Category: Visual Arts

The Palace Theatre hosts the second Manchester Citywide Arts Festival

Art in all its forms will be celebrated during the second Manchester Citywide Arts Festival Presented by Cambridge Trust Charitable Foundation from Monday, Sept. 11, to Sunday, Sept. 17. During the week, multiple businesses around the city will participate by offering free events, classes and workshops in music, literature, sculpting and dancing among other artistic endeavors. The festival will close with a street fair on Saturday and Sunday featuring around 50 vendors, food trucks, aerialists and other art activities.

“The goal is just to celebrate the arts in Manchester and really in New Hampshire, to bring families here and children and to support all the local businesses,” said Katie Lovell, who is planning the event.
Festivities begin on Monday at Studio 555 Art Center. At 3 p.m. they will have a free pottery demonstration where anyone can come in and observe a teacher making pots, whom they will be able to engage with and ask questions. At 4:15 p.m. families will have an opportunity to participate in a family clay sculpting workshop.

“The workshop is something that happens year-round but we’re adding other days that are not the typical time for that workshop just to make it more available to more people,” said Monica Leap, who works at the studio.
The night wraps up with a meet and greet with illustrators at the Bookery from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

For those interested in dance, Dimensions in Dance will offer free dance classes on Tuesday and Wednesday, as will Forever Emma Studios on Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, the Majestic Theatre will provide an improv workshop at 6 p.m., followed by a bucket drumming workshop at Ted Herbert Music School.

Also participating is Mosaic Art Collective, which opened last year during the first arts festival. They will be hosting an opening night party on Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. with live entertainment and refreshments to celebrate their anniversary.

“Mosaic Art Collective is a cooperative art studio and gallery space,” said the manager, Elizabeth Pieroni. “Usually [our] shows are based around different themes month to month.”

Such themes have included art inspired by video games and trash to treasure featuring art made from recycled materials. The first show they opened with was called Full Circle, which they will return to this month with Full Circle: The First Revolution.

“Artists were asked to reflect on their journey throughout the year … or just something that went really well this past year, so people decided what worked well for them and then celebrated those types of things,” Pieroni said.
This exhibition will be on display during the festival and through Sept. 27. The street fair kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 10 a.m.

“We have live music, story time with the Bookery, Queen City Improv is coming [and] we have some different dance groups performing,” Lovell said. “On Sunday we have live art happening with a model on stage [and] a live painting, so it’ll be really fun.”

Vendors will be selling everything from jewelry and clothing to ceramics and pastel illustrations.

During the fair, the community is invited to contribute to sculptor and furniture maker Mark Ragonese’s community art project, the Wishing House, which he worked on during the Currier Museum of Art’s block party in July.

“People write their wishes on flags and they are woven into the wishing house,” said Suzanne Canali, the director of education at the Currier. “The story behind [it] is that over time the wishes will fade and essentially the story is that wind horses come and take their wishes and bring them to life so that they can come true. We are hoping to have enough wishes so that all of the house is covered.”

Once completed, the 8 foot by 8 foot structure will move to Stark Park along the walking path for people to sit in and contemplate.

“We really just want to bring in a nice crowd to downtown Manchester and show off all these great local businesses and artists,” Lovell said. “Everyone’s really excited about this and I think it’s going to be such a great event to celebrate art and bring everyone together.”

Manchester Citywide Arts Festival

Monday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 17
palacetheatre.org/manchester-citywide-arts-festival Pottery demonstration

Pottery demonstration
When: Monday, Sept. 11, 3 to 4 p.m.
Where: Studio 550 Art Center, 550 Elm St.
Cost: Free

Family clay sculpting workshop
When: Monday, Sept. 11, 4:15 to 5:15 p.m.
Where: Studio 550 Art Center, 550 Elm St.
Cost: $20 Meet and greet with illustrators

Meet and greet with illustrators
When: Monday, Sept. 11, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Bookery, 844 Elm St.
Cost: Free

Dance class and storytime (Ages 2 to 5)
When: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 10 to 10:45 a.m.
Where: Dimensions in Dance, 84 Myrtle St.
Cost: Free

Trial tap/jazz combo class (Grades 1 to 2)
When: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 4 to 5 p.m.
Where: Forever Emma Studios, 516 Pine St.
Cost: Free

MCMS open house
When: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: Manchester Community Music School, 2291 Elm St.
Cost: Free

Chess boxing
When: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m.
Where: Bare Knuckle Murphy’s Boxing Kickboxing/MMA and Go Ninja Aerial Fitness & Circus Arts, 163 Lake St.
Cost: Free

Ballet class for adults
When: Wednesday, Sept. 13, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Dimensions in Dance, 84 Myrtle St.
Cost: Free

Improv workshop (all ages)
When: Wednesday, Sept. 13, 6 to 7 p.m.
Where: Majestic Theatre, 880 Page St.
Cost: Free, registration is required.

Bucket drumming workshop
When: Wednesday, Sept. 12, 7:15 to 8:15 p.m.
Where: Ted Herbert Music School, 880 Page St.
Cost: Free, registration is required

Trial tap/jazz combo class (grades 3 to 5)
When: Thursday, Sept. 14, 4 to 5 p.m.
Where: Forever Emma Studios, 516 Pine St.
Cost: Free

Art after work
When: Thursday, Sept. 14, 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St.
Cost: Free

MAC cocktail party
When: Friday, Sept. 15, 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: Spotlight Room at the Palace Theatre, 90 Hanover St.
Cost: Free

Pop up gallery
When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Spotlight Room at the Palace Theatre, 90 Hanover St.
Cost: Free

Opening night party/anniversary celebration and reception
When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 4 to 8 p.m.
Where: Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St., suite 201
Cost: Free

Street fair
When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Opera Block of Hanover St.
Cost: Free

