Christmas 2017

December 24, 2017 — Forecast of wintry storms was threatening my annual 90-mile drive to Somerset, Massachusetts to celebrate Christmas and exchange gifts with my extended family. Mixed snow and ice pelted my hometown all day on the 23rd, and another storm beginning late Christmas Eve was in the forecast. But December 24 dawned clear, and the next storm was predicted to start after midnight. So I planned to make the trip, but return home late Christmas Eve instead of staying overnight as I have in the past, hoping I could beat the storm home.

My plan worked out. I got to Somerset with ample time for a buffet, gift exchange and a Yankee swap. Featured this year were a new baby experiencing her first Christmas, and a proposal for marriage (not mine). I got home safely with no interference from the weather. The storm began in the early hours of Christmas day and ended before noon, depositing four or five inches of dry, powdery snow, followed by plunging temperatures and high winds.

You can see photos and a video of our celebration, along with some storm pictures, at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/christmas17/

"Snow White"

December 16, 2017 — The pantomime performance, or "panto" originated in England. Usually performed around Christmas, it was not silent as pantomime currently implies, but was a mix of song, dance and slapstick comedy. That's exactly what we got in the Winnipesaukee Playhouse's production of "Snow White" in Meredith, New Hampshire. Small children were delighted, teens rocked to the current music, and adults picked up on the "in" jokes and double entendres.

This production was written and directed for the "Winni" by Neil Pankhurst. Judy Hayward was musical director and Bryan Knowlton directed choreography. Lori McGinley's costumes were appropriately flashy and colorful. Andrew Stuart's sets backed up the action.

In panto style, there was some gender-switching, with male actors in female roles and vice versa. Most notable was Charles Baran in flamboyant drag as Sarah the Cook. The rather stunning Lindsey Bristol barely hid her femininity in the male role of Prince Rupert the Fair. In roles matching their gender were Kelley Davies as a charming Snow White, Ken Chapman as King Stanley and Jim Rogato in video as the Magic Mirror. Ursula Minich Boutwell was a nicely terrifying Queen Belladonna. Chris Hendricks was over-the-top as Lester the Jester. Another gender-switch was Lynn T. Dadian as Hunter the Huntsman. Barbara Webb's prologue kept the action moving along smoothly. A talented group of teens and a few pre-teens were delightful in spirited song and dance numbers.

The production definitely warmed us up during an unusually cold, icy first half of December. The show was lively, with bright costumes, great music and dancing, and relentlessly awful puns and jokes that had us laughing in spite of ourselves. It was well worth the trip to Meredith, even though I had to drive partway home in falling snow over increasingly slippery highways.

Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol

December 10, 2017 — In playwright Tom Mula's
retelling of the Dickens classic, Ebenezer Scrooge's late partner, Jacob Marley, becomes the protagonist and dominates the story, and is given his own path to redemption. In order to rid himself of "the chain I forged in life," Marley must find a way to redeem Scrooge.

In New Hamphire's Peterborough Players presentation of Mula's play, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, Tom Frey is Jacob Marley (and also the play's music director), Bridget Beirne is the "bogle," or guardian angel, and Kraig Swartz plays the dual roles of Scrooge and the record keeper in the strange afterlife Marley finds himself in. These three are Peterborough Players veterans and among the finest actors in New Hampshire theater. Jared Starkey plays Bob Cratchit and an assortment of other minor characters.

Directed by Charles Morey, the actors, besides portraying the characters, do their own narration to move the play along. Swartz, as usual, is over the top and hilarious in his dual roles. Frey and Beirne have the audience rooting for them in their quest to set Marley free from his condemnation to eternity in chains.

This was the first of three live plays in the Peterborough Players' second winter season. I'm looking forward to the next two, which I'm sure will be of the same high quality we've come to expect in the Players' productions. The Players also presents Arts on Screen throughout the winter and spring, this season featuring the Met Opera, National Theatre Live and the Bolshoi Ballet.

"The Halloween Trilogy"

October 21, 2017 — The Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith, New Hampshire, presented its annual pre-Halloween Radio Variety Hour, a staged reproduction of an old-time radio drama, always one of the spooky variety, complete with commercials for Lifebuoy Soap, Carter's Little Liver Pills, and other products from the 1940's. This presentation, three plays in an hour without intermission, was entitled "The Halloween Trilogy," assembled by Cecilia Fannon and John de Lancie, directed for the Playhouse by John Piquado, and featuring the Winni Players Community Theatre actors, each playing multiple roles.

The three dramas were "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Canterville Ghost" by Oscar Wilde, and "Mark of the Beast" by Rudyard Kipling. The actors are seated on folding chairs at the back of the stage until called to the microphone to speak their parts. The host (Pat Jansen) introduces each drama and signals the actors to come to the microphone where they wait for her cue to speak. Off to the left, the foley artist, or sound technician (Lord Adam Young), provides background sound with a surprising variety of noise-making equipment.

Actors appearing in this performance were David Bownes, Andrew Burke, Steve Copithorne, Gail Ledger, Delaney Andrews, Jim Gocha, Dana Gardner and Valerie Kimball. I suspect good actors welcome an opportunity to ham it up and over-act, as they did with marvelous results in this presentation. When the actors are having fun with the material, their enthusiasm tends to spread to the audience, and the audience was delighted with this night's performance.

Vintage Era & Extinct Car Day

October 21, 2017 — The Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts, combined its annual Extinct Car Day with Vintage Era and Chrome, a show formerly held at the Endicott Estate in Dedham, Massachusetts. The inclusive title of the show welcomed a wide variety of years, makes and models, and it paid off in a much larger show than average for Larz Anderson with a wide variety of vehicles.

Weatherwise, it was one of the best days of the entire season, with the temperature flirting with the 80-degree mark and clear blue skies with nary a trace of a cloud, remarkable for late October in New England. Photography conditions couldn't have been better and I was able to capture some exceptional cars under perfect lighting. You can view the results of my efforts at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/anderson17fall/

Antique Vehicle Meet & Tour

October 14, 2017 — In spite of clouds and occasional drizzle that didn't fully clear until early afternoon with less than two hours remaining in the show, the Antique Vehicle Meet & Tour at the Little Red School House in Dunstable, Massachusetts was highly successful. Cars were arriving all morning, not in numbers matching last year, but still quite a respectable showing. Further adding to the dullness of the day was an absence of fall color, usually brilliant at this venue at this time of year. Unseasonably warm weather this fall has delayed the change in color, causing trees to lose their leaves before changing.

