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‘Love Free or Die’ among movies seen by Franklin Pierce students at Sundance Film Festival

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:01:47 EST

With Spike Lee’s Q&A rant about studio execs, hard-to-come-by film tickets and documentaries (consistently stronger than dramatic features) proclaiming our current collective zeitgeist, Robert Redford’s 2012 Sundance Film Festival, held Jan. 19-28 in Park City, Utah, appeared to be independent film business as usual. But that wasn’t entirely the case. Indeed, some extraordinary events transpired that could be considered divine intervention, certainly testaments to the power of cinema. Consider the subtitle of this piece – a simple (one letter, in fact) yet profound twist on our New Hampshire state motto. “Love Free or Die” is the documentary honoring Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man to be elected bishop in the Episcopal Church.

Director becoming known for sensitivity with female characters, stories

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:01:52 EST

Ever since making his debut in 1999 with “Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her,” Rodrigo Garcia has carved out a singular niche in Hollywood as a director who has a special touch with women. In that first film, an omnibus of intersecting vignettes about disparate women living in Los Angeles, he worked with an ensemble that included Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Kathy Baker and a surprisingly serious Cameron Diaz in one of the first roles that proved she was more than a piece of blond camera candy. Garcia’s next film, 2005’s “Nine Lives,” was a similarly structured study of women’s experiences, again featuring Close and Hunter but also starring a very young Dakota Fanning and Amanda Seyfried, as well as Robin Wright Penn, who delivered a memorable, virtually wordless performance as a former party girl who runs into an old flame at a supermarket. In 2009, he made “Mother and Child,” starring Naomi Watts and Annette Bening as an adopted daughter and a birth mother respectively. It’s no wonder that by that time Garcia was being compared to George Cukor, whose sensitivity with women characters and female-driven stories made him a favorite with such stars as Katharine Hepburn and Joan Crawford. Now, with “Albert Nobbs,” Garcia delivers a twist on the material he has spent a career mastering. In the film, Close stars as a woman in 19th-century Ireland who gets work at a Dublin hotel by passing as a man. Based on a play (also starring Close) adapted from a short story by George Moore, “Albert Nobbs” costars Janet McTeer as a friend of Close’s title character, who also passes as a man but who lives in a functional marriage with another woman. A clutch of good reviews and notices for Close’s and McTeer’s performances culminated in Oscar nominations for both actresses. It’s difficult to think of a male director other than Garcia – whom Close calls “just a big bear of a sexy, warm man” – who could understand the nuances, not just of being a woman in a man’s world, but of a woman impersonating a man in a man’s world. “The question of female identity is still incredibly fertile,” Garcia said over lunch at the Toronto International Film Festival, where “Albert Nobbs” had its world premiere in September. “What are you, apart from mother, daughter, wife, sister? I find that infinitely fascinating.” If Garcia has become the “women’s director” in Hollywood, he said, “It’s not what I set out to do for myself. The ideas just come to me, and they always start with, ‘There’s a woman who …’ I don’t know what it is. “Jason Isaacs, the guy who played with Robin Wright in ‘Nine Lives,’ said to me the first day that I met him, ‘You write about women because it allows you to address emotional subjects emotionally, and you can hide behind that.’ I was a little shocked – it’s like being told that you need to lose weight.

‘Yiddishkeit’ gives readers historical perspective

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:03:24 EST

Shalom! Did you ever wonder why you know so many Yiddish words, fellow goyim? I know I have – I’ve used words such as putz, schmuck, klutz and schnozz most of my life, without any idea where I picked them up. Was it from “Mad” magazine? The Marx Brothers? “Fiddler on the Roof”? Stan Lee (Stanley Lieber) and Jack Kirby (Jacob Kurtzberg) at Marvel Comics? “Blazing Saddles” and other Mel Brooks movies? It could have been any or all, because American entertainment is thoroughly suffused with the sensibilities of Yiddish-speaking Jews, a people who fled pogroms in places such as Poland and Russia to the New World. These gentle folk from the rural villages of Eastern Europe had a unique viewpoint and wry sense of humor that was embraced in cultural meccas such as Hollywood and New York City. From there, they taught boys from Tacoma to Tampa to want to be a mensch and girls to want to be zaftig. Which is why I’ve always wanted a book like “Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular & the New Land” (Abrams ComicArts, $32.95). Edited by Paul Buhle and the late Harvey Pekar, “Yiddishkeit” traces the history and influence of Yiddish from medieval Europe to the tenements of New York’s Lower East Side through a collection of comics stories. It’s more than just a history, though, because Yiddishkeit is a sprawling, untranslatable concept that embodies a language, a culture, a set of values, a way of thinking, a sensibility. Sure, we learn a lot of historical facts in “Yiddishkeit,” but if you don’t feel what the words and pictures are conveying, you’re missing the best part. And there’s probably nobody better for this task than Harvey Pekar, famed for his “American Splendor” comic books and movie, and the “Our Cancer Year” graphic novel.

‘Final Fantasy’ blends action, story; ‘NFL Blitz’ nostalgic

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:03:30 EST

A rich library of characters and story lines allows the “Final Fantasy” franchise to flesh out entire games around seemingly minor characters. This is what gamers are presented with in “Final Fantasy XIII-2,” which comes with the chance to experience solid storytelling blended with exceptional game design. Lightning, the heroine from the original “FF13” game, is stuck in Valhalla, so now younger sibling Serah owns the main story, along with Noel, who’s there to help her reunite with her sister. Lightning isn’t just toiling away – she has a plot of her own as she deals with Caius, a villain with more complexity and intrigue than you would normally get in a video game. Shorter than most “Final Fantasy” releases, this balances the relative brevity with a sped-up leveling system and rewards you early and often. Defeating and collecting monsters pairs nicely with the character leveling, which, when combined, gives you a powerful party of warriors able to deal punishment in droves. Paradigms are back and as powerful as ever. For the uninitiated, paradigms are attack or defensive strategies.

