Category: Visual Arts

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

• Sculptors at work: See the four artists participating in this year’s Nashua International Sculpture Symposium at work on their pieces at Picker Artists (3 Pine St. in Nashua), where they are working Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on this year’s pieces. The artists are Anna Rasinska from Poland, Parastoo Ahovan from Iran, Tanya Preminger from Israel and Jim Larson, who grew up in New Hampshire and now lives in Maine, according to nashuasculpturesymposium.org, where you can sign up to donate to or pick up a meal for the artists. The pieces, which will become part of Nashua’s townwide exhibit of sculptures, will be unveiled in their installation locations on Sunday, June 3.

• A trip to Narnia: The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts (Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7469) will present The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe featuring children and teen performers on Friday, May 19, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 20, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 21, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $14 for adults, $13 for seniors and $10 for 17 and under.

Jack of Diamonds
Pittsfield Players (Scenic Theatre, 6 Depot St. in Pittsfield; pittsfieldplayers.org, 435-8852) presents Jack of Diamonds, a comedy mystery set at a retirement home where a group of skilled residents realize the man who has stolen their nest eggs has newly moved in, according to the website. The show runs Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 21, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 (call or go online to reserve).

• Drama on skates: Teen performers with the Peacock Players (peacockplayers.org) will present the musical Xanadu on Friday, May 19, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 20, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 21, at 2 p.m. at their theater at 14 Court St. in Nashua. Tickets start at $15 for adults ($12 for students and seniors).

• On view downtown: New Hampshire Art Association Artist Michelle Peterson has her paintings on display in an exhibit called “Threads and Where They Lead” at the Concord Chamber of Commerce (49 S. Main St. Suite 104 in Concord; concordnhchamber.com) through Friday, July 7. “In the artwork string is depicted in patterns and shapes that reference the playground pastime of cat’s cradle. ‘By using symbols such as a water bottle, rocks, birds and hands interspersed and oriented around visible and invisible strings, I begin to map a personal psychogeography,’ says Peterson,” according to a press release. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Spring show: The Seacoast Artist Association will feature new artwork from its members in the show “Primavera: The Art of Spring,” which wraps up this weekend when it is open Saturday, May 20, and Sunday, May 21, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Exeter Town Hall gallery (10 Front St. in Exeter; the gallery is on the second floor). See seacoastartist.org.

• Supporting art with music: The Andres Institute of Art Center (106 Route 13 in Brookline, 845-9174; andresinstitute.org) will present kNowhere Kids, a band playing New England rock with a mix of blues-flavored originals and covers, on Sunday, May 21, from 6 to 8 p.m., according to a press release. See the band at theknowherekids.com. Tickets to the concert cost $25; purchase them online. The next show will be The Soggy Po Boys on Sunday, June 25.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
The Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) and Not Too Loud Productions will present Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? from Friday, May 26, through Sunday, June 11. Performances will run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22, $19 for seniors and students.

• Art with your museum visit: The Children’s Museum of NH (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) is displaying the exhibit “Thirteen Moons — An Abenaki Child’s Year” in its Gallery 6 through the end of May. The exhibit features photographs, drawings, diagrams, scale models and stories to illustrate the daily life of a child in an Abenaki village before the arrival of Europeans, according to a press release. The gallery is open when the museum is open (you can visit just the gallery at no charge; museum admission costs $12.50 for everyone over 12 months, $10.50 for 65+). The museum is open Sundays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon; Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

• 75 years of work: The DublinArts and Muse Gallery (1459 Main St in Dublin; musegallery.art) will present a retrospective of Sylvia Nicolas on display through Tuesday, June 6. Nicolas, a Netherlands native who came to the U.S. in the late 1930s and now lives in Mont Vernon, has paintings, drawings, sculptures and stained glass, the press release said. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Strings celebration: The New Hampshire Fiddle Ensemble — a community orchestra of fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, basses, harps and cellos — has a concert this Saturday, May 20, at 7 p.m. at the Exeter Town Hall (9 Front St. in Exeter). Tickets in advance cost $16 for adults, $7 for seniors and students and are free for kids 8 and under, but in all cases reserve seats at nhfiddleensemble.org/concerts. Tickets will be available at the door for an additional $2. The ensemble also has a concert scheduled for Sunday, June 4, at Franklin Opera House (316 Central St. in Franklin).