Added to the show this year was a brief tour by antique cars on a loop of several miles around Dunstable, and a stop at the picturesque town hall for a photo op. A video of the tour and almost 80 photos of the show can be seen at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/beanpot2017/

Brimfield Antique Auto Show

October 7, 2017 — Where have the years gone? It seems like no time at all has gone by since I attended the first car show in Brimfield, Massachusetts. Now they've just held their ninth, and they're looking forward to their tenth anniversary next year.

That first year was small, probably less than 200 vehicles. I went to two more of their shows, the last time in 2012, and observed on this blog that the show was growing "exponentially." That's still true. This year's show featured 704 vehicles.

The show is held at the Heart-o-the-Mart on U.S. Route 20 in the Pioneer Valley of central Massachusetts, on a sprawling field, bordered on one side by a river, with lots of trees. Usually, at this time of year, the trees are in full fall color, but unseasonably warm weather this fall seems to be leading to dull color, and in many cases leaves are falling before they change. The day of the show felt like the dog days of August. This show was sponsored by the First Congregational Church of Brimfield, and all proceeds were going to renovate the 1848 church.

My first impression when I walked onto the field was one of disappointment. One of my pet peeves is cars with their hoods up, making for poor pictures, at least in my opinion. As I scanned the fields, it appeared all cars had their hoods up. I felt I was walking into a sea of gaping alligators. I had a notion to turn around and go home, even after the nearly two-hour drive to get there. But as I walked around the fields, I found some cars with hoods down, and the cars of the '20s and '30s with "butterfly" hoods that had one side of the hood up, could be photographed from the opposite side. I also found some owners who gladly put their hoods down when asked. In the end, I came home with over 100 pictures, just about average.

My photos, a good variety including some never-before-seen vehicles, can be viewed at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/brimfield17/

Stratham Hill Car & Bike Show

October 1, 2017 — The Stratham Hill Car & Bike Show in Stratham, New Hampshire, is one of the must-see shows on my agenda. The only time I've missed it in recent years was last year when it rained on the day of the show. This year's show was held under sunny skies but cool temperatures. In fact, it was downright cold early in the morning, but warmed to the upper 60s later.

This year's show, sponsored as always by Stratham Boy Scout Troop 185, was a bit below average in number and variety of cars compared to previous years, but I've noticed a trend to smaller shows at several venues this season. Another problem, as I've mentioned in previous postings on this blog, is that I haven't covered as large an area this year as I have some years, staying confined to four New England states, so I'm seeing many of the same cars show after show. Sometimes I'll photograph a car that already appears on my website from a previous show if it's exceptional enough to make a nice addition to any series.

Overall, the Stratham show was a good one, with many interesting vehicles. You can see all my favorites at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/stratham17/

Woodman Institute Museum Car Show

September 24, 2017 — I wasn't expecting much from the 23rd annual Antique and Classic Car Show at the Woodman Institute Museum in Dover, New Hampshire. The last time I attended this show was in 2013, and it was a small show but with some truly exceptional cars. This year, the show was even smaller, and the cars were not particularly exceptional. The most interesting vehicles were three late-model luxury imports and a 1921 Buick. Other than that, there was nothing outstanding, but a collection of antique bicycles drew more interest than the cars.

I came away with twenty-two photos, barely enough to put together a web page, but it's worth a look and you can go through it in a minute or two at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/woodman17/

Weston Antique & Classic Car Show

September 23, 2017 — Just like last Sunday, the day began with heavy cloud cover and cool temperatures at the 23rd annual Weston Antique & Classic Car Show in Weston, Massachusetts. It was slow to clear, but by early afternoon, with less than two hours remaining in the show, it cleared and the temperature rose into the comfortable 70s.

It was my first time at the Weston show, and I met someone who expressed disappointment because it was smaller than previous years. Having no previous years to compare it to, I was satisfied it was well worth the one-hour drive, offering a good variety of old and new vehicles, some of the older ones, like the 1948 Pontiac Silver Streak "woodie" station wagon, beautifully restored to their original glory.

Cars surrounded the picturesque Weston Town Hall and were spread out over Town House Road. On a green below the car show, thousands of colorful flags of the United States and other nations were planted in remembrance of 9/11.

I left Weston and drove to Skip's in Merrimac, Massachusetts for their final car show of the season, but this was a disappointment. Last year's final show attracted over 230 cars, a record, but there was nowhere near the interest this year. There were far fewer cars and spectators, the day was getting hot, and there were few cars I hadn't seen and photographed many times before.

I didn't get enough pictures at Skip's show to put together a web page. You can see my photos of the Weston show at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/weston/

34th Annual Rye Lions Club Car Show

September 17, 2017 — I missed the Rye Lions Club car show, one of my favorites, last year because of rain. This year for the 34th annual show, the day began with dense fog and heavy cloud cover, and forecasters were saying it might hang in most of the day on the coast, which is where the show is held in Rye, New Hampshire. But it wasn't raining, and I've taken decent photos under dark skies before, so I headed for Rye.

The field was a little slow filling up, probably because car owners were waiting to see what the weather was going to do. But there was slow brightening, and cars kept arriving, filling the field almost to capacity by late morning. The sun came out in the afternoon, and in the end it turned out to be a highly successful show. You can view my coverage of the event at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/rye17/

32nd Annual Kiwanis Club Car Show

September 9, 2017 — This year's Kiwanis Club car show at the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord didn't offer quite the variety of last year's show. Also missing for the second year in a row was Swing Rocket, a group of young musicians who perform '40s swing and jazz. But it was still a pretty good show, featuring lots of Studebakers and some very nice Fords from the '50s. For custom and hot rod fans, there were plenty of vehicles in that category as always at the Kiwanis show.

