The Art Roundup 22/05/12

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

Sculptors arrive: The 15th annual Nashua International Sculpture Symposium commences with an opening event on Thursday, May 12, at 5:30 p.m., at the Picker Artists studios (3 Pine St. in Nashua), where you can meet this year’s artists, Anna Miller from Connecticut, Brent Howard from New Jersey and Corinna D’Schoto from Massachusetts. The artists will spend the next few weeks creating three outdoor sculptures based on the theme of “Merriment” for permanent installation in the city. The public is invited to watch them work at the studios Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., May 16 through June 1. Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org.

Poems in nature: The Monadnock Writers’ Group will have the award ceremony for its Poetry in the Pines contest on Saturday, May 14, at 10 a.m., at Cathedral of the Pines (10 Hale Hill Road, Rindge). The contest invited poets to submit short poems of no more than eight lines about nature in New England. Winning poets will read their poems at the event. Visit monadnockwriters.org.

Learn oil painting: The League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery (279 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) will host a two-part landscape oil painting workshop with Ann Xavier on Sundays, May 15 and May 22, from noon to 2 p.m. Participants will learn about oil painting paints, canvases, brushes and pallets. Sample photos to paint from will be provided. The cost is $70, plus a $35 materials fee, paid to the instructor on the day of the first session. Space is limited, and registration is required. Call 279-7920 or visit meredith.nhcrafts.org/classes.

Live opera: The Raylynmor Opera presents Gioachino Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella) at The Park Theatre (19 Main St., Jaffrey) on Friday, May 13, and Saturday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m. The opera, co-produced by Salt Marsh Opera, will be performed with English libretto by Ben Robinson. It will be preceded by a fashion runway show with “paparazzi” at 7 p.m., and followed by a cocktail party with the performers. Tickets range from $25 to $45. Visit raylynmor.com/la-cenerentola.

Theatrical disaster
The Manchester Community Theatre Players present The Play That Goes Wrong at the Manchester Community Theatre Players Theatre, located at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester), with showtimes on Fridays, May 13 and May 20, and Saturdays, May 14 and May 21, at 7:30 p.m. In this comedy, anything that can go wrong does as a drama society attempts to stage a 1920s murder mystery. Tickets cost $20 and must be purchased in advance. Masks and proof of vaccination are required to enter the theater. Visit manchestercommunitytheatre.com or call 327-6777.

Detective thriller: New Hampshire Theatre Project presents An Inspector Calls at West End Studio Theatre (959 Islington St., Portsmouth) now through May 22, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. The detective thriller, set in England in the early 1900s, is “written like an Agatha Christie-type mystery,” according to director Genevieve Aichele. “It’s a well-paced, clever play with excellent dialogue,” she told the Hippo in April. “The script is excellent, the characters are fascinating and the story is absolutely pertinent to our world today.”Tickets cost $30 ($33.26 with fees) for general admission and $26 ($29 with fees) for seniors, students and veterans and must be purchased in advance. Masks are required in the theater. Visit nhtheatreproject.org or call 431-6644.

Sheep trick
Head to the Deerfield Fairgrounds (34 Stage Road in Deerfield) to meet some sheep and learn all about the state’s fiber industry during the 44th annual New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Festival, happening on Saturday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hosted by the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Growers Association, the two-day event features a variety of demonstrations, 4-H competitions and information booths. Educational workshops are also planned, covering everything from sheep shearing and skirting alpaca fleece to spinning wool into yarn, sheep and alpaca health and more. Admission to the festival is $10 per person and free for kids ages 12 and under (no pets are allowed). A full schedule of happenings throughout the two days is available to view at nhswga.org.

Broadway and more: The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs its Spring Pops concert at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem) on Saturday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 22, at 2 p.m. The program will feature pieces by women composers, including Joan Tower’s “Made in America;” as well as Broadway tunes by Stephen Sondheim and music by Star Wars score composer John Williams. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $8 for students. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476.

Suessical auditions: Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative is holding auditions for adults and children ages 6+ for its summer musical, Seussical the Musical!, on Sunday, May 15, and Monday, May 16, at the Belknap Mill (25 Beacon St. East in Laconia).Find information on audition times, the registration form and how to prepare at belknapmill.org/seussical. The show will take place Aug. 12 through Aug. 14 and rehearsals will begin in June, according to a press release.

Absurd murder
The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts presents Lucky Stiffsat the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry), with showtimes on Friday, May 13, and Saturday, May 14, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 15, at 2 p.m. The murder mystery farce follows an English shoe salesman who is forced to take the embalmed body of his recently murdered uncle on a vacation to Monte Carlo and pass him off as a living person. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $15 for seniors age 65 and up and $12 for youth age 17 and under. Call 669-7469 or visit majestictheatre.net.

90 voices: The Rockingham Choral Society will perform two spring concerts this weekend — Saturday, May 14, at 8 p.m. at Sanborn Regional High School in Kingston and Sunday, May 15, at 3:30 p.m. at Christ Church Episcopal in Exeter, according to a press release which said each will feature Mozart’s “Requieum” sung by more than 90 voices and accompanied by a full orchestra. Tickets cost $15 (children 6 and under are free). Tickets are available in advance at rockinghamchoral.org; tickets will be available at the door for Saturday’s performance (Sunday’s performance has limited seating capacity).


ART

Exhibits

• “ECHOES & REFLECTIONS: FROM ABSTRACT PAINTING TO MODERN QUILTING AND BEYOND” exhibition features abstract paintings inspired by the bold colors, asymmetry, improvisational layout, alternate grid work and negative space in composition of modern quilting. Two Villages Art Society (Bates Building, 846 Main St., Contoocook). On display now through May 14. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

• “IMPACT! ABSTRACT! Exhibition featuring the abstract work of six local artists, including Ann Saunderson, who works in acrylic, mixed media, oil and cold wax and monotype; Daniela Wenzel, who does oil painting, assemblage, ink drawing, driftwood pyrography and improvised quilt-making; Kate Higley, who does printmaking; Ethel Hills, who works in acrylic; and Grace Mattern, who does mixed media collage. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). On view now through May 28. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

• “APPEAL OF THE REAL: 19TH CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD” exhibition features photographs taken throughout the Mediterranean to record the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through June 12. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through July 3. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI” Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “THE PEOPLE’S SCULPTOR: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOHN ROGERS” Exhibit celebrates the art of American sculptor John Rogers, who came to Manchester in 1850, and explores the influence that Manchester had on Rogers’ life and work. Presented by the Manchester Historic Association. On view now through September. Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester). Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors age 62 and up and college students, $4 for youth ages 12 through 18, and is free for kids under age 12. Call 622-7531 or visit manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum.

• “NATURE AT NIGHT: PAINTINGS BY OWEN KRZYZANIAK GEARY” Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from May 27 through June 18. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibition in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com for more information.

Workshops and classes

• “BLACKSMITHING BASICS” Beginner level workshop. Sanborn Mills Farm(7097 Sanborn Road, Loudon). Fri., May 20, through Sun., May 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost is $375. Call 435-7314 or visit sanbornmills.org for more information.

THEATRE

Shows

LUCKY STIFFS The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts presents. Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry). Showtimes on Fri., May 12, and Sat., May 14, 7 p.m., and Sun., May 15, 2 p.m. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $15 for seniors age 65 and up and $12 for youth age 17 and under. Call 669-7469 or visit majestictheatre.net.

THE PRODUCERS A mainstage production of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Now through May 15, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. Tickets cost $39 to $46. Call 668-5588 or visit palacetheatre.org.

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

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Presented by the Manchester Community Theatre Players, located at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester). Showtimes on Fri., May 13 and May 20, and Sat., May 14 and May 21, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and must be purchased in advance. Masks and proof of vaccination are required to enter the theater. Visit manchestercommunitytheatre.com.

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

THE BALD SOPRANO Produced by the Community Players of Concord. The Hatbox Theatre (located inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Fri., June 17 through Sun., June 26. Showtimes are 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 for more information.

CLASSICAL

SPRING POPS BROADWAY AND MORE The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., May 21, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., May 22, at 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476 for more information.

Open calls

THE RHYTHM OF NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOW CHORUS Women’s a cappella chorus is looking for female singers in the region to join. The group, an affiliate of the North American singing organization Harmony, Inc., performs a wide variety of music, including Broadway musical songs, patriotic songs, pop, jazz and seasonal pieces, for community and veterans’ events and private functions. Rehearsals are held weekly on Thursdays from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 W. Broadway, Derry. Masks are required for singing, but both vaccinated and unvaccinated singers are welcome. Visit rnhchorus.org or email info@rnhchorus.org for more information.

Huzzah!

Get two weekends of swords, ladies and lords, music and more at the NH Renaissance Faire

Knights, archers, jousters, pirates — you’ll find them all at the New Hampshire Renaissance Faire, back in person and happening over the course of two weekends, May 14 and 15 and May 21 and 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

“We’re very excited,” said Marc Bernier, general manager and president of the Board of Directors for the Renaissance Faire. “There have been a lot of changes because of Covid, and it’s been a lot of work. … Some of our acts and vendors have had to shut their doors either because of their health or [for financial reasons] … [but] we have a number of new acts.”

There are also new food vendors and new interactive activities for kids, including ax and knife throwing. And the whole fair has moved across the street to a bigger field.

“People will be parking in the same parking lot but just walk in the other direction,” Bernier said.

Traditional favorites will be back, including archery demos and practice shooting with the Junior Olympic archery division, as well as the Brotherhood of the Arrow and Sword and the jousting demos.

Bernier said about 30 percent of the people who attend dress in full Renaissance “garb,” which is what they call costumes, and about 20 percent come in partial garb.

“A lot of people will build their costumes as they go to fairs, so they might start with a tunic and then add a cloak [at the next fair] and then add footwear,” he said.

Each day of the fair has a theme, and visitors are encouraged to dress up based on the day’s theme: There’s Wizards and Fairies Day the first Saturday, and Heritage Day the first Sunday, then Pirates and Barbarians Day the second Saturday, and the last day is Literature, TV and Movies.

“Ren faires have probably gotten a little bit of an odd or bad rap — a bunch of nerdy kids running around in costumes,” Bernier said. “But thousands of people come in [and are able to] let their inner nerd out a little bit, because everyone is doing it.”

The Hippo reached out to some of this year’s entertainers, who shared via email their techniques for getting into character, their favorite part of the New Hampshire Renaissance Faire and more.

Marc Bernier as Master Marcus Bowyer, archer

Bernier is also the general manager and president of the Board of Directors for the New Hampshire Renaissance Faire.

man at renaissance faire dressed in costume
Marc Bernier. Photo by Triple-G Photography.

Tell me a little bit about your background.

I am the general manager of the Faire and I have been involved in ren faires for over 20 years in one capacity or another. I have worked in nearly every aspect of Faire except food service.

What’s your process for getting into character?

I play a variety of characters. The process depends on which, but most of them are primarily based on the garb (costume) the character wears.

What do you do to psych yourself up for performances?

I don’t generally have to. I slide right into the role.

What does your character/act bring to the ren faire?

This also relates to the character. I try to fit the theme for the day unless I have a specific role. I like being available for pictures with people and improvised interacting.

Aside from your own act, what’s your favorite part of the faire?

The charity donation we raise is my reason for putting in the work.

J.D. Lauriat as pirate Avery Meritt

Lauriat is the Village Cast Director and Combat Director for New Hampshire Renaissance Faire and one of the members of the musical act The Penniless Jacks.

man in costume at renaissance faire, playing hand drum
J.D. Lauriat. Photo by Triple-G Photography.

