Category: Visual Arts

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

•New sculpture for the park: The International Sculpture Symposium at the Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13, Brookline, andresinstitute.org, 673-7441) kicks off Saturday, Sept. 14, with an opening ceremony at 1 p.m. Sculptors Morton Burke of Alberta, Canada; Jim Larson of Portland, Maine, and Adrian Wall of Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico, are this year’s artists. There will be a reception with an opportunity to meet the artists on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 5 p.m. The closing ceremony will be Sunday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m. See andresinstitute.org for a look at the artists’ past works as well as a trail map.

•Last regular market: Concord Arts Market, an outdoor artisan and fine art market, has its final Saturday market of the season on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). The Market will also be at Intown Concord’s First Friday on Nov. 1 in Bicentennial Square from 4 to 8 p.m. Visit concordartsmarket.net.

•Artisan market: Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury, shakers.org, 783-9511) will hold its annual Artisan Market on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free to this event featuring handcrafted arts, music and family activities.

•Happy birthday: “Full Circle: The Speed of Light” at Mosaic Art Collective (66 Hanover St., Manchester, mosaicartcollective.com) will run through Tuesday, Oct. 1, with an opening reception and birthday celebration to celebrate the collective’s second anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 4 to 8 p.m.

•Weekend in Wonderland: The Powerhouse Theatre Collaboration (powerhousenh.org) will be putting on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland on Sunday, Sept. 15; Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22, with performances beginning every 20 minutes from 1 to 4 p.m. Join Alice on an interactive theater adventure as she journeys through Wonderland, aka the beautiful grounds of Prescott Farm. Tickets cost $10.

•Meet Da Vinci: Inside The Mind Of A Genius: Leonardo Da Vinci Film Premiere and Conversation with Ken Burns will take place on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, tickets.anselm.edu, 641-7700). Tickets cost $100, or $250 for a pre-show reception with Ken Burns.

•New exhibit: “Constructs” is described as a “group exhibition exploring distinct visual languages through geometric abstraction and sculptural works” and featuring the work of Damion Silver, Eric Katzman, Don Williams, Jenny McGee Doughery and Trevor Toney. It’s on display at the Pillar Gallery (205 N. State St., Concord, pillargalleryprojects. com) through Sept. 15. The gallery is open Sunday, Tuesday and Friday, 3 to 7 p.m.

—Zachary Lewis

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

• Art of autumn: Celebrate the “Harvest of Arts” exhibit with a reception at the Massabesic Center on Saturday, Sept. 7, from noon to 3 p.m. Guests can meet the artists, enjoy the art and explore the center, according to the event website. Presented by the Manchester Artists Association and the Massabesic Audubon Center, this is an exhibit to celebrate art and nature’s beauty with 15 artists who have gathered original paintings and photographs that capture iconic images and colors of autumn in New England, according to the website. The exhibit runs until Friday, Nov. 1, and all artwork at “Harvest of Arts” is available for sale. Visit nhaudubon.org or call 668-2045.

• Call for art: PILLAR Gallery + Projects is excited to announce two open calls for artist submissions. The first, for “Sound & Color,” is an open call for sculpture with a Sunday, Sept. 15, deadline and the exhibition dates will be from Friday, Oct. 18, until Saturday, Jan. 25. In collaboration with the City of Concord and numerous art organizations in Concord, the Sound and Color Festival is seeking sculptural works, both mid-sized work and larger-scale public art. All media is accepted, but works submitted as public art must be able to withstand weather conditions and interested artists should see further details in submission requirements, according to the release. After the festival the works will be leased for an exhibition period of three months in public indoor and outdoor spaces, and the outdoor exhibition and installation will be juried by panelists including curators from Outer Space Gallery, PILLAR Gallery + Projects, and members of the community, according to the press release. The next open call is for “NANO” with a submission deadline of Tuesday, Oct. 15, and the show running from Sunday, Nov. 10, until Wednesday, Dec. 18. “NANO” is a juried exhibition focused on smaller works. The press release describes the exhibit thusly: “In a fast-paced culture perpetually interested in bigger, NANO showcases the impact of works that are intimately-scaled.” The exhibition will be installed salon-style to highlight the range of processes and thematic exploration and they are accepting 2D and 3D works in all media. 2D works must be no larger than 6 x 6 inches (8 x 8 in. framed) and 3D works no larger than 4 x 4 x 4 inches. Visit pillargalleryprojects.com

