BOB'S BLOG

First Snow of the Winter

2012-01-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

January 12, 2012 — First snow since October fell today. It accumulated to about three inches. There was some mixing with rain. The temperature hovered around 32 degrees all day. It took me all of 30 minutes to shovel out and sweep off the car. No more snow in the forecast for at least a week. I can't believe our good fortune up to now. Last year at this time we were buried.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T13:07:00.000-08:00

December 24-25, 2011 — It wasn't a white Christmas, but you won't hear me complaining. Where I had to travel over 200 miles in two days to share the holidays with relatives in two states, I was delighted to find fair skies and landscapes untouched by snow everywhere I went.

My nephew's new baby boy was the main attraction at a Christmas Eve get-together with my sister and her extended family. Great food, gifts and a wild and crazy Yankee swap made for an entertaining evening.

On Christmas morning, I enjoyed breakfast at Kathy's, a Christmas morning family tradition, and then a delicious Christmas dinner and gift exchange with another nephew and his family at their home. You can see photos and videos of the holiday activities at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/christmas11/

New PC

2011-11-15T16:23:00.001-08:00

November 15, 2011 — I finally finished transferring my files and installing all my software today on the new HP TouchSmart PC I brought home Saturday. My home network made the task of transferring files from the old to the new PC fairly easy, although time-consuming. I have over 200 gigabytes of files. I transferred my largest folders, containing all my photos and videos, from my external backup drive. All software installed without incident, except for Quicken. I had an "unlock number" for the version of Quicken I had, but it wouldn't accept it when I attempted to install it on the new PC. It just happened I had received an offer from Quicken for their latest upgrade about a week ago, so rather than fight what would probably have been a losing battle to get the old version working, I spent the $49 and downloaded the new version which installed OK.

My old PC, a Dell XVI purchased in 2007, was running out of disk space. Not only that, but I had gotten the blue screen of death twice recently. I was able to recover both times, but I was afraid it was only a matter of time before it failed completely. The new HP has a 23" monitor as opposed to 20" on the old one, a 1-terabyte hard drive, 4 GB RAM, and s 64-bit CORE i3 processor. It has a touch screen which I probably won't use. I find the mouse much more effective. It has built-in speakers, but I connected my old Altech-Lansing external speakers and subwoofer which have superior sound quality.

October Nor'easter

2011-11-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

October 29-November 2, 2011 — It was a feeling of deja vu. In February 2010 a windstorm so devastated the city it took out power for 68 hours. That was the first time in my nearly 50 years in this city that power was lost for more than an hour or two. I thought the odds were against ever seeing a prolonged outage like that again. But lo and behold, it happened again this past week. A record foot and a half of heavy wet snow falling on trees with all their leaves took down limbs and wires and cut off power for 84 hours.

Unlike the February 2010 outage which occurred during an unseasonably warm spell, this most recent outage happened while temperatures were well below average for late October. It was going down in the 20s overnight and barely reaching 50 in the daytime. Temperature in the house was falling rapidly, making it unlivable by the end of the first day of the outage. I got a room at a local motel, but that solution was too expensive in case the power wasn't restored for days, and the electric company was warning customers full restoration could take a week or more. The next day I went to my sister's 90 miles to the south and stayed there for the next two nights.

On my third day at my sister's, the power was restored at home. I determined this by dialing my home phone. When my electrically-powered answering machine responded, I new the power had to be on. I packed my things and headed home. It was good to be back. I'm grateful to my sister for putting me up for a couple of nights. Now I'm contemplating installing a generator. I'm getting too old to be driven out of my house by the increasingly destructive weather we've been experiencing in recent years.

Extinct Car Day at Larz Anderson

2011-10-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

October 22, 2011 — This may well have been the last car show of the season. The Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts, hosts many car-related events year-round, but the so-called lawn shows like this one are only held spring through fall. Today's show featured only those vehicles no longer manufactured. Overall, it was a small turnout, dominated by Hudsons. There were six Hudsons and an Essex, which was made by Hudson. Several of the Hudsons were beautifully restored, a couple of others in original, but good, condition.

One outstanding entry was a stunning 1956 Packard Caribbean hardtop. This car had an honored spot by itself in front of the "castle," perfect for some great photos. Oldest car at the show was a 1910 Oakland.

I also did a walk-through inside the museum. There were a few recent additions I hadn't seen on previous visits, among them a gorgeous 1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta which was on loan, and a spectacular red 1929 Cord. You can see all of these cars at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/anderson11/

Shaker Village Vintage Car Show

2011-10-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

October 15, 2011 — I hadn't been to the Shaker Village Car Show in Canterbury, New Hampshire since 2008. This year's show was disappointing on several levels. The weather was blustery and cool with more clouds than sun. There was a smaller turnout of cars than previous years, and less interesting cars at that. Also, the usually pastoral, photogenic Shaker Village area suffered from a lack of fall color this season. Colors were drab and many trees had already lost most of their leaves.

In spite of these complaints, I ended up with forty photographs. You can see them at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/shakercars11/

AACA Fall Meet

2011-10-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

October 5-8, 2011 — I didn't decide until three days before the start of the event whether to go to the American Automobile Club of America's fall meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania. This event is one of the largest car show, car corral and flea market gatherings in the world. It's mecca for antique car enthusiasts.

I started contacting motels and inns in the Hershey area, but found them all full. I was about to give up when the last one I called, a TraveLodge five miles from the AACA event, had vacancies. I made a reservation and left at 6 a.m. October 5 on what would be a four-day stretch of the most beautiful Indian Summer weather in years. I arrived at the show grounds, adjacent to Hershey Park, at 3 p.m. and spent a couple of hours exploring the vast flea market area and car corral before checking in at my motel and going for supper.

The next three days I must have walked 40 miles covering the acres of flea markets and especially the car corral. These cars are all for sale and there must have been 1,000 of them. It was a car show in itself. I visited the AACA's nearby auto museum one morning. Saturday, my final day, the privately owned show cars arrived and were parked in a huge field. There must have been another 1,000 of these cars. A huge crowd of spectators made photography difficult. I missed many photos because I just couldn't get a clear shot through the mob surrounding the cars.

It was an exhausting three days, but worth it. Every serious antique car enthusiast has to go to Hershey at least once. I divided my photos and videos into five separate series. At the end of each series are links to the other pages. You may start with this one:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/aacamuseum/

"Barefoot in the Park"

2011-10-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

September 30, 2011 — I thought the summer theatre season was over until the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company decided to stage Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse in North Conway, New Hampshire. So on a mild, summer-like evening on the last day of September I found myself in the heart of New Hampshire's White Mountains for a look at this popular Neil Simon play I had never seen before.

The play revolves around a couple of newlyweds, played by Liz Clark Golson and Grant Golson, real-life husband and wife, who also appeared recently in MWVTC's "A Chorus Line." All is lovey-dovey at the beginning, although the husband, just starting a career as a lawyer, can't help expressing dismay over his wife's choice of an apartment, one room on the fifth floor, unheated in February with a hole in the roof, still awaiting furniture delivery the first time he sees it after an exhausting climb up the five flights of stairs. Throw the bride's mother (Caroline Nesbitt) and an eccentric neighbor (Craig Nelson) into the mix and you have a recipe for hilarious disaster.

The newlyweds' affectionate relationship quickly disintegrates into argument, recrimination and ultimately demand for divorce, all this after only six days of marriage. Great Neil Simon dialog, perfect chemistry between the Golsons, and smart comic turns by Nesbitt and Nelson made for a very entertaining evening. Patrick Roberts as a telephone repairman and Melissa Holden as a delivery person filled out the cast. It was well worth the long drive to North Conway.

Weekend in Connecticut

2011-09-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

September 16-17-18, 2011 — The Fairfield County Concours d'Elegance in Westport, Connecticut intrigued me. So did the Roaring 20s show in Southbury, Connecticut and the Bennington (Vermont) car show. I would have preferred to drive to Vermont with its pastoral scenery and relatively quiet roads than the heavily-traveled corridor through Massachusetts and Connecticut. But Connecticut offered the opportunity to see a greater variety of cars. I went to the Bennington show just last year and would probably see many of the same cars.

So I made the decision to go to Connecticut. Now I had further choices. The Concours d'Elegance iin Westoprt was held in combination with a Bonhams antique car auction Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Roaring 20s show was Sunday only. I determined Westport was less than an hour's drive from Southbury, so I reserved a room at the Crowne Royal where I stayed the last time I attended the Roaring 20s show in 2009. I would make the decision whether to go to the Roaring 20s show or return to Westport on Sunday after I arrived.

I left Friday morning. The trip was uneventful. I checked into the Crowne Royal around noontime, had lunch, and drove down to Westport. I spent the afternoon under the Bonhams tent where there was a collection of over 100 cars in various states of repair, some incredibly expensive, like the Bugatti with peeling paint and no engine (photo inset) with a range of $150,000-$200,000 and the beautifully restored 1935 Duesenberg at $475,000-$525,000.

I returned to Westport Saturday for the Concours d'Elegance held on the spacious grounds of the Fairfield County Hunt Club. There was an admission charge of $10. On Sunday the admission would be $30. They told me there would be some different cars but many the same. I wasn't convinced it would be worth $30, so I made the decision to go to the Roaring 20s Sunday. As for the Westport show on Saturday, it was spectacular. There were some of the finest brass era and 20s and 30s cars I've seen. That day alone made the trip worthwhile.

Sunday I drove up to the Southbury Training School where the Roaring 20s show was being held. I was immediately disappointed. Unlike two years ago when they hosted 1,100 cars before the day was over, the fields were mostly empty. I think the economy is taking its toll on car shows. Other shows this year have seen declines. I came close to forfeiting the five dollar admission fee I just paid and driving back to Westport for the third day of their show which would have cost me another 30 bucks! But I stuck it out, and many more cars arrived as the day went on, although it never reached the level of 2009. Still, a few rare cars, like a 1957 Dodge Custom Lancer D-500 and others, made it worthwhile.

Here are links to my photos and videos of the three days.

Bonhams Auction Preview:
http://www.linwoodstreet.com/bonhams11/

Fairfield County Concours d'Elegance:
http://www.linwoodstreet.com/fairfield/

Roaring 20s:
http://www.linwoodstreet.com/roaring20s11/

Vintage Era and Chrome, Color & Fins

2011-09-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

September 11, 2011 — After spending a few hours covering the Kiwanis Car Show the day before, I was tired Sunday morning, and I had two car shows to choose from, the Mount Washington Old Car Club in North Conway, New Hampshire, or the so-called Vintage Era and Chrome, Color & Fins at the Endicott Estate in Dedham, Massachusetts. I like North Conway and I usually enjoy the trip up there, but it's more than a two-hour drive. Dedham is just over an hour away. I had a notion to pass on both and just stay home, but it was another gorgeous late summer day, and it seemed a shame to throw it away.

So I decided on the show in Dedham, the shorter drive. Not only that, but I had been to the North Conway show three years ago and it didn't attract anywhere near as many cars as the Endicott event. My decision to go to Dedham turned out to be the right one. There was a large selection of rare and beautiful antique and classic cars and trucks, some beautifully restored, a few all original. It was the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and many cars were flying the Stars and Stripes, and patriotic and early 20th Century music was being piped from the Endicott mansion. My photo coverage of the event is at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/vintagechrome/

Kiwanis Club Car Show

2011-09-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

September 10, 2011 — The Kiwanis Club held its 26th Annual Antique and Classic Car Show at the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord. We've had incredibly good luck with weekend weather all summer, and this was another in a long string of perfect weekends. There were a few hundred cars on display, mostly classics and antiques restored to original, with a few custom jobs and street rods.

For the first time this year, the Kiwanis show had live musical entertainment. A young group calling itself "Kid Jazz" performed '30s through '50s hits, unusual for youthful bands today. You can see my photos and videos of the event at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/kiwanis11/

Atkinson Firefighters. & Lions Club Car Show

2011-09-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

September 5, 2011 — Up until Friday, the forecast had been for showers and thunderstorms Saturday, the day of Atkinson's annual Labor Day car show, sponsored by the Firefighters Association and Lions Club, held on the property of the fire department and Atkinson Historical Society in Atkinson, New Hampshire. But on Friday, the forecast changed to rain-free most of the day Saturday with showers not beginning until evening.So I thought it looked good for the show. But when I got up Saturday morning and turned on NHPR radio, their weather report said it was already raining in parts of southern New Hampshire and there would be rounds of thunderstorms in both the morning and afternoon. It wasn't raining where I live, but the sky was dark and ominous. So I was resigned to spending the day at home.

At about 10 a.m. as I was reading the morning paper, the sun broke through. So I decided where it was only a 40-minute drive to Atkinson, there wasn't much to lose if I headed down there and got turned around by bad weather. So I grabbed my camera and set out for Atkinson. By the time I got there, the sky was mostly clear, it was warm and humid, more like July than September, and the area was filled with cars and spectators.

So I had a good day after all. I overheard someone say there were about 100 fewer cars than last year, but there was still a good selection. There were a dozen or more beautifully restored Model A Fords and many other interesting vehicles. My personal favorite was a 1927 unrestored Chrysler that drove in belching steam from its radiator. The owner seemed unconcerned and walked away and left the car which was quickly surrounded by admirers.

I got over 50 photos and a short video of the '27 Chrysler which you'll find at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/atkinson11/

Cruising Downtown and a Birthday Party

2011-09-04T17:44:00.000-07:00

September 3, 2011 — Manchester held its 11th annual Cruising Downtown Friday, Saturday and Sunday. As in previous years, I've just attended the Saturday event when several blocks of Elm Street, the city's main drag, and several side streets are closed to traffic and taken over by show cars, spectators, bands and concessions. The weather was perfect, warm and a little humid. It felt more like a July day.

New this year were the Pit Girls, three pretty blondes in skimpy attire, roaming around and posing for pictures for anyone who asked. I spent a little over three hours there then left shortly after noontime because I was expected at my grandniece's birthday party in the afternoon. You can see my photos of the event at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/cruising2011/

The nice weather held for the birthday party in the afternoon. My photos of that event can be viewed at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/ashleys14th/

"A Chorus Line"

2011-09-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

August 31, 2011 — A Marvin Hamlisch score, brilliant dance routines, pretty girls in skimpy costumes, what better way to close the 2011 summer theatre season. The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company staged "A Chorus Line" at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse in North Conway, New Hampshire. This popular musical which ran on Broadway over 6,000 times and was the longest running show in Broadway history up to that time, won nine Tony Awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The show is about a group of singer/dancers auditioning for a place in the chorus line of a Broadway musical. The cast of nineteen was talented and energetic. Over the course of the musical, each character relates his or her aspirations, dreams and fears in response to questioning by the director, played by Grant Golson. All were great, but I have to give special mention to Liz Clark Golson who turned in a dazzling song and dance number, with R-rated language, extolling the virtues of her physical attributes. The band, consisting of two pianists and a drummer, sounded just a bit tinny, but the acoustics of the Playhouse could be to blame for that rather than the musicians.

