The Art Roundup 24/08/08

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

Films from near and far

The Manchester International Film Festival celebrates local filmmakers and the wider world

By Zachary Lewis
zlewis@hippopress.com

The 2024 Manchester International Film Festival takes place on Friday, Aug. 9, and Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Rex Theatre. Warren O’Reilly, the Festival Director since the beginning in 2022, is pumped for the third year of the event.

“We’re very excited to bring it back to continue a legacy of film in Manchester,” O’Reilly said.

“We started three years ago with a goal of paying homage to the Rex Theatre’s roots as a movie theater. Back in 1949 it opened as a movie theater, and the lobby of the Rex has classic movie posters from the time period.”

The festival will bring films from near and far.

“What we wanted to do was be a small, independent film festival that allowed people that live in downtown Manchester the ability to see independent film from New Hampshire, emerging New Hampshire filmmakers, actors and artists, and a sampling of the international films that are happening throughout the rest of the festival circuit every year,” he said.

“There’ll be a red carpet and a step and repeat so people can take photos in front of our marquee. Everyone walks the red carpet to get in.” An afterparty at City Hall Pub will be held each night as well.

Friday, Aug. 9, festivalgoers will be treated to three different blocks of film. The first block is Animation, the next is New England Short Film, and the third block is the premiere of That Alien, Sound, from director, writer and producer Brando Topp. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. with a program start time at 7 p.m.

“Our main goal is to amplify local talent. Amplify local filmmakers and give everybody [the opportunity to] watch the stuff they’re working on displayed in a professional theater with 4K video, great sound, and be able to sit in a movie theater and watch their film on a big screen, eat popcorn and meet fellow filmmakers,” O’Reilly said.

In a statement about the film, Topp said, “Mia Danelle and I produced this from the jump. Her acting inspired the character, and our mutual commitment empowered us to step into roles we’ve both dreamt about for some time. Our family of friends and creatives who joined us made this movie shine.”

There will be a Q&A when the lights turn up at the end of the feature presentation with Topp, who is originally from New Hampshire, and Mia Danelle, who stars in the film and is a producer as well. Danelle had a recurring role as Cielo in the FX series Mayans.

Before the feature, the first block of the night is for Animation and will show Nemesis Battlefield Volume 16, Within the Crystal Hills, Bad Dog, A Dog’s Purpose, The Sweet Order and Ovo.

Griffin Hansen, the director of Within the Crystal Hills, spoke to the Hippo a couple months ago about his craft (find that story in our June 13 issue online).

The next block centers on New England Short Film and will be screening The Sins of Salem, Odessa, Kill That Man and Mars Hill Bait and Ammo.

“You’ll be able to see a bunch of short film and a feature film, a lot of them with New Hampshire roots.”

Saturday, Aug. 10, follows a similar structure with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. with the films starting at 7 p.m. The night’s focus is on LGBTQ+ film, International Short Films, and Ireland Film Focus with selections presented by the Irish Film Board.

The LGBTQ+ films include The Paradise Road, A La Carte, and The Space Between. Next up are the International Short Films, which are Segreto di Natale from Italy, ! (Exclamation Mark) from Ukraine, In Absentia from the United Kingdom, and Archipelago from Australia.

“It’ll be a great opportunity to see some short films from all those countries,” O’Reilly said.

Last but not least are the Irish Film Board selections, which include the films Movers and Shapers and Two For The Road, which is shot on Kodak Film.

“Two nights of film is a really good thing in the middle of summer. I think the city of Manchester deserves a great film festival. There’s a great film community, there’s a great community of people who really love film, there’s an unbelievable amount of talent in New Hampshire,” O’Reilly said.

Film is art for everyone.

“No, you don’t have to be a film buff,” O’Reilly said. “A lot of these pieces could later be sold to streaming services. Some of them are already available on various platforms, so it will be a really great opportunity for people to see a whole bunch of different things in one night…. We have a group of volunteers and judges that help us whittle down so that we find something that will appeal to everybody.”

Manchester International Film Festival
Friday, Aug. 9, and Saturday, Aug. 10
The Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester
$20 each night
Doors at 6:30 p.m., showtime at 7 p.m.
palacetheatre.org/film

Featured image: Courtesy photo.

Season of laughs

Find your favorite comedians at a six-day festival and at venues around New Hampshire

Jimmy Dunn is having a great year. He plays Moose on the Paramount+ reboot of Frasier, and as a phone interview begins he’s standing outside a Hollywood soundstage, having just wrapped the second season. His last sitcom, The McCarthys, was canceled with four unaired episodes, so he’s in great spirits.

Dunn is mum about storylines, but he will say that fans of the show, which stars Kelsey Grammer, can expect a few head-spinning guest appearances when it returns Sept. 19. Additionally, there is one episode of the show that lingers in his mind as extra special.

