Dancing, music and the iconic red boots will take the stage for The Palace Theatre’s production of Kinky Boots from Friday, Oct. 13, through Sunday, Nov. 5.
“Ever since the Kinky Boots musical was on Broadway [in 2013], it has just been one of those big, splashy, exciting musicals that many people would go see,” said Shane Hurst, the assistant director of the production at the Palace. “Time and time again it has proven to be, first of all, very entertaining and just a good musical, but then it also brings in a lot of different types of audience members. … It is a story of friendship, perseverance [and] about celebrating who you are and accepting other people.”
On the brink of bankruptcy, things don’t look great for Charlie Price and his men’s shoe factory. He fears he will have to close his doors, until he meets a drag queen named Lola.
“Through a series of circumstances they begin a friendship, and Lola tells Charlie that there is not a big retailer of drag queen professionally made boots,” Hurst said. “Charlie kind of has a spark in his brain and takes that back to the factory and says, ‘We can save the factory if we just pivot a little bit.’ Instead of making men’s shoes, which isn’t going so well for them, they rebrand and Charlie and Lola come up with the name ‘Kinky Boots’ and start manufacturing professionally made, sturdy, danceable drag queen boots.”
The musical, the book written by Harvey Fierstein and the music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, has won six Tony Awards and a Grammy. The Palace Theatre is pulling out all the stops with a video wall on the back wall of the theater, and a bigger-than-ever costume budget allowing for multiple costume changes, sequins, glitter, wigs and makeup, Hurst says.
“No matter who you are, you are going to find yourself on stage and relate to one of the characters in the show. I think it’s a show that very carefully changes an audience’s mind,” he said. “I think a lot of people are going to go in with the word ‘kinky’ and think it’s going to be a sexy, bold, brassy show — which it is — but behind all of that glitter is a lot of heart and a beautiful story about love and loving your neighbor.”
Kinky Boots Where: Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester When: Friday, Oct. 13, through Sunday, Nov. 5; showtimes on Fridays are 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m., plus Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. Cost: Tickets range from $28 to $49
Featured photo: Kinky Boots dress rehearsal. Courtesy photos.
The state of NH’s bat population and what people can do to help
Bat Week, an international celebration and week of awareness for bats, runs from Tuesday, Oct. 24 through Halloween. While bats are a standard of Halloween scene-setting, many species of bats spend this time of year through mid-April hibernating in caves and mines. There, they face a threat — a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome that has, in addition to habitat loss and fragmentation, nearly obliterated the bat population in New Hampshire.
Bats in peril
“I wouldn’t call any of our bat species common because they all have threats to their population that result in population decline over the last 15 years or so,” said Haley Andreozzi, a wildlife conservation state specialist with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. “We have eight species of bats in the state of New Hampshire and all of them are what we consider species of greatest conservation need, which means they’ve been identified in the state wildlife action plan as species that warrant special concern.”
Half of these species, the little brown bat, eastern-small footed bat, tricolored bat and the northern long-eared bat, are all state endangered, the last of which is also federally threatened. The other species in the state include the big brown bat, the hoary bat, the silver-haired bat and the eastern red bat.
According to Sandra Houghton, wildlife diversity biologist with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, maternity colonies begin to disperse and head to their winter locations in mid-to-late August. Andreozzi says that the hoary bat, eastern red bat and the silver hair bat head south while the rest hibernate in the New England area, mostly Vermont and New York, in caves and mines, where they face the threat of acquiring white-nose syndrome.
“White-nose syndrome was first found in New Hampshire in 2009 and it really has decimated bat populations in the state for those species that spend the winter hibernating in caves and mines,” Andreozzi said. “Their populations have seen declines of [around] 99 percent … in the last 14 years since the occurrence of white-nose syndrome in the state.”
The conditions that are ideal for this fungus to spread are the same that are ideal for bats to hibernate: damp, 40-degree cave environments. The white fungus can be on an affected bat’s ears, wings, tail or nose, and while the fungus itself doesn’t directly result in a bat’s death, it leads to abnormal behaviors that do.
Little Brown Bat. Photo by Ann Froschauer.