Exeter Arts & Music Fest
Find live music, an arts market, kids’ activities, food and more during the Exeter Arts & Music Fest on Saturday, May 20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The main music stage, food trucks and kids’ activities will be at Town House Common (6 Bow St. in Exeter) and the artist market and singer-songwriter tent will be at the front portion of Swasey Parkway near Water Street, according to a press release. Scheduled for the main stage are Tim Parent & The Grim Bros. (11 a.m.), Marcus Rabb Quartet (12:30 p.m.), a Musical Arts Showcase (1:45 p.m.), WoodWind & Whiskey (2:30 p.m.), and Cold Engines (4 p.m.). The food trucks scheduled to appear include Cafe El Camino, Memories Ice Cream, Fat Pockets and Cosmic Kettlecorn, the release said. The artist market will feature more than 30 vendors, the press release said. There is a suggested donation of $10, $20 per family, the release said. See teamexeter.org.

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

• Hollywood in Africa: The New Hampshire Philharmonic will present its spring pops concert, “Hollywood in Africa,” on Saturday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 21, at 2 p.m. featuring Mamadou Diabate, a Grammy-nominated musician who will play the balafon, a xylophone-like instrument, according to a press release. See videos of Mamadou Diabate singing and playing the balafon at mamadoudiabate.com. The concerts will take place at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive in Salem). Tickets are available at nhphil.org and cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $8 for students. The Sunday show can also be streamed live; a streaming pass costs $15.

Meet the Marches
The Majestic Academy Teens will present Little Women The Musical, telling the story of March sisters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy based on the Louisa May Alcott novel, Friday, May 12, through Sunday, May 14, at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway in Derry). Shows are at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 14. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $15 for 65+ and $12 for 17 and under and can be purchased at 669-7469, at majestictheatre.net or at the door.

• Meet the artist: Andrew Freshour is a Manchester illustrator whose work is on display at Framers Market (1301 Elm St. in Manchester; 668-6989, framersmarketnh.com). Framers Market will hold a reception for Freshour on Saturday, May 20, from noon to 3 p.m. See andrewfreshour.com for more on the artist and his work. The Framers Market is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., according to its website.

• Romance and fantasy: Based on the 1990 movie, Ghost The Musical wraps up its run at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St. in Portsmouth; seacoastrep.org) with shows Thursday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, May 12, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 13, at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, May 14, at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $37 including fees and can be purchased on the website.

• Oil and cold wax: Seacoast Artist Association (130 Water St. in Exeter; seacoastartist.org) will hold an artist reception on Friday, May 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. for the show “Just Above a Whisper” featuring the works of Lynn Krumholz. The exhibit features Krumholz’s paintings of oil and cold wax and small books, according to a press release. “Oil and cold wax is a relatively new process that combines oil paint and a cold wax medium…. When varnished, it dries to a hard, durable surface with a velvety, matte finish,” the press release said. The reception will feature refreshments as well as music by Cheryl Sager and Neal Zweig. The gallery is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

Spring fair
The Craftworkers’ Guild spring fair (Kendall House, 3A Meetinghouse Road in Bedford; thecraftworkersguild.org) is open now through Saturday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Items for sale include jewelry, fine art, fashion accessories, glass arts, candles, soaps, ceramics, pottery, photography, paper arts and more, according to a video on the group’s Facebook page. You can also shop online via the guild’s website.

• Continuing show: Neil Simon’s The Gingerbread Lady, presented by the Players’ Ring (105 Marcy St. in Portsmouth; playersring.org), continues this weekend and next, through Sunday, May 21, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $27, $24 for students at 65+.

• Cruising history: With historical markers in the news, now might be the time to check out the Hollis Social Library’s (2 Monument Square in Hollis; 465-7721, hollislibrary.org) event featuring Michael Bruno, who will discuss his 2018 guide to the state’s 279 historical markers, Cruising New Hampshire History, on Saturday, May 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. Register online for the event.

• Seeking peace: The Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway in Derry; derrypl.org, 432-6140) will present author Susan Lynch to discuss her book Life After Kevin: A Mother’s Search for Peace and the Golden Retrievers that Led the Way on Wednesday, May 24, at 6:30 p.m. Register for the event online.

