Theatre Kapow and Ballet Misha combine for Romeo & Juliet
A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been a staple of Saint Anselm College’s Shakespeare on the Green series since it began in 2023, but this year’s selection is Romeo & Juliet. It’s a work that the play’s director, Emma Cahoon of Theatre Kapow, believes is sometimes misunderstood. That’s one reason why she looks forward to doing it.
“I enjoy taking these texts that people feel they really know or have sound notions of, and doing something different with them to see if we can encourage audiences to experience that story in a new way,” she said by phone last spring.
More recently, Cahoon said the production is a pivot from her company’s regular fare in a couple of ways. First, working outdoors is a big change.
“The foundation of a lot of our work is intimate spaces … that allow the audience to be as close and personal to the actors and the story as possible. That’s where the name Kapow comes from — in your face, right there.”
Next, the company began collaborating with Ballet Misha, led by Amy Fortier, for last year’s series, at the behest of Dana Center Director Joe Deleault. The pairing provides what Cahoon termed “a third, middle ground” that unifies Romeo & Juliet’s dance and drama.
“It is … a very physical story, and I’ve been thinking about marrying the physical language of both the dance and then our fight and intimacy choreography,” she said. She hopes to “take the language of both, work with our actors, observe Amy’s choreography and then build this … hybrid language that will be both things.”
As rehearsals commenced on June 29, she’d already had the chance to see some of Ballet Misha’s dancing for the play, saying it was a “really helpful” experience.
“For me as a director, music is a huge entry point,” she said. “It’s really a way that I can connect with the emotional world of the play. Having the baseline right away of the Prokofiev score that Ballet Misha is using and accessing the world that way has been really getting me in the mindset, and getting me so excited.”
Removing close physical proximity of the actors in the audience is a challenge, she allowed. “But I’ve been thinking about ways to heighten the intensity and the reality of the emotion for these characters, and one choice that we’ve made I’m super excited about, because it’s an experiment that either really won’t work or will be awesome.”
Most Theatre Kapow Shakespeare productions feature doubling — one actor in two roles — and gender ambiguity. “We typically have female or non-binary actors playing characters across the gender spectrum,” Cahoon said. “This time around we have one actor playing both Juliet and Tybalt, which is a really crazy track.”
For those unfamiliar with the plot: At one point Romeo kills Tybalt, making the casting a particularly bold move. “That unlocked something for me when we figured out it could even be an option,” Cahoon said. “It felt like a key to exploding some of these more buried themes in the text that I was really interested in pulling out.”
Another difference this year is the cast.
“With Midsummer we were typically working with actors of around the same age, because in that piece it’s mostly teenage lovers and fairies, who are timeless in a way,” Cahoon said. Romeo and Juliet, on the other hand, is a generational story that calls for age diversity.
“So between our seven actors we span generations — and also experience level,” Cahoon said. “I think it’ll be a really great opportunity for those of us working on the piece [to] bring to life that generational thing that’s really present in this play, and it’s something that I’m particularly interested in exploring right now.”
Shakespeare On The Green – Romeo & Juliet When: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., July 17 through July 26 Where: Alumni Hall, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester Tickets: $25 at anselm.edu (under 12 free) In the event of inclement weather, performance will be held inside at Koonz Theatre
Featured photo: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Courtesy photo.
In Hippo’s Best of 2025 readers’ poll, we asked readers to vote for their favorite city parks. With the temperature rising and the days still long, you might be looking for someplace to soak in the sun’s rays or beat the heat. Here are the top 11 winners in that category.
Livingston Park
156 Hooksett Road in Manchester, 624-6444
Amenities: The park, which is about 131 acres, features Dorrs Pond Trail (a trail, a little less than a mile, that loops around the pond); Livingston Pool; an accessible playground; athletic fields; picnic areas; a kayak and canoe launch; a running track; ice skating in winter (weather permitting), restrooms and Brigit’s Garden (a public garden; see brigitsfoundation.org), according to the city’s parks and recreation website.
Livingston Park. Photo by Jennifer Gingras.