Upcoming Benefit Concert

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:00:40 EST

On February 18 at 7:30 p.m., a concert will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 669 union St., Manchester. Held as a benefit for UUCM, the concert, entitled “Music Among Friends” will feature church musicians as well as Myschyffe Managed, an a capella singing group Music performed will range from flute, harp, piano and vocal ensemble, and will run the gamut from classical piano; a selection with “one piano, four hands,” with Mark St.Hilaire and Gary Finger. Harp and flute will join in fifteenth century madrigal and then the concert will swing into jazz and Noel Coward. Join us for an evening guaranteed to get your toes tapping and bring a smile to your faee as these professionals share their talent for the benefit of the church. Refreshments will be served at intermission. For tickets contact Rick Carkin at 603-315-1405 or rick@carkin.com Tickets are $20 and will be $23 (no credit cards, please) at the door.

Roast Pork Public Supper

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:00:28 EST

Arlington Street United Methodist Church hosts a Roast Pork Public Supper on Sat., February 18 from 4:30-6:30pm. This family style dinner includes potato, carrots, green beans, bread, beverage and dessert. Adults $10, Seniors $9, Children 6-11 $6, Under 5 free, ASUMC is handicapped accessible.

Amidon featured artist in March

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:02:04 EST

HOLLIS – Lois Amidon, a watercolor painter, pastel artist and puppeteer, will be the featured artist for March at the Re/Max Properties galleries at 2 Ash St. An opening reception will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 15. Amidon holds degrees from Hope College, the University of Connecticut and Andover Newton Theological School. While studying for a master’s degree in puppetry, Amidon was introduced to drawing, design and watercolor. She has studied watercolor painting with Valera Krol Nichols, Leslie Redhead and Suzanne Binnie. Amidon is involved in puppetry as a production consultant and puppet maker. She creates and sews cloth marionettes and glove puppets.

Not Your Mom planning ‘Unfortunate Entertainment’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:03:38 EST

Not Your Mom’s Musical Theater is planning auditions for its new five-part concert series, tentatively titled “An Evening of Unfortunate Entertainment.” Each of the concerts will feature lesser known musical theater pieces from a different year. Concerts will be emceed by local actors and comedians who will illustrate the often ridiculous history of the songs. Concerts will spotlight 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992 and 2002. Auditions will be from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb.

Sharon Arts plans monthly ArtBar

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:03:42 EST

PETERBROUGH – A new monthly event, ArtBar, will premiere at the Sharon Arts Center Exhibition Gallery, 30 Grove St., from 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. “ArtBars are popping up all over the country,” gallery director Camellia Sousa said. “We are pleased to host this unique and exciting monthly event at Sharon Arts Center, where in our relaxed and casual setting in the main Exhibition Gallery you can complete your own acrylic painting to take home, based on the ArtBar themes of the month, with creative and timely ideas that anyone can do.” Sousa said ArtBar will provide art supplies, cheese, crackers and seltzer water, with wine and beer available for a suggested donation.

Discuss ‘Contemporary Irish Writers’ at Hollis Library

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:03:47 EST

The Friends of the Hollis Social Library received a grant from the New Hampshire Humanities Council to present the book discussion series “Contemporary Irish Writers.” The second book to be discussed will be “Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha” by Roddy Doyle from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21. Don Sieker will lead the discussion.

Studio 99 in Nashua hosts ‘Love Gone Bad’ Valentine event

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:01:08 EST

NASHUA – Just as one way of expressing love isn’t for everyone, neither is one way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. For each person who’s thrilled to receive a box of chocolates, there’s someone who would rather keep the holiday low-key. “It’s nice to have an alternative event where you know someone’s not going to get proposed to in the audience and you can just enjoy a fun night out,” said Jen O’Callaghan, founder and co-host of Studio 99’s fourth annual “Love Gone Bad” event, which will be at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12. Although the name might suggest misery and brokenhearted moping, it’s really more of a theme to help guide the direction of the evening. “It’s ‘bad love,’ ” O’Callaghan said, “so however you interpret that. Is it ‘bad love’ as in ‘so bad, it’s good,’ or just plain bad?” Attendees are invited to share their original poetry, essays, songs or other creative works that they feel best embody the concept of love gone bad.

‘Storage Wars’ ” Weiss worked in produce – not with producers

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:01:13 EST

QUESTION: Who is Barry Weiss on “Storage Wars” and what is his background? He seems to know a lot of famous people and has a lot of nice toys. ANSWER: According to his A&E biography, “since the age of 15, Barry has made a name for himself as an antique collector.” He told AOL TV last year that he was also “in the produce business for 20-25 years, and I retired about four years ago. I just was traveling around the world and enjoying life, really. “The way this opportunity came along was a close friend of mine, Thom Beers, who is the creator of the show, was over one night. I don’t know, we were having a few drinks. He said he was working on something with these storage lockers, and would I like to be a part of it? And basically that’s sort of how things unfolded.” Because he has some famous friends, some viewers have assumed Weiss is a show-biz type.

Chamber group to perform Valentine’s benefit at Hunt

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:01:19 EST

NASHUA – The weather may be a bit dull this time of year, but Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. If you’re in the mood to get your endorphins raised, come to the Hunt Memorial Building at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, when chamber group Resonance will perform its annual Valentine’s benefit concert featuring a wide selection of well-known romantic pieces. Coffee and chocolate will be served at intermission. “Bring your spouse, your significant other, your mother, your father, your kids, anyone you love for a wonderful, feel-good afternoon of beautiful music,” said Denise Pliska, president of the Friends of the Hunt Memorial Building. The program will include “Three Romances” by Robert Schumann, “Sentimentale” from the Claude Bolling Suite, “Canzone” by Samuel Barber, “Portrait” by Cecil Chaminade, “A Secluded Lake” by Austin Scott and the Jules Massenet “Elegie.” Chaminade lived from 1857-1944, a time when women weren’t common in the profession.