The finale was a triumph when the nineteen performers, after an unbelievably quick change, came out in matching gold costumes and performed a Rockettes-style high-kicking chorus line to wrap up the show.

Moose Festival, Day 2

2011-08-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

August 27, 2011 — Saturday morning, after a sleepless night in the warm, humid, air-conditionless room above a noisy alley at the Colebrook House, I arose and crossed the street for breakfast at Howard's Restaurant. I checked out of my room and headed for Canaan, Vermont, about ten miles away, for the second day of Moose Festival activities. I arrived about 9. It was sunny and pleasant and dozens of tents and booths were already set up. The show car area was beginning to fill with antique and custom cars. Many food and drink vendors had set up in their trailers.

The crafts on display and for sale were truly impressive. Beautiful woodwork and carvings, colorful knitted garments, art and decorations were everywhere. Photo opportunities were much better than in Colebrook the day before. There were pony rides for children, and a wagon pulled by a pair of Belgian horses was taking groups on a tour around Canaan. The Lions Club, as usual, was serving their popular moose burgers. There was also a moose stew cook-off where you could sample stews prepared by local restaurants and vote for your favorite. The Berlin (New Hampshire) Jazz Band entertained. Two huge birthday cakes were brought out and pieces offered free in honor of the Moose Festival's 20th anniversary.

As the day wore on, threatening clouds were building, but the rain held off. I left, reluctantly, at about 3 and made the three-hour drive home without encountering rain, but the next day many areas of a poorly-prepared Vermont were devastated by Hurricane Irene, by then reduced to a tropical storm, but still the most destructive storm to hit Vermont in over 70 years.

My photos and videos of the Canaan event can be seen at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/canaan2011/

Moose Festival, Day 1

2011-08-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

August 26, 2011 — On Monday the five-day forecast indicated good weather through Saturday, so I made a reservation at the Colebrook House for Friday night, so I could be in the area for the first two days of the Moose Festival in Colebrook, New Hampshire and Canaan, Vermont. Hurricane Irene was moving up the east coast, but wasn't expected to arrive in New England until Sunday.

I arrived in Colebrook at about noon on Friday and checked in at the Colebrook House, from which all the Moose Festival action is within walking distance. I had lunch first, then strolled along Main Street where vendors and crafters were still in the process of setting up their tents. I stopped at the field where Bob Cloutier offers helicopter rides, but there was a delay because the helicopter was in Nashua undergoing repairs, not very confidence-inspiring. I stopped in at Trinity Methodist Church where they were having their annual quilt show and took a series of photos. From there I visited the historic museums at town hall and the Tillotson Center. By the time I returned to Main Street, it was after 3 and the street was closed to traffic and opening ceremonies were in progress. Later, a rock band took the stage, and still later the Moose Valley Squares danced in the street and offered free lessons. At 5, I wandered up to Colebrook Academy for the chicken barbecue on their lawn while a local band played, one of my favorite Moose Festival attractions.

After dinner, I noticed the helicopter flying overhead, so I headed back to its landing site and got on a flight. As he had done two years ago, the last time I flew with him, Bob removed the door next to my seat leaving me with just a car-type seat belt the only thing saving me from a parachute-less free-fall. It was scary but thrilling, especially when he rolled toward my side of the helicopter, placing me horizontally over a doorless opening hundreds of feet in the air.

Once again this year, as last, they parked the show cars in the elementary school parking lot, instead of on Bridge Street as they had done previously. This parking lot is a terrible place for photography, with the cars parked so close together there's barely room to walk between them. Later in the evening, the cars paraded up Main Street, but I found the selection of cars disappointing this year.

You can see my photos and videos of the first day at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/colebrook2011/

"The 39 Steps"

2011-08-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

August 24, 2011 — For the final play of their 81st season, The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire is presenting "The 39 Steps," their 600th production at the Tamworth theater. Adapted from a novel by John Buchan and the 1935 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written for the stage by Patrick Barlow, this production turns Hitchcock's dark, suspenseful tale into a madcap, free-wheeling comedy, which I didn't expect, but having seen it I'm convinced that was exactly the right thing to do.

Blair Hundertmark is superb as the suave, handsome hero, Richard Hannay, on the lam as a falsely suspected murderer and caught up in a web of intrigue and espionage. Madeleine Maby deftly handles three diverse roles. a femme fatale, a shy inn-keeper's wife, and a strong-willed but innocent bystander caught up in Hannay's predicament. Scott H. Severance and Doug Shapiro, two of the funniest men in New Hampshire summer theater, play a dizzying number of characters, all hilarious. The portly Severance is especially gifted at character-switching, playing both male and frumpy female parts, as he has done in other Barnstormers plays. Scenery and costume changes come fast and furious as the actors play multiple characters from London to Scotland and other locations in the British Isles. The entire chaotic production is a brilliant achievement in direction, acting and stagecraft.

At the end of the play, when the four actors come out for their curtain call, you're tempted to ask, "Where are the rest of them?" It's hard to believe what you just witnessed was performed by only four people. This was a terrific ending to The Barnstormers' season, and I'll remember it as the funniest play I saw this summer.

"Dr. Knock"

2011-08-24T06:15:00.000-07:00

August 23, 2011 — "Dr. Knock," a 1923 French play by Jules Romains, was translated and directed by Gus Kaikkonen, artistic director of the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Kraig Swartz, one of the Players' best comic actors, had the lead role. He is taking over the practice of a small town's departing doctor, and has his own ideas for making medicine hugely profitable. With his smooth manner and cherubic smile, he convinces healthy townspeople they have life-threatening diseases and need regular visits, sometimes spread over years, to ensure their survival. In collusion with the local pharmacist, he makes sure his patients have a steady supply of expensive drugs to sustain them. Sound familiar? Would this 1923 play's premise be too far-fetched today?

Several actors deftly juggled multiple roles. Dale Hodges deserves special mention for her three portrayals, the best a flustered, pretentious upper-class lady which, although brief, almost stole the show. Michael Dell'Orto was excellent as always as the poor departing doctor whose life's work is discredited by Kraig Swartz's unscrupulous young doctor. Ryan Farley, Tom Frey and Bridget Beirne also play multiple roles. Casey Jordan rounds out the cast.

There were some flat spots in the play, some uncomfortable pauses at times, but overall this was an entertaining evening well-spent. For me, one of the stars of the show was the ancient automobile in Act One. There should be a special award for whoever conceived and built this sputtering, smoking jalopy.

9th Annual Granite State Nationals

2011-08-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

August 20, 2011 — I hadn't been to the Laconia Nationals since 2008 when it was held at Gunstock Ski Area in Laconia, New Hampshire. I thought it had become dominated by street rods and custom jobs, not my area of interest. I decided to give it another look this year. It's now held at the Sandwich Fairgrounds in Sandwich. I was disappointed. The show is now almost exclusively rods and customs with few exceptions, and the Fairgrounds are not as good a venue as Gunstock. On a hot day, there was almost no place to escape from the sun. Even places to sit were scarce. At Gunstock, you had the ski lodge with indoor plumbing and plenty of tables.

However, I was there, so I decided to make the most of it. Even though I'm a purist who loves brass era cars and cars through the fifties, either all original or restored to original, I have to admit customizing is an art unto itself. Much devotion, time and money goes into these cars, and many are indeed beautiful, featuring brilliant colors, quirky redesigns and humorous creativity. So I shot a relatively small series of 40 photos, my nod to the customizers' art, with a couple of classics thrown in.

In the afternoon, a barbecue was planned at Hesky Park in Meredith, a half hour drive away, at 4 p.m. and a parade of cars through Meredith at 6:30. It was only 1 p.m. when I left the Fairgrounds, because there was simply nothing more to see, and headed for Meredith. The barbecue was already underway at 1:30 under a tent in Hesky Park. I wasn't ready to eat at that time so I wandered around the area for awhile, but it was very hot and there was just too much time to kill, so at about 3 p.m. I left for home.

My photos and one video taken at the Fairgrounds can be viewed at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/nationals/

"Bedroom Farce"

2011-08-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

August 18, 2011 — A bit slow-paced for the first half of Act 1, but the pace quickened and the hilarity increased as the play progressed. For its seventh and next-to-last production of this season, The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire presented Alan Aykbourn's "Bedroom Farce."

This was a very funny play once it got rolling. With three partitionless bedrooms and most of the actors on stage at the same time, separation was achieved by focusing lighting on one bedroom at a time as each couple played their parts. Very English, some of the dialog and action was reminiscent of Monty Python. For the most part, the actors' British accents were convincing, with Tom Patterson doing the best one. Shelly Bolman sometimes allowed his normal American accent to come through, but his portrayel of the injured, bedridden Nick was one of the show's funniest. Dale Place, a Barnstormers regular, was superb as always as a fussy, uptight older Brit, and Penny Purcell was perfectly cast as his very proper British wife. Angela Smith was great as the neurotic, unstable Susannah. Amy Prothro, Paul Melendy and Kelly Rypkema filled out the cast. All were excellent.

54th Annual Stowe Antique & Classic Car Meet

2011-08-15T11:18:00.002-07:00

August 14, 2011 — The crown jewel of my car show season, the Vermont Automobile Enthusiasts' Antique and Classic Car Meet in Stowe, Vermont, held its 54th annual show today. As has been my habit for this show, I arose at 5 a.m. and left the house shortly after 6 and arrived at the show grounds on Nichols Field, just south of Stowe Village, shortly before 9 after a two and one-half hour drive. Although the forecast was for sunny, warm weather, I was getting a little worried as I drove through thick fog and a few raindrops for some distance after crossing the Vermont border. However, by the time I arrived at the field the fog had lifted and there were only scattered clouds. It would get progressively hotter as the day wore on.

A dozen or so cars were already on the field when I arrived, but I was in time for the official opening. The Star Spangled Banner was played, followed by the Canadian national anthem in honor of the many Canadian participants and guests always present at this show close to the Canadian border. A steady flow of antique cars would continue to arrive through most of the day. They anticipated more than 700. I didn't hear a final c0unt.

This is a three-day event, but I just go for the Saturday portion each year when all the cars that are going to be there are usually present, and they have a parade through Stowe Village and street dancing in the evening. It's a very full day. By evening I was getting severe leg cramps from being on my feet with few breaks for the past ten hours. Still, I was reluctant to call it quits at the end of a day I look forward to all year. But a little after 8 p.m., with the village still mobbed with people, rock music blaring, dancing still going on, and antique cars parked along both sides of Main Street, I bought a large coffee to make sure I stayed awake on the long drive home and hit the road.

You can see photos and videos of this event at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/stowe11/

"Murder on the Nile"

2011-08-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

August 11, 2011 — The Agatha Christie mysteries are ingenious, well-written and unpredictable. Most have totally unexpected endings. They're also so popular and well-known that in any given audience, many will have seen the play or movie or read the story before. This doesn't necessarily spoil the fun. Seeing Christie's well-developed characters portrayed by good actors is always fascinating, even if you already know "who dunnit." However, if like me you're seeing a production such as "Murder on the Nile" for the first time, it can be an exciting, suspenseful, often funny treat.

This is the type of play The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire usually does extremely well. However, "Murder on the Nile" fills up most of the first two acts of the three-act play introducing characters, explaining relationships and providing background essential to understanding the plot. This became a bit tedious because the Barnstormers cast just wasn't passionate enough to bring out the characters' personalities and liven up the action. An exception was the very talented Scott Severance who stole the show, as he does most plays he's in, as a bombastic clergyman.

This wasn't a bad production. I'd just like to have seen a little more energy in the first two-thirds. The final act, as the circle tightens around the murderer (or murderers), was a tour de force, and the ending left most of the audience gasping.

"Hamlet"

2011-08-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

August 10, 2011 — I hadn't been in the upper Connecticut Valley in many years and had forgotten much about it. When I decided to attend a play at Alumni Hall in Haverhill, New Hampshire, a two-hour drive, I figured I'd arrive in time to have a leisurely meal in a nice restaurant before going to the play. Restaurant? In Haverhill? Unknown! This is rolling farm country, pastoral but with few amenities. I couldn't even find a store where I could at least buy a loaf of bread and some sliced ham. I'm a skinny guy and I don't carry much in reserve, so I need to eat regularly. I finally found a restaurant across the river in Bradford, Vermont. Fortified, I returned to Haverhill.

Theatre Under the Stars, whose excellent productions I've been enjoying for years, staged their moveable show at Alumni Hall this evening, a spare, spacious but pleasant town hall-style theater, possibly one of the better indoor venues Under the Stars has had in recent years. They prefer to hold their performances outdoors, weather permitting. On this night, threatening clouds and a forecast for thunderstorms made indoors seem a more prudent decision. They were right. Just as the show started, there was a roar of thunder and rain began, somehow appropriate for Hamlet.

Played on a large, bare stage with a small wooden bench the only furnishing, this play tested the skills of director and actors who had to work with virtually no props, and they were more than up to the challenge. Fiery, impassioned, with beautifully choreographed sword fights, the play was a real audience-pleaser.

I'm not a professional critic — some may say I have no business criticizing at all — but I know what I like, and I liked every aspect of this production. I wish someone would tell me in what way was the great Laurence Olivier's studied Hamlet in the 1948 movie better than Under the Stars' Adam Hadas's intense, passionate Hamlet. Especially when you consider that in the movie, Olivier got to re-shoot a scene over and over until he got it right. I won't even mention Hadas in the same breath with Mel Gibson in the 1990 movie. That would be an insult to Hadas.

Founder and artistic director Donna Devlin was wonderful as always in the role of Gertrude. Executive Manager Will Hammond was satisfyingly villainous as Claudius, and doubled as Hamlet's father's ghost. All actors were superb, some playing multiple roles. With a surplus of female performers and a shortage of males this season, several roles had to be feminized, such as Horatio (Horatia), Laertes (Laerta) and Polonius (were they calling her Polonia? I didn't catch that). Even Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were girls. But it worked. Many Shakespeare characters are interchangeable gender-wise. I'm waiting for a female Hamlet some day. Donna is just the sort of risk-taker who might attempt this. "Hamlette," anyone?

Check out Theatre Under the Stars' entertaining website at this link:

http://www.shakespeareinthevalley.com/

38th Annual Anheuser-Busch Show & Shine

2011-08-08T14:18:00.000-07:00

August 7, 2011 — I had almost given up any hope of attending the 38th annual Show & Shine car show, benefitting "Make A Wish," at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Merrimack, New Hampshire. Right up until the 11 p.m. news the evening before, all forecasters were predicting thundershowers all day, with some heavy downpours. But when I arose Sunday morning, it was cloudy and had been raining overnight, but it wasn't currently raining. So I decided to risk going. It's not that far to drive, and there are plenty of places to get under cover quickly at the Anheuser-Busch complex.