According to an email from Manchester’s Recreation and Enterprise Manager Brendan Lynch, the green space stands out because “it offers something for everyone. Whether you’re looking to cool off in the pool, enjoy a peaceful walk around the pond, or bring the kids to a vibrant and inclusive playground, the park blends natural beauty with well-maintained amenities.”
The newly finished running track is home to Central High School Track and Field, and the baseball fields are home to Manchester-North Hooksett Little League and Central High School’s JV baseball team. Livingston Pool is currently open for the summer; see manchesternh.gov/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Trails-and-Facilities/Aquatic-Facilities/Livingston-Pool for the lap swim and public swim hours.
Rollins Park
116 Broadway St. in Concord, 225-8690
Amenities: The park features baseball and softball fields, a basketball court, ice skating in winter, a picnic shelter, a playground, a pool, portable toilets, tennis courts and walking fields, according to concordnh.gov. Rollins Park “was a gift of the late governor Frank West Rollins, in memory of a distinguished townsman and senator, the Honorable Edward. H. Rollins,” according to an email from Concord Parks and Recreation Director David Gill.
The park “is the local park for residents of the south end of Concord where everyone knows each other … Just a great neighborhood park,” Gill wrote.
Rollins Pool is open daily from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. as well as 6 to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and will be home to the citywide swim team the first week of August, according to posts on the parks and recreation department’s Facebook page.
Rollins Park is also home to the monthly Arts in the Park events held by the Concord Arts Market. The events feature more than 65 arts vendors as well as food vendors, live music and more and will run Saturdays Aug. 9, Sept. 13 and Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to concordartsmarket.org.
Rollins will also host the annual National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. The event, meant to “promote cooperation between the police and the community,” will feature food, prizes, K-9 demonstrations, a zoo exhibit, a rock climbing wall, touch a truck and more, according to the summer and fall activities brochure, which you can find at concordnh.gov/1984/Parks-Recreation.
White Park
1 White St. in Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov
Amenities: Soccer and baseball fields, a basketball court, ice skating and sledding in winter, a playground, roller hockey rink, portable toilets, a splash pad and walking trails, according to the city’s website.
White Park played an important role in Concord history. It was given to the city in 1884 by Armenia White in 1884, in memory of her husband Nathaniel, a founder of The American Express Co., and was designed by renowned architect Charles Elliott, according to an email from Gill.
“[White Park has] something for everyone – places to relax and enjoy nature as the park has large pond and over half of the park is trees and open areas,” Gill wrote.
The splash pad, installed in 2023, is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the parks department’s website.
The park’s Monkey Around Playground was slated to hold its sendoff celebration on July 15 ahead of demolition and construction of a “Monkey Around Playground 2.0,” which is billed as inclusive and featuring interactive elements, according to FriendsofWhitePark.org. See concordnh.gov/1472/White-Park-Playgroundconcordnh.gov/1472/White-Park-Playground for an explanation of the plans.
This summer, catch free concerts in the park at the Lodge Patio on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Concerts will run weekly through Aug. 24 and then finish up on Sept. 14 and Sept. 21. Next up is Steve Blunt on July 20.
In the winter, the park hosts the Black Ice Pond Hockey Tournament (see blackicepondhockey.com) and ice skating, with skate rentals available at Merrimack Lodge.
Greeley Park
100 Concord St. in Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov/facilities/facility/details/greeley-park-29
Amenities: The park features baseball and softball fields, a spot to play horseshoes, lighted picnic areas, a playground, restrooms, sledding in winter, tennis courts, trails and a wading pool, according to its website.
The 125-acre Greeley Park has been at the heart of Nashua since 1896.
Greeley Park. Courtesy photo.
“The land was deeded to the city of Nashua by Joseph Thornton Greeley, the grandson of the original Joseph Greeley,” according to an email from Parks Director Lauren Byers. “In 1908, John E. Cotton donated $5,000, an amount that was matched by city funds, to change the Greeley Farm into a public park. The money was used to create a stone and cement rest house, a fountain, a shallow pond, a gravel walk and flower beds.”
Today Greeley Park is a hub of activity, with events scheduled for all ages throughout the year. The Greeley Park Art Show, now in its 72nd year, takes place in August (this year Saturday, Aug. 16, and Sunday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), according to nashuaarts.org/greeleyparkartshow.