• Show opening: An opening reception for “Bill Childs at 90: A Retrospective,” a show of more than 40 paintings by Exeter artist Bill Childs, will be held on Friday, Sept. 6, from 5 to 7 p.m at the Town Hall in Exeter to celebrate his 90th birthday and many years of creating and teaching art, according to a press release. Most of the paintings will be for sale and there will be music provided by jazz musicians Cinnamon Blomquist on flute and guitarist Gary Smith. The event is presented by the Seacoast Artist Association with a portion of art sales going to their scholarship fund. The show will run for two weekends: Saturday, Sept. 7; Sunday, Sept. 8; Saturday, Sept. 14, and Sunday, Sept. 15, from noon to 5 p.m. each day. The exhibit will also run on Friday, Sept. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. The Seacoast Artist Association’s gallery on Water Street will be hosting its regular Second Friday reception on Sept. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. with refreshments and music by Carol Coronis on cittern and vocals. More of Childs’ work can be seen at the Seacoast Artist Association and at A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words, both on Water Street in downtown Exeter; the SAA is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m as well as on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., according to the press release. Visit seacoastartist.org.

—Zachary Lewis

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

• Cue Zero announces 2025 lineup: Cue Zero Theatre Company says it is dedicated to presenting new, challenging, growth-oriented productions that enrich the cultural fabric of our community and they strive to provide opportunities for artists to develop their craft in an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration and excellence, according to their press release, and the company has a lineup of shows for the upcoming 2025 season. All main stage performances will take place at the Arts Academy of New Hampshire (19 Keewaydin Drive, Salem) and tickets are $20 per person plus fees. The first production is Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Partydirected by Jen Stearns with music direction by Amanda Morgan and choreography by Jen Stearns and Frankie Sheffield as well as fight direction by Matt Brides, according to the release. The show will run from Feb. 28 to March 2, 2025. Lovers Queenie and Burrs throw the party to end all parties in their Manhattan apartment but jealousy and desire lead to a violent climax in this electrifying musical based on Joseph Moncure March’s poem, according to the release. The other productions includeTime of Death by Jonah Knight, which will be an East Coast premier of the play May 2 through May 4, 2025, according to the release; Amélie, from June 20 to June 22, 2025, and People Like To Be Scared: An Exploration of Fearfrom Oct. 3 to Oct. 5, 2025. Visit cztheatre.com.

• Truepenny offers acting workshops: Local theater company Truepenny Arts is launching a series of workshops for actors seeking further training in high-level acting, voice/speech/text and physical skills for performance and presentation, according to a press release. The workshops will be held on the first Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon at the Diamond Rolfing & Movement Studio (210 N. State St., Concord), starting with “Presence, Power and Posture through Bone Awareness” onSaturday, Sept. 7. Truepenny Arts’ Educational/Artistic Director Michael Cobb said in a statement, “Come explore and revitalize your relationship with your skeletal structure, the earth below it, the sky above, and your physical experience in the space between.” The press release advises attendees to dress comfortably to allow ease of movement. The cost for the workshop is suggested at $20. Visit truepennyarts.com.

CANADIAN FOLK
Canadian folk duo Rachel Davis & Darren McMullen (of Còig) will perform at The Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter, 244-0202, thewordbarn.com) on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. Còig’s dynamic duo brings their latest music to The Word Barn as part of a dozen-year journey that has included tours across North America, Europe and Australia. Còig has received multiple East Coast Music Awards, Canadian Folk Music Awards and a Juno Award nomination. Tickets start at $15.

