4341, gunstock.com) offers snowshoeing in its Outdoor Center, which includes 25 kilometers of groomed trails. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To reserve snowshoes or for private tours, and for rental pricing, call the Outdoor Center (ext. 504).
NH Audubon Both the Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn) and the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) offer snowshoe rentals every Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost to rent is $15 for the day, and they’re only rented out when there are 6 or more inches of snow on the ground. Adult and youth sizes are available, on a first-come, first-served basis. The Audubon also rents binoculars during those hours for $5. How-to handouts and trail maps are provided with rentals. Visit nhaudubon.org.
Pats Peak (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 428-3245, patspeak.com) offers snowshoe rentals for $19 a day. It has three trails ranging from easiest to expert (recommended only for those with expert ability and equipment), with distances of 1 to 3.5 miles and vertical inclines of 200 to 700 feet. The trails are free to use, but Pats Peak does not maintain them, and conditions are dependent on weather. A snowshoe map is available, and conditions can be checked daily on the website.
Local trails
If you own snowshoes, you can use them anywhere that has enough snow, but some local trail systems are more likely to have packed snow, either because they are maintained or because they are well-used. Here are a few ideas.
• Adams Pond Trail (Pillsbury and Adams roads, Londonderry, 437-2675, londonderrynh.org) is open for snowshoeing.
• Beaver Meadow Golf Course (1 Beaver Meadow Dr., Concord, 228-8954, bmgc.golf) has groomed trails for snowshoeing that are maintained by the Concord Parks & Recreation department.
• Benedictine Park (341 Wallace Road, Bedford, 228-1231, bedfordlandtrust.org) has town-owned trails that are available for snowshoeing.
• Horse Hill Nature Preserve (184 Amherst Road, Merrimack, 882-1046, merrimackparksandrec.org) has a variety of conservation trails that you can traverse with snowshoes.
• Mine Falls Park (Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3400, nashuanh.gov) offers trails that can be used for snowshoeing.
• Southwest Park (at Yudicky Farm, off Main Dunstable Road, Nashua, 589-3400, nashuanh.gov) also has trails open for snowshoeing.
Performers, playwrights and directors discuss preparing for shows in winter 2022
From familiar classics like The Lion King Jr. to new original works by local playwrights, New Hampshire theaters and theater companies are offering a little of everything this winter. Directors, musical directors, playwrights and actors talked about what it’s like working in theater right now and provided a look at some of the productions coming to local stages this weekend through early March. Contact the theaters or visit their websites for the latest updates on the shows and Covid safety requirements for audience members.
Phoebe Roberts
co-playwright
Gentlemen Never Tell, presented by Breaking Light Productions, in partnership with the Manchester Community Theatre Players, at the MCTP Theatre at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester) on Friday, Jan. 21, and Saturday, Jan. 22, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for children. A livestream will be available for each performance for $20 per streaming device. Visit manchestercommunitytheatre.com or call 327-6777.
Gentlemen Never Tell. Photo courtesy of Manchester Community Threatre Players.
What inspired you to write this play?
Our theater company [Breaking Light Productions] usually does a more dramatic take on the gaslamp Victorian adventure — more Sherlock Holmes-style adventure type stuff, but we thought everybody could use something a little lighter and more fun, so we decided to switch genres a little bit and do a spinoff. We took a character who had made one appearance as a comic relief sort of figure [in another Breaking Light Productions play], and we decided to send him off on his own little side story.
What was your experience writing it? What is your process like?
We initially wrote this play to be performed over Zoom … which meant that words were the primary [element] we could play around with, so we wanted to make the dialogue as snappy and funny and engaging as possible. It’s very word-based, with a lot of [focus on] wit, speed and timing. The challenge now is to keep the snap and the pop of it while adding in some more physical comedy now that we’re able to manifest that with actors who are physically present.
What do you hope the audience will take away from your play?
First, I hope they find it funny. I hope they get a genuinely good laugh and can enjoy poking fun at the Victorian period mores. But I also hope it’s a little thought-provoking … and that [the audience] notices that we brought a little more weight and humanity into it … and that the characters have actual growth and significance.
What are you looking forward to most about seeing your show on stage?