Saturday, Sept. 16, performance schedule
10 a.m.: featured music streaming from The River
11:30 a.m.: Storytime with the Bookery
Noon: Bookery kids activity
12:30: Nsquared Dance
1 p.m.: Paul Nelson
2 p.m.: Harrison Goodell
2:30 p.m.: Palace Youth Theatre performance
3 p.m.: Dare to Dance
4 p.m.: Queen City Improv Sunday, Sept. 17, performance schedule
10: featured music streaming from The River
10:30 to noon: Coffees & Covers with Last Kid Picked
1 p.m.: Justin Cohn
2 p.m.: David Corson
3 p.m.: live painting Phoebe Agnes Art

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

• Singing for the holidays: The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus will hold open auditions for its holiday concert series called “Holly, Jolly, Folly” starting Sept. 5. The auditions, which are open to new singers, will be held at the First Congregational Church (508 Union St. in Manchester) on Tuesday, Sept. 5; Tuesday, Set. 12, and Tuesday, Sept. 19, all from 6:30 to 7 p.m. A full chorus rehearsal will follow the first two audition times at 7 p.m. and a tenor rehearsal is at 7 p.m., according to a press release. The chorus is open to men over the age of 18 (gay, straight or male-identifying) who enjoy singing in four-part harmony, the release said. “Auditions are quick, private and easy. You don’t need to have any material or music prepared,” the release said. See nhgmc.com.

• September at Andres: The Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13 in Brookline, andresinstitute.org) will hold a “Mindful Outdoor Experience” featuring a trail walk and more with Heather Sweeney, certified Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide, on Saturday, Sept. 9, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., according to the website. The cost to register is $25.

On Saturday, Sept. 16, Andres will kick off its annual International Sculpture Symposium, when artists create new sculptures to add to Andres’ trails, with an opening ceremony at 1 p.m.; the public is invited to this free event. On Friday, Sept. 22, there will be a ticketed, catered barbecue with the symposium artists — Ivona Biocic Mandic from Croatia, Finn Cossar from Australia and Renubala Kashyap Rajput from India, the website said. The public can learn more about the artists at a Symposium Artist Showcase on Saturday, Sept. 23. A lobster boil dinner with the artists (also a ticketed event) will take place on Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m. A panel discussion with Symposium Alumni Artists is slated for Saturday, Oct. 7. The closing ceremony for the symposium is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m. View the artists’ pieces as they work on them at the Studio, Monday through Friday between Sept. 24 and Oct. 4, the website said.

The Institute’s 12 miles of trails, which feature more than 100 sculptures, are open daily from dawn to dusk, the website said.

Kicking off season 9
Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) will kick off its 9th season with Phylloxera Production’s Stage Struck, a “wild comedic thriller” according to a press release. Robert, a former stage manager in London’s West End, is now a house-husband for famous actress wife Anne, whose therapist threatens to upset the balance of Robert’s life of dalliances in this play from playwright Simon Gray and directed by Gary Locke, the release said. The play contains adult language and violence and is not recommended for children, according to the press release. The production runs through Sunday, Sept. 24, with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $22 for seniors and students.

• Poems and prose: Rebecca Kaiser Gibson, who runs The Loom poetry reading series in Harrisville (theloompoetry.com) and is the author of books including the novel The Promise of a Normal Life and the poetry collection Girl as Birch, has several events in September. She will discuss her experience teaching poetry in Hyderabad, India, in the presentation “The Gods Next Door, a Glimpse into India” on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 6:30 p.m. at the Derry Public Library (64 E Broadway in Derry; derrypl.org, 432-6140); go online to register. On Sunday, Sept. 17, at 1:30 p.m. she will be at Del Rossi’s Trattoria (73 Brush Brook Road in Dublin) with Oliver De La Paz. See rebeccakaisergibson.com for more on the author.

• September at Balin: Balin Books (375 Amherst St. in Nashua, 417-7981, balinbooks.com) has author events on the schedule for September. New Hampshire author Paul August will discuss his novel The Canaries on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 1 p.m. On Tuesday, Sept. 12, Melanie Brooks will read from her memoir A Hard Silence and discuss it with author Suzanne Strempek Shea, according to a social media post from the bookstore. See melaniebrooks.com for more on the author and her book. (Brooks will also be at the Bookery in Manchester on Sept. 14, Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough on Sept. 16 and Gibson’s in Concord on Sept. 20.) On Saturday, Sept. 23, at 2 p.m. catch the return of naturalist author Sy Montgomery and wildlife artist Matt Patterson, this time with their book Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell, which is slated for release Sept. 19. The duo were at Balin earlier this year for The Book of Turtles. See symontgomery.com for more on all of Montgomery’s works.

Off to see the wizard
Tickets are on sale now for The Wizard of Ozat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588). The show, which boasts the familiar songs performed by the cast and a live orchestra and “masterful special effects,” opens the 2023-2024 St. Mary’s Bank Performing Arts Series, according to a video posted on the Palace’s social media. This professional production runs Friday, Sept. 8, through Sunday, Sept. 24, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays as well as Thursday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $49 for adults, $28 for 12 and under and $33 for seniors, according to the website.

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

• Learn from the best: Master Potter David MacDonald will visit Studio 550 Community Art Center (550 Elm St. Manchester; 232-5597, 550arts.com) on Saturday, Sept. 16, and Sunday, Sept. 17, to demonstrate his works, according to a press release. All skill level of pottery artists are welcome, the release said. The cost is $135 for the two-day workshop (11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday). Saturday will feature demonstrations and conversation and Sunday will feature demos, the release said. Register online. See davidmacdonaldpottery.com for more on the artist.