• Looking for art: The Londonderry Arts Council is accepting submissions for its new digital community publication “Wild Apples: Londonderry’s Literary and Art Journal” with a tentative first release in the spring of 2025, according to a press release. This initiative aims to celebrate and amplify artistic voices throughout New Hampshire, fostering a vibrant regional arts community, according to the same release. The Council invites creative-minded individuals of all ages to share their art, whether it’s poetry, fiction, nonfiction, photography, visual art or interdisciplinary work. Contributions are welcome until Sept. 30, according to the release. No prior publication experience is needed and the Council encourages both seasoned and emerging writers and artists to take part, but all work must adhere to Londonderry’s Community Standards for Public Art. Before submitting work the submitter should ensure they have all the necessary rights to publish the pieces. Email submissions to [email protected] or visit londonderryartscouncil.org/wild-apples.

• Looking for young actors: Palace Youth Theatre has announced auditions for its upcoming production of Legally Blonde Jr. on Friday, Sept. 13. at 6, 7 and 8 p.m., for school-aged performers in grades 2 through 12. Those auditioning should arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to fill out paperwork. Rehearsals for the show will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and performances will be at the Palace Theatre on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and Wednesday, Oct. 30, according to the press release. Participants should expect to stay for the entire one-hour audition slot and they will learn a dance and be asked to sing after, so they should come prepared to sing a short section of any song (a selection from musical theater or Disney is preferred). Those auditioning will be singing without music. To schedule a time to audition, email [email protected] with the performer’s name, age and preferred audition time. If cast, there is a production fee of $150; the release mentions to contact [email protected] with questions about financial aid. The auditions will be held at Forever Emma Studios ( 516 Pine St., Manchester). Visit palacetheatre.org.

—Zachary Lewis

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

• Raise your voice: The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus will be holding audition Winter 2024 concert series on Tuesday, Sept. 3, as well as Tuesday, Sept. 10. Auditions are to be held from 6:30 to 7 p.m at the First Congregational Church (508 Union St., Manchester) and new singers are asked to stay for rehearsal from 7 to 9:30 p.m., according to their website. “Membership is open to all men, 18 years of age or older, who are gay or straight (gay-friendly) or who are male-identifying and who enjoy the satisfaction of singing harmony in a men’s vocal group,” according to the same website. Auditioners do not need to have any material nor music prepared; the audition will be more of an exercise in pitch matching to place your voice in the proper section, and the ability to read music is helpful but it is not a requirement for joining, according to the website. Rehearsals repeat every Tuesday through the concert series and the NHGMC asks every member for $75 seasonal membership dues; members are also asked to purchase a tuxedo to wear at most concert performances. Their Winter 2024 Concert Dates are scheduled for Dec. 7 in Nashua, Dec. 8 in Concord, Dec. 14 in Newington and Dec. 15 in Manchester.

• Art & music: Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) has organized an evening of free chamber music with the Terra String Quartet on Wednesday, Aug. 28, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., according to a press release. The Terra String Quartet was the prizewinner at the 2023 Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition and the 2023 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition, and is a vibrant, young international ensemble based in New York City, according to the release. The quartet is attending an arts residency at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute in Boscawen, which offers a unique opportunity for chamber music and jazz ensembles, at any stage of development, to have the time and space to work intensively on repertoire, prepare for recordings, concerts or competitions, work with composers on commissions, and forge or reconnect to a group musical identity, according to the same release. Visit twiggsgallery.org.

JAZZ 10
The Uptown Jazz Tentet, which includes 10 of New York City’s finest jazz musicians, will be performing on Thursday, Aug. 22, as part of the Summer Music Associates at the Sawyer Theater at Colby-Sawyer College from 7 to 9:30 p.m., according to the event site. This is the 51st season for Summer Music Associates. Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for students with varying ticket packages available while the series goes on, according to the event website. Visit uptownjazztentet.com and summermusicassociates.org, or call 526-8234.