Festival of art, music and food
More than 60 artists, crafters, farmers and food makers are scheduled to attend the Henniker Handmade & Homegrown festival on Saturday, May 13, and Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Community Center Park (57 Main St. in Henniker), according to a press release. Items to peruse and purchase include pottery, jewelry, candles, knitwear, woodworking, fine art illustrations, hand-printed textiles, photography, plants (including fresh-cut tulips), flowers and more, the release said. The weekend will also feature live music from Walker Smith, The Honey Bees Trio, Decatur Creek, The Danny Savage Band and Beechwood — at the Angela Robinson Bandstand, the release said. Scheduled food trucks include Taco Beyondo and RJ Texas Style BBQ. A kids’ area will feature a bounce house, lawn games and more. Parking will be available at Henniker Community School with a shuttle bus running to and from the event, the release said.

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

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame:Actorsingers (actorsingers.org) will present the musical The Hunchbakc of Notre Dame this weekend — Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 7, at 2 p.m. — at Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and students. “The production features a cast of 49 including a 27-person choir and a live orchestra,” according to the organizers.

• Spring ballet: Northeastern Ballet Theatre will present The Sleeping Beauty on Sunday, May 7, at 4 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts (Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $35.75; $23.75 for seniors and under 12.

• Jazz jam: The Ted Herbert Music School will host an open mic jazz jam on Sunday, May 7, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. open to students and musicians of all ages and abilities, according to a press release. The cost to participate is a suggested donation of $5 (free for Ted Herbert students) and the event will take place at the Majestic Theatre Studios (880 Page St. in Manchester), the release said. No sign-up is needed; just show up with your instrument (drums, piano and guitar amp will be provided), the release said. See tedherbert.com or call 669-7469.

• Calling young performers: The Palace Theatre’s Youth Ensemble will hold auditions for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat on Saturday, May 6, at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. for students in grades 2 to 12, according to a press release. Bring a headshot and resume, prepare a short section of a song to sing a cappella and expect to stay for the one-hour slot, the release said. There is a production fee of $75 for performers who are cast. Rehearsals will take place in May for this Professional Production in June. Auditions will be held at Forever Emma Studios (516 Pine St. in Manchester). Email [email protected] with the performer’s name, age and preferred audition time, the release said.

Not A Word
The Community Players of Concord will close out their 95th season with the original comedy Not A Word, written and directed by Wallace J. Pineault, according to a press release. The nine-character comedy is called “a valentine to his love of Hollywood history, set in 1920 at the peak of silent movies’ popularity,” the release said. The show runs Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m and Sunday, May 7, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord). Tickets cost $20 for adults and $18 for 17 and under and 65+. See communityplayersofconcord.org.

• Finding a Nemo: The Children’s Theatre Project of the Community Players of Concord will hold auditions for Finding Nemo Jr. on Saturday June 3, and Sunday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Players’ Studio (435 Josiah Bartlett Road in Concord) with rehearsals to start after Labor Day for performances in October, according to a press release. The auditions are open to actors ages 8 to 18, the release said. Secure an audition spot by contacting director Karen Braz at [email protected]. Auditioners should prepare one verse and one chorus of a song and bring a recent photo, the release said. There is a participation fee of $100 per cast member, with a family cap of $150, the release said. Kids age 12 and older can also register to work as stage managers, set builders or in other tech positions, the release said. See communityplayersofconcord.org/auditions.

• 35-year retrospective: New Hampshire Theatre Project’s (959 Islington St. in Portsmouth; nhtheatreproject.org, 431-6644) founder Genevieve Aichele is stepping down as executive director and the company will finish up its 2022-2023 season with a retrospective honoring the productions she has directed, acted in or written over the last 35 years, according to a press release. Gen-erations! will run Friday, May 5, through Sunday, May 21, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $30 general admission, $26 for students, seniors and veterans.

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

•Paintings and ceramics: The show “Of the Earth” continues at the Two Villages Art Society (846 Main St. in Contoocook; twovillagesart.org) through Saturday, May 6. The show features the works of ceramics artist Boyan Moskov and painters Becky Barsi and Sarah Longley, according to a press release. The gallery is open Thursday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

• Quilt art: The Capital Quilters Guild will hold their quilt show, “Quilted Illusions,’ on Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pembroke Academy (209 Pembroke Road in Pembroke) featuring more than 175 quilts, vendors, quilt and sewing machine raffles and more, according to a press release. Admission costs $10. See capitalquilters.com.

• Comedy in Concord: The Community Players of Concord will present the comedy Not A Word, the final show of their 95th season, Friday, May 5, through Sunday, May 7, at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St.). The play takes place in a boarding house in Hollywood in 1920 with characters enmeshed in the world of silent film, according to a press release. Shows take place Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20; $18 for age 17 and under and 65+ and can be purchased at communityplayersofconcord.org or by calling 344-4747.