I came away with almost sixty photos and a video, not a bad day's production. You can view them here:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/kiwanis17/

"Wittenberg"

September 5, 2017 — Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the wall at Wittenberg University, Hamlet mentions attending Wittenberg in Shakespeare's play, Dr. Faustus was a professor at Wittenberg in Christopher Marlowe's play. These are pretty tenuous connections, two of the three fictional, but playwright David Davalos had the gall to throw these three characters together in his play "Wittenberg" with comic and philosophical success.

The Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, presented Davalos' play, directed by Keith Stevens, with a fine cast consisting of Chris Mixon as Faustus, Tom Frey as Martin Luther and Jeremy Beck as Hamlet. Mixon is no stranger to "Wittenberg," having appeared in the role of Luther in a 2011 performance in Manhattan. Sara Kennedy, as the Eternal Feminine, plays three female roles. Scenic designer Harry Feiner's interior of a medieval university was a masterpiece.

The play is not as cerebral as you might fear based on the subject matter. Most of us know Martin Luther's theses inspired the Protestant reformation, and if you studied Hamlet in high school you'll get the puns and wordplay. Dr. Faustus, in Davalos' play, dispenses medicine, booze and anti-religious philosophy from his office at Wittenberg University. Faustus and the stern, deeply religious Luther agree on almost nothing, and both try to influence their student, Hamlet, with their conflicting philosophies.

The play is basically a comedy, with witty dialog sprinkled with 21st Century English expressions I'm sure were unknown in 16th Century Germany. But it's also thought-provoking in its debate between religious tradition and science. This was my fifth play at Peterborough Players this season, and a fine season it was for one of the Northeast's premiere summer theaters.

Atkinson Truck and Car Show

September 4, 2017 — Two out of three ain't bad, as the saying goes, and that's what we got this Labor Day weekend in New Hampshire. Saturday was warm and sunny for Cruising Downtown, there was a cold rain all day Sunday, then the sun came out again Monday to shine on the Atkinson Lions Club and Atkinson Fire Association Truck and Car Show.

Besides the truck and car show, Atkinson was also observing its 250th anniversary over the Labor Day weekend, having been founded in 1767. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu addressed the gathering and read a proclamation at the Monday show. My photos of the vehicles and a video of the governor reading the proclamation can be seen at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/atkinson17/

Cruising Downtown

September 2, 2017 — "Cruising Downtown," the annual show that starts the Labor Day weekend in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire, hosted 1,100 cars this year, in one of its biggest shows ever. Sponsored by the Rotary Club, all proceeds go to local non-profits.

Manchester's main drag is closed to traffic for about six blocks and turned into a car and truck exhibit space. Vehicles also fill Veterans' Park and several side streets. There are plenty of food vendors and other concessions. Bands play in two different locations.

The smashing success of the show has to be partly attributable to perfect weather, bright sun, temperature in the 70s, low humidity. You can view my photo and video coverage at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/cruising2017/

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"

August 30, 2017 — Don't assume this is a children's play, although it's appropriate for all ages. It would be most enjoyable by those familiar with Charles Schulz's cast of kids, some wise beyond their years, with very adult issues, in his long-running comic strip, "Peanuts." Jean's Playhouse in Lincoln, New Hampshire, presented a perfectly charming performance of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," based on Schulz's characters. Book, music and lyrics are by Clark Gesner with additional dialog by Michael Mayer and additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa.

The cast consisted of six talented young adult actors. Charlie, the lovable loser whose baseball team never wins and whose kite always gets eaten by the tree, is played by big Matthew Woodside, towering over the other actors. Schroeder, he of the grand piano, is portrayed by Tyler Stettler. Joe Keiserman is the blanket-dependent Linus. Trent Hayward, dressed in white tux and black tie, trousers cut off at the knees and white sneakers, is Charlie's dog, Snoopy, with all his delusions of grandeur. Analise Rios is crabby Lucy. Sally is played by powerful-voiced Clare Rea. The little red-haired girl shy Charlie admires from a distance is never seen. The story is told mostly in song lyrics. The music is catchy and the dialog witty.

This production was directed and choreographed for Jean's Playhouse by Lisa Travis. B. C. Williams' set design and Colleen Keith's prop design faithfully reproduced the look of the comic strip, including Snoopy's doghouse, Schroeder's Piano and Lucy's psychiatrist's booth. Jordan Ostrowski was music director.

This was an afternoon well-spent in Lincoln, one of my favorite New Hampshire towns, minutes from Franconia Notch, the Kancamagus Highway and other White Mountain attractions. As I strolled around the town with it's attractive parks, resorts and quaint shops, especially the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shoppe, I was saddened with the knowledge this is probably the last time I'll see it until next summer.

Winnekenni Castle Cruise Day

August 27, 2017 — Winnekenni Castle, a replica of a medieval castle, hosted a car show on its spacious property. The Castle hosts many events over the course of a year, and is popular just as a peaceful spot to picnic, tour the Castle, and roam the footpaths through the surrounding woods. It's located high above Kenoza Lake in Haverhill, Massachusetts.

Magic Moments, a local group, provided entertainment for the show with "doo-wop" music. The car show offered little I hadn't seen before, a problem I'm having after a dozen years covering antique car shows primarily in New England, a relatively small area, occasionally branching out to New York and Pennsylvania. Highlight of this show was a beautifully restored 1931 Pierce-Arrow.

One of my smaller photo collections this season, you can view it at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/winnekenni17/

Dominators-Sons of Italy Car Show

August 26, 2017 — The Dominators Hot Rod Club and the Sons of Italy teamed up to host a wide variety of vehicles, customs, hot rods, classics, trucks and one military, in Wilmington, Massachusetts on a perfect, dry, sunny late summer day. A jacket was needed early in the morning, but it warmed into the 70s as the day wore on.

I had originally planned to go to the Okemo Valley show in Ludlow, Vermont, being held on the same day. I went to that show last year and it was a pretty good show, but on the small side. But I was all ready to leave in the morning when I asked myself if I really wanted to make the two-hour drive into Vermont for a relatively small show, possibly with some of the same cars I saw last year. So I made the decision, practically on the way out the door, to go to Wilmington instead, only 40 minutes away.