• Jazz on the coast: The 41st Annual Seacoast Jazz Festival will take place on Saturday, Aug. 24, from noon to 6:15 p.m. The Arts Festival is excited to bring back the Seacoast Jazz Festival, in partnership with Seacoast Jazz Society, for its 41st year and will be featuring the renowned saxophonist Alexa Tarantino, according to the event site. Tarantino is known for her soulful saxophone performances and innovative compositions, and she is set to deliver a mesmerizing experience, according to the same release. The Seacoast Jazz Festival has long been a staple of the Prescott Park Arts Festival and celebrates the rich tradition of jazz with top-tier musicians from around the globe, according to the same release. The performance will go as follows:

At noon Soggy Po’ Boys with Celia Woodsmith; then at 1:15 p.m. Boston Blow Up featuring Donna McElroy will perform; and at 2:30 p.m. it will be the Seacoast Jazz Band; then at 3:45 p.m. the Consuelo Candelaria, Ron Savage, Ron Mahti trio will perform with special guest Drika Overton; and at 5 p.m. the Alexa Tarantino Quartet will perform, according to the same site. The rain date will be Sunday, Aug. 25, and the organizers ask attendees to note that the line-up is subject to change in the event of moving to the rain date. Visit prescottpark.org.

—Zachary Lewis

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

• Creative communities: Twiggs Gallery, in partnership with Concord Makerspace, will be hosting a discussion with members of the New Hampshire Potters’ Guild (NHPG) for their “Third Thursday Discussion Series: Building Creative Communities” on Thursday, Aug. 15, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). In a statement, Twiggs Gallery director Laura Morrison said Twiggs is “looking forward to talking with NHPG about how they are successfully building a rich and vibrant community of artists and craftsmen. The series is an open-style panel discussion engaging the local creative community in conversations about how we can all work together to help each other grow, not only as creative beings but as a thriving creative community that benefits everybody.” Local artists, crafters, musicians, performers, makers, creatives, writers, collectors, and anyone interested in living and working in a thriving arts community are encouraged to join the discussion, according to the release. Visit twiggsgallery.org, concordmakerspace.org, and nhpottersguild.org.

• Music and glass: On Friday, Aug. 16, Laura Belanger, along with Dennis Akerman, will present “The Colors of Sanbornton Congregational Church – A Mosaic of Organ Music and Stained Glass”at Sanbornton Congregational Church (21 Meeting House Hill Road, Sanbornton) at 5 p.m. Ears will be treated to some unexpected sounds produced through an artfully chosen blend of organ stops, chimes and bells, coming together to present a sound representing each unique and colorful window. In one part of the program, as a special treat, audience members will witness the playing of the pump organ that was brought to the church in 1890, according to the release. Admission is free. A stair-less entry is accessible through the parking lot at the rear of the church and assistive hearing devices are also available. Call 286-3018 or visit uccsanbornton.org.

NEW EXHIBIT
Glimpse Gallery (Patriot Building, 4 Park St., Concord), owned by Miriam Exum and curated by Christina Landry-Boullion, will hold multiple receptions for its newest exhibit, which features the work of Kristin Selesnick, Corey Garland, Leslie Ossoff, Ashley Audet, Sandy Sereno, Marisol-von-Hardenberg and Christina Landry-Boullion, on Saturday, Aug. 17, and Saturday, Aug. 24, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. They ask that you RSVP if possible. Visit theglimpsegallery.com or call 892-8307.

• Romance Day: On Saturday, Aug. 17, at 2p.m. Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) celebrates the sixth annual Bookstore Romance Day by having a mocktail party with New England romance novel authors where attendees can meet some authors, mingle and chat, talk tropes, debate who is the best book boyfriend/girlfriend, and enjoy some delicious drinks from Gibson’s Cafe, according to the press release. Authors in attendance will be Jilly Gagnon, author of Love You, Mean It; Sarina Bowen, author of the True North series and the Brooklyn Hockey series and co-author of the W.A.G.S series with Elle Kennedy; and Margaret Porter, author of A Change of Location and more than a dozen historical romance novels, according to the same release. Bookstore Romance Day is a day designed to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction (its books, readers, and writers) and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community, according to the same release. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com

• Summer improv: Join Stranger Than Fiction at the Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) for one last summer night of unscripted comedy where anything can happen on the cozy, intimate stage on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 8 p.m. Participants will be asked for summer-themed suggestions and will watch them transformed into hilarious scenes, characters and stories. Participants are encouraged to have a picnic in the back lawn before the show and they do have air conditioning. Tickets are $15. Visit playersring.org/shows/stfsplash.