Monster Hunt
Studio 550 Community Art Center (550 Elm St. in Manchester; 550arts.com, 232-5597) will hold its 11th annual Monster Hunt in downtown Manchester on Saturday, Aug. 26, starting at 11 a.m. Studio 550 makes and hides 100 monster medallions in the downtown with each monster finder asked to keep only one to spread the monster-finding fun to as many people as possible, the release said. Bring the medallion to Studio 550 to trade in for a red clay monster. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Studio 550 will also host several low-cost hands-on activities, the release said. There will also be a kids-only hunt at DoubleTree Hotel at 10:30 a.m. for kids 5 and under with 25 monsters available and monster stickers for all kids who search, the release said. See 550arts.com/about/monsterhunt. As part of the festivities the Manchester City Library Bookmobile will be at City Hall Plaza and Dancing Lion Chocolate and Queen City Cupcakes, both on Elm Street, will have Monster Hunt-inspired treats on offer, according to the website.

• Art show: See the pastels of Peggy Van Valkenburgh in the exhibit “Go, See, Paint the World” at the Peterborough Town Library Community Art Gallery (2 Concord St. in Peterborough; peterboroughtownlibrary.org, 924-8040) through Friday, Sept. 29. She will also offer an artist talk on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 6:30 p.m. The library is open Mondays through Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Season of performances: Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, 5 Pinkerton St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.com) has tickets on sale now for its 2023-2024 season, as well as season tickets and multi-show tickets. The first few performances on the schedule include Jukebox Saturday Night, with music celebrating the swing era, on Saturday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m.; Yesterday and Today: Interactive Beatles Experience on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m.; The Hitmen of Country on Friday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m., and Versa Style Dance, a fusion of hip-hop, Afro-Latin, krump, salsa, merengue and cumiba performed to remixes of hip-hop, classical and electronic music, according to the website, on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. See the website for the complete schedule.

Poetry & Pie
Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. in Boscawen; 975-0015, twiggsgallery.org) will host its annual poetry reading and open mic, Poetry & Pie, on Sunday, Aug. 27, from 1 to 3 p.m. This year’s theme is “NEST,” which is also the gallery’s current exhibit. The Percheron Poets will participate and an open mic portion offers poets an opportunity to read a poem on the theme, according to a press release. After the poetry, stay for pie.

• Author talk: The New Hampshire Humanities 2023 Annual Celebration of the Humanities on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 5 p.m. will feature author Jodi Picoult in conversation with Alexandria Peary, the New Hampshire Poet Laureate, at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester). The public reception begins at 5 p.m. with appetizers and a cash bar and the program starts at 6:15 p.m. Tickets cost $35 through $50. See nhhumanities.org/celebrate or call 224-4071.

Masked
Creative Ambitions Performance Studio will present Masked, an original dramady by New Hampshire resident Glynn Cosker, Friday, Aug. 25, through Sunday, Aug. 27, at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315). The show takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $22 for adults and $19 for students and seniors. See capsnh.com for more on the play and the performing arts company.

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

• After work and outdoors: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) is taking its live music during its Thursday Art After Work (5 to 8 p.m.) outside for the next few weeks, weather permitting. Bring chairs or a blanket to enjoy the performance, which this week is slated to feature Luna Trio, according to the website. Art After Work programming is free.

If you’re interested in spending more time at the museum, the Currier is currently holding a sale on its household-level membership (which gives members unlimited free admission for two adult cardholders and all family members under 18, two additional free general admissions for accompanying guests with each visit and other perks). Usually listed as $80, household level currently costs $60 through Thursday, Aug. 31, according to the Currier newsletter.

• Final weekend of Educating Rita: A production of the new professional theater company Creative Ambitions Performance Studio of NH, Educating Rita, a comedy-drama set in early 1980s Liverpool, will run through Sunday, Aug. 20, at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com) with show times on Friday, Aug. 18, and Saturday, Aug. 19, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 20, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for seniors and students.

‘Salon de Cinq, So Long’
“Salon de Cinq, So Long,” a show paying tribute to a 20-year gathering of a group of artists, is at Two Villages Art Society (846 Main St. in Hopkinton; twovillagesart.org) through Saturday, Sept. 2. “Salon de Cinq was started by Pat Palson, a nationally famous weaver and fashion designer. Joining in the exhibit are her husband, realist painter Eric Palson; polymer clay artist Kathleen Dustin; textile artist Annie Frye; wood turner Steven Frye; and potter Nancy Brown. The original members all lived in Hopkinton and met in Palson’s studio,” according to a press release. The gallery is open Thursdays through Sundays, noon to 4 p.m.

• Show opening: Concord-based painter Pamela R. Tarbell will have her works exhibited in the show “Reflections,” which also features the works of sculptors Andy Moerlein and John Weidman and opens at the Jaffrey Civic Center (40 Main St. in Jaffrey; jaffreyciviccenter.com) Friday, Aug. 18, and runs through Saturday, Sept. 23, with an opening reception on Thursday, Aug 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. See pamtarbell.com for more on the artist.

• A weekend about poetry: The Frost Farm Poetry Conference will take place Friday, Aug. 18, through Sunday, Aug. 20, at the Robert Frost Farm (122 Rockingham Road in Derry; 432-3091, frostfarmpoetry.org. The weekend features keynote speaker Alfred Nicol, a choice of workshops on poetry, a one-on-one meeting with an instructor, poetry readings, breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday plus dinner on Saturday and networking with other poetry lovers, according to the website. The cost for the weekend is $435; register online in advance.

• Screen printing: Learn about screen printing from Dover artist William Mitchell at the League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery (279 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Meredith; nhcrafts.org, 279-7920) on Sunday, Aug. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuition costs $110 with a materials fee of $10. Call or go online to register.