Local Valentine’s events for every taste

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:01:39 EST

Valentine’s Day comes but once a year, so the last thing you want to do is miss the mark by planning an unsatisfactory celebration. The better you know your sweetheart, the easier it is to orchestrate a truly memorable occasion. Below you’ll find an assortment of local events, handily categorized according to the personality type to which they most appeal. Mix and match to create your ideal Valentine’s experience. The literary visionary As the adage goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Hear local writings inspired by “A Knock at the Door,” an 1897 painting by Laura Alma-Tadema in the Currier Museum’s collection, at “Inspired Words” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Currier, 150 Ash St., Manchester. For those who’d like to participate, submissions can be e-mailed to inspiredwords@currier.org until Friday, Feb.

What’s new on DVD this week

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:19:23 EST

‘Anonymous,’ PG-13. In this alternately entertaining and wildly ham-handed speculative romp, director Roland Emmerich and screenwriter John Orloff advance the notion that William Shakespeare was a fraud and that Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, actually wrote those famous plays and poems, his Puritan upbringing and noble station preventing him from dabbling publicly in such ink-stained enterprises. But what first promises to be an intriguing, if loony, idea eventually succumbs to outrageousness for its own sake. Don’t let the courtly language and historical pretense fool you: “Anonymous” is still an Emmerich movie – a blessing when it comes to vigor and a curse when it comes to subtlety, proportion or sense. Contains violence and sexual content. DVD extras: commentary with Emmerich and Orloff; “Who Is the Real William Shakespeare?” featurette. On Blu-ray, special effects and “Speak the Speech” making-of featurettes. ‘A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas,’ R. While not as funny as the original, “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” (2004), it’s still a modest improvement over the 2008 sequel. When we first catch up with our protagonists – former roommates and BFFs Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) – the two have gone their separate ways. Harold, now called “Harry,” is a married banker living in the suburbs. Kumar, having been thrown out of medical school, is still living in the dumpy old apartment. The two find themselves again thrown together in a series of silly misadventures, this time revolving around the search for a Christmas tree.

10th NH Theatre Awards event recognizes top performances

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:16 EST

MANCHESTER – The stretch SUV that pulled up to the curb set the tone perfectly for the 10th annual New Hampshire Theatre Awards on Feb. 3 at the Palace Theatre. Nominees and other attendees were dressed to rival a Hollywood awards show, turning the audience into a sea of formal gowns, top coats, furs and sequins. Here and there, a tuxedo or white dinner jacket could be glimpsed. New Hampshire’s theater community wanted to look its best, as no one knew until the winning name was called just who would be walking across the stage to receive one of those coveted glass awards shaped like the state of New Hampshire. The nervousness and excitement in the air only enhanced the attendees’ wit and sense of timing. During the opening remarks, New Hampshire Theatre Association Executive Director Joe Vago and board President David Preece revealed that this year, seals would be presented to the top three finalists, including the winner, in each category. Without missing a beat, the audience responded with a symphony of seal sounds. It was an evening full of surprises.

Music review: ‘This Means War’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:01:50 EST

‘This Means War’Attack Attack. Rise. Bold Ohio band Attack Attack! seems to want to make everyone at least a little unhappy with its new “This Means War.” The Vans Warped Tour veteran group lives up to its name, full-throttle, by aggressively blazing through its 10-track would-be concept album in which every song title is like a new chapter – “The Revolution,” “The Betrayal,” “The Wretched.” The death-metal, screamo, heavy-rock act rarely hits the brakes, with machine-gun guitar riffs and screeching vocals by Caleb Shomo swarming and suffocating the mix. That alone would be sufficient to engage metal-core fans, yet the bludgeoning, hysterical assault employs numerous other weapons that are unexpected – and undoubtedly unwanted by some. Apart from some prog-rock trickery and chunky cadence change-ups that aren’t all that unusual for the genre, there’s real singing by “clean” vocals: hook-happy, melodious singing behind Shomo’s animated monster voice – which, it should be noted, is often more discernible than that of his contemporary screechers, and it should further be noted that the group’s lyrics don’t live up to the conviction of its vocals. There’s also old-fashioned punk fury racing through this polished, modern metal mayhem, and even traces of funk. But what might be the hardest for the heavy-rock fans to reconcile are the band’s unapologetic forays into danceable electronica. “This Means War” isn’t nearly as fractured as the stylistic hopscotch might indicate – Rob Zombie and others have long managed to fuse raw rock to glossy synthetics (although Attack Attack! sounds more like a next-generation Atari Teenage Riot than a next-generation Rob Zombie). Still, Attack Attack! has guts. Group members know that their audience will be put off by their conflicting signatures (shrieking vocals versus poppy singing, thrashing guitars versus rolling electronica), and listeners will be alternately attracted to and repelled by “This Means War.” The fact the band embraces such contradictions is weirdly rewarding. – CHUCK CAMPBELL, Scripps Howard News Service

Behind the wheel of ‘Key & Peele’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:01:55 EST

Maybe Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele were always meant to know each other. “We are so much alike,” said the New York-born Peele, 32. “Our senses of humor are so in the pocket … and coming from similar backgrounds make us very much alike.” Both come from biracial parents, are privately the nebbish type and are keenly into making up outrageous characters. When they met briefly in 2002 at the Second City in Chicago, “We were fast friends,” Key said. “It’s like we were doppelgangers,” Peele cut in to say. But they didn’t get to work side by side until they ended up on “Mad TV,” the former late-night sketch show on Fox, nearly a year later. They infused the show with their weirdness, from Peele’s take on Morgan Freeman to Key’s original creation, Coach Hines (an awkward high school athletics coach). Now, the two are behind the wheel of “Key & Peele” (10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Comedy Central), a half-hour sketch series that skews everything from hip-hop stars to passive-aggressive husbands.

