Copenhagen opens as live shows return to the Hatbox Theatre
The Hatbox Theatre will reopen on July 24 with Phylloxera Productions’s staging of Copenhagen, the first show at the small Concord theater since it closed its doors in the spring.
Friends and physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg were the world’s leading experts in nuclear fission during World War II. With their countries at war — Bohr was from Germany and Heisenberg was from Denmark — and Germany racing to develop atomic weapons, meeting would be a dangerous endeavor. Copenhagen, written by Michael Frayn,is a speculative look at what happened during the secret meeting between the two men that took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1941.
The playpremiered at the National Theatre in London in 1998 and opened on Broadway in 2000. It won numerous prestigious awards, including the Drama Desk Award for Best New Play, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Best Play and the Tony Award for Best Play.
Director and producer Gary Locke first read the script for Copenhagen 12 years ago after he had seen several actors perform monologues from the play as part of their auditions for his productions.
“They were such rich, complex and wonderful monologues, and that made me curious about [the play],” Locke said. “I started reading it, thinking I’d be reading a story about World War II, but what I got was insight into the way the world works philosophically, emotionally — from every standpoint. It’s been on my radar [to produce] ever since.”
The three-person cast depicts Heisenberg, Bohr and Bohr’s wife Margrethe.
“It’s a wonderful play for actors,” said Jim Sears, the actor playing Niels Bohr. “There isn’t a lot of fanfare to it. It’s just three people and their interactions, with nothing else in the way. It’s one of those plays where you [as an actor] discover who you are during rehearsals.”
Though Copenhagen is chock full of science-related dialogue, audience members do not need to be fluent in the scientific concepts to enjoy the play, Locke said.
“I don’t want to convey the idea that it’s dense, not interesting and not fun,” he said. “It’s really a fascinating slice of history and character study of these three people.”
The play was originally scheduled to open in late April. The actors started learning their lines last fall and rehearsing in January, but in March, Covid-19 brought their in-person rehearsals to a halt. Still, they continued running their lines together over the video conferencing platform Zoom.
“We had to have a way to keep interacting and repeating the words while looking at each other,” Sears said. “It’s an incredibly pale [way of rehearsing] relative to being on stage with the other actors, but it was all we could do, and it was necessary.”
Locke said that because the play only has three cast members he “never had any doubt that it could still go forward in the era of Covid,” and he had always planned on bringing it to the stage as soon as theaters were allowed to reopen.
“This is a massive work of memorization for these actors, so they had already put a big commitment into it at that point, and I owed it to them not to cancel,” he said, adding that, even though the actors will be paid less than expected due to the limit on ticket sales, “I never heard a single complaint or doubt from any of them.”
Copenhagen Where: Hatbox Theatre, Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord When: Friday, July 24, through Sunday, Aug. 9, with performances on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets: $18 for adults; $15 for theater members, seniors and students; and $12 for senior theater members. Covid-19 guidelines: Audience members will be required to social distance and wear face masks during the performance. Contact: 715-2315, hatboxnh.com
No fall sports for UNH players and fans The University of New Hampshire Department of Athletics announced July 17 that its fall sports teams — cross-country, soccer, football, field hockey, and women’s volleyball — will not compete in intercollegiate athletics this year. “For months, we have worked … to establish safe protocols and practices that would protect our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the greater community,” UNH Director of Athletics Marty Scarano said in the announcement, which was posted on the UNH Athletics Department website. “As of the last few weeks it has become obvious that … the virus is not under control and continues to present a significant risk.” The announcement noted that all athletic scholarships and eligibility will be honored for this year. Score: -2 Comment:According to the announcement, the possibility of moving fall sports to the spring is being considered, and decisions regarding winter sports will take place in early fall.
Record-breaking spring turkey hunt New Hampshire hunters set a record during this year’s spring turkey hunt, harvesting 5,719 turkeys, which is 643 more turkeys than last year, according to a news release on the New Hampshire Fish & Game website. The youth hunt weekend also saw an increase, with a harvest of 500 turkeys (8.7 percent of the season’s total), compared to 424 last year. There were plenty of heavy birds this spring, with the largest weighing between 24 and 29 pounds. The top five towns for number of turkeys harvested were Weare (84), Concord (77), Gilmanton and Claremont (75 each), and Belmont (73), according to the news release. Score: +1 Comment:New Hampshire Fish and Game is asking the public to provide turkey brood observations through Aug. 31 for its annual turkey brood survey. Visit wildnh.com/surveys/turkeybrood.html to participate.