Tell me a little bit about your background.

Well, I have been working/performing at various renaissance faires since 2006. I started out as part of a village cast that focused on patron interaction and mixed in a bit of singing and sword fighting. Fast forward to today and I’ve been director at a few events, I’ve been part of several stage shows and performances, and [I have] traveled throughout New England doing everything from acting to fight performance to music shows to directing cast to teaching stage combat.

What’s your process for getting into character?

It ultimately depends on the character that I am playing, but I always tell my cast, especially those who are new to this, to use a piece of your costume as a sort of catalyst for getting into character. It could be your hat, or a doublet, or even something mundane like a pin or brooch that you wear. I’ve played several very different characters over the years, from Pirate to Grave Digger to Nobility. This year, I am simply the owner of a local tavern. For me, it’s often the hat. The main process for getting ready, for me, is to silently role-play or act out a scene that my character might be in. It’s often a variation of the same scene each time, but it’s something that really encompasses the mindset and characteristics of the person I’m going to be playing for the day.

What do you do to psych yourself up for performances?

As I mentioned, I will often play out a scene that the character could be in, but that doesn’t work for all situations. Some shows, when I’m just performing with The Penniless Jacks, don’t lend themselves well to being a character because we spend so much time on stage. So the start of the day is typically a bit of panic with a dash of fear. I’ve been doing this for over 15 years and a stage show still terrifies me, and I suspect it always will. I had a wonderful director years ago tell me that it’s a good sign to have a bit of fear before a show, because it means you care.

What does your character/act bring to the ren faire?

My character, Avery Meritt, brings a sense of protection to the rest of the village. Many of the locals are unaware of his past, but they know he isn’t to be trifled with. Still, he runs the local tavern and inn, and keeps the doors open as a sort of hospitality house for his neighbors. For the patrons attending the faire, he brings a warm welcome, a bit of conversation, and music to remember.

Aside from your own act, what’s your favorite part of the faire?

Honestly, aside from the fact that it’s a charity event, I would say the music. Throughout the years, I have seen so many amazing musicians and acts pass through, and many of them have become good friends. I love that it’s a rare moment that you don’t hear wonderful songs echoing throughout the grounds.

Ilkka Eskelinen as Lord Sheriff Alistair Fynne

Eskelinen performs with the Shimmynanigans, belly dancers at the Faire.

man at renaissance faire, resting on cushions
Ilkka Eskelinen. Courtesy photo.

Tell me a little bit about your background.

My regular day-to-day work is as a job superintendent for a commercial construction company, as well as the safety officer and equipment trainer. I’m 52, born in Fitchburg, Mass. I have been a performer since 2010, originally as a villager. I sang shanties with a pirate crew for a few years. I also perform as a Viking, and recently had the honor to lead a service for a Viking-style funeral.

What’s your process for getting into character?

My process for getting into character: It all starts as soon as I wake on the day of faire. Getting my gear together for the day, sorting through and choosing what particular accouterments I’ll wear that day. While my costume stays fairly constant, I’ll adjust my outfit based on the temperature and weather outlook. My mindset, I go through a mental checklist of what’s lined up for the day, meet up with my fellow castmates and confirm everything is set. If doing stage combat, doing a few dry runs to make sure my partner and I have things in order.

What do you do to psych yourself up for performances?

I remind myself of some of my favorite memories from previous faires. One story in particular stands out, and I’ll try to keep it brief but I’d like to share it so you have the mental picture. Around 10 years ago, I spent some time chatting with a woman at faire, and was about to head off to a show. I asked for her hand, kissed it gently, and wished her a good day. She started crying! I asked what was amiss, and she told me (paraphrase) that no man ever pays her as much attention as I did that day. I still remember what I said to her (paraphrased of course): “Miss, you are very lucky! You have avoided being stuck with some idiot who doesn’t appreciate you! You are now free for an intelligent man to see you for who you really are, and be who you deserve.” I saw her again the following year at faire, and I didn’t recognize her at first. She had lost a lot of weight, changed her style, and introduced me to her boyfriend of several months. How wonderful is that?! The thought of making someone’s day even a little brighter, bringing a smile, a laugh, a shared moment — it brings me back year after year.

What does your character/act bring to the ren faire?

I am a wandering performer. I travel around the site, greeting people, engaging in conversations, perhaps joining a wandering singing group to sing a song. … This year we are introducing stage combat, and I will be doing a fight with one of the villagers. I love to make folk laugh. We never know what kind of day someone is having when they set foot onto the faire site. If I can bring a smile, a laugh, and give them a pleasant memory to take away from the day, it is all worth it.

Aside from your own act, what’s your favorite part of the faire?

Aside from my wanderings, my favorites are watching full-contact fighting in armor, such as The Brotherhood of the Arrow and Sword, or listening to the various singing groups and their stage performances, like The Penniless Jacks, The King’s Busketeers, and Myschyffe Managed.

Brian Caton as Sir Brian de Caton, Brotherhood of the Arrow and Sword

Caton formed the historical reenactment group at the Faire that demonstrates combat.

men in armor fighting in front of audience at Renaissance faire.
Photo courtesy of Brian Caton.

Tell me a little bit about your background.

Well, I started in the ren faire scene roughly about 26 years ago as a merchant but joined a reenactment group that performed at the New Hampshire Renaissance Faire in 2007. In 2015, several educators in the group and I formed the Brotherhood of the Arrow and Sword.

Our primary focus is educational reenactment of the medieval time period. Our goal is to show the difference between real history and Hollywood. We present at ren faires and schools throughout New England. At faire we will set up a hands-on medieval encampment where patrons can come in and see people performing period chores and also try on armor and weapons.

We also perform several types of presentations. One being our weapons presentation/life on the battlefield presentation. Another, and our most popular, is our fully armored, full steel fight show where we demonstrate fighting styles of the time period and modern-day tournament fighting in full-speed, full-contact combat.

What’s your process for getting into character?

My character, Sir Brian de Catton, portrays a knight from 1475 Yorkshire England. My armor and garb are all patterned off examples from the time period and are all handmade. At NHRF, I am also the Queen’s Champion.

What do you do to psych yourself up for performances?

I’d say that I start psyching up for the faire or getting into character by putting the garb on in the morning and our fighters, myself included, start psyching up for the fight show with the process of putting the armor on. Which can be a pretty involved process.

What does your character/act bring to the ren faire?

My favorite part of a faire is experiencing the crowds and especially the children when they see our fighters in armor and when they themselves get to try the armor. The making of memories is very important to us.

Aside from your own act, what’s your favorite part of the faire?

At NHRF, my favorite part is the Faire family that has come together to put on the charity event. From performers, merchants to volunteers and staff. There is a real sense of family at the event.

Danny Scialdone as Lord Aspergillius Gleekman

Scialdone is also the entertainment director of the Faire.

man dressed in jester hat, riding pony with horn on its head
Photo courtesy of Danny Scialdone.

Tell me a little bit about your background.

I have been performing as a variety of characters at renaissance faires for 15 years now and found my way to NHRF in 2011 as their first official court jester, Aspergillius Gleekman, joining the rank of the royal court. In 2012, I took on the role of entertainment director for NHRF as well as Treasury Senior Officer for the Three Maples Renaissance Corp (a 501(c)3 charity organization). As for my character, Aspergillius is an energetic, spontaneous silly man that tends to do just the thing you don’t expect him to … he likes to keep people on their toes. A trusted advisor to Queen Catherine and a compassionate soul that ensures that there is a smile on everyone’s faces.

What’s your process for getting into character?

Put on my garb, simple as that. Aspergillius is really just my own everyday goofball personality, which makes it very easy for me to get into character … put on my costume (or “garb” as we call it), flip the switch, and off I go … 40 jingle bells and all!

What do you do to psych yourself up for performances?

Honestly, nothing really. Just like I said, flip the switch.

What does your character/act bring to the ren faire?

Happiness, smiles and laughter

Aside from your own act, what’s your favorite part of the faire?

That is a tough one, there are so many … if I had to pick one, I would say the interaction with patrons, especially the kids. Kids really soak up the whole renaissance faire experience like no other, you can actually see the magic in their eyes and smiles. The best ones, though, are those that are only at the faire because they got “dragged along” by friends or family. When they come through the gate they arrive with an obvious disinterest, but by the end of the day, they end up having the time of their life and can’t wait to come back!

Brian Weiland of the Misfits of Avalon

The Misfits of Avalon will perform the second weekend of the Faire.

3 string musicians standing in arched stone windows, dressed in historic costume
Photo courtesy of Brian Weiland.

Tell me a little bit about your background.

My group is called the Misfits of Avalon, and we are a Celtic music act based in Massachusetts. Since our founding in 2009 we have at one time or another performed at pretty much every renaissance faire in New England, including performing at the New Hampshire Renaissance Faire every year since 2011. The core of the group is two lifelong best friends — myself on the hammered dulcimer and mandolin, and Max Cohen on guitar and vocals. All three of my children have also performed in the group over the years, and currently my youngest son, Aiden, is our fiddler. When I am not at faire I am a public school music teacher, and Max is a full-time professional musician.

What’s your process for getting into character?

Our characters are basically street musicians, which in renaissance terms means that we are definitely among the lower-class inhabitants of the realm! We therefore mostly wear simple peasant garb, though when we want to look a little fancier we sometimes wear full kilts. My mindset as a renaissance musician is actually not dissimilar to my mindset as a modern musician: I am there to hopefully gladden the hearts of all who hear me, from the humblest peasant to the queen herself!

What does your character/act bring to the ren faire?

Hopefully what the Misfits of Avalon brings to the faire is a little bit of beauty, a little bit of history, and maybe even a little bit of magic. I have for my entire life believed that music is a form of magic, and we do our best to cast good spells! We play several stage shows each day, but we actually spend the majority of our time — pretty much every moment when we are not on stage — busking around the fairgrounds, so that as visitors wander around throughout the day, the delicate ethereal tones of the hammered dulcimer playing beautiful Celtic melodies transports all within the realm back to a more mystical and beautiful time and place!

Aside from your own act, what’s your favorite part of the faire?

My favorite part of faire is the friendships and camaraderie. The people who work at ren faires are some of the most wonderful creative talented quirky people I know. We all have our own mundane lives and jobs and burdens, and we all live in this great big complex world, but we have all chosen to invest a pretty serious amount of time, effort, preparation and money in order to occasionally get together and create this little alternate world whose entire function is to share and inspire joy. I love being part of a community that does that!

New Hampshire Renaissance Faire

When: Saturdays and Sundays, May 14 and 15, and May 21 and 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Where: 80 Martin Road, Fremont

Cost: Adults $18; kids over 4 $12 and kids 4 and under get in free. Tickets available at nhrenfaire.com or at the faire, and proceeds support the New Hampshire Food Bank and Rockingham Meals on Wheels.

Event is held rain or shine; check nhrenfaire.com in case of extreme weather.

Activities

Information according to the schedule at nhrenfaire.com.

Children’s Glen: Games, crafts and fun activities for the kiddies! Let them test their coordination on Jacob’s Ladder.

Archery Range: Archery at the Three Maples run by JOAD (Junior Olympic Archery Development). Free to play, but donations to JOAD are encouraged!

Craft Demonstrations: Many merchants will be demonstrating their craft at their booths, such as weaving, leather work and jewelry making.