The Wolves
Cue Zero Theatre Company presents The Wolves, described as a gritty drama about a high school girls’ soccer team, Friday, April 28, through Sunday, April 30, at Arts Academy of New Hampshire (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, in Salem). The play, a 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama finalist by Sarah DeLappe, has showtimes at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 30. Tickets cost $15 at the door and at cztheatre.com. The show features adult language and viewer discretion is advised, according to a press release.

• Celebrating 25 years: The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates its 25th anniversary with a concert series called “Silver Seasons of Love,” according to a press release. The show schedule kicks off with a show Saturday, May 6, at the Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ (4 Post Office Square in Plymouth) at 7:30 p.m. Subsequent shows are Sunday, May 7, at 4 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Nashua (121 Manchester St. in Nashua); Saturday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (22 Fox Run Road in Newington), and Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m. at Derryfield School (2108 River Road in Manchester). Tickets cost $20 (admission is free for ages 12 and under, email [email protected] for child admission tickets) and can be purchased via nhgmc.com/tickets. See the website or call 263-4333 for information.

• Symphony — live or livestreamed: The UNH Symphony Orchestra will present a free public concert on Thursday, April 27, at 8 p.m. in the Johnson Theatre of the Paul Creative Arts Center (30 Academic Way at the UNH campus in Durham) and livestreamed at YouTube.com/unhmusic.

• Start your weekend with some jazz: The UNH Jazz Bands will present a free concert on Friday, April 28, at 8 p.m. at the Johnson Theatre of the Paul Creative Arts Center (30 Academic Way at the UNH campus in Durham) and via YouTube.com/unhmusic.com.

• Save the date for the Smirkus: Tickets for the summer tour of Circus Smirkus go on sale Monday, May 1, at smirkus.org/about-big-top-tour. New Hampshire dates include High Mowing School in Wilton on Monday, July 24, and Tuesday, July 25, at 1 and 6 p.m.

She Kills Monsters
Dive In Productions presents She Kills Monsters, described as a “high-octane comedic adventure” that is “laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture,” at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) Friday, April 28, through Sunday, May 14, with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., according to a press release. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for seniors and students. Nicole Jones (Agnes). Photo by Jason Ho.

• A mystery from 1873: New Hampshire Humanities will host a presentation called “Case Closed on the 1873 Smuttynose Ax Murders” on Wednesday, May 3, at the Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway in Derry) at 6:30 p.m. J. Dennis Robinson discusses the 1873 murder of two Norwegian women on the Isles of Shoals and the subsequent arrest and trial. Register for this free in-person program at derrypl.org.

• Abenaki stories: New Hampshire Humanities’ Humanities Roadshow series will present “Wisdom Keeping: Abenaki Stories and Storytelling Traditions” on Wednesday, May 3, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Strawbery Banke Visitors Center (14 Hancock St. in Portsmouth), according to a press release. The event is free and presented by Anne Jennison, a New Hampshire-based Native American storyteller, historian, educator and craftsperson, the release said.

• Gala for a cause: Tickets are on sale now for the Manchester Community Music School’s (2291 Elm St. on Manchester; mcmusicschool.org) Share the Music Gala on Friday, May 19, starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $50 per person or $450 for a table of 10. The evening will feature dance lessons by North Shore Swing Dance and a student musical performance “Baroque and Blue.

• At 3S Artspace: The Gallery at 3S Artspace (319 Vaughan St. in Portsmouth; galleryat3s.org) is exhibiting “Somewhere Around There,” a show featuring the ink paintings of abstract landscapes by Nishiki Sugawara-Beda. The show will run through June 11. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, according to the gallery’s facebook page.

• Summer of theater: Tickets are now on sale for the Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) 2023 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series, which will feature eight different shows from July 5 through Aug. 25. Tickets to each show cost $10. The schedule includes BJ Hickman magic shows July 5 through July 7; Beauty and the Beast July 11 through July 14; Rapunzel July 18 through 21; Peter Pan July 25 through July 28; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Aug. 1 through Aug. 4; The Little Mermaid Aug. 8 through Aug. 11; Disney’s Frozen Kids Aug. 15 through Aug. 18, and Disney/Pixar Finding Nemo Aug. 22 through Aug. 25. Most shows run Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., as well as Fridays at 10 a.m.