This will be the first time that it’s been performed on stage. We have the recording [of the Zoom performance], but this will be very different. I mean, there’s no good way to make people kiss over Zoom. Now, the romantic aspect of the show can be a bit more fully realized. So that’s what I’m most excited about — actually getting to incorporate the physicality of the story.
Carl Rajotte
director
The Full Monty, presented by the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) from Jan. 28 through Feb. 20, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. Tickets cost $25 to $46. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.
What attracted you to this show?
When we were planning for our next season, we looked back at some of our more successful shows, and The Full Monty jumped out to us because of the heart that it has, the laughter and the good time that it provides.
How are you interpreting the show as a director?
We were fortunate enough to purchase a new video wall [that’s installed] on the back of our stage, so our scenic elements are totally different. … That’s going to be a lot of fun to work with, and it’s going to help with transitions and make things feel a little more real. … The actors just arrived today, and, as a director, it’s the actors you bring in that determine what type of feel the show is going to have. … It’s my job, then, to mold everything together with [the actors’] interpretations to make it cohesive.
What will rehearsals be like?
The performers have had their scripts for over a month. … When they get here, we jump right in; we have a very short [rehearsal] process here at the Palace — just about eight days — so we don’t have time to do a read-through or anything like that.
How does Covid affect rehearsals and the performance itself?
All performers have to be vaccinated and boosted in order to be part of the production. We have Covid tests and test the performers a bunch of times throughout the process. … We will all be in masks for the whole rehearsal [period]. … We’ve asked that everyone try to stay away from each other while off stage, just to reduce the risk as much as possible. … On stage, it’ll be pretty much the same as you would normally see the show, but the backstage crew is masked the whole time. …The performers won’t be taking off masks until they hit the stage, we have hand sanitizing stations off stage, so the performers will be sanitizing everytime they leave [the stage].
What is the biggest challenge of directing this show?
The show is such a fun show, and I’m so comfortable with the material; nothing about the show is stressful at all. The hardest thing is just making sure that everyone is healthy. … There’s anxiety [that comes with] producing theater during these times we’re in — waiting for an actor’s test results to come back, making sure we have a plan if someone is sick. … Understudies have always been a very important role in casting, but now even more so. … We have to make sure they’re ready to go so that the show can go on.
What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?
Working with these actors. For some of them, this will be the first time they’ve performed since the shutdowns. No one takes for granted the time that we can be on stage in front of an audience. It’s exciting for me, knowing that they’re so eager to get back on stage and perform for an audience.
Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?
This show does a great job with capturing many different types of people and personalities, and I think that everyone in the audience likes to see a bit of themselves up on that stage — [a character] they can identify with. … It’s also hysterically funny and, for me, has one of the most-anticipated finales of any musical in history, and you can feel that [anticipation] within the audience.
Emily Karelitz
actor
Mary & Me, presented by Glass Dove Productions at the Hatbox Theater(Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord) from Jan. 28 through Feb. 13, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members and $16 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com or call 715-2315.
What attracted you to this show?
I’ve met the playwright, Irene Kellehe … and we’ve remained friends. In 2018, I went to visit her in Ireland, and she told me about Mary & Me … and said she would love to have me act the play … and she wanted to grant me exclusive rights to perform it in the U.S. … It’s inspired by true events, a tragedy that occured with a 15-year-old girl in rural Ireland in 1984 who died of blood loss and exposure after giving birth alone in a grotto. … The town wouldn’t speak much about the circumstances, and it’s been shrouded in secrecy ever since. … Irene wanted to answer some of those questions, so she created this fictional character [based on the girl] and filled in the gaps of what we don’t know about what really happened. That was very compelling to me.
Mary & Me. Photo Courtesy of the Hatbox Theatre.
Describe the character you’re playing.
I play Hannah, a 15-year-old girl who lives in a rural Irish village in the 1980s. … As you watch the play, you really watch Hannah growing up. At the beginning she’s very lighthearted and bouncy and effervescent. … By the end of the play you see how she has changed both physically, because she is pregnant, and emotionally, and how those two [types of changes] are connected; she’s been pulled down to earth in every sense of the word.
What have you been doing to prepare? What have rehearsals been like?