Many of the city’s SummerFun events take place in Greeley, including the annual Fairytale Festival, which will be held on Saturday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nashua Community Music School holds a “Musical Playgroup” most Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. and the YMCA holds a “Yoga in the Park” on Mondays at 6 p.m. Most Tuesdays through Aug. 26 catch free concerts at the Bandshell, with shows starting at 7 p.m. Next up is Tru Diamond (a Neil Diamond tribute band) on Tuesday, July 22, according to nashuanh.gov/546/SummerFun. Nashua’s National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 5, will also be held at Greeley Park, the website said. Greeley events continue into the fall (Halloween Boo Bash is slated for Saturday, Oct. 18, from 3 to 7 p.m.) and winter (Santa in the Park is slated for Saturday, Dec. 6, from noon to 2 p.m.), according to nashuanh.gov/529/Special-Events.
Stark Park
550 River Road in Manchester, starkpark.com
Amenities: Stark Park is “built on land once part of the Stark family farm and the final resting place of John Stark, his wife, and several of their children — one can still visit the headstones today,” according to manchesternh.gov. The park features walking walking paths, a large statue of Revolutionary War hero Gen. John Stark and the Hecker-Hastings Bandstand, the website said.
Stark, of “live free or die” fame (it was written in a toast for the Battle of Bennington), died in 1822, according to the Friends of Stark Park website, starkpark.com. His grandchildren deeded a portion of his farm to the city of Manchester so New Hampshire residents could pay tribute to the fallen major general, the website said.
The western lower half of the 30-acre park consists of the Walk in the Woods trail, ideal for walking, cross-country skiing/snowshoeing and mountain bike riding, according to the city’s website.
“The walking paths, gardens, and tall trees make it a peaceful place to stroll and reflect,” according to the city’s parks director Brendan Lynch in an email. See the Friends’ website for a map of the trails.
An outdoor nature children’s playspace “Molly Stark’s Wildwoods,” named for Gen. Stark’s wife, is located along the trail and features sculptures from Tom LeComte of Laurel Hill Studio, according to the city’s website.
In the summer, check out the Summer Concert Series, mostly on Sundays at 2 p.m., running through Sept. 14 in Stark Park. Next up is a rare Saturday evening show, Mr. Aaron’s Kids Concert on Saturday, July 19, at 5:30 p.m. On Sunday, July 20, Another Tequila Sunrise (an Eagles tribute band) performs from 2 to 4 p.m. See starkpark.com/summer-concert-series for the full lineup.
Twin Bridge Park
485 DW Highway in Merrimack, 882-1046, merrimacknh.gov/parks-and-recreation/pages/twin-bridge-park
Amenities: Picnic tables, walking paths, Kids Kove Playground and baseball fields, according to the city’s website.
Since the Colonial era, there have been two bridges that locals use to cross Baboosic Brook. In 1927 a committee of Merrimack residents deeded 27 acres to the town to create Twin Bridge Park, according to the city’s website. They retained the massive stones used for the original bridge abutments and built a park around it, the website said. The Merrimack Youth Association, the city’s sports programs, has its headquarters at Twin Bridge Park; see merrimackyouthassociation.com.
“On a daily basis [the park] is humming with activity between the playground, the baseball field and the walking trails,” said Merrimack Parks Director Matthew Casparius in an email, “so it has a good all-around appeal for all ages.”
Mine Falls Park
Whipple Street in Nashua, 589-3400, ext. 5005, nashuanh.gov/facilities/facility/details/Mine-Falls-Park-14
Amenities: The park features athletic fields, trails including biking and walking trails, boating, fishing and in the winter cross-country skiing, according to the city’s website.
Mine Falls Park. Courtesy photo.
“Mine Falls makes you forget you are in the second biggest city in the state,” according to an email from Nashua Parks Director Lauren Byers. This 325-acre park includes forest, wetlands and open fields and is bordered on the north by the Nashua River and at the south by the Mill Pond canal system, according to the city’s website. These natural barriers keep the park quiet and give it an idyllic feel, as once explained by a tour guide.
