Category: Visual Arts

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

• Still some Nutcracker: The Nutcracker season is not over yet. Ballet Misha will present The Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 1 and 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 22, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). Ballet Misha’s production is performed by professional dancers in the company, as well as apprentice company members and students at its affiliate school, Dimensions in Dance, according to a press release. The cast consists of more than 130 dancers who have rehearsed for months for this production involving hundreds of vibrant costumes, five beautiful sets and the music of Tchaikovsky, according to the press release. Tickets cost $30 to $35. Visit tickets.anselm.edu to purchase tickets online or call 641-7700.

The New Hampshire School of Ballet presents a full-length version of The Nutcracker on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (14 Canterbury Road, Concord). Tickets can be purchased at the door and are $25. There will be an additional performance on Sunday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St.,Manchester). Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased at the box office or online at palacetheatre.org or by calling 668-5588.

• Choir and strings: The First Church (1 Concord St. in Nashua; first-music.org) will present the 4th Advent worship services “Christmas at First” with Cantata 61 with the Chancel Choir and First Music Chamber Strings on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 9 and 11 a.m.

• Seasonal music: The Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter, 244-0202, thewordbarn.com) wraps up its 12 Nights of Christmas series of shows at the Orchard Chapel (143 Exeter Road in Hampton Falls). The last installments include A Celtic Christmas with Lunasa on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 5 and 8 p.m.; The Orchard Chapel Candlelight Carol Sing on Friday, Dec. 20, at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 22, at 5:30 p.m., plus a family matinee version on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 3 p.m.; A Winter Solstice Celebration with Low Lily on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 7 p.m., and A Holiday Family Story Hour on Monday, Dec. 23, from 6 to 7 p.m.

• New exhibit: The exhibit Searching for Natural Moments: Scenes from African Safaris and Costa Rican Rainforests will be at the New Hampshire Audubon McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) on Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will showcase photographs by Howard Muscott, according to their website. Muscott will be sharing images from two of Kenya’s most prolific wildlife locations and various habitats in Costa Rica and will take those who attend “on Safari … in the Masai Mara National Reserve and Amboseli National Park looking for iconic mammals like lions and cubs, leopards, cheetahs, elephants and zebras and other wildlife and on trails in the rain forests of Costa Rica in search of monkeys and birds,” according to the website. The exhibition will be on display until Saturday, Dec. 28. Visit nhaudubon.org or call 224-9909.

• Calling artists: The Seacoast Artist Association in downtown Exeter has announced its 2025 Theme Show calendar and all Seacoast artists are invited to enter, in person at the gallery or online at seacoastartist.org., according to a press release.The first show of the year is “Winter Wonderment” and artists can submit up to two pieces of framed work with wire hanger up to the 16” by 20”; pieces over 16” by 20” count as two pieces. It costs $10 per piece up to two pieces but participants may enter one large under 22” by 26” and one small. Artists are instructed to email their submissions by Friday, Jan. 3, with name and phone number as well as the label information of title, medium and price, along with a good jpeg for publicity, to [email protected]. The dropoff is scheduled for Saturday, Jan 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A committee chooses Best in Show and the winner will receive free entry in a future Theme Show. Visit seacoastartist.org for more information and the drop-off form.

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

• Show reception: Glimpse Gallery’s (Patriot Building, 4 Park St., Concord) newest exhibit begins on Monday, Dec. 9, and runs through Jan. 9, featuring works from artists Pat Arzillo, Byron Carr, Julie Daniels, Mark Ferland, David Wiggins, Barbara Morse and Michael McCormack, as well as a selection from curator Christina Landry-Boullion. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m.; RSVP by emailing contact@ theglimpsegallery.co. Visit theglimpsegallery.com or call 892-8307.

• Pops! The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra is holding its annual Holiday Pops Concert at the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem) on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476.

• Christmas from the Cape: At the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, tickets. anselm.edu) catch A Cape Breton Christmas with Coigon Thursday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. Nova Scotia’s own Còig will bring their renditions of timeless Christmas classics in a Celtic holiday mix that includes everything folk, classical and swing, and will give favorite carols a fresh and original sound, according to their website. Visit tickets.anselm.edu.

