JC Haze is an independent voiceover actor and producer based in Manchester and a voiceover instructor at NH Tunes in Manchester.
Explain your job and what it entails.
On a day-to-day basis, I could be auditioning for clients [based] locally or around the country and around the world. … Seldom do [clients] hire you right away. You could be auditioning with a dozen or so other voice talents. … They send me a little script … and I sit here in my in-home studio and produce a demo and send it to them and hope they call me back and tell me I got the gig. … Once they’ve hired you for the gig, the client will tell you what they’re looking for, and you just need to deliver the goods. … If I’m recording at home, I’ll send them a bunch of takes. … If you’re recording in a professional recording studio, the client will be there with you, directing you.
How long have you had this job?
I launched JC Haze Voice Over about 14 years ago, in 2007 … but I had been doing a lot of voice recordings since I first got into the radio and broadcast business in 1979.
What led you to this career field?
I always wanted to do something with my voice. … Listening to radio commercials, I’d think, ‘I could do that. … I could use my voice to make clients happy, and to make myself happy, and to pay the mortgage.’ … When I was let go of a programming job in radio, I decided that it was time to be more of a business person for myself … so I created my own voiceover business.
What kind of … training did you need?
You don’t need a college education to be a voiceover actor. What you do need to have is thick skin. You have to be ready for a lot of people saying ‘no’ before you get the occasional ‘yes.’
What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?
Since I’m working in my own studio, I don’t have to worry about that, outside of the occasional Skype or Zoom call. I can wear whatever I want, whatever is comfortable.
How has your job changed over the last year?
During these days of Covid, a lot of work has been on the shoulders of the voiceover talent to do in their own studio. They record [at home] and email the to the agency or client so that no one has to go into a studio. Once Covid restrictions are lifted, we’ll probably go back to some [in-studio recording], but I think a lot of companies have realized, ‘Hey, we don’t need to have the voiceover talent drive 40 miles to come to our studio. They can do it in their own studio … and we can direct them over the phone or a Zoom call if we want to.’
What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?
It’s really important to back up your audio files. I knew that, but you always think, ‘[A computer crash] isn’t going to happen to me.’ Then, you have a computer crash and you lose everything.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
We’re not making tons of money. It’s like any other industry, where there’s a top 5 percent making 70 percent of the money. You have to really want it … and you have to work really hard to make money doing it.
What was the first job you ever had?
I worked at Brooks Brothers clothing store, down in the shipping department.
What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t give up, and don’t stop believing in yourself; just keep plugging away.
Five favorites Favorite book: The Art of Voice Acting by James R. Alburger Favorite movie: Blazing Saddles Favorite music: The Beatles and ELO Favorite food: A good salmon and a good ravioli Favorite thing about NH: Coming from New York, I like the slower and more relaxed pace here, and the friendly vibe.
Dear Donna, Enclosed is a necklace belonging to my great-grandma that I believe is of the Victorian era and made of brass. I have tried to research it but came up with nothing. There is also a cup and saucer, also belonging to my grandma, that says “J.P.L.France” and then “Limoges.” I believe it could be of some value, and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jackie from Pelham
Dear Jackie, Let’s start with your tea cup and saucer. The mark “J.P.L.” stands for Jean Pouyat Limoges. This was done during the middle to late 1800s. Definitely part of a much larger set for dining.
You are right about Limoges china having value, but in today’s market even value can sometimes be a tough market. The value on china is in the makers and mostly in the larger more uncommon pieces that are in excellent condition (which is hard to find). Then it would be in the hand painting designs (patterns). There is quite a history behind Limoges, and it’s interesting to read about in books or online to find out more about yours.
The value would be in the $25 range for the tea cup and saucer. Finding a buyer might be tough. though. in today’s market.
As far as your sweet necklace, unless pieces like it are marked it’s tough to find a value. So some things can give us a clue: material (gold or silver would have a higher value than brass); age (tough to tell in this case) and maker (if not signed then go by the design and condition).
It looks to be an earlier style, maybe from the same estate and period of time as your tea cup and saucer or a bit later. I think we’re safe to say it is in the $40 range but I would have it checked by a professional to confirm my view from here.
New Hampshire Children’s Trust is offering a free download of its Strengthening Families Across NH Activity Book. Courtesy image.
Outdoor circus
Find jugglers, acrobats, aerialists and other circus performers in the great outdoors during Circus in the Woods. Register now to attend one of Flying Gravity Circus’s four performances, taking place at four different nature and arts organizations in New Hampshire for the remaining Sundays in May — at the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock on May 9, the Beaver Brook Association in Hollis on May 16, the Hooper Institute in Walpole on May 23, and the Andres Institute of Art on May 30. Flying Gravity is a nonprofit based at High Mowing School in Wilton and is a circus education organization that promotes artistic expression, physical fitness and positive youth development through circus arts. Circus in the Woods will allow the annual show, which was canceled last year, to return as a fun family activity in a safe environment. Performances are between 2 and 5 p.m. and reservations are required through eventbrite.com. Tickets are $5 (children 2 and under get in free). Reserve a time slot now at flyinggravitycircus.org.