It’s a one-woman show — just me. We have several rehearsals a week. … I’ve also been doing a lot of dialect work — a County Cork [Irish] dialect — with a dialect coach. It’s literally just memorizing all of the lines and [how to] speak them in that dialect. It’s been a really interesting process for me.
How does Covid affect your experience preparing for and performing in the show?
We have to remember to talk to people not only about the production but also about what we’re doing and what the theater is doing [in terms of] Covid safety and where people can find all the Covid safety information. It’s like an extra layer to the show that we never had to consider until 2020. We also have a professionally recorded video version of the show, just in case [of cancellation].
What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?
Mary & Me is a very personal story, and, as a performer, it’s a very deeply personal experience to perform this play. I’m excited to share Hannah’s story with the audience and have them get to know Hannah and, hopefully, get to love Hannah. I’m also looking forward to reconnecting with audiences again … and having conversations with audience members after the show.
Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?
Despite the dark subject matter, it’s not 75 minutes of misery. The first half of the play is actually very light and funny; there’s fun and playfulness and laughter as you get a look into this lighthearted teenage existence. … I also think it’s important to bring people’s attention back to social issues and things that aren’t Covid-19. We tend to get consumed with [Covid], and we have to remember that the world keeps turning; there’s a lot more going on out there than just Covid that is also important to think about and talk about.
Kimberly Vars Whitehead
musical director
The Lion King Jr.,presented by Riverbend Youth Company at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford) on Friday, Feb. 4, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 5, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 6, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $8 for children and seniors. Visit amatocenter.org or call 672-1002.
Describe the music. What does it add to the show?
Like any good musical, Lion King Jr. has a great depth of different musical styles that add much to the experience of the show. Whether it’s a ballad like ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ or the fun of ‘Hakuna Matata’ … each song sets important dialogue to music so the audience hears the story in a different way.
What appeals to you about the music in this show?
I enjoy the mixture of songs that have been enjoyed worldwide since the original movie came out, like ‘Hakuna Matata,’ ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ and ‘I Just Can’t Wait to be King,’ mixed with lesser-known but powerful songs like ‘They Live in You’ and ‘Shadowland.’
What have rehearsals been like?
Rehearsals are broken down into songs for full cast, smaller ensembles and leads. [For performers] at this age, there is more of an emphasis on repetition as many in the cast are not music readers yet. With this particular show we have worked especially hard on learning the correct way to pronounce the African text.
What is the most challenging thing about the music in this show?
Teaching and learning music with masks makes the whole process more challenging, but for this show in particular, the challenge is singing in a second language, [the] African [language.]
What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?
I’m particularly pleased about the new, young talent we have in this show. Also, for adults in particular, there are some very poignant lessons in life represented in this story. In fact, it’s a fun way of being reminded of living into who you truly are, despite the doubts and fears we sometimes try to run away from.
Mike McKnight
director
The Lion King Jr., presented by Riverbend Youth Company at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford) on Friday, Feb. 4, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 5, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 6, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $8 for children and seniors. Visit amatocenter.org or call 672-1002.
What attracted you to this show?
It’s a great show. It has the excitement of the story, the love interest and the struggles of Simba and Nala … and the music — all the warmth of a Disney classic.
How are you interpreting the show as a director?
It’s a traditional approach. We’re sticking to the Disney Jr. script, pretty much. It’s packaged in a kids’ production-friendly way, and it works well for this age group.
What have rehearsals been like?
We’ve been rehearsing two or three times a week since November. The process has been pretty traditional as well, breaking up [rehearsals] into music, dance and blocking segments, then we come together as the whole cast and try to mesh all those areas into one collective performance. As kids learn their lines, choreography and musical numbers, it then comes down to repetition and tweaking areas that need work. … A team of experienced high school and middle school [students] will run the [tech for the] show. [The show] is a great training ground for lighting and sound.
How does Covid affect rehearsals and the performance itself?
Masks need to be worn at all times, and social distancing is a priority when not on stage. … That’s a hard thing for many adults to do, let alone 50 kids in fourth through eighth grade. However, I have to commend our cast on their compliance with protocols and their overall positive attitude. They get it. … They’ve learned how to project, even [while wearing] a mask.
What is the biggest challenge of directing this show?
