Category: Visual Arts

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.

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

• A journey in photographs: The photography exhibit “Crying in the Wilderness: An Immigrant’s Journey in Detention” by New Hampshire photographer Becky Field is on display at Manchester Community College, Student Center Upper Level (1066 Front St. in Manchester; mccnh.edu) through Thursday, April 20. The exhibit follows the life of an asylum seeker called Antony (a pseudonym) and features Field’s photographs as well as Antony’s artwork and poetry, according to a press release.

• Call for art: Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. in Boscawen; 975-0015, twiggsgallery.org) is inviting New Hampshire artists to enter works inspired by nests or nesting in the Twiggs summer juried exhibition “NEST,” according to a press release. The deadline to enter is Sunday, April 23; visit the website for the information about submitting works.

• Music to hear, music to touch: The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra will hold its Drawn to the Music performances Saturday, April 15, and Sunday, April 16, at 2 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center at Salem High School in Salem. At these kid-friendly concerts, artwork by students at New Hampshire schools will be projected above the orchestra during the performance of the musical piece that inspired the work, according to a press release. The concerts will also feature a “Touch an Instrument” opportunity after the concert when kids can meet orchestra members and get an up-close look at their instruments, the release said. Sunday’s performance will also be livestreamed. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $8 for students; see nhphil.org.

• Casino Night: The Palace Theatre in Manchester will hold a Casino Night on Saturday, April 15, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. to benefit the Palace Youth Theatre Campaign. The evening will feature drinks, music, blackjack, Texas hold ’em, craps, roulette and a chance to win prizes including a Southwest Airlines gift card, according to a Palace email. The event will be held at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in Manchester. Tickets cost $35; call 668-5588.

• Art of the can: Amherst Label, a manufacturer whose products include beer and other beverage labels, will hold an art exhibit called “Canvas” to celebrate the art of the can, according to a press release. The exhibit will show off the original art on Amherst Label’s customers’ craft beer can labels, the release said. The exhibit will open on Thursday, April 20, with an event from 2 to 6 p.m. featuring tours and tastings of the featured beers, the release said. The show will feature the work of more than 15 artists; Amherst Label is located at 15 Westchester Drive in Milford. See amherstlabel.com.

• Art of the daylily: The Thursday, April 20, meeting of the Manchester Garden Club will feature speaker Fiona McKenna discussing “Daylilies…A Love Affair.” The meeting is at 12:30 p.m. at Girls at Work (200 Bedford St. in Manchester). See manchesternhgardenclub.weebly.com.

• Ukulele for a cause: The Southern New Hampshire Ukulele Group will hold its ninth annual Fundraising Luau on Saturday, April 22, at 4 p.m. at Austin 17 House in Brentwood (263 Route 125), according to a press release. The event will feature ukulele groups including Steve Roy, The Silver Tones, The Unlikely Strummers, Desperate Strings Trio, A&W Ukulele Players and Uke Pitt as well as an appearance by hula dancer Atsuko Nemoto, the release said. Tickets cost $20 (plus fees) and are available at snhugluau9.brownpapertickets.com. The event will include food, a cash bar, raffles and play-alongs. Proceeds benefit Ukulele Kids Club, which brings music to hospitalized children, the release said. For more information about the organization, see snhug.wordpress.com.

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

• The festival comes home: The New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival held its in-person wrap party on March 26 but the virtual portion of the festival continues through Sunday, April 16. Purchase ticket packages or individual tickets to see the 11 feature films available through the festival — including Dedication and Out of Exile, two films originally not slated for virtual screening — as well as the short films package. See nhjewishfilmfestival.com to purchase tickets and to watch trailers for most of the films.

• Hats off: The Women’s Caucus for Arts’ NH Chapter will present the exhibit “Head’s Up: The Many Hats Women Wear” at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. in Boscawen; 975-0015, twiggsgallery.org) Saturday, April 1, through Saturday, May 27. The show opens with an artist reception on Saturday, April 1, from 1 to 3 p.m. “The hat theme is expressed in a wide variety of works that include paintings, sculptures, one-of-a-kind artist books, small installations, photography and mixed media pieces,” according to a press release. The gallery is open Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.

• New Nashua exhibit: The Gallery at West Pearl Street (100 W. Pearl St. in Nashua; HollisArtsSociety.org) will feature an exhibit from Ukrainian guest artist Natalia Yuresko-Belous, a new member of the Hollis Arts Society who works in landscapes, still life, portraits and mural paintings, according to a press release. The exhibit, her first major exhibition in America, will be on display until Tuesday, May 30, the release said. The gallery will be open Saturday, April 1, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Thursday, April 13, from 6 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, April 15, from 6 to 8 p.m.; Friday, April 21, from 6 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, April 22, from 3 to 5 p.m., and Saturday, April 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. — dates and times that correspond with the nearby Nashua Center for the Arts, which opens this Saturday, April 1, according to the Society’s March newsletter.