Mine Falls is not only “one of the most instantly recognizable and vital parts of Nashua,” as Byers described it, but it’s also one of the newest parks to make Hippo’s list. The city of Nashua purchased the land in 1969, and the park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, according to the city’s website. “In 1992, the park trails were designed as part of the New Hampshire Heritage Trail, a trail network that extends 130 miles from Massachusetts to Canada,” the website said.
Hippo readers also picked Mine Falls Park as a favorite in the Best Bike Trail category. Find a map of the park’s trails on the city’s website. The Mine Falls Committee also hosts Trail Days to help maintain the space, the website said. Upcoming dates are Saturdays, Aug. 16, Sept. 27 and Oct. 25, with the group meeting at the Lincoln Park entrance at 9 a.m., the website said.
Derryfield Park
Bridge Street in Manchester, manchesternh.gov/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Trails-and-Facilities/Parks/Derryfield-Park
Amenities: The park features a playground, sports fields, tennis courts and walking trails. A map on the city’s website shows a 1-mile, a 2.1-mile and a 5K course at the park.
Derryfield Park has played a vital role in the Hillsborough County community since the 1700s, when the park grounds were likely used as a pasture for livestock, according to the city’s website. After Derry and Londonderry were settled in the early 1800s, the city of Manchester claimed the 76 acres and developed it, the website said. The park is “one of the more popular parks in Manchester today,” the website said.
One of the most significant sites in the park is the Weston Tower Observatory, which was built in honor of New Hampshire governor James A. Weston, the website said. While Weston Tower is usually locked, the Halloween event “The Witch of Weston Tower” run by the nearby McIntyre Ski Area in recent years has allowed visitors to climb the stairs to check out the views.
Wagner Park aka “Pretty Park”
242 Myrtle St. in Manchester, 624-6444, manchesternh.gov/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Trails-and-Facilities/Parks/Wagner-Park
Amenities: The park features benches, a gazebo and a Greek-style temple, the website said.
In an email, Manchester Parks Director Brendan Lynch described the park as “a hidden treasure in the North End — a small, well-loved neighborhood park that’s perfect for casual family outings.”
Known by many in Manchester as “Pretty Park,” Wagner was created by Manchester native Ottilie Wagner Hosser, who willed the land she lived on to the city, requesting them to build a park of “Peace and Love” because the city already had enough parks that commemorated wars and military leaders, according to the city’s website. The park was modeled after one of her favorite parks in Paris and has become a favorite location for graduation and wedding pictures, the website said.
Amenities: Prescott features gardens (as well as free garden tours Fridays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. through Aug. 22), Four Tree Island (a picnic area with grills and restrooms; spots can be reserved for larger parties), the “Whale” sculpture and an outdoor stage for Prescott Park Arts Festival programming.
A 10-acre park on the banks of the Piscquata River, Prescott Park is a hub of activity in the Portsmouth community.
Prescott Park. Courtesy photo.
“It’s the perfect spot to take a stroll, eat lunch or catch a show,” said Todd Henley, the Parks Director for the City of Portsmouth, in an email. The Prescott Park Arts Festival offers a summer-long lineup of music, movies and theater, including the season-long production of Freaky Friday; see prescottpark.org for a schedule of events.
City horticulture interns answer questions and offer gardening tips during the Friday tours of the Park’s formal gardens, according to the city’s website. The park overlooks the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the nation’s oldest continuously operating U.S. navy yard, the website said.
Benson Park
19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, 886-6018, friendsofbensonpark.org
Amenities: The park features 4 miles of hiking trails, fishing ponds, gardens, picnic areas, wildlife viewing blinds, the Hudson Firefighters Memorial, the 9/11 Memorial, bathrooms, a dog park and a playground, according to hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark.
Benson Park commemorates a different kind of history than many of the parks on this list. From 1926 to 1987 the land was home to Benson’s Wild Animal Farm, a zoo and amusement park that was attended by families throughout New England, according to the Friends of Benson Park website. Twenty years after the zoo closed, the town of Hudson reopened it as a town park, and some of the zoo’s attractions — like the Old Woman’s Shoe and the elephant barn — have been repaired by the Friends of Benson Park, the website said.
Find maps of Benson’s trails, which range in length from .1 mile to 2.5 miles, on the city’s website.