“Bats are typically what we consider true hibernators; they’re really doing everything they can to expend very little to no energy in the winter months,” Andreozzi said. “They’re really kind of shutting down their bodies to make it through the winter so they don’t require any fuel, because their major food source, which is insects, isn’t available in winter. This fungus causes them to become more active and is really forcing them to use up fat stores that they otherwise really rely on to get through those winter months.”
Impacted bats will sometimes fly out of their hibernation sites into the cold to look for food and water and face the risk of freezing or starving to death. As with many wildlife species, Andreozzi notes, habitat loss and fragmentation pose further threats to bat populations.
“As development and human population has increased, we’ve seen an increase in habitat loss and fragmentation that’s had negative consequences for those species and populations,” she said.
Bats in the ecosystem
Losing the bat population could have negative impacts ecologically and economically.
In tropical areas, bats are very important pollinators for flowering plants, according to Andreozzi. Here, in more northern parts, their primary role is different.
“They eat a ton of insects and here in New Hampshire bats are actually the greatest predator of night flying insects that we have, and that’s because they have extremely high energy,” she said. “It takes a ton of energy for them to fly and so they’re typically eating half their body weight every night in insects, but even more if they’re a female who’s nursing pups.”
According to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, this can equate to 1,500 mosquitoes per bat per night. They also feed on agricultural pests, providing a pest control service valued at $3.7 billion annually according to an analysis mentioned on the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department website. One of the best things people can do to help bats combat the effects of white-nose, according to Andreozzi, is simply let them be and help maintain their habitat. Disturbing them during hibernation and rousing them can threaten their survival during the winter. During the summer, bats’ roosting sites vary depending on the species, eastern small-footed bats preferring hillside or cliffs and northern long-eared bats roosting in cracks in trees or crevices under tree bark. Others, like the big brown bat and the little brown bat, have adapted to using human structures.
“We encourage people to let bats exists where they have for centuries, which is in their barn or other outbuilding, so if someone has bats in their barn, shed or even their attic [if] it’s in a place where it’s not bothering them and there’s no human health concern,” Andreozzi said. “It’s really become an important, valuable bat habitat … and there is a way that bats and people can coexist if there’s no chance of direct contact with humans.”
If you meet a bat…
If you do come in contact with a bat, it’s important to take the right measures. While bats have a reputation for carrying rabies, they don’t carry rabies at a higher rate than any other mammal. Andreozzi says the issue with bat bites versus another animal, like a raccoon, is that their bites are so small you might not even notice you were bitten.
“Any case where a bat is found in a living space, like with a sleeping child [or] some other considerations, it needs to be treated as if the bat does have rabies regardless, and then you should get in touch with the department of health and human services through the state,” Andreozzi said.
If there is no chance of contact and you just wish to remove a bat from your house, she recommends turning off all the lights and opening a window and allowing the bat to fly out on its own. If that doesn’t work or the circumstances are more complicated, you can hire a licensed wildlife control professional for help.
Bat hospitality
Instead of sharing yours, there’s also the option of making bats a home of their own.
“People can install a bat house, which is basically an artificial roost structure,” Andreozzi said.
It’s not as simple as putting up a wooden box and hoping for the best, she says. There are specific features that make a bat house successful.
“You want them to be large, you want them to be dark in color, ideally facing south or southeast so they get really hot, because that’s what the bats are looking for,” Andreozzi said.
According to Bat Conservation International’s “The Bat House Builder’s Handbook,” the chambers of a bat house should be a minimum of 20 inches tall and 14 inches wide to be successful with at least one chamber. The bigger the house, and the more chambers it has, the better. While it’s important for the houses to be hot, ventilation slots are needed to prevent overheating when the average temperature in July is 85 degrees or higher. Having at least three chambers will likely be better at providing appropriate temperature ranges and will be more suitable for a larger number of bats and nursing colonies, according to the guide.
“You want them pretty high off the ground, typically more than 12 feet high or so,” Andreozzi said.
The guide says that bats are better able to find bat houses when they are mounted on poles or buildings as opposed to trees. This is also a more attractive location, as bat houses on trees will likely receive less sun and be more vulnerable to predation. Positioning them under an eave is a way to protect them from both predators and rain.
“With proper specifications and installation practices, those bat houses can be successful,” Andreozzi said. “They’re not always, but they do get occupied by bats pretty regularly when installed around the state.”