“For a kid who started telling jokes in the back of Chinese restaurants, I couldn’t believe what I was doing,” he said. “What I did with Kelsey last week was just an absolute pinch-me moment, like this isn’t happening — is it really? It was so damn cool. There’s a lot to look forward to.”

His lucky streak on the West Coast continued with deciding to fly JetBlue before every other airline became immobilized by a massive computer bug. So Dunn will be home soon, and ready to kick off another Hampton Beach Comedy Festival.

The event began as an excuse for Dunn to invite a bunch of his comedian pals to his home in Hampton Beach for a few days of barbecuing steaks in his backyard, playing cards and surfing, after telling jokes at Ashworth-by-the-Sea, a hotel where he parked cars as a teen. It’s now held at McGuirk’s Ocean View Hotel.

Fifteen years on, the event has grown to six nights, with the camaraderie, along with the work and play vibe, remaining.

“I love California in the winter; I’m not as crazy about it in the summer,” Dunn said with a laugh. “I just wrapped up the coolest job I’ve ever had, so that part was cool, but I can’t wait to get back home and get to the beach and see my friends.”

Dunn appears at every show, as does Dave Rattigan, who’s also the festival’s producer and promoter. “It’s not what I do well,” Dunn said of handing the reins to Rattigan. “I’m not very details-oriented, that’s how I ended up in stand-up comedy, you know what I mean? I’m not that guy.”

Rattigan’s also hilarious; he’s even taught stand-up. He’ll also perform every night.

“He’ll do a little short set, but it’ll be different jokes,” Dunn said. “I’ll be doing different stuff every night. Every show is different.”

Back in the early 2000s, Dunn took part in the Nantucket Comedy Festival.

“My buddy Kevin used to have the keys to a hotel down there,” he said. “We stayed there for five days with 20 other comedians, and it was summer camp. It was absolute insanity. And we had so much fun doing that. When I came home from that, I was like, why don’t I do this in Hampton?”

The best part for Dunn is just having his friends over for dinner. “Usually, we’re in the back of a comedy club eating chicken wings. If we’re on the same show together; but people like Tony and I, we rarely are because we’re both at that headliner level. So the thing that I love the most is there are a lot of people on there that I don’t see all year.”

If it’s not a backyard dinner, at least Dunn has an hour with them after the crowd leaves McGuirk’s. “So that’s the thing I love the most. If the weather works out and there’s some waves, taking them and their kids surfing is always something that’s really, really cool. Then we usually get on to Playland afterward and we’ll play a few games. And there might be some gambling involved in that. But yeah, that’s it. It really is.”

Hampton Beach Comedy Festival
When: Tuesday, Aug. 13, through Sunday, Aug. 18. Shows start at 8 p.m. each day, doors open at 6 p.m. Shows are weather permitting (see website for information about weather cancellations).
Where: McGuirk’s Ocean View Hotel & Restaurant, 95 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, mcguirksoceanview.com
Tickets: $20 for each night, plus fees. Shows are 21+.
More info: hampton-beach-comedy-festival.weebly.com

Get more Jimmy Dunn
Jimmy has several local shows on the schedule, according to jimmydunn.com, where you can find all the dates for his Fall 2024 Hydrodynamic Tour.

Thursday, Aug. 29, at 6:30 p.m. for the Our Place Fundraiser at The Brook Casino in Seabrook. 18+ Tickets cost $35 in advance, $45 at the door.
Saturday, Sept. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Epping Community Theater in Epping, eppingtheater.org. 18+ Tickets cost $35.
Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. at BNH Stage in Concord, ccanh.com. Tickets cost $31 in advance, $36 at the door.
Friday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m., Jimmy Dunn Comedy All Stars (with Andrew Della Volpe, Frank Santorelli, Jimmy Cash and Ken Rogerson) at the Nashua Center for the Arts, nashuacenterforthearts.com. Tickets cost $36.
Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m., Jimmy Dunn Comedy All Stars (with Andrew Della Volpe, Frank Santorelli, Jimmy Cash and Ken Rogerson) at the Colonial Theatre in Laconia, coloniallaconia.com. Tickets cost $36.
Saturday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m. at Rochester Opera House, rochesteroperahouse.com. Tickets start at $31.

Jimmy’s Friends

The Hampton Beach Comedy Festival happens at McGuirk’s Ocean View Hotel & Restaurant in Hampton Beach with shows starting nightly at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, through Sunday, Aug. 18. Six comedians are on the schedule for each night. Every comic is there via a personal invitation from Dunn, and he goes back years with most of them. Others are new, met on the road at various shows. Here’s who’s coming to this year’s shindig. Can’t make it to the coast? We’ve included some other shows where you can find these regulars on the local scene and websites to check out their schedules.