Through Aug. 29 Benson Park holds a “hide-and-seek adventure” featuring Barney the Gnome, who will be in a new spot each week Saturday through Friday, according to the Friends of Benson Park Facebook page. The Friends will also hold a Family Fun Day on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a post said.
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats will play the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester tonight as their alter egos, the Space Potatoes. The game starts at 6:35 p.m. On Saturday, July 19, at 6:35 p.m., the theme is Christmas in July and there will be fireworks after the game. On Sunday, July 20, at 1:35 p.m., the theme is Blue Heeler Appreciation, with a pre-game Blue Heeler themed brunch. See milb.com/new-hampshire.
Friday, July 18
The Nashua Silver Knights will take the field at Holman Stadium, 67 Amherst St. in Nashua, tonight at 6:03 p.m. to face the New Britain Bees, with post-game fireworks. On Saturday, July 19, at 6:30 p.m., the Silver Knights will play the Vermont Lake Monsters. See nashuasilverknights.com.
Saturday, July 19
The NH Roller Derby Cherry Bombs will face off against Monadnock Roller Derby in their home season closer tonight at JFK Coliseum (303 Beech St., Manchester, 624-6444, manchesternh.gov). Doors open at 3:30 p.m. and first whistle is at 4 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door only: $15 adults. $5 veterans, $5 NHRD vets, free for kids 12 and under. Visit nhrollerderby.com.
Saturday, July 19
The Merrimack Garden Club (merrimackgardenclub.org) holds its annual plant sale today from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. James United Methodist Church (646 DW Highway, Merrimack, 424-7459).
Saturday, July 19
The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org) will hold its annual Classic Car Show today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, July 19
Brews & Blues ’25 will feature music from noon to 7 p.m. today, including Clandestine Funk, Johnny A. and James Montgomery Band, at Anheuser-Busch, (221 DW Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, budweisertours.com). Tickets to this 21+ event cost $35.
Sunday, July 20
There will be a Cloaks & Cauldrons Market and Old-World Celebration today at the Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Visit shadowandsoul.as.me.
Sunday, July 20
The Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St, Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) will host the one-man show A Bronx Tale, written by and starring actor Chazz Palminteri. Tickets start at $75.
Wednesday, July 23
The Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) presents two evenings of ABBA tribute. The Music of ABBA — Direct From Sweden will perform tonight and tomorrow, Thursday, July 24, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $39.
Save the Date! Friday, July 25-26 The Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo will take place Friday, July 25, through Sunday, July 27, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester). The event features tattoo artists, contests, vendors, live music, food and performances. Show hours are from 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday, from 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, and from noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost in advance $20 for a weekend pass ($25 at the door), according to livefreeordietattoo.com.
NH LAKES, described as “a statewide, publicly-supported nonprofit organization … to restore and preserve the health of New Hampshire’s lakes,” has awarded $400,000 in grants to support lake protection projects to fight cyanobacteria blooms in six communities through summer 2026, according to a press release. “The funding comes from the federal American Rescue Plan Act,” the release said. “Lake Sunapee Protective Association is working with the Town of Sunapee and Little Lake Sunapee Protective Association to fix shoreline erosion, incorporating native plants as possible, near Georges Mills Town Beach and Little Lake Sunapee,” and “Wentworth Watershed Association is tackling stormwater runoff into Lake Wentworth from gravel roads, especially near Red Brook Circle,” the release said. Other projects involve the Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance, which is based in Union; Country Pond Lake Association with the town of Newton; the town of Alton and the White Oak Pond Association in Holderness, the release said. See nhlakes.org.
The Franco-American
The Franco-American Centre, which describes itself as “dedicated to celebrating French language, culture and heritage throughout New Hampshire” with an office at Saint Anselm College campus, has named Dr. Katharine Harrington as the 2025 Franco-American of the Year, according to a press release. The award goes to people for promoting French language, culture and heritage in New Hampshire, the release said. In addition to teaching at Plymouth State University since 2010 “where she has served as chair of the Languages and Linguistics department and the Tourism, Environment, and Sustainable Societies academic unit,” Harrington launched “the Bienvenue au New Hampshire initiative that helps business and tourism providers welcome visitors from Québec and the French-speaking world,” the release said. See facnh.com.