Old Home Week at Twiggs Gallery
Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. in Boscawen, TwiggsGallery.org, 975-0015) will celebrate Boscawen’s Old Home Week with free events. On Saturday, Aug. 19, check out the community art project “Flashy Flock” celebrating Boscawen’s agricultural roots with residents decorating and presenting on Saturday 55 blank chicken shapes; find a link to the map of the chickens on Twiggs’ website, according to a press release. Also on Aug. 19, from 1 to 3 p.m., the gallery will host a free make and take activity with wooden eggs, the release said. On Sunday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Granite State Draft Horse & Pony Association will do plowing demos and competitions outside next to Twiggs, the release said, with wagon rides offered. The day will also feature hot dogs sold as a fundraiser and another make-and-take at the gallery from 1 to 3 p.m., the release said.

On Wednesday, Aug. 23, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. catch a performance of “The New Consort” by a vocal chamber ensemble from the Avaloch Music Farm Institute.

On Sunday, Aug. 27, from 1 to 3 p.m. catch the poetry reading Poetry & Pie featuring the Percheon Poets on the theme of “NEST,” the gallery’s current exhibit. After the reading, there will be pie, the release said.

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

• Celebration of fine craft: The League of NH Craftsmen Fair continues through Sunday, Aug. 13, at Mount Sunapee in Newbury. The fair is open daily, rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More than 200 craftsmen take part in the event, many offering demonstrations of their work, according to nhcrafts.org, the League’s website, where you can purchase tickets (general admission tickets cost $18, or $28 for a two-day pass). The fair also features music daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This weekend, catch Decatur Creek (playing Americana, folk and bluegrass) on Saturday and Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki with Matt Jensen playing Celtic fiddle and guitar on Sunday, the website said. The fair features a food vendor area, special daily events and workshops and a Fair Craft Clues’ Scavenger Hunt for kids as well as a Kids Create tent, according to a press release (children under 12 get in free).

• The fiber arts: Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway in Derry; 432-6140, derrypl.org) will hold a knitting/crochet meet-up every other Tuesday — Tuesday, Aug. 15, and Tuesday, Aug. 29, this month — from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Bring a project to work on and talk with other crafters. Register online.

• Beat night: Haitian American poet and educator (and frequent semi-finalist of the National Poetry Slam) will appear at Beat Night at the Portsmouth Book and Bar (40 Pleasant St. in Portsmouth) on Thursday, Aug. 17, at 7 p.m., according to a social media post about the event. See bookandbar.com.

Rock Mandala
Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. at the junction of Routes 3 and 4 in Boscawen; twiggsgallery.org, 975-0015) will hold a free Rock Mandala Make and Take activity this Saturday, Aug. 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. The gallery will offer all the supplies for the craft. Twiggs Gallery is open Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

• Four hands: Pianists (and longtime friends) Abigail Charbeneau and Susan Cobb will present a four hands piano concert at the Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St. in Concord; ccmusicschool.org, 228-1196) on Friday, Aug. 18, from 4 to 5 p.m. in the school’s Community Room. Admission is free but donations are appreciated, according to the website, which describes the concert as “consisting of a wide range of styles by Mozart, Grieg, Rachmaninoff, Beach and Ziffrin.”

• At the Amato: Lots of upcoming events on the schedule for the Amato Center for the Performing Arts’ (56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford, amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company). Catch the Friends of the Amato Center production of Guys & Dolls on Friday, Aug. 18, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 19, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 20, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students.

The Riverbend Youth Company is holding auditions for its November production of Disney’s High School Musical on Monday, Aug. 21, and Tuesday, Aug. 22, for performers in 8th through 12th grades. Find details on auditioning, including the musical’s characters, requirements for auditions, how to submit a video audition and rehearsal information, via the website.

Tickets for an October production of The Big White House on Main Street are also on sale now. The original stage play by Ellen Cunis and Toby Tarnow (who also directs) is set in Woburn, Mass., about an Italian family in the early 20th century, according to thebigwhitehouseonmainstreet.com, where you can find more about the production and the authors. The show will be on stage Thursday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost $15, $12 for seniors, students and Woburn residents.

Mural Unveiling
Fifteen interns from MyTurn and Kimball Jenkins Summer Placemaking internship will present “Colors of Change: West High Mural Unveiling” on Thursday, Aug. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Manchester West High School (9 Notre Dame in Manchester). The project’s goal is to have more than 2,000 square feet of mural segments at West, according to a press release. The event will feature live music from local string trio starring Nicholas So and food for sale by Don Quijotes, the release said. Find Kimball Jenkins on Facebook for more.

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

• Saturday of art: Goffstown Main Street’s 15th Annual Uncommon Art on the Common runs this Saturday, Aug. 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with works of more than 45 area artists and artisans displayed in booths along Main Street, according to a press release. Meet the artists — painters, illustrators, photographers, woodworkers, jewelry artisans, metal workers, authors, crafters, potters and more — and purchase their works. The day will also feature the Uncommon Bling project, when visitors can collect beads and handcrafted items from participating booths to create a necklace (the necklace is available at the Goffstown Main Street booth), the release said. A raffle will feature items donated by local artists and businesses, and a craft tent for kids will offer an activity to make, the release said. Goffstown High School will have a tent featuring work by high school students. See goffstownuncommonarts.org.

• Opening weekend: Cue Zero Theatre Company’s (cztheatre.com) Join/Empathy, a project from the Cue Zero Laboratory Series, hits the stage on Friday, Aug. 4, and Saturday, Aug. 5, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m. at the Arts Academy of New Hampshire (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, in Salem). Tickets cost $15 per person. Join explores how and why people fall into cults, according to a press release. Empathy was created by a small group of performers looking at what “empathy” means in daily life and is set in a restaurant, the release said.

