Tag: 220908

Manchester Citywide Arts Festival

The Queen City celebrates art, dance, theater, music and more with a week of events

Calendar of Events

Event descriptions are according to the organizers. See manchesterartsfestival.com for the latest festival updates and to register for events.

Monday, Sept. 12

• Family Clay Monster Sculpting
4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St.)
Make your own monster out of clay. Studio 550 will have pre-made “monster bodies” for you to embellish with your own horns, teeth, eyeballs and texture. Projects can be sculptures or can be modified to be a jar. Preregistration is required.

• Meet & Greet Artists @ Cat Alley
5 to 7 p.m.
Bookery (844 Elm St.)
Learn about the origins of Cat Alley and talk to emerging artists to professional muralists who were part of this project. Registration is recommended.

• Artist Talk with Ryan ORourke, Rich Pellegrino and Emily Dumas
6 to 7 p.m.
Bookery (844 Elm St.)
Ryan ORourke, Rich Pellegrino and Emily Dumas will be chatting about how they’ve gone from emerging artists to published illustrators. David Hady will be moderating. Registration is recommended.

Tuesday, Sept. 13

• Free dance class and story time for ages 2 to 5
10 to 10:45 a.m.
Dimensions in Dance (84 Myrtle St.) Register via Art Fest website.

• Jewelry workshop
3 to 5 p.m.
Institute of Art & Design at New England College (148 Concord St.)
Free. Learn how to make wire rings using basic jewelry tools and copper and brass wire. Registration required.

• Manchester Community Music School open house
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St.)
Come visit the Manchester Community Music School. Take a tour, listen to ensembles rehearsing, try out some instruments, meet the faculty, and learn more about individual and group lessons. Registration is recommended.

Wednesday, Sept. 14

• Free ballet class for adults
10 to 11:30 a.m.
Dimensions in Dance (84 Myrtle St.)
Register in advance. No experience needed.

• Excerpts & Investigation: A NH Dance Collaborative Performance
5:30 to 7 p.m.
The Factory on Willow (252 Willow St.)
Free event (registration is recommended). Watch three short segments of an evening-length dance called The Shire performed by Nsquared Dance. A post-performance discussion will feature the choreographer and the dancers.

• Pumpkin topiary workshop
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The AR Workshop (875 Elm St.)
Register in advance.

Thursday, Sept. 15

• Jewelry workshop
3 to 5 p.m.
Institute of Art & Design at New England College (148 Concord St.)
Free. Learn how to make wire rings using basic jewelry tools and copper and brass wire. Registration required.

• Printmaking workshop
3 to 5 p.m.
Institute of Art & Design at New England College (148 Concord St.)
Free. This workshop introduces the creative process of Intaglio printmaking. Spend an afternoon working with dry point on copper plates. Registration required.

• Free trial class of our Tap/Jazz combo class for kids in grades 3 to 5.
4 to 5 p.m.
Forever Emma Studios (516 Pine St.)
Tap shoes not required.

• Art After Work
5 to 8 pm
Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St.)
Free exhibition tours and gallery admission to the museum, live music in the Winter Garden (tonight’s scheduled performers are Hickory Horned Devils), happy hour drink specials and a full menu available for purchase every Thursday night. See currier.org.

Friday, Sept. 16

• Glass demonstration
3 to 7 p.m.
Studioverne, Fine Art Fused Glass (412 Chestnut St.)
Stop in to meet the artist and see a demonstration. This painterly process of using only glass powders is just one technique to form fused glass art. It’s free to try for yourself. Fall leaves will be available. Browse the gallery and shop new collections early. See studioverne.com.

• Family pottery workshop
4:30 to 5:45 p.m.
Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St.)
Families can get a crash course on the pottery wheel. Kids must be 9+. One finished piece of pottery is included per participant. Pre-registration is required.

• Free jazz class for ages 6 to 10
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Dimensions in Dance (84 Myrtle St.)
Register via Arts Fest webpage. No experience needed.