Backpack Drive is on The New Hampshire Department of Education announced in a press release that it is now accepting donations of new backpacks for its fifth annual Backpack Drive. Backpacks are needed for students of all ages and will be accepted through Aug. 19 at the Department of Education, 101 Pleasant St. in Concord. The backpacks will be distributed statewide to school nurses, law enforcement and PPE stations, which will make them available to students in need. “New Hampshire families sometimes struggle with the out-of-pocket expenses of sending their kids back to school, and this is one way people can lend a hand,” Diana Fenton, who first created the Backpack Drive for the department in 2016, said in the release. Last year, more than 600 backpacks were collected. Score: +1 Comment: QOL is welcoming all signs of normal “back to school” happenings this year.
We suck at driving New Hampshire ranks No. 5 in the nation when it comes to the number of at-fault car accidents, according to a study from Insurify, an auto insurance quotes comparison site that analyzed the driving records of 2 million car insurance applicants across the country. Their data found the following in New Hampshire: percentage of drivers with a prior at-fault accident, 15.71; percentage of drivers with a prior speeding violation, 12.78; percentage of drivers with a prior DUI, 2.13; and number of drivers with a prior reckless driving incident, 30 out of 10,000. “Based on New Hampshire’s high volume of reckless driving incidents … a possible determinant of this state’s accident rates could be a lack of common discretion on these less congested, open roads, leading to an abundance of carelessness and an increase in driving errors,” the report reads. Score: -1 Comment: At least we ranked higher than our neighbors, Massachusetts and Maine, which came in at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.
QOL score: 52 Net change: -1 QOL this week: 51 What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].
Ready or not baseball kicks off Thursday, July 23, in what will likely be the strangest baseball season ever. No one knows what to expect beyond the fact that with only 60 games each one will have a far greater impact than it would in a marathon-like 162-game season. That urgency is the most interesting thing about the season ahead.
So here’s a preview of the biggest stories and changes the 2020 MLB season may lead to.
No Crowds at Games:I don’t get the hubbub by some over piping background noise into telecasts. As long as they don’t overdo it, why not if it makes it sound less hollow?
Astros Cheating Scandal: If ever a team could benefit from no fans in the stands and a schedule not as closely watched as past years, it’s the Houston Astros. Before the pandemic hit, the retribution parade for their cheating scandal was likely going to be the year’s biggest story. Now it’s an afterthought.
Dark Horse Candidates: As usual the Yankees are getting a lot of ink, especially after signing Gerrit Cole, but I see more money going down on Tampa Bay to win. That is based on a strong 2019 when they finished 12 games ahead of Boston while spending $140 million less and a belief strong bullpens matter most in a 60-game season. I’d argue the opposite, as starters won’t have to pace themselves like over a six-month season. Tell me a 12-start season wouldn’t have been perfect for Chris Sale, which would’ve eliminated his annual post-All-Star game fizzles from overwork.
Non-Dark Horse Candidate: With Masahiro Tanaka already getting nailed in the head by a vicious Giancarlo Stanton line drive the annual injury parade has started for the Yankees. Given their history, I expect more to follow. In the NL I guess it’s L.A., though only because I’ll be watching how Mookie does.
The Stats: Jack Chesbro’s (41) and Hack Wilson’s(190) records for wins and RBI are safe. But what if someone hits .400? If so, there goes Ted Williams being the last to hit .400 in a season. So the question is, should it count? Well, when Roger Maris hit 61 homers in 1961 to break Babe Ruth’s single-season record, Commissioner Ford Frick tied an asterisk to it because it happened during the new 162-game schedule, while Babe’s came in 154. Frick, it should be noted, was a Babe binky and was protecting the big fella. With no one watching out for Ted, who knows. But if ever an asterisk should be attached, it’s to hitting .400 in 60 games! While I know the Commish has a lot going on, he should state what’s what before the season begins.
Can Someone Hit .400? It still may be a long shot, though, since according to a story I found in a FanSided column by someone named Bill Felber the last to be over .400 after 60 games was Andres Galarraga in 1993, which came in Denver’s thin air. That makes Nomar Garciaparra’s .389 in his first 68 of 2000 closer to today’s reality. So, if anyone does it, it happens at Fenway, making the most likely culprit Rafael Devers.
Alumni News: The rising star who got away to shine will be Yoan Moncada in Chicago. While it took him a while to roll, he hit .315 with 25 homers in 2019 and all signs point higher. A huge year will be extra painful because in addition to costing John Henry $50 million to sign him, with Sale out for the year the guy Moncada was traded for faces an uncertain future that comes on the heels of 2019’s dismal 6-11/4.40 campaign and an injury-shortened 12-4 season in 2018. That surprisingly points the needle for winner of that deal a little more toward the White Sox.