When saying ‘sweetheart’ just won’t do

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:02:06 EST

As someone who dabbles in etymology and foreign languages for fun, unusual words have always made my heart go pitter-patter. The more obscure the word, the more exciting the discovery and the more eager I am to use it. You would think such logophilia would be an asset to a newspaper columnist, but in truth, it’s a bit of a stumbling block. Newspaper writing is supposed to be clear, concise and devoid of unnecessary words. Items are always written with a specific inch count in mind (i.e., how much room it takes up on the page) and a colorful vocabulary that sometimes requires additional context can make it difficult to communicate all of your ideas within the available space. Personally, I blame my childhood. I read constantly while I was growing up, and I cried when I got my first library card. These weren’t tears of joy – new cardholders were only allowed to take out three books on their first visit and I was accustomed to borrowing a dozen at a time with my parents’ cards. To further complicate matters, many of my favorite authors when I was younger, as well as today, are English – Terry Pratchett, Diana Wynne Jones, C.S.

Marionette company brings wood, Styrofoam, cloth to life

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:03:34 EST

PINOLE, Calif. – Walking into the Fratello Marionettes workshop is like stepping into a world of imagination. There are wolves and fantastical animals of every description, and stringed people of every size and shape. Pillowcase-like bags, one for each of the dozens of marionettes, hang from racks. Hooks in the beams allow marionettes to be hung for painting or costume fitting. Marionettes have existed for thousands of years, dating to the days of ancient Rome and Greece. Although we live in the land of Muppets, the ancient art of string- or wire-manipulated marionettes still thrives around the country. In the Bay Area, Fratello Marionettes keep the string play alive. “We’re just like big 3-year-olds” enjoying what they do, Kevin Menegus said. Fratello founder Menegus and Fred.

Spanish Brass comes to Nashua

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:35:00 EST

NASHUA – The Nashua Community Concert Association will continue its 2011-12 season on Saturday, Feb. 25, with Spanish Brass, which has spanned the globe, performing eclectic musical programs from a repertoire of classical to contemporary pieces. The performance will be at 8 p.m. in the Elm Street Middle School auditorium, 117 Elm St. Since capturing first prize in the 1996 Narbonne, France, International Brass Quintet Competition, this quintet – two trumpets, trombone, French horn and tuba – has enthralled audiences in festivals and venues around the world. Spanish Brass offers selections ranging from Bach and Mozart to flamboyant Hispanic works by Albeniz and Turina.

Nightlife in Southern New Hampshire

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:34:00 EST

NASHUA 5 DRAGONS LOUNGE: 28 Railroad Square. Wednesdays: DJ and Karaoke with DJ Bernie D, 9:30 p.m. Saturdays: DJ and Karaoke, 9:30 p.m. 578-0702. 603 LOUNGE: 14 W.

New staff members hired to build Concord Community Music School

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:00:06 EST

CONCORD – The Concord Community Music School has two new staff members. Anne Janeway, of Norwich, Vt., is director of development. She works to attract support for the organization through fundraising, events and strengthening the school’s network of alumni, parents and friends. Janeway has 20 years of experience in educational administration, alumni relations and fundraising. Janeway previously was executive director of the Vermont-New Hampshire Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Kathleen Kelley, of Randolph, is director of finance and administration.

Merrimack Valley Artisans seeking new members

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:00:13 EST

The Merrimack Valley Artisans are seeking local artists and fine craftspeople. The group is composed of about 24 local members and meets monthly in Dunstable, Mass., to discuss issues and concerns. The group also brings in guest speakers, and it organizes a two-day annual show of juried members’ work in October. The Artisans support local high school students pursuing an arts education at the college level by granting scholarships and cash awards. The entrance fee to the show is a fundraiser for the awards. Members also hold presentations in local schools and community to educate the public about the arts. For more information, visit www.merrimackvalleyartisans.org. Jury applications are being accepted until April 30. The group is especially looking for artists and craftspeople in pottery, glass, photography, weaving, wood and basketry.

‘Earth Stories’ gives topographical view of world

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:00:42 EST

LOWELL, Mass. – Travelers navigating unfamiliar territory look for landmarks to help them find their way, such as a building or a bridge. When such manmade structures are removed from the picture, people experience the land in a new and different way. Such is the aim of Michal Truelsen’s “Earth Stories: Works On/Of Paper,” an exhibit of paper bas-reliefs inspired by topographic maps of New England, on display at the Loading Dock Gallery through Sunday, Feb. 26. Like the maps on which her pieces are based, Truelsen’s paper bas-reliefs include only natural features and the contours of the land. She hopes this will encourage those who attend the exhibit to view the terrain around them with fresh eyes. “I want people to have the chance to see something familiar in a new way,” she said, “to have the chance to pay a fresh kind of attention to something we live with – live on – all the time.” A series of pieces in this exhibit focuses on the course of the Merrimack River from its source in Franklin, N.H., all the way to Newburyport, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

Personalities clash on ‘Joan & Melissa’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:00:58 EST

PASADENA, Calif. – Joan Rivers has had a bad day. “The dog got sick,” she said. “My toilet overran. It’s just been a (terrible) day.” But there she is, dressed to the nines in black, with bright blue nails and sipping on a martini. That’s the vision many fans might have of the comic’s life.

Local artists nominated for NH Theatre Awards

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:01:06 EST

It’s time to honor the brightest stars in New Hampshire’s theatrical firmament. The 10th annual New Hampshire Theatre Awards will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, at the Palace Theatre in Manchester. Here are the local nominees. Drumroll, please … PROFESSIONAL THEATER Best Production – Drama/Comedy “Ancestral Voices,” Peterborough Players. “Measure for Measure,” Peterborough Players. Best Director – Drama/Comedy Gus Kaikkonen, “Ancestral Voices,” Peterborough Players. Gus Kaikkonen, “Measure for Measure,” Peterborough Players. Best Actor – Drama/Comedy Kraig Swartz as Eddie, “Ancestral Voices,” Peterborough Players. Gordon Clapp as Duke, “Measure for Measure,” Peterborough Players. Best Actor – Musical Joey T. as Hunter, “Title of Show,” Not Your Mom’s Musical Theater. Best Actress – Drama/Comedy Dale Hodges as Grandmother/Mrs.