It was a good decision. I think the Wilmington show had a much better variety of vehicles than Okemo would have had, and I found none that I had seen before. My photos contain many more customs and street rods than I usually take, being a committed classic enthusiast, but I thought it was appropriate to include more of this type of vehicle since one of the hosts was a hot rod club.

I hope you like my choice of subjects. You'll find them at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/sonsofitaly17/

"The Doctor's Dilemma"

August 23, 2017 — If doctors really have the sort of conversations acted out in "The Doctor's Dilemma," we're all in trouble. They candidly rate their success based on the number of patients they've saved against those they've killed. Of course, this was in 1904, but my greatest fear is nothing may have changed but the technology. In any case, fierce social critic George Bernard Shaw's comedy doesn't portray the medical profession in a very flattering way.

This was the 18th Shaw play produced by the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, in 84 years, making him their most frequently staged playwright. I won't attempt to list all seventeen members of the cast and their respective roles, they were all very good, but the six principal actors, under the direction of Players artistic director Gus Kaikkonen, turned in some of the finest acting I've seen this season.

Sir Colenso Ridgeon (David Haugen), has just been knighted in honor of his development of a revolutionary cure for tuberculosis. First to congratulate him is retired physician Sir Patrick Cullen (Jonathan Hogan), wise but cynical, admittedly out of touch with the latest medical advancements. Soon to follow are Cutler Walpole (Tom Frey) and Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonington (Kraig Swartz, in a role just made for his over-the-top comic style). The relationship between the four doctors is contentious, each convinced his own methods are the sure way to success.

Sir Colenso has determined he can take on no more than ten patients to treat with his new tuberclosis cure, but the first "dilemma" of the title occurs when Jennifer Dubedat (Karron Graves) comes to his office and pleads with him to treat her artist husband, Louis Dubedat (William Champion), critically ill and near death with TB. This would force him to drop one patient from his original ten, but Sir Colenso is so overcome with Jennifer's sad tale, he promises to treat Louis. But then he learns a young colleague with a promising medical career is also suffering from TB.

Louis Dubedat, when we finally meet him, turns out to be a callow young womanizer, bigamist and cheat, but nonetheless gifted artist. What does Sir Colenso do? Does he treat this unpleasant but fine artist who has the potential to contribute beautiful art to the world? And after all, he did make a promise to Louis' wife. But then there's his colleague, a young and promising physician who also has much to contribute.

This nearly three-hour play never became tiring. Shaw's witty and biting dialog kept the audience amused throughout, and the unpredictable, complicated plot kept us wondering how all this is going to shake out. This was my fourth play at the Peterborough Players this season, and there will be one more. The Players' great talent, strong direction and fine stagecraft have never disappointed me.

A Day at Larz Anderson

August 20, 2017 — It was the second rather disappointing show in a row. The Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts was observing Ford, Mercury and Lincoln Day. Besides the permanent exhibit in the museum, they have a lawn event outdoors most weekends throughout the summer. Each event features a specific category of cars, such as Cadillac Day, Italian Car Day, Extinct Car Day, etc.

On Ford, Mercury and Lincoln Day I expected a greater variety, such as Model A Fords (there was only one), Lincolns from the '20s and '30s (there were none), and there were no Model T's. There were few if any cars earlier than 1960, many new or nearly new, and some customs. But there were also some all-original and beautifully restored examples from the '60s and '70s.

To fill out the series, I took some pictures inside the museum of additions since I was last there two years ago, and a few different angles on some I've photographed before. It's all at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/anderson17/

Cruise-In to the Wright

August 19, 2017 — The day began with fog and occasional drizzle, and that probably kept turnout below average at the 5th Annual Cruise-In to the Wright, hosted by the Wright Museum of World War II. It cleared later in the morning, and a few late stragglers showed up, but it never reached the level of the past two years, especially last year when the show featured several excellent brass era cars.

To fill out my photo series, I took a few photos of displays I hadn't seen before in the excellent museum. I also placed links at the end of the second page to museum photos from the past two years. It's all at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/wright17/

"Round and Round the Garden"

August 17, 2017 — "Round and Round the Garden" is the last of a trilogy of plays called "The Norman Conquests" by prolific British playwright Alan Ayckbourn. The Norman of Ayckbourn's comedies is Norman Dewers whose attempted conquests are Sarah, the wife of his brother, Reg, and Annie, a spinster left with the care of her invalid, but tyrannical, mother who is never seen. The other two plays in the trilogy are "Table Manners," which I saw in 2015, and "Living Together," which I missed. However, any one of the plays can be enjoyed by itself. All three feature the same six characters.

The Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith, New Hampshire has staged all three plays. "Round and Round the Garden," directed for the "Winni" by Neil Pankhurst, played to a very sparse, but enthusiastic audience in a Thursday matinee. Meredith Brown's reproduction of an English garden was a stunning example of the set designer's art. It featured a floral wall, green lawn, portion of a brick building and a view of the sky that could change from daytime blue to starry night.

Nicholas Wilder returns for another over-the-top performance as Norman. Shanel Sparr appears as the unattached Annie. Jason Plourde, a native of Maine, is the perfect Englishman in his role as the awkward, socially inept Tom, who is infatuated by Annie but incapable of expressing his feelings. Richard Brundage is the well-meaning but somewhat bumbling Reg. Molly Parker Myers is Reg's wife, Sarah, straight-laced, overbearing, but needy. Suzanne Kimball is Ruth, Norman's wife, who is well aware of his philandering, but resigned to it. All the actors appeared in the same roles in "Table Manners" except Shanel Sparr, new to the Winni this season.

Ayckbourn to date has written 82 plays which have been translated into over 35 languages, performed on stage and TV all over the world, and have won many awards. I've seen several of his plays, and like "Round and Round the Garden," all feature witty dialog, often hilarious situations, and consistently high quality. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any Ayckbourn play.