Encampment Demonstrations: Visit the knights from the Brotherhood of the Arrow & Sword in the backfield and check out their camp, armor and weapons. Or visit our pirates and gypsies and see what trouble they’re up to!

Charity Wench & Lad Auction: Bid on goods donated from vendors and modeled by strapping lads and lovely wenches.

Bellydance Lesson: Learn to bellydance with the Shimmynanigans.

Entertainment

See performance schedule and map at nhrenfaire.com.

B.O.N.E.S. – New England Pirate Guild sings songs of the sea

Brother Sylvan – Poetry and readings from the traveled wandering bard

Duchess of Yorkshire Pudding – Whimsical tales, stories and songs of the heartwarming Duchess of Yorkshire Pudding

Gibbon The Troubadour – The minstrel plays a wide array of Irish-Celtic, nautical and folk songs

Guy Todd, Wandering Harpist – Enchanting music that will take you to another place and time

IJA – A group of jousters from all over brings the thrill of the “Game of Kings”

Medieval Music Jam – All of the faire’s talented musicians and musical performers come together for one big musical performance

Michael OJ Magician – Magic and illusions

Phoenix Swords – Medieval performance troupe demonstrates sword and weapon combat, fire breathing and flame handling

Primrose Pirates – Sword fighting and live black powder

Shimmynanigans – Bellydancing gypsies

Sir Timothy the Enchanter – The first-ever bullwhip act at the faire

The Brotherhood of the Arrow & Sword –Historical reenactment group demonstrates fully armored live steel combat

The Corr Thieves – Action and humor-filled show

The Dirge Queen – A musical queen

The Foxy BardPG13 – Roving bard playing folk-rock, Celtic rock and medieval songs

The Harlot QueensPG13 – Acapella singing queens

The Harper and The MinstrelMay 14 & 15 only – Historically inspired performances of Medieval, Renaissance and Celtic Music

The King’s Busketeers – Band of musical bards with Irish pub songs, shanties and more

The Longshanks: Stilt Walkers & Storytellers – A storytelling duo wandering about the shire on stilts

The Misfits of AvalonMay 21 & 22 only – Duo of minstrels playing contemporary and traditional Celtic songs on the harp, guitar and hand dulcimer

The Penniless Jacks – Old-style pub music trio singing shanties and rousing rebel songs

The Pillage Idiots – Silly stories, songs and tales from a crew of comedic pirates

The Shank PaintersMay 21 & 22 only – Sea-shanty singing trio

Two and a Halfwits – Improv comedy group

Queen’s Tea – Bring the wee ones for lemonade and cookies with the Queen herself

Featured photo: J.D. Lauriat, left, and Andy Prete, right, of the Penniless Jacks. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 22/05/05

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

Open studios: Art Up Front Street Studios & Gallery (120 Front St., Exeter), an artists’ collective consisting of eight working artist studios, will host its Spring Open Studios event on Saturday, May 7, and Sunday, May 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., each day. Browse a variety of small and large art pieces, prints and originals, handcrafted jewelry, assemblages, cards, metal sculpture, industrial quilts and more. There will also be live music, free drawings and light refreshments. Call 418-6286 or visit artupfrontstreet.com.

Art raffle: Tickets are on sale now for the Currier Museum of Art’s 2022 signature raffle. The winner will receive an art piece from Roberto Lugo, a Philadelphia-based potter, painter, social activist, spoken word poet and educator. Lugo’s pottery, which was featured in a special exhibit at the Manchester museum last summer, reimagines traditional forms and techniques with inspiration from urban graffiti and hip-hop culture. Tickets cost $100 each. The drawing will be done on Saturday, May 14. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

Veteran reflections: The Wright Museum of World War II (77 Center St., Wolfeboro) will host a lecture and book signing with author Andrew Biggio on Tuesday, May 10, from 7 to 8 p.m. In his book The Rifle, Biggio chronicles his journey as a 28-year-old U.S. Marine who, after returning home from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, set out to document the stories of surviving World War II veterans. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Admission costs $5 for museum members and $10 for non-members. Call 569-1212 or visit wrightmuseum.org.

Spy music: Symphony New Hampshire presents a concert, “The Music of James Bond,” at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua) on Saturday, May 7, from 7:30 to 8:50 p.m., featuring music from five decades of James Bond films by iconic songwriters like Shirley Bassey, Paul McCartney, Carly Simon and Adele. The performance will begin with “Themes from 007, a Medley for Orchestra,” which includes the themes “Goldfinger,” “You Only Live Twice,” “For Your Eyes Only” and “From Russia with Love,” followed by themes from other spy film favorites, including Mission Impossible, The Pink Panther and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Tickets cost $20 to $60 for adults and $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up. Children are admitted for free with a paying adult. Visit symphonynh.org or call 595-9156 for more information.

Last Gas
The Community Players of Concord present Last Gas at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord) on Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 8, at 2 p.m. A Red Sox-loving dad and convenience store manager must make a choice when he gets a chance to rekindle a romance with an old flame. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $16 for youth ages 17 and under and $16 for seniors age 65 and up. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org or call 224-4905.

• “The worst play ever written:” There’s still time to catch a performance of The Producers at The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). The musical comedy, based on the 1967 Mel Brooks movie of the same name, runs through May 15, with showtimes on Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at noon. Tickets range from $39 to $46. Call 668-5588 or visit palacetheatre.org.

Multimedia exhibit: Two Villages Art Society (Bates Building, 846 Main St., Contoocook) has an exhibition, “Echoes & Reflections: From Abstract Painting to Modern Quilting and Beyond,” on view now through May 14. It features the works of four painters, four quilters, four poets and two musicians. Visitors can listen to the poems and music, with comments from the artists, by scanning QR codes with a smartphone. “This blend of artistic mediums is something we haven’t tried before,” exhibit curator Rick Lugg said in a press release. “We hope this will enhance the exhibit and highlight the connections and resonances among these works.” Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.


ART

Fairs and markets

CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR The annual nine-day outdoor craft fair hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen features hundreds of craftspeople with vendor booths, plus special craft exhibitions, demonstrations, hands-on workshops and more. Sat., Aug. 6 through Sun., Aug. 14. Mount Sunapee Resort, 1398 Route 103, Newbury. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org for more information.

CONCORD ARTS MARKET The juried outdoor artisan and fine art market runs one Saturday a month, June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Market dates are June 11, July 30, Aug. 20, Sept. 17 and Oct. 15. Rollins Park, 33 Bow St., Concord. concordartsmarket.net. The first market will be held on Saturday, June 11. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.html for more information.

Special events

SPRING OPEN STUDIOS Art Up Front Street Studios & Gallery, 120 Front St., Exeter. The artists’ collective features seven working artist studios. Sat., May 7, and Sun., May 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 418-6286 or visit artupfrontstreet.com for more information.

Workshops and classes

• “BLACKSMITHING BASICS” Beginner level workshop. Sanborn Mills Farm(7097 Sanborn Road, Loudon). Fri., May 20, through Sun., May 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost is $375. Call 435-7314 or visit sanbornmills.org for more information.

• “INTRO TO 3D PRINTING” Port City Makerspace (68 Morning St., Portsmouth). Wed., June 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $25 for members of the makerspace and $45 for nonmembers. Call 373-1002 or visit portcitymakerspace.com for more information.

ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.

DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org or email arthousejb@gmail.comfor more information.

GENERAL ART CLASSES Weekly art classes offered for both kids and adults of all skill levels and cover a variety of two-dimensional media, including drawing and painting with pastel, acrylic, watercolor and oils. Classes are held with small groups of three to eight to five students. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Kids classes, open to ages 10 and up, are held on Thursdays and Fridays, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Adult classes are held on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuition is pay-as-you-go at $20 per student per class, due upon arrival. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.

THEATRE

Shows

THE PRODUCERS A mainstage production of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Now through May 15, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. Tickets cost $39 to $46. Call 668-5588 or visit palacetheatre.org.

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

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Presented by the Manchester Community Theatre Players. Manchester Community Theatre Players Theatre, located at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester). Showtimes on Fri., May 13 and May 20, and Sat., May 14 and May 21, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and must be purchased in advance. Masks and proof of vaccination are required to enter the theater. Visit manchestercommunitytheatre.com or call 327-6777.

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

THE BALD SOPRANO Produced by the Community Players of Concord. The Hatbox Theatre (located inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Fri., June 17 through Sun., June 26. Showtimes are 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 for more information.

TRUE TALES LIVE Portsmouth-based storytelling showcase. Monthly, last Tuesday (no shows in July and August), from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Shows will be held in person (Portsmouth Public Media TV Studio, 280 Marcy St., Portsmouth) starting in April, and returning to the Zoom format for the winter, starting in November. Each month’s showcase is centered around a different theme. The series is free and open to all who want to watch or participate as a storyteller. Pre-registration for attendees is required for Zoom shows but not required for in-person shows. Visit truetaleslivenh.org and email info@truetaleslive.org if you’re interested in being a storyteller.

Reimagining art

How the Currier used the pandemic pause to revamp its galleries and make art more accessible

With a new focus on global art and a stronger emphasis on immersive experiences and community outreach, the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester has spent the past couple years revamping its galleries, enhancing its programming and planning for the future.

“Our new goal is to make sure that people know we have more than just art on the wall,” Currier Director Alan Chong said. “We have two Frank Lloyd Wright houses which are worth visiting, we have art classes … [along with] the permanent collections and exhibitions.”

The museum was able to continue running in some capacity even in the beginning of the pandemic, Chong said, and has continued to add back old programs and start new ones since then.

“We’ve had very strong support from the community,” Chong said. “The government has kept us going [with funding]. … We really depend on a whole network of support.”

PPE funds meant the Currier staff could keep working, and other grants helped support online programming and expanded museum offerings.

“Our audience has responded well,” Chong said. “Our numbers are pretty much recovered. We’ve been close to full capacity for a couple of months.”

Here’s a look at the Currier’s new mission, latest exhibitions and current efforts to make art more accessible to the entire community.

Going global

Though the Currier Museum of Art had to shut down during the pandemic, museum staff solved the immediate problem of accessing the community with online programming. The museum’s curators, in the meantime, saw their scope of work change a bit — instead of traveling the globe to acquire work, they looked inward at what they already had.

“In some ways when we were closed it gave us a lot of time to focus on the collection and reimagine [what it could look like],” Senior Curator of Collections Kurt Sundstrom said. “We all sat around on a Zoom call and talked about how we could use this opportunity.”

The Currier’s mission, he said, is to become more global, to visually show the connections between America and Asia, Europe and other parts of the world. For the Currier, that meant shifting around some of its collections. The second floor of the museum was reinstalled and looks completely different, Sundstrom said, with works from around the world paired together.

“We broke down those walls,” he said. “You can come to the museum now and see American art in the European gallery. … You look at things differently depending on where they’re hanging.”

For example, a Dutch painting that features a rug now hangs with Persian rugs from the museum’s collection, allowing for a new perspective.

“It was interesting to reinterpret how the collection could [work together],” Sundstrom said.

The Currier is also acquiring new pieces and planning exhibitions that will help it tell more of a story of global art, Sundstrom said, like an Islamic rug show, and the current exhibition that features the work of Iranian artist Arghavan Khosravi.

“When I first came here 25 years ago, there wasn’t any work here from African American artists, and there was very little from women,” Sundstrom said. “I think audiences, when they come in now, they’ll see themselves represented. You’ll have Asian art and Mexican art and works by women and everything that you would expect in a multicultural community.”

mixed media artwork by Argahavan Khosravi.
The Uncertainty, by Arghavan Khosravi (2020, acrylic on found textile and cotton canvas over wood panel, leather cord) Courtesy of the artist, © Arghavan Khosravi, 2022, photo by Julia Featheringill.