And catch the first presentation of the Nashua Theatre Guild’s I Hate Shakespeare at Temple Beth Abraham (4 Raymond St. in Nashua) on Sunday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m. (a second show is Sunday, Aug. 13, at 2 p.m.). The play, by Steph DeFerie, will include the classic stories of Hamlet, Macbeth and more with “talking cows, zombies and other characters [who] will give you a fast-paced intro to the riotous charm of the man himself,” according to an email from the Guild. Tickets to these performances (which will be held outdoors under a tent) cost $5 for adults and children 6 and older (children 5 and under get in free). Cash-only concessions will be available (no outside food or drink), the release said. See nashuatheatreguild.org.

Windham Community Bands
Enjoy some music and get some ice cream at the Windham Community Bands’ ice cream social on Thursday, Aug. 10, at 7 p.m. at Searles School Chapel in Windham. Bring your own chairs and picnic blankets and enjoy ice cream at intermission, according to a press release, which listed the Windham Concert Band’s musical plans as including parts of Phantom of the Opera, the theme from Spider-Man, highlights from The Little Mermaid, music from Neil Diamond and more.

On Sunday, Aug. 27, at 1:30 p.m. the Windham Concert Band will perform at LaBelle Winery in Derry (14 Route 111, Derry). The afternoon will include free appetizers and a cash bar; tickets cost $20 per person, according to the press release. Call 425-3284 or email info@windhamcommunitybands.org.

• Show for those in the know: Catch Namaslay: A New Puppet Musical by Playdoh (Zah Kolo) and performances by The Lowliest One and Birdorgan on Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.), according to an email from the show’s organizer. The shows take place in a private Manchester residence and are “suitable for adults and teens who are into social justice and DIY,” the email said. There is a requested donation of $15. Contact deixhrist@gmail for the address. See playdohpuppetproductions.com, thelowliestone.com and birdorgan.bandcamp.com to learn more about the acts.

• Theater kids: The Palace Youth Theatre will hold auditions for the fall 2023 semester of Palace Teen Company and the Palace Teen Apprentice Company on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 5 p.m. (arrive 15 to 30 minutes early to fill out paperwork), according to a press release. The companies are for performers ages 12 to 18 who want a more intensive theater experience and not all who audition will be accepted, the release said. Bring a headshot and resume; prepare 16 to 32 bars of a song of your choice, and wear or bring clothes you can move in when taught a dance combination, the release said. Auditions will be held at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester). Sign up by emailing the name and age of the student to MeganQuinn@PalaceTheatre.org.

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

• So you will listen to every word they have to say: The Kids Coop Theatre (kids-coop-theatre.org) will present The Wedding Singer at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway in Derry) on Friday, July 28, and Saturday, July 29, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 30, at 1 p.m. Tickets cost $15. Based on the 1998 Adam Sandler comedy, The Wedding Singer is set in 1985 and features music from the period, according to the website, which advises that the play contains adult language and themes and suggests parental discretion for audience members 14 and under.

• Marking history: There will be a Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire marker unveiling event on Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway in Derry) to celebrate William Hobdy, a ragtime musician and the first known Black business owner in Derry, according to the organization’s newsletter. This all-ages event will begin at 1 p.m. with a pop-up museum and activities exploring Hobdy’s era with music, games and history, the newsletter said. The afternoon will culminate with a walk to the Derry Rail Trail to unveil the new marker at 1:45 p.m. and participants can have some ice cream, according to blackheritagetrailnh.org/derry-historic-marker-unveiling. After the event, Rockingham Brewing Co. will offer pre-Prohibition-style lager for purchase as well as pretzels from Hop Knot in Manchester, the website said.

I Hate Shakespeare!
The Nashua Theatre Guild will present I Hate Shakespeare! at Temple Beth Abraham (4 Raymond St. in Nashua) on Sundays, Aug. 6 and Aug. 13, at 2 p.m. The play, by Steph DeFerie, will include the classic stories of Hamlet, Macbeth and more with “talking cows, zombies and other characters [who] will give you a fast-paced intro to the riotous charm of the man himself,” according to an email from the Guild. Tickets to these performances (which will be held outdoors under a tent) cost $5 for adults and children 6 and older (children 5 and under get in free). Cash-only concessions will be available (no outside food or drink), the release said. See nashuatheatreguild.org.

• A day of dance: Saint Anselm College (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester; tickets.anselm.edu) will offer a Summer Dance Intensive on Sunday, Aug. 13, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with Aaron Tolson as the camp director. The day will cost $150 and is open to all ages, according to a Dana Center email. Eight classes will focus on tap, ballet, contemporary dance, hip hop and yoga. See the website to register.

• Book events at Gibson’s: Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) has several upcoming events.

Author Melissa Moore will be at the bookstore to discuss her book Land of Low Hills, a history of Loudon, on Thursday, Aug. 17, at 6:30 p.m.

RSVP on the bookstore’s Facebook page for the Sunday, Aug. 20, 4:30 p.m. event with Katee Robert for Cruel Seduction, the fifth book in her Dark Olympus series, according to a press release.

Astronomer and physicist Marcelo Gleiser will discuss his book The Dawn of a Mindful Universe: A Manifesto for Humanity’s Future on Tuesday, Aug. 29, at 6:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 6:30 p.m., New Hampshire author Melanie Brooks will discuss her book A Hard Silence: One Daughter Remaps Family, Grief and Faith when HIV/AIDS Changes It All.

Goldilocks and the 3 Bears
See the Majestic Theatre’s teen touring musical Goldilocks and the 3 Bears at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7469) on Wednesday, Aug. 2, at 6 p.m. Ticket cost $5 and will be available for purchase in advance and at the door. Bring two new or gently used children’s books and admission is free, according to a press release.

• Book event at the Epsom Library: Author Michael Tougias will discuss his book The Finest Hours (the basis for a 2016 movie starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck) and his new book Extreme Survival: Lessons From Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds at the Epsom Public Library (1606 Dover Road in Epsom; epsomlibrary.com) on Saturday, Aug. 5, at 10 a.m.