"All Shook Up"

August 16, 2017 — "All Shook Up," a musical featuring the songs of Elvis Presley, was the only show at the New London Barn Playhouse on my schedule this season. The Barn is in its 85th year and is the oldest continuously operating summer theater in New Hampshire, earning it a place on the New Hampshire Register of Historic Places. A barn is exactly what it is, with rough-hewn floor boards, ancient timbers, and an intimate feel. Cow bells are rung to alert stragglers to the start of the show and again at end of intermission

I had some doubts as to whether I really wanted to see this show. With a young cast and music from Elvis Presley's repertoire, it looked like a production more appropriate for teens. But as I took my seat in the theater and observed the gray heads around me, and watched many arriving patrons using walkers and in wheelchairs, I wondered what the appeal was for this age group. Then it dawned on me. Presley came on the scene in 1955, just when all these people were teens and 20-somethings. They were here to hear the songs and observe the styles and customs of their youth.

The play more than fulfilled their (our?) expectations. Inspired by Presley's music with book by Joe DiPietro, directed and choreographed for the Barn by DJ Salisbury with music under the direction of Robbie Cowan, dozens of Presley's songs are woven into the story line. Just released from prison, Chad's motorcycle breaks down in a mid-western town, and his guitar-playing and rowdy ways send shock waves through the town.

The singing and dancing by the large, excellent cast is top-notch, and to add a literate quality to the play, there are shades of Shakespeare. In fact, it's loosely based on "Twelfth Night," and the bard's 18th sonnet plays an important part. That's the one that begins with "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

The audience, which filled the house, was thrilled. I never saw so many people in my age group quite so enthusiastic, frequently applauding, cheering, and clapping in time to the music. We can still rock!

As always at the Barn, at the end of the performance, all the players line up outside the theater to greet the departing audience, a nice touch that we don't see at all theaters.

Stowe Classic Car Meet

August 12, 2017 — It was my tenth year in a row at the Vermont Automobile Enthusiasts show, and their sixtieth anniversary in Stowe. I was saddened to hear upon arrival that it would be their final show in Stowe. Nichols Field, where the show is held, with many acres for show cars, a flea market and spectator parking, has been purchased by out-of-staters, and the VAE will not be able to use it after this year. Next year, the show will be moved to Waterbury, a few miles south of Stowe.

This is a serious loss for Stowe which has hosted the three-day show for its entire 60-year history. It's an exciting and profitable break in the quiet summer, drawing visitors from many parts of the U.S and Canada, in the town famous for skiing and other winter sports and the Trapp family. Residents look forward to the parade of antique cars through the village, followed by music and dancing in the street, although the dancing was canceled for the second year in a row due of rain.

I heard some positive comments about the new location in Waterbury, such as better drainage of its fields. Nichols Field in Stowe is notorious for swampy grounds and roads turned to mud in a wet season, but for many of us I think that was part of its character. We boasted about being over our ankles in mud and pushing stuck cars at the Stowe car show. And the village has an ambience that will be hard to match. For those of us who have been going to Stowe for many years, it's like losing an old friend.

It was warm and sunny all day for the show, including the car parade late in the afternoon. But as they were preparing for the street dancing, black clouds started moving in, and light rain began to fall. They announced there was a weather alert calling for severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and flooding. I had a 2½-hour drive home, so I thought it prudent to get under way. I didn't beat the storm. Just minutes out of Stowe I ran into blinding rain, wind, thunder and lightning. At times it felt like I was driving through water. This went on for several miles, but I finally drove into clearing.

I have many fond memories of Stowe, all recorded by my camera for every one of the past ten years. This year's photos and videos can be seen at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/stowe17/

"Toward Zero"

August 10, 2017 — An excellent cast headed by Jordan Reeves, Madeleine Maby, Cheryl Mullings, Robert Bates, Paul Melendy, Vinette Cotter, Angela Hope Smith and Buddy Haardt brought Agatha Christie's "Toward Zero" to the Barnstormers' stage in Tamworth, New Hampshire. Directed by Bob Shea,with set design by Emily Nichols and costume design by Mary Selvoski, the play proved to be a real audience-pleaser.

In a typical Christie formula, a large group of diverse people, all connected in various ways, are brought together under one roof. Old rivalries and hatreds are revived, and of course, someone ends up murdered. It's all very proper and British, tensions build slowly over the course of the play, and Dame Agatha doesn't reveal the perpetrator until the final minutes. In this case, the killer devised a particularly ingenious and convoluted scheme that was finally unraveled by an even smarter individual, and not by the police. It all led to a smashing ending that drew both gasps and cheers for its audacity.

The Barnstormers, in their 87th year, stages an Agatha Christie play almost every season, and they're particularly good at it. I'm already looking forward to next season, hoping there will be another play by this most popular mystery writer of all time.

"The Producers"

August 8, 2017 — I had decided not to make a reservation for "The Producers," a musical version of the 1968 movie. I thought no one could possibly do it as well as Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel in the original. But I was wrong. Getting bored during a quiet week, I decided to give it a chance, and made a reservation at the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. It was the right decision. The Players, with their usual high production values, great stagecraft, superb direction and some of the most talented actors in New England summer theater, put on what I may well remember as the best show of this summer season.

Mel Brooks directed and wrote the screenplay for the movie. It won the 1968 Oscar for best screenplay. Years later, he wrote the music and lyrics for the stage version which is the one presented by the Peterborough Players. It has all of Brooks' non-stop hilarity and frenetic pace.

Kraig Swartz, a fine comic actor, is washed-up producer Max Bialystock who hasn't had a hit in years. Tom Frey is his accountant, Leo Bloom, whose dream is to be a producer himself. In going over Max's books, Bloom observes producing a flop could be a surefire way to make money by closing after one performance and keeping the millions collected from backers. This casual observation sets Max and Bloom off on a mission to deliberately produce a play guaranteed to fail. How about "Springtime for Hitler," a musical glorifying the Fuhrer?

Gus Kaikkonen and Bill Burns recreated for the Players the original effort by Susan Stroman. Michael Sebastian was the music director. Charles Morgan designed the elaborate, multi-layered scenery. The many excellent costumes for the large cast were the work of Sam Fleming.