• Holiday show: Peacock Players present their Holiday Spectacularat Court Street Theatre (14 Court St., Nashua). This musical cabaret features holiday favorites and musicaltheater classics. Shows are scheduled for Friday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2 and 7 p.m. The show is slated for a two-hour run time with one 15-minute intermission and the performance is rated PG. Tickets range from $12 to $18. Visit peacockplayers.org or call 889-2330.

• You’ll shoot your eye out: Majestic Productions brings to stage A Christmas Story: The Musical at Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry). Performances are on Friday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $18 for seniors 65+ and $15 for children age 17 and under. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.

• Handel for the holidays: Saint Joseph Cathedral (145 Lowell St., Manchester) will present a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” and Vivaldi’s “Gloria” on Friday, Dec. 13, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 per person online or at the door. Visit stjosephcathedralnh.org/cathedralconcert or call 622-6404.

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

• Small works: Pillar Gallery + Projects’ newest exhibit is “NANO” and the show runs until Wednesday, Dec. 18, at the Pillar gallery (205 N. State St., Concord). “NANO” is a juried exhibition focused on smaller works. Visit pillargalleryprojects.com.

• Doo-wop Christmas: SH-Boom: A Christmas Miracle is presented by the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester) on Friday, Dec. 6, through Sunday, Dec. 8. The Majestic’s website describes the play as being full of ’60s doo-wop hits and holiday classics. The play is a holiday sequel to one that takes place in 1965 when Denny and the gang achieved overnight fame via the WOPR Radio “Dream of a Lifetime Talent Search” as “Denny and the Dreamers,” according to the website. Now the gang is “reunited” to perform again as a group for the Christmas Bazaar at Wally’s church, but not all is going well. Tickets range from $15 to $22. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.

• Holiday comedy: Christmas Belles is a comedy presented by Bedford Off Broadway will run at the Bedford Old Town Hall (3 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford) Friday, Dec. 6, through Sunday, Dec. 15, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15, $12 for seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the door or via Brown Paper Tickets. See bedfordoffbroadway.com.

• View on a classic: The Pinkerton Players will present Eurydiceon Friday, Dec. 6, and Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. as well as Sunday, Dec.8, at 2 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy (5 Pinkerton St., Derry). In Eurydice, Sarah Ruhl reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine; she must journey to the underworld after dying on her wedding day to reunite with her father and struggles to remember her lost love, according to the press release. Tickets are $15. Visit stockbridgetheatre.showare.com or call 437-5210.

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

• Open house: The New Hampshire Antique Co-op will host its annual holiday open house Friday, Nov. 29, through Sunday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Visitors will enjoy delicious refreshments and sweet treats, a gift card contest, a scavenger hunt with prizes, and a gallery preview tour of a new fine art exhibition, “Light and Brush: Luminous and Tonal Paintings from the 19th Century to Present,” according to the press release. The event is family-friendly and free. Call 673-8499 or visit nhantiquecoop.com.

• Call for art: See Saw Art (66 Hanover St., Suite 201, Manchester) has an open call exhibition “Presently” with submissions due on Saturday, Nov. 30. All media are welcome — 2D, 3D, video works, performance — and they ask that one to four works be submitted to be considered, according to their website. “Presently” aims to exhibit small works at an approachable price, and traditional fine art paintings, prints and photographs will be considered, as well as ready-made textile, clothing, ceramics and crafts, according to their website, but there is no overall theme. All sizes of works will be considered, but smaller works are preferred due to gallery limitations. The exhibit will run from Saturday, Dec. 14, through Friday, Dec. 22. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 4 to 8 p.m. and a closing reception on Sunday, Dec. 22, from 4 to 8 p.m. Visit seesaw.gallery.

• Call for actors: Auditions for the Community Players of Concord production of The Gods of Comedy will be held Sunday, Dec. 8, and Monday, Dec. 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Community Players Studio (435 Josiah Bartlett Road, Concord). They ask that those who sign up become familiar with both of the monologues listed on their website. It is not necessary to memorize the monologues, but participants will be asked to present them at their audition, as well as to cold read scenes from the script, which will be provided, according to their website. There is also a list of character descriptions which might be helpful as you consider auditioning. Questions can be emailed to Director Betty Lent at [email protected]. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org/gods-of-comedy/ for more information.