Bat Conservation International has further information on building and installing successful bat houses.
If building your own doesn’t sound like your thing, you can always purchase one and install it. In addition, there are other measures you can take when caring for your property.
“People can maintain or enhance bat habitat on their property or in their communities,” Andreozzi said. “Bats are using forested areas for roosting [and are] really interested in some of these dead trees we call ‘snags,’ these dead standing trees or cavity trees, so leaving some of those on the landscape can be beneficial.”
Other ways to be more “bat friendly,” according to Bat Conservation International, include opting for organic practices in your garden instead of using pesticides and remedial timber treatment agents, both of which can poison bats, and planting native plants and moth hosting plants that will attract native insects, noting that white and light-colored flowers are especially attractive to nighttime pollinators. On a larger scale, Andreozzi adds that conserving large areas of land that are ideal for foraging near ponds and streams is also helpful.
Another way people can help is by participating in UNH Cooperative Extension and New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Bat Counts program.
Northern Long-eared Bat. Photo by Al Hicks.
“Bat counts take about an hour and a half in an evening, starting a half hour before dusk, and volunteers are asked to conduct at least one count in June and one count in July, though they can count more frequently than that if desired,” Andreozzi said in an email. “The data collected helps us understand where bats currently live in New Hampshire and in what numbers, as well as help us learn more about the site characteristics where bats exist and are maybe even thriving.” In the 2022 Bat Count, 3,777 bats were counted, according to data provided by Andreozzi.
Training for the counts take place in May or June every year both virtually and in person. If interested, you can visit wildlife.nh.gov. For more information on upcoming sessions and training opportunities, as well as summer bat count results, you can sign up for the NH Bat Counts newsletter.
Bats of New Hampshire
The following information comes from the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan.
Big brown bat Big brown bats have three habitat types: forests, buildings and caves or mines. They can be found statewide in all forests, but are unlikely to be found in forests at high elevations. Forests with wetland, streams or other openings offer sites for foraging. During their active season, they use trees for day and night roosting and buildings for night and maternity roosting. During hibernation, they will use insulated buildings, caves, mines and artificial subterranean structures. Their habitat is highly threatened due to habitat conversion and the evicting bats out of buildings. Their bigger size and ability to hibernate in buildings means they are not quite as affected by white-nose syndrome as other hibernating bat species.
Little brown bat Like big brown bats, little brown bats live in forests, buildings and caves or mines and can be found anywhere in the state in different kinds of forests, but likely not in ones of high elevation. Their population has been greatly affected by white-nose syndrome, and they also have a high risk rating for human disturbances in their hibernation habitats.
Tricolored bat Tricolored bats hibernate in caves and mines, and occasionally in other structures, but there is no data available about where they roost during the summer in New Hampshire. Data from the Midwest shows that they are generally a foliage-roosting species, with females from maternity colonies living in the dead foliage of deciduous trees, particularly oak and maple.
Silver-haired bat The biggest threat to silver-haired bats is not white-nose syndrome — they migrate south in the fall — but wind turbines and habitat loss. Findings in their habitat studies have varied but it seems they typically roost in tree hollows and deep cavities in early to moderately decayed tall trees.
Northern long-eared bat Northern long-eared bats rely on caves and mines for hibernation — often in crevices or on the surface of walls and ceilings — and also use them year-round. They also roost in trees, both alive and dead. High-ranking threats for them are disturbance from humans as well as white-nose syndrome.
Eastern red bat Eastern red bats are another species that head south for the winter. They spend their New Hampshire summers roosting in tree foliage high off the ground in a variety of large deciduous trees near permanent water sources. They may roost closer to the ground when roosting in fragmented habitats like urban areas and farmland. Their biggest threats are habitat loss and wind turbines.
Hoary bat As with many other migrating bat species, the biggest threat facing hoary bats are wind turbines and habitat loss. While in New Hampshire for the summer, they roost in tree foliage, often woodpecker holes or squirrel nests and in branches sheltered by foliage about 12.7 meters off the ground.