Of course, Max and Bloom's plan backfires when the unlikely play, seen as ridiculing rather than immortalizing Hitler, is a smash hit. Swartz, always great in comedy parts, gets to exercise his song and dance chops, as does Tom Frey, who is surprisingly good in the same type of role. Elyse Collier almost steals the show as the unintentionally sexy Ulla. Leon Axt is hilarious as Franz Liebkind, the Hitler-worshipping Nazi throwback who wrote the heretofore never produced "Springtime for Hitler." They finally find a director in the flamboyant, gay Roger DeBris (Danny Vaccaro). DeBris' assistant, Carmen Ghia (Adam Sowers), is even funnier. DeBris ends up playing a preening, effeminate Hitler himself when Liebkind, intended for the role, breaks his leg.

The entire cast, too numerous to mention here, is excellent. The song and dance numbers rocked the theater. The play drew a nearly full house on a Tuesday afternoon.

American Independence Festival

July 15, 2017 — The American Independence Festival in Exeter, New Hampshire is organized by the American Independence Museum, a non-profit organization, with support from volunteers, the festival committee, chamber of commerce and the community as well as financial support of sponsors.

Events included firing of a battery of cannons on three separate occasions over the course of the day which proved highly popular in spite of ear-splitting explosions. A battle reenactment between British forces and the town militia along the banks of the Squamscott River drew a huge crowd of spectators, happy to see the militia win the day. A reading of the complete Declaration of Independence was given, while loyalists and British military boo'd and threatened the speaker. There was to be a fireworks display in the evening.

Military encampments, arts and crafts exhibits and demonstrations of the Revolutionary period, and various vendors filled the downtown area and Swazey Parkway along the river. Individuals in period dress and military uniform were everywhere. Marching bands went by frequently. There were tours of the 1721 Ladd-Gilman house where, among many other artifacts, was the actual 23rd printing of the Declaration of Independence from 1776.

Videos and photos of the events can be seen at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/independence/

"Constellations"

July 11, 2017 — This is a difficult review to write. I've spent much time thinking about this play since seeing it two days ago, and I'm not sure I fully understand what it's trying to say. I can't even decide whether I liked it or not. Presented by the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, the play is performed by two actors on a stage set consisting of lights that suggest a starry sky and streaks that could be...the Milky Way? The only furnishing is a plain, large platform about eight inches high that the actors stand on, lie on, dance on, step on and off of.

The Players' artistic director, Gus Kaikkonen, directed and designed the set for "Constellations" by Nick Payne. Marianne (Bridget Beirne) is a theoretical physicist and Roland (Sean Patrick Hopkins) is a beekeeper. Barely over an hour long with no intermission, the play consists of a series of conversations that often repeat themselves, as the characters move through first meeting, dating, engagement and a life-threatening illness. Sometimes events from an earlier time are repeated. Scientist Marianne explains multiple universes and the concept of time to Roland. Are these the underlying themes? Are the brief conversations, rolling forward and backward in time, different universes? Einstein theorized time encompasses all of past, present and future at once, and the sense it's moving forward is an illusion. Are we supposed to believe the characters are moving about freely in this sea of time? Am I completely missing the point?

The two actors were excellent and engaging to watch. The audience seemed enthralled, except the couple directly in front of me. About half-way through the play, they looked at one another, nodded and without a word got up and left. Of course, I have no way of knowing the reason for their departure, but I suspect they just found the play unfathomable. Personally, I never had a notion to leave. I had to see where this was headed. Where it ended was just as puzzling as where it began. But I'm glad I stayed. This was the most thought-provoking play I've seen in some time. I'm still thinking about it.

"Kimberly Akimbo"

July 6, 2017 — Kimberly (Kim Lajoie), suffering from a rapid aging disease, is 16 years old and near the end of her life expectancy. Her mother, Pattie (Carey Cahoon) is pregnant, unable to use her cast-bound hands after carpal tunnel surgery, and as if that weren't enough, she's a hypochondriac who's convinced she has cancer and diabetes and hasn't long to live. Kimberly's dad, Buddy (B. Christopher Williams) is an alcoholic. Intruding in their chaotic life is Debra (Emily Jones), a homeless person and career criminal.

Could a play about such woefully damaged people be a comedy? It certainly is, thanks to author David Lindsay-Abaire's skillful treatment. Matt Cahoon, director of this performance for Jean's Playhouse in Lincoln, New Hampshire, more than does justice to Lindsay-Abaire's work.

Much of the dialog is hilarious and the situations absurd, but there's an undercurrent of heartbreak in this story of a dysfunctional family of meager means in a dingy suburban New Jersey apartment. Kimberly, a teenager in the body of a woman more than four times her age, is in an increasingly fragile condition. Her mother, loud, profane and self-absorbed, is unsympathetic toward her daughter, or anyone but herself for that matter. Buddy, thoughtless due to his drinking, can destroy his daughter's self-worth with insensitive comments and neglect, but is capable of feeling remorse in rare moments of sympathy.

Into Kimberly's life comes Jeff (Jordan Gross), a geeky school-mate who at first has a scientific interest in Kimberly's condition and wishes to interview her for a school report. But they discover they're kindred spirits, both outcasts, she due to her disease and he because of his nerdy personality. A romantic attachment gradually grows.

But Debra has a money-making scheme, illegal of course, that she convinces Kimberly and Jeff to participate in, in spite of their initial reluctance. Everything is ready to go, but Kimberly, increasingly frail, collapses at the end of Act 1.

A few weeks have gone by as Act 2 begins. Pattie, still pregnant, hands still in casts, is now hobbling around with a broken ankle she suffered when she ducked out for a smoke and fell off a loading dock at the hospital where she was visiting Kimberly after her heart attack. Kimberly is now home almost recovered. Debra is urging her to join her and Jeff as they execute their plan. It's around this time Kimberly learns of an unforgivable scheme her parents carried out to avoid any chance of having another child with Kimberly's handicap.

I was pleased to see Cary Cahoon, a founding member of theatre KAPOW whose productions I've enjoyed many times. Her role as the crude, unlovable Pattie was a tour de force. All the actors were good, but Cahoon and Lajoie as Kimberly were outstanding.