• Be one of the favorite things: The Community Players of Concord are holding auditions in August for their upcoming production of The Sound of Music. The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic will hit the Concord City Auditorium Stage Friday, Nov. 17, through Sunday, Nov. 19. Auditions for adults will take place on Sunday, Aug. 13, and Monday, Aug. 14; for youth (age 15 and under) auditions will be Sunday, Aug. 20, and Monday, Aug. 21. See communityplayersofconcord.org/auditions for audition times and other information.

• Music and color: Artist Brandy M. Patterson will discuss her art and synesthesia — a condition where she sees color when she hears music — at a 4th Phriday at the Phone Museum event “Painting What She Hears” on Friday, July 28, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the New Hampshire Phone Museum (One Depot St. in Warner; nhtelephonemuseum.org, 456-2234). Register online or by phone. The cost is $5, according to the website.

Ella Walker meets Betty Woodman
“Distant Conversations: Ella Walker and Betty Woodman” is open now at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) and is slated to be the first in a series of “Distant Conversations” exhibits. The exhibits will explore “intergenerational dialogues and artistic conversations between practitioners who have not necessarily met in real life but whose work similarly resonates despite their differences,” according to the Currier’s website. The exhibit will be on display through Sunday, Oct. 22. The Currier is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (as well as from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays as part of Art After Work, when admission is free) and admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for 65+, $15 for students, $5 for ages 13 to 17 and children 12 and under get in free.

• Baskets: The League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery (279 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Meredith; 279-7920, meredith.nhcrafts.org) will hold a basket-making class with Ray Lagasse on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tools and materials will be supplied; no prior experience is needed. Register in advance; the cost is $125 to $155, depending on the style of basket. Additional classes will be held Saturday, Sept. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 14, according to a press release.

• Save the date for the symphony: Ticket subscriptions for the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra’s 2023-2024 mainstage season are now on sale, with subscription prices at $160 for adults, $145 for 60+ and $92 for students, according to a press release. The season will start on Sunday, Nov. 5, with a premiere of the commissioned piece “At This Point” at the Music Hall in Portsmouth at 3 p.m. Additional shows include Holiday Family Pops! and New Year’s Eve Champagne Pops and concerts in March and June, the release said. See portsmouthsymphony.org.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“Shakespeare on the Green” presented by Theatre Kapow (tkapow.com) on Founder’s Green outside the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester; tickets.anselm.edu) wraps up its two-week presentation with A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Thursday, July 27, through Saturday, July 29, at 7:30 p.m. Find the Dana Center on Facebook to check on any weather-related schedule or location changes. Tickets cost $25 for general seating; ages 12 and under get in free. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, coolers and snacks, according to the website.

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

• Celebrating water: The Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road in Warner; indianmuseum.org, 456-2600) will display the exhibit “Nebizum: Water Is Life” starting Saturday, July 22, when Vera Longtoe Sheehan will discuss the exhibit at 1 p.m.The exhibit is on display through Tuesday, Oct. 31, during which time the museum is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission costs $11 — $10 for seniors, students and veterans; $8 for ages 6 to 12, and free for kids under 6 and Native Americans, with a household price of $35 (for two adults and up to three kids), according to the website.

Big Fish
RGC Theatre will present the musical Big Fish at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) starting Friday, July 21, and running through Sunday, July 30. Shows are Friday and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25, $22 for seniors and students.

• The Second Coming: The Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7469) will present Nunsense II: The Second Coming on Friday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 12, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 13, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for 65+ and 17 and under. The musical returns to the Little Sisters of Hoboken for a sequel to Nunsense, according to a press release. The production is directed by Carole Neveux with musical direction by A. Robert Dionne and is choreographed by Bruce Williams, the release said.

• Uncommon Art: Get ready for Goffstown Main Street’s 15th Annual Uncommon Art on the Common on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This art festival will feature the works of more than 45 area artists and artisans displayed in booths along Main Street, according to a press release. The event will include the return of Uncommon Bling (gather beads and handcrafted items at participating booths to be strung on a necklace), an art raffle, a kids’ craft tent and more, the release said. See goffstownuncommonarts.org.

History in stone
The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; shakers.org) will hold a two-day Stone Wall Workshop on Saturday, July 22, and Sunday, July 23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Learn the history of stone walls in New England and help restore some of the village’s stone walls with master stone artisan and mason Kevin Fife, according to a press release. The workshop costs $250 per person and includes materials and a gourmet lunch. The workshop will also be held Aug. 26 and Aug. 27 and Oct. 21 and Oct. 22. Visit shakers.org to enroll.

• Original theater: Cue Zero Theatre Company (cztheatre.com) presents Join/Empathy, a project from the Cue Zero Laboratory Series, on Friday, Aug. 4, and Saturday, Aug. 5, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m. at the Arts Academy of New Hampshire (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, in Salem). Tickets cost $15 per person. Join explores how and why people fall into cults, according to a press release. Empathy was created by a small group of performers looking at what “empathy” means in daily life and is set in a restaurant, the release said.

• Book event at Gibson’s: Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) will participate in a virtual launch day author event on Tuesday, July 25, at 7 p.m. with Michael Korta for the new book An Honest Man, a thriller about the murder of several politicians at sea, talking to fellow thriller author Lisa Unger. Register online.

• Book event at the Aviation Museum: Author Paul Houle will discuss his book The Crash of Delta Flight 723: The Worst Air Disaster in New England History on Thursday, July 27, at 7 p.m. at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; 669-4877, aviationmuseumofnh.org). Tickets cost $10 and are available at the door (or in advance by calling); books will be for sale for $35, according to a press release.