CULTURE FEST
Positive Street Art, Manchester Central Little League and MYTURN welcome everyone to The Manchester Multicultural Festival and Mural Unveiling on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sheehan-Basquil Park in Manchester’s Center City, celebrating a new colorful Central Little League mural, according to their website. There will be live performances from New Hampshire’s own premiere rock band Cozy Throne as well as music and hoop performers from Akwesasne, as well as other activities like an art vendor market and mobile gallery sale, giveaways and photography by the talented Esmeldy, according to the website. See positivestreetart.org.

—Zachary Lewis

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

• Return of the nuns: Nunsense Jamboreepresented by The Majestic Studio Theatre will run on Friday, Aug. 9, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 11, at 2 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net, 669-7469). In the first Nunsense, a wacky nun known as Sister Mary Amnesia regained her memory and recalled that she always wanted to be a country singer, and in Nunsense II her dream became one step closer to reality. In Nunsense Jamboree, Sister Amnesia’s dream is realized as she headlines a brand-new show promoting her debut album, according to their website. Tickets are $15 and $20.

• Fair finale: The 91st Annual Craftsmen’s Fair. hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, runs daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and wraps up at Mount Sunapee Resort (1398 Route 103, Newbury) on Sunday, Aug. 11. Tickets are $18 online, $20 at the gate. See a Q&A with League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Executive Director Miriam Carter in our Aug. 1 issue. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org.

CRUEL SUMMER
Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical is presented by Hatbox Theatre (715-2315, hatboxnh.com) and Manchester Community Theatre Players through Aug. 11 with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the North End Montessori School’s MCTP Theatre (698 Beech St., Manchester). The musical places audiences into the world of Manhattan’s elite and follows the story of two wealthy stepsiblings who conspire in a game of seduction and betrayal against the backdrop of high society, fueled by the music that defined a generation, blending nostalgia and drama in a musical journey through love, lust and power, according to the website. Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for students/seniors/members, $22 for senior members. See hatboxnh.com for content details.

• New exhibit: Concord artists and close friends Laura Morrison and Gail Smuda have worked together for more than 16 years, creating mixed media works with a feminist perspective and a focus on artist-made books and fiber works. Their body of work will be showcased in the upcoming exhibit “The Loosely Knit Alliance: The Collaborative Works of Laura Morrison and Gail Smuda,” which opens at the Library Arts Center (58 N. Main St., Newport) on Friday, Aug. 9, with an artists’ reception from 5 to7 p.m. and will run through Oct. 4, according to the release. Visit lauramorrisonart.com and gailsmuda.com. The Library Arts Center hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. It is closed Sundays and Mondays. Visit libraryartscenter.org.

• Sneak peek: On Thursday, Aug. 15 at 5 p.m., New Hampshire Dance Collaborative (NHDC) will host Excerpts and Investigations: Milonga!at Kimball Jenkins School of Art in Concord, an event that is free to the public and will preview excerpts from Lila Productions’ upcoming show, Milonga!, at The Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth on Sunday, Aug. 18. Milonga! will feature Alejandro Figliolo, a renowned tango dancer, teacher and choreographer from Buenos Aires, according to the press release. The event will feature wine and a short moderated discussion followed by a brief performance by Figliolo and Nathan and Elyssa Moyer, co-founders of Lila Productions, according to the release. To register, visit nhdancecollaborative.org.

DANCE DANCE DANCE
The Live Free and Dance Festival is hosted by Aaron Tolson Institute of Dance at Saint Anselm in the Dana Center (100 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester) on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participants can take intermediate or advanced classes in many dance styles including contemporary, ballet, hip-hop and tap, according to their website. The Institute is excited to have Impavido, Whitney Wilson, Danielle Gautier, Lauren Lassila and Aaron Tolson on faculty this year. Check the website for class schedules and multi-class discounts. Single classes are $35 each, with various ticket packages available, according to the website. Visit tickets.anselm.edu/eventperformances.asp?evt=192.

—Zachary Lewis