You can visit a museum many times and still never see the extent of its collection. Sundstrom said that museums typically have 2 to 7 percent of their collections on view at any given time. Paintings and sculptures can stay out longer, but photographs and watercolors will deteriorate over time when exposed to light. Because of this, a visit to the museum one year could be an entirely different experience than a visit the next. And with the pandemic giving the Currier time to make more significant changes, the overall vibe is different too.

“I think it’s much more fun,” Sundstrom said. “It’s not so static anymore. It’s not what you would expect — it’s not stuffy.”

Community connections

Programming at the Currier made strides during the pandemic too, with strong efforts to make art more accessible to the community — something it had been doing in recent years anyway.

“We do a lot more online,” Chong said. “We were already moving in that direction. … We had designed a new website in late 2019, so we were ready to launch a more user-friendly experience.”

Chong said that government grants were key in helping the Currier stay connected to the community and provide an online museum experience when it had shut down, and even after, when its hours and programs were limited.

The Currier already had its entire collection online — most museums had been looking at the digital world very intently, Chong said — but a National Endowment for the Humanities grant allowed the museum to put its two Frank Lloyd Wright homes online, including photo galleries, drawings and plans, 3D tours and historic documents.

Donyale Luna in a film still from an Andy Warhol screen test.
Screen Test: Donyale Luna [ST 195], by Andy Warhol (1965, 16mm film, black-and-white, silent, 4.5 minutes at 16 frames per second) © The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA, a museum of Carnegie Institute. All rights reserved.

Grants also allowed the museum to pass out kits to do art projects and enhance some of its supportive arts programs.

“Our curators and educators really worked hard on how we can respond to [the pandemic] and the racial tension,” Chong said. “[For example], a lot of people were feeling that hybrid learning wasn’t a very good way of going to school, so we formed a teen anxiety group.”

Sundstrom runs that group, using art to initiate conversations, like looking at a painting made after World War II, another difficult time in history.

“We talked about how to get through those anxious moments,” Sundstrom said.

Those groups started back in person last semester, which Sundstrom said has been an even better experience.

Chong said the museum was also able to hire an art therapist.

“I think we’ve been able to develop core strengths to support the community,” he said, noting that the Currier was the first museum in the country to offer an art therapy group for families of people suffering from opioid use disorder.

The Currier also launched a new veterans program during the pandemic, expanding what had been a small program with war photography to supportive art groups in new classrooms.

Diverse exhibitions

The Currier’s newest exhibition, Arghavan Khosravi, opened April 15 and will be on view through Sept. 5. The show features more than 20 works from Iranian artist Arghavan Khosravi, whose techniques range from using printed textiles from Iran as a canvas to creating three-dimensional components on painted surfaces, with a focus on depth and texture.

“We’re really committed to showing global contemporary artists, artwork that is innovative and interesting and sparks conversations,” said Samantha Cataldo, senior curator of contemporary art. “Her work is surrealism. … There’s almost always a woman at the center of the work and then the images themselves kind of capture memories or dreams. … She paints in a way that when you’re looking at it you can’t really tell if something is real.”

The images explore themes like exile, suppression and empowerment, which Cataldo said is drawn from the duality that Khosravi has experienced in her life, having lived in both Iran and the United States.

“The culture where she grew up, you were allowed to be a little more free with your family, but in public [you were] more restricted,” Cataldo said. “A lot of the themes [in the exhibition] are a form of restriction, [like] people being boxed in or existing on two different planes of reality. … The works don’t have a specific narrative, but there’s a symbolism and there’s clues and ideas. … [They] are really approachable and acceptable.”

A duality also exists between the works’ first impressions and their more closely scrutinized images.

“At first glance, things are colorful [and] and really inviting because they feel warm and happy,” Cataldo said. “But [what’s happening] in the scene is not so bright and cheery.”

She said the exhibition so far has been well-received, both in its themes and in its visual appeal.

“[The paintings] are exquisitely made,” she said. “They’re also quite poetic in terms of how they look and how they’re composed.”

Also on view now (through July 3) is Warhol Screen Tests, which features 20 of Andy Warhol’s black-and-white short films that he made in the mid-’60s of his friends — some famous, like Bob Dylan and Salvador Dali, and others who came to his studio in New York City.

“He filmed essentially a moving portrait,” Cataldo said. “A single subject would sit in a chair and he would run the camera on them until the film ran out, [about] 4 minutes. … You have people who are extremely aware of the camera, some who try to be totally still, some [who act] playful.”

The films are unscripted and played in a loop in slow motion, and they’re projected large-scale, which Cataldo said can be a bit unsettling.

“It feels too close to a Zoom meeting,” she said,” watching people feel like they have to present themselves in a certain way.”

Warhol’s prediction that “everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes” seems to have come to fruition to some degree, with regular people becoming TikTok or YouTube famous. And his repetitive screen prints that feature the same face over and over are reminiscent of today’s selfies.

“Everything he was doing was so far ahead of his time, so the idea of a selfie wasn’t a thing,” Cataldo said. “But the exhaustion of looking at a screen and looking at yourself — people can [now understand] that scrutiny.”

Looking ahead

While the Currier is mostly back to its pre-pandemic level of offerings, Chong said they’re proceeding with caution.

The first floor of the Chandler house. Photo courtesy of Currier Director Alan Chong.

“We feel a responsibility to the public, so we’re cautious,” he said. “History has taught us that it’s not over. We need to be flexible; we’re not going to pretend it doesn’t exist. There’s been a recent surge, so we follow all that.”

One of the upcoming projects that Chong is looking forward to is the renovation of a “new” old building.

“We took over the Chandler House during the pandemic,” he said. “It was a historic house … and it has the most beautiful interior in Manchester.”

Chong said the Currier had been looking to buy the building from the Catholic Diocese for years but hadn’t been able to make a deal because it was too expensive.

“I suspect that the pandemic pushed along that whole process,” he said.

Now the Currier will be working on finding funding to turn the building into a community center that will include offices for museum staff as well as classrooms for public programming, with the hopes of having it open by the fall of 2023.

In the more immediate future, the museum is planning to bring back its annual block party on a to-be-determined Saturday in July after a two-year absence. Chong called the day of free fun the museum’s signature event.

ARTSY OPPORTUNITIES

The Currier offers all kinds of classes and programs, both in person and online. Here are some of the offerings, according to currier.org. Visit the website for more details and the latest classes and events.

Ongoing programs

Making Art Accessible

This program is for teens and adults with developmental disabilities. The multimedia studio art class allows students to make works of art inspired by the Currier’s collections, and to visit the Currier’s galleries. The Currier regularly holds Making Art Accessible classes, and it is open to the public. Email CLyford@currier.org for more information.

Creative Connections for Teens

This program supports students suffering with anxieties related to the pandemic and related stressors. Each session provides students opportunities to connect through art-viewing, art-making and social time, and they’re led by Currier educators and curators with the support of a school counselor.

The Art of Awareness

Strangers from different backgrounds gather for a 30-minute awareness exercise and discussion to build connections with each other and art. Each week features one piece of art, chosen based on a theme. General admission is free on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m., and this program starts at 6:30 p.m. Upcoming classes are May 5, with the discussion centered on Arghavan Khosravi’s “The Black Pool,” and May 19, featuring John Marin’s “Movement in Red.” Register online.

Art of Hope

An in-person support group for loved ones whose family members suffer from substance use disorder. It takes place on Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m., with the next groups meeting May 9, May 16, May 23, June 20 and July 18.

Art for Vets

This art-focused program offers free opportunities for veterans, active service members and their families to enjoy the Currier. Veteran Creative Cohorts allows veterans to connect through art-viewing, activities and guided conversations, with an emphasis on personal development, respite and mindfulness. Studio Art Tutorials has professional teaching artists launching online or in person art tutorials for veterans and active service members, including drawing, watercolor painting and bookmaking. The classes are for all skill levels and focus on the therapeutic nature of art. Art for Vets Family Days are offered on the third Saturday of the month, with free access to the galleries, art activities and a complimentary lunch. Veterans, active service members and their families get free admission every day, and the Currier also offers all of its art classes and vacation camps free of charge.

Immigrant and refugee programs

The Currier provides after-school art instruction for children of immigrant and refugee families during the school year and extends their learning into vacation weeks by offering free enrollment in art camps. During camps, children are given 30 hours of instruction each week and are provided free breakfast and lunch each day.

Looking Together

Explore one work of art in detail for 15 minutes with a Currier docent. Sessions are informal, interactive and focused on a different object each day. It’s offered every Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. and noon.

Art After Work Tours

Every Thursday, enjoy free admission, live music and drink specials in the Winter Garden Café (open until 8 p.m.). The 30-minute adult tour is free of charge. Participants meet in the lobby.

Art Conversations from Home

Join the Currier Museum of Art’s education team for a live facilitated conversation over Zoom about the Currier’s collection and exhibitions. Sessions are informal, interactive and focused on a different work each week. Open to all, these free 30-minute adult programs run every Wednesday at 1 p.m. Register online.

Frank Lloyd Wright house tours

The Currier is the only art museum in the world with two Frank Lloyd Wright homes, and the only Wright buildings open to the public in New England. The Usonian Automatic and the Zimmerman House were both built in the 1950s. The two-bedroom Zimmerman House showcases Wright’s Usonian architectural concepts, with a compact design that contrasts narrow passages with dramatic, open spaces. It includes its original furniture and garden, both designed by Wright. The Kalil House, which was acquired by the Currier in 2019, is one of only seven Usonian Automatics constructed, dubbed “automatics” by Wright because they were easily and quickly built. Public tours of the Wright houses last two hours and are offered Thursdays through Sundays at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., as well as an evening tour on Thursdays at 6 p.m. (spring and summer only). To schedule a private tour, email tours@currier.org or call 603-518-4956.

Classes

The Currier regularly offers art classes for all ages and abilities. Here are some of the museum’s upcoming offerings.

Drawing from Presence with Norma Hendrix (Adult)

Online five-week class, Tuesdays, May 10 through June 7, 1 to 3 p.m.

Painting with Pastels: Finding Beauty in the Urban World with Janet Schwartz (Adult)

Online five-week class, Fridays, May 13, through June 10, 2 to 4 p.m.

Learn to Draw: Structure and Volume with Shading with Martin Geiger (Adult)

Online five-week class, Thursdays, May 26 through June 23, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Earn and Learn Teen Program

Teen volunteers will be involved in classroom assistance, art-making activities, mentoring younger students, facilitating museum visits and other organizational tasks, and they will receive tuition remission for classes at the Currier. Admission to the program is based on a review process. Each applicant must be willing to commit to two weeks minimum of summer camp. Camps run Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Apply by May 14; for more information, email Lauren Steele at lsteele@currier.org.

Vacation camps

The Currier offers camps throughout the summer: Art Camp for ages 6 to 10 and Art Ventures for ages 11 to 14. The camps include classes in drawing, painting, collage, printmaking and sculpture. Every Wednesday, an inspirational tour of the museum is conducted to discover the works of art in the galleries. Weekly full-day programs run Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. All art-making materials are provided. Camps have a maximum capacity of eight to 10 students, and students, instructors and camp assistants are required to wear masks. The schedule is as follows; see currier.org for prices, updates and other information.