The forecasts couldn't have been more wrong. By late morning, the clouds were breaking up and the sun was shining. Unfortunately, the forecast of bad weather had discouraged many and cars and spectators were far below typical numbers for this event. This goes to show how influential weather forecasting is, and how important it is to get it right. An unfortunate side effect is that "Make A Wish" probably didn't realize their donation goal for the event.

With fewer cars to photograph, I filled in by taking a series of pictures in the stable, and more on a tour of the brewery which I had never done before. You can see my coverage of the somewhat diminished event at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/budweiser11/

"Arms and the Man"

2011-08-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

August 4, 2011 — I really want to give this play a good review. The sets were beautiful. Two intermissions were required to facilitate the extensive scenery changes. The 19th Century Eastern European costumes, from society women's gowns to peasant dress to military uniforms, were no less than stunning. Add to all that the fact it was George Bernard Shaw's best-known and most popular play.

The play was staged at Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and featured Players regulars Karen Peakes in the female lead role as Raina, Dale Hodges, Sevanne Martin and Kraig Swartz. The play is set during the Serbo-Bulgarian conflict, a two-week war that took place in 1885. It's a comedy and a satire, containing Shaw's biting commentary on love and war.

In spite of all its good intentions, and the fact that I've rarely been disappointed by a Peterborough Players production, I must say this was not among the best I've seen this summer, and I can't put my finger on just what it was that disappointed me. I think it could have been played with more energy. The comic aspect of the play just wasn't being delivered effectively.

Besides the aforementioned actors, also appearing were Tom Frey in the male lead role as Swiss soldier Bluntschli, Richard Rosenthal and Ryan Farley. Michael Dell'Orso was outstanding as Major Petkoff, a perpetually confused army major.

North Shore Concours d'Elegance

2011-08-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

July 31, 2011 — The North Shore Concours d'Elegance, held in collaboration with the North Shore Old Car Club at Endicott College's Misselwood Estate, is a very classy show attracting beautifully restored, high-quality antique cars. The Misselwood Estate is on a hill overlooking the sea in Beverly, Massachusetts. It's one of the most attractive settings for a car show I have found anywhere in New England.

A large tent is set up where a fashion show is held and lunch is served. Outside, tables with linen tablecloths are set up overlooking the ocean. Everything is done with class. This is one of my favorite, although far from largest, car shows.

You can view my photos of the event at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/northshore11/

"Gold in the Hills"

2011-07-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2011 — A murder mystery, a beautiful young woman lured away by a dark, mustachioed, black-suited villain, an aging farmer being tricked out of his property, an innocent man framed for murder, undiscovered oil and gold hidden beneath the land. Sound like 1920s melodrama? That's exactly what it is.

The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire, staged an old-fashioned story of good and evil with no shades of gray in between. A farmer with two beautiful daughters, an evil villain you love to hate, a noble young man forced on the run when falsely accused of murder, overblown dialog, deliberate over-acting that only good actors could get away with, a sequence set in the Bowery in New York with song and dance. This was a wildly entertaining show. The audience really got into it, loudly booing the villain, applauding and cheering the good guys, sometimes drowning out some of the dialog.

Featuring 22 performers, this was one of the largest casts I've seen in a summer theater production. All 22 were on stage at once in the raucous scene in a Bowery bar in the second act. Two intermissions were necessary, not because of the length of the show, but to facilitate the extensive set changes.

I'll probably remember this show as the most fun I had at a New Hampshire summer theater this season.

"Shipwrecked!"

2011-07-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

July 26, 2011 — The full title of this play is a mouthful: Shipwrecked! The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (as told by himself). Written by Donald Margulies, the play at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire is done in a music hall style popular in de Rougemont's lifetime in the 19th Century. Richard Brundage as de Rougemont addresses the audience directly as he tells his fantastic story of searching for pearls, becoming lost at sea, riding the backs of turtles, living among aborigines for 30 years, and burying a fortune in pearls in Australia before returning to England. He briefly enjoys celebrity status after publishing his exploits in a London periodical, until he's exposed as a fraud, eventually dying penniless.

Sasha Castroverde and Dan Lendzian assist Brundage as he narrates his story, effectively using minimal props and costumes as they hilariously portray many characters over the course of the 90-minute comedy. One of several uncoventional plays I've seen this season, this one was a real audience-pleaser. The stage was primitive and the actors did all their costume changes within sight of the audience, giving the play an intimate feel within the confines of the small theater. This was definitely an evening well-spent.

Skip's Mega-Cruise

2011-07-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

July 23, 2011 — Skip's annual Mega-Cruise car show in Merrimac, Massachusetts was held on a blistering hot day with high humidity. The number of cars was somewhat below previous years, probably because of the extreme heat. But a few hundred cars and many spectators did show up, making for a successful show and a brisk business for Skip's.

"Street Magic," an acapella singing group, entertained the crowd with fifties and sixties rock and roll hits. They were a hit with my age group, but I suspect many of the younger crowd enjoyed them just as much.

I roamed the grounds, admiring and photographing cars under the blazing sun until I got a little light-headed and weak in the knees, my signal that it's time to get something to eat and drink and sit down for a while. I got a lemonade, a lobster roll and a basket of Skip's famous Suzie Q fries and enjoyed them in Skip's air conditioned dining room. Following that, I was good for a couple more hours.

You can see my photo coverage of the event at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/megacruise2011/

"Almost, Maine"

2011-07-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

July 22, 2011 — A program note states the play takes place "on a cold, moonless, slightly surreal night in the middle of the deepest part of a northern Maine winter." That was a concept difficult to imagine in the sweltering heat of the temporary theater set up in the Governor's Lodge at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire for the North Country Center for the Arts. Directly under the roof of the pavilion, five large overhead fans were totally ineffective in overcoming the heat that had built up over the course of a day in the 90s. It must have been torture for the actors, dressed in parkas, knitted caps, gloves and heavy boots. In one hilarious scene, two actors proceed to peel off about five layers of heavy clothing. (They stopped at one final set of longjohns.)

"Almost, Maine," playing concurrently at Lincoln and the New London Barn Playhouse, was not on my list to see this season. But after a second day with temperatures at or slightly over 100 degrees, I needed to escape the heat of the city. A long drive in the air conditioned car seemed particularly appealing. I knew the Governor's Lodge in Lincoln wasn't air conditioned and the New London theater was, but I trusted the Governor's Lodge, farther north and high on the slope of Loon Mountain, would be at least tolerable. It was, but just barely. During intermission, after the sun went down, we stepped outside. The temperature was then about 80. It's amazing what a relief 80 can be after being exposed to 100 for two days.

This was a sweet, quirky play about relationships in a northern rural community, played out in a series of short vignettes. The actors showed not a hint of the discomfort they must have felt in the hot, humid theater in their heavy, multi-layered costumes. The New London Barn put up a video on their website showing excerpts from their version of the play. The New London actors were older and their delivery harsher, in contrast to the softer touch of the Lincoln players. In my opinion, the New London cast lacked the warmth and likeability of the Lincoln cast. I'm convinced I made the right choice in going to Lincoln.

"A Life in the Theatre"

2011-07-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

July 21, 2011 — It was by sheer coincidence that I scheduled two David Mamet plays in a row. A couple of nights ago, it was "Race" at the Weathervane, tonight it was "A Life in the Theatre" at The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire.

This is an unusual play, short with no intermission, with two male actors. In contrast to the intense drama of "Race," this one is mainly a comedy. It follows an older actor who has spent his life in the theatre and a young actor through a series of frequent scene changes as they engage in dressing room conversation, rehearsals and performances. The costume and scene changes come rapidly, some lasting less than a minute. The older actor has a delicate ego and a need for praise and the young actor is usually careful in their conversations not to bruise that ego. However, their relationship becomes more acrimonious as the play progresses.

I really liked this play, but I got the impression the audience just wasn't getting it. There was only scattered laughter at scenes I thought were hilarious. When the lights went down on the final scene, I overheard someone behind me say, "I hope this is the end." There was polite but not very enthusiastic applause at the curtain call. I guess you could say the play is not for everyone.

Buddy Haardt was very good as the young actor, and I thought George Piehl's portrayal of the older actor was the best summer theater performance I've seen so far this season.

"Race"

2011-07-21T06:23:00.000-07:00

July 19, 2011 — "Race" by David Mamet was staged by the Weathervane Theatre in Whitefield, New Hampshire. This complicated play, about a law firm preparing to defend a wealthy white man charged with the rape of a black woman is well-acted and convincing for the most part. Race and sexism boil to the surface as the defendant, the two lawyers (one white, one black) and a black female legal assistant can't manage to completely put their prejudices aside.

In typical Mamet style, the language is blistering. This is definitely for adult audiences. Scott McGowan as the defendant is a bit stiff at the beginning, reciting his lines with little feeling or emotion. Robert H. Fowler is compelling as the black lawyer. He turned in a stellar performance as Coalhouse Walker in last year's production of "Ragtime." Chad Jennings is very good as the white lawyer. Shinnerrie Jackson is terrific as the defiant legal assistant forced to defend her employment in the firm.

Weekend in the Boothbay Harbor Region, Maine

2011-07-20T17:58:00.000-07:00

July 17, 2011 — The Boothbay Harbor Region of Maine is a spot I've always been fond of. I spent time there in 1971 and 1973 and again in 1985, but not since then, until this weekend. It was Antique Auto Days at the Boothbay Railway Village that drew me there this time. The Railway Village has a permanent collection of about 50 antique cars at their musuem. This weekend, the Maine Obsolete Automobile League (MOAL) members brought their cars for the annual Antique Auto Days event.

I took in the museum Saturday afternoon. I could see MOAL cars in a field nearby, but by the time I left the museum, most of them had gone. I returned to the harbor area and roamed around there. It hadn't changed much since I was last there over 25 years go. I had supper, then returned to the conveniently located and comfortable Flagship Inn where I had reserved a room.

Sunday morning I returned to the Railway Village. All the MOAL cars had returned. I got pictures of the cars on the field. A big thrill for me was when the owner of a 101-year-old Marmon let me sit behind the wheel.

The plan was for the cars to parade through the harbor area in the afternoon, starting at 1:30. The lawn of the Boothbay Library was suggested as a good place to view the parade. I stationed myself there about 1:15 and waited, planning to get videos of the cars underway. A number of other people were doing the same. By 2:30 when no parade was in sight, most of the people had drifted away, except one couple and me. At 3 o'clock we gave it up as a lost cause and left. I roamed around the harbor, took a few more photos, and headed for home. I never found out what happened to the parade.

In spite of the lost parade, the trip was a success. The weather was gorgeous and I got lots of photos. You can see views around the harbor area at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/boothbay/

Photos and a video of the Railway Village musuem and the MOAL cars can be seen here:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/railway/

"Man of La Mancha"

2011-07-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

July 12, 2011 — It had been several years since I attended a play in the Inter-Lakes High School auditorium, home of the Lakes Region Summer Theater which ceased operations several years ago. A new theatre company, Interlakes Summer Theatre, has now taken up residence in the same auditorium, located in picturesque Meredith, New Hampshire, on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. I attended many performances of the old Lakes Region theatre with my mother, who shared my love of live theatre, and returning brought back pleasant memories.

Tonight's presentation was "Man of La Mancha," a well-known play to many, but it was the first time I had seen it, and I was favorably impressed with the production. A talented cast, led by Scott Sowinski as Cervantes/Don Quixote and Sheira Feuerstein as Aldonza. Sowinski, tall and rangy, was a perfect choice for his role as the prisoner Cervantes, forced to act out the wildly improbable exploits of Don Quixote. His serviceable baritone voice was pleasing, but sometimes slightly forced. Feuerstein was excellent as the fiery Aldonza. She was the better singer, with a fine soprano voice. Short, chubby Cody Strand was a hilarious Sancho.

Stagecraft and production values were top-notch. I look forward to returning regularly. I was pleased to see the new company retained the previous company's custom of having all the actors line up to greet the audience as they depart at the end of the play. A very nice touch.

BCA National Meet

2011-07-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

July 9, 2011 — The Minuteman Chapter of the Buick Owners of America had their Buicks on display for the public on the final day of their 2011 meet at the CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort in Danvers, Massachusetts. This is the first time they have held their meet in New England in 13 years.

It has been my observation that antique car clubs have the most beautiful and meticulously restored cars to be seen anywhere. This was true of this show as well as the Lincoln and Continental Owners Club show, held in Laconia, New Hampshire a month ago.

The show featured Buicks from a 100-year-old 1911 model through at least the fifties. There were later years represented, but I have less interest in those and didn't bother to photograph them. You can see my photos of these stunning examples from a bygone automotive era at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/bca/

"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change"

2011-07-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

July 7, 2011 — Since the Papermill Theatre's former location in one of the old mill buildings in Lincoln, New Hampshire, was torn down two years ago, the North Country Center for the Arts has been staging its performances in space provided for a stage and seating in the Governor's Lodge at the nearby Loon Mountain ski area. This arrangement will continue until the new Jean's Playhouse is completed, hopefully in time for next season. With no air conditioning on a very warm night, it took a sparkling performance to get the audience to ignore their discomfort, and that's exactly what six talented young performers did tonight.

"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" is about the absurdity of relationships from dating to marriage to child-rearing to the senior years, told mostly in hilarious song lyrics in a series of brief skits. The actors went through many costume changes and just as many changes in character without a hitch in this first-night performance. Filled with sexual references and innuendo, and some profanity, this was an adult show, but there were a number of youngsters present. I'm just glad I'm not a parent who has to answer some of the questions the show is bound to provoke from the young.

During the intermission, drinks were served on the upper level of the lodge, and we could step outside and briefly enjoy the cool mountain air under a half moon, surrounded by the Loon Mountain ski slopes. Overall, a most enjoyable evening.

"Last Train to Nibroc"

2011-06-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

June 28, 2011 — A soldier and a girl meet in 1940 on a train from Los Angeles. She's returning home after being jilted by her fiance, he's been discharged from the army on the eve of World War II because he suffers from "fits." Coincidentally, they learn they're both from neighboring towns in Kentucky.

This simple play, written by Arlene Hutton and based loosely on her parents' meeting, is being presented by the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Allison McLemore and Joel Ripka are the only actors in the 90-minute, three-act play with no intermission. Each act finds the couple meeting under different circumstances over a three-year period, their lives taking directions they never anticipated, but one thing remains constant: their attraction to each other. She's often in denial of it, but he refuses to give up.

These two small-town southerners with 1940s values are sometimes combative, sometimes sympathetic, sometimes sarcastic, but always immensely likable, thanks to the skillful actors. The play is humorous, heart-warming and in the end satisfying. You can sense when an audience is pleased, and tonight's audience certainly was. I drove home with a good feeling.

