Category: Visual Arts

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

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

• Teen drama: Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musicalis presented by Hatbox Theatre (715-2315, hatboxnh.com) and Manchester Community Theatre Players from Aug. 2 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). Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for students/seniors/members, $22 for senior members. See hatboxnh.com for content details.

• Care with art: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org) will host The Memory Café on Wednesday, Aug. 7, from 1 to 2 p.m., as it will on the first Wednesday every month up until December, according to their website. The Memory Café is a joyful and creative social experience designed for people in the early stages of memory loss along with their care partners and loved ones and is an opportunity to connect while viewing and discussing art, facilitated by an Art and Wellness Specialist who will provide prompts that encourage a fun and social dialogue, according to their website. This event is free and open to the public, no registration is required.

• New exhibit: PILLAR Gallery + Projects (205 N. State St., Concord) has announced their fifth exhibition, “CONSTRUCTS,” which will run until Sunday, Sept. 15, and explores distinct visual languages in geometric abstraction and sculptural form, according to their press release. Artists in the exhibition include Eric Katzman, Trevor Toney, Jenny McGee Dougherty, Damion Silver and Don Williams. The exhibition focuses on composition and design and includes functional ceramics, sculpture, shape-driven abstract paintings and collage. Each artist has a unique vocabulary and grammar centered around defined shape and form, and this is true from precisely crafted minimalism to exploratory expression, according to the press release. PILLAR Gallery + Projects is open Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. Visit pillargalleryprojects.com or call 657-8111.

—Zachary Lewis

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

• Classical piano: On Thursday, July 25, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. pianist Paul Bisaccia will be performing Beethoven’s “Waldstein” Sonata as well as selections from Haydn, Czerny and Liszt for the Summer Music Associates concert at First Baptist Church (461 Main St., New London). Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for students. Visit summermusicassociates.org.

• Peruse the crafts: Gallery in the Garden (148 Sandogardy Pond Road, Northfield) will be held on Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to their website. It is the place to purchase a perfect piece from an array of fine handcraft, meet talented artists and walk around the pondside gardens of annuals and perennials at your leisure. Visit their Facebook page for more information.

• Bagpipes and adventure: The Oscar Foss Memorial Library will host Shirefest on Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at T.L. Storer Reservation (1513 Province Road, Barnstead) to wrap up their summer reading program with food and drinks, creative activities, and adventures for fellow hobbits, wizards and elves, according to their website. Local vendors will be there with unique goods, and special musical guest Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki will perform. Visit oscarfoss.org for tickets.

WINDHAM BANDS
The Windham Community Bands will perform at Crows’ Feat Farm (178 Drinkwater Road, Kensington, 498-6262, crowsfeatfarm.org) on Sunday, July 28, at 3 p.m. The Windham Community Bands (WCB) were established in May 1997; membership quickly increased from the original eight musicians and now consists of about 80 members comprising three performing groups: the Windham Concert Band, the Windham Swing Band, and the Windham Flute Ensemble, according to their website. Tickets start at $10.

• One screening only: The Park Theatre in Jaffrey will show Seven Samurai, the Akira Kurosawa classic, in 4K on their giant screen on Friday, July 26, at 6:30 p.m. in Japanese with English subtitles, according to their website. Part I lasts 1 hour and 52 minutes; then there will be a brief intermission before Part II, which lasts 1 hour and 35 minutes, according to their website. Visit theparktheatre.org.

• Interesting instruments: The Strawbery Banke Museum (14 Hancock St., Portsmouth) will host the lecture “Tuneful Treasures — Discovering Musical Instruments in American Collections” with Darcy Kuronen on Thursday, July 25, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Lawrence J. Yerdon Visitors Center. Kuronen, the former Curator of Musical Instruments at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, will share anecdotes from his career of working with historical instruments in collections throughout the United States, according to the website. Tickets cost $20. Visit strawberybanke.org.

CELTIC BAND
Celtic band The High Kings will perform at The Flying Monkey (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com) Sunday, July 28, at 7:30 p.m. The High Kings continue to set the bar high for Irish folk bands across the world and are widely regarded to be at the forefront of the genre, according to a press release. Tickets start at $39 through the Flying Monkey website.

—Zachary Lewis

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

• Snaps for Ovation: Legally Blonde The Musical will be presented by Ovation Theatre Co. on Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 20, featuring performers ages 15 to adult, at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway, Derry). The show follows Elle Woods, who appears to have it all but whose life is turned upside down when her boyfriend dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law; Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school, where she quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world. See ovationtc.com.

• How very: Heathers: The Musical by Kevin Murphy & Laurence O’Keefe, based on the 1989 film, produced by Ro Gavin Collaborative Theater and presented by Hatbox Theatre (715-2315, hatboxnh.com) and Manchester Community Theatre Players, runs July 12 through July 21 with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at MCTP Theater at the North End Montessori School in Manchester (689 Beech St.). The musical is based on the 1989 film, the darkly delicious story of Veronica Sawyer, a brainy, beautiful teenage misfit who hustles her way into the most powerful, ruthless, shoulder-padded clique at Westerberg High: the Heathers. Tickets cost $28 for adults, $25 for students/seniors/members, $22 for senior members. See hatboxnh.com for content details.