June 27 to July 1

Art Camp: Down the Rabbit Hole (ages 6 to 10)

Art Ventures: Fun with Fibers (ages 11 to 14)

July 11 to July 15

Art Camp: Music Makers (ages 6 to 10)

Art Ventures: Drawing Outside the Box (ages 11 to 14)

July 25 to July 29

Art Camp: The Moody Currier School of Magic (ages 6 to 10)

Art Ventures: Drawing and Painting exploration (ages 11 to 14)

Aug. 8 to Aug. 12

Art Camp: Space is the Place (ages 6 to 10)

Art Ventures: Mixed Media Painting & Printmaking (ages 11 to 14)

Aug. 15 to Aug. 19

Creatures Large and Small (ages 6 to 10)

Art Ventures: The Moving Picture (ages 11 to 14)

Events

Gregory Pierce, curator of the Warhol Museum, will be at the Currier for an ARTalk to complement the “Warhol Screen Tests” exhibition. He will discuss the impetus for Screen Tests and how they’re relevant almost 60 years later and take a deeper dive into Warhol’s creative process. The talk will be held Sunday, May 8, from 2 to 2:45 p.m. in the auditorium. The cost is $20 and includes museum admission.

Featured photo: Arghavan Khosravi. Photo by Andrew T. White

The Art Roundup 22/04/28

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

Wizard spoof: Cue Zero Theatre Co. presents Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic at Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem), with showtimes on Friday, April 29, and Sunday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 1, at 2 p.m. The show is a parody about a certain wizarding school. “It’s a familiar story with a unique twist,” actor Anna Mae told the Hippo earlier this month. “While new stories are always fun, it’s nice to sometimes return to what is familiar and find appreciation for it in new ways. People will recognize many of the major plot points, and I think they’ll really enjoy seeing it from this new perspective.” Tickets cost $15 ($16.25 with online fees). Masks and proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test taken within three days of the performance are required for admittance. The show is also available to livestream for $15. Visit cztheatre.com or email cztheatre@gmail.com.

Dreamcatcher workshop
Head to Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury) for a Make Your Own Dreamcatcher workshop on Saturday, April 30, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Native American artist Lenny Novak will instruct the workshop and discuss the history, meaning, stories and lore of dreamcatchers before teaching participants how to create them in the Ojibway web tradition using natural wood hoops, webbing, beads and feathers. The cost is $25 for Village members and $40 for non-members. Registration is required. All materials will be provided. Call 783-9511 or visit shakers.org.

• ’60s gala: Get your tickets now for the Currier Museum of Art’s (150 Ash St., Manchester) Gala Celebration, happening on Saturday, May 14, from 6 to 10 p.m. The event will include live music, gourmet food, a sponsored cocktail hour, live auction and fundraising program, all inspired by the museum’s current special exhibition, “Warhol Screen Tests.” In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. He referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition, which is on display now through July 3, features 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, played in loops across four large-scale projections. Gala attendees must be age 21 or older. Wearing 1960s attire in the spirit of the exhibition is welcome. Tickets cost $350 per person. A limited number of tickets is available for admittance to both the gala and an exclusive pre-gala reception at the Chandler House; those cost $500 per person. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

Iron Melt
There’s still time to register for the Andres Institute of Art’s Remote Spring Iron Melt; registration is open now through Saturday, April 30. Traditionally, the public created custom designed iron tiles onsite. For the remote event, participants pick up a mold from the Institute (106 Brookline Road, Hollis) — pickup dates are Thursday, April 28, and Saturday, April 30, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Drop-off dates are the same as pickup dates, plus Thursday, May 5. Designs will be poured at Green Foundry in Maine on Saturday, May 7, and available for pickup on Thursday, May 12, and Saturday, May 14. The cost is $40 per mold, or $30 for AIA members. Visit andresinstitute.org or call 673-7441.

Ceramics by hand: The League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery (279 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) will host a two-part ceramic hand-building class on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to noon, and continuing on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Xavier Ceramics studio in Center Harbor. At the first session, participants will hand-build a planter, vase or container, which the instructor and studio owner Ann Xavier will fire in her kiln. Then, at the second session, participants will glaze their pieces, which will be fired again and ready to take home. The cost is $70, plus a $35 materials fee paid to the instructor on the day of the first session. Space is limited, and registration is required. Call 279-7920 or visit meredith.nhcrafts.org/classes.

Surreal paintings
A special exhibition featuring the work of Arghavan Khosravi is on view at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). The artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes such as exile, freedom and empowerment, and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. They’ll remain on display through Monday, Sept. 5. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17, and is free for children age 12 and under and for members. Hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

Fiddles for a cause: The New Hampshire Fiddle Ensemble will perform at the Exeter Town Hall (9 Front St., Exeter) on Saturday, April 30, at 7 p.m. to benefit the New Hampshire Children’s Trust. The group consists of more than 100 musicians between the ages of 9 and 89, playing fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, basses, harps, cellos and horns, and singing. Tickets cost $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and students and $12 for children ages 13 and under. Masks or proof of vaccination are required for admittance. Visit nhfiddleensemble.org.


ART

Exhibits

• “IMPACT! ABSTRACT! Exhibition featuring the abstract work of six local artists, including Ann Saunderson, who works in acrylic, mixed media, oil and cold wax and monotype; Daniela Wenzel, who does oil painting, assemblage, ink drawing, driftwood pyrography and improvised quilt-making; Kate Higley, who does printmaking; Ethel Hills, who works in acrylic; and Grace Mattern, who does mixed media collage. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). On view now through May 28. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

• “APPEAL OF THE REAL: 19TH CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD” exhibition features photographs taken throughout the Mediterranean to record the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through June 12. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through July 3. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI” Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “ECHOES: ABSTRACT PAINTING TO MODERN QUILTING” exhibition features abstract paintings inspired by the bold colors, asymmetry, improvisational layout, alternate grid work and negative space in composition of modern quilting. Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display now through May 14. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

NATURE AT NIGHT: PAINTINGS BY OWEN KRZYZANIAK GEARY” Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from May 27 through June 18. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibition in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com for more information.

Call for Submissions

SCULPTURE SUBMISSIONS The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Creative Concord Committee are seeking sculptors for the city’s fifth annual “Art on Main” Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, a year-round outdoor public art exhibit set up in Concord’s downtown. Professional sculptors age 18 and older (with preference for New England-based sculptors) are invited to submit up to two original sculptures for consideration. The selected sculptors will receive a $500 stipend, and their sculptures will be on display and for sale from June 2022 through May 2023 (30 percent commission taken by City of Concord). The deadline for entries is Friday, April 29. To apply, visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com.

Fairs and markets

CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR The annual nine-day outdoor craft fair hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen features hundreds of craftspeople with vendor booths, plus special craft exhibitions, demonstrations, hands-on workshops and more. Sat., Aug. 6 through Sun., Aug. 14. Mount Sunapee Resort, 1398 Route 103, Newbury. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org for more information.

CONCORD ARTS MARKET The juried outdoor artisan and fine art market runs one Saturday a month, June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Market dates are June 11, July 30, Aug. 20, Sept. 17 and Oct. 15. Rollins Park, 33 Bow St., Concord. concordartsmarket.net. The first market will be held on Saturday, June 11. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.html for more information.

Special events

REMOTE SPRING IRON MELT Participants may pick up a mold from the Institute, scratch their design at home, then drop off their scratched molds back at the Institute. Andres Institute of Art, 106 Brookline Road, Hollis. Pickup dates are Thurs., April 28, and Sat., April 30, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Drop-off dates are the same as pickup dates, plus Thurs., May 5. Online registration is required and is open now through Sat., April 30. Designs will be poured at Green Foundry in Maine on Saturday, May 7, and available for final pickup on Thursday, May 12, and Saturday, May 14. The cost is $40 per mold, or $30 for AIA members. Visit andresinstitute.org or call 673-7441.

SPRING OPEN STUDIOS Art Up Front Street Studios & Gallery, 120 Front St., Exeter. The artists’ collective features seven working artist studios. Sat., May 7, and Sun., May 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 418-6286 or visit artupfrontstreet.com for more information.

CURRIER MUSEUM OF ART GALA CELEBRATION Event will include live music, gourmet food, a sponsored cocktail hour, live auction and fundraising program, all inspired by the museum’s current special exhibition, “Warhol Screen Tests.” Currier Museum of Art’s (150 Ash St., Manchester). Sat., May 14, from 6 to 10 p.m. Gala attendees must be age 21 or older. Wearing 1960s attire in the spirit of the exhibition is welcome. Tickets cost $350 per person. A limited number of tickets is available for admittance to both the gala and an exclusive pre-gala reception at the Chandler House; those cost $500 per person. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

Workshops and classes

• “BLACKSMITHING BASICS” Beginner level workshop. Sanborn Mills Farm(7097 Sanborn Road, Loudon). Fri., May 20, through Sun., May 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost is $375. Call 435-7314 or visit sanbornmills.org for more information.

• “INTRO TO 3D PRINTING” Port City Makerspace (68 Morning St., Portsmouth). Wed., June 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $25 for members of the makerspace and $45 for nonmembers. Call 373-1002 or visit portcitymakerspace.com for more information.

ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.

DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org or email arthousejb@gmail.comfor more information.

GENERAL ART CLASSES Weekly art classes offered for both kids and adults of all skill levels and cover a variety of two-dimensional media, including drawing and painting with pastel, acrylic, watercolor and oils. Classes are held with small groups of three to eight to five students. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Kids classes, open to ages 10 and up, are held on Thursdays and Fridays, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Adult classes are held on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuition is pay-as-you-go at $20 per student per class, due upon arrival. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.

THEATRE

Classes/workshops

STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS Monthly workshop series hosted by True Tales Live storytelling showcase. First Tuesday (except November), from 7 to 8:30 p.m., virtual, via Zoom. Registration is required. Visit truetaleslivenh.org for more information.

Shows

THE PRODUCERS A mainstage production of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Now through May 15, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. Tickets cost $39 to $46. Call 668-5588 or visit palacetheatre.org.

PUFFS! OR SEVEN INCREASINGLY EVENTFUL YEARS AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL OF MAGIC AND MAGIC Cue Zero Theatre Co. presents. Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem). Showtimes on Fri., April 29, and Sun., May 1, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., May 1, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 ($16.25 with fees). Masks and proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test taken within three days of the performance are required. The show is also available to livestream for $15. Visit cztheatre.com or email cztheatre@gmail.com for more information.

LAST GAS Produced by the Community Players of Concord. Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord. Fri., May 6, through Sun., May 8. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $16 for youth ages 17 and under, $16 for seniors age 65 and up. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org or call 224-4905 for more information.

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

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Presented by the Manchester Community Theatre Players. Manchester Community Theatre Players Theatre, located at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester). Showtimes on Fri., May 13 and May 20, and Sat., May 14 and May 21, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and must be purchased in advance. Masks and proof of vaccination are required to enter the theater. Visit manchestercommunitytheatre.com or call 327-6777.

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

THE BALD SOPRANO Produced by the Community Players of Concord. The Hatbox Theatre (located inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Fri., June 17 through Sun., June 26. Showtimes are 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 for more information.

TRUE TALES LIVE Portsmouth-based storytelling showcase. Monthly, last Tuesday (no shows in July and August), from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Shows will be held in person (Portsmouth Public Media TV Studio, 280 Marcy St., Portsmouth) starting in April, and returning to the Zoom format for the winter, starting in November. Each month’s showcase is centered around a different theme. The series is free and open to all who want to watch or participate as a storyteller. Pre-registration for attendees is required for Zoom shows but not required for in-person shows. Visit truetaleslivenh.org and email info@truetaleslive.org if you’re interested in being a storyteller.