Mission to Mars
Find out what NASA is up to on Mars during Super Stellar Friday at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord). On Friday, May 7, the discovery center will hold its monthly virtual program at 7 p.m.; this month’s topic is “Robotic Life on Mars.” STEM instructor and senior Discovery Center educator Dave McDonald will share updates on the Perseverance Mars rover and Ingenuity Mars helicopter and talk about what’s next for their missions. The event is free, but registration is required at starhop.com.
Traditionally, June is the month for eating strawberries. But you can, in fact, grow varieties of strawberries that produce berries all summer, or that produce berries in June and again in the fall. In any case, now is the time to buy your strawberry plants before they are all sold out.
There are three basic types of strawberries: June-bearing strawberries, so-called ever-bearing strawberries, and day-neutral strawberries. Plant June-bearing berries this summer, and you will need to wait until next summer for your first berries (pick off any blossoms this year so they develop good roots). Ever-bearing berries are not really ever-bearing: they will deliver a load of fruit this fall, and again in future years in June and the fall. Day-neutral berries are not affected by day length and are truly ever-bearing. The first year, however, you will not get any June berries.
Strawberries are sold in clumps of bare root plants, usually 25 per bundle. They should be planted when the soil is at least 50 degrees, and when risk of hard frost has passed. A hard frost is one that is colder than 28 degrees and lasts for 12 hours or more.
You can buy plants starting in early May at your local garden center or feed-and-grain store. You can also go online and order from seed companies, but many varieties were already sold out at Fedco Seeds and Johnny’s Selected Seeds when I checked in late April. Nourse Farms in Massachusetts prefers that you order in the fall but still had several varieties available when I checked.
All strawberries like rich, well-drained soil. If you have a heavy clay you will need to make raised beds and add lots of compost. Work the compost in with a fork or shovel to make the soil fluffier. Even average soil needs compost for best results, as does sandy soil. Sandy soil will hold moisture much better if you stir in plenty of compost.
You do not need to create wood-sided beds. Just mound up the soil to create a bed about 3 1/2 feet wide that is 4 to 6 inches taller than your walkways. For 25 plants, a wide bed 20 feet long should do. For day-neutral berries, you can plant two rows of plants 12 to 18 inches apart in a bed. June berries need more space, so plant just one row per bed, and space 18 to 24 inches. But always read the directions that come with the berries and space accordingly. Don’t crowd your plants or they will produce smaller berries.
I recommend the day-neutral berries. They do not require as much work as June-bearing plants, which send out runners that need to be rooted in or pinched off. The day-neutral plants stay in nice tidy clumps. And they produce berries all summer long, starting in the second year. Their berries are smaller than June berries, however.
Assuming you have just average soil, you should work in some minerals and fertilizer in addition to compost before planting the berries. Five pounds of an organic, slow-release fertilizer in a 20-foot-wide row should be adequate. A good organic bagged fertilizer will add the three most necessary minerals — nitrogen for green growth, phosphate for strong roots and good flowering, and potassium for strong cell walls and resistance to drought and cold.
Organic fertilizers also add other nutrients that do not come in a bag of chemical fertilizer, things like calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, chlorine and iron. Organic fertilizers are made from things like seaweed, chicken manure, peanut hulls and cottonseed meal. These break down over time and supply nutrients to your plants.
There are a number of ways of planting your strawberries, but the main thing to focus on is getting good contact with the soil. To plant the berries, I smooth the soil surface, then dig shallow holes with small mounds of soil in the center of each. I spread out the roots over the mound, and then cover the roots with soil and pat it down. It’s important to not cover the crown (the growing point where the leaves begin).
An alternative way is to just cut a slice in the soil with a putty knife and push the roots into that slice with the putty knife. The crown needs to be at the soil surface, and the soil well-patted down. Nourse Farms (noursefarms.com) has a video on how to use that method.
After planting, water well and then water two or three times a week until they are well-established. All berries are high in water content, so don’t let the plants dry out if we have a drought again this summer.
Strawberries hate weeds, so always plant into a weed-free bed. Grasses will compete with your berries, reducing the size and number of your berries. One way to minimize the labor of weeding is to mulch well. I put down four to six sheets of newspaper over the soil between beds and cover it with straw, mulch hay or dry leaves.
Strawberries are a relatively easy crop to grow and will reward you nicely. Most varieties will come back for a few years, but eventually they lose vigor. Still — strawberry shortcake anyone?
Featured photo: Day neutral strawberries first picking. Courtesy photo.
Local radio host, columnist, author and filmmaker Rob Azevedo adds poetry to his list of activities with his debut collection, Turning on the Wasp, recently released by Spartan Press.