• Call for more actors: Bedford Off Broadway will hold auditions for their winter show Boeing-Boeing by Marc Camoletti, which will be presented on Fridays through Sundays, March 7 through March 16. The show will be directed by Declan Lynch with Pat Napolitano as stage manager, according to a press release. Rehersals are Sunday afternoons and Monday and Wednesday evenings with tech week starting Sunday, Dec. 2. Auditions will be held Monday, Dec. 9, and Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Bedford Town Hall (70 Bedford Center Road and 3 Meetinghouse Road in Bedford across from the library), the release said. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script, which calls for two men and four women. Email [email protected] for information.

• Author event: At Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Somerset Plaza, Nashua) on Saturday, Nov. 30, at 11 a.m., author Hattie Bernstein will be speaking on and signing copies of her book Don Quixote’s Hammer. The book asks “What if cancer wasn’t, as scientific consensus holds, a case of errant genes or recalcitrant cells? What if there was a problem in the body’s wiring, an electrical issue that hobbled the impulse transmitted from the brain to the organ, disrupting internal balance, and initiating disease?”Hattie is a journalist who has written for the Boston Globe, was a freelancer for the New York Times, and was the recipient of the third national Media Award from the Research Society on Alcoholism, according to the event’s website. Visit balinbooks.com or call 417-7981.

• Greatest year in the history of film? “1999: The Year in Film”will be the topic of a Zoom discussion from the Derry Public Library (derrypl.org) on Monday, Dec. 9, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Register online to discuss the The Matrix of it all.

• Get in the winter spirit: The black-and-white movie, described as an “anarchic slapstick action comedy” Hundreds of Beavers will screen on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. at NHTI in Sweeney Hall in Concord. Admission costs $10. See the trailer for the movie, which features a cast of beavers (human-sized mascot-y looking versions of the bucktoothed creatures), at hundredsofbeavers.com.

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

• Chorale concerts: NH Master Chorale Director Dan Perkins planned this month’s concerts, “A Breath of Ecstasy,” which will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, at South Church in Concord and at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24 at the Plymouth Congregational Church. The overall theme is “For a Breath of Ecstasy,” taken from a 2017 composition by the American composer Michael John Trotta that sets seven of Teasdale’s poems from “Love Songs,” a collection published in 2017, which won the original Pulitzer Prize in poetry. Tickets are available through nhmc.ticketleap.com/f24 or at the door.

• Murder mystery: Murder’s In the Heir will be presented by the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net) on Friday, Nov. 22, through Sunday, Nov. 24. “Almost every character in this hilarious mystery has the weapon, opportunity, and motive to commit the unseen murder. And it’s up to the audience to decide who actually did it!” according to the press release. Murder’s in the Heir is directed by Becky Rush and stars Michele Bossie, Natashia Da Cunha-Lund, Katie Davis, Matthew Davis, Larissa Gault, Scott Howard, Alex Jozitis, Benjamin Mahon, Ilana Peet, Lee Peet, Eric Petit, Josh Sanborn, Krystal Timinski and Marinda Weaver, according to the same release. The show will run Friday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 24, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for ages 65 and above and 17 and under. Tickets can be purchased by calling 669-7469, by visiting majestictheatre.net or at the door before the show, according to the release.

• Art at the Center: The Sandy Cleary Community Art Gallery is located on the ground floor of the Nashua Center for the Arts inside the concourse that runs along West Pearl Street, from the Main Street Lobby entrance to the West Pearl entrance, according to their website. The gallery gives local artists the opportunity to display and sell their work to thousands of people attending concerts and events at the Center annually. Their new rotation, which runs from October through December, features four of Nashua’s talented artists, Dan Marshall, R.D. Lembree, Sandy Machell and Monique Sakellarios. Visit nashuacommunityarts.org/sandy-cleary-community-art-gallery.

• Small art: Pillar Gallery + Projects’ newest exhibit is “NANO” and the show runs until Wednesday, Dec. 18. “NANO” is a juried exhibition focused on smaller works. The press release describes the exhibit thusly: “In a fast-paced culture perpetually interested in bigger, NANO showcases the impact of works that are intimately-scaled.” The exhibition will be installed salon-style to highlight the range of processes and thematic exploration and they are accepting 2D and 3D works in all media. 2D works must be no larger than 6 x 6 inches (8 x 8 inches framed) and 3D works no larger than 4 x 4 x 4 inches. Visit pillargalleryprojects.com.