MacDowell medal awardee
The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; 669-6144, currier.org) will present a screening of Waban-Aki: People from Where the Sun Rises, an autobiographical documentary by filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin, who will receive the Edward MacDowell medal this weekend at MacDowell in Peterborough (see macdowell.org), according to a Currier newsletter. The screening will take place Thursday, July 20, at 6 p.m.; register online. The screening takes place during the weekly Art After Work programming, when admission to the museum is free and the museum features live music (this week from Goodwin Street Jazz).

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

• Willkomen: Actors Cooperate Theatre wraps up its two-week production of Cabaret at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) with shows this Friday, July 14, and Saturday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 16, at 2 p.m. Tickets for this presentation of the Tony-winning musical about a Berlin nightclub at the end of the Weimar Republic cost $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and students.

• Barns tell the story: The New Boston Historical Society will feature John Porter to discuss “The History of Agriculture as Told By Barns” on Thursday, July 13, at 7 p.m. at New Boston Community Church (2 Meetinghouse Hill Road), according to a press release. Porter was a dairy specialist for the UNH Cooperative Extension and authored several books about old barns, the release said. The event is free; see newbostonhistoricalsociety.com.

• New at the Currier: The new exhibit “Distant Conversations: Ella Walker and Betty Woodman” will open to the public at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) on Saturday, July 15. The exhibit is the first in a series of “Distant Conversations” exhibits “exploring intergenerational dialogues and artistic conversations between practitioners who have not necessarily met in real life but whose work similarly resonates despite their differences,” according to the Currier’s website. The exhibit will be on display through Sunday, Oct. 22. You can see the exhibit for free during Saturday’s Block Party, which runs from 4 to 9 p.m.

“The Complexities of Presentation”
Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com, 225-3932) has partnered with the Greater Manchester Chamber (54 Hanover St. in Manchester; manchester-chamber.org) to present the show “The Complexities of Presentation” at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Boardroom at the Chamber offices, running Thursday, July 13, through the end of August, according to a press release. The show will feature the works of artists Sylvan Dustin and Leaf Comstock, the release said. A reception for the exhibit will be held on Thursday, July 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. and will feature live music, treats by Dancing Lion Chocolate, and an opportunity to meet the artists, the release said. The gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• NH Music Festival: The New Hampshire Music Festival (nhmf.org) will perform two concerts at the Gilford Community Church (19 Potter Hill Road in Gilford): an orchestra concert on Friday, July 14, at 7 p.m. and a chamber music concert on Monday, July 24, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the orchestra concert cost $40 for adults, $15 for students; tickets for the chamber concert cost $35 for adults, $15 for students. See the Festival’s website to purchase tickets.

• The history of Freedom Summer: The Derry Public Library (derrypl.org) will host a virtual program called “Civil Rights Investigation: Mississippi Burning,” about the disappearance of three civil rights workers during the Freedom Summer of 1964, on Wednesday, July 26, from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., according to the website. The program is presented by the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library.

• Sy Montgomery: Author Sy Montgomery and illustrator Matt Patterson will be at Balin Books (Somerset Plaza, 375 Amherst St. in Nashua; balinbooks.com, 417-7981) on Saturday, July 29, at 11 a.m. to discuss and sign their new children’s picture book The Book of Turtles, according to a press release.

• Creme de la Creme and Oshibana: The Art Center and NH Art Association present their “Creme de la Creme” members exhibition at The Art Center (Suite 1177, 1 Washington St. in Dover; theartcenterdover.com) through the end of August, according to a press release. An artist reception will be held for the exhibit on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m, the release said.

The Art Center is also running the exhibit “Oshibana — The Botanical Collection” featuring the artwork of Roberta Garrison in the Jim Reagan Gallery through Aug. 31, according to a press release. Oshibana is an art form originating in 16th-century Japan involving “arranging pressed flowers and botanical elements into stunning works of art,” the release said. Garrison’s work focuses on the beauty of local birds, the release said. An artist reception for this show will also be held on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Chef’s Kiss
Back at their home base, Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com, 225-3932) will present a “Chef’s Kiss” reception on Friday, July 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. “Amanda Whitworth, former Artist Laureate of New Hampshire, has given her heart to assist in a live performance painting with artists Nicholas So and Jeryl Palana Pilapil. We encourage attendees to wear white and tip artists to paint a live painting on their person! Materials will be available for those who want to paint on each other instead of leaning on an artist! Light fare will be provided,” according to a press release. The reception kicks off a multi-artist summer show that will run from Friday, July 14, through Tuesday, Sept. 12, with gallery hours Monday through Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Printmaking on display: The New Hampshire Art Association and the Monotype Guild of New England are presenting the exhibit “Hot Off the Press,” a showcase of New England printers, at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St. in Portsmouth; nhartassociation.org, 431-4230) through Sunday, July 30, according to a press release. The exhibit showcases printmaking from New England with a mix of etching, collagraph, letterpress, relief, lithograph and more, the release said. 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.

• Save the date for even more printmaking: Big Ink weekend at the gallery at 3S Artspace (319 Vaughan St. in Portsmouth; 3sarts.org, 766-3330) will feature “the Big Tuna” — a giant mobile printmaking press — that local artists will use to create large-scale relief prints, according to a press release. The printing, which the public can watch, will run Saturday, Aug. 26, and Sunday, Aug. 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Artists printing at 3S Artspace include Michelle Stevens, Leslie Evans, Poppy Lord, Denise Manseau, Lisa Schwarz, Le Huong Huynh, Heather Hughes, Sarah Robbitts-Terry, Jennifer Benn, Lauren Audet, Christie Norton, Emily Noelle Lambert, Ronald Pacacha, Mary Mead, Jessica McKeon, Eric MacDonald, Alison Freidlin, Ashley Doke and William Wright, the release said.