Eastern small-footed bat Eastern small-footed bats live in rocky outcrops in the summer and in caves or mines in the winter. Their species status is not well known, but they have been caught in southern parts of the state during the summer months. They prefer colder hibernation temperatures and seem to arrive at their hibernation spot later and leave earlier than most other bat species, where the threat rank is high for disturbance from humans. One known winter site is the abandoned Mascot Lead Mine, which has stability concerns and accumulation debris, putting it at risk of collapsing.
Friday, Oct. 13 It’s a Taylor Swift weekend! Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, a concert film of her hugely popular tour, hits area movie theaters starting today. And, over at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com, 800-657-8774), “The Taylor Party,” an 18+ dance party, takes place tonight starting at 9 p.m.; tickets start at $21.
Thursday, Oct. 12 Candlelight Concerts (see candlelightexperience.com) gets in the Halloween spirit with two shows tonight at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) at 6 and 8:30 p.m. with tickets starting at $43. The Listeso String Quartet will perform works as diverse as Shostakovich’s “String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor” and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and the theme from John Carpenter’s Halloween.
Friday, Oct. 13 See the original group of victims, er, campers (including a shockingly young Kevin Bacon) arrive at Crystal Lake in 1980’s Friday the 13th today (Friday the 13th) at 9 p.m. at Red River Theaters (11 S. Main St. in Concord; redrivertheatres.org, 224-4600).
Saturday, Oct. 14 Hillsborough Community Center will hold a Harvest Festival today, rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grimes Field (23 Preston Road in Hillsborough). The event will feature food, vendors, games and other family fun; admission is free, according to hccnh.org/ harvest-festival.
Saturday, Oct. 14 BeadStock, an event celebrating the artistry of beading from around the world, will take place today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road in Warner; indianmuseum.org, 456-2600). Find beads (including antique beads, glass, gemstone, ceramic, turquoise, silver and more) for sale as well as demonstrations (including a glass bead-making demonstration), interactive exhibits, tours of the museum, a museum field store and food for sale. Admission cost $12 (get 8 a.m. admission for $25); tickets are available online.
Saturday, Oct. 14 Windham Recreation Department will hold its annual Harvest Fest on Saturday, Oct. 14, in Griffin Park with events including a doggie costume parade (at 10 a.m.), a food truck (from noon to 4 p.m.), live music, a balloon artist, pumpkin decorating and scavenger hunts (from 1 to 2:30 pm.) and trick-or-treat from 3 to 4 p.m. See windhamnh.gov.
Saturday, Oct. 14 The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra will perform “Bohemian Rhapsodies” at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem) today at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m. The program explores Czech and English music, featuring works by Smetana, Kaprálová, Suk, and Elgar, and culminating in Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7. Tickets cost $5 to $30. Visit nhphil.org.
Save the Date! Friday, Nov. 24 Catch the Trans-Siberian Orchestra with “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” on Friday, Nov. 24, with shows at 3 and 7:30 p.m. at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester; snhuarena.com, 644-5000). Tickets start at $43.
A recent study by Upgraded Points revealed that wealthy millennials, defined as individuals ages 26 to 45 earning more than $200,000 annually, are increasingly moving to certain U.S. states. Factors such as improved economic conditions, remote work opportunities, and the pursuit of affordable housing and better quality of life have driven this trend. The study found that New Hampshire ranks 7th in the nation in attracting wealthy millennials, with a net gain of 4.4 percent. This influx has resulted in a positive impact on the state’s tax base, with a net increase of more than $229 million attributed to wealthy millennial movers, the press release said. QOL score: +1 Comment: Florida and Texas were among the top states gaining wealthy millennials, while California and New York experienced losses.
Shot clock
Since the availability of updated Covid-19 boosters last month, many in New Hampshire have faced challenges in getting their shots due to limited slots, last-minute appointment rescheduling or insurance issues, NHPR reported. Previously the federal government procured and distributed Covid-19 vaccines to health care providers. Now hospitals, pharmacies and health centers purchase vaccines directly from manufacturers or wholesalers. This transition has led to shipping delays and availability issues in various pharmacies across the country, including in New Hampshire. QOL score: -2 Comment:This season’s vaccines have been updated to guard against the latest virus strains, and the CDC recommends a new vaccine for everyone age six months and older this fall.
