Aviation Museum & Wrenn Memorial

July 17, 2021 — With showers and thunderstorms in the forecast once again in this already rain-soaked July, I risked venturing out to the first of two car shows. The first was at the Aviation Museum in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Skies were overcast and humidity was high but no rain was falling when I left the house. Turnout was good at the show, not as high as last year, but there may have been 200 cars and plenty of spectators to admire them.

Around mid-morning, rain began and quickly turned into a deluge. Fortunately, this was one of those shows where spectators can park near the show field and I didn't have too far to run for the shelter of my car. I waited out the downpour in my car and it was over in about 15 minutes. Everyone returned to the field, no cars had left and the show resumed.

Around noon I left for the Norm Wrenn Memorial car show at Lee Raceway in Lee, New Hampshire. Wrenn, who had recently passed away, was a supporter of many charities and local children and the car racing community. A feature of the show was a burnout contest on the race track. Screeching tires, screaming engines, lots of noise and smoke made from some pretty good video, even through a chain link fence. There was no more rain.

My coverage of the Aviation Museum show can be seen at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/aviation2021/

For video and photos from the Lee show, click here:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/wrenn/

British Car Day

July 11, 2021 — The Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts, was lucky to get one of the few dry days in this rain-soaked July for its British Car Day. I've been to the Larz Anderson many times. Besides the museum, they have several shows a year on their broad lawns, usually dedicated to one category, nation or brand of cars. I was stunned when I walked onto the field. It was the biggest show I can ever remember on the museum's property. There was virtually no space left on the main lawn, and cars were filling up another lot across the road.

The cars were all of British manufacturr. There were a few I never heard of, such as a Bowler and several Caterhams. I could have gotten a lot more pictures than I did, but I went for variety rather than quantity, selecting the best examples (in my opinion) of the many models, and avoiding a lot of repetition. There are also photos taken inside the museum of some new acquisitions since I was last there. You can see the results of my efforts at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/anderson21british/

"A Chorus Line"

July 6, 2021 — For my first time in an indoor theater since March 15, 2020, I traveled to Meredith, New Hampshire, where I had a reservation for A Chorus Line at the Interlakes Summer Theatre. To their credit, Interlakes is not dropping their COVID guard completely. They ask, but don't require, patrons to wear masks. The audience is separated into well-spaced groups to achieve social distancing. As a group of one, I was surrounded by empty seats. I never had so much space to enjoy in a theater, except that the Interlakes rows are so narrow I didn't have room to stretch my legs and sat sideways in my seat for most of the performance.

One of the most successful shows ever produced, originally directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban, A Chorus Line is an ambitious challenge for small summer theater companies. I saw it once before at the Eastern Slope Playhouse in North Conway, New Hampshire, ten years ago. I gave it a good review for its multi-talented, mostly young cast, and great song and dance numbers. This Interlakes production was equal in every way if memory serves me. The show demands singing, dancing and acting talent, a tall order this cast achieved for the most part. The Interlakes production was directed and choreographed by Gustavo Wons with music direction by Spencer Stern and costume design by DW Withrow.

A Chorus Line plays out on a bare stage. In the Interlakes production a mirror covers the entire back of the stage, visually expanding the dance numbers. It's covered by a curtain at times when the effect is not needed. Zach, a choreographer, needs to select four men and four women out of seventeen applicants for his planned musical. Along with their talents, each of the applicants is asked to give personal details about themselves, their family history, hopes and aspirations. They comply with song, dancing and monologue, often accompanied by the entire company. This takes up most of just over two hours of the play. They have markedly different personalities and backgrounds and a hodgepodge of attire. A few spice up their monologues with salty language and sexual references.

Finally, Zach makes his decision on his eight dancers. The final scene is food for thought for the more thoughtful in the audience. Is this what these eight very different people from different backgrounds, with high hopes for stardom, really wanted? A Chorus Line doesn't answer this question, in case the question even occurs to us. Some of us may see it as simply great entertainment with dazzling, energetic dance numbers, pretty girls in skimpy costumes, a fine orchestra, moments of comedy and poignancy, and it's all of those.