Arts Café Day
The Londonderry Arts Council will hold its ninth annual Arts Café on Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Orchard Christian Fellowship (136 Pillsbury Road in Londonderry), according to a press release. The event is free and billed as family-friendly with activities for kids as well as art from local artists, acoustic music, coffee and hot cocoa, breakfast pastries, a raffle and more, the release said.

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

• Member appreciation: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) is celebrating Member Appreciation Week, with special tours, discounts and more for museum members. Membership costs $50 for an individual and $80 for a household and includes free admission for members to the museum, passes for guest admissions and discounts, according to the website. Perks this week include a free drink ticket at the Thursday, April 20, Arts After Work and a member scavenger hunt on Friday, April 21; on Saturday, April 22, there will be a member-only tour of the new exhibit “Seeing is Not Believing: Ambiguity in Photography,” and there’s a discount for brunch on Sunday, April 23, the website said.

• Ballet: Safe Haven Ballet will present its production of Beauty and the Beast on Saturday, April 22, at 4:30 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com, 800-657-8774). Tickets cost $45, $40 for seniors and children. The production is described as fit for the whole family, according to the website. For more on Safe Haven Ballet, see safehavenballet.org.

• Photography contest: Merrimack County Savings Bank is holding its annual community photo contest. Through Wednesday, May 31, send up to five entries of color photography for the calendar and five entries for digital use on the bank’s social media pages, with winning photos awarded $100 for the photographer, according to a press release. “To be considered, photos should depict aspects of community life in New Hampshire, with a special focus on the unique character and charm of Merrimack, Hillsborough and Rockingham counties,” the release said. Go to themerrimack.com/community-photo-contest for the rules and how to enter.

A show of friends
“all my friends are in This show” is the name of the exhibit, curated by Yasamin Safarzadeh, at the Carolyn Jenkins & Jill C. Wilson Galleries at Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com, 225-3932) Thursday, April 20, through July 7. A public reception for the show will be held Saturday, April 22, from 7 to 9 p.m.,featuring music from Cozy Throne and Gemma Soldati. The show is described as an “inclusive, interactive, engaging and bold curation of innovative artists who actively shape their communities as educators, organizers, activists and facilitators,’ according to the website. Find gallery hours, which vary weekly, on the website.

• 100 years of music: Symphony NH will celebrate its centennial with “Symphony NH: Momentum! 100 year anniversary Concert” on Saturday, April 29, at 4 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com, 800-657-8774). The concert will feature two pieces played at Symphony NH’s first concert 100 years ago — a movement from Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony and Strauss’ “On the Beautiful Blue Danube,” according to the website, as well as Dvorak featuring cellist Amit Peled and Brahms. Tickets for adults start at $39; tickets for 65+ start at $34, ages 12 to 17 cost $12 and kids under 12 get in for free, the website said.

• Poetry month finale: Poets Katie Farris and Ilya Kaminsky will read from their works at the Community Church of Harrisville and Chesham in Harrisville on Sunday, April 30, at 4:30 p.m. as part of The Loom poetry series. Farris will read from her latest book, Standing in the Forest of Being Alive; Kaminsky, who was born in Odessa, Ukraine, is best known for his book Deaf Republic, according to a press release. See TheLoomPoetry.com. The event is free and open to the public.

• New England joy: The 37th annual Omer T. Lassonde Exhibition at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St. in Portsmouth; nhartassociation.org) is “uncaged joy” featuring 70 works from New England artists in various media, according to a press release. The exhibit will be on view through Sunday, April 30; the gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

• Find the rest/ROOM: The New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St. in Portsmouth; nhartassociation.org, 431-4230) will host the exhibit “rest/ROOM,” the first exhibit in the micro in the W.C. Gallery, through July 2. The gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Part of your world
The Anselmian Abbey Players will present Disney’s The Little Mermaid at the Dana Center, Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Road in Manchester; tickets.anselm.edu, 641-7700), on Friday, April 21, and Saturday, April 22, at 7 p.m. as well as Sunday, April 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20, $8 for youth and $17 for seniors.

• Magnificat poetry: New Hampshire poet Russell Rowland will present his second full-length volume of poems, Magnificat, at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) on Thursday, April 27, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

• Reggae Festival: The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (222 Court St. in Portsmouth; 570-8469, blackheritagetrailnh.org) will hold its Reggae Festival on Saturday, June 17, one of the Trail’s new events in celebration of Juneteenth, according to a press release. The festival will take place at the park at Strawbery Banke Museum (14 Hanover St. in Portsmouth) from noon to 10 p.m. — the lineup so far includes Marcia Griffiths, Glen Washington, Brigadier Jerry, Nadine Sutherlan, Lady G and Onyx Brown, all accompanied by Derrick Barnett and the Statement Band, the release said. Tickets purchased by April 30 cost $30; starting May 1, tickets cost $60. VIP tickets, which include a whiskey tasting, priority access seating and a VIP Tent, cost $100. Children ages 6 to 10 cost $10. See blackheritagetrailnh.org/reggae-festival.