Never-ending A-Fraud Saga: It remains beyond belief that two-time PED cheat Alex Rodriguez is allowed to be the face of baseball on ESPN and beyond-er (if that’s a word) belief that MLB is actually considering letting this serial liar into the bidding to buy the Mets less than six months after the Astros cheating scandal exploded. But he’s got a new problem, after blatantly pandering to MLB owners last week by saying that after earning $448 million in baseball’s free market, players should accept a salary cap. Player outrage was best expressed by ex-Yankee Brandon McCarthy, who said players should boycott “self-serving liar” Rodriguez during his ESPN gig. Agreed, because If there’s ever been a bigger me-first fraud, I’ve yet to see him or her.
Radical Realignment Ahead: Playing games within a 10-team region to cut down on travel may be the forerunner to radical realignment that could erase the lines between AL and NL. For the Sox it’ll be facing the Mets, Yanks, Phillies, Blue Jays, Orioles, Nationals, Braves, Marlins and D-Rays. The history lover in me won’t love that, but I will say that after the NFL-AFL merger I hated seeing the Colts, Steelers and Browns leave the NFL to be part of the new AFC and I got over that pretty quick.
New Extra-Innings Rules: Thanks to dugout micro-managers making nine-inning games endless I’m for starting extra innings with a runner on second base. Anything to eliminate ending games at 3 a.m. with seven people in the stands.
Universal DH: The DH will be used in both leagues. Will it lead to it universally going forward? Probably, but who cares.
The Pandemic: As much as we’d like to, we can’t ignore the world’s biggest story with the biggest question being, with 10 teams playing in the nation’s four biggest hot spot stats of Texas, Florida, Arizona and California, will baseball be able to miss all the land mines to finish the season at all?
Cross your fingers, because I think making it through the year is a, ah, long shot.
Tracey Miller, a wellness coach and yoga instructor from Manchester, and her teenage daughter McKenzie have created a new two-week virtual summer camp for teen girls called Camp QuaranTEEN. Miller talked about camp activities, how the first session is going and how teen girls can benefit from a program like this. The next CampQ session starts Aug. 3. Visit traceymiller.co/campq.
What inspired you to create Camp QuaranTEEN?
I have a 14-year-old daughter, and all of her camps were canceled. Then, I started talking to other mothers, who told me their kids’ camps were also canceled, and they felt that their girls were becoming isolated. It’s really easy for girls to get stuck sitting around on their phones all day. My daughter, for example, is really very creative, and I know she loves [doing creative projects], but the older she gets, the more I have to provide a little initiation or inspiration to get her to keep doing it. … I wanted to [create a program] where girls could engage and collaborate safely, be creative and think outside the box so that they don’t get bored at home.
What are some camp activities?
The girls get an e-journal and guide with journaling prompts and art projects for them to do each day. The first art project is actually making a notebook for their journal, which they’ll print out. … Another project we’re doing is a fashion project, where the girls are upcycling a piece of clothing to express something about who they are and what they like. … They do a scavenger hunt, which is my attempt to get them outdoors, because all the things they have to find are around their house. … There are live cooking demos that teach the girls how to cook healthy food, and one of the final projects is a cookbook that the girls put together with their own recipes. … We meet online for an hour to an hour and a half each day to talk about what they’ve been doing, to brainstorm random acts of kindness they can do and other [topics] that get the girls to be more reflective and expressive about who they are and what’s important to them.
How is the first session going?
It’s been really great. We have eight girls participating, and I’m so inspired at how creative the girls are. Some of them already sew, and many of them like to cook. It’s been really fun, and the girls seem to be really excited about it.
How is your daughter helping with the camp?
She’s helping me come up with ideas for the girls to keep it cool, because when you’re 14 your mom’s not so cool. … She loves to cook, and she inspired some of the recipes that the girls are learning. She’s also helping with the cooking lessons. This morning she taught the girls how to make a poached egg and avocado toast.
How can parents get involved?
I’ve provided parents with a materials list and a shopping list of food they need for the recipes, and I’ve tried to keep it simple with a lot of common ingredients that they probably already have. I’m really encouraging the girls and their parents to be creative and use what they already have around the house so they don’t have to go out and spend $80 on materials and ingredients. … I’m also encouraging the girls to go through their journal with their parents at the end of the week so they can share some of the things that came out in their journaling and show them their art projects.
What would you like girls to take away from their camp experience?
I’m hoping to really provide more tools for them during these teen years that they can carry with them through their whole life. This is such a formative time for girls, and an important time for them to start expressing themselves, become more confident and take care of their bodies. … I want them to learn new cooking skills and be creative [with] and curious about new food. I want them to become more mindful about their uniqueness and to appreciate their uniqueness rather than feeling like they have to be “normal.” I want them to be able to share their feelings so they can understand that they’re not in this alone, and that other girls are going through some of the same things and having some of the same thoughts and feelings.