• The Little Mermaid, opening night
7:30 p.m.
The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St.)
Get your ticket to Disney’s The Little Mermaid at palacetheatre.org.

• Friday Night Comedy at the Rex 7:30 p.m.
Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St.)
Featuring Dan Crohn and Emily Ruskowski. Tickets at palacetheatre.org

Saturday, Sept. 17

• Street fair
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Opera Block of Hanover Street.
The Arts Festival will culminate in a free family-friendly street fair in the Opera Block (Hanover Street between Elm and Chestnut streets) featuring an arts market, interactive art installations, live performances, food trucks and more. See the following page for more.

• Glass demonstration
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Studioverne, Fine Art Fused Glass (412 Chestnut St.)
Stop in to meet the artist and see a demonstration. This painterly process of using only glass powders is just one technique to form fused glass art. It’s free to try for yourself. Fall leaves will be available. Browse the gallery and shop new collections early. See studioverne.com.

• Printmaking wood blocks with Steamroller
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Institute of Art & Design at New England College (77 Amherst St.)
Watch students create large scale prints with a steamroller.

• Storytime with illustrator Ryan ORourke
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Bookery (844 Elm St.)
Illustrator Ryan O’Rourke will read and talk about his job creating art for books.

• Witch Crafting Series with Shadow & Soul Emporium
11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (30-minute classes on the half-hour)
At the Soul Emporium tent at the Street Fair
Create magical crafts with Shadow and Soul Emporium. Registration required.

• Painting demo with artist Diane Crespo
noon to 2 p.m.
The Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St.)
See dianecrespofineart.com.

• The Little Mermaid
2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St.)
Tickets for Disney’s The Little Mermaid are available at palacetheatre.org.

• Show opening of “Full Circle” at Mosaic Art Collective
5 to 8 p.m.
66 Hanover St., Suite 201
Mosaic Art Collective is hosting a grand opening and their first show, a group show of southern New Hampsire artists called “Full Circle.” An internal gallery opening for the show “The Locals” will be presented by See/Saw Art. See mosaicartcollective.com.

• Chunky Herringbone Knit Blanket Workshop
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
AR Workshop (875 Elm St.)
The workshop will guide you step by step through the hand knitting process to create a cozy one-of-a-kind blanket with herringbone details. Register via Arts Fest webpage.

Sunday, Sept. 18

• Street fair
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Opera Block of Hanover Street.
The Arts Festival will culminate in a free family-friendly street fair in the Opera Block (Hanover Street between Elm and Chestnut streets) featuring an arts market, interactive art installations, live performances, food trucks and more. See the following page for more.

• Free trial classes for adult tap program
Beginner: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Intermediate: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Forever Emma Studios (516 Pine St.)

• Free trial classes of teen Hip Hop and Contemporary program (grades 4 to 12)
Level 1 Contemporary: noon to 1 p.m.
Level 2 Hip-hop: noon to 1 p.m.
Level 1 Hip-hop: 1 to 2 p.m.
Level 2 Contemporary: 1 to 2 p.m.
Forever Emma Studios (516 Pine St.)

• The Little Mermaid
2 p.m.
The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St.)
Tickets for Disney’s The Little Mermaid are available at palacetheatre.org.

Throughout the week

• Mini-Mural Monster Hunt
Aug. 29 through Sept 16
During any business hours (specific locations will vary)
Find all the mini-mural monsters for a chance to win a gift card to a participating downtown business. For an official monster mural checklist, visit a participating business. For an updated list of businesses go to 550arts.com or email [email protected].

• Community Threads
Sept. 15, Sept. 17 and Sept. 18
Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St.)
The Currier invites community members to contribute to an ongoing large-scale weaving project that represents individuals and communities.

Featured photo: Dimensions in Dance. Courtesy photo.

Treasure Hunt 22/09/08

Dear Donna,

I just got this sweet lot of old seed sleeves. I thought I might be able to do something creative with them.

I paid $10 for the bunch . Can you tell me if I got a good deal?