The new venture, which he started in April 2020, came as a surprise even to himself, Azevedo said.
“For some reason, I just started getting these poetic lines in my head … and when I get something in my head, it doesn’t leave my head until I do something about it,” he said, “so I just started writing them down.”
While Azevedo has done some creative writing in the past, including the screenplays for six short films featured at the SNOB Film Festival in Concord, and a memoir, Notes From The Last Breath Farm: A Music Junkie’s Quest to be Heard, released by Plaidswede Publishing in 2019, poetry is a literary art form he hadn’t explored since his college days, he said.
“I went from having written maybe 10 or so poems in my whole life to writing 50 poems over the course of four or five months,” he said, adding that his poems now total more than 250.
With modest expectations, Azevedo submitted a few of his poems to the Spartan Press, hoping to get one featured on its website, he said, but the publisher had bigger plans for Azevedo’s poems.
“He loved them and said, ‘What do you think about putting out a book of your poetry?’” Azevedo said. “That [scenario] is unheard of when it comes to publishing — normally, getting something published is a grind … and could take years, so I really hit the jackpot.”
Turning on the Wasp features 80 free verse poems, “perfect for flash poetry,” Azevedo said, at around 100 to 150 words each. They explore a wide range of subject matter, such as love, lust, rock ’n’ roll and social issues, with a tone that Azevedo described as “darkly comic.”
“They could be prompted by a line in a song, something I’m watching on TV, a work of art or something that happened in my own life,” he said. “Whatever [causes] that rush of poetry in my head, I just go with it and dive right into it.”
In the title poem, for example, Azevedo reflects on a near-death experience that he had two years ago, when he was stung by a wasp. He went into shock and stopped breathing.
“It’s all about me getting back at that wasp that almost took me out,” he said.
Azevedo continues to write poetry every morning, he said, and has no plans of stopping.
“I can’t seem to get away from it; I’m hooked,” he said. “It has consumed me to the point where I’m barely writing anything else.”
He has already assembled a collection of poems for another book, which he intends to pitch to his publisher at the end of the summer and, if approved, release in the winter.
“I’m just going to keep writing more and more poetry until this phase of my creative life is over and I move on to a new one.”
Turning on the Wasp by Rob Azevedo The book is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. Find Azevedo on Twitter (@robazza33) or email him at onemanmanch@gmail.com.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
The work of Roberto Lugo is currently on display at the Currier Museum of Art. Photo by Neal Santos, courtesy of Wexler Gallery.
• Pottery joy: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) presents a new exhibition, “Roberto Lugo: Te traigo mi le lo lai – I bring you my joy,” from May 6 through Sept. 26. Lugo is a Philadelphia-based potter, painter, social activist, spoken word poet and educator. His pottery reimagines traditional forms and techniques with inspiration from urban graffiti and hip-hop culture. In this exhibition, Lugo pays homage to his Puerto Rican heritage and explores his cultural identity and its connection to family, place and legacy. “The Currier Museum has a long history of collecting and displaying studio ceramics, and Roberto Lugo is undoubtedly one of the most significant voices working today,” Samantha Cataldo, the museum’s curator of contemporary art, said in a press release. “We are excited for the public to experience this unique installation and find their own connections to these important themes of community, value, and legacy.” Museum admission costs $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online in advance. Museum hours are Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free after 5 p.m.); and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the hour of 10 to 11 a.m. currently reserved for seniors and museum members. Lugo will give a virtual talk on Tuesday, May 11, at 5 p.m. It’s free and open to the public. In July, Lugo and fellow ceramicist Margaret Kinkeade will be in residence at the museum and will lead community workshops on ceramics. Details on the workshops are TBA. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• Exploring opioid addiction through theater: The New Hampshire Theatre Project’s Elephant-in-the-Room Series, in partnership with the Seacoast Mental Health Center, presents a reading of A Wider Circle virtually over Zoom on Thursday, May 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. Now in its fourth year, the Elephant-in-the-Room Series presents play readings followed by open discussions about subjects that are difficult to talk about, such as human trafficking and sexual abuse, death and dying, mental illness and more. A Wider Circle, written by local playwright and social studies teacher Mary Ellen Hedrick, centers on the family of a woman in the aftermath of her opioid overdose death. Following the reading, there will be a panel discussion on the opioid crisis’ effect on families with Hedrick, Rebecca Throop of Seacoast Mental Health Center and other opioid addiction and recovery experts. The event is free, and registration is required. Visit nhtheatreproject.org.
• Meri Goyette makes her artist debut: City Arts Nashua and The Nashua Telegraph present an exhibition, “Geometric Abstraction through Cut and Paste,” featuring the works of Meri Goyette, on display in the windows and lobby of the Telegraph offices (110 Main St., Suite 1, Nashua) now through June 11. Goyette, who is 95 years old, has been a longtime supporter and patron of the arts in Nashua and beyond, but has never publicly shown her own work until now. The exhibition will include statement collages and collectible greeting cards that she crafted from paper, fabric and glue during the pandemic. “Meri is such an inspiration to all of us in the arts here in Nashua and we are so fortunate that she serves on our Advisory Board and partners with us to support City Arts Nashua’s mission,” City Arts Nashua president Lisa Bissonnette said in a press release. Visit cityartsnashua.org.