• Thursday concert: The Bob McCarthy Trio (described as performing “an eclectic blend of original and traditional music drawing on many styles”) will perform Thursday, March 30, from 7 to 8 p.m. as part of the Belknap Mill’s Bell and Brick Winter Concert Series at the mill (25 Beacon St. East in Laconia; 524-8813, belknapmill.org). Tickets cost $10 at the door.

• Garden art: The exhibit “In Full Bloom: Floral Still Life & Garden Paintings from the 19th century to the present” is on display at the New Hampshire Antique Co–op (323 Elm St. in Milford; nhantiquecoop.com, 673-8499) through Thursday, Aug. 31. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Craft fair: The Founders Academy (5 Perimeter Road in Manchester) will hold a craft fair on Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fair is the school’s first spring craft fair and was organized by a student for her senior project, according to a press release.

• April exhibit: New Hampshire resident and scenic designer Hannah Joy Hopkins will have her paintings on display at the New Hampshire Art Association’s Art Center Dover (1 Washington St., Suite 1177, in Dover; nhartassociation.org, 978-6702) in the exhibit “Heart Matters” through Sunday, April 30. A reception for the exhibit will be held Saturday, April 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. The gallery is open Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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

• One-man show: Etz Hayim Synagogue (1½ Hood Road in Derry; 432-0004, etzhayim.org) will present the one-man comedy My Son the Waiter, a Jewish Tragedy on Saturday, March 25. Showtime is at 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m. The opening act will be Off Our Rockers, a group of Londonderry seniors, according to a press release. Tickets cost $35; snacks and beverages will be available for purchase. See etzhayim.org/my-son-the-waiter.

• Youth audition alert: The Palace Youth Theatre (palacetheatre.org/pyt) is holding auditions for performers in grades 2 through 12 for its upcoming production of PUFFS (For Young Wizards)!, on Monday, March 27, at 5 and 6 p.m., according to an email. Auditioners will stay for the full one-hour time slot at Forever Emma Studios (516 Pine St. in Manchester) and be given sides to read and play some improv games, the email said. Rehearsals for the production will be Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and the performances will take place Tuesday, May 9, and Wednesday, May 10, at the Rex Theatre in Manchester. Email [email protected] with performer’s name, age and preferred audition time, the Palace email said.

‘It’s De-Lovely’
The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts will present Anything Goes: Youth Edition featuring children and teen performers this weekend at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway in Derry). See the show Friday, March 24, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 25, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 26, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $13 for 65+ and $10 for 17 and under. Call 669-7469 or go to majestictheatre.net for tickets, which will also be available at the door.

• At the Players’ Ring: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee continues its three-weekend run at the Players’ Ring (105 Marcy St. in Portsmouth; playersring.org, 436-8123) with shows through Sunday, March 26, on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets to this musical comedy cost $30, $27 for students and 65+ and $17 for children under 12.

• Fancy Nancy onstage: Southern NH Youth Ballet will present Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet in two performances at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Sunday, April 2, at 1 and 4 p.m. There will be a fancy tea and meet-and-greet with Fancy Nancy and her friends 45 minutes prior to each show for an additional $20 per person, according to a press release. The company will also perform The Ugly Duckling at the shows, the release said. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $20 for children ages 12 and under.

• Community bands: The Windham Community Bands will present a concert on Saturday, April 1, from 5 to 10 p.m. featuring the Windham Swing Band and the Windham Concert Band performing “a variety of Earth-themed music to reflect this year’s theme, ‘The Blue Marble,’” according to a press release. The concert will take place at Castleton Banquet & Conference Center (58 Enterprise Drive in Windham) and dinner is included with admission. Tickets cost $55 per person or $500 for a table of 10, the release said, and the evening will include a cash bar, raffle baskets and dancing. Call 425-3284 or email [email protected] for more information.

Poetry contest
The Derry Public Library’s (64 E. Broadway in Derry; 432-6140, derry.org) 6th annual MacGregor Poetry Contest, open to poets ages 15 and up, is accepting entries through Saturday, April 1. The winning poem will receive a $100 prize (with prizes for second and third place as well), according to an email from the library. The MacGregor Jr. Contest, open to poets 14 and under, will also award prizes — a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card for first place, and a prize for second place. Submit up to two poems, no more than two pages each, with name, address and contact information included (but not on the poem), to [email protected] or to Derry Public Library Poetry Contest, 64 E. Broadway, Derry, NH 03038. Contact [email protected] or 432-6140 for more information.

• Virtual author talk: Richard Mirabella will present his novel Brother & Sister Enter the Forest during a virtual presentation via Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord on Tuesday, April 4, at 7 p.m. Register via gibsonsbookstore.com; registration is free though ticket packages with the book are also available.

• Book talk: Author Timothy Egan will discuss his new book A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them at the Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org) on Tuesday, April 18, at 7 p.m. Egan’s previous books include The Worst Hard Time and The Immortal Irishman. Tickets cost $47 and include a signed hardcover book, a reserved seat, a beverage and admission to the book-signing meet-and-greet, according to a press release.