Can a story about such afflicted, unhappy people on a seemingly unstoppable race to disaster have a happy ending? You just don't know what to expect in Lindsay-Abaire's whacky, unpredictable play.

Souza Palooza

July 1, 2017 — The Fourth of July celebration known as "Souza Palooza" was held with about 150 people in attendance, entirely outdoors, at times under threatening skies, but predicted rain held off and we stayed dry for the duration of the event, now in its 23rd year. A high school graduate was also honored at this celebration.

Volleyball, dodge ball and other games were enjoyed on the spacious lawn, along with an excellent variety of food and lots of it. Two bands were scheduled for late in the evening, but unfortunately I didn't stay for that, anxious to complete the long drive home before predicted severe thunderstorms hit. I could have stayed. The storms never materialized anywhere on my travel route, although some areas experienced heavy rain, damaging winds and power outages.

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

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/palooza17/

"Spamalot"

June 29, 2017 — The Barnstormers in Tamworth, New Hampshire, presented "Spamalot," a raucous, high-energy musical comedy, based mostly on the 1975 movie, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," with ideas and dialog borrowed from other Python movies and the British group's TV series. All the irreverence, awful puns and inspired silliness the group was famous for was there, but set to music and spirited dance numbers.

Book and lyrics were by original Python member Eric Idle, music by Idle and John Du Prez. Barnstormers artistic director Bob Shea directed this production. Bret Silverman was the musical director and Taylor Shubert the choreographer. Costume designer Mary Selvoski did an impressive job designing the costumes for the large cast, multiplied by the many costume changes. Set designer Sarah Rozene did nice work on the medieval set.

I won't attempt to credit the entire cast here, there were too many. But Al Bundonis, tall and imposing, had the physical attributes and strong voice for a great, if often befuddled, King Arthur. Ryan Malyar was Arthur's constant companion, carrying a huge backpack and imitating the hoofbeats of Arthur's non-existent horse with coconut shells. Cheryl Mullings with her powerful voice was terrific as the Lady of the Lake. Doug Shapiro was a bit under-used in my opinion. One of the funniest men in New Hampshire theater, he could have been given a meatier role.

It helped if you were familiar with the group's off-beat style, as it appeared most of the nearly full-house audience was, judging from their reactions. I happen to be an unabashed Python fan, have been for years, but I'm well aware they're not everyone's cup of tea. So if Python humor tickles you more than it repulses you, you'd love this play. Even if you're not a fan, the show has some great song and dance numbers. This was a first-night performance, indeed the Barnstormers' first show of their season, and the entire production was perfection.

"The Whipping Man"

June 27, 2017 — It's April of 1865 and the Civil War has ended. The play begins as Caleb (Will
Howard), a Confederate soldier, severely wounded, tumbles through the door of his old Virginia mansion, barely able to walk. At the sound of his noisy arrival, Simon (Taurean Blacque), a former slave, comes out of another room bearing a rifle. Recognizing Caleb immediately, he lowers the rifle. Thus begins "The Whipping Man" by Matthew Lopez, directed for the Peterborough Players by Howard Millman, in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

As the play progresses in Charles Morgan's excellent set, a ruined southern mansion, stripped of most of the family's possessions, with tall windows, torn drapes, a chandelier on the floor and other signs of ravage and neglect, we learn Caleb and his family are Jewish. This is not just a plot device by the author. As many as 10,000 Jews may have fought in the Civil War on both sides.

A little later, John (Robb Douglas), another former slave, appears. Unlike the somber, sympathetic Simon, John is loud, irreverent, and a heavy drinker. Simon declares Caleb's badly wounded leg will have to be amputated to save his life. When Caleb refuses to go to a hospital, Simon decides he and John will have to perform the surgery. This leads to one of the most harrowing and gut-wrenching scenes in the play.

In Act II, Caleb's leg has been amputated and he's bed-ridden. Simon and John, who have adopted their masters' Jewish faith, prepare a Seder meal in observance of Passover. All three participate, Caleb reluctantly at first, claiming he lost his faith at Petersburg, one of the final and fiercest battles of the conflict.

Missing from the house are two other former slaves, Elizabeth and Sarah, their whereabouts unaccounted for. With Simon out of the room, we learn from John a terrible secret, unknown to Simon. Caleb insists they must tell him, even though it will break his heart, but John, in a rare moment of compassion, is reluctant to do so.

The whipping man of the title refers to the policy of wealthy southern families to send their misbehaving slaves to services that provided whipping for a price, thereby keeping their own hands clean from this brutal practice. John had been a victim of many such whippings, one of them ending in an act of violence by John that could have serious consequences for him.

This was a beautifully-acted play, particularly by Taurean Blacque, about the evils of slavery, the devastation of war and personal loss. The sparse audience for this Tuesday afternoon performance was obviously pleased.

"The Rocky Horror Show"

June 15, 2017 — Currently on stage at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse (the "Winni") in Meredith, New Hampshire, is a fast-paced, sexy, hilarious production of "The Rocky Horror Show." Opening in London with book, music and lyrics by Richard O'Brien in 1973, the play received positive reviews. The 1975 movie based on the play, re-titled "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," was not as well-received, but achieved cult status at midnight showings that continue to this day, featuring wild audience participation, where patrons dressed in costume throw various items around, repeat dialog and lyrics and dance in the aisles and at their seats.

The Winni invited the audience to participate, but in a carefully controlled way. Patrons could dress in costume, as some did, but were not allowed to bring their own objects into the theater. Any bags brought into the theater were subject to search. A five dollar charity contribution entitled you to a theater-provided kit containing a flashlight, confetti, toilet paper, a newspaper and playing cards, along with instructions as to which points in the performance to use these items. There was no annoyance to patrons who chose not to participate, although I did comb some confetti out of my hair the next morning.

The theater was bathed in violet light as we entered. Multi-colored chandeliers hung from the rafters along with strings of colored lights. Actors roamed the aisles and kibitzed with the audience before the play started. Set designer Dan Daly's impressive set consisted of several stairways and platforms. It resembled his set for last year's play, "Israel Potter, American Patriot."