• New artisan market: Henniker Community Market will host its first annual Henniker Handmade & Homegrown event at Henniker Community Center Park (57 Main St., Henniker) on Saturday, May 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nearly 40 local vendors and artisans will sell handmade items including jewelry, pottery, textiles, soaps and body care products, baskets, candles, birdhouses, fine art paintings and prints, home decor and more. See “Henniker Community Market” on Facebook or email hennikercommunitymarket@gmail.com.
Art
Classes & lectures
• GENERAL ART CLASSES In-person art classes for all levels and two-dimensional media. held with small groups of two to five students. Private classes are also available. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Students are asked to wear masks in the gallery. Tuition costs $20 per group class and $28 per private class, with payment due at the beginning of the class. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.
• DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org.
Exhibits
• DUO ARTIST EXHIBIT Features oils by Jim Ryan and watercolors by Lorraine Makhoul. On view during May. Seacoast Artist Association, 130 Water St., Exeter. Call 778-8856 or visit seacoastartist.org.
• 35TH ANNUAL OMER T. LASSONDE JURIED EXHIBITION The New Hampshire Art Association presents a group art show featuring works in a variety of media by NHAA members and non-members. NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth). On view now through May 30. Call 431-4230 and visit nhartassociation.org.
• “TRANSFORMATIONS: NATURE AND BEYOND” The New Hampshire Art Association presents works by digital artist William Townsend. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Gallery, 49 S. Main St., Concord. On display now through June 17. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “THE BODY IN ART: FROM THE SPIRITUAL TO THE SENSUAL” Exhibit provides a look at how artists through the ages have used the human body as a means of creative expression. On view now through Sept. 1. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “TOMIE DEPAOLA AT THE CURRIER” Exhibition celebrates the illustrator’s life and legacy through a collection of his original drawings. On view now. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “RETABLOS RECONSIDERED” Exhibit features works by 12 artists inspired by retablos, the honorific art form of devotional paintings that relate to miraculous events. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). On view now through June 6. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Call 975-0015 or visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com.
• “GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTION THROUGH CUT AND PASTE” City Arts Nashua and The Nashua Telegraph present an exhibition featuring the works of Meri Goyette, including statement collages and collectible greetings cards that she crafted from paper, fabric and glue during the pandemic. On display in the windows and lobby of the Telegraph offices (110 Main St., Suite 1, Nashua). Now through June 11. Visit cityartsnashua.org.
• “CRITICAL CARTOGRAPHY” Exhibit features immersive large-scale drawings by Larissa Fassler that reflect the Berlin-based artist’s observations of downtown Manchester while she was an artist-in-residence at the Currier Museum in 2019. On view now through fall. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.
Special events
• MAGNIFY VOICES EXPRESSIVE ARTS CELEBRATION Youth artwork showcased to help raise awareness and decrease stigma of mental illness and affect change to ensure social and emotional health for all children in New Hampshire. May, date TBA. Visit tinyurl.com/magnifyvoices2021 or email magnifyvoices@gmail.com.
Tours
• NASHUA PUBLIC ART AUDIO TOUR Self-guided audio tours of the sculptures and murals in downtown Nashua, offered via the Distrx app, which uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provides audio descriptions at each stop on the tour as tourists approach the works of art. Each tour has 10 to 15 stops. Free and accessible on Android and iOS on demand. Available in English and Spanish. Visit downtownnashua.org.
Theater
Shows
• FAME JR. The Seacoast Repertory Theatre PAPA Jr. presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through May 12. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• FUN HOME The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through May 28. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• GODSPELL The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through May 30. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• QUEEN CITY IMPROV The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Fri., May 7, May 21 and June 4, and Thurs., June 17, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• COMEDY OUT OF THE ’BOX The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Sat., May 8, May 22 and June 5, and Thurs., June 24, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• 42ND STREET Recorded live in London. Virtual screening presented by Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord. May 12 through May 19. $15 per ticket. Call 225-1111 or visit ccanh.com.
• DISCOVERING MAGIC WITH ANDREW PINARD The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Wed., May 19 and June 16, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• A WIDER CIRCLE The New Hampshire Theatre Project’s Elephant-in-the-Room Series, in partnership with the Seacoast Mental Health Center, presents a reading of the play, written by local playwright and social studies teacher Mary Ellen Hedrick. Virtual, via Zoom. Thurs., May 20, 7 to 9 p.m. Free. Registration is required. Visit nhtheatreproject.org.