Putting on a show with 50 kids is always challenging. … Our kids range in age from 9 to 14; that’s a big age span. Their attention levels aren’t the same, their interests are diverse, and after a long school day, having them work through a two-hour rehearsal is a lot to ask, but they’ve done an exceptional job.
What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?
We have a lot of kids who have never been in a show before; watching them grow throughout the process has been rewarding. I can’t wait for them to experience what applause feels like … and to see them … [as well as] the kids who have been on stage before … get to embrace their parents and families after the show.
Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?
Our cast has put in a great deal of time and effort under difficult circumstances, and they’ve risen to the occasion. I think the audience will like the … production because it’s kids doing what they truly enjoy … and because they’ll know the story, relate to the struggles that the characters endeavor through and enjoy the great music and warmth of The Lion King Jr.
Nicole Jones
actor
I Love You Because, presented by Jonesing for Theatre in collaboration with Dive in Productions at the Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) from Feb. 4 through Feb. 20, with showtimes on Friday 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. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123.
What attracted you to this show?
I’ve always loved this show because, as a hopeless romantic, I love the idea of someone wanting you because of faults and idiosyncrasies rather than simply tolerating them. That, plus the Jane Austen fan in me loves telling a modern gender-reversed version of Pride and Prejudice, which also gives the women the power positions in the couplings, which is always refreshing to see. The story is uplifting and hopeful, which is something that’s important to share, right now especially, so I was excited to do something that could bring joy to an audience when it’s needed most.
Describe the character you’re playing.
Marcy is a free-spirited artist who’s also ready to find her person after she gets over a recent breakup. As an actor, I like to focus on similarities between myself and the characters I play, so I like to think she’s a little quirky and sarcastic, but caring above all else. Focusing on those qualities makes it easier for me to pull from my own experiences.
What have you been doing to prepare? What have rehearsals been like?
There’s been a lot of working at home. This show has a lot of complex harmony and rhythms to it. Our music director is a rock star and made us all tracks to rehearse with so we can focus more on staging and character work when we come together.
How does Covid affect your experience preparing for and performing in the show?
We’ve been masking for rehearsals since before the holidays and will continue to do so until shortly before the show opens. We’ve also been encouraging boosters and doing virtual rehearsals for any cast or crew that have potentially been exposed and requiring negative tests to return to rehearsals.
What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?
I’m excited to be in front of an audience. Those opportunities are less frequent with Covid, and the energy is something that’s truly exciting.
Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?
Because it’s hopefully happy, romantic and so funny — all things that everyone could use more of right now. Theater is a means of escape, and this is a great opportunity to escape into a world where things just aren’t as heavy as they are for everyone right now.
Jonathan Kaplan
actor
The 39 Steps, presented by the Windham Actors Guild at Searles School and Chapel (3 Chapel Road, Windham) on Friday, Feb. 18, and Saturday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 20, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $16 for adults and $12 for seniors, students and military. Call 247-8634 or visit windhamactorsguild.com.
What attracted you to this show?
The show is a unique reimagination of a Hitchcock film that uses a small group of performers to play a vast number of roles. It’s outrageously funny.
Describe the character you’re playing.
My role is Clown 2. I play over a dozen different characters during the course of the show, sometimes multiple characters in the same scene. It’s a unique challenge in that I’m using multiple accents, tone of voice and physicality. Clown 1 is performed by Keith Strang, and he is similarly playing a variety of characters.
What have you been doing to prepare? What have rehearsals been like?
The script stage directions play such an important part in this show, which is very different from most plays in which I’ve performed in the past. The director has a clear vision for the show, and to make it work we need to make sure that our comedic timing is precise and clear to bring out the audience reaction we’re looking for. Memorizing lines is a special task as it seems I need to remember a different vocalization and physical approach at every turn.
How does Covid affect your experience preparing for and performing in the show?
Everyone in the cast must be vaccinated, and we’ve been rehearsing with masks. We’re carefully reviewing our plans for audience and cast mask requirements for the performances.
What are you looking forward to most about bringing this show on stage?
We’ve been laughing so much during rehearsals. I just can’t wait to see the audience reaction to this unique and truly hilarious show.
Why do you think this is a show audiences will enjoy right now?