GET ON YOUR FEET
Londonderry’s Concerts on the Common features East Coast Soul on Wednesday, July 24, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Londonderry Town Common (265 Mammoth Road). The band creates a high-octane live experience that keeps audiences on their feet, dancing and singing along with Motown classics of the 1960s as well as today’s hottest hits, and is one of the most highly sought after ensembles in New England, according to a press release. In case of inclement weather the concert will be held inside the Londonderry High School cafeteria. Visit concertsonthecommon.org.

• Talking art: Twiggs Gallery, in partnership with Concord Makerspace, is launching the Third Thursday Discussion Series: Building Creative Communities beginning on Thursday, July 18, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) and will feature an open-style panel discussion inviting audience interaction and feedback that is free and open to the public. In a statement, Twiggs Gallery director Laura Morrison said, “Our goal is to engage the local creative community in discussions 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.” The first discussion will concern “Concord Sound & Color,” a new two-day art and music festival that will be taking place at venues and outdoor locations throughout Concord in October, according to the release. The featured panelists are Fallon Rae, a co-owner of PILLAR Gallery+ Projects; Jessica Martin, Executive Director of Intown Concord; and Beth Fenstermacher, the Director of Special Projects & Strategic Initiatives for the City of Concord. Visit ConcordMakerspace.org and TwiggsGallery.org.

—Zachary Lewis

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

• Final days: The “Metalsum” exhibit at the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord; nhaudubon.org) closes on Friday, July 12. The show features rustic metal artwork with an emphasis on portraying the natural world by Jane Kolias, a New Hampshire native now residing in Vermont, according to the event website. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• On stage: All Shook Up is presented by Majestic Productions will run on Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, July 14, at 2 p.m. at Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway, Derry, majestictheatre.net, 669-7469). The performance features the songs of Elvis Presley and takes place in 1955 in a square little town in a square little state where a guitar-playing young man changes everything and everyone he meets. It’s also loosely based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, according to the press release. Tickets are $15 and $22.

• Opera:The Pittsfield Players host an Evening at the Opera at the Scenic Theatre (6 Depot St., Pittsfield) on Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13, at 7:30 p.m as well as Sunday, July 14, at 2 p.m. with a fully staged production of the classicI Pagliacciby the Italian composer Leoncavallo, according to a press release. This one-act opera will be sung in Italian and will feature some singers from the NH Opera Idol competition as well as other emerging opera performers from all over the United States. A pre-opera event will offer a brief introduction to I Pagliacci by the director of the production, Jane Cormier. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children and seniors. Visit pittsfieldplayers.org/tickets.

HEATHERS
Heathers: The Musical by Kevin Murphy & Laurence O’Keefe, based on the 1989 film, produced by Ro Gavin Collaborative Theater and presented by Hatbox Theatre and Manchester Community Theatre Players, runs July 12 through July 21 with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at MCTP Theater at the North End Montessori School in Manchester (689 Beech St.). The musical is based on the 1989 film, the darkly delicious story of a brainy, beautiful teenage misfit who hustles her way into the most powerful, ruthless, shoulder-padded clique at Westerberg High: the Heathers. Tickets cost $28 for adults, $25 for students, seniors and members, $22 for senior members. See hatboxnh.com for content details.

• Summer concert: As part of the town of Exeter’s summer concert series at Swasey Parkway (316 Water St., Exeter) on Thursday, July 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. the band Forside Funk will perform, according to the town’s website, which says Forside Funk combines soulful melodies, tight rhythms and electrifying horn sections, and takes listeners on a musical journey back to the golden era of funk. Exeter’s concert series has been a summer tradition for over 30 years and occurs every Thursday this summer through Aug. 15. Visit exeternh.gov/recreation/2024-summer-concerts-swasey-parkway.

• The Circus: The Hideaway Circus will be at Brookford Farm (250 West Road, Canterbury) on Saturday, July 13, from 7:30 to 9 p.m.; Sunday, July 14, from 2 to 4 p.m., and Monday, July 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with their new family-friendly show, called Canvas Sky, according to a press release. This outdoor circus brings together the thrill of classical circus with a contemporary narrative as world-class performers displays their skill and artistry, according to the same release. Tickets range from VIP $65 to Premium $45 to general admission $25, and children 3 or younger are free. Call 742-4084 or visit hideawaycircus.com.

• Music in the gallery:As part of the Seacoast Artist Association’s Second Friday Music at the Gallery (130 Water St.) series, the SAA will present Terrie Harman on keyboards along with the vocals of Anne Corriveau on Friday, July 12, from 5 to 7 p.m., according to a press release. Harman is a contributing member of the American Guild of Organists, founded The Portsmouth Men’s Chorus, has volunteered on numerous art and music boards and serves as Director of Music at the Exeter Congregational Church, and has also served as Director of Music and organist in several NH Seacoast area churches, according to the release. Corriveau received a master’s degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado, continued her studies in Rome at the Accademia Internazionale delle Arti,gave several concerts throughout Italy, including for the Rome Opera Festival, and continues to study in Boston with Angela Gooch at Boston University, according to the same release. Refreshments will be served; admission is free. Visit their Facebook page or call 778-8856.

OUTDOOR MUSIC
Londonderry’s Concerts on the Common features the Brian Maes Band on Wednesday, July 17, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Londonderry Town Common (265 Mammoth Road). Returning for their ninth year at Concerts on the Common, this band is packed with all-star musicians performing classic rock favorites by The Who, Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Tears for Fears, Elton John and more. In case of inclement weather the concert will be held inside the Londonderry High School cafeteria. Visit concertsonthecommon.org.

—Zachary Lewis