• ROTARY PARK PLAY FESTIVAL Presented by Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative and Community Players of Concord. Features short original plays by New Hampshire playwrights. Sat., May 29, and Sun., May 30. Outdoors at Rotary Park, 30 Beacon St., E. Laconia. See Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative on Facebook or email powerhouse@belknapmill.org.
• PIPPIN The Seacoast Repertory Theatre PAPA Jr. presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. June 10 through July 18. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• HOLMES & WATSON Phylloxera Productions presents. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). June 11 through June 27. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• STEEL MAGNOLIAS The Majestic Theatre presents. Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. June 18 through June 27, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.
• HAMLET Post-apocalyptic reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic, produced by Cue Zero Theatre Co. June 18 through June 27. Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, Derry. Visit cztheatre.com or email cztheatre@gmail.com.
• ‘TIL BETH DO US PART The Majestic Theatre presents. Virtual and in person at Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. July 16 through July 25, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.
• CABARET The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. July 22 through Sept. 5. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• THAT GOLDEN GIRLS SHOW: A PUPPET PARODY at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Sat., Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35.
• TRUE TALES LIVE Monthly showcase of storytellers. Held virtually via Zoom. Last Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m., now through June, and September through December. Visit truetaleslivenh.org.
Baseball returns as theNH Fisher Cats take the field
Panoramic view of Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Courtesy photo.
It has been more than 600 days since the New Hampshire Fisher Cats last played a home game at Manchester’s Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, in August 2019. On Tuesday, May 11, the minor-league Double A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays will hold its season opener for the 2021 season, ending the nearly two-year professional baseball drought in the Granite State.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to welcome fans back to the ballpark,” team president Mike Ramshaw said. “I’m sure it’s going to be an emotional day for a lot of people.”
The Fisher Cats’ front office team has been closely following guidance from the State and from Major League Baseball, implementing a number of safety measures ahead of this season. Here’s a look at what you can expect when you come to the ballpark, plus some other events and happenings the front office has in store for this season.
Safety first
Northeast Delta Dental Stadium will be operating at 50 percent capacity, meaning it will be capped at just around 3,000 fans per game. In an effort to maintain social distancing, tickets will only be sold in “pods,” limited to two, four, six, eight or 10 people, with at least six feet between pods. At least 12 feet also separates the first row of seats from each dugout and bullpen.
“We’re really encouraging digital ticketing this year, just to try to limit the interaction between our staff and the fans,” Ramshaw said. “We’ll have ticketing that can be emailed or texted to you, and then [our staff] can just scan it and you’ll be good to go.”
Fans will not be allowed to congregate during any pregame happenings such as team batting practice, nor will there be autograph signings this year. During game play, Ramshaw said, masks or face-coverings are required for everyone over 2 years old, even when seated, except for when actively eating or drinking. Seats not in use during games will be Velcro-secured.
The types and sizes of bags that fans are allowed to bring into the park will be limited, also in an effort to limit staff interaction. Only necessary items such as medical bags, diaper bags and small clutch purses of about four-and-a-half by six-and-a-half inches will be allowed.
All of the concessions on the concourse, which include everything from hot dogs and hamburgers to french fries, peanuts, popcorn and domestic beers, will be open during games. Team officials are encouraging credit and debit card use whenever possible.
Both team stores will also be open, but at limited capacity. Ramshaw said there will be continuous sanitation throughout the park, especially on the concourse and in other high-traffic areas. In the event of rain delays, fans will be encouraged to return to their cars for the duration of the storm to avoid large gatherings. The Planet Fitness children’s play area will be open, but the bounce house has been removed in favor of other games that can be easily sanitized, like a giant inflatable tic-tac-toe game with basketballs that will be set up.
Coming out swinging
Despite the new precautions in place, the Fisher Cats will still be holding many of its usual special events throughout the season, including fireworks and giveaways.
“It will be a little different experience from what the fan is used to … and we just ask for our fans’ understanding and patience as we go through Covid,” Ramshaw said. “Minor league baseball is always about the player and fan interaction … [and] we want to still be able to bring as much as possible during a pandemic.”
Both the first home game of the season on May 11 and the game on Saturday, May 22, against the Portland Sea Dogs, for example, will wrap up with a fireworks show courtesy of Atlas Fireworks. Several giveaways are also planned, like for a magnet schedule on May 11 and May 12, and for a youth shirsey from former Fisher Cats player (and current Blue Jays major leaguer) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on May 16.
The Fisher Cats will honor local essential workers and first responders, during the games on May 13 and May 14, respectively. Saturday, May 15, is Game Show Night, when fans will be challenged with trivia questions, puzzles and more in styles of popular game shows like Family Feud, Jeopardy! and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? More upcoming promotions will be announced on a monthly basis as the season goes on.