Music review: ‘Live From The Kitchen’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:01:10 EST

‘Live From The Kitchen’Yo Gotti, J Records. Yo Gotti’s new “Live From the Kitchen” sounds like something from years ago – and not just because it has reportedly been delayed from release by a couple of years. It sounds older than that, like from more than a decade ago, when rudimentary gangsta rap was flowing through the mainstream. The Memphis, Tenn., rapper, aka Mario Mims, isn’t strictly gangsta, but he emerged from other hard-core rap subsets that have also lost momentum over the years, particularly the Dirty South movement. “Live From the Kitchen” is sparsely arranged and rife with talk of the streets, guns, sex and drugs, and loaded with misogyny and the N-word. Hearing it in 2012 evokes mixed feelings, nostalgia for a time when rap had a strong identity apart from other genres, as well as relief that rap has evolved from such a limited, often negative form. The themes are straightforward and conventional, yet there’s enough winking humor to break up the depressing focus on firearms and braggadocio. For instance, on the surprising romantic turn of “We Can Get It On,” Yo Gotti woos with, “You never met a gangsta like this,” and on “Second Chance,” he shrugs off his part in a busted relationship by acknowledging that he had sexual relations with too many women of ill repute (those aren’t his exact words). Top-shelf guests swing by to diversify matters: Rick Ross shows up for the raging “Harder”; Nicki Minaj, plus Gucci Mane and Trina, bring girl power to “5 Star Remix”; and Big K.R.I.T., Big Sean, Wale and Wiz Khalifa help make “Go Girl” a sweet surprise. Yo Gotti is going to have to play catch-up if he wants to get on the rap A-list. But “Live From the Kitchen” is a nice way to revisit the past, even if it doesn’t make you want to go back permanently. – CHUCK CAMPBELL, Scripps Howard News Service

Newt, loot and glutes – everybody’s a winner

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:01:16 EST

Rendering story ideas for each of these columns isn’t as glamorous as it looks. Granted, there is hair and makeup and costume fitting, fumbling between calls on several iPhones and dealing with accountants, but for the most part, there’s usually a bit of R&D involved. Recognizing we all occasionally attend the Short Attention Span Theater, I once again slice and dice these ear-bending bulletins into bite-sized nuggets: Chafing dish: Mark Remy, the online editor for Runner’s World, has written a children’s book titled, “C is for Chafing,” which outlines the ABCs for kids running. But chafing? Are these kids running in corduroy? It starts with Barnes, but it’s far from Noble: Another page turner, “Felon Fitness: How to Get a Hard Body Without Doing Hard Time,” is a workout book courtesy of the Department of Corrections. Each exercise rep lasts roughly two to five years with good behavior.

‘Walking Dead’ to return, but ‘Prime Suspect’ is done

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:01:22 EST

QUESTION: I saw a Toyota Prius ad with a song where the words were “Baby, come along with me,” I think. Who sings this song and is it on CD? ANSWER: That’s French singer Fabienne Delsol, and the song is known simply as “Come Along.” It was included on Delsol’s 2007 CD “Between You and Me” but is also available as a download. Q: I noticed that in several scenes in “The Conspirator,” directed by Robert Redford, some of the interior sets had Venetian blinds on the windows. Did they have blinds in 1865, or is this a mistake in the film? A: Redford is known for his attention to detail, and from what I can find, the blinds were no mistake. They were in use in the United States well before the Civil War. DeVenco, a Georgia-based maker of wooden blinds, offers styles dating to colonial America along with historical tidbits on its Web site (www.devenco.net).

Nashua Symphony’s Fanfare 2012 features New England Swing ensemble

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:01:35 EST

Without our military, there would be no one to defend our country or our basic freedoms. There would also be no such thing as New England Swing, the ensemble that will perform at Fanfare 2012, the Nashua Symphony’s upcoming fundraising event on Friday, Feb. 10, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Nick Adams, the symphony’s director of operations and the manager of New England Swing, used to perform in an Air Force band. As a result, he said he had “a lot of arrangements” for big band music. Music director and principal conductor Jonathan McPhee had also performed in an Air Force band and was, therefore, familiar with that type of music. Thanks to this combination of big band experience and the versatility of the symphony’s musicians, “We felt like we could replicate that sort of group with the Nashua Symphony,” Adams said. Originally known as the Nashua Symphony Big Band, the ensemble debuted in the spring of 2010 at that year’s Fanfare and has since performed locally to rave reviews. “The reception has been just overwhelmingly positive,” Adams said. “From kids … to patrons well into their 70s, everyone thinks a lot of the group and really enjoys their music.” This enthusiastic audience response is the reason why New England Swing has played at Fanfare every year since the ensemble’s inception. “People love the music,” Adams said.

What’s on DVD this week

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:16 EST

‘Drive,’ R. Ryan Gosling delivers a slow, white-hot burn of a performance in this nervy, understated ode to one of Hollywood’s most cherished archetypes, the sad-eyed man of few words. Gosling and director Nicolas Winding Refn pay homage to wheelmen of yore while reinvigorating the genre with style, smarts and flashes of wit. When the plot of “Drive” quickens, the Danish director finds plenty of chances to indulge in his penchant for lurid, stylized violence. But his most fetishized flourishes are tempered here. After skillfully earning the audience’s allegiance, “Drive,” based on the novel by James Sallis, throws its hero’s motives into more troubling ambiguity, with Gosling’s grievous angel proving to be capable of startling brutality. Low-key, sleek and sophisticated, “Drive” provides the visceral pleasures of pulp without sacrificing art. Contains strong, brutal, bloody violence and some nudity. DVD extras: four behind-the-scenes featurettes and an interview with Refn. ‘The Thing,’ R. First-time director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.’s film acts as a prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 cult classic, which itself drew from the 1951 thriller. All three plant their roots in John W. Campbell’s 1938 science-fiction novella. This latest film largely mirrors its predecessors, with a shape-shifting alien terrorizing researchers in an isolated Antarctic base.