Steve Bjork (Friday, Aug. 16)

He once turned down a role in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas because he didn’t want to leave New England. Inspired to become a comic by listening to Bill Cosby as a kid, Bjork always works clean, noting, “Unless he’s dating you, there’s nobody cleaner than Cosby.” Find more upcoming shows at stevebjork.com. Catch him Saturday, Aug. 17, at 8:30 p.m. at Murphy’s Taproom in Manchester and at Cara Irish Pub in Dover on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m.

Paul D’Angelo (Tuesday, Aug. 13)

Once an assistant district attorney and criminal-defense trial lawyer, D’Angelo is a comedy veteran with nearly four decades of stand-up under his belt. He has performed at venues such as the Friar’s Club and the Waldorf Astoria ballroom in New York City, as well as Harrah’s and Caesars Palace. Keep up with Paul at pdangelo.com.

Andrew Della Volpe (Friday, Aug. 16)

A Boston Comedy Festival finalist and a regular all over New England for the past six years, Volpe has appeared at Boston’s Comedy Attic as well as Manchester’s Shaskeen and Rex Theatre. From 2021 to 2023, he co-hosted a podcast, The Soft Boys, with HBCF favorite Will Noonan. Find future shows at andrewdellavolpe.com. He’s listed on the roster of performers at Jimmy Dunn Comedy All Stars Friday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts.

Dan Donahue (Sunday, Aug. 18)

A rising star on the comedy scene who gives off a mountain man vibe with his long beard. He’s an electrician by day, and much of his humor comes from on-the-job experiences. He recently acted in his first film, the horror-comedy short Mars Hill Bait & Tackle, which will screen this weekend at the Manchester International Film Festival (see page 14 for details on the event; the film, which also features comedian Juston McKinney, screens during the New England shorts block on Friday, Aug. 9).

Mike Donovan (Tuesday, Aug. 13)

A mainstay in the Boston comedy world who’s also written several books, including one on U.S. history that began as a manuscript twice as long as the Bible. “He’s not a normal guy,” Steven Wright once said of Donovan. “His head is not a casual head. He’s got like 18 Harvards up there.”

James Dorsey (Sunday, Aug. 18)

With dozens of voices and a perpetually animated face, Dorsey shares family life experiences and more. He won the national Catch a New Rising Star competition a while back, but even better, he once followed Jim Gaffigan at a NYC club and held the audience! Find him on Instagram.

Ryan Ellington (Saturday, Aug. 17)

“He’s the new kid,” Dunn said. “He opened for me at the Off Cabot, and was really funny. I was like, ‘Hey, do you want to do this thing?’” His mother is white, his dad’s Black, and he’s pale with curly red hair, so he has lines like, “I don’t look biracial, I look like I have a very complicated order at Starbucks.” Follow him on Instagram.

Paul Gilligan (Tuesday, Aug. 13)

This perennial Boston headliner likes to riff on family life and his pale Irish heritage. “On summer vacations,” goes one joke, “I hide under the deck in a ski mask with 68 sunblock, wrapped in a towel.” Gilligan is a solid draw at clubs throughout New England. Find more shows at paulgilligancomedy.com.

Kathy Gilmour (Friday, Aug. 16)

Relatively new to the scene, the plus-sized Gilmour once said she conquered her weight problem with the magic words, “I now identify as skinny.” Working in tourism for nearly 30 years led her to comedy, and she’s been doing stand-up for a little over five years. Her Instagram lists a show Saturday, Aug. 17, at Murphy’s Taproom in Manchester.

Brian Glowacki (Thursday, Aug. 15)

He’s headlined Boston’s Wilbur and the Cape Cod Melody Tent. Glowacki has a secret weapon: a face that telegraphs mischief. When he pauses with a sly smirk during a joke setup, it’s like watching a Mento dropped into a bottle of Coke; audience laughter builds, then explodes. Find more upcoming shows at bglowcomedy.com.

Mike Hanley (Friday, Aug. 16)

He’s opened for Jay Mohr, Tom Arnold, David Koechner and Jessica Kirson. One of this young comic’s best bits is about being the father of an infant girl and accidentally brushing his teeth with Desitin, then calling for emergency medical assistance and becoming the funniest thing the help line encountered that evening. Find upcoming shows via standupmikehanley.com.

Jeff Koen (Thursday, Aug. 15)

He regularly supports Juston McKinney at his shows, and performs throughout New England. Koen’s self-deprecating humor lands well with audiences, and some may remember him from his role as Uncle Rick in the 2011 cult film Heavy Times. Follow him at facebook.com/jeff.koen.

​Kelly MacFarland (Sunday, Aug. 18)

She’s opened for Kathleen Madigan on several occasions and is part of the all-female Mother of a Comedy Show with Kerri Louise and Christine Hurley. MacFarland is one of Madigan’s favorite comics. “Everybody should go see her,” she said. “She’s just rock solid funny, the best.” Catch Kelly at the Lakeport Opera House in Laconia on Friday, Aug. 16, at 8 p.m.; opening for Kathleen Madigan on Saturday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom; Sunday, Oct. 20, at 5 p.m. at Luna Bistro in Salem, and Saturday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m. at The Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth, according to kellymacfarland.com.