 

York Auto Show

June 20, 2021 — My first time at the York Auto Show in York, Maine, was a pleasant surprise. There was a large turnout of cars in a wide variety. The day was sunny and pleasant, warm but not as hot as much of the month of June so far. I could go on and on describing the great cars, but I'll just let you see for yourself at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/yorkshow/

"Betrayal"

June 17, 2021 — The Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith, New Hampshire, has enlarged the outdoor amphitheater they built last year so their limited productions could be viewed in the greater safety of the outdoors during the pandemic. They plan to use it for several productions this season. They still require patrons to wear masks for the duration of the play, but they serve drinks and refreshments. All employees and performers are required to be fully vaccinated.

The current play is "Betrayal" by Harold Pinter. In the first act, Emma (Krystal Pope) and Jerry (William Wilder), apparently old friends, have a rather awkward, cautious conversation. What's unknown to the audience at this point is their past, which will be gradually revealed as the play moves backward in time over nine years (if I counted correctly) in nine acts.

The acting by the cast of three (besides the aforementioned, A. J. Ditty is Robert), is excellent. Their British accents are convincing. This play by a master playwright with its sharp dialog was great entertainment, often funny, with brief flare-ups of anger, as the characters' deceits and lies become revealed. A. J. Ditty's drunken Robert was hilarious. Jim Rogato had a brief walk-on role as a waiter in this performance. He alternates in that role with Jim Gocha.

The setting was a mostly bare stage with a white floor and backdrop. A series of large cushioned blocks was ingeniously arranged to furnish each act's location, from a flat to a living room to a restaurant and others. The actors themselves arranged the blocks according to each act's requirements. This was the brain child of artistic director Neil Pankhurst who also directed the play. Not only that, but he also gets credit for scenic design and sound design. Costume design was by Lesley Pankhurst. John Findlay was the stage manager.

 

Mill City Car Show

June 12, 2021 — The show with the ungainly title "MCCNE Mill City All Wheels Car Show," hosted by the Mustang Car Club of New England, was held on the spacious Anne Dean Welcome Regatta Field in Lowell (Massachusetts) Heritage State Park. The field, soaked by heavy rain the night before, with some areas too swamped to park a car on, nonetheless had ample space for hundreds of vehicles. It's an excellent area for a car show where a long, straight road, with a wide shoulder to park on, free, runs along the side of the field. You simply step from your car onto the field.

The show featured a wide variety of cars, dominated by muscle cars, street rods, imports, some humorous creations, but not many classics. Heavy cloud cover dulled photography somewhat, but I'm pleased with the pictures I came away with. Hope you will be too. You can view them at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/millcity/

One Day, Two Shows

June 5, 2021 — This was the first day of what would become a 5-day heat wave with temperatures of 90 degrees and over, near record-breaking for this early in the season in New Hampshire. The Goffstown Rotary show, canceled last year for the first time in its history because of the pandemic, had an impressive turnout of cars and spectators. The pandemic was in decline, new cases were the lowest since the beginning more than a year ago, vaccinations were up and restrictions were being lifted, especially in the Northeast.

In spite of the high turnout, there were many cars I had seen and photographed before, some many times. I took pictures of the few I found exceptional and passed over most of those that can be found elsewhere on my site. I came away with less than 40 photos, hoping for a better score at my second show of the day in Loudon.

Muscle at the Museum, an annual show presented by NH Muscle Cars and hosted by North East Motor Sports Museum, larger than the Goffstown show, featured "funny cars," basically drag racers covered with brightly painted and decorated car bodies. Winners of a raffle were invited to sit behind the wheel of one of these cars and rev the engine to an ear-splitting roar.

The funny cars were unusual and photogenic, and I got a brief video of the engine revving, but other than that, like Goffstown, there were many cars I had seen before, and the heat and humidity were becoming oppressive, causing me and many others to cut our visit short and escape to our air conditioned cars for a cooling drive home, which hopefully for many would also have A/C.

I ended up with fewer pictures from the two shows than I normally take at a single event, but you can view the few I got at Goffstown at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/goffstown2021/

The Muscle at the Museum photos and a video are at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/muscleatmuseum/