Sunapee Lions Club Car & Motorcycle Show

2011-06-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

June 26, 2011 — After a half dozen days of well-below normal temperatures and frequent rain and drizzle, the forecast was for clearing and warmer today. But when I got up in the morning, it didn't look promising. There was heavy overcast and fog. I had been planning to go to the Lions Club 13th annual car show in Sunapee, New Hampshire, but now I was having second thoughts.

But I decided to risk getting caught in the rain and headed for Sunapee. It was the right decision. There was no rain, although skies remained mostly cloudy. There was a good turnout for the show, spectators as well as cars and motorcycles, held at the Mount Sunapee Resort, primarily a winter ski area, with two lodges and complete facilities. Attendees are offered rides to the top of Mount Sunapee and back down again on one of the chair lifts. Some of the best food of all the car shows I regularly attend is served.

We never got the sun that makes for brilliant car photography, but I got some pretty good photos of fascinating cars and motorcycles anyway. You can see them at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/sunapee2011/

"Butterflies Are Free"

2011-06-24T09:40:00.000-07:00

June 23, 2011 — Whenever I go to a play at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse (the "Winni") in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, I make an afternoon out of it and stop first in nearby Meredith and stroll around the picturesque bayside community, admiring the very expensive boats along the dock, and taking in the beauty of Lake Winnipesaukee on a warm summer day. After supper at Hart's Turkey Farm, I drive over to Weirs Beach and stroll along the boardwalk, and if the timing is right, see the M.V. Mount Washington, Lake Winnipesaukee's huge, popular excursion boat, arrive at the Weirs dock. But on this third day of summer, the temperature was a very unsummer-like 60 degrees and a cold rain was falling. That pretty much ruled out my afternoon strolling, so I had supper at home and drove directly to the Winni.

On this evening, the Winni was staging "Butterflies Are Free." I didn't see the 1972 movie, so this perfectly charming little play was all new to me. It's about a young man who, after a sheltered life, strikes out on his own and gets an apartment in New York City, escaping his domineering mother. The young man has a handicap I won't disclose in case you have a chance to see the play, although it's revealed fairly early on. A lackadaisical young woman with little sense of moral propriety in the adjacent apartment intrudes into his well-ordered life, quickly seduces him, and he just as quickly falls head over heels for her. When his mother shows up unannounced and finds the couple in their underwear, some very peppery dialogue ensues.

The play is a delight. Perky, cute Rebecca A. K. Turner is perfectly cast in the role of the free-spirited girl. Her performance is easily the best of the talented cast. Mostly humorous and lighthearted, with smart dialogue, the play has lessons on how emotional handicaps can often be more threatening to quality of life than physical disabilities.

The drive home was rather unpleasant over dark New Hampshire roads as the relentless rain continued. That was yesterday. This afternoon, as I write this, it's 58 degrees and still raining. Summer, where are you? Did we say something to offend you?

"This Verse Business"

2011-06-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

June 18, 2011 — The Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company in North Conway, New Hampshire, presented "This Verse Business" by A. M. Dolan, a one-man show starring Gordon Clapp as poet Robert Frost. Clapp, a New Hampshire native, is probably best known for his portrayal of detective Greg Medavoy on the TV show "NYPD Blue," for which he won an Emmy in 1998. He was also nominated for a Tony award for his part in the Broadway revival of "Glengarry Glen Ross." He appeared in Clint Eastwood's World War II drama, "Flags of Our Fathers," and many TV shows.

Ticket holders were invited to show up at 7 p.m. for a buffet, drinks and entertainment outside the theatre an hour before the main performance. It was a comfortably warm evening, but the hour seemed overly long to me. With only ten chairs provided for over 100 people, most of us remained standing. Gordon Clapp, friendly and unpretentious, joined us for awhile, mixed with the crowd and posed for pictures. Several excellent vocalists sang Broadway show tunes. Finally, at 8, we were all admitted inside the theatre, but waited another half hour for the show to start.

Those unfortunate timing problems aside, Clapp's performance was superb. He was totally immersed in his characterization of Frost. Dressed in a rumpled, ill-fitting suit, wearing a shaggy white wig, speaking in folksy witticisms and puns, he was a believable Frost. The one-hour performance was often funny, sometimes poignant. He recited several of Frost's poems and talked about his (Frost's) rationale for writing them. He received a well-deserved standing ovation at the end of the performance.

The Great Race, Chattanooga to Bennington

2011-06-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

June 17, 2011 — I had already made a reservation at the Stratton Mountain Inn in Vermont for Thursday night when I heard the forecaat for showers Friday, so I picked up a poncho and a waterproof sleeve for my camera. I planned to be there Friday when the Hemmings Great Race arrived for the first stop on the final day of their trip from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Bennington, Vermont.

It was raining when I arose Friday morning at the inn, and it looked like it was settling in for an all-day soaker. That wasn't the case, though. The rain stopped a little later in the morning, and it remained heavily overcast but mostly rain-free the rest of the day. The cars started arriving, more than 50, and what cars! There were racers and speedsters from the '20s, production vehicles through the '60s, Model A Fords and a 100-year-old Velie that would be chosen Event Grand Champion later in the day. The teams stopped for lunch at Stratton Mountain, then left for the finish at Bennington with me in close pursuit.

All the cars stopped briefly at Hemmings Motor News headquarters in Bennington, then left to park on Main Street which was closed to traffic for the event. Tired but happy drivers and their navigators milled around talking about their cars to anyone who would listen. They had accomplished an impressive feat, completing the 1,500-mile journey in seven days in cars from 40 to 100 years old.

You can see my photos and videos of the activities at Stratton Mountain and Bennington at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/greatrace/

"Straw Hat Revue"

2011-06-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

June 9, 2011 — The day was sweltering, mid-90s with storm clouds building, when I left for New London, New Hampshire. Violent storms were roaming about the state and power was out in many areas. Radio bulletins were advising people to seek shelter and keep away from windows. I was wondering if this trip was foolhardy, but I had a reservation for the 54th Annual Red Hat Revue at the New London Barn Playhouse, and after the second day in a row of temperatures in the 90s, I just wanted to get away for a few hours.

About five minutes from home, the weather caught up with me. The wind picked up, lightning flashed and thunder roared and the rain was coming down almost horizontally. The temperature dropped from the mid-90s to mid-60s in minutes. I eventually rode the storm out, and by the time I got to New London, the rain had stopped, clouds had thinned and it was refreshingly cool. I had time to kill, so I strolled around the picturesque college town for awhile. I had dinner at my favorite New London restaurant, Peter Christian's Tavern.

The Barn's "Red Hat Revue," an admission-free performance that launches their summer show season each year, was excellent. It featured songs and dance numbers from Disney, Broadway shows and Gershwin, performed by a very talented young cast of twelve. The orchestra was also excellent, better than average for summer stock theatre, but a little overpowering at times. Overall, a great evening's entertainment, and the price was certainly right. A bonus: the New London Barn is air conditioned for the first time this year.

Lincolns in Laconia

2011-06-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 4, 2011 — The Lincoln & Continental Owners Club held their June meet at the Margate Resort in Laconia, New Hampshire. Saturday was spectator day, and the cars were parked diagonally on both sides of a long grassy strip across the street from the Margate, classics (1950s and earlier) on one side and later model Lincolns on the other. Having no interest in the later models, I focused all my attention on the classic side. It was a picture-perfect day in a scenic spot on the shore of Paugus Bay.

You can view my photos of the Lincolns at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/lcoc/

Evening in Southwest Harbor

2011-05-31T16:42:00.000-07:00

May 31, 2011 - I'm comfortably ensconced in my room at the Seawall Motel in Southwest Harbor, part of the Bar Harbor area in Maine. I just had supper at Scotty's Dockside down the road a piece. I came here to check out the Seal Cove Auto Museum, almost a five-hour drive. It was well worth the trip. The museum, inconspicuous on a rural road, houses some of the most beautifully preserved and restored brass-era cars in America. You can view my photos of these stunning automobiles at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/sealcove/

Tomorrow, I'll start wending my way home after spending a little time exploring Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island; that is, if predicted thunderstorms don't interrupt my sightseeing.

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

May 30, 2011 — I'm enjoying a quiet, albeit hot and humid, Memorial Day at home. I made a reservation at a motel in Bar Harbor, Maine for tomorrow night. I'll be heading there tomorrow morning to visit the Seal Cove Auto Museum. There will be a full report on that in my next post.

Yesterday, as has been our tradition, my sister and niece and I met and visited cemeteries, placing flowers on the graves of the parents and all the grandparents. Following that, we had dinner at Joe Fish, a favorite restaurant in the area. My haddock Florentine was absolutely delicious.

Skip's 2011 Season Opener

2011-05-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

May 22, 2011 — I had been planning to attend the Concours d'Elegance at Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island today, but heavy cloud cover, the threat of rain and temperature in the 50s made walking around for several hours photographing cars seem very unappealing. It's the eighth day out of the past nine with rain in this year of the spring that wasn't.

Yesterday, the sun did come out for the first time in seven days in time for the season-opening car show at Skip's Hamburgers in Merrimac, Massachusetts. Attendance was far below last year's record-breaking opening day count of 438 cars, I'd say about half that, but that's still a good turnout and it really felt great to spend an afternoon under a warm sun. I finished off the day with a lobster roll and Skip's delicious hand-cut Suzie-Q potatoes. My photos of the event can be seen at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/skips2011/

" 'night, Mother"

2011-05-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

May 13, 2011 — For its last show of the season, Theatre Kapow presented Marsha Norman's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, " 'night, Mother," at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire. This is not an uplifting play. In fact, it's fairly devastating. After spending some time carefully laying things out in her aging mother's house, making arrangements for grocery delivery and other things she'll need when she's left alone, the daughter matter-of-factly informs her mother she's going to kill herself. There's some humorous dialog up to this point between the two rural southern women, before the mother accepts the fact her daughter is serious.

Carey Cahoon as the daughter and Donna Goldfarb as the mother give masterful performances as the mood of the play turns from lighthearted banter in the early going to denial, recrimination, anger and grief as the mother realizes her daughter is on an irreversible course. Tonight was the first of three performances of the play. I usually avoid a first-time performance, not wanting to witness first-night jitters, but I needn't have worried. The performances by the two actresses were emotionally shattering and the direction by Matthew Cahoon perfect.

Following the play, the actresses joined representatives from the Center for Life Management, NAMI-NH, the Connect Project and the Support Group for Survivors of Suicide Loss for a question-and-answer session about suicide prevention with the audience.

First Car Show of the New Season

2011-05-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 1 — I thought I was going to take in two car shows today. A show at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts, was on the schedule from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and another show in Lexington, a 10-minute drive from Burlington, beginning at noon. I figured two hours at the Lahey show would be sufficient, then I could drive over to Lexington at noon and spend the afternoon there. But after driving around the vast Lahey complex and finding no evidence of a car show, and no place to park except paid parking garages, I finally drove into a garage and went to the hospital information desk only to be informed the show had been canceled on short notice.

So I drove over to Lexington and arrived about 10:30. The show there wasn't scheduled to start until 12, so I walked around the picturesque, photogenic town and took pictures of the minuteman statue and other historic markers and locations. If you remember your history lessons, Lexington is where colonists had their first skirmish with the British in 1775, launching the Revolutionary War.

The car show was small, but some interesting vehicles were entered, some I had seen at last year's show. A fair was going on concurrently in a small park near the car show. I wandered around there and got some additional photos. A highlight of the fair was two live alpacas from Island Alpaca Company of Martha's Vineyard and a table full of their alpaca wool hats and garments.

Overall, it was a day well-spent, a good start to the 2011 antique car season. You can see my photos of the event at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/lexington11/

"The Pillowman"

2011-03-14T05:53:00.000-07:00

March 13, 2011 — The Players' Ring is near the waterfront, on the edge of historic Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Housed in an unpretentious brick building, seating only 70, it provides an intimate theater experience. There is no stage as such. The seats surround three sides of the small, square performance area which is at floor level.

I'm having trouble finding a way to describe "The Pillowman" by Martin McDonagh. It breaks many taboos, making the blackest of black humor out of mental retardation, child abuse and murder, religious tradition and ethnicity. With its profanity-laced dialog, subject matter and violence, it's strictly for mature audiences.

A writer is being held for questioning in some unnamed dictatorship. No Miranda rights or lawyers here — he's completely at the mercy of two sadistic interrogators, one a detective with a penchant for playing cruel mind games, the other a thuggish police officer prone to violent outbursts. At first, it's not clear what he's being held for, but it's gradually revealed that a series of child murders have occurred which bear stark resemblance to stories he has written. He vehemently denies any connection, but when his retarded brother arrives on the scene, everything changes.

The performances by four male actors are excellent, as are the direction and production values, remarkable considering how little there is to work with in the Ring's limited space. A couple of slideshows illustrate parts of the story. The audience was spellbound throughout by the alternately shocking, violent, humorous presentation. If you're into black humor and the trashing of social values, you'll love it. If you have a more sensitive nature, you might want to avoid it.

"The White Liars" and "Black Comedy"

2011-02-27T06:13:00.000-08:00

February 27, 2011 — The weather cooperated nicely for a change. Friday, we were blitzed by an all-day mixed snow and freezing rain. The weather cleared Saturday so I had no trouble getting to the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire, where I had a reservation for an afternoon performance. Today, Sunday, it's snowing heavily again in one of those late winter storms New Hampshire seems to delight in clobbering us with just when we think winter is over.

Saturday, Theatre Kapow presented two short plays by Peter Shaffer at the Stockbridge, "The White Liars" and "Black Comedy." The gentleman who introduced the plays said a common theme joins the two plays. It being a college, he jokingly told the audience their assignment was to figure out what it was. My take on it is that deception and pretension are the common threads that run through both plays.

"The White Liars" concerns a fortune teller with grand pretensions who conspires with a young man to deceive his friend who he believes is stealing his girl. The scheme backfires in many ways, and everyone involved is exposed as being less than truthful, about themselves as well as others. Gail Angellis is excellent as the fortune teller. The play was a little too slow-paced for my taste, and seemed longer than its actual time of less than an hour, but for the most part I enjoyed it.

"Black Comedy," in sharp contrast to the first play, was fast-paced and riotously funny. Lighting played a major part in the presentation. The players' light was the audience's darkness and vice versa. (Don't ask. You have to see it.) Suffice it to say, the play was a triumph of timing, stagecraft and stunts. Stumbling actors, furniture-moving and mistaken identities prevailed. The multi-talented Carey Cahoon appeared. I saw her last year as Hedda in "Hedda Gabler." Her comic turn in "Black Comedy" was quite a departure from Ibsen's tragic heroine. Carey is also a director and costume and set designer.