Jason Merrill (Thursday, Aug. 15)

A native of Lawrence, Mass., Merrill became a comedian late in life, at age 41. Meeting Dave Rattigan and getting on the bill at a few of his Scamps shows accelerated his rise, and now he’s a regional favorite who frequently jokes about his family life. See jasonmerrillcomedy.com and follow him on Facebook.

Dan Miller (Saturday, Aug. 17)

According to his bio, Boston native Miller was “born a comedian but made it official in 1992.” He’s shared stages with local and national headliners including Lenny Clarke, Dane Cook and Dave Attell. Dunn said catching up with Miller is one of his favorite things about the HBCF. Follow him on Instagram.

Karen Morgan (Wednesday, Aug. 14)

Former trial attorney who got her start as a finalist on Nickelodeon’s Search for the Funniest Mom in America. “Now she’s selling out theaters around the country, and there’s no way we would get her if she didn’t love my wife,” Dunn said. Her third album, Shiny Happy People Laughing, will be released soon. Follow her at karenmorgan.com.

Graig Murphy (Tuesday, Aug. 13)

Murphy is one of New England’s top comedians and has appeared at The Riviera in Las Vegas, the Improv in Fort Lauderdale, Comix at Foxwoods, along with a long list of New England comedy clubs.

Paul Nardizzi (Thursday, Aug. 15)

A winner of the Boston Comedy Festival, Nardizzi has appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central, NESN and Fox Sports’ Best Damn Sports Show Period. He offers observational humor about his family life, sports and more. Find him on Facebook.

Will Noonan (Sunday, Aug. 18)

Noonan, whose Live In Boston YouTube special dropped last year, made an impression on festival organizer Dunn at his initial HBCF appearance, and now he’s a regular. “The first time Will came up, he was wearing a suit,” he recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh, I like this kid’s style already.’” Follow him on Facebook.

Carolyn Plummer (Thursday, Aug. 15)

She appeared at Denis Leary’s annual Comics Come Home benefit in 2022, along with the far-flung Burbank Comedy Festival on the West Coast. A New Hampshire native — she grew in Wolfeboro, a minister’s daughter — Plummer got into comedy after responding to an ad. See her Saturday, Oct. 12, at 5:30 p.m. at Averill House Vineyard in Brookline, according to carolynplummer.com.

Dustin Pueschel (Sunday, Aug. 18)

According to Dunn, Pueschel is “a 15-year-old kid that somehow got one of the most powerful agents in Hollywood to call me and say, ‘Hey, would you put this kid on your festival?’ I went, ‘Well, if he got you to call.’ I put him on last year and I loved it.” Follow him on Facebook.

Mark Riley (Friday, Aug. 16)

He was once a professional ice hockey referee (with a very short stint in the NHL) who also ran a Gymboree. He headlines in Boston as well as playing in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Atlantic City, and he’s a former first runner-up at the Boston Comedy Festival. Catch Mark next at a Seacoast Performance Academy benefit at The Brook Casino in Seabrook on Friday, Aug. 23, at 6 p.m., according to markrileycomedy.com.

Ken “The Viper” Rogerson (Saturday, Aug. 17)

A veteran of Rescue Me and When Standup Stood Out, the great documentary about Boston’s comedy heyday. “I legitimately find him one of the funniest people on the planet,” Dunn said of Rogerson. “I would put his Zookeeper bit up there in the top five or 10 comedy bits of all time.”See his standup reel at comedynorth.com/ken-rogerson. Ken is slated to join the Jimmy Dunn Comedy All Stars show at the Nashua Center for the Arts on Friday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m.

Frank Santorelli (Wednesday, Aug. 14)

Best-known for playing the recurring role of “Georgie the Bartender” in The Sopranos and acting in numerous movies, including No Reservations, Meet the Parents and Crooked Lines. He’s appeared at clubs like Catch a Rising Star, The Improv and Caroline’s on Broadway. Frank is slated to join the Jimmy Dunn Comedy All Stars show at the Nashua Center for the Arts on Friday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m.

Steve Scarfo (Saturday, Aug. 17)

Scarfo came up in the Boston club scene and once took part in a funny mashup of Survivor and Last Comic Standing that still gets YouTube hits. He started doing stand-up almost 30 years ago and was noticed by The Boston Globe on his first performance. Catch him at a comedy fundraiser on Friday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m. at the Franklin Opera House and on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. at Soho Asian Restaurant and Bar in Hudson, according to stevescarfo.com.