Classical

• “THE MUSIC OF JAMES BOND” Symphony New Hampshire presents. The performance will include Themes from 007, a Medley for Orchestra and themes from other spy film favorites, including Mission Impossible, Pink Panther and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Sat., May 7, from 7:30 to 8:50 p.m. Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). Tickets cost $20 to $60 for adults, $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up, and free for children with a paying adult. Visit symphonynh.org or call 595-9156 for more information.

SPRING POPS BROADWAY AND MORE The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., May 21, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., May 22, at 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476 for more information.

The Art Roundup 22/04/21

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

Molten fun: Online registration for the Andres Institute of Art’s Remote Spring Iron Melt is open now through Saturday, April 30. Traditionally, the public has been invited to the Institute’s studio space to create custom designed iron tiles; participants would scratch their design into a 6-by-6-inch sand mold and coat it with a liquid graphite, then watch as molten iron is poured into their molds on site. For the remote event, participants will pick up a mold from the Institute (106 Brookline Road, Hollis) — pickup dates are Thursdays, April 21 and April 28, and Saturdays, April 23 and April 30, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. — and scratch their design at home, then drop off their scratched molds back at the Institute; drop-off dates are the same as pickup dates, plus Thursday, May 5. Designs will be poured at Green Foundry in Maine on Saturday, May 7, and available for pickup on Thursday, May 12, and Saturday, May 14. The cost is $40 per mold, or $30 for AIA members. Visit andresinstitute.org or call 673-7441.

Make way for … Ja’far?: Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier, produced by the Actors Cooperative Theatre, will begin a three-weekend run at the Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) on Friday, April 22. The show will run through Sunday, May 8, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m and Sundays at 2 p.m Tickets cost $22 for adults ($19 for seniors and students). The play is described as a comic rif on the 1990s Aladdin story told from the perspective of Ja’far “a well-intentioned and hardworking official from The Kingdom,” according to a press release (which notes that the play contains “adult language, adult situations … drug references, sexual situations and partial nudity”). The musical is written by some of the same people behind parodies like A Very Potter Musical and The Trail to Oregon, the release said.

Sculptors wanted
The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Creative Concord Committee are seeking sculptors for the city’s fifth annual “Art on Main” Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, a year-round outdoor public art exhibit set up in Concord’s downtown. Professional sculptors age 18 and older (with preference for New England-based sculptors) are invited to submit up to two original sculptures for consideration. The selected sculptors will receive a $500 stipend, and their sculptures will be on display and for sale from June 2022 through May 2023 (30 percent commission taken by City of Concord). The deadline for entries is Friday, April 29. To apply, visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com.

Abstract art shown: Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) presents a new exhibit, “Impact! Abstract!,” featuring the work of six local artists, on view now through May 28. The artists include Ann Saunderson, who works in acrylic, mixed media, oil and cold wax and monotype; Daniela Wenzel, who does oil painting, assemblage, ink drawing, driftwood pyrography and improvised quilt-making; Kate Higley, who does printmaking; Ethel Hills, who works in acrylic; and Grace Mattern, who does mixed media collage. “It showcases artists boldly approaching abstraction in completely different ways with a wide variety of media,” Twiggs gallery director Laura Morrison told the Hippo earlier this month. “Most of the artwork in this exhibit is on the smaller side, yet each piece really stands out on its own. It’s very powerful work.” Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

Once trash, now fashion: The Upcycled Fashion Show, presented by Makers Mill and the Governor Wentworth Arts Council, will be held on Saturday, April 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Makers Mill (23 Bay St., Wolfeboro). The event invites designers of all ages to create wearable art with at least 75 percent of the materials being recycled, reused or repurposed. “Upcycled fashion is … a great way to experiment artistically and … experiment with style,” featured designer Amelia Bickford told the Hippo last month, adding that the show is “a great opportunity to draw further attention to the tremendous need the world has for recycling and reducing waste.” Tickets for spectators cost $5 in advance and $7 at the door. Visit makersmill.org/blog or call 569-1500.

Music of love: Symphony New Hampshire presents a concert, “Love’s Dawn,” on Saturday, April 23, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). The program will feature Claude Debussy’s Petite Suite, Richard Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll and Wolfgang Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 in D major, K.385 “Haffner.” Doors open at 6:15 p.m., and there will be a pre-concert talk at 6:30 p.m. and a post-concert reflection approximately 15 minutes after the concert. Masks and proof of vaccination are required for all attendees. Ticket costs range from $20 to $60 for adults, and from $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up. Children are admitted for free with paying adults. Visit symphonynh.org or call 595-9156.

Wild Symphony
New Hampshire native and bestselling author of The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown will join the University of New Hampshire Wind Symphony for the world premiere of the wind ensemble version of his debut classical work Wild Symphony on Sunday, April 24, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., at the university’s Johnson Theatre (30 Academic Way, Durham). The work is based on the musical album, released in conjunction with a corresponding children’s book of the same name, which pairs short poems and illustrations of animals with classical music. Brown will narrate the book while the symphony performs the music. The event is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance. Visit unh.universitytickets.com.


ART

Exhibits

• “IMPACT! ABSTRACT! Exhibition featuring the abstract work of six local artists, including Ann Saunderson, who works in acrylic, mixed media, oil and cold wax and monotype; Daniela Wenzel, who does oil painting, assemblage, ink drawing, driftwood pyrography and improvised quilt-making; Kate Higley, who does printmaking; Ethel Hills, who works in acrylic; and Grace Mattern, who does mixed media collage. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). On view now through May 28. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

• “APPEAL OF THE REAL: 19TH CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD” exhibition features photographs taken throughout the Mediterranean to record the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through June 12. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through July 3. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI” Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “ECHOES: ABSTRACT PAINTING TO MODERN QUILTING” exhibition features abstract paintings inspired by the bold colors, asymmetry, improvisational layout, alternate grid work and negative space in composition of modern quilting. Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from April 22 through May 14. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

NATURE AT NIGHT: PAINTINGS BY OWEN KRZYZANIAK GEARY” Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from May 27 through June 18. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibition in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com for more information.

Calls for submissions

SCULPTURE SUBMISSIONS The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Creative Concord Committee are seeking sculptors for the city’s fifth annual “Art on Main” Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, a year-round outdoor public art exhibit set up in Concord’s downtown. Professional sculptors age 18 and older (with preference for New England-based sculptors) are invited to submit up to two original sculptures for consideration. The selected sculptors will receive a $500 stipend, and their sculptures will be on display and for sale from June 2022 through May 2023 (30 percent commission taken by City of Concord). The deadline for entries is Friday, April 29. To apply, visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com.

Fairs and markets

CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR The annual nine-day outdoor craft fair hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen features hundreds of craftspeople with vendor booths, plus special craft exhibitions, demonstrations, hands-on workshops and more. Sat., Aug. 6 through Sun., Aug. 14. Mount Sunapee Resort, 1398 Route 103, Newbury. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org for more information.

CONCORD ARTS MARKET The juried outdoor artisan and fine art market runs one Saturday a month, June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Market dates are June 11, July 30, Aug. 20, Sept. 17 and Oct. 15. Rollins Park, 33 Bow St., Concord. concordartsmarket.net. The first market will be held on Saturday, June 11. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.html for more information.

Special events

REMOTE SPRING IRON MELT Participants may pick up a mold from the Institute, scratch their design at home, then drop off their scratched molds back at the Institute. Andres Institute of Art, 106 Brookline Road, Hollis. Pickup dates are Thurs., April 21 and April 28, and Sat., April 23 and April 30, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Drop-off dates are the same as pickup dates, plus Thurs., May 5. Online registration is required and is open now through Sat., April 30. Designs will be poured at Green Foundry in Maine on Saturday, May 7, and available for final pickup on Thursday, May 12, and Saturday, May 14. The cost is $40 per mold, or $30 for AIA members. Visit andresinstitute.org or call 673-7441.

UPCYCLED FASHION SHOW Presented by Makers Mill and the Governor Wentworth Arts Council. Designers of all ages are invited to create fashion pieces composed of at least 75 percent recycled, reused or repurposed materials. Sat., April 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. Makers Mill (23 Bay St., Wolfeboro). Registration for designers is free and open now through the end of March or until participation is full. Visit makersmill.org/blog or call 569-1500 for more information.

SPRING OPEN STUDIOS Art Up Front Street Studios & Gallery, 120 Front St., Exeter. The artists’ collective features seven working artist studios. Sat., May 7, and Sun., May 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 418-6286 or visit artupfrontstreet.com for more information.

Workshops and classes

• “BLACKSMITHING BASICS” Beginner level workshop. Sanborn Mills Farm(7097 Sanborn Road, Loudon). Fri., May 20, through Sun., May 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost is $375. Call 435-7314 or visit sanbornmills.org for more information.

• “INTRO TO 3D PRINTING” Port City Makerspace (68 Morning St., Portsmouth). Wed., June 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $25 for members of the makerspace and $45 for nonmembers. Call 373-1002 or visit portcitymakerspace.com for more information.

ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.

DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org or email arthousejb@gmail.comfor more information.

GENERAL ART CLASSES Weekly art classes offered for both kids and adults of all skill levels and cover a variety of two-dimensional media, including drawing and painting with pastel, acrylic, watercolor and oils. Classes are held with small groups of three to eight to five students. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Kids classes, open to ages 10 and up, are held on Thursdays and Fridays, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Adult classes are held on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuition is pay-as-you-go at $20 per student per class, due upon arrival. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.

THEATRE

Classes/workshops

STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS Monthly workshop series hosted by True Tales Live storytelling showcase. First Tuesday (except November), from 7 to 8:30 p.m., virtual, via Zoom. Registration is required. Visit truetaleslivenh.org for more information.

Shows

THE PRODUCERS A mainstage production of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). April 22 through May 15, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. Tickets cost $39 to $46. Call 668-5588 or visit palacetheatre.org.

•​ THE RULE OF THREEAn adaptation of Agatha Christie’s one-act murder mystery series, presented by the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester). Showtimes are on Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, April 24, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 to $20. Call 669-7469 or visit majestictheatre.net.

The Art Roundup 22/04/14

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

Artistic exploration of the White Mountains: Writer Howard Mansfield and composer Ben Cosgrove present “A Journey to the White Mountains in Words and Music” at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) on Thursday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m. The show, which is based on a chapter from Mansfield’s recent book Chasing Eden: A Book of Seekers and on Cosgrove’s landscape-inspired music, explores the impact that the discovery of the White Mountains has today. “Pioneering artists in the 19th century taught Americans how to look at the wilderness,” Mansfield said in a press release. “Americans were eager for the lesson and … followed the artists. Their art created a market for the views, filled hotels with tourists, and laid the bounds for national parks across the country.” Tickets cost $24. Visit ccanh.com.