The sheer absurdity of the plot and the situations in which the characters find themselves and the way the story is presented on stage are fresh and fun and escapist in a time where everyone could use a complete departure from reality.
Joshua Goldberg
playwright and composer
Chicken Little, presented by Upside Arts at the Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) from March 12 through March 20, with showtimes on Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $18 for adults and $15 for kids under age 12. Visit playersring.org or call 436-8123.
What inspired you to write this play?
I had a picture book when I was little with a few different folk and fairy tales, and for some reason the Chicken Little illustrations have always stuck with me. It’s a pretty simple story: Chicken Little gets hit with an acorn, thinks the sky is falling, gets his friends into a frenzy, sets out to tell the king and meets a fox on the way. There’s a lot of room for expansion. My adaptation is centered on the idea of fame; at first, Chicken Little is fed up with everyone teasing him and wants to be anonymous, but then, the king validates his fear that the sky is falling and calls him a hometown hero, so he has experiences with two ends of the spectrum and has to navigate to the middle. I’ve also combined the king and fox characters, so there’s a little bit of ‘don’t meet your heroes’ going on.
What was your experience writing it? What is your process like?
Most of the shows Upside Arts does are written or edited to fit the specific group of kids we’re working with, and this one is no different. I’ve written all the songs, and the general outline with some dialogue ideas … but the script itself will take shape after auditions and over the first few weeks of rehearsals. Musical theater is such a structured medium, so writing the songs first helps me make sure that each one is furthering the story.
What do you hope the audience will take away from your play?
I hope they’ll be inspired to have confidence in themselves and to speak out when they see something wrong.
What are you looking forward to most about seeing your show on stage?
Seeing how much fun the kids are having on stage and how much they grow as actors from show to show … and getting to hear my work and [see] audiences enjoying it.
Featured Photo: The Full Monty. Photo courtesy of the Palace Theatre.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Covid-19 news
During the state’s weekly public health update on Jan. 12, state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan reported that, on average, New Hampshire reported 2,500 new infections of Covid-19 per day over the previous week. That same day, the number of active infections in the state exceeded 20,000, a new all-time high during the pandemic. “Compared to one to two weeks ago, we are now seeing double the number of new infections identified each day … and we believe that this is likely due to the omicron surge now hitting New Hampshire,” Chan said. When asked later on about how long he expects the current winter surge to last in the state, Chan said that the answer remains unclear. “There’s data coming from other countries that have entered this surge even earlier than we have that are showing … potentially even a more rapid drop-off than what we’ve seen in other surges of the pandemic, but that’s not a sure thing,” he said. “We’re going to know on the backside of this curve, as we’re coming down from it.”
Also on Jan. 12, the New Hampshire Insurance Department issued a statement in response to the Biden administration’s announcement that private insurers will soon have to cover the cost of eight at-home Covid tests per member per month. “We have been proactive in contacting New Hampshire’s health insurers to discuss the implementation of the new mandate,” Commissioner Christopher Nicolopoulos said in the statement. “We encourage consumers to contact their insurance provider to understand any testing arrangements that their provider has put into effect … [and] we urge the federal government to consider how this can be rolled out in a manner which ensures there is a sufficient supply of Covid-19 tests available.” Anyone with questions or concerns regarding their insurance coverage can contact the New Hampshire Insurance Department at 1-800-852-3416 or 271-2261, or via email at consumerservices@ins.nh.gov.
On Jan. 13, Gov. Chris Sununu responded to the news earlier that day of the Supreme Court’s vote to block the Biden administration from implementing a vaccine mandate for companies with 100 or more employees. “I am as pro-vaccine as they come, but today’s decision … is good news for employees and the businesses that keep our supply chains running and economy open,” a statement in part reads on Sununu’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
10-year TIP
Recommendations for the 2023-2032 Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan were presented to the legislature last week by Gov. Chris Sununu. According to the letter that Sununu sent to Rep. John Graham, chairman of the House Public Works and Highways Committee, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation held 21 in-person public hearings and one virtual hearing in the fall, and an online survey was also available. More than 400 comments were made through the hearing process, and more than 750 surveys were completed, according to the letter. Much of the feedback centered around the need to expand travel options (transit, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.) and the need to address infrastructure conditions. “Also, many attending the public hearings advocated for advancing projects or increasing project funding,” the letter read. The new plan expedites and advances 29 municipal bridge projects; it also puts a hold on the statewide exit sign renumbering project. Sununu said in his letter that this plan will fully fund prior Ten Year Plan commitments such as corridor improvements on Route 101, but that “it is important to continue focusing on preservation, maintenance and safety of the existing pavement and bridge infrastructure throughout the state.”