This production at the Winni was directed by Timothy L'Ecuyer. Janet (Rebecca Tucker) and Brad (Michael Luongo), after a walk in the rain after their car breaks down, stumble into a strange mansion filled with stranger people. All they wanted was to use a phone, but that's not what the mansion's weird residents have in store for them. I won't go into all the details which by now are familiar to many, but suffice it to say this high-energy performance, with great music under the direction of Shoshona Seid-Green and dance numbers choreographed by Brian Knowlton was well-received with frequent loud cheering and applause by the enthusiastic audience.

Mark Stephen Woods, heavy-set and towering over all the other performers, pretty much stole the show with his over-the-top portrayal of the transvestite, Frank-N-Furter. Wayne Shuker was Rocky and Anthony Logan Cole with his powerful voice took the dual roles of Eddie and Dr. Scott. Artistic director Neil Pankhurst did a rare acting turn as the narrator. Equally noteworthy were John-Michael Breen as Riff Raff, Valerie Nuccio as Magenta, and Sandia Ahlers as Columbia. The supporting cast was excellent. R-rated scenes behind back-lighted sheets at the beginning of Act 2 were cleverly staged and hilarious. This was a great start to my summer theater tour.

"Exit the King"

March 5, 2017 — The king is dying and he's resisting it with everything he has. In spite of what his physician confirms, he refuses to believe it. His first wife is unsympathetic and believes he should let go. She even holds up a copy of the program proving he's going to die at the end of the play. His current wife is heartbroken and urges him to fight on. The palace cleaning lady is indifferent. The palace guard may have the most difficult role because he has to stand in one position for most of the 100-minute performance.

In a play that seemed made for their original and innovative style, theatre KAPOW presented "Exit the King" by Eugène Ionesco, translated by Donald Watson, at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire. Nine-time New Hampshire Theatre Award nominee (he's overdue) Peter Josephson owns the show in his tour de force turn as King Berenger the First. Carey Cahoon, winner of the 2014 NH Theatre Award for best actress, portrays the King's first wife, Queen Marguerite. The king's second and current wife, Queen Marie, is played by Emily Karel. Tall, stern, imposing Rich Hurley is the doctor who has nothing encouraging to offer the king as to his health. Paige Lussier Johnson is Juliette the palace cleaning lady and cook, and Jimmy Stewart is the patient and loyal guard.

This comedy about death invokes chuckles and amusement rather than belly laughs. There's something very human in the king's denial of his own demise. Like most of us, he can't imagine not existing and doggedly denies predictions of his end, which may occur in barely more than an hour. His current wife, Marie, shares in his denial. But it's his first wife, Marguerite, who gently guides him through the journey to the unknown in the final minutes of the play.

Matt Cahoon, tKAPOW co-founder, directed this performance, assisted by Sue Tartarilla, and he also designed the simple but attractive set. The multi-talented Carey Cahoon designed the costumes. Once again, Tayva Young, winner of the 2015 NH Theatre Award for Best Lighting Design, enhanced a tKAPOW presentation with her effective use of lighting.

"Steel Magnolias"

February 26, 2017 — For the third and final play of its winter season, the Peterborough Players presented "Steel Magnolias" by Robert Harling. I hadn't seen this popular play before, nor had I seen either of the two movies based on it, so it was all new to me. Directed by Gus Kaikkonen for the Players, six actresses gave funny, heartfelt performances in scenic designer Charles Morgan's excellent reproduction of a beauty salon.

Set in a small Louisiana town near the end of the 20th Century, Salon owner Truvy (Brenny Rabine) and her newly-hired assistant Annelle (Alycia Kunkle) take care of the beauty needs of four local women of diverse backgrounds and personalities. Truvy stresses to Annelle that there is no such thing as "natural beauty." If there were, "we'd be out of business."

Shelby (Katelyn Manfre) and her mother M'Lynn (the always outstanding Lisa Bostnar) are the first customers this morning. Shelby is getting married in the afternoon. Wise-cracking Clairee (Kathy Manfre, Katelyn's mother in real life) drops in. Still later, Ouiser (Pamela White), tall and gangly, arrives, and spices up the conversation with her cynical, unsentimental observations on life.

We learn Shelby is diabetic and doctors have advised her not to have children. For now, this is acceptable to Shelby and her husband-to-be. But things change, doctors recommendations are not always followed, and a deeper human story is added to this otherwise light-hearted play.

The characters are well-defined, each has her own life story, and all the actresses are excellent, but Bostnar's performance as the doting mother stands out. A full house witnessed this final performance of the final play of the winter season and gave the cast a well-deserved standing ovation at curtain call.

"Mass Appeal"

February 4, 2017 — For the first time, The Peterborough Players is staging live plays in the winter in their Peterborough, New Hampshire theatre. "Mass Appeal," a two-actor play by Bill C. Davis is the second of three plays being performed this winter.

Father Tim Farley, a traditional older-generation priest, adored by his congregation, is delivering mass when he's interrupted by young seminary student Mark Dolson, loudly demanding Father Farley defend the church's position on women priests and other issues. The laugh-lines are plentiful right from the beginning, and continue throughout the play which has its moments of poignancy and philosophical debate.

In spite of Mark's challenges to church tradition, Father Farley takes an interest in him and invites the young seminarian, who is serious about becoming a priest, to his office for fatherly advice and coaching. But Mark's continuing refusal to observe church teachings, his constant criticism of Farley's tendency to play it safe and never offend, causes Farley to fear for Mark's ability to ever attain the priesthood. It's not Farley himself Mark must fear, but Farley's boss and head of the seminary, the terrifying Monsignor Burke, a strict and unbending follower of church doctrine. Burke casts a big shadow without ever appearing in person.

Farley is portrayed by Peterborough Players artistic director Gus Kaikkonen, who is also credited with set design, which consisted of Farley's office and a pulpit off to the left where the priest delivers mass. Adam Sowers takes the part of Mark Dolson. The two actors carry the play beautifully. Keith Stevens directed. Costume design was by Lara de Bruijn who did an especially nice job on Father Farley's colorful robe.

The audience was obviously delighted with the play. Laughter was frequent. Anyone who ever belonged to a church — of any denomination — could relate. They gave the actors a standing ovation
at the end.