Diverse female authors panel: The New Hampshire Writers’ Project will present a virtual panel discussion, “Speaking Of: Women of Color,” on Saturday, April 16, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Six female authors of diverse origin and culture will discuss their work and how their backgrounds led them to start writing as a form of self-expression and education. The authors include Brinda Charry, an immigrant from India to the U.S., fiction writer and specialist in British literature with a focus on English Renaissance literature and Shakespeare; Christine Nih’shaw Almstrom, children’s book author of Blackfeet/Onondaga Iroquois descent; Gledè Browne Kabongo, an author of psychological thrillers, originally from Dominica in the Eastern Caribbean; Hanh Bui, a children’s book author who came to the U.S. with her family at age 8 as a refugee escaping war-torn Vietnam; Loretta LC Brady, an author and a licensed clinical psychologist, professor of psychology and the director of the Community Resilience and Social Equity Lab at Saint Anselm College; and Masheri Chappelle, a playwright, novelist and intuitive consultant of African American and Native American descent. Rosa Marie Bell, Afro-Panamanian educator, multicultural moderator and executive producer of a weekly broadcast “Cafecito Cultural,” will moderate the panel. The event will take place over Zoom and is free for New Hampshire Writers’ Project members and $20 for non-members. Visit nhwritersproject.org to register.

Ancient photography: The Currier Museum of Art(150 Ash St., Manchester) has an exhibition, “Appeal of the Real: 19th Century Photographs of the Ancient World,” on view now through June 12. It features photographs of the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, taken prior to when tourists could take their own photographs, often at the request of wealthy European and American tourists. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17, and is free for children under age 13 and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

Opportunity for teen writers: Under the Madness, a new New Hampshire-based teen creative writing magazine, is accepting submissions now through Friday, April 15, for its second issue. The magazine is designed and managed by an editorial board of New Hampshire teens under the mentorship of New Hampshire State Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary. It features creative writing by teens ages 13 to 19 from all over the world, including poetry and short fiction and creative nonfiction. “It speaks to the confusing whirlwind faced by teenagers [due to the] pandemic, political polarization, global warming, inequity and unrest,” Peary told the Hippo earlier this year, “[and to] writing and creative expression as a way to set a foot on the ground when the adult-made sky seems to be spinning.” Submissions are open for future issues on an ongoing basis. All writing must be written in or translated into English and must be previously unpublished. Visit underthemadnessmagazine.com for full submission guidelines and to read the first issue.


ART

Exhibits

• “STITCHED TOGETHER – ELEMENTS OF NATURE FROM TEXTILE FRAGMENTS” New Hampshire Art Association exhibition features the textile collages of Cheryl Miller, inspired by the colors in nature. On display now through April 15. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All work is for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230 for more information.

• “APPEAL OF THE REAL: 19TH CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD” exhibition features photographs taken throughout the Mediterranean to record the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through June 12. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display from March 31 through July 3. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 to 17 and free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

The Art Roundup 22/04/07

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

Surreal paintings with a message: A new special exhibition featuring the work of Arghavan Khosravi opens at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) on Thursday, April 14. The artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes such as exile, freedom and empowerment; center on female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The exhibition will remain on display through Monday, Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17, and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

Nature-inspired art: See Two Villages Art Society’s exhibition “Reawakening,on view at the Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook), before it’s gone on Saturday, April 9. It features work by artist members of the New Hampshire chapter of the Women’s Caucus for the Arts. “As sunshine and warmth return to the earth in spring, so we reawaken to our lives,” WCA/NH exhibitions committee chair Linda Greenwood said in a press release. “The theme not only illustrates our reawakening of spring, but it also represents an illustration of memories that remind us again of passions lying deep.” Regular gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

Catch the New Hampshire Art Association’s exhibition “Stitched Together – Elements of Nature from Textile Fragments, featuring the work of Cheryl Miller, at the Greater Concord

Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (49 S. Main St., Concord) now through April 15. Miller, a textile artist, creates fabric collages using hand dyed cottons, batik and machine-stitched vintage fabrics. The exhibit includes a series of her textile collages inspired by the colors in nature. “The compositions are mostly abstract but also incorporate some elements of landscape, trees or leaves,” she said in a press release. “The idea of these pieces is to evoke a mood through the use of color and focus on small details in nature.” Gallery hours at the Chamber are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All works are for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

Children interpret classical music: The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra presents its annual “Drawn to the Music” concert on Saturday, April 9, and Sunday, April 10, at 2 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center at Salem High School (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem). The program will include music from Russian composer Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird, as well as “Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Mussorgsky and “Mother Goose” by Maurice Ravel. The concert is a collaborative arts project for which elementary school students from across New Hampshire submitted their original artwork inspired by the featured music. According to a press release from the orchestra, more than 650 visual art pieces will be projected above the orchestra throughout the two performances “so audience members can experience the performance through each student’s creative vision.” The concert on Saturday will feature artwork by students from the Nashua area, and the concert on Sunday will feature artwork by students from Salem, Goffstown, Hooksett, Atkinson, Plaistow, Merrimack, Newington, Portsmouth, Farmington and Conway. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors age 60 and up, $8 for students age 21 and under and $5 for Salem School District students and must be purchased online in advance. A digital livestream option is also available for the Sunday concert for $15. Visit nhphil.org.


ART

Exhibits

• “REAWAKENING” Two Villages Art Society presents an exhibition featuring work by artist members of the New Hampshire chapter of the Women’s Caucus for the Arts. Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). On display now through April 9. Regular gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

• “STITCHED TOGETHER – ELEMENTS OF NATURE FROM TEXTILE FRAGMENTS” New Hampshire Art Association exhibition features the textile collages of Cheryl Miller, inspired by the colors in nature. On display now through April 15. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All work is for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230 for more information.

• “APPEAL OF THE REAL: 19TH CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD” exhibition features photographs taken throughout the Mediterranean to record the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through June 12. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display from March 31 through July 3. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI” Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display from April 14 through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “ECHOES: ABSTRACT PAINTING TO MODERN QUILTING” exhibition features abstract paintings inspired by the bold colors, asymmetry, improvisational layout, alternate grid work and negative space in composition of modern quilting. Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from April 22 through May 14. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

NATURE AT NIGHT: PAINTINGS BY OWEN KRZYZANIAK GEARY” Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from May 27 through June 18. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibition in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com for more information.

Special events

UPCYCLED FASHION SHOW Presented by Makers Mill and the Governor Wentworth Arts Council. Designers of all ages are invited to create fashion pieces composed of at least 75 percent recycled, reused or repurposed materials. Sat., April 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. Makers Mill (23 Bay St., Wolfeboro). Registration for designers is free and open now through the end of March or until participation is full. Visit makersmill.org/blog or call 569-1500 for more information.

Workshops and classes

• “HANDS-ON 3D PRINTING FOR BEGINNERS” A one-day crash course covering the basics of 3D printing. Making Matters NH (88 Village St., Penacook). Sat., April 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $15 for Making Matters members and $50 for nonmembers. Call 565-5443 or visit makingmattersnh.org for more information.

• “INTRO TO 3D PRINTING” Port City Makerspace (68 Morning St., Portsmouth). Wed., April 13 and June 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $25 for members of the makerspace and $45 for nonmembers. Call 373-1002 or visit portcitymakerspace.com for more information.

THEATER

Classes/workshops

STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS Monthly workshop series hosted by True Tales Live storytelling showcase. First Tuesday (except November), from 7 to 8:30 p.m., virtual, via Zoom. Registration is required. Visit truetaleslivenh.org.

Shows

THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY The Anselmian Abbey Players present. Dana Center’s Koonz Theatre at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). Sat., April 9, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., April 10, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for general admission and $8 for students. Seats are reserved in advance online. Visit anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities or call 641-7000.

LOVE, SEX, AND THE IRS The Majestic Theatre presents. Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester). Fri., April 9, and Sat., April 10, at 7 p.m., and Sun., April 11, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7649.

PUFFS! OR SEVEN INCREASINGLY EVENTFUL YEARS AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL OF MAGIC AND MAGIC Cue Zero Theatre Co. presents. Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem). Fri., April 29, through Sun., May 1. Visit cztheatre.com for more information.

Classical

DRAWN TO THE MUSIC 2022 – STORIES IN MUSIC The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., April 9, at 2 p.m., and Sun., April 10, at 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476 for more information.

The Art Roundup 22/03/31

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

Everyone is connected: The Anselmian Abbey Players present The Theory of Relativity at the Dana Center’s Koonz Theatre at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester), with showtimes on Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, April 10, at 2 p.m. The 2014 musical, with music and lyrics by Neil Bartram and a book by Brian Hill, explores stories of seemingly isolated individuals who discover how their lives are intertwined with one another’s through interrelated moments. Tickets cost $10 for general admission and $8 for students. Seats are reserved in advance online. Visit anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities or call 641-7000.

Visual verse poetry: Celebrate April as National Poetry Month at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner) with a visual verse poetry reading on Thursday, April 7, at 6 p.m. Local poets will read their poetry from Diversity is Beauty, the latest Visual Verse Book, a collection of poems assembled through a collaboration with the center for the Arts New Hampshire Lake Sunapee Region Literary Arts Series. Doors will open at 5 p.m., and visitors are invited to come early and browse the galleries before the reading starts. The event is free and open to the public. Copies of the book will be for sale for $10 for museum members and $15 for non-members. Those who cannot attend the event in person can join via Zoom. Visit centerfortheartsnh.org/literary-arts.

Tax scam: The Majestic Theatre presents Love, Sex, and the IRS at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester), with showtimes on Friday, April 9, and Saturday, April 10, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, April 11, at 2 p.m. The play by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore follows two out-of-work musicians who are living as roommates in New York City and filing their tax returns as a married couple in order to save money. When the IRS visits the pair to investigate the validity of their marriage, the masquerade quickly turns comedic. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7649.

Slow Art Day 2022
Join the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) in the worldwide celebration of Slow Art Day 2022 on Saturday, April 2. Slow Art Day, according to slowartday.com, is “a global event with a simple mission: help more people discover for themselves the joy of looking at and loving art.” Founded in 2010, the event has had more than 1,500 art museums and galleries participate. The Currier will host an hour-long guided visit, starting at 11 a.m., exploring three works of art through mindful looking and improvisational dialogue focused on being in the moment. Attendees can choose one, two or all three of the works; the studies will begin at 11:05, 11:25 and 11:45 a.m., followed by a shared reflection in the lobby at 12:05 p.m. A docent will be available for each work to guide the program. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

Warhol’s “stillies”: A new special exhibition, “Warhol Screen Tests,” opens at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) on Thursday, March 31. In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. It will remain on view through July 3. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17, and is free for children under age 13 and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

Call for female a cappella singers: Women’s a cappella chorus The Rhythm of New Hampshire Show Chorus has returned to in-person rehearsals and is looking for female singers in the region to join. “We have a well-designed step process to introduce new visitors to the barbershop a cappella style,” director Jessie Caynon-Oslan said in a press release. “We promise that the audition process will be friendly and encouraging.” The group, an affiliate of the North American singing organization Harmony, Inc., performs a wide variety of music, including Broadway musical songs, patriotic songs, pop, jazz and seasonal pieces, for community and veterans’ events and private functions. Rehearsals are held weekly on Thursdays from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 W. Broadway, Derry. Masks are required. Additionally, The Rhythm of New Hampshire Show Chorus will hold its “Spring Singsation,” a five-week program where guests can learn a few songs to sing at a performance with the group, from May 5 through June 2. Visit rnhchorus.org or email info@rnhchorus.org.


ART

Exhibits

• “SETTING THE STANDARD” Exhibition features new work from League jurors in all media areas. League of New Hampshire Craftsmen headquarters, 49 S. Main St., #100, Concord. On display now through March 31. Regular exhibition hours are Tuesday through Thursday, from noon to 4 p.m. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org for more information.