Thanks ahead, Donna.

Laura

Dear Laura,

I think you did find a little treasure!

All old garden pieces have a collectible and decorative value today. Seed packets are usually in the range of $2 to $15 each . This depends on the age (the older, the better), graphics producer, rarity and, as always, condition. So if you have more than a dozen, Laura, you got a good deal.

As far as decorating with them I say yes. No matter what you decide to do with them, they will bring color and conversation into your home!

Thanks for sharing your treasure with us.

Kiddie Pool 22/09/08

Family fun for the weekend

Free Saturday

• Take a free trip to the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) this Saturday, Sept. 10, when, as with the second Saturday of every month, New Hampshire residents get free admission to the museum. (Normally, admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17; children 12 and under get in for free.)

• Enjoy a free movie under the stars in Concord. The movie Encanto (PG, 2021), the Disney animated musical famous for not wanting to talk about Bruno (no no no), will screen Saturday, Sept. 10, at Keach Park, 20 Canterbury Road in Concord, as part of a joint effort between Red River Theatres and the Concord Multicultural Festival. The screening starts at sunset (about 7 p.m.); bring a blanket and some snacks.

• Benson Park Family Fun Day, which will be held at the Benson Park Ampitheatre (Benson Park is on Kimball Hill Road in Hudson), will run Saturday, Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free community event will feature games, a raffle, a coloring booth and performances such as a concert from “Let’s Play Music” (featuring local youth talent) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a Wildlife Encounters live animal education program from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and magic with Jim Leach from 2:45 to 3:15 p.m. See friendsofbensonpark.org for more about the event (the website recommends bringing a picnic and lawn chairs) and about the park, where the Friends of Benson Park are currently operating the seasonal store Friday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Rockin’ kids

• The student performers of the Palace Youth Theatre will present Rock of Ages: Youth Editionat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Friday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for children and are available for purchase online.

Time with nature

• Kids can learn more about the butterflies on the move at “Buds & Blooms: The Magic of Monarch Migration” on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org, 668-2045). The session, which requires parental supervision and is suited for children ages 4 to 12, will explain the monarch butterfly’s journey south from New Hampshire to northern Mexico, according to the website. The event is free but pre-registration is required to reserve a spot.

Saving the harvest

Is that a squash under the bed?

Now is the time when gardeners often have too much fresh produce. People joke about locking their cars to keep neighbors from placing unneeded zucchinis in them. Our mothers and grandmothers labored over hot stoves on hot days to put up tomatoes in jars for winter, or to make jam. Now there are better, easier ways to preserve the harvest. Let’s have a look.

I keep tomato products for later use in a number of ways. First and easiest, I freeze tomatoes whole. I put clean tomatoes in zipper bags and freeze them whole. Later, when I want tomatoes for a soup or stew, I just run hot water from the tap into a big bowl and drop in a few tomatoes. That softens them up so I can easily chop them, but it also loosens the skins. I just rub the skins with my fingers, and the skin comes off. A few minutes later I chop them and they are just like canned tomatoes.

Want tomatoes for winter sandwiches? Cut them in thick slices and roast them on a sheet pan at 350 degrees until most of the moisture has gone. Then cool and place in zipper bags for storage in the freezer. When you need a tasty tomato in your sandwich, take a few slices out, and cook slightly in a toaster oven to thaw it.

I grow many hundreds of cherry tomatoes each summer. I plant a dozen or more ‘Sun Gold’ cherry tomato plants each year, and each produces a bounty of rich, golden nuggets of flavor. What do I do with all those? I cut them in half and dry them in a food dehydrator, cut side up. When dry they will keep well in the pantry (or the freezer) in a wide-mouth quart jar. I toss a handful into every soup or stew I make.

Of course you can slice and dehydrate any kind of tomato. I have a friend who slices tomatoes, dries them until they are very crisp, and then grinds them in a food processor to make dried tomato flakes. She sprinkles the flakes into or on to a wide range of dishes. And she usually gives me a pint of them each year, which I treasure — I use it to add that mystical “umami” flavor to a dish.