Theatre Kapow is a small company with impressive talent all around. Their next production will be " 'night Mother" in May. I plan to be there.

February Following January's Example

2011-02-02T13:48:00.000-08:00

February 2, 2011 — The first two days of February promise more of the same that January threw at us. An all-day snowfall yesterday left about 5 inches, not really excessive, but it was added to the mountains of snow already on the ground, not to mention adding to our winter fatigue. Today, a more intense storm accumulated to about 8 inches. During today's storm, much of the precipitation was in the form of ice pellets. All precipitation ceased around 3 p.m.

There's an icicle the size of a small tree trunk reaching from the roof to the ground on the back corner of my house. I tried to break it up by whacking it with my snow shovel, but the shovel just bounced off it.

More snow predicted Saturday. And on and on it goes.

A Brutal January

2011-01-24T19:26:00.000-08:00

January 24, 2011 — This month of January has been brutal. After three good-sized snowstorms in eight days, the temperature dropped to 17 below last night. It was 4 below when I left for my dentist appointment at 11, but with no wind and a bright sun, it didn't feel all that bad, as long as you didn't stay out in it too long. The city is buried in mountains of snow. Where it's been so cold, the snow has remained pristine and white.

I was hoping for a few days rest before the next storm, predicted for two days from now, but I had to go out and shovel a path to my natural gas unit on the side of the house this afternoon after the gas company notified me they'd come by tomorrow morning to install a ground which should have been done when they first installed the unit a year ago. The temperature was about 8 above while I was shoveling.

It's now 10:30 in the evening, and the temperature is 3 below 0. They predict higher temperatures tomorrow, in the 20s. That's not exactly balmy, but at least you won't be risking hypothermia if you stay out more than 10 minutes.

Nor'easter Hits the Region

2011-01-13T10:20:00.000-08:00

January 13, 2011 — Yesterday's storm was predicted, and they said it was going to be a blockbuster, so I wasn't surprised when I got up in the morning to find it snowing heavily and about a foot already on the ground. Shortly after I got up, my dentist's office called to reschedule the appointment I had for that morning. I was wondering if my appointment for car service this morning would also be postponed.

I waited until early afternoon before I started shoveling out, slowly with frequent breaks. Later on, a kind neighbor came over and helped me shovel through the snow bank thrown up by the street plow in front of my driveway. It continued to snow lightly after we finished, so I was resigned to the fact I'd have to go out one more time to clean up a few more inches. Later in the evening, I cleared about an additional two inches. The final official total accumulation for the city was 18.5 inches. It looked like I'd have no problem getting to the dealer for my car service.

This morning I dropped the car off at the the dealer's and picked up a loaner car. The sun was shining, the snow was beautiful, but I was amazed at the huge snow banks left by plows, snowblowers and shovelers, piles that would take three or four storms to reach these heights in an average winter.

First Snow

2010-12-27T13:51:00.000-08:00

December 27, 2010 — The first snowstorm of the season, reaching blizzard proportions in many areas, came roaring up the East Coast over the past 48 hours. Highways became impassable and air traffic was almost at a standstill, stranding thousands of holiday travelers. The snow started falling in my New Hampshire community about 4 p.m. yesterday and accumulated to about 10 inches overnight, far from the two feet that buried some areas to the south. I shoveled out late this morning while a light snow was still falling, but it stopped shortly after and the sun came out, but the temperature was falling rapidly.

As I write this, it's 14 degrees with dangerously high winds. The wind is causing me some concern, because a power outage at these temperatures, if prolonged, could have serious consequences. Last February, winds took out power for 68 hours, but fortunately temperatures were above normal at that time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Christmas Round 2

2010-12-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

December 25, 2010 — Well, I thought Christmas was over for me after last weekend, but I got an invitation to share Christmas Eve with Sheila and family, a Christmas buffet on Christmas morning at Kathy's, and Christmas dinner with Steve and family. I accepted all three invitations, even though they were spread out over 100 miles. Fortunately, the weather was good throughout the holiday weekend.

I think I've finally had enough Christmas, although every minute of it was immensely enjoyable. You can see photos and videos of my second round of Christmas activities at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/christmas10part2/

Early Christmas

2010-12-16T13:45:00.000-08:00

December 12, 2010 — Pam and Roger returned north for the first time since they moved to North Carolina last May. The extended family joined them at Sheila's house in Massachusetts for an early Christmas celebration. We exchanged gifts and enjoyed each other's company, and I stayed overnight. The next day, December 13, Pam left to spend a couple of days with old friends. Roger and I spent some time in the morning at a coffee shop with Wi-Fi satisfying our internet addiction. We went to a movie in the afternoon. I stayed over one more night. The next day, December 14, Pam returned and I left for home. It was great to spend time with them again. They insist I come down to North Carolina to visit them in the spring. I'm giving it serious consideration.

A few photos and a video of our Christmas observance can be seen at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/christmas10/

Sandwich Fair

2010-10-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

October 9, 2010 — I think I get desperate at this time of year. I so hate to let go of the car show season that I let myself be lured to shows of questionable merit. Such was the case with the Sandwich Fair, an annual Columbus Day weekend event in Sandwich, New Hampshire, and the last of New Hampshire fairs for the season. I learned there was going to be a car show at the fair, but I really had to go drilling through the fair's website to find any mention of it. They seemed to be downplaying it. But I decided to go anyway, hating to let go of the season as I said before.

After paying $8 to park, what I found were a few dozen cars outside the fair ground gates. Even that few dozen were too many for the small space allotted. Cars were jammed in so close, walking among them was difficult. Photography was even more of a challenge. There were a few interesting cars, like a 1967 Jaguar XKE, a 1930 Austin and a 1937 Packard, and lots of Model A Fords, some highly customized, some nearly original.

After seeing all I wanted to see of the cars and getting all the decent photos possible under the conditions, I started walking down an access road toward the ticket booth to the fair grounds. An officer stopped me and asked if I was going to enter the grounds. I told him I hadn't decided yet. He curtly told me if I was going to I should get in line behind a roped-off path leading to the ticket booth. I thought about it for a moment, and decided, "Well, that's downright unfriendly, considering I already paid $8 to park." I didn't even check to see how much a ticket was. I stepped out onto the highway and walked back to where I parked my car and came home, making a mental note not to come back to this unfriendly, price-gouging event.

Stratham Hill Car Show

2010-10-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

October 3, 2010 —It was a cold day at the 19th Annual Stratham Hill Car Show in Stratham, New Hampshire, possibly the coldest car show I ever attended. Still, over 200 cars showed up along with hundreds of spectators. Boy Scout Troop 185 sponsors the event each year, and they do a great job of organizing the show, which includes food preparation, judging and awarding of trophies.

The weather was only marginally better than last year when the entire day was overcast and there was occasional drizzle. This year there were occasional glimpses of the sun, but it was mostly cloudy, and many people were dressed in parkas or hoodies, knitted caps, and I even saw a few wearing gloves.

As was the case last year, the lack of sun made for rather dull photos, but I think I got a pretty good series anyway, including some brief videos of the trophy presentations. It can all be seen at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/stratham10/

Brimfield Antique Auto Show

2010-10-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

October 2, 2010 — I hadn't been planning to attend the Second Annual Brimfield Antique Auto Show in Brimfield, Massachusetts this year. I went to their first show last year and it was dominated by street rods and custom jobs, not my cup of tea. However, there were a few classics, like a 1912 Buick, a couple of Model T's and several Model A's. There was also an interesting collection of vintage fire trucks.

But then I read that a running replica of the 1893 Duryea, America's first gasoline-powered automobile, was going to be present, and the forecast was for a bright, sunny day, whereas last year's show was under a heavy cloud cover. So I got up early and headed for Brimfield. It was worth the trip.

The Duryea was there, with its builder, Dick Stevens, on hand to explain the mechanics of his vehicle and the effort that went into building it. It's an exact replica of the original, one of which is in the Smithsonian Institution. Dick took the car on a spin around the fairgrounds under its own power. It's capable of a maximum speed of 7 miles per hour.

There were more cars than last year, and some very interesting ones. Besides the Duryea, there was a 1920 Oldsmobile coupe, said to be one of only nine in existence. A bonus was Celtic Thunder which came marching onto the grounds in full Scottish regalia with bagpipes and drums. They played several selections and then marched off. They were also there last year. I love bagpipes and it's almost worth the trip down there just to hear them.

My photos of the event, including videos of the Duryea and Celtic Thunder, can be seen at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/brimfield10/

Two Quick Car Shows

2010-09-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2010 — This never happened before. This morning I went to two cars shows and was home in time for lunch. The first was the Bektash Shriners in Concord, New Hampshire. The last time I went to this show was in 2007 and I remembered it as a pretty good show. But this year's show proved disappointing. I did a quick walk-through and found no stand-outs among the small gathering of cars, and left without unshouldering my camera.

On the way home, I stopped at the Hooksett Old Home Day observance. As part of this event, they have a car show. I didn't find much of interest among these cars either. I roamed about the Old Home Day tents and concessions for a while and took a few pictures. A stage was set up where they were apparently going to have entertainment later, but I was losing interest and left for home before noontime.

It was a disappointing day for what could be the last shows of the season. However, there's still hope for the Stratham Hill show next Sunday. This show is sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 185, and I've been the show's unofficial photographer for the past two years. Troop 185 has links on their website to my site. So I'm hoping for good weather and a good show Sunday at Stratham Hill.

Rye Lions Club Car Show

2010-09-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

September 19, 2010 — The day after returning from Bennington, I was off again to Rye, New Hampshire, for the 27th Annual Rye Lions Club Antique Car Show. I had missed this show last year because of rain, and I was looking forward to returning on this warm, sunny late summer day. The show always attracted some concours d'elegance-class cars, and this year was no exception. There was a 1914 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Alpine Eagle, a 1938 Bentley and a rare 1904 Winton open touring car, all beautifully restored.

There were many other exceptional cars and trucks, including Rye's first motorized fire apparatus, a 1931 Model A Ford. You can see my photos and a video at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/rye10/

Bennington Car Show

2010-09-25T18:01:00.002-07:00

September 18, 2010 — I couldn't believe it when I stepped outside my room at the Howard Johnson Express Inn in Williamstown, Massachusetts in the morning. The forecast was for a warm, sunny day, but the temperature was 45 degrees and there was a heavy cloud cover and fog. I had spent the night here so I could attend the 44th Annual Bennington Car Show at the Green Mountain Race Track in Pownal, Vermont, about six miles up Route 7.

I hustled over to the motel office for their free breakfast. After that I loaded my belongings into the car and headed for Pownal. I was encouraged to see a slight brightening as I drove. When I stepped out of the car at the racetrack, it was still pretty cold and I only had a light jacket, but I just hoped it would warm up which it did. By late morning, the sun was out and the temperature was near 70.

The Bennington show is huge. There are acres of vendors outdoors selling car parts, arts and crafts, jewelry, you name it. Inside the cavernous stadium are dozens more vendors hawking everything under the sun. The show runs for three days, but one day has always been enough for me to see everything I want to see. I'm interested mainly in the cars, and I wasn't disappointed. There were some rare old brass era cars prior to 1920, as well as cars from the '20s on up through the '70s. Custom jobs and street rods were separated in their own section.

It being Vermont, of course there had to be a tractor pulling contest, a good subject for videos, of which I got a few. You can see those videos along with over 100 photos at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/bennington10/

Hemmings Motor News

2010-09-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

September 17, 2010 — I skipped the Bennington, Vermont, car show last year, choosing to go instead to the Roaring 20's show in Southbury, Connecticut, held on the same weekend. This year I chose to return to Bennington, so I made a reservation at the Howard Johnson Express Inn in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the same place I stayed when I last attended the Bennington show in 2008. Williamstown is only about six miles from the Green Mountain Racetrack in Pownal, Vermont, where the Bennington show is held. I made the reservation for Friday night to be there for the Saturday show.

I left early Friday morning for the three-hour drive because I wanted to have time to check out the headquarters of car magazine publisher Hemmings Motor News in Bennington. They have a full-service Sunoco station where the attendant pumps your gas for you, washes your windshield and checks your oil and tire pressure, surprising people born after around 1980 who never saw such service. Also on the premises is the Car Lover's Store, a cluttered little shop selling all manner of automotive memorabilia. In an adjacent building is the Free Vehicle Display, a small museum housing antique cars, trucks, bicycles and more memorabilia. It reminded me somewhat of the Wells Auto Museum in Maine, smaller but just as cluttered with cars so close together photography was difficult. However, there were some rare and fascinating old vehicles there.

I left Bennington and drove down to Williamstown and checked into my motel. I transferred my Hemmings photos to my laptop. They came out pretty good in spite of the difficult conditions. Later in the evening, I went for supper at Hobson's Choice, the same restaurant I went to in 2008. I remembered it was excellent, and once again I wasn't disappointed.

Saturday morning, I left for the car show in Pownal. I'll describe that in my next blog. You can see my photos of Hemmings and a few shots around downtown Bennington at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/hemmings/

Kiwanis Club Antique and Classic Car Show

2010-09-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

September 11, 2010 — I hadn't been to the Kiwanis Club Antique and Classic Car Show at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, New Hampshire, since 2007. It was a great show then and this year's show was equal to it. At one point, it was announced there were 250 cars on the field, and there may have been a few additional arrivals after that.

Two cars stood out, in my opinion. One was a 1938 maroon Buick Special that I have photographed before, but hadn't seen for a few years. It's an excellent photographic subject and I took several shots of it from various angles. The car is meticulously restored to original condition and is spotless inside and out. The other car that caught my attention for its rarity and beauty was a 1942 Pontiac Torpedo convertible. All domestic car production ceased in February 1942 as the manufacturers went into war production, so 1942 cars are rare.

There were other outstanding vehicles, such as a 1958 Rolls Royce, a 1956 Bentley, a 1935 Auburn Speedster replica, and many brightly colored custom jobs and hot rods. You can see my photos at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/kiwanis10/

"Hedda Gabler"

2010-09-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

September 10, 2010 — I thought my summer theatre season was over until I discovered Theatre Kapow was staging Henrik Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler" at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire. This is a difficult play and I admire Theatre Kapow's gutsiness in taking it on. They did an admirable job for the most part, but this play is all dialog with little action, so it's important that the actors convey the characters' feelings and motivation. I thought they could have done this more effectively. At times I felt they expended so much time and energy memorizing the enormous amount of dialog, that they didn't give enough attention to studying their characters' personalities. They didn't really bring the characters to life for me.

The multi-talented Carey Cahoon had the difficult role of Hedda. She also participated in costume selection for the play, and has had experience as a director. The costumes and set were accurate for the period and well-done.