• “REAWAKENING” Two Villages Art Society presents an exhibition featuring work by artist members of the New Hampshire chapter of the Women’s Caucus for the Arts. Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). On display now through April 9. Regular gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

• “STITCHED TOGETHER – ELEMENTS OF NATURE FROM TEXTILE FRAGMENTS” New Hampshire Art Association exhibition features the textile collages of Cheryl Miller, inspired by the colors in nature. On display now through April 15. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All work is for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230 for more information.

• “APPEAL OF THE REAL: 19TH CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD” exhibition features photographs taken throughout the Mediterranean to record the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through June 12. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display from March 31 through July 3. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• “ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI” Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display from April 14 through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “ECHOES: ABSTRACT PAINTING TO MODERN QUILTING” exhibition features abstract paintings inspired by the bold colors, asymmetry, improvisational layout, alternate grid work and negative space in composition of modern quilting. Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from April 22 through May 14. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

NATURE AT NIGHT: PAINTINGS BY OWEN KRZYZANIAK GEARY” Two Villages Art Society (46 Main St., Contoocook). On display from May 27 through June 18. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372 for more information.

ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibition in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com for more information.

Fairs and markets

CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR The annual nine-day outdoor craft fair hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen features hundreds of craftspeople with vendor booths, plus special craft exhibitions, demonstrations, hands-on workshops and more. Sat., Aug. 6 through Sun., Aug. 14. Mount Sunapee Resort, 1398 Route 103, Newbury. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org for more information.

CONCORD ARTS MARKET The juried outdoor artisan and fine art market runs one Saturday a month, June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Market dates are June 11, July 30, Aug. 20, Sept. 17 and Oct. 15. Rollins Park, 33 Bow St., Concord. concordartsmarket.net. The first market will be held on Saturday, June 11. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.html for more information.

Special events

UPCYCLED FASHION SHOW Presented by Makers Mill and the Governor Wentworth Arts Council. Designers of all ages are invited to create fashion pieces composed of at least 75 percent recycled, reused or repurposed materials. Sat., April 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. Makers Mill (23 Bay St., Wolfeboro). Registration for designers is free and open now through the end of March or until participation is full. Visit makersmill.org/blog or call 569-1500 for more information.

SPRING OPEN STUDIOS Art Up Front Street Studios & Gallery, 120 Front St., Exeter. The artists’ collective features seven working artist studios. Sat., May 7, and Sun., May 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 418-6286 or visit artupfrontstreet.com for more information.

Tours

NASHUA PUBLIC ART AUDIO TOUR Self-guided audio tours of the sculptures and murals in downtown Nashua, offered via the Distrx app, which uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provides audio descriptions at each stop on the tour as tourists approach the works of art. Each tour has 10 to 15 stops. Free and accessible on Android and iOS on demand. Available in English and Spanish. Visit downtownnashua.org/nashua-art-tour for more information.

Workshops and classes

• “HANDS-ON 3D PRINTING FOR BEGINNERS” A one-day crash course covering the basics of 3D printing. Making Matters NH (88 Village St., Penacook). Sat., April 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $15 for Making Matters members and $50 for nonmembers. Call 565-5443 or visit makingmattersnh.org for more information.

• “INTRO TO 3D PRINTING” Port City Makerspace (68 Morning St., Portsmouth). Wed., April 13 and June 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $25 for members of the makerspace and $45 for nonmembers. Call 373-1002 or visit portcitymakerspace.com for more information.

• “BLACKSMITHING BASICS” Beginner level workshop. Sanborn Mills Farm(7097 Sanborn Road, Loudon). Fri., May 20, through Sun., May 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost is $375. Call 435-7314 or visit sanbornmills.org for more information.

WINTER ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.

DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org or email arthousejb@gmail.comfor more information.

GENERAL ART CLASSES Weekly art classes offered for both kids and adults of all skill levels and cover a variety of two-dimensional media, including drawing and painting with pastel, acrylic, watercolor and oils. Classes are held with small groups of three to eight to five students. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Kids classes, open to ages 10 and up, are held on Thursdays and Fridays, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Adult classes are held on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuition is pay-as-you-go at $20 per student per class, due upon arrival. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.

THEATER

Classes/workshops

STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS Monthly workshop series hosted by True Tales Live storytelling showcase. First Tuesday (except November), from 7 to 8:30 p.m., virtual, via Zoom. Registration is required. Visit truetaleslivenh.org.

Shows

BYE BYE BIRDIE Mainstage production by The Palace Theatre. 80 Hanover St., Manchester. Now through Sun., April 3, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. Tickets range from $25 to $46. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588 for more information.

PUFFS! OR SEVEN INCREASINGLY EVENTFUL YEARS AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL OF MAGIC AND MAGIC Cue Zero Theatre Co. presents. Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem). Fri., April 29, through Sun., May 1. Visit cztheatre.com.

MUSICAL MOM Produced by the Community Players of Concord. The Hatbox Theatre (located inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Thurs., May 5 through Sun., May 15. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $22 for students, seniors and members and $19 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com or call 715-2315.

LAST GAS Produced by the Community Players of Concord. Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord. Fri., May 6, through Sun., May 8. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $16 for youth ages 17 and under, $16 for seniors age 65 and up. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org or call 224-4905 for more information.

THE BALD SOPRANO Produced by the Community Players of Concord. The Hatbox Theatre (located inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Fri., June 17 through Sun., June 26. Showtimes are 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.

TRUE TALES LIVE Portsmouth-based storytelling showcase. Monthly, last Tuesday (no shows in July and August), from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Shows will be held in person (Portsmouth Public Media TV Studio, 280 Marcy St., Portsmouth) starting in April, and returning to the Zoom format for the winter, starting in November. Each month’s showcase is centered around a different theme. The series is free and open to all who want to watch or participate as a storyteller. Pre-registration for attendees is required for Zoom shows but not required for in-person shows. Visit truetaleslivenh.org and email info@truetaleslive.org if you’re interested in being a storyteller.

Classical

DRAWN TO THE MUSIC 2022 – STORIES IN MUSIC The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., April 9, at 2 p.m., and Sun., April 10, at 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476 for more information.

• “FROM THE NEW WORLD” Symphony New Hampshire presents. Concerto for electric harp featuring Rosanna Moore, performing Farrenc, Overture No. 1 and Dvořák, Symphony No. 9. A New Hampshire premiere. Sat., April 23, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua); and Sun., April 24, from 3 to 6 p.m., at Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). Tickets cost $20 to $60 for adults, $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up, and free for children with a paying adult. Visit symphonynh.org or call 595-9156 for more information.

• “THE MUSIC OF JAMES BOND” Symphony New Hampshire presents. The performance will include Themes from 007, a Medley for Orchestra and themes from other spy film favorites, including Mission Impossible, Pink Panther and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Sat., May 7, from 7:30 to 8:50 p.m. Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). Tickets cost $20 to $60 for adults, $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up, and free for children with a paying adult. Visit symphonynh.org or call 595-9156.

SPRING POPS BROADWAY AND MORE The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., May 21, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., May 22, at 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org or call 647-6476 for more information.

Open calls

THE RHYTHM OF NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOW CHORUS Women’s a cappella chorus is looking for female singers in the region to join. The group, an affiliate of the North American singing organization Harmony, Inc., performs a wide variety of music, including Broadway musical songs, patriotic songs, pop, jazz and seasonal pieces, for community and veterans’ events and private functions. Rehearsals are held weekly on Thursdays from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 W. Broadway, Derry. Masks are required for singing, but both vaccinated and unvaccinated singers are welcome. Visit rnhchorus.org or email info@rnhchorus.org for more information.

The Art Roundup 22/03/24

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

High standards: Catch the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s triennial exhibit “Setting the Standard,” on view at the League’s headquarters gallery (49 S. Main St., No. 100, Concord), before it’s gone on Thursday, March 31. The exhibit features new works by 45 League jurors, master craftsmen who volunteer to work with League hopefuls and review their work to uphold the League’s standard of artistic excellence. A variety of media is represented, including wood, textile, clay and metal. “These works … will reflect the spirit of the maker,” League executive director Miriam Carter said in a press release. “Given the difficulties faced during the past several months, the work of our members takes on an almost indomitable nature, mixing the strength and resilience of the artists with the vulnerability that we have all experienced,” Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. Pieces are for sale and can be picked up when the exhibit closes. Visit nhcrafts.org or call 224-3375.

Musical prince: The Pinkerton Players will perform Pippin at the Stockbridge Theatre (located at Pinkerton Academy, 5 Pinkerton St., Derry), with showtimes on Friday, March 25, and Saturday, March 26, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 27, at 2 p.m. The musical, based on the book by Roger O. Hirson, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, is the story of a young prince searching for meaning in his life, as told by a traveling theater troupe. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Call 437-5210 or visit stockbridgetheatre.com.

Ancient lens: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) has an exhibition, “Appeal of the Real: 19th Century Photographs of the Ancient World,” on view now through June 12. It features photographs of the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, taken prior to when tourists could take their own photographs, often at the request of wealthy European and American tourists. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17, and is free for children under age 13 and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

Stories on Zoom: The Portsmouth-based monthly storytelling showcase True Tales Live returns with a virtual show over Zoom on Tuesday, March 29, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. This month’s theme centers on activism and exercising rights. The series is free and open to all who want to watch or participate as a storyteller. Registration is required. Shows have been held over Zoom during the pandemic but will tentatively be held in person at the Portsmouth Public Media TV Studio (280 Marcy St.) starting in April. Interested storytellers are encouraged to participate in a storytelling workshop, which is held on the first Tuesday of every month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. over Zoom. Visit truetaleslivenh.org or email info@truetaleslive.org.

Birdie’s back: The Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St., Manchester) current mainstage production, Bye Bye Birdie,continues now through April 3, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. The classic Broadway musical is set in 1958 in the small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, and centers around an Elvis-like rock ’n’ roll star named Conrad Birdie who is drafted into the Army. As a publicity stunt, Birdie’s agent and songwriter arranges for Birdie to appear on a television program, where he will perform a new song called “One Last Kiss” and give one lucky girl from his fan club a real last kiss before reporting for duty. Ticket prices range from $25 to $46. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

Premiere play by local playwright: New World Theatre presents the premiere production of Places You Go, an original play by New Hampshire playwright William Ivers, at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord) from March 25 through April 1, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. The play follows Maddy Wear, a young musician destined for Julliard, and the tensions that arise in her family while she is in the hospital recovering from a car accident. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.


ART

Exhibits

• “STITCHED TOGETHER – ELEMENTS OF NATURE FROM TEXTILE FRAGMENTS” New Hampshire Art Association exhibition features the textile collages of Cheryl Miller, inspired by the colors in nature. On view now through April 15. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All work is for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• “REAWAKENING” Two Villages Art Society presents an exhibition featuring work by artist members of the New Hampshire chapter of the Women’s Caucus for the Arts. Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). On view March 18 through April 9. An opening reception with the artists and live music will be held on Sat., March 19, from noon to 2 p.m. Regular gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” exhibition features 20 films from Andy Warhol’s silent black and white Screen Tests, shown in loops across four largescale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view March 31 through July 3. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children under age 13 and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

THEATER

Shows

PUFFS! OR SEVEN INCREASINGLY EVENTFUL YEARS AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL OF MAGIC AND MAGIC Cue Zero Theatre Co. presents. Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem). Fri., April 29, through Sun., May 1. Visit cztheatre.com.

Classical

DRAWN TO THE MUSIC 2022 – STORIES IN MUSIC The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra performs. Seifert Performing Arts Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem. Sat., April 9, 2 p.m., and Sun., April 10, 2 p.m. Visit nhphil.org.

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