Do you plan on continuing CampQ, or something like it?
I definitely plan on continuing to do some workshops in the fall that teach girls about how to be more mindful and grounded, how to be more confident and how to deal with things like stress and anxiety.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Governor’s updates Gov. Chris Sununu made multiple announcements in the past week amid the state’s ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On July 14, in a press conference, Sununu announced the creation of a new online portal through New Hampshire Employment Security, calling it a “centralized database for New Hampshire-based employers.” You can access it by visiting unemploymentbenefits.nh.gov and clicking on the “Covid-19 response recruitment” tab.
Also on July 14, Sununu announced the fall reopening plan for public schools across the state. The guidance documents were designed by the School Transition Reopening and Redesign Taskforce, providing districts with the flexibility to safely reopen, continue remote learning into the fall or adopt a hybrid model. The guidance includes multiple recommendations for professional development and staffing preparation, should a teacher or faculty member need to quarantine as a result of the virus. It also encourages school districts to actively communicate with students and faculty about social distancing and mask wearing. Sununu added that the guidance goes over transportation protocols and recommendations, such as encouraging assigned seating on school buses. Finally, the documents discuss what can be done if a school district elects to take the hybrid learning route, or a combination of in-person and remote learning and instruction. To view the full guidance recommendations, visit covidguidance.nh.gov and click on “K-12 Back-to-School Guidance.”
On July 15, Sununu issued Exhibit L to Emergency Order No. 29, which had been issued on April 9. Emergency Order No. 29 requires state agencies, boards and commissions to submit recommendations to Sununu if any regulatory deadlines should be adjusted in response to the state of emergency. Per Exhibit L, requests by employees of the New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services to use floating holidays have been waived through June 30, 2021.
In a July 16 press conference, Sununu announced that the state’s Business Finance Authority will oversee the New Hampshire General Assistance & Preservation Fund (NH GAP Fund), a new fund of $30 million for individuals and businesses that did not meet the eligibility requirements for the Main Street Relief Fund, the Non-Profit Emergency Relief Fund or the Self-Employed Livelihood Fund. The application period for the NH GAP Fund began on July 21 and runs through Aug. 4. Franchises and new businesses in the state are among the potential applicants of this fund. Visit goferr.nh.gov to access the application.
During the same press conference, Sununu said the state is giving a $19 million grant to the University System of New Hampshire for remote learning transition assistance, as well as a $6 million grant to the state’s Community College system for tuition support.
Details on all of Sununu’s orders and guidance documents can be found at governor.nh.gov.
Face coverings at school The Manchester Board of School Committee voted Monday night to require face coverings when schools reopen, according to a press release from the Office of the Mayor. The board also voted in favor of modified classroom layouts with desks situated 6 feet apart. “By Aug. 10, Superintendent Goldhardt will present a reentry plan to help keep educators, staff, students and their families safe,” Mayor Joyce Craig said in the release. The board also pushed back the school start date by one week to Sept. 9, according to a report from WMUR.
House bill action Gov. Chris Sununu was also busy signing and vetoing numerous bills in the past week, according to multiple press releases from the Office of the Governor. Here are a few of the highlights:
HB 1162 was signed into law. The legislation “enhances programs for at-risk children in New Hampshire and expands the Office of the Child Advocate” and allows unmarried couples to adopt, according to a press release from the House Majority Office. “This bill reaffirms our commitment and builds upon the progress we have made in reforming and enhancing the state’s child welfare system,” Sununu said in a statement. “While the Department of Justice has raised concerns regarding this bill as it pertains to the Office of the Child Advocate, I am confident that the Attorney General can work with the Office of the Child Advocate to ensure that the Office operates within appropriate legal limits and consistent with Constitutional requirements.”
HB 1240 and HB 705 were signed into law, both of which address sexual assault and related offenses, including in school settings. “We know that unfortunately, there are people out there who will use a power disparity to try and take advantage of others,” Sununu said in a statement. “This is something that even happens in schools. It is important that school be a place of trust and responsibility. If someone violates the trust and authority we place in them and takes advantage of a child, we are now able to act appropriately.”
HB 1280 was signed into law. “This bipartisan legislation lowers prescription drug costs for Granite Staters,” Sununu said in a statement. “Additionally, this legislation will inject transparency in drug pricing, allow New Hampshire to import low-cost prescription drugs from Canada, and puts a price cap on insulin to ensure no one will have to worry about being able to afford life-saving insulin. This bill now makes the cost of insulin in New Hampshire the lowest in the nation.”