Harrison Stebbins (Wednesday, Aug. 14)

A gifted observational comic who’s shared the stage with the likes of Lewis Black, Jeff Ross, Mitch Hedberg and Bill Burr. The first name is an alter ego; the comic describes his act as “very high-energy, very aggressive … I don’t ask a lot of questions from the audience.” See harrisonstebbins.com and follow him on Facebook.

Mitch Stinson (Tuesday, Aug. 13)

Ex-Navy jet pilot with over 200 carrier landings during his career, he’s now a comedian. Stinson’s material frequently touches on the transition from military to civilian life. He appears at comedy clubs all over New England. Follow him on Facebook.

Jerry Thornton (Wednesday, Aug. 14)

Thornton is a founding member of Barstool Sports, and one of its original writers. “He was a stand-up comic before that,” Dunn said. “We used to talk about the Patriots and the Bruins, and we used to talk sports when we were doing open mics together.” Follow him on Instagram.

Tony V. (Wednesday, Aug. 14)

A Boston comedy legend and Dunn’s best friend. “Tony V and I will probably be walking through the gates of hell together at some point,” Dunn said. A national headliner who’s been on late-night television and shared stages with everyone from Steven Wright to Adam Sandler. Follow him on Instagram.

Chris Zito (Saturday, Aug. 17)

A well-known radio host in addition to being a 30-plus-year veteran of the New England comedy scene, his specialty is talking about his family life. Zito also hosts the podcast Dad Like It’s Your Job. Find him on Instagram.

Playing at a hot machine

Kathleen Madigan hits big

While Jimmy Dunn is stoked that his comedy festival is now a record six nights, he knows there’s a difference between what he’s doing and what happens at the nearby Casino Ballroom.

“The big, big names — Kathleen Madigan, David Spade — they’re going to sell out the Casino,” he said. “This is a little hundred and fifty seat outdoor venue; it’s more for the locals. And we have a great time with it.”

Comedy at the Casino this year has included two sold-out Pete Davidson shows, along with TikTok favorite Nurse Blake. Upcoming is Madigan, with her pal Lewis Black appearing in September. The Missouri comedian is riding a wave of late. Her Hunting Bigfoot special is a hit, skewering aging politicians kindly but gently and empathizing with millennials in service jobs.

Also, after years of resistance, she launched a podcast.

“There were way too many comics, that’s why I never did it,” she explained by phone from a tour stop in Nashville. “I’d go to Improv City in L.A. there’s 20 people at the bar going, ‘You want to do my podcast?’ No, I don’t! We’re all talking about the same thing. It’s just comedians interviewing comedians … let’s raise the bar here.”

She’s the only comic on Madigan’s Pubcast, with her assistant acting as a foil. On each show, she drinks a local craft beer and has a few snacks, then takes on current events, in between virtually stalking her hero, Queen Stevie Nicks. It’s fun, loose and full of Madigan’s trademark “Are you kidding me?” snarkiness.

She also digs into favorite topics, like the differences between today’s youth and her generation. During the interview, she talked about twentysomething Zoomers who’ll leave a job before even starting it. “I look at my parents, they took jobs that they were supposed to,” she said. “They seem to know themselves better than we did, and I think that’ll be good in the long run.”

It continues a brilliant bit from her last special that placed the weight of the world on Taco Bell workers who could quit at a moment’s notice. “Do you know how to make a chalupa, because I don’t,” she said, urging boomers not to trigger them with angry demands for out-of-stock mild sauce.

Her Aug. 24 appearance at Hampton Beach will be set up cabaret style, with a general admission section in front of the stage and some high top tables behind, with the majority standard seating, a format that was first tried last year.

“When I looked at the seat maps online, I thought, ‘This is going to be funky,’” she said, “but it works for comedy.”

Madigan is currently on the Potluck Party 2024 Tour. “If you’ve seen the Amazon special, there’ll be some of that, some new stuff and then some greatest hits,” she said. “It’s basically a big old potluck of whatever fits the night. Last week I was doing jokes about Biden being old, and we’ve kind of moved on from those. I mean, I guess they still work, he’s still the president, but I try not to write topical stuff, ever … it’s nearly impossible, unless you have a staff of writers every day.”

She’s grateful for comedy’s resurgence post-pandemic, with things like Bill Burr — “the funniest person right now to me, like the person I’d pay for” — selling out Fenway Park and others doing similarly outsized business.

“If you think about the ’80s and ’90s, there were maybe five comics that could do an arena and sell it out, and now there’s probably over 10,” she said. “It’s like we’ve become the rock stars in this weird turn of events 35 years into this. I’m like, ‘Oh, now we’re mainstream?’ We used to be a niche thing … like jazz.”

Now in her 50s, Madigan has no plans to slow down. “I kind of feel like the slot machine is finally paying off, you put all your money in … and then it starts hitting. I’m not leaving now; I’ll leave when the machine goes cold. So far, the machine’s super-hot, so I’m staying.”