Overall, in spite of my complaints, I'm glad I saw this production. I saw one other Ibsen play, "A Doll's House," on Masterpiece Theatre a few years ago, and had always been curious about "Hedda Gabler," the tragic ending of which I was aware of, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this presentation.

Kiwanis Club & Fire Department Car Show

2010-09-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

September 6, 2010 — Atkinson, New Hampshire was the locale of the annual antique car and truck show, jointly sponsored by the Kiwanis Club and Atkinson Fire Department. The fire department's parking lots, a park, a local street, and the Historical Society and public library parking lots were filled with hundreds of cars. Among the cars was a large collection of Model A Fords, a few Model T's, a stunning 1936 Packard Phaeton, and what may be the only 1907 Autocar in existence.

This is the second year in a row I've attended this show and it's among the top New Hampshire shows of the season, an impressive achievement for a small town. You can see my photos and one video of a steam-powered 1917 Stanley at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/atkinson10/

Ashley's 13th Birthday

2010-09-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

September 5, 2010 — My grandniece, Ashley, entered a new phase of life today, the teen years. She turned 13 and her parents threw a party for her, to which I was privileged to be invited. Refreshments were served in the large garage with its tropical theme and tiki bar Ashley's father built. The pool in the backyard was filled with screaming and splashing kids all afternoon. My photos and videos of the occasion can be seen at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/ashleys13th/

Cruising Downtown

2010-09-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 4 — Cruising Downtown, the annual Manchester, New Hampshire three-day event, is not one of my favorite car shows. It's dominated by custom jobs and street rods, where I'm a classic fan. Still, it's a fun time in a carnival-like atmosphere. I just took in the main event on Saturday when several blocks of the main drag, Elm Street, were blocked off and cars and vendors filled the street, as well as Victory Park. Rock bands entertained on stages on Elm Street and in the park, and there are always a few exceptional cars that make the trip worthwhile. This year the weather was ideal. You can see my photos of the event at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/cruising2010/

"Ragtime"

2010-09-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

August 30, 2010 — I was getting tired. Last Tuesday I drove up to Weirs Beach, New Hampshire for a performance at the Winnipesaukee Players, the next day I made the much longer drive to Tamworth to the Barnstormers, then I had one day at home before beginning the long trek to Colebrook on Friday where I would spend two days at the Moose Festival in Colebrook and Canann, Vermont. I got home Saturday night and was on the road again Sunday to the Peterborough Players for a matinee performance. Today, Monday, after a 110-mile drive, I'm in Whitefield, New Hampshire, for the Weathervane Theatre's production of "Ragtime."

But, as things turned out, if I had reserved the next performance of "Ragtime" on Friday I would have made the long drive on a day when the weather might have been unpredictable due to the effects of hurricane Earl. Or if I had decided to pass on "Ragtime" altogether, I would have missed one of the better shows of the season.

"Ragtime" is based on E. L. Doctorow's novel of the same title. It's a musical with powerful drama set in early 20th Century America. It deals with racism and ethnic prejudice, featuring fictional characters alongside prominent real-life figures of the day, such as Booker T. Washington, Henry Ford, Emma Goldman and others. Robert H. Fowler turns in a terrific performance as the tragic and heroic Coalhouse Walker, a Harlem musician. Ashley Blanchet is excellent as his girlfriend. Simon Fortin is wonderful as an Eastern European immigrant. The rest of the cast is superb, including three child actors. The musical numbers from the original Tony-winning score cover many styles from ragtime to Tin Pan Alley to klezmer.

This show was a great ending to a summer theatre season in which I saw 18 productions, only about three of which were disappointing. I'm already looking forward to next summer.

"The Torch Bearers"

2010-08-31T19:22:00.000-07:00

August 29, 2010 — I couldn't really get into this production of the comedy "The Torch Bearers" at the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. It's extremely rare for me to be disappointed by a Players performance, but I think the problem with this one is that it's dated. Many works survive the test of time and are relevant in any era, but this isn't one of them. Written in 1922 by George Kelly, it concerns an egomaniacal female stage director who convinces a woman with little talent she can play a part in a play after the original actress bowed out due to her husband's death.

I found the dialog unfunny for the most part. The situations weren't particularly amusing, and the play became tedious for me, not helped by the uncomfortably warm theater on an unseasonably hot late summer afternoon. The second act, which is about a fumbling cast of clueless, incompetent actors attempting to stage their play before a live audience, did have its funny moments, but two-thirds of the play were a drag. The problem wasn't the acting, which was brilliant, especially by the always excellent Lisa Bostnar and the popular scene-stealing Carmen Decker. The sets were beautifully constructed and the costumes were stunning. The problem was out-of-date humor.

The Moose Festival — Day 2

2010-08-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

August 28, 2010 — When I got up in the morning, the temperature was 62 degrees in my room. That's tolerable, but stepping out of a hot shower into 62-degree air wakes you up in a hurry! Fortunately, I had anticipated breakfast wouldn't be available nearby, so I had brought my own, which I enjoyed in my room before venturing out. I packed my things, loaded them in the car and checked out. It was 54 degrees outside and low-hanging clouds obliterated the hills.

By the time I got to the fairgrounds in Canaan, Vermont, the entire sky was cloud-covered, dark and threatening, and it wasn't warming up noticeably. Many tents had been set up and there was a good selection of antique cars, hot rods and custom jobs on the field. It soon started raining, sending everybody scurrying for cover. So much for five-day forecasts. Fortunately, there were several large canopies and a couple of wooden lean-tos. I huddled in a lean-to with several others watching the rain. A couple of the others said it was reminiscent of last year when the Canaan event was soaked with an all-day rain. However, that wasn't to be this year. The clouds soon broke, the rain stopped and the temperature started to climb.

Except for that first hour in the morning, it was another warm, sunny day, and my weekend at the Moose Festival, overall, was a smashing success. You can view my photos and videos of the Canaan event at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/canaan2010/

The Moose Festival — Day 1

2010-08-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

August 27, 2010 — As usual, I waited until the five-day weather forecast promised good weather for the weekend of the event before reserving overnight accommodations, and by that time just about every inn, motel and lodge in the Colebrook, New Hampshire and Canaan, Vermont area was full. I had to settle for a small motel on a remote stretch of U.S. Route 3, about eight miles north of Colebrook and about the same distance from Canaan.

I arrived in Colebrook around noon and stopped for lunch. Moose Festival festivities don't get under way until nearer 3 p.m., so I drove the eight miles up Route 3 to my motel and checked in. Then I drove up to Pittsburg to visit friends at a campground, only to find them not at their trailer. I drove back to Colebrook and arrived just as they were closing Main Street to traffic. Various vendor stands and tents lined the street. I found a place to park and visited a church that was hosting a quilt show and got some photos. By the time I left that, Main Street was mobbed with pedestrians, hawkers were loudly promoting their wares, a live rock band was playing, the Moose Alley Squares were square dancing in the street, and the town had a real carnival atmosphere. The weather forecasters got it right — it was a beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon.

At 5 p.m., I walked up to Colebrook Academy where the Kiwanis Club was serving a chicken barbecue on the lawn. Local musicians and singers were providing entertainment. Many picnic tables had been set up, some under a canopy, some out in the open. Some people sat on the grass. I got some photos and videos, finished my chicken dinner, and sauntered back to Main Street. I found out the antique cars were gathering in the elementary school parking lot instead of on Bridge Street as in previous years. I walked over there and was somewhat disappointed. The cars were parked bumper to bumper in several rows, so close together photography was nearly impossible. I walked back to Main Street and waited for the car parade through town. I got some photos and videos of the parade.

About 8 p.m. I felt I had seen everything for the first day and headed for my motel. The temperature was falling rapidly. My room was small but clean, with a small-screen TV, and no heat. By the time I retired, the temperature in the room was in the 60s, but I was warm enough under the covers.

You can see my photos and videos of the Colebrook activities at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/colebrook2010/

"The Mystery of Irma Vep"

2010-08-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

August 25, 2010 — The Barnstormers Summer Theatre in Tamworth, New Hampshire is wrapping up its 80th anniversary season with "The Mystery of Irma Vep," a hilariously funny play by avant-garde playwright Charles Ludlam. Two of the Barnstormers' best actors, Scott Severance and Billy Butler, play seven, or maybe eight, male and female roles. A non-stop barrage of puns, double entendres and lots of sexual innuendo, some of it subtle, some blatant, and outrageously campy over-acting, keep the play moving at a manic pace.

The many costume changes took place with amazing speed, and the actors, sometimes undergoing two or three role changes in minutes, slipped into their various impersonations without a hitch. With locales from the English moors to Egypt, then back to the moors, the two-hour play needed two intermissions to facilitate its set changes.

This was a great season-ender for the Barnstormers. After driving to Weirs Beach just the day before, and leaving for a trip to the North Country for the annual Moose Festival in two days, I didn't really feel like driving to Tamworth and was regretting having made the reservation on this date. However, I had no regrets at all once this outlandishly funny play got underway. It was definitely an evening well-spent.

"Crossing Delancey"

2010-08-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

August 24 — At the beginning of the summer theatre season, when I learned "Crossing Delancey" was going to be staged at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse at Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, I put it on my list of must-see plays. I had long been curious about it, never having seen the 1988 movie with Amy Irving, nor a stage production.

I saw it tonight, the last performance on the final evening of the Winnie's season. Sweet and sentimental as it was, it didn't work for me. I just couldn't get into it. It had its funny and poignant moments, but the actors just weren't making their characters likable for me, a problem I've had with more than one Winnipesaukee production this summer. I missed some dialog when the actors mumbled their lines.

Sorry I couldn't give a better review, but this production just didn't inspire me in any way. I was happy when it was over.

Owls Head Transportation Museum

2010-08-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

August 20 — The weather couldn't have been more perfect for the New England Auto Auction held at the Owls Head Transportation Museum at Owls Head on the coast of Maine. I stayed at the Navigator Inn in Rockland Thursday evening and made the 10-minute drive down to Owls Head Friday morning, last of the three preview days before the auction on Saturday. Because of the gorgeous weather, all the auction cars were parked outdoors, perfect for photography.

I got about 70 photos of the cars up for auction, and another 70 of the permanent museum collection. The museum houses cars, airplanes, carriages and bicycles dating back to the late 19th Century, a fascinating collection.

Upon returning to Rockland Friday afternoon, I walked the nearly mile-long Rockland Breakwater out to the lighthouse, something I'd been wanting to do for years. You can view all the photos of the museum, the auction cars and the walk to the lighthouse at these two links:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/owlshead/

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/auction/

"Hair"

2010-08-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

August 18, 2010 — In 2005, I saw a cleaned up presentation of "Hair" at the now closed Lakes Region Summer Theatre in Meredith, New Hampshire. The performance I saw tonight was not cleaned up at all. This was definitely an R-rated show. All the profanity, brazen sexuality, drug use and bashing of "traditional" American values of the original were kept intact. The only thing omitted was the final mass nude scene, but this was North Conway, New Hampshire, not Broadway.

In this production by the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse, the cast was in costume and circulating through the audience in their roles as drugged out hippies 15 minutes before showtime. The walls of the theatre were covered with peace symbols, "Make Love Not War" signs and other '60s counter culture paraphernalia.

Dated, yes, but still grandly entertaining. The talent was terrific and the songs, "Age of Aquarius," "Good Morning, Star Shine" and others, were belted out with great enthusiasm. The cast circulated through the audience throughout the play, occasionally teasing audience members and drawing them into the spirit of the performance. Some may have found it a bit uncomfortable, like when one of the actors ripped off his jeans on stage and came down and handed them to a woman in the audience (he was wearing underwear).

I loved this show. This is the type of play the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse really does well. It reminded me of the Playhouse's production of "La Cage aux Folles" in 2007 in its energy, exuberance and unbridled sexiness.

53rd Annual Stowe Classic & Antique Car Meet

2010-08-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

August 14, 2010 — This was my third consecutive trip to Stowe, Vermont, for the Vermont Automobile Enthusiasts, Inc. (VAE) car meet. On my first trip, in 2008, the summer of the rains, Nichols Field where the car show is held had been turned into a swamp and the roads to mud. The VAE went broke keeping the roads through the field passable and providing towing for the many cars that became stuck. They feared they wouldn't be able to come up with the funds to hold the event another year, but they came roaring back in 2009 thanks to perfect weather and dry fields. This year's event was the most successful ever, thanks to a long spell of warm, dry weather.

The show is a three-day affair, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I just go for the main car show on Saturday, followed by a parade of antique cars through Stowe Lower Village in the afternoon and street dancing in the evening.

An interesting new feature was added this year where bleachers were set up and an elevated mound was built for cars to drive onto. Cars of special interest are selected to drive onto the mound, one at a time, and an announcer with a microphone questions the owners about details of their car, then takes questions from the audience.

Also added this year was a "challenge" car. This year's challenge car was a 1905 Cadillac and the challenge was for anyone with an older car to come forward. If their car could be certified as being earlier than 1905, they would be eligible for prizes. There were no challengers and the Cadillac remained the oldest car at the show.

One of the highlights of the show is the Stowe Volunteer Fire Department's food tent. The scene in the tent at lunchtime is chaotic, but it's organized chaos. The volunteers do a super job of preparing burgers, hot dogs, fries, cold sandwiches, desserts and soft drinks for hundreds of hungry people quickly and efficiently. Two separate sheltered dining areas with picnic benches are provided.

Sharing the show grounds with the antique cars are a flea market, various crafts and a car corral where cars are offered for sale.

I left the show grounds at 2:45 because I knew it was going to be a mob scene when all the antique cars departed the grounds at 3:30 for the parade through Stowe Lower Village. I drove up to the village to be there for the parade when it came through. The local radio station sets up their broadcast facilities on the sidewalk in front of town hall and announces every car by year, make, point of origin and owners' names as they go by. The sidewalks are lined with hundreds of locals and tourists out to watch the parade. The parade took over two hours. There were hundreds of cars. Before it was over I broke for supper at The Whip restaurant in the Green Mountain Inn.

After the parade, participants are invited to park their antique cars along Main Street. The old cars give the town the look and feel of an earlier era. At 7 p.m., fifties rock and roll was played and street dancing commenced. I left very reluctantly at 7:30, but it had been a long day. I got up before 5 a.m. that morning for the two and one-half hour drive to Stowe. I bought a large coffee from a street vendor to make sure I stayed awake on the long drive home.

You can view my photos of the event at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/stowe10/

"The Ghost Train"

2010-08-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

August 12, 2010 — In observance of their 80th season, America's oldest professional summer stock theatre is repeating their first-ever production in 1931, "The Ghost Train." That theatre is The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire, where I have enjoyed many performances over the years.