HB 1645 was signed into law. It prohibits the use of chokeholds by law enforcement; prohibits private prisons in New Hampshire; requires police officers to report misconduct; further reforms bail reform; and provides funding to municipalities for psychological stability screening for candidates seeking certification as law enforcement officers.
HB 1266 was signed into law, making temporary modifications to the absentee voter registration, ballot application and voting processes in response to Covid-19.
HB 1166 was vetoed. The bill addressed federal unemployment funding under the CARES Act. According to a press release from the Office of the Governor, the bill contains provisions that violate federal law and would make New Hampshire ineligible for federal unemployment funding. “Our job is to open doors of opportunity in times of need, not cut off federal support when families are struggling,” Sununu said in his veto message.
SNAP online Anyone who gets Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can now purchase and pay for groceries online, using EBT cards to purchase eligible food items through Amazon and Walmart, according to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. The pilot program is in response to the pandemic, allowing SNAP recipients to stay home and practice social distancing. The benefits cannot be used for service or delivery charges, according to the release.
New PSAs District of New Hampshire U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray has announced the launch of public service announcements aimed at combating drug and gun crimes. According to a press release from the Department of Justice, the opioid crisis has led to an increase in gun use and guns being traded for drugs. In response, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has developed social media public service announcements to educate people about these illegal activities and their consequences. “Drug trafficking and violent crime jeopardize the safety and security of the citizens of New Hampshire,” Murray said in the release. “We are seeking to raise awareness about these crimes and to solicit the public’s assistance in helping us to make the Granite State safer. A fully informed public is a powerful deterrent against the harm caused by drug traffickers.”
North Conway has once again made the Top Ten Small Towns for Adventure list in the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, according to a press release. This is the third year in a row that the town has made the list and is the only one that’s in New England. Access to Mount Washington and four-season recreation helped North Conway make the list, according to the release.
Deerfield resident Dwight Barnes will start a 1,000-mile walk on Aug. 17 to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of New England. Barnes, a retired McDonald’s owner and operator, plans to start in Boston and walk 20 to 25 miles a day as he makes his way across New England.
The Veterinary Emergency Center of Manchester has a brand new, 12,800-square-foot facility at 2743 Brown Ave., according to a press release. The center offers 24-hour emergency care and features full digital radiology, a laboratory and surgery and monitoring equipment.
Coppal House Farm in Lee will hold its annual Sunflower Festival from Saturday, July 25, through Sunday, Aug. 2, to coincide with the flowers’ bloom dates. The weekend will feature a craft fair, live music, food vendors, a wine garden and animal viewings, and there will be special events during the weekdays as well. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Find ticket information at nhsunflower.com.
“It is America! You should be speaking English!” “Is anybody here illegal?!” “It’s America speak English!”
Those words rang out in a now viral video filmed by a woman in downtown Nashua as she began harassing men who were installing hardscapes. This tirade was unprovoked except for the fact that she happened to overhear the white foreman speaking to his employees in a language that they felt most comfortable conversing in — Spanish.
For most of my life, half of my family did not speak English; a fact most don’t know about me as my French Canadian roots disappeared when my mother married a man with the last name Ryder. Between my father not speaking French and our desire to simply become “White Americans,” my brother and I never learned the language.
My mother grew up in Nashua and was surrounded by her big French-Canadian family where the words that flowed from their mouths were never taught in schools. Her family found its way there thanks to the factories with pensions and unions to protect their jobs. In just two generations, our family went from having not even an eighth-grade education to having post-graduate degrees.
I remember spending my summers jumping in my pepere’s pool as my grandparents and mom spoke to one another in a language I did not understand. When I would hear them speaking that way, I would think to myself, and sometimes say aloud to them, “Speak English!”
I say all this to remind myself and others that many of us started here with different experiences, languages, and intentions. I know the mindset of “It’s America — speak English” is how we have all been conditioned.
Despite the fact that speaking a language other than English is relatively harmless, there is real damage for those who do not abide by those rules. The violent words and actions hurled at the Latinx employees from the white woman is a perfect example of how white privilege permeates even the most innocent of spaces.
Fortunately, the public outcry from the video was enough to silence her, but I know that those workers will not soon forget what happened or how they were treated. We all have to work twice as hard to undo the harm done out of fear and hate.
I wish I could go back and listen to my grandparents speak, to hear their voices and laughter at the words I did not understand, and know that they were only trying to express themselves in the way that felt most natural to them. Unfortunately, that time has long passed and with it a key part of our cultural identity — all in the name of ignorance.