• Save the date for ukuleles: The Southern New Hampshire Ukulele Group will hold its 8th annual ukulele picnic, SNHUFest, on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rotary Arts Pavilion Stage at Henry Law Park in Dover. The festival, which is free, features a full day of ukulele performances as well as food, vendors, raffles and more, according to a press release. See facebook.com/SNHUG.

Shakespeare on the Green
Get two weekends of Shakespeare under the stars at “Shakespeare on the Green” featuring Macbeth Thursday, July 20, through Saturday, July 22, and A Midsummer’s Night Dream Thursday, July 27, through Saturday, July 29, with all shows at 7:30 p.m., according to a press release. The plays, presented by Theatre Kapow (tkapow.com), will take place on Founder’s Green outside the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester; tickets.anselm.edu). Tickets cost $25 for general seating; ages 12 and under get in free. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, coolers and snacks, according to the website.

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

• Seeking art: The Manchester Arts Commission is bringing back the City Employee and Family Art Show in the first-floor “Art on the Wall at City Hall” gallery to run Monday, Oct. 2, through Thursday, Nov. 30, according to a press release. An opening reception will be held at City Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 10, when prizes will be awarded in several categories, the release said. Participants must be an employee, retiree, volunteer, elected official or immediate family member of that group of the City of Manchester or the Manchester School District, the release said. Register by Thursday, Aug. 31 at nationalartsprogram.org/venues/manchester/manchester-nh-registration.

• Pastel garden: Manchester-based artists Susanne Larkham will present her pastel works featuring flowers in “Fleur-delys” at the New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St. in Portsmouth) Thursday, July 6, through Sunday, July 30, with a reception on Friday, July 7, from 5 to8 p.m. as part of the Art Around Town first Friday, according to a press release. The gallery is open Tuesday through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. See nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• Gardens for theater: The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) will hold a Garden Tour on Saturday, July 15, from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. Tickets cost $25; participants will start at Demers Garden Center in Manchester and then head off on a self-guided, self-paced tour of eight private homes in Manchester with other special stops along the way, according to the website.

• Also at the Palace: The theater’s Children’s Summer Series was slated to kick off Wednesday, July 5. Each week a different family-friendly play will run Tuesday through Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Friday at 10 a.m. The first show is magician BJ Hickman. The series runs through Aug. 25 (that final week’s show is Finding Nemo Jr.). The shows all feature professional actors. Tickets cost $10 per person (call the box office for tickets for infants under 1 year old).

“Heroes, Renegades and Rogues”
Artist Darren Taylor will exhibit his works in a solo show called “Heroes, Renegades and Rogues” at the Taylored Art Studios (31 A S. Main St. in Concord; tayloredartstudios.net) Friday, July 7, through Friday, July 21. The gallery is open Wednesdays through Fridays from noon to 6 p.m. The pieces will delve “into the realm of courage, rebellion and the enigmatic figures that embody them” and the show will feature more than 35 original works in acrylic, pastel and mixed media, according to a press release. An artist reception will be held on Friday, July 7, from 7 to 9 p.m. See tayloredartstudios.net.

• Save the date: The Currier Museum of Art’s (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org) annual Summer Block Party will be Saturday, July 15, from 4 to 9 p.m. The event features free gallery admission, art activities, food trucks, face painting, a beer and wine tent, community art projects and more, according to the website. This year’s theme is nature and environmentalism, the website said.

• More theater for kids: Kid-friendly productions will be starting at Capitol Center for the Arts stages in the next week. RB Productions kicks off a series of shows with Addams Family on Friday, July 7, and Saturday, July 8, at 7 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $15.75 for seniors and students, $18.75 for adults. RB Productions presents five more shows at Cap Center stages throughout the next month, ending with a 20th-anniversary celebration at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord) on Saturday, Aug. 5, at 6 p.m. Impact Touring Children’s Theatre starts its upcoming run of shows at the Cap Center on Tuesday, July 11, with Pinnocchio at 10 a.m.

• Musical comedy: The Majestic Theatre will present the Tony-nominated musical Catch Me If You Can at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway in Derry) on Friday, July 14, and Saturday, July 15, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 16, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students. Go to majestictheatre.net to purchase tickets or call 669-7469.

Howard Fishman on Connie Converse
In December 2010, writer and musician Howard Fishman heard a song at a holiday party that sent him down a rabbit hole, resulting in his publication of To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse 13 years later. Fishman will discuss his new book, a biography of the New Hampshire-born singer-songwriter who disappeared back in 1974, during an event at Gibson’s Bookstore (45. S Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com, 224-0562) on Wednesday, July 12, at 6:30 p.m.

“Listening to this song, I found it hard not to be captivated by this person, to want to be her friend, to know her,” Fishman writes in his book about first hearing the song he would later find out was titled “Talkin’ Like You.”

After leaving the party, Fishman headed to the store and bought the 2009 compilation album How Sad, How Lovely, featuring a series of Converse’s recordings from the 1950s.

“The more I listened to her music, the more my curiosity grew,” Fishman writes. “I felt the need to know the rest of Converse’s story, the details that had driven her to make this particular music, at that particular time. … What had led to her tragic fate, to her simply vanishing…. Who she was or, even, potentially, could still be.”

According to Fishman, Connie Converse was born Elizabeth Eaton Converse in 1924 in Laconia and grew up in Concord. After she completed high school and dropped out of college, her whereabouts were not particularly clear for the next five years until she wound up in New York City to try her hand at making it in the music industry. In 1961, after her time in New York, Converse moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where her brother Phil lived. The fateful day of her disappearance dates back to the summer of 1974 when Converse packed her car and drove away, having written letters to her brother and friends saying she wanted to try one more time at a new life but didn’t feel that it would work out. She was never seen or heard from again.

Everything else she left behind sat undisturbed in a filing cabinet in her brother’s garage, until Fishman knocked on Phil’s door decades later. In his book, Fishman takes readers on this journey with him. —Mya Blanchard