This production of "The Ghost Train" was a little disappointing to me, although most of the audience seemed enthralled by it. I thought the actors didn't seem quite comfortable in their roles, even though this was the third performace of the play. There was more stumbling over lines than I'm used to hearing at a Barnstormers production. Even Dee Nelson, one of my favorites and winner last year of the New Hampshire Theatre Award for best supporting actress, wasn't at her best. An exception was Scott Severance who pretty much stole the show in an over-the-top performance as a dandy British tourist, although at times I found him more annoying than funny.

The play takes place in a railroad station where a group of passengers has been stranded when they miss a connection and learn there won't be another train until the next morning. That is, of course, except for the ghost train, which the creepy station master informs them may cause the death of anyone who sees it. The train effects were well-done, consisting of bells, roar of the steam engine, screeching brakes and flashing lights. Overall, I don't regret having seen the play. It was sufficiently funny and suspenseful with a neat surprise twist at the end. It just wasn't up to The Barnstormers' best work.

"Tartuffe"

2010-08-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

August 10, 2010 — Could I relate to "Tartuffe," a 17th Century play by Moliere? I'm more at home with "Bye Bye Birdie," "Hair" and Agatha Christie mysteries, plays I can understand. True, I enjoy Shakespeare, but explanations of the bard's works abound. He's familiar. We see his plays over and over. We studied him in high school. Moliere plays are rarely staged anywhere any more. We know little about him. And the 17th Century is so...so...well, so 17th Century.

"Tartuffe," as presented by the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, translated from the French by artistic director Gus Kaikkonen, is above all hilariously funny, but also completely relevant to 21st Century sensibilities. Spoken in rhyming verse by a cast of New Hampshire's best actors decked out in splendid 17th Century French costumes, with a bit of slapstick now and then, and some occasional present-day slang thrown in, the play pillories religious hypocrisy. When the play was first staged in 1664, Louis XIV loved it, but banned it anyway when the Archbishop of Paris threatened to excommunicate anyone who performed in it.

There's an enormous amount of dialog in the play which the actors pulled off without a hitch for the most part, but there were a few uncomfortably long pauses that may have been deliberate, but could just as well have been caused by someone forgetting their lines. But that's a minor complaint. Kaikkonen's translation, great comic performances by Players regulars Ian Merrill Peakes, Lisa Bostnar, David Haugen, Carmen Decker, Dale Hodges, Karen Peakes and a terrific supporting cast made for a wonderfully entertaining evening.

Kingston Days

2010-08-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

August 8, 2010 — The All Vehicle Show, sponsored by the Olde Tyme Cruisin' Auto Club, was held in conjunction with Kingston Days on the sprawling Kingston Town Plains in Kingston, New Hampshire. The weather was ideal, as it has been most of this summer. Too hot and humid for some, but I'm not complaining about that. The sun shines 90 per cent of the time and that's great for photography.

It was my first time at the Kingston show, and the turnout was their best ever, featuring over 300 cars. In previous years, they always held it on the same date as Show 'n Shine at Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Merrimack, New Hampshire, which tended to draw the lion's share of cars. This year Kingston moved their show to the weekend after Merrimack and had no competition for cars. Besides the car show, there were various vendor tents, food concessions, games, and promoters of various political parties and causes. It was a fun day. You can see my photos of the event at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/kingston/

Edsel Owners Club Nationals

2010-08-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

August 7, 2010 — I just have to get a GPS! It should have been so simple. I used Google Maps to map out a route to Salem, Massachusetts where the 42nd Annual Edsel Owners Club Nationals was being held in a park near the Hawthorne Hotel. The map made it look foolproof — there was no way I could go wrong. How wrong I was! It took an hour to drive to Salem, then an hour and a half after I arrived in the city limits to find my destination. Salem's tangle of streets, some one-way, multiple intersections and confusing traffic patterns threw me hopelessly off-course. At one point, I committed the cardinal guy-sin, I stopped and asked for directions! The directions were either wrong or I misunderstood, because I became more lost than ever. I was getting so frustrated, I was tempted to forget it and go back home, except now I couldn't even find my way out of the bleeping town!

Finally, I drove by a park where I could see the Edsels. Wonderful, I found it! Now where do I park? I drove around in a small loop, being careful not to lose my bearings again, and found a parking garage. It was almost full and I had to go to the third level before I found a space. When I walked out of the garage, I couldn't find the park again. But a kindly lady tour guide gave me directions and a map of the town, and I finally got to the car show.

It was almost not worth the trouble. I didn't expect a lot of variety in a show featuring a brand that was in production for barely over two years, but the cars were parked under trees whose shadows made photography difficult. Still, it was interesting to examine these examples of automotive history's most spectacular failure and talk to the loyal owners who lavish loving care on them. There were no more than 30 cars, but among them were some beautifully restored vehicles in near-showroom condition.

Before I left, I decided to follow my instincts and threw away the Google map. I was out of Salem and on my way home without a hitch.

My photos, only 21, somewhat marred by the deep shadows created by the trees, can be seen at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/edsel/

"Dr. Cook's Garden"

2010-08-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

August 5, 2010 — Returning to the Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire for the first time since seeing "Scotland Road" on July 13, I was amazed at the transformation of the stage. Far from "Road's" stark, white-walled set with a single chair for a prop, tonight's set consisted of a 1960's-style fully furnished doctor's office alongside a receptionist's office and waiting room, also furnished in '60's tradition.

Tonight's offering was "Dr. Cook's Garden" by Ira Levin, author of "Deathtrap" and "Rosemary's Baby." The Levin style is to take normal, happy people in everyday situations and gradually plunge them into a dark, sinister world of fear, danger, sometimes the supernatural, and often death. In "Dr. Cook," young Dr. Tennyson returns to his small hometown in Vermont for a visit after completing his internship in Chicago. He's joyfully welcomed by friends and associates, including his mentor, Dr. Cook. He's overwhelmed with invitations to visit various families and urged to stay longer than the single weekend he planned. The overall feeling is one of warmth and good intentions. However, the tone of the play turns sinister when a vile secret is revealed.

The original Broadway play lasted only a week when director George C. Scott walked out and there were threats to blow up the theater if the production went ahead. The sensitive and controversial subject matter would make nary a ripple today, but was rarely addressed publicly in 1967.

This production of "Dr. Cook's Garden," however, left me unsatisfied. The actors just weren't up to making their characters compelling, especially during the first half of the play which sets the stage for the darkening, fateful second half. They would have done better to speak in their normal voices rather than imitate Vermont accents, which would never have fooled a Vermonter. I sensed a lack of enthusiasm in the audience. At one point, I overheard someone behind me whisper, "Boring." The tense, suspenseful events of the play's last hour, however, were gripping enough.

Not every production can be a winner. I'm looking forward to their final play of the season, "Crossing Delancey." I'm a loyal fan of the Winnipesaukee Playhouse. Most of their plays are excellent. It's a small, intimate theatre with the audience close to the stage, although plans are underway to build a new state-of-the-art theatre and campus in Meredith.

"Macbeth"

2010-08-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

August 4, 2010 — Leave it to Artistic Director Donna Devlin-Young, Executive Manager Will Hammond and their superb acting troupe to make Shakespeare's arguably most brutal and sadistic play a fun evening for families. This evening, Theatre Under the Stars staged "Macbeth" at the Jewish Center of New Hampshire in Manchester. The play was performed on a children's playground and the cast made effective use of playground equipment as part of their stage.

Although somewhat shortened, the play was faithful to Shakespeare's original. Superfluous dialog and characters were cut, but so skillfully the sense of the play and its dramatic flow were unimpeded. Will and Donna had the lead rolls of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and played their parts with such evil menace, they drew appreciative boos from the enthusiastic audience.

The players were dressed in full period costume, the only way I like my Shakespeare. The witches were a hoot. All supporting actors turned in excellent performances and it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, in spite of some very un-Elizabethan background noise, such as fire sirens and planes flying overhead. Several children in the audience, no doubt bored with all that incomprehensible (to them) dialog, found their own entertainment on some playground equipment behind the audience and out of the way of the action.

Theatre Under the Stars' 2010 season is nearing its end. What's left of their schedule can be found on their website at:

http://www.shakespeareinthevalley.com/

North Shore Concours d'Elegance

2010-08-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

August 1, 2010 — It was a very warm, not too humid, fairly comfortable day, at least for the first two hours on my feet, at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. I was there for the North Shore Concours d'Elegance, a classy car show put on by The North Shore Old Car Club, Inc. The show was held at Misselwood, a pretty area of terraced lawns overlooking the Atlantic, on the Endicott campus. A large air-cooled tent was set up where you could find temporary shelter from the heat if necessary. A fashion show was held in the tent. Hot dogs, sandwiches and drinks were available and you could bring your lunch out to a stone patio and sit at a white linen covered table and look out on the Atlantic while you ate. A porter roamed around the showgrounds offering cocktail shrimp. This was a cut above the average car show.

My first impression upon walking through the entrance was disappointment at the small number of cars. But upon doing a little exploring, I found many more on the different levels of the multi-layered campus, joined by narrow stairways and paths. The ocean, bedecked with sailboats, was visible from all levels and made a photogenic backdrop for the cars.

The show attracted many elegant, beautifully restored, concours-class cars, such as Packards, Chryslers and Cadillacs from the '20s and '30s. There were a few rare entries like a Grout Steamer and an HRG Roadster. You can view my photos of the event at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/northshore/

"Alter Boyz"

2010-07-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2010 — After a delicious baked haddock dinner at Gordi's Fish and Steak House in Lincoln, New Hampshire, I headed for the Governor Adams Base Lodge at Loon Mountain Ski Area where the Papermill Theatre is temporarily staging its plays. The Papermill's previous theatre (pictured) was torn down along with other old mill buildings. I'm sorry it's gone. I saw my first New Hampshire summer theatre play there more than a decade ago. It was old and rustic with no air conditioning and it gave you an authentic summer theatre experience. But renewal is inevitable and the old theatre became a victim of "progress."

"Altar Boyz" is a song and dance revue by five male performers, gently spoofing religious hypocrisy in a way that should offend no one regardless of faith. It's a lively and fast-paced show with songs such as "Jesus Called Me on My Cell Phone." Overall, I enjoyed the show, although some of the song and dance numbers fell a little flat, at least for my taste. It had its hilarious moments. It ran less than two hours including intermission, and that was enough for me. Any longer would have required a larger cast and more variety to hold my attention.

The Governor's Lodge in cooperation with the New Hampshire Association for the Arts (NCAA) has set aside an area inside the lodge and set up a fairly comfortable theatre with individual chairs and an attractive but rather plain stage for Papermill performances this summer.

A bar was serving cocktails and soft drinks at intermission. The audience could buy drinks and go out on the large patio and admire the surrounding mountains, still visible in the waning light, on a beautiful warm New Hampshire summer evening.

A Day in Lincoln, New Hampshire

2010-07-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2010 — I had no plans for the day when I got up, but staying home on a hot, humid day wasn't appealing. So I called the Papermill Theatre in Lincoln, New Hampshire, to see if I could still get a seat at that evening's performance of "Altar Boyz." Upon learning seating was still available, I ordered a ticket and left immediately at 10 a.m., planning to spend the afternoon at Clark's Trading Post. I had been to Clark's, a popular New Hamsphire attraction, for the first time last summer and the kid in me has been longing to return ever since.

My first stop was at the North Country Association for the Arts (NCAA) office in Lincoln where I picked up my ticket. I then made the short drive to Clark's Trading Post. I parked at Clark's and walked to the nearby Sunny Day Diner for lunch, then walked back to Clark's.

I spent the hot afternoon strolling around Clark's. I didn't bother to repeat the train ride and Segway Safari I had taken last summer. I watched part of a trained bear show for the first time. I normally don't enjoy animal acts, and this one was no exception, but since the trained bears are Clark's main attraction, I decided I might as well see what it's all about. I took some pictures, not as many or as good as last summer, but I did get a few videos, something I wasn't equipped to do last year.

I had supper at my favorite restaurant in the area, Gordi's Fish and Steak House on Route 112 east of Lincoln which is the beginning of New Hampshire's famous Kancamagus Highway. After supper I headed for the Governor Adams Lodge at Loon Mountain, temporary home of the Papermill Theatre since their former location in the old millyard was torn down for a renewal project.

I'll report on "Alter Boyz" in my next post. You can see my photos and videos of Clark's at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/clarks2010/

"The Foreigner"

2010-07-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

July 27, 2010 — The entire cast was excellent, but tour de force performances by Kraig Swartz and Carmen Decker stood out. Swartz played the role of "The Foreigner" in this production by the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Hilariously funny, but also poignant and occasionally threatening, this play teaches lessons about intolerance and fear of those who are different without getting preachy about it.

The "foreigner" of the title, assumed not to speak or understand English, is present while deeply personal matters, prejudices, and even criminal plots are freely discussed by a diverse assortment of characters. Even the Ku Klux Klan makes an appearance, armed with rifles and shotguns, in the smashing climax.

Skip's Mega-Cruise

2010-07-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 24 — Skip's Hamburgers in Merrimac, Massachusetts, scheduled their annual Mega-Cruise for Saturday with Sunday as a rain date. Right up until Friday night, weather forecasters were predicting thunderstorms, some heavy, for both Saturday and Sunday. So I was prepared for a weekend without a car show. I was especially disappointed Skip's might be canceled because it's a fun show at a good fast-food restaurant that drew over 700 cars last year.

Saturday morning was hot and humid with variable clouds. Skip's show was scheduled to start at 2 p.m. When there was no sign of rain at 1 p.m., I left for Merrimac. On the way, clouds became dark and threatening at times, but still no rain. By the time I got to Merrimac, skies were mostly clear. I arrived about 15 minutes before the official start and antique cars were lined up for hundreds of yards in both directions on Route 110, waiting for the go-ahead to enter Skip's and drive onto the large grassy field behind the restaurant. They started filing in just before 2. They filled the first field, then a second smaller field, and finally a paved parking lot.

It was a great show. It never rained. Cars continued to file in for hours, but it didn't seem as though there were quite as many as last year. The show usually continues until after dark, but I left at about 6 when I had all the pictures I wanted. You can see them at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/megacruise2010/

"Bye Bye Birdie"

2010-07-23T06:54:00.001-07:00

July 22, 2010 — The Weathervane Theatre in Whitefield, New Hampshire, at 110 miles is the longest drive of any of the summer theatres I attend. Often when I go up there I add a few more miles by shooting up to Lancaster to dine at the Lancaster Motor Inn, but on this trip I found they were temporarily closed while their kitchen was being renovated. So I drove back to Whitefield and stopped at Grandma's Kitchen, an unpretentious but popular local spot serving basic but very good food.

"Bye Bye Birdie" was being performed on this night at the Weathervane. It was a real audience-pleaser, with a stellar cast and great singing voices. The dance numbers were good but not as high-spirited as sometimes seen at the Weathervane. There were several great comic roles, well-played and hilarious. Well-performed as they were, the songs in "Bye Bye Birdie" are not among my favorites, and for that reason I wouldn't put this musical high on my list of favorites. But the performances, as I said, where first-rate. If you like the music, you'll cheer this show.