Kathleen Madigan: The Potluck Party Tour
When: Saturday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m.
Where: Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton
Tickets: Starting at $33 via casinoballroom.com. Show is 18+. Doors open at 6 p.m.
More Kathleen: See kathleenmadigan.com for her podcast, tour information and more. Her 2013 special Madigan Again and her 2023 special Hunting Bigfoot are on Amazon Prime Video. Her 2016 special Bothering Jesus is available on Netflix, as is her episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld.

More comedy

Here are some of the ticketed shows on the upcoming comedy schedule. Check back with the Comedy This Week listings, which run every week in Hippo’s Nite section, for more shows.

• Palace Theatre 80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Juston McKinney, Saturday, Oct. 4, 8 & 9:30 p.m.
Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood, Sunday, Oct. 4, 5 & 7 p.m.
Roger Kabler’s Robin Williams Experience, Friday, Oct. 11, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.

• Rex Theatre 23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Dusty & Dott, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2 & 4 p.m. (family-friendly)
Robert Dubac’s Stand Up Jesus: Blessed Be the Punchlines, Friday, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.

• Capitol Center for the Arts 44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com
Nurse John, Saturday, Sept. 14, 8 p.m.
Jessica Kirson, Friday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m.
Tracy Morgan, Saturday, Nov. 2, 8 p.m.
Nick Swardson, Thursday Nov. 14, 8 p.m.
Bob Marley, Saturday, Nov. 16, 8 p.m.

• BNH Stage 16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com
Jimmy Dunn, Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m.

• Nashua Center for the Arts 201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com
Jim Florentine, Tom Cotter, Tammy Pescatelli, Friday, Sept. 27, 8 p.m.
Jimmy Dunn’s Comedy All-Stars, Friday Nov. 1, 8 p.m.

• Amato Center for the Arts 56 Mont Vernon St., Milford
Bob Marley, Thursday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m. (see bmarley.com for tickets)

• Atkinson Country Club 85 Country Club Dr., Atkinson, atkinsonresort.com
Steve Sweeney, Friday, Sept. 6, 8 p.m.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub 707 Huse Road, Manchester, chunkys.com
Alex Giampapa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 8 p.m.
Ben Pratt (comedy illusionist), Sunday, Aug. 18, 8 p.m. (adults only Aug. 24)
Brian Beaudoin, Saturday, Aug. 24, 8 p.m.

• Murphy’s Taproom 494 Elm St., Manchester, murphystaproom.com
Jay Chanoine, Saturday, Aug. 10, 8:30 p.m.
Steve Bjork, Saturday, Aug. 17, 8:30 p.m.
Jason Merrill, Saturday, Aug. 24, 8:30 p.m.
Dave Rattigan, Saturday, Aug. 31, 8:30 p.m.

• Soho Asian Restaurant 49 Lowell Road, Hudson, sohocuisinenh.com
Dave Andrews, Tanaa Scott, Jonah Simons, Thursday, Aug. 15, 8 p.m.

• Colonial Theatre 609 Main St., Laconia, coloniallaconia.com
Jimmy Dunn’s Comedy All-Stars, Saturday Nov. 2, 8 p.m.

• Lakeport Opera House 781 Union St., Laconia, lakeportopera.com
Kelly MacFarland, Tony V., Ann-Marie Keene, Friday, Aug. 16, 8 p.m.

• Casino Ballroom 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com
Kathleen Madigan, Saturday, Aug. 24, 7 p.m.
Brad Williams, Saturday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
Lewis Black, Friday, Sept. 27, 8 p.m.

• The Music Hall 23 Chestnut St. for the theater, 131 Congress St. for the Lounge in Portsmouth, themusichall.org
Joe Sib at the Lounge, Sunday, Aug. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Chris Franjola at the Lounge, Friday, Aug. 16, 8:30 p.m.
Kevin Smith at the Theatre, Friday, Aug. 30, 8 p.m.
Carmen Lynch at the Lounge, Saturday, Sept. 7, 6 & 8:30 p.m.
Heather Shaw at the Lounge, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m.
David Drake at the Lounge, Saturday, Sept. 21, 6 & 8:30 p.m.
Charlie Berens at the Theatre, Saturday, Sept. 21, 8 p.m.

• McCue’s Comedy Club 580 Portsmouth Traffic Circle, Portsmouth, mccuescomedyclub.com
EJ Murphy, Liam Hales, Cher Lynn, Mike Pincus, Saturday, Aug. 10, 8 p.m.
Casey McNeal, Saturday, Aug. 17, 8 p.m.
McCue’s Comedy Showcase, Saturday, Aug. 24, 8 p.m.
Kathe Farris, Saturday, Aug. 31, 8 p.m.
McCue’s Comedy Showcase, Saturday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m.
McCue’s Comedy Showcase, Saturday, Sept. 14, 8 p.m.

• Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com
Bob Marley, Friday, Sept. 13, 8 p.m.
Jim Florentine, Tom Cotter, Tammy Pescatelli, Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m.
Jim Failla, Saturday, Nov. 23, 8 p.m.

Featured photo: Jimmy Dunn. Courtesy photo.

This Week 24/08/08

Thursday, Aug. 8

It’s Jaws Week at Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com). Tickets for the are on sale now. Sponsored by Narragansett Beer (narragansettbeer.com), the classic 1975 shark movie will be screened until Wednesday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m. each evening, accompanied by retro 1975-inspired cans of Narragansett, swag and shark-bite bowls. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 8

Hudson’s Old Home Days run Thursday, Aug. 8, to Sunday, Aug. 11, on the grounds of the Hill House (211 Derry Road, Hudson). There will be carnival games, live music, fireworks, food and more — Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. See hudsonoldhomedays.com.

Thursday, Aug. 8

It’s the opening day of the 66th annual New Hampshire Antiques Show, hosted by the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St.in Manchester). The show runs through Aug. 10 and will feature nearly 60 professional antique dealers. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $15 on Thursday; $10 on Friday and Saturday. Visit nhada.org.

Thursday, Aug. 8

Cirque du Soleil returns to SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com) with its high-energy and high-acrobatic production “Ovo,” a colorful intrusion into a new day in the life of insects. Performances will be today at 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 9, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, at 3 and 7 p.m, and Sunday Aug. 11, at 1 and 5 p.m. Tickets start at $45.

Saturday, Aug. 10

Brookford Farm (250 West Road, Canterbury, 742-4084, brookfordfarm.com) will host a Sunflower Soiree today through Sunday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Enjoy sunflowers, food, hay rides, a sunflower stroll, sunflower picking, a cow parade and more. General admission tickets are $10 online and $15 at the door. See brookfordfarm.com.

Saturday, Aug. 10

It’s free admission Saturday for New Hampshire residents at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org), which is open today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the Creative Studio from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., make paper flowers inspired by the work of Daniel Otero Torres, whose “Sonidos Del Crepúsculo (Twilight Sounds)” exhibit is on display now through Oct. 6.

Wednesday, Aug. 14

School of Rock (PG-13, 2003) will screen in Veterans Park in Manchester today at dusk, according to a post on the Manchester Economic Development Office Facebook page.

Wednesday, Aug. 14

Outdoor Movies in Concord with Concord Parks and Rec and Red River Theaters will show Jurassic Park today at sundown in Memorial Field.

Save the Date! Friday, Aug. 16
There will be a Silent Dance Party at the Auburn Pitts (167 Rockingham Road, Auburn, 622-6564, auburnpitts.com), Friday, Aug. 16, from 7 to 11:30 p.m. Paricipants will use a pair of three-channel headphones, each with a different playlist. Tickets can be purchased in advance at gsgnh.org for $20. Admission will be $25 at the door. All proceeds will go to Granite State Generocity, to aid their mission of helping people in New Hampshire with debilitating illness or disabilities.

Featured photo: Jaws.

Quality of Life 24/08/08

New Hampshire girls and mental health

In an Aug. 2 article, Nashua InkLink, nashua.inklink.news, reported that according to a recent study by the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, “50% of girls in the state suffer from mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. This rate is the highest in New England and surpasses the national average of 41%.” The article went on to quote data from New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services revealing that girls in the state attempted suicide twice as often as boys between 2011 and 2023. The reasons for the challenges for New Hampshire’s girls remains unclear.

QOL score: -3

Comment: Read the report at nhwomensfoundation.org/status-of-girls-nh.

Problematic liverwurst

Deli meat supplier Boar’s Head (boarshead.com) initiated a recall of its Strassburger Brand Liverwurst on July 25, after learning that it might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes the food poisoning listeria. The company subsequently expanded the recall to include “71 products produced between May 10, 2024, and July 29, 2024, under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names,” according to a July 30 USDA announcement.

QOL score: -1

Comment: For a full list of recalled products, visit fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts or the Boar’s Head website.

We’re smaaahties

As reported by Newsweek (newsweek.com) in an Aug. 1 online article, New Hampshire residents have the second highest IQs in the United States; we average 104.2, with Massachusetts just edging us out with an average score of 104.3. The Intelligence Quotient, or IQ score, assesses a range of cognitive abilities and attempts to reflect these in a two- to three-digit score. As the article points out, human intelligence is too complicated and nuanced to be truly reflected in one number. Nevertheless, it is gratifying to outscore the rest of the country, which has a reported average of 97.43.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Mississippi placed the lowest in the U.S. with an average IQ score of 94.2. The U.S. itself ranked 26th among countries; Japan placed first, with an average IQ score of 106.48.