Nashua Silver Knights Where: Holman Stadium, 67 Amherst St., Nashua When: Home opener is Thursday, May 27, at 6 p.m., against the Worcester Bravehearts (this game will also include a championship ring ceremony) Cost: Single game tickets start at $8 (limited to groups of 10 people); concessions are priced per item. Season ticket rates are also available. Visit: nashuasilverknights.com
Following a championship-winning 2020 season, the Nashua Silver Knights will aim to defend their title in 2021, holding their home opener on Thursday, May 27. They will face off against the Worcester Bravehearts at Holman Stadium in the Gate City. The Silver Knights are one of eight teams of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, a summer league gathering college baseball players from throughout the New England area. Although the start of the team’s 2020 season was delayed by about a month, front office general manager Cam Cook said the Silver Knights were able to play a shortened season that began on July 2. For much of the 2020 season Holman Stadium was only filled at 25 percent capacity, or around 750 fans. This year, Cook said, it will likely be raised to 50 percent, pending final City approval. The home opener will feature a championship ring ceremony, while other promotions will include several fireworks nights on game days throughout June and July.
Schedule and league changes
In ways similar to those of Major League Baseball teams in 2020, the pandemic has impacted the Fisher Cats’ schedule as the team tries to limit the amount of out-of-state travel among players.
The team will host the Portland Sea Dogs, Double A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, 18 times in 2021 — a record since the Fisher Cats’ first season in New Hampshire in 2004.
“I know many of our fans always enjoy seeing the future Red Sox play here, so that’s going to be a big perk,” Fisher Cats broadcasting and media relations manager Tyler Murray said. “[The Sea Dogs] are coming three different times, each for a six-game series.”
In fact, adjustments to the Minor League Baseball schedule have the Fisher Cats either at home or on the road for six-game series matchups throughout the entire season, from Tuesday through Sunday with Mondays always designated off days. Half of the team’s 120-game season will be played within New England, with the exception of a few trips to New York and Pennsylvania, and one trip to Bowie, Maryland, at the end of June.
Due to a reorganization of certain team classifications that begins in 2021, the Fisher Cats will be playing a new rival during their opening homestand — the Somerset Patriots, who were announced as the new Double A affiliate of the New York Yankees late last year.
Under Minor League Baseball’s new scheduling format, there will be no All Star Game or playoffs this year. The Fisher Cats will close out their 2021 season with a series at home against the Harrisburg Senators, Double A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, from Sept. 14 to Sept. 19.
Field of opportunity
Even though the Fisher Cats didn’t play a single game in 2020, the team’s front office stayed busy throughout the year, hosting all kinds of socially distanced events on the field.
“The staff … worked so hard to try to find ways that we could stay engaged in the community and still pull off some of the events that we could do in the absence of baseball,” Ramshaw said. “We didn’t actually find out that the baseball season was going to be canceled until closer to July. … So for us, we were just trying to figure out how we could do other things in the interim.”
Immediately turning out to be a success, he said, was hosting local high school and college graduation ceremonies on the field. As the summer and fall went on, the Fisher Cats office hosted everything from a food truck festival and “Dinner on the Diamond” events to socially distanced movie nights and an outdoor concert series in partnership with the Palace Theatre, as well as a cornhole tournament, a fashion show, and even a Shakespeare-esque performance from members of the Cue Zero Theatre Co.
“We’ve always thought about a lot of the things that we were able to do last year, but never really had the bandwidth or time to do them,” Ramshaw said. “I think people and companies are realizing that we’re not just a ballpark but we’re a venue … [and] when you spread everybody out socially distanced, the park looks empty with 1,000 people.”
In 2021, Ramshaw said, events are already being booked for dates when the team is on the road, including graduation ceremonies. There have also been conversations to bring back the outdoor concert series in the summer months.
“Hopefully as things start to change throughout the duration of the summer, we can try to get some more fans out to the ballpark,” he said. “I think the ultimate goal would be that we’re able to be at 100 percent capacity by the end of the year.”
Upcoming NH Fisher Cats team promotions • Tuesday, May 11: Atlas Fireworks show • Wednesday, May 12: Magnet schedule giveaway • Thursday, May 13: Essential Workers Night • Friday, May 14: First Responders Night • Saturday, May 15: Game Show Night • Sunday, May 16: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. youth shirsey giveaway
Last week, these two adorable goats followed QOL’s dad home from a run in Derry, staying right at his heels for about a mile until he got home, read their tags and called their owner. Alas, Bonnie and Clyde were not allowed inside, but they did enjoy some of the grass and rose bushes in the yard while they were waiting to be picked up.
Score: +1
Comment:QOL’s mom happened to be driving home and took a video capturing part of the run: picture a 6’3” man with these two little guys running to keep up with him, with “Watermelon Sugar” playing on the car radio as a soundtrack. Hilarious.
Back to the movies
Regal Cinemas in Newington and Concord and O’neil Cinemas in Epping are set to reopen this month. According to its website, Regal plans to reopen its Newington location this Friday, May 7, and its Concord location on Friday, May 21. According to the O’neil website, it is scheduled to reopen on Friday, May 7, as well. As of the morning of May 4, movies had not been finalized at O’neil, while Regal is showing movies like Godzilla vs. Kong and Mortal Kombat. Safety protocols will be in place, with limited capacities and face mask requirements.