New England Concours d'Elegance

2010-07-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

July 17, 2010 — I waited until I got a weather report covering the weekend before calling The Inn at Stratton Mountain for a reservation. By that time, they only had one vacancy, a kitchen apartment at the Ober Tal for $156 per night. It had a stove, refrigerator, microwave, washing machine, dryer, cable TV, wireless internet, and almost as much space as my house. I needed none of this for one night, but I figured, what the heck, I hadn't been there in two years, I love the spot, and they put on very classy car shows, so I booked the room.

For the fourth year, Hemmings Motor News was putting on the annual New England Concours d'Elegance at Stratton Mountain, Vermont. It's a three-day event. I was there for days 2 and 3, when the car shows were held. Saturday was the big cruise-in, open to cars 1983 and earlier, held in the parking lots adjacent to Stratton Mountain Village. Parking lots are not good venues for photography, but I've become skilled at photographing cars in difficult conditions, and there were many noteworthy antiques and classics.

Sunday was reserved for invitation-only cars on the lawn at The Commons. There were many of the same cars that showed up Saturday, but in addition there was a collection of beautiful classics. Featured were some truly stunning Bentleys, Lincoln V12s and Buick Roadmasters.

I found some time to roam around the village, a carefully manicured area of shops, restaurants, bistros and sidewalk vendors, the centerpiece of which is a tall clock tower. Quaint, pleasant, slightly touristy and overpriced, it's photogenic and always nice to stroll around.

You can see my photos of the weekend at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/stratton2010/

"Wait Until Dark"

2010-07-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

July 15, 2010 — The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire, is observing its 80th season this summer. They're the oldest professional summer stock theatre in America, and the only ones still producing in the classic tradition — one new full-length production every week for eight weeks in July and August. In spite of this hectic schedule, which seemingly would leave little time for rehearsals, stage and costume design and the rest of the details that go into production of every play, The Barnstormers maintain a high level of talent and production values.

"Wait Until Dark," a play made into a movie in 1967 starring Audrey Hepburn, was The Barnstormers' offering this week. I think I saw the movie many years ago, but I had forgotten the plot details, so I found it as suspenseful as if I were seeing it for the first time. It concerns two blundering, incompetent, but nonetheless dangerous ex-cons and their "boss" who hatch an elaborate ruse to search a blind woman's home for a doll stuffed with narcotics they believe is hidden in the house.

Dee Nelson appears as the blind woman. She's one of my favorite actors in New Hampshire summer theatre. She has also appeared at the Peterborough Players where she won a New Hampshire Theatre Award for best supporting actress in "Heartbreak House" last summer. Her portrayal of a blind person in this play is realistic and convincing.

This production of "Wait Until Dark" is generally excellent, although the pacing is a little uneven. The action slows down annoyingly at intervals. Those are nitpicking complaints though. Overall, I loved the play. It comes to a smashing climax with the stage and entire theatre intermittently plunged into blackness as the blind heroine fights for her life against her last remaining tormentor. Lights go on and off, crashing and screaming are heard, in an amazing feat of timing and stagecraft.

"Scotland Road"

2010-07-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

July 13, 2010 — A Norwegian ship comes upon a woman floating on an iceberg. She utters one word: "Titanic!" Is she a survivor? The Titanic sank in 1912. The woman appears to be in her 20s. The problem is, this is 1992!

This is the background for a strange little play where nothing is as it seems. A bare white room with a door at each end and a deck chair are all that four actors have to work with at The Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire. A man and a woman doctor who we later learn is not really a doctor, try to learn if the young woman, mute for most of the first act, is actually a Titanic survivor or a hoax. In the second act, the last known living Titanic survivor, an old woman in a wheelchair, is found and brought in to question the young woman. Her questioning is inconclusive, and this "survivor" has her own dark secret.

This is the type of play the Winnipesaukee Playhouse excels at — mysterious, baffling, with a small, talented cast. You won't like it if you prefer a neat ending with everything explained. This play ends with many questions, few answers. But if you appreciate good acting, smart, sometimes witty, sometimes absurd dialog, it's your cup of tea, as it is mine.

By the way, the play never explains the title, but I researched it, and Scotland Road was the name given the central passageway that ran the length of the Titanic allowing crew members to pass from first class to steerage.

Castle in the Clouds Antique & Classic Car Show

2010-07-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

July 10, 2010 — It was cloudy in the morning and occasional rain was in the forecast when I left for Moultonborough, New Hampshire, for the 4th Annual Castle in the Clouds Antique and Classic Car Show. I drove through intermittent rain, sometimes heavy, along the way. I decided I'd stop in Meredith and make a decision at that point as to whether to continue on or turn and go home. In Meredith, the rain had stopped but clouds were threatening. I decided to push on to Moultonborough and Castle in the Clouds and hope for the best.

When I arrived at the car show grounds, a light drizzle was coming down and the mountaintops were hidden in heavy fog. I could see what appeared to be a goodly number of antique cars, and I had to drive down a half dozen rows of cars in the spectator parking area to find a space. I later learned there were about 230 antique cars, far below last year's turnout of over 400.

Awkwardly balancing my camera, umbrella and notepad, I proceeded photographing cars and noting their makes and years. Whenever the drizzle cranked up in intensity, we all ducked under large canopies that had been conveniently set up and waited for the rain to subside. In the afternoon, the rain stopped for good, although heavy clouds persisted. I walked up the road to the castle, only to find pedestrians weren't allowed on the road past the carriage house. From there you're required to take a trolly to the castle. I decided to pass on it this time. The last time I was at the castle was sometime in the '60s.

Overall, it was a fun day dodging showers. I'm happy with my photos. The raindrops on cars and foggy background seem to enhance the pictures. You can see them at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/castle2010/

Theatre Under the Stars

2010-07-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

Friday, July 9, 2010 — Shakespeare can be fun. If you don't believe it, catch a show by Theatre Under the Stars, based in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. I usually see at least a couple of their shows every summer. All their performances are held outdoors, weather permitting. In case of rain, they always have a nearby indoor stage to move to. This season, all their main stage shows are free, although donations are accepted, in honor of Spc. Marc Paul Decoteau who lost his life in service to his country in Afghanistan. Marc was Theatre Under the Stars' first "kid camper" and appeared in several plays.

I drove up to Waterville Valley, expecting to find the theatre where it's been for the past four years, next to the Waterville Valley Elementary School, where they had spacious grounds for their stage and audience, and the use of the school auditorium in case of rain. But I discovered upon arrival they had moved to the nearby Town Square because remodeling at the school forced them to vacate.

I saw a production entitled "No Holds Bard, Sonnet Sonata," an expansion of George Bernard Shaw's "Dark Lady of the Sonnets," written by founding/producing artistic director Donna Devlin-Young. It was brilliant, thanks to superb acting and singing and Donna's wit and artistic vision.

The venue in the Town Square is not as comfortable as their former location at the school. They positioned the actors on three widely-spaced stages that made it a bit difficult to follow the action, and the sun is directly in the audience's eyes when looking stage-right until it finally sinks beneath the tree-tops, currently at about 7:30 p.m. They also take their plays to Plymouth and Manchester, neither of which I've been to so far.

Check Theatre Under the Stars' humorous and entertaining website for the season schedule and locations:

http://www.shakespeareinthevalley.com/

"Freud's Last Session"

2010-07-09T09:51:00.000-07:00

Thursday, July 8, 2010 — Under the capable direction of the Peterborough Players' Gus Kaikkonen, featuring George Morfogen as Sigmund Freud and Ian Merrill Peakes as C. S. Lewis, this one-act play is a fictional account of a meeting between Freud, the famous psychoanalyst, and Lewis, professor, writer and author of the Narnia series, on the eve of World War II. There is no evidence the two ever actually met, but an imagined meeting between two men with such divergent views sets the stage for compelling dialog. Freud was an unapologetic and outspoken atheist. Lewis, raised Christian, abandoned his faith at an early age and became an atheist, but later returned to his Christian roots. He was a practicing Christian at the time of this fictional meeting.

This sounds like it could be very cerebral and intellectual, but there are many flashes of humor throughout the play. As the two men, resolute in their opposing positions, debate the existence of God, the conversation is at times calm and studied, sometimes acrimonious, often witty, and occasionally loud, especially on Freud's part. At the time of the fictional meeting, Freud is 83 years old, frail, and gravely ill with cancer. His condition evokes compassion and sympathy from Lewis in spite of their philosophical differences. Morfogen and Peakes are masterful in their roles. Both American, their Austrian and British accents, respectively, are convincing.

The play reaches no conclusion on whether or not God exists, and it's unlikely to change your views on the matter. That's not the play's intention. It's simply a debate between two men with irreconcilable views, and little in common except their humanity.

Souza's Palooza

2010-07-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

Sunday, July 4, 2010 — The annual invitation-only Independence Day celebration in Somerset, Massachusetts known as "Souza's Palooza" was a smashing success. Great games, great music by several local bands, and an inexhaustible supply of food and drink made the day a memorable experience for all those in attendance, estimated between 200 and 300. Those who stayed late were treated to a fireworks show across the Taunton River. Photos and videos of the event can be seen at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/palooza/

"The Music Man"

2010-07-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Thursday, July 1 — Meredith Willson's "The Music Man" is my all-time favorite musical, but I've now been disappointed by two New Hampshire productions of the show. The first was at the Papermill Theatre in Lincoln in 2001. It lacked energy and the talent was mediocre. This evening, I went to North Conway to see the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company's production of the award-winning musical at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse, and once again I wasn't inspired. Maybe my problem is I tend to compare it to the 1962 movie version starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. All other productions pale by comparison to that superb presentation.

This evening's performance, like the 2001 Papermill version, lacked energy. There was some good talent, most notably Megan Buzzard, a very good soprano, as Marion the librarian, Shirley Jones' role in the movie. Kevin O'Neil was hilarious as Mayor Shinn. The rest of the cast was unremarkable. I've seen some excellent shows at the Eastern Slope Inn Plsyhouse in the past, so I know they can attract good talent and have good production values and stagecraft, but "The Music Man" didn't measure up to their best work.

Wells Auto Museum

2010-07-03T15:44:00.001-07:00

June 30, 2010 — In the morning I took in the Wells Auto Museum in Wells, Maine. The museum is charmingly cluttered, with more than 80 cars, inches apart on all sides, along with motorcycles, bicycles and other memorabilia going back 100 years. Photography was difficult because of the closeness of the cars and the dim lighting. I used a flash, but photographing cars with a single flash is not effective. You either need floodlights or a series of flashes. I've seen photographers use three, one on the camera and two on tripods synchronized remotely with the camera flash.

It was a quiet day at the museum, and a very knowledgeable employee kindly stayed with me the two hours I was there, making sure I didn't miss anything, and filling me in with interesting facts and trivia about the cars. He was very enthusiastic about the pictures and asked if I would transfer them to his notebook which I was glad to do. However, when I got home and got a good look at the photos on my PC, I was disappointed. Because of the aforementioned problems, they needed a lot of doctoring with Photoshop. In the end, I got them into acceptable condition, although certainly not one of my best efforts, and built a webpage for them. You can see them at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/wells/

I left the museum and drove down to Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, a tourist spot with a carefully crafted quaintness which draws huge crowds all summer. It has a picturesque harbor and beautiful views of the coastline. The few free parking spaces are always full, and two parking lots charge exorbitant fees. I strolled along the Marginal Way, a 1.25-mile footpath from Perkins Cove to Ogunquit Beach with great views of Maine's famous rocky coastline, expensive homes overlooking the sea, fake lighthouses and lots of benches to sit on. You can climb out on the rocks at your peril. My pictures at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/perkins/

Sunapee Lions Club Car Show

2010-06-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 27, 2010 — I had been looking forward to the 12th annual Sunapee Lions Club Antique Car and Motorcycle Show for weeks, so when I woke up Sunday morning with a sore throat and a nasty head cold, I decided it wasn't going to deter me. I was going no matter what.

The show is held at the base of the Mount Sunapee Ski Area in Sunapee, New Hampshire. Heavy clouds prevailed most of the day, with occasional brief glimpses of the sun. It didn't rain. Around mid-morning they started up the barbecue and surprisingly good food was available until the show ended at 2:30 p.m. There were tables and benches outside as well as inside the Spruce Lodge. There were raffles and various concessions, and rides to the summit of the mountain on one of the chairlifts.

There were a few hundred cars, a fair variety, but no real oldtimers, except for the usual Model T's and Model A's. There was a section of street rods and custom jobs and a few trucks. Motorcycles usually don't get my attention, but I must admit some of the machines at this show were exceptionally beautiful.

Interestingly, there was an announcement that any photographers wishing to would be taken up on a large bucket loader for an overview of the show fields. I was among the first to take them up on the offer. Several gathered for the first lift, but they could only take two at a time. In a rare display of chivalry, I gave up my turn to a young lady. She and another person went up while the rest of us waited for the next turn. However, when it came back down, the operator shut it down and walked away, ignoring us. The operator had a brief conference with park employees, then finally someone explained to us they just learned the bucket was supposed to have safety straps which it didn't. Without them, if someone were injured, they could be subject to heavy fines by OSHA. So I missed out on that; my reward for being a gentleman.

So I then wandered over to the one chairlift in operation and, for the first time since I went skiing at Sunapee over 40 years ago, rode the chair to the top of the mountain. I spent a little time at the summit, then for the first time ever, always having skied down before, I rode the chair back down again. I got some pretty good videos on the trips up and down. You can see those and my photos of the show at:

http://wwww.linwoodstreet.com/sunapee2010/

"The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead"

2010-06-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2010 — Severe thunderstorms with high winds and hail were forecast for the afternoon and evening, so I was a little nervous about the drive to Peterborough where I had a reservation for "The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead," a one-woman performance starring Lisa Bostnar. But the storms never materialized, and there were just intermittent light showers along the way, most of them at the same time the sun was shining.

The play was excellent, but then I've never been disappointed at Peterborough Players. Lisa Bostnar, one of the most talented actors in New Hampshire summer theater, gave a tour de force performance playing seven different characters, including a male child and one adult male. Lisa had the stage to herself and minimal props were used. A series of moving frosted "windowpanes" hung over the stage. For each of her costume changes, Lisa ducked behind a pane where she could be dimly seen changing costumes while a Janice Joplin recording played.

I should mention there was a lot more to Lisa's character transformations than simple costume changes. Although the differences in costumes were significant, Lisa's ability to slip with ease into dramatically different personalities was stunning. The lives of the seven characters were tied together in subtle ways that become increasingly more obvious as the play progresses. It's important to listen carefully to every word of the dialog.

Lisa got a well-deserved standing ovation at the conclusion.