A few words about food dehydrators. I have lots of experience with two good ones: NESCO American Harvest is a round dehydrator that will allow you to add many extra trays (up to 30, but with much increased drying time). NESCO dehydrators come with either top or bottom heat, so drying time is a bit uneven. The other is Excalibur, a square one with nine trays. These blow air across the trays, and everything gets dry at once. They both have thermostats and timers that will turn them off when desired.

I use my dehydrators for drying apples and pears that are great for snacking. I cut slices about 3/8 inch thick and bag them up for snacking while they are still chewy. It looks like I will have a great grape harvest this year, and I may try making raisins. Set temperature at 125 to 135 degrees so you don’t break down vitamins.

I also use a dehydrator for drying hot peppers until they are brittle, then I grind them up in my coffee grinder to make hot pepper powder. That way I can sprinkle a little or a lot into a recipe, depending on who will be sharing dinner with me — I like food spicy.

I make tomato paste each summer, but that is more like the hard work my grandmother did. I core the tomatoes and squeeze out excess juice and seeds, then cut them in half and drop into the Cuisinart. I run it until the tomatoes are a slurry. Then I pour the slurry into a heavy enameled cook pot. I heat it slowly, allowing the mixture to just slowly simmer (to avoid burning it).

It takes a couple of hours to fill the big kettle, and all evening for it to boil off the excess liquid. When I can literally stand up a soup spoon in the mix, I know it is thick enough. I leave the pot on the counter all night to let it cool and evaporate some more, and then in the morning I spoon the paste into ice cube trays and freeze. I put the cubes in bags or jars. It is nice to never need to remember to buy tomato paste — and to have a good use for damaged tomatoes that might otherwise end up in the compost. I cut out the bad spots, and use every one.

I have never gotten excited about making jams or jellies. But if you have a dedicated freezer for storage, you can cook your raspberries or blueberries with sugar and spices, then freeze them. The canning process is lengthy and messy, so I generally avoid it. If you just want a little jam, make three or four jars and store in the fridge. It will be as tasty and it gives you an excuse to spread some on ice cream, using it up before it gets moldy.

Of course, storing food is the easiest, cheapest way to eat the harvest long after it. Winter squashes like butternut and blue Hubbard store for months in a cool, dry location. They store well for months under the bed in a guest bedroom with the radiators turned off.

When digging potatoes or pulling onions, try to do it in a dry time (not hard this summer). Lower moisture levels are better for storage. Cure them for a few days in a breezy place out of the sun. Store potatoes, carrots, celeriac and rutabagas in a place between 35 and 50 degrees with high humidity. Garlic and onions like lower humidity with cool temperatures. Sweet potatoes should never go in the fridge; they need to be stored in a warm room like the kitchen.

I try to eat something I grew every day of the year, and mostly I do that. Dried herbs, garlic and frozen foods are always there for me to use, so I do.

Featured photo: A straw used to remove air from a bag of cherry tomatoes. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

The Art Roundup 22/09/08

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

• Art by the sea: As a part of this year’s Hampton Beach Seafood Festival (which runs Friday, Sept. 9 through Sunday, Sept. 11, on Ocean Boulevard at Hampton Beach; see page 34 for more on the event), the festival hosts its second annual Pop-up Art Show right on the beach.

“It was such a success last year, so we’re really excited to do it again,” Alyssa Pine, founder of the art show, said. “Having the art on the beach bar is so great for people, because it’s something to do while they enjoy the food and the music.”

The art show will showcase 15 local artists. On Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will be a live painting event where visitors can watch the artists create in real time. After the artists are finished with their pieces, visitors can vote for their favorite.

The artists will paint on canvases and have their pieces auctioned off on Sunday at 11 a.m. At the auction, the winner of the people’s choice vote will also be announced and awarded.