NCO presents ‘French Masters’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:20:00 EST

NASHUA – The Nashua Chamber Orchestra, with music director David Feltner, will present its second concert of the 2011-12 season at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, in Judd Gregg Hall at Nashua Community College, 505 Amherst St., and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb.

Scottish music at Nashua Library

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:20:00 EST

NASHUA – Alan Reid, one of the original members of Scotland’s famed Battlefield Band, will perform in concert with Rob van Sante at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 18, at the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St. Reid, who plays piano and accordion, joined the Battlefield Band in 1969. His skilled musicianship and stellar songwriting abilities helped catapult the group to prominence in the Scottish traditional music scene. Early in 2011, Alan launched a new career with the release of “Recollections: Songs of Scotland’s Martyrs, Rogues and Worthies.” Reid continues to sing and write about the history and future of Scotland as part of a duo with van Sante.

Jolie steps behind the camera in ‘Land of Blood and Honey’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:01:10 EST

“What I really want is some food!” Angelina Jolie says while walking into a big, empty room in New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, dressed in a businesslike black suit and high-heel pumps. And it’s true: The lady needs to eat, her famously lithe frame having become thinner, paler, more birdlike since the last time we talked, a year and a half ago when the action thriller “Salt” came out. A generous buffet will appear in the hall outside, but for now, Jolie must content herself with a bottle of water while talking about her new movie. Not “her new movie” in the usual sense that it’s her famously puckered lips plastered on billboards from L.A. to Lesotho. Rather, “her new movie” in the sense that she wrote, directed and produced it. “In the Land of Blood and Honey” stars a cast of actors from the former Yugoslavia who appear in a story about the Bosnian-Serbian conflict in 1992. It’s a rigorous, sometimes raw look at life during wartime at its most senseless, an often startlingly effective portrait not just of atrocities that included rape, sexual humiliation and gratuitous killings, but of stark international apathy. In many ways, Jolie’s film resembles “Hotel Rwanda,” about a similar instance of collective paralysis in the face of unimaginable violence. “The crux of the story was my frustration with lack of intervention,” says Jolie, the bottle of water tipping back and forth in her small hand.

‘Thrift Shop’ exhibit at Sharon Arts

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:35:00 EST

PETERBOROUGH – The photo exhibit “Thrift Shop” will run through Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Sharon Arts Center Members Gallery. The photos in the exhibit are made by artists of all ages from the East Coast to the West Coast and demonstrate the images of naturally found objects in their immediate settings, candid portraits and disparate landscapes. “The show demonstrates how the discarded or seemingly out of place does have a home in photography,” said gallery assistant Zachary Green, who curated the show. Local artists in the show include Rachelle Beaudoin, Anastasia Dubrovina, Devin Altobello and Kate Lenahan, of Peterborough, and Pembrooke Werden, of Dublin. Other artists are from Massachusetts, Illinois, Montana and California. The juror for the exhibit is Erin Sweeney, an artist living and working in Peterborough, who shows her work nationally.

Rivier presenting Chagall exhibit

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:35:00 EST

NASHUA – The Rivier College Art Gallery is presenting “Marc Chagall and the Bible,” featuring etchings and lithographs by Chagall, a world-renowned pioneer of modernism in art. The exhibit, on loan from a private collection, combines selections from Chagall’s early biblical etchings with lithographs from a suite of biblical images produced in the 1960s. He had begun this artwork in the 1930s when he accepted a commission to illustrate the Old Testament of the Bible. Chagall created works in a number of artistic media, including paint, book illustration, stained glass, stage setting, ceramics, tapestry and fine art printmaking. Historically, his art synthesizes the principles of cubism, symbolism and fauvism. A gallery talk about the exhibit will be held at 4 p.m.

School presents 17th Hilltop Circus

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:20:00 EST

WILTON – The 17th annual Hilltop Circus, “J.J. Kazaam and the Missing Music,” will be presented by the middle school students of Pine Hill Waldorf School at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, and 11 a.m.

Cookbook display at Speare Museum

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:35:01 EST

NASHUA – Part of the extensive cookbook collection of Gail (Brown) Pinet is on display in the cabinet at the front entrance to the Nashua Historical Society’s Florence Speare Museum, 5 Abbott St. Pinet was 6 when she became fascinated with cooking. She helped her mother and grandmother prepare food and in the late 1960s, began baking and decorating cakes and also took up the hobby of collecting cookbooks. She now has a collection of more than 300 old cookbooks and recipe cards. Pinet, a volunteer at the Nashua Historical Society, is sharing her passion with this display of more than 45 cookbooks, which includes a 1916 edition of “American Cooking” published by the Boston Cooking School. The display will run through February. The museum is open 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Silent films for Valentine’s Day

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:50:01 EST

MANCHESTER – A festival of classic silent-film romances is coming to three New Hampshire communities just in time for Valentine’s Day. The films, starring such early Hollywood legends as Rudolph Valentino and Greta Garbo, will be accompanied by live music. The screenings include: Tuesday, Feb. 7, 6 p.m.: “The Kiss” (1929), starring Garbo; Carpenter Memorial Auditorium, Manchester Public Library, 405 Pine St.; 624-6550; free. Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m.: “The Sheik” (1921) and “Son of the Sheik” (1926), starring Valentino; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth; 536-2551; www.flyingmonkeynh.com; $10. Sunday, Feb.