We’ve got Halloween spirit
Lombardo Homes conducted a study on decorating for Halloween and found that New Hampshire ranks third in the nation for its decorative enthusiasm. The study also found that the crow is the state’s favorite Halloween adornment. Conducted in August 2023, the study is based on an analysis of 7,330 Halloween-related Google search terms and purchasing behaviors; data sourced from search volumes per capita over the last year; and a survey in the same month that involved 1,209 Americans discussing their Halloween decoration habits. QOL score: +1 Comment:The research also revealed that Americans are allocating more for Halloween decorations this year compared to the previous year, with an average expenditure of $87, a rise from $61 in 2022.
Child care woes
Since 2020 New Hampshire has received more than $142 million in federal funds for child care stabilization, covering costs like scholarships and aiding businesses that faced losses during the pandemic, However, as this funding concludes, local child care providers say that challenges like staffing shortages and limited options for families persist. NHPR reported that the central issue remains competitive wages for child care workers, who are often paid less. New Hampshire has introduced some legislation to aid child care services, but advocates emphasize the need for continued focus and funding at both the state and federal levels. QOL score: -2 Comment:Additionally, many areas, like Lancaster, face shortages of child care facilities, leading parents to travel considerable distances.
QOL score: 90 Net change: -2 QOL this week: 88
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].
The Big Story – Belichick Hot Seat Gets Hotter: A week after being humiliated by the Cowboys, things got even worse for the Patriots as after being crushed again, this time by New Orleans 34-0 in Foxboro on Sunday, the last-place Patriots are effectively four games behind the 4-1 Dolphins in the AFC East already since Miami owns the tiebreaker from their 24-17 Week 2 win.
The second straight inept offensive performance led QB Mac Jones to be yanked again in the second half. And while Coach B says it won’t be next week, it seems inevitable he’s on the verge of losing his job to a guy who was cut in the final week of pre-season camp.
With them next heading to the site of last year’s most humiliating loss in Vegas, followed by games vs. Buffalo and in Miami, it’s likely the seat Bill Belichick sits on could be red hot before November even arrives.
Sports 101: Which franchise has the most wins in NFL history?
News Item – San Francisco Rises: A week after humbling the Patriots 38-3, the Cowboys got the same in a 42-7 loss on national TV to the 49ers. It moved the Niners to 5-0 as QB Brock Purdy continues to follow the script of the young Tom Brady in moving to 10-0 as a regular season starter after being taken dead last at 262 overall in the 2022 NFL draft. It grew SF’s point differential to +99 and strengthened the perception they’re now the team to beat.
News Item – It’s Not How You Start, It’s How You Finish: The Rays were the living breathing example of that old adage as their record-setting 13-0 start to 2023 didn’t mean much in the end. First Baltimore, who were already six games behind by April 14, caught them in mid-July on their way to winning the AL East by two games. Then it ended quickly in the wild card round, losing 0-2 vs. Texas.
The Numbers:
177 – number representing how bad a week it was for the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, as it’s how many passes Houston rookie CJ Stroud has thrown to begin his career without an interception, breaking the record held by Dak until Sunday.
149.3 – passing rating against the just re-acquired JC Jackson during his tenure with the Chargers after leaving Foxboro as a free agent in 2022.
162.00 – ERA of Dodgers hurler Clayton Kershaw after surrendering five hits, a walk and six earned runs while getting just one Arizona batter out in L.A.’s 11-2 NLDS Game 1 loss.
19,704 – shockingly sparse number of people at Game 1 of the Rays–Texas playoff series in Tampa. It was baseball’s smallest postseason crowd since the 1919 World Series, when, oh by the way, gamblers paid the Black Sox to throw the series.
… Of the Week Awards
Why Can’t We Get Guys Like That Award – Jakobi Meyers: The ex-Patriot had 18 catches for 199 yards after his first three games with the Raiders before being sidelined with a concussion. The best anyone on his old team has mustered in five games is Hunter Henry’s 17 and 176.
Thumbs Up – Wenyen Gabriel: Nice to see one-time Trinity HS Pioneer get a chance to make the Celtics via the training camp contract he just signed.
Random Thoughts:
So much for drama in MLB’s Wild Card Series. Four 2-0 sweeps with only one game within two runs. Snore.
Sorry, Myles Bryant, a celebration dance after a sack with the Pats down 21-0 minutes into the second half is for losers.