In addition, the pop-up show will feature a private art gallery showing on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. Attendees at the ticketed event will be the first to see the unveiling of the finished artwork and will have the opportunity to buy artwork at a set pre-auction price. There will be hors d’oeuvres and a private cash bar. “It’s a real art gallery opening — just in the sand,” Pine said. Visit seafoodfestivalnh.com/art.

Dancing about New Hampshire
New Hampshire Dance Collaborative presents an event called “Excerpts and Investigation” on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Factory on Willow, at 252 Willow St. in Manchester. The event will feature three brief segments of a dance called “The Shire” by NSquared Dance and will conclude with a moderated discussion led by Matt Cahoon, artistic director of theatre KAPOW and former director of The Stockbridge Theater. “The Shire” is NSquared’s Zackery Betty’s bioregional exploration of the state of New Hampshire. To learn more about NHDC or register for free to attend Excerpts and Investigation, visit nhdancecollaborative.com.

• From the garden: BJ Eckardt, a New Hampshire Art Association artist, is the featured September artist at Creative Framing Solutions (410 Chestnut St., Manchester) with the exhibit titled “Inspirations from the Garden,” a show of oil paintings, according to nhartassociation.org. The show will run through Friday, Sept. 30; an opening reception will be held on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. The gallery’s most recent hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (open until 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays) and the first and third Saturdays of the month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Double feature: The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) will present “Martin and Osa Johnson: Adventure’s First Couple,” a combination lecture and movie screening, on Thursday, Sept. 15. The Johnsons were “a Kansas couple who gained worldwide fame in the early 20th century for far-flung exploits combining adventure, aviation and wildlife photography,” according to a press release. The program starts at 6 p.m. and is open to the public and will feature Dick Jackson of Rochester, a longtime aircraft restoration expert who spent 40 years restoring a Sikorsky S-39 flying boat identical to the type used by the Johnsons, the release said. The event will also include a screening of Baboona, a 1935 documentary the Johnsons compiled from film they shot in Africa in the early 1930s, the release said. Tickets available at the door and cost $10 per person.

— Hannah Turtle

ART

Exhibits

• ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.

• “PIXELS, WOOD, CLAY” Two Villages Art Society presents an exhibition of work by artists Tony Gilmore, Rick Manganello and Caren Helm. The Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). through Sept. 9. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. There will be an opening reception on Sat., Aug. 13, from noon to 2 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

• BARBARA MATA will display her paintings in an exhibit, “Russia’s Illegal Invasion of Ukraine,” at The Art Center in Dover (1 Washington St., Suite 1177, Dover; nhartassociation.org, theartcenterdover.com) Thursday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Oct. 31.

• THOM HINDLE The Art Center (1 Washington St., Dover; theartcenterdover.com, 978-6702) presents “Images of the Past: The Thom Hindle Collection” from Saturday, Sept. 3, through Friday, Sept. 30, along with an An Evening with Thom Hindle, an in-person book signing on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 6 to 9 p.m., celebrating Hindle’s newest release, Dover, New Hampshire Through Time Volume Two. The collection, according to a press release, is “an insightful, historically significant exhibition dedicated to the rich history of Dover, New Hampshire, and surrounding areas.” Hindle has taught classes at UNH and is a past president of Dover’s historical society. He’s perhaps best known as a local photographer, the release said, with a longtime photography business on Atkinson Street in the Garrison City. The exhibit features photographs Hindle reproduced from original glass negatives representing the works of never-before-exhibited local and Boston-area photographers. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• “MANAGING MISCELLANEA” The Lamont Gallery at Phillips Exeter Academy (11 Tan Lane, Exeter) hosts “Managing Miscellanea,” an art exhibition that draws from the gallery’s “undefined” collection. It centers around questions of defining and maintaining collections, and showcases unseen works from the storage vault, including works by Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Motherwell. The exhibition runs through Sept. 24, available for viewing during the gallery’s normal hours: Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free but reservations are required. For more information, visit www.exeter.edu/lamontgallery.