Score: +1
Comment: There is no mention of the Hooksett location on Regal’s website, so when and whether it will reopen remains to be seen.
Intown scam
Members of Intown Concord have been targeted by a scammer for the past several weeks, according to a letter that Intown Executive Director Jessica Martin posted to members in a May 3 newsletter. “A man claiming to be Intown Concord’s Event Coordinator has been calling all over town asking for Market Days Sponsorships and verbally assaulting people. He has targeted banks, the fire department, the library, and many other businesses in the area,” Martin wrote. Intown has notified the Concord Police Department and the City, and the nonprofit apologized to any of the businesses that have had to interact with the scammer.
Score: -2
Comment:“Obviously, this is not the way Intown Concord does business,” Martin wrote. “Our all-female staff of two will never ask for cash up front for an event and we will certainly never call you on the phone and rudely demand it.”
QOL score: 70
Net change: 0
QOL this week: 70
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
With Bill Belichick soon to be on the clock really needing to get it 100 percent right for the first time since 2001, last Thursday’s NFL draft was a big day for Patriot Nation. But, given his exasperating draft history of mindlessly trading up and down the board, I didn’t enter the night with great confidence. Especially with his annoying penchant for trading out of the first round for a better “value” pick in the second and then blowing it on failed DBs like Joejuan Williams, Duke Dawson, Cyrus Jones, Jordan Richards, Tavon Wilson and Ras-I Dowling.
But after a less than satisfactory year after Tom Brady took his talents to a south beach, this time there couldn’t be any of the usual nonsense. He needed to get a long-term quarterback solution. That had everyone but those holding out for a trade for Jimmy G begging, and I mean begging, for a trade up to get one of the five top-rated quarterback prospects.
That set the stage as the night started. And the following is an account of how it went for David Long the fan, not the columnist, over the mostly excruciating 100 minutes from when Roger the Dodger opened the 2021 NFL draft until Coach B picked at 15.
I was calm, cool and collected through picks 1 and 2. Three was a shocker, at least to the “experts” who assured all that after trading three firsts and a third to move up there the 49ers would absolutely take Alabama QB Mac Jones. But somewhere along the line indecision crept into the SF war room and they went with ND State’s uber-athletic Trey Lance instead. That also put to rest the local media’s (except me) obsession with Jimmy Garoppolo’s return to Foxboro being inevitable. Never was, because no team has ever been imbecilic enough to dump a solid veteran QB to hand its legit Super Bowl ambitions over to any rookie on Day 1.
However, that didn’t change the equation for Patriot Nation, as two of the top five QBs remained as Lance was just swapped for Jones. That meant the real action, angst and worry now got started with all the picks to 8 trade-up possibilities. Scuttlebutt had the Falcons (4) and Carolina (8) as possibles to go QB. But thanks to enormous cap hit consequences on Matt Ryan and Carolina having just traded for Matt Darnold,that was unlikely.Still I crossed my fingers, but neither did. Phew. Denver, who clearly needs a QB, was next. But nope, they went DB Jaycee Horn to eliminate another QB contender or trade-up slot, making Denver’s choice both weird and lucky for New England. Phew again.
At 10, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg says “we’ve got a trade.” Please don’t say Chicago, WFT or New Orleans! Nope, in a move even weirder than Denver’s, hated rivals Philly and Dallas go all Henry Kissinger on us to swap 12 for 10. But turns out not to be détente but a desire to jointly screw another AFC East rival, as Philly jumped ahead of the G-Men to take Bama wideout Jaylen Waddle, whom the NYG’s badly wanted.
So, with the G-Men and Dallas having no QB interest, I’m back to the trade up mantra. Except at 11 I hear, “We’ve got another trade between the Giants and … Chicago.” Yikes! That means QB 4 is gone. Still, It’s still sort of lucky, as they took Ryan Day’s Ohio State QB Justin Fields to leave the already QB-solid Cowboys, Chargers and Minnesota between the Pats and the QB I wanted all along — Jones. So I’m back shouting, “GO UP will you please!” Although to be truthful it was more like begging him, along the lines of when I was on my knees begging Grady Little to take Pedro out of Game 7 vs. the Yanks during the 2003 baseball playoffs.
But then it’s all in jeopardy. Another trade is announced for the last pick before the Pats. Now it’s double fingers and legs crossed and I’m in full body contorted mode while squinting at the TV to help me both hear (good news) and not hear (if it was bad). Don’t ask me how it does either, because it doesn’t. Then comes the biggest shocker of the night, when the Jets of all teams save Bill from himself by moving into the 14th slot. They already took Zach Wilson, so no QB there. Of course, given his history I knew freaking Bill could still trade back and out of the first round.