We want to hear what you think about the new Encore

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:23:22 EST

We’d like to know what you think of our expanded edition of Encore. We’ve kept the local entertainment news you’ve come to expect and added some recipes, food tips, and more movie and TV news. Head to www.encorebuzz.com to take our online survey or e-mail your thoughts to Donna Roberson at droberson@nashuatelegraph.com, and have your say.

Family’s ju … uh, treasures hold value all their own

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:15 EST

If you’re in search of a new look for your living space, look no further than your family. Why spend your hard-earned money on new furniture or home decor when you can simply swap items among your kin? This practice is alive and well in our extended family and ranges from the older generation passing along items of special significance to the younger generation to the exchange of inexpensive home accessories among my siblings and me. Inspired by one of my favorite 20th-century architectural and design styles, I’ve taken the liberty of dubbing this phenomenon “art redeco.” I’ve been practicing art redeco since I was in elementary school and, following a cleaning spree, realized there were items in my room I no longer wanted. I had no idea what to do with them, so I did what any enterprising child would do: I left them in piles outside my parents’ room and Oldest Younger Brother’s room so they could deal with the problem instead. Although that was my underlying motive, it wasn’t the reason I gave when Dad asked me why I had left the headphone splitter for my Walkman, a broken music box and half a dozen pieces of plastic jewelry in front of his bedroom door. The explanation I volunteered sounded much more thoughtful and selfless, at least to my young ears: “It’s all stuff I don’t want anymore, but before I got rid of it, I wanted to make sure no one else wanted it.” As much as it began as a matter of feigned generosity, over the years my family has embraced the aforementioned philosophy. Before any of us get rid of anything, we check with everyone else to make sure it isn’t something they want. It does slow the process of downsizing somewhat, but it has worked out rather well overall. I’ve acquired several unusual picture frames from Mom, a hanging Chinese ornament from Younger Sister and a wooden bin from Oldest Younger Brother that once held bottles of wine and now keeps my bills and receipts organized. From me, Younger Sister has received a small birdcage complete with artificial bird and two paper lanterns, one shaped like a bunch of grapes and one shaped like an orange.

Music review: ‘Bangarang’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:23 EST

‘Bangarang’ Skrillex. Big Beat/Atlantic. When Esperanza Spalding was announced as a nominee for Best New Artist in advance of last year’s Grammy Awards, she was universally dismissed as a noncontender against her much better known competition that included Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence + The Machine and Mumford & Sons. Of course, Spalding won – which is still a head-scratcher, frankly. At any rate, some mainstream observers might mistakenly regard Skrillex as this year’s Esperanza Spalding, a Best New Artist nominee against The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole and Nicki Minaj. Yet, don’t be surprised if Skrillex, aka Sonny Moore, is revealed as the winner at the Feb.

Aerosmith’s Tyler living the dream

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:32 EST

Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler is having the last laugh. He took some ribbing for being a judge on “American Idol” last season. Now, they’re cool with him being on the hit singing contest. “It wasn’t really accepted up front, I must admit, mostly from my own bandmates because they didn’t know what was going on with the Aerosmith thing,” Tyler said recently. However, the audience reaction to being on “Idol” soon changed the minds of many who mocked him for doing it. And the mocking lessened after Aerosmith reaped the benefits of Tyler’s newfound TV fame. “It’s brought nothing but younger kids to our music anyway,” Tyler said. Sales of Aerosmith’s old albums were up 260 percent last year. A new CD is in the works, combining the act’s traditional, hard-driving rock sound with a contemporary twist. “I can’t go anywhere now because of the show,” Tyler said. Judges of singing competitions are seeing the benefits of exposure more than the winners, in many cases. Besides Tyler’s resurgence in celebrity culture, Jennifer Lopez, his fellow “Idol” judge, had a top 10 single in Billboard magazine last year, her first in several years. Over on “The Voice,” judges Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine, of the band Maroon 5, had top 10 songs in 2011, too. At 63, Tyler isn’t exactly the rock star many of the solid devotees of “Idol” recognize.

‘Music Man’ auditions planned in Windham

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:37 EST

The Windham Actors Guild will hold auditions for its spring production of “The Music Man.” Auditions are open to the public. There are roles for children and adults. Auditions for ages 5-15 will be at Windham High School from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29. Auditions for ages 15 and older will be at the school from 7-9:30 p.m.

Fend off chills at Chili and Chowder Cook Off in Amherst

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:01:06 EST

People plan their weekends around annual events such as the Milford Pumpkin Festival and Rock’n Ribfest in Merrimack. The Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce and Opportunity Networks are hoping to add another can’t-miss experience to the local calendar with their first Chili and Chowder Cook Off. Over the last several years, the two organizations have collaborated on a winter gala, a formal date-night type of event geared toward adults. “ ‘Dancing With the Stars’ was popular at the time,” May Balsama, executive director of the Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce, said of the decision to plan such an event. The organizations re-evaluated the gala in March 2011 and began to consider other options. “We decided to go for a broader audience, something that would appeal more to families,” said Wendy Hunt, community development director at Opportunity Networks. Thus, the Chili and Chowder Cook Off was born. As far as they’re aware, this type of event is “new to the area,” Balsama said. “No one else does anything like it during the wintertime.” The cook-off was specifically planned to take place after the NFL playoffs but before the Super Bowl, a time frame the organizations are aiming to maintain for the future. “It’s one of those weekends in between the football games when people are looking for something to do,” Hunt said. Balsama said it’s also a time of year when restaurants see less foot traffic because of people recovering from the holidays. The cook-off “gives us an opportunity to feature the restaurant businesses that aren’t showcased in the same way at our other events,” she said. “It’s another way to bring attention to what they do at a time when they’re not really getting a lot of attention.” Local restaurants are evidently excited to participate. “When we introduced the idea … they thought it was great and jumped right onboard,” Balsama said. Participating restaurants include the Milford Fish Market, the Weathervane, Yankee Chef, Kevin’s Kitchen, Everyday Epicure, the Barn at Hitchiner Manufacturing, Moulton’s Market, Giorgio’s, the Wilton Main Street Cafe, 900 Degrees and the chef from Ledgewood Bay Assisted Living and Memory Care, as well as chain restaurants with local representation such as Shorty’s, Panera and T.G.I. Friday’s. There’s also a category for amateur chefs, which will include Windows on West Street, the restaurant run by the culinary arts program at Milford High School. “The kids do a phenomenal job,” Balsama said.