Taylor Swift – Travis Kelce. Someone tell me why I should give a flip about that silly story.
A Little History – RIP Dick Butkus: Words can’t convey the ferocity of how the Bears’ all-time great middle linebacker played. Only a trip to YouTube can illustrate just how scary he was.
With all due respect to Lawrence Taylor, Butkus, who passed away last week at 80, was the most intimidating player ever.
While Taylor revolutionized the outside backer position I’d take Butkus over LT by a smidge as the greatest defensive player ever too, because he had a wider influence over the entire field than Taylor, exemplified by his 27 fumble recoveries and 22 interceptions in 112 games to LT’s two and 15 in 58 more games. RIP, big fella, and thanks for the memories.
Sports 101 Answer: Green Bay has the most NFL wins with 735. Pittsburgh, who picked number 700 last Sunday, is second.
Final Thought: I’m on record as saying short of a 2-15 disaster Coach B won’t get the ax after this year no matter what. But now I’m not so sure.
It’s not just the disasters of the last two weeks. Or even the 23-27 record since Tom Brady left the building. Most alarming as the dynasty fades in the rear view mirror is that they’re 3-12 vs. playoff teams post TB-12. Which means they are heading in the wrong direction with no apparent sign better days are on the horizon. And that’s all on Bill.
Paul Brogan, author of The Concord Theatre, and author Margaret Porter present a gala at Bank of NH Stage — formerly the Concord Theatre — on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m., celebrating the 90th anniversary of the theater’s opening. NHPR’s Laura Knoy hosts the free event, which includes a screening of one of the theater’s most successful films, Moonstruck (1987). Brogan talked about his history with the theater and the impact it has had on him and on the Concord community.
What has been your personal journey with the Concord Theatre? Everyone in Concord would, at some point, come to watch a movie there. This was especially true in the late ‘60s and ‘70s before the prevalence of cable TV. Movies were an affordable entertainment choice. … I started working there in June of 1967. I was a teenager, a student at Bishop Brady High School in Concord. I was looking for an after-school job, and loving movies the way I did, it was the perfect job. I began working there in June of ‘67 and remained associated with the theater until it closed in September of ‘94. I didn’t work there every night, as I had been, but I was there two or three nights a week. I helped Theresa Cantin, who owned and ran the theater, to book films. She’d send me to screenings of upcoming films and would take into account my feedback. As a teenager, having someone much older value your opinion about movies was flattering. That’s partly why I stayed connected until the theater closed. Working there felt almost wrong to get paid because it was such a positive experience.
Tell us more about Theresa. Theresa was remarkable. She started there at 19 years old in 1933 and stayed until 1994. For 61 years this woman ran a first-run movie theater. Back in those days, while women might sell tickets or work the concession stand, the actual running of the theater and booking films was seen as a man’s job. She took care of everything from creating ads to selling tickets. Watching Theresa was truly inspiring.
How did the idea for an event come about? I wrote a book that was about the Concord Theatre and sort of a tribute to Theresa. … I was talking with my good friend Margaret Porter about it. We realized the date of the theater’s opening in 1933, Oct. 18, falls on a Wednesday this year, just as it did the year that the theater opened. … Laura Knoy [of NHPR] had also read the book and said she was just mesmerized by it. … So the three of us got together and decided we should do something special and give this gift to the community of a free evening in the theater.
You’ll be showing Moonstruck. Why that film? Well, the biggest hit at the theater was Valley of the Dolls, so we said, OK, what was the second biggest? [laughs] It was Moonstruck. It drew a little over 14,000 people, and Concord had [a population of] 30,000 at the time, so almost half the city came to see it. It was one of those movies where people walked out smiling and holding each other. It made everyone feel good, and it was one of those movies that Theresa was proud to play, so we thought that would be the perfect movie to celebrate the theater.
Have you heard from others who have memories of the theater? Yes. There’s a [Facebook page], ‘I’m from Concord, NH & remember when …’ and many people have shared their memories on there of when they went to see movies like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, Die Hard, the first Star Trek film. All those were shown at the theater. For a lot of people walking in there now, it’s going to be like a piece of history.
Featured photo: Paul Brogan with Margaret Porter, left, and Laura Knoy, right. Courtesy photo.