• Virtual visit: Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord will take part in a virtual author event on Wednesday, May 3, at 7 p.m. with Kat Howard, whose latest book is A Sleight of Shadows. The book continues the story begun in An Unkindness of Magicians, according to a press release. See gibsonsbookestore.com for registration for this Zoom event and for ticket and book packages.

• Horror night: Horror author Cassandra Khaw will visit Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com, 224-0562) on Thursday, May 4, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss her new novella The Salt Grows Heavy

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

• New at the Currier: The photography exhibit “Seeing is Not Believing: Ambiguity in Photography” has opened at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144). “This exhibition explores photographs that make us question what we are looking at. Still lifes, abstract images, and manipulated photographs heighten our sense of wonder,” according to the Currier’s website. The Currier is open Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (with Art After Work, when admission is free, between 5 to 8 p.m.), and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This Thursday’s Art After Work performer is Isha from 978, and the 6:30 p.m. exhibition tour will examine “Seeing Is Not Believing.”

• Photography from the garden: The New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; nhaudubon.org) will display “A Garden Story Photography Exhibit” through July 5. The center is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• … another man’s treasure: The Mosaic Art Collective (66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester; mosaicartcollective.com) is exhibiting “Trash to Treasure” in partnership with the New Hampshire Art Association. “This environmentally conscious show invites artists to reimagine their recyclables, giving new life to objects in unexpected ways,” according to a press release. The exhibit will be on display through Sunday, April 30. See the website for hours or information on making an appointment or to see the exhibit digitally.

• Lesley Stahl: Journalist and author Lesley Stahl will discuss her career and politics and take audience questions in an event on Friday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets start at $66 with some VIP tickets that include a meet-and-greet also available.

• History events: To celebrate New Hampshire’s John Stark Day, the New Hampshire Historical Society (30 Park St. in Concord; 856-0644, nhhistory.org) will hold a “Collections Highlights Talk: General John Stark” on Saturday, April 15, at 2 p.m. featuring objects and documents related to Stark, according to a Historical Society press release. Admission costs $7.

Photo exhibit
Photo Retro (141 Route 101A, Unit B7, around the back of the plaza, in Amherst; photoretro.biz) will host the exhibit “I want to be where the people are” featuring the film photography of Eddy Pula and will hold an opening reception on Saturday, April 15, at 5 p.m. The exhibit features 24 photos and will run until Sunday, May 28. Photo Retro is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

• Wells Fargo wagon is a’comin’: The Palace Youth Theatre will hold auditions for The Music Man Jr. on Monday, April 17, at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. for a production scheduled for early June, according to a press release. Rehearsals will be Tuesday and Thursday night and Sunday afternoons, the release said. Auditions are open for performers in grades 2 to 12 and will be held at Forever Emma Studios (516 Pine St. in Manchester); auditioners should come prepared to sing a short section of a song a cappella, the release said. Schedule an audition time by emailing [email protected] with the performer’s name, age and preferred audition time, the release said.

• Photograph nature: The New Hampshire Audubon Society’s Massabesic Center in Auburn will host a photography workshop on Tuesday, April 18, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. with local nature photographer Tracy Brunner. The workshop will feature an evening photo hike along Lake Massabesic. Registration is required and costs $15.

• Catching up: Nova Scotian singer-songwriter Dave Gunning was slated to play Bass Hall at Monadnock Center (19 Grove St. in Peterborough in 2020; he’ll finally make it there Friday, April 14, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $25 in advance, $30 at the door; doors open 6:30 p.m. See monadnockcenter.org for tickets and davegunning.com for more on Gunning, whose most recent album, The Same Storm, was released in Oct. 2022.

• Acoustic jam for seniors: A new acoustic music jam session will launch on Sunday, April 16, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Londonderry Senior Center (535 Mammoth Road in Londonderry), according to a press release. Called “For the Love of Music,” the jam will feature local musicians and is open to senior center members and Londonderry residents over 55 to “stop in, hang out or participate,” the release said.