• Tour historic houses: At Strawbery Banke Museum (14 Hancock St., Portsmouth) participants can join expert guides for a 90-minute tour exploring three centuries of Thanksgiving traditions. Attendees will travel through time and visit four historic houses as they learn how this holiday has evolved over time, according to their website. They will discover how people celebrated Thanksgiving in 1777 at the William Pitt Tavern, experience the height of the Victorian period in 1870 at the Goodwin Mansion, share in the experience of a Jewish immigrant family learning about the American holiday in 1919 at the Shapiro House, and learn about Thanksgiving on the home front in 1943 at the Abbott House and Store, according to the same website. Members $20; non-members $25. Tours on Saturday, Nov. 23, and Sunday, Nov. 24, take place at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Tours will also occur on Friday, Nov. 29, Saturday, Nov. 30, and Sunday, Dec. 1, at these times: 10 a.m, 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. Visit strawberybanke.org.

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

• Twiggs closing: Twiggs Gallery will celebrate its art instructors with its final exhibition. The exhibition, “GLOW,” marks the gallery’s “farewell after an inspiring 10-year run,” with their doors closing on Dec. 14, according to a press release. The show “spotlights the diverse, heartfelt work of its dedicated art instructors,” the release said. The artists’ reception is on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen; TwiggsGallery.org). In a statement, gallery owner Laura Morrison said, “This last exhibition is truly bittersweet. Our teachers have offered so many wonderful classes over the years, and we wanted to celebrate them by giving them an opportunity to show their favorite pieces of art. … It’s a beautiful and heartfelt exhibit.” Twiggs is open Thursday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

• Ghosts before Christmas: On Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. the Derry Opera House presents “The Fright Before Christmas,” a program exploring the many Yuletide monsters and legends that have almost been lost to the ages. The program is based on years of research by storyteller Jeff Belanger, looking at the history of the holiday and ghostly traditions such as the stories of Krampus, the Belsnickel, Tomtens, and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, according to the website. Belanger is the Emmy-nominated host, writer and producer of the PBS and Amazon Prime series New England Legends and the weekly New England Legends podcast. Belanger does not recommend this program for a young audience. Participants will need to register via the Derry Public Library atderrypl.org. Visit derryoperahouse.org.

• Exhibit in Concord: Outer Space Arts (35 Pleasant St., Concord; outerspacearts.xyz) is showing an exhibit of work by Emma cc Cook & Em Kettner titled “Caterpillar” until Saturday, Jan. 18. Emma cc Cook graduated with a BFA in painting from University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and studied at the Angel Academy in Florence, Italy, according to the event page. Cook often combines dark paintings on canvas with abrupt insertions of walnut sticks, textural variations, and intriguing thematic ventures that are inspired by rural American West landscapes and the broad discourses surrounding identity, history, environment and erasure, according to the website. Outer Space will donate 5 percent of its profits from any sales of her work to a nonprofit of the artist’s choosing, according to the same website. The gallery is open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to its Facebook page.

• Jazzing it up: Symphony New Hampshire and the Capitol Center for the Arts are teaming up for a three-part series of Illuminated Ensembles. American Standards is the first of the series; it will take place on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 4 p.m. at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) and will feature Symphony New Hampshire’s Jazz Ensemble. This intimate and immersive experience will bring the Great American Songbook into a whole new light, according to the press release. Tickets are $37. Call the Capitol Center for the Arts box office at 225-1111 or visit ccanh.org.

• Wood and fiber: The Wood & Fiber Art exhibition featuring the works of Jim and Peg Doyle is open to the public during Gafney Library (14 High St., Sanbornville) hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 7 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Peg works with fabric and fiber art and Jim enjoys working with natural wood such as tree stumps, branches and burls, according to a press release. An artists’ reception woill be held on on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon.

• Beethoven: Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra Family Matinees Chamber Series’ next installment is “Adventures with Beethoven” on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 3 p.m. with the Essex Piano Trio to perform ‘The Archduke’ and other masterful works for piano, violin and cello at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, according to a press release. Admission is a suggested $15 per family donation at the door. Visit portsmouthsymphony.org.