• “MEMOIRS OF A GHOST GIRLHOOD: A BLACK GIRL’S WINDOW” In the exhibit on display at the Currier Museum of Art (50 Ash St. in Manchester; 669-6144, currier.org), “artist Alexandria Smith has created an immersive multimedia environment using wallpaper, paintings on wood, found objects and sculpture. It will be accompanied by an original site-specific composition //windowed// by Liz Gre,” according to the website. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday.

• “THE PEOPLE’S SCULPTOR: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOHN ROGERS” Exhibit celebrates the art of American sculptor John Rogers, who came to Manchester in 1850, and explores the influence that Manchester had on Rogers’ life and work. Presented by the Manchester Historic Association. On view now through September. Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester). Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors age 62 and up and college students, $4 for youth ages 12 through 18, and is free for kids under age 12. Call 622-7531 or visit manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum.

• ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibition in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email [email protected].

• “COLORS OF AUTUMN” This September show for New Hampshire Art Association members runs through Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (139 State St. in Portsmouth; nhartassociation.org). An opening reception will be held Friday, Sept. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. The gallery is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m.

Fairs and markets

• CONCORD ARTS MARKET The juried outdoor artisan and fine art market runs one Saturday a month, June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Market dates are Sept. 17 and Oct. 15. Rollins Park, 33 Bow St., Concord. concordartsmarket.net. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.html.

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/nashua-art-tour for more information.

Workshops and classes

• STAINED GLASS The League of NH Craftsmen — Meredith Fine Craft Gallery (279 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) will host a beginner’s stained glass class with juried artist Susanna Ries on Sunday, Sept. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The class will have students cutting, copper foiling, soldering, and framing a stained glass panel in one day. Basic stained glass construction will be taught and students will go home with a finished piece ready to hang. Students should bring cork board, scissors, masking tape, an apron, latex gloves, safety glasses and covered shoes. Tuition is $55, with a $35 materials fee paid to the instructor on the day of class. Pre-registration is required by Sept. 4. To register, visit meredith.nh.crafts.org or call 279-7920.

• SOLDERING The League of NH Craftsmen is holding a soldering class at its Meredith studio (279 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) with Joy Raskin on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuition is $110 per student, with an additional materials fee of $10 to the instructor at the time of the class. Registration is required by Sept. 3. To register, call 279-7920 or visit meredith.nhcrafts.org

• ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.

• 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 or email [email protected] more information.

THEATRE

Classes/workshops

• STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS Monthly workshop series hosted by True Tales Live storytelling showcase. First Tuesday (except November), from 7 to 8:30 p.m., virtual, via Zoom. Registration is required. Visit truetaleslivenh.org for more information.

Shows

• DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID, the season-opening musical at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588), will run Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 2. The shows run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a show also on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 to $46.

• TITANIC THE MUSICAL Presented by the Manchester Community Theatre Players. Manchester Community Theatre Players Theatre, located at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester; manchestercommunitytheatre.com, 327-6777). Showtimes on Fri., Oct. 14 and Oct. 21, and Sat., Oct. 15 and Oct. 22.

• TRUE TALES LIVE Portsmouth-based storytelling showcase. Monthly, last Tuesday (no shows in July and August), from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Shows will be held in person (Portsmouth Public Media TV Studio, 280 Marcy St., Portsmouth) starting in April, and returning to the Zoom format for the winter, starting in November. Each month’s showcase is centered around a different theme. The series is free and open to all who want to watch or participate as a storyteller. Pre-registration for attendees is required for Zoom shows but not required for in-person shows. Visit truetaleslivenh.org and email [email protected] if you’re interested in being a storyteller.