Chess prez
The Nashua Chess Club, an organization with a 50-year history, has appointed a new president, Tyler Kiliulis of Wilton, according to a club email. The club meets at the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St. in Nashua, every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and welcomes players of all skill levels with boards and pieces provided, the email said.
MAC seeks members
The Manchester Arts Commission is seeking members, according to an item in the July 9 Medo Minute newsletter from Manchester’s Economic Development Office. “The commission is looking for those who want to use their insights and background to help shape and build cultural initiatives and events…,” the newsletter said. Email ArtCommission@ManchesterNH.Gov for information or to apply.
Catch Peabody’s Coal Train, a local acoustic six-piece Americana band, at the Music on the Green Concert Series at the Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury on Sunday, July 20, at 4 p.m. Admission is free; donations accepted. See shakers.org.
Work on the Amoskeag Bridge in Manchester is slated to continue for another week and a half, according to a press release from the city’s Department of Public Works. The work requires the southbound closure of River Road and Canal Street between West North Street and Brook Street between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. with posted detours, the release said.
Derry Public Library, 64 E. Broadway in Derry, is holding a craft supply swap event. Donations of clean, gently used craft items will be accepted at the information desk starting Saturday, July 19, with the swap itself on Saturday, July 26, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. See derrypl.org for details and to register for the swap day.
Though she didn’t start performing until her thirties, Stacy Kendro’s journey to the standup spotlight started much earlier.
Before starting college, she waitressed at a restaurant in Framingham, Mass., when it became a suburban outpost of Nick’s Comedy Stop. For someone who would eventually major in art and minor in theater, whose dad loved comedy and had a record collection that included Rodney Dangerfield and Spike Jones, it was timely.
Since then, “it’s kind of been my whole adult life,” she said by phone recently. Urged by coworkers, she did characters for the Nick’s crowd a few years in. “It was awkward, but I got laughs,” she said, “There were like 15 waitresses, and none of them did standup, but I did. So it was already in me, I think.”
Later, she sporadically duoed with her now ex-husband, an experienced comic. When the two weren’t working, she crafted a solo set and tried out her nascent act at one of her friend’s shows.
“I didn’t tell my husband at the time,” she recalled. “I wanted to not have anybody looking at what I was writing, just go do it, fail a bunch of times and see how it went.”
When Kendro got serious, she headed to L.A., doing shows at the Comedy Store’s female-centric Belly Room, along with the Ice House, which had an annex for young comics. All the while, she’d hit every open mic she could find. Then she headed home. “I kind of cut my teeth in Boston,” she said.
Later, she performed on cruise ships. “That was interesting…. I met singers, but mostly it was piano players and magicians that I became really good friends with. Then I went to New York in 2000…. I came back at the tail end of the pandemic.”
Kendro’s comedy is street-smart and world-weary, with sharp wordplay leavened in. She’s written a series of film shorts called Albanian Assassin set in Las Vegas. She’s won accolades, including placing second in a national Ladies of Laughter competition in 2019. Kendro’s writing is also getting noticed. She wrote a couple of pilots, one of which was picked up by Women in Film Video New England for a table read and more. “We’re also going to block, which is great, because you can see everybody act it out, but also network with filmmakers.”
Since returning home, Kendro has become a regular on Rob Steen’s Headliners circuit, which includes a show in Gilford on July 12 with Jody Sloane and Amy Tee at Beans & Greens’ Notch Biergarten called Ladies of Boston Comedy. She’s not crazy about the name, even while understanding the marketing of showcases like Mothers of Comedy and others.
“It’s like we’re a novelty,” she said. “You know, there’s never an all-male show, there’s just a show…. Interestingly, bookers are still in the boys’ club in their heads. They kind of base a lot of who they book on what their tastes are, not realizing that half the audience is women. In that sense, it’s harder to be a woman.”
Kendro once opened for Joan Rivers at a New Hampshire women’s expo and recalls watching her perform as revelatory.
Her set mixed humor and reflection. “She managed to talk about her personal life and some triumphs. She even said to the audience, ‘You think just because I’m famous that my life is easy? I got fired off the Tonight show. My husband committed suicide. I’ve been through some trials.’ But she made it funny, she was very skillful in that.”