Farm to school
Last week, the New Hampshire Farm to School Reimbursement Policy Bill was presented to the House Education Committee. According to a press release, the bipartisan group of legislators sponsoring the bill is aiming to bring more healthy local food options to New Hampshire schools. “With this policy, … the Department of Education’s Office of Nutrition Programs and Services would provide a monetary incentive to schools who choose to direct more of their ‘per meal’ USDA cash reimbursement funds toward purchases from New Hampshire and New England farmers. The state would encourage this channeling of federal funds into the local economy by awarding schools $1 for every $3 spent on food from New Hampshire and $1 for every $6 spent on food from the New England region,” the bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Alexis Simpson (D-Exeter), said in a statement.
All bets are on
Slightly more than two years after the inception of sports betting in New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Lottery and DraftKings — the state’s exclusive sports betting provider — surpassed the $1 billion mark in total sports wagering. According to a press release, during the first week of January, New Hampshire players had placed more than 23 million bets since sports betting launched in the Granite State on Dec. 30, 2019. “We are pleased with what we have accomplished and we are excited to continue growing sports betting as a revenue driver supporting our schools,” Charlie McIntyre, executive director of the New Hampshire Lottery, said in the release. Over the past two years, the top five sports betting drivers have been the NFL, NBA, college basketball, college football and table tennis, the release said.
Choose Love
Sixteen residents at the New Hampshire Correctional Facility for Women recently graduated from the Corrections Choose Love 12-week pilot program, which teaches adults how to respond with kindness in any situation by using courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion-in-action, according to a press release. The program teaches skills like handling adversity and responding with love while promoting self-empowerment, resilience, connection and optimism. “By acknowledging that adults in our state prisons have experienced adverse childhood experiences and have had long-term negative effects on their conduct, the Choose Love program has the power to assist people in adopting lifelong skills focusing on self-regulation and social and emotional learning by creating a common language across our facilities,” New Hampshire Department of Corrections Commissioner Helen Hanks said in the release.
iPlatform
On Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m. the New Hampshire Department of Education will host a webinar for the general public to teach people how to use the New Hampshire Department of Education’s iPlatform data portal, which was launched a few years ago but was enhanced and expanded last year. “This tool uses modern technology that allows individuals to easily access key indicators across all school districts in New Hampshire, including enrollment demographics, achievement trends, graduation rates, educator salaries and more,” Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education, said in a press release. “We have harnessed all of the various data and made it transparent in an effort to start real, informed conversations about the state’s education system.” The webinar is free; register at education.nh.gov.
Manchester’s newest solar array at the former Dunbarton Road landfill is up and running after more than two years of preparation and planning. According to a press release, it is the largest municipal solar array in the state, with more than 8,000 panels that will supply 3.8 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy to the power grid annually, enough to power hundreds of homes annually across the city.
Aviation pioneer Bernice Blake Perry has been honored with a historical marker that was recently installed near Milford Rotary Centennial Park on Route 101A in Milford. The marker reads, in part: “In 1929, Manchester native Bernice Blake Perry became the first woman in New Hampshire to pilot a plane and the first female commercial pilot in New England. She spent her adult life in Milford and was a charter member of the Ninety-Nines, a pioneering group of female pilots led by Amelia Earhart,” according to a press release.
The New Hampshire Housing Board of Directors has approved financing for four affordable multi-family rental housing developments, to help meet the needs of the state’s workforce and other residents, in Nashua, Manchester and Conway, according to a press release. Locally, Nashua will see the addition of 43 general occupancy units in the Apartments at 249 Main St., while Manchester’s Kelley Falls project will add two new 24-unit buildings, and its Renew II project will rehabilitate three properties for a total of 101 general occupancy units, the release said.