But no — Roger the Dodger goes, “with the 15th pick the Patriots select” — please no DB, please no DB — “Mac Jones of Alabama.” Exhale and say PHEW as I uncross my cramped fingers, legs and de-contort my torso. Well, in truth I may have exaggerated the contorting parts just a bit. You’d have to be insane to do that at my age. Though when I was kid I once left my head resting on a radiator one Sunday in November as it kept getting warmer and warmer because doing it coincided with a big Giants comeback vs. Washington and I figured it was good luck. Hurt all the next day, but it was worth it. You know, once a lunatic fan, always a lunatic fan. So while exaggerated, that is how it played out in my head.
As for the net cost accounting to get the last three available QBs: (1) San Francisco — the position swap from 12 to third overall cost first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, along with 2022 third. (2) Chicago — their 2022 first pick to go from 20 to 11. (3) New England — thanks to a nice combo of strategy, guts and a little luck they spent nothing. We’ll hold back on “In Bill We Trust” stuff until we see the goods from the 4.0 GPA graduate-a-year-early ex-Alabama chucker.
Plymouth State student recognized for civic service
Alyssa Griffin of Londonderry is a second-year student at Plymouth State University, where she’s studying meteorology. She was recently honored with Campus Compact for New Hampshire’s Presidents’ Leadership Award and a spot in the Newman Civic Fellowship for her service work on campus and in the community.
What is the Student Support Foundation, and what has your involvement been?
The Student Support Foundation … awards emergency financial grants to students in need, and we manage an on-campus food pantry, as well as some other satellite miniature pantries across campus. In the fall semester I was elected food pantry manager. … I noticed that the food pantry didn’t really have any type of inventory system or donation system … so I created an inventory tracking system on Google Sheets … which was highly successful. We continued that system this semester, and I’m hoping we can continue it going forward. … This semester, our previous president didn’t return, and in our first meeting I was elected SSF president. I was kind of sad in a way because I loved my food pantry manager position, but I was also happy for all these new opportunities and connections that I can make as president.
How does the pantry inventory system work, and why was it needed?
We didn’t really know what was moving in and out of the pantry or what the items that students really needed were. If people reached out to us about organizing a food drive and asked us, ‘What do you guys need?’ we would have to physically go into the space and look and figure that out. … [With the new system] we do inventory once a month, and every time we get donations, we log those, so we’re very easily able to [assess the need] every month. … For example, if we were getting a lot of donations of chicken noodle soup and the inventory of chicken noodle soup was continuously going down, [that indicated that] chicken noodle soup was a hot, popular item, so we’d ask for donations of chicken noodle soup. Similarly, on the opposite side, if we were getting a lot of donations of toothbrushes and the toothbrush inventory kept going up, we [knew we] didn’t have to ask for toothbrushes for our next drive.
What have you and SSF accomplished during your time as SSF president?
[We accomplished] opening a couple of those satellite miniature pantries across campus, as well as organizing a partnership with Hannaford in Plymouth, New Hampshire. [Hannaford] donated over 100 boxes of pasta, bags of rice and canned products to us, and they featured us as their charity for a couple months.
What does the Newman Civic Fellowship entail?
The purpose is to connect me with other students and like-minded individuals across the nation — I think there are over 200 other colleges and universities [involved with the program] — who are doing amazing things on their campuses, to kind of inspire us and give us a support system and network to continue our work. There are going to be workshops on leadership and entrepreneurship, connecting us with professionals in different disciplines who are working with social justice issues, environmental issues, food insecurity, all of that stuff. They hold a big conference for all of us in the spring in Boston … where we’ll get to meet all these people and do some workshops and just get inspired by other people’s energies and aspirations.
What about the fellowship are you looking forward to most?
I’m definitely very excited to branch out. Being a STEM major, I haven’t had the opportunity yet to take a lot of classes in the social sciences, so [with the fellowship] I’ll be able to get involved in that way and also meet students who are a little more knowledgeable about some of the social injustices and things that are happening in the world. I have a feeling it’s really going to open my eyes to the struggles that other students are facing across the campus and the unique ways that [my] peers are tackling these issues.
How would you like to continue serving the campus over the next two years?
We want to make sure that we’re reaching the students who need our help … [with] whatever issue they’re facing right now, whether it’s a financial hardship or not being able to have a meal for the evening, so my goal is to make sure that our services are widespread and very easily accessible. … [Plymouth State] serves a lot of first-generation college students and low-income students and minorities in that aspect, so I’d love to talk to students who are comfortable talking about those challenges to see what else SSF can do to better support them.
How would you like to serve the wider community after you graduate?
In whatever line of work I end up in, whether it’s research or being a forecaster or a consultant or something completely different, I hope that I can find ways to continue to connect with the public. … I am extremely interested in educating the public on climate change and the science [behind it] and … making sure people have the tools and the knowledge at their disposal … to understand and prepare for it.