Later, the two talked about Rivers’ early years in a comedy world even more dominated by male comics than today’s. “I asked her what it was like,” Kendro said, and the answer exemplified the legend’s no-BS worldview. “She said, ‘Oh, it was easy, because I was friends with Richard Pryor, and Carlin, and we drove around the Village, and I did stuff with them.”
Ladies of Boston Comedy w/ Jody Sloane, Stacy Kendro, Amy Tee When: Saturday, July 12, 7:30 p.m. Where: Notch Biergarten by Beans & Greens, 245 Intervale Road, Gilford Tickets: $27.50 at beansandgreensfarm.com
What does New Hampshire taste like? Dunkin’ coffee? Pine needles? Poutine gravy? For Nico Kimberly, the owner of the new NOK Vino Tasting Room in Hooksett, it’s a serious question with a serious and complicated answer.
There is a term in the wine world, “terroir,” that is used to describe the taste that comes from particular growing conditions in a particular location. For instance, two wines in the same style and made with the same variety of grapes, but one from South Africa and the other from California, will taste different from each other. Each will carry a flavor influenced by the amount of sunshine the grapes got, the minerals in the soil, the amount of rainfall they received, and a thousand other factors.
So, what is New Hampshire’s terroir?
“New Hampshire’s a really good place to grow wine,” Kimberly said. “We have really sandy, really rocky soils. They shed the water, which the grapes love. We’ve also got a lot of elevation — we’ve got these hillsides. Grapes love to grow on a hill because the water runs off and the cold air runs off. Also, when you grow on a hill it actually changes the angle at which the sun hits the plant, which maximizes the photosynthetic capability.”
Growing grapes on a hill also improves the vines’ access to airflow, Kimberly said.
“The enemy of fruit trees and grapevines is mildew,” he said. “It needs wet conditions. It needs some warmth. But if you’ve got wind and you’ve got sun, you’re going to keep that mildew at bay just naturally. All these conditions really concentrate the flavor of the grapes. When we really get down to it — because the grapes are growing in these sort of like difficult conditions, this austere soil — they don’t have a ton of energy to grow super big and vibrant. They tend to be smaller and stronger plants, which means that every part of them is stronger, and so we get these flavors that are really complex in the wine.”
NOK Vino — which stands for “Not Otherwise Known” — is a collective of six New Hampshire vineyards that produces 18 hyper-local wines and ciders. To understand the relationship between New Hampshire wines and their terroir, Kimberly said, you have to understand the history of grapes.
“Up until Prohibition,” Kimberly said, “American grape and wine culture was thriving and it was all based on native grapes that grow here. Once Prohibition happened, a lot of those producers went out of business.” NOK Vino grows hybrids of those original native grapes.
“We’re coming back into more acceptance of those grapes,” Kimberly said, “mainly because of a few people who said, we’re going to treat these grapes as if they were the fancy European ones. We’re going to grow them.”
NOK Vino has opened a new tasting room in Hooksett to show off some of these wines.
“Our mission is to really change the way people think about New Hampshire wine,” Kimberly said. “We are providing this unfettered, clear view of what New Hampshire really tastes like. What we’re really passionate about is helping educate people about the difference between a grocery store wine and a wine that’s made in New Hampshire.”
The tasting room, which is open Friday, Saturday, and Sundays, is tucked away in an industrial park off the Londonderry Turnpike and seats 20 tasters.
“If there’s a holiday that lands on a Monday,” Kimberly said, “we also open up for that. We’re trying to make this a place you can come and learn about New Hampshire wine and meet the farmers. Everyone who works here is somebody who works in the vineyard and also participates in the winemaking. So no matter who’s working here you’re going to get the real-deal experience. They can answer any question you have about our wines.”
NOK Vino tasting room Where: 146 Londonderry Turnpike, Building 3, Unit 23, Hooksett When: open Fridays 5 to 8 p.m., Saturdays 3 to 9 p.m., and Sundays 3 to 7 p.m. More: 315-5272, nokvino.com A selection of cheeses, salami and olives is available for pairing.