Classical

Events

• ORCHESTRAL SHOWCASE “NATURE & MYTH” at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sun., Oct. 16, at 2 p.m., and Sat., Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring sounds from Beethoven, Walker, Grieg and Sibelius. Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

• HOLIDAY POPS at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sat., Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. Featuring Christmas carol sing-alongs and classical and popular holiday favorites, as well as an appearance from a special visitor from the North Pole. Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

• WINTER SERENITIES at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sat., Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., Feb. 19, at 2 p.m. Featuring Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (by Vaughn-Williams). Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

• DRAWN TO THE MUSIC: MUSICAL TALES at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sat., April 15, and Sun., April 16, at 2 p.m. Featuring Stravinsky’s Petrushka, the music for a ballet about puppets that come to life. Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

• SPRING POPS: HOLLYWOOD IN AFRICA at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Sat., May 20, at 7:30 p.m., and Sun., May 21, at 2 p.m. Featuring Grammy Award-nominated African musician Mamadou Diabate on the balafon, a xylophone-like instrument. Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

Open calls

• THE RHYTHM OF NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOW CHORUS Women’s a cappella chorus is looking for female singers in the region to join. The group, an affiliate of the North American singing organization Harmony, Inc., performs a wide variety of music, including Broadway musical songs, patriotic songs, pop, jazz and seasonal pieces, for community and veterans’ events and private functions. Rehearsals are held weekly on Thursdays from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 W. Broadway, Derry. Masks are required for singing, but both vaccinated and unvaccinated singers are welcome. Visit rnhchorus.org or email [email protected] for more information.

Picture purrfect

Artists bring new works to Cat Alley

By Hannah Turtle

[email protected]

Located in the heart of downtown Manchester, Cat Alley has long been one of the city’s quirkier spots. Named by cotton mill workers in the early 1900s for its high population of dueling street cat mobs, it has since been host to all manner of cat-themed art and fun.

“It’s one of the first items in Manchester in and on Atlas Obscura,” said Liz Hitchcock, the Principal of Orbit Group, which now owns the real estate. “It became this really iconic place in Manchester, but after a number of years it started to chip and get graffitied. It was starting to look a little dull.”

Ten years ago, the previous owners of the space invited local artists to paint feline-themed murals to brighten up the space. However, over the course of time, those murals have begun to crack, fade and fall victim to vandalism.

“Quite frankly, it made my heart sad because it was this place we had so much reverence for, and it had fallen into disrepair,” Hitchcock said.

So this year Orbit Group decided to do something to revive the space, with the help of a Community Event and Activation Grant funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.

“We decided, when the arts grant became available, to do something big and make the place better,” Hitchcock said. “We had already been doing smaller things, we did the cat arch, and the cat bike racks, and the cat crosswalk, but we really wanted to go big. We started by asking artists to submit ideas, and from there we have our finalists.”

Starting on Aug. 22, a team of 18 artists began work creating new murals and preserving and refurbishing some of the old ones. Their work will culminate in a ribbon cutting event on Sept. 12 at Bookery Manchester. There, the murals will be revealed, the artists will chat with viewers, and T-shirts will be for sale with the artists’ original work.

“There’s this great thing about having artists downtown that just resonates with me,” Hitchcock said. “When you have artists downtown doing their art, it’s a way for our community to show that we care deeply about the arts.”

As for Cat Alley’s future, Hitchcock hopes it will remain a vibrant and joyful part of the community, a part that for years to come will continue to be exactly what it has been for the past years: “just a fun area for people to come and hang out.”

Cat Alley revival
Where: 848 Elm St., Manchester
More info: Go to orbitgroup.com/cat-alley-revival for a look at the progress.

Ribbon-cutting event
Where: Bookery, 844 Elm St., Manchester
When: Monday, Sept. 12, 5 to 7 p.m.
Tickets: Free to attend for the public

Cat Alley Artists
Find links to these artists’ work on the Orbit website.

Merk Aveli
Mariana Beer
Aaron Cooper
Aimee Cozza
Mike Durkee
Emily Drouin
Max Gagnon
Melissa Griffin
David Hady
Liz LaManche
Gianna Masella
Taylor McClure
Arielle Peterson
Annabelle Meszynski
Lindsay Middleton
Kori “Quest 9” Thomas
Saddie Tupper
Brooke Van Gurp

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

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