Hidden treasure

Contractors renovating a barn for Manchester resident Toni Pappas discovered a cache of vintage baseball cards last week, including a Ted Williams rookie card. As reported by WMUR in an Aug. 4 online article, “The collection was hidden in the walls of Pappas’ barn, where she lived with her late husband for many years and where he grew up.” Altogether, workers and friends found 52 baseball cards from the late 1930s and early 1940s.

QOL score: +1

Comment: “Billy Pappas was a baseball Hall of Famer at the University of New Hampshire, a player for his Air Force football team,” the article reported. If any of the cards are sold, the proceeds will go to a sports scholarship in his name at the University of New Hampshire.

QOL score: 76

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 74

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Games go off in Paris

The Big Story – The Summer Olympics: We’re just a few days from the close of the Paris Olympics, which have been a mixed bag for the American team.

On the bright side they had far and away won the most overall medals — 71 to 46 by next best China — as Week 2 started. But while tied with China for most gold medals at 19 each, that was less than expected, in large part due to their swim teams winning just eight golds, their fewest since 1988.

Sports 101: Name the four pitchers named AL Cy Young award winner as a Red Sox

News Item – Ledecky Surpasses Thompson: Down goesJenny Thompson. Not quite, but the all-time record set by the great freestyle swimmer from Dover of 12 medals and eight golds was passed by Katie Ledecky when she won her 13th overall and ninth gold on Saturday. Even more astonishing is that all of the Top 20 times in 1500-meter freestyle ever swum have been done by her.

News Item – Blake the Flake: Three days after I chastised Blake Snell in this space for willingly coming out of several games with no-hitters in progress, he finally did it. Hell froze over against the Reds on Friday when Snell struck out 11 and threw 114 pitches in the 3-0 win as he pitched his first complete game in 202 career starts.

News Item – Chaos at Pats Training Camp: With team leader Matthew Judon sulking and showing up the brass over his contract status, Drake Maye off to a mostly rough beginning, the Globe’s Prince of Darkness Dan Shaughnessy likening Jerod Mayo to “Daddy Butch Hobson” and talk radio and the rest of the media horde as usual making a bigger deal out of it than it was, Week 1 of the Mayo era got off to a rough start.

The Numbers:

20 – consecutive losses for the Chicago White Sox as the week started, leaving them one behind the record 21 straight lost by the 1988 Baltimore Orioles.

57 – consecutive game winning streak for the U.S. Women’s Basketball team in Olympic competition dating back to 1992 after beating Germany 87-63 over the weekend to move into medal round play.

64 – years America went since winning gold in Men’s 4 Rowing competition in 1960 before doing it again last week.

… Of the Week Awards

Olympic Relative of the Week – Trinity Rodman: The worm Dennis Rodman’s daughter delivered a laser shot clutch goal in the 106th minute to give the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team a 1-0 win in a tense battle with Japan to send the U.S. on to face Germany in the semi-final round.

Quote of the Week – Steve Kerr: What he should have said to stem the nonsense after Jayson Tatum’s much discussed DNP. “We have an embarrassment of riches on this roster, that’s the best way to put it. I mean these guys are all champions, All-Stars, Hall of Famers, however you want to put it. So the whole thing is are we committed to the goal? That’s it.”

Random Thoughts:

Since the Dodgers went all in to get the best pitcher at the trade deadline in the Tigers’ Jack Flaherty, guess their explanation for DFA’ing now Red Sox hurler James Paxton a week earlier because they had a logjam in the rotation thanks to three of starters returning from injuries wasn’t really true, was it?

Sports 101 Answer: The Red Sox Cy Young winners were Jim Lonborg, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez and Rick Porcello.

Final Thought – Tatum’s Olympic DNP: First it’s been mis-characterized as a “benching.” It wasn’t, as rarely do guys get benched before they play the first game. Second, there are only so many minutes in a game and it’s not an “everybody gets a trophy” event. So comments by loudmouth nitwits like Kendrick Perkins (“he was disrespected”) and Charles Barkley (everyone should play 10 minutes) are wrong.

Instead it’s for an Olympic gold medal so the best guys should play, period. It’s a team of all-stars, so it will happen to guys not used to ever getting a DNP. If you can’t deal with it don’t come on the team in the first place.

Now having said all that, I said what I said last week about Steve Kerr’s original reason for not playing Tatum in Game 1 was because it being a match-up thing was ridiculous.

But it’s possible a DNP was a good thing for JT anyway. Because for once maybe he’ll get mad about something, anything, to let it drive his play. With the best outcome being his learning about playing with emotion for a change.

Lastly, about the noise from the cheap seats. If they don’t win gold, guess who’ll be flapping their gums the loudest about America’s Olympic failure? Yup: the two dimwits who say everyone should play to assuage their ego — Charles and the open mouth, insert foot ex-Celtic Perk.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

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