Local dancers accepted by Los Angeles-based Young Americans

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:01:26 EST

Four students from Kathy Blake Dance Studios in Amherst are heading to Hollywood as students of the Young Americans College of the Performing Arts. After an extensive audition in New Hampshire in October, these students were accepted to the Los Angeles-based nonprofit school beginning in the fall: Isaiah Silvia-Chandley, 18, of Souhegan High School, Amherst; Andrea Sarasin, 18, of Nashua High School South; and Margaret Schofield, 18, and Rebecca Vasques, 18, both of Milford High School. The Young Americans, founded in 1962 by Milton C. Anderson, is credited as the first “show choir” in America, mixing choreography with choral singing. Each year at its College of the Performing Arts, the organization provides about 250 people ages 17-23 from across the world with education in music, dance, performance and teaching methods. “Being chosen to perform with The Young Americans is a dream for these four dancers, a culmination of so many years of hard work and dedication that continues to pay off in big ways,” Blake said.

Actress driven by different perspective in ‘Daisy’

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:01:34 EST

NASHUA – Certain topics will cause even the most confident conversationalist to clam up for fear of offending. Race, for example. The inevitability of aging, for another. The Nashua Theatre Guild’s production of “Driving Miss Daisy” deals with both of these issues in a straightforward and realistic manner that’s enhanced by the thoughtful approach of its director and three-person cast. The play tells the story of Daisy Werthan, a wealthy Jewish woman, and her chauffeur, a black man named Hoke Colburn, and the friendship that develops between them over the course of 25 years. These 25 years take place from the late 1950s through the 1970s, a time of great racial, social and political upheaval in the United States that saw the development of the civil rights movement. Barbara Webb, who plays Daisy, chose not to approach her character from the perspective of Daisy’s personal prejudices. “I was getting into it more from the standpoint of the age,” she said, explaining that she interpreted Daisy’s initial dislike of Hoke to be because having a driver takes away her independence rather than because of the color of his skin. Like many people who find themselves losing privileges they once took for granted because of impairments brought on by aging, Daisy has “that set-in-your-ways, cantankerous, I-don’t-want-to-change kind of attitude,” Webb said. That doesn’t mean, however, that her advancing age is the only issue with which Daisy struggles. “At the same time, she’s got these stereotypes that she doesn’t even realize she’s holding,” Webb said. “In one breath, she’s saying, ‘I’m not prejudiced.’ In the next, she’s saying, ‘You know they all take things; they’re just like little children.’ ” Age also posed a challenge for actor Chris Leon, who plays the role of Hoke. “Coming into this, I was like, what am I supposed to do? Hoke is much older than me,” he said. It didn’t take long, however, for Leon to get to the core of his character. He found the evolution of Hoke’s life journey to be inspiring, as Hoke changes from a man whose point of pride is that his former employer, a judge, bought him a suit, to an independent man who is now caring for an elderly woman. This, combined with Hoke’s loyalty, strength, compassion and work ethic, makes him “kind of a hero figure for the African-American male,” Leon said. Hoke isn’t without his own prejudices, having opinions of Jews and Christians that he needs to overcome. “All the characters in the play have a very specific community that they come from,” director William McGregor said.

Boston-based band holding rescheduled CD release event Sunday in Nashua

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:01:51 EST

Beneath the traditional Irish sounds of Long Time Courting lies a subtle unconventionality. This all-female quartet has been redefining the established approach to Irish music since its formation in 2009. “A few of us knew each other from the Boston music scene,” Liz Simmons said of herself and fellow founding members Shannon Heaton and Ellery Klein. “All of us, individually, had played a lot in groups that were primarily men, and we thought it would be interesting to play in a group of women.” Once the trio had settled on this less conventional lineup of all female musicians, they decided to incorporate another atypical element. “We got together as a three-piece to discuss the future,” Simmons said, “and that’s when we realized we wanted to be a quartet.” There’s nothing out of the ordinary about a quartet in Irish music. What was unusual was the instrument they chose to include: the cello. “It’s not a traditional Irish or Scottish instrument, so it wasn’t traditionally used in the music,” Simmons said. You might find a cellist accompanying a solo performer of traditional music, she explained, but an Irish band would typically consist of traditional instruments such as the flute, fiddle, concertina and guitar. The cello has since become more common in traditional Irish music, in part because of its versatility. “Cello adds the low end to the band, but is also capable of melody-playing,” said Ariel Friedman, the cellist for Long Time Courting. “Instead of having a bass player, the cello offers a wide array of options for accompanying tunes, playing tunes and adding layers.” A perfect example of this can be found in “Barbara Allen,” the fifth track on the band’s debut album, “Alternate Routes.” In Long Time Courting’s arrangement of this traditional ballad, Friedman’s cello serves as a haunting counterpoint to the song’s textured vocal harmonies, lending a wistfulness to the tune that will leave any listener misty-eyed.

Yes, ‘that’ Kevin Bacon did act in a soap opera

onlineeditor@nashuatelegraph.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:01:57 EST

QUESTION: I have a question that’s been bugging me. Was Kevin Bacon ever in a soap opera? Seems like it was “Ryan’s Hope” or “Guiding Light.” I may have the actor wrong. ANSWER: Not only do you have the actor right, but you also picked the soap. Bacon was one of several actors playing Tim “T.J.” Werner on “Guiding Light” over the years; Bacon’s stint was 1980-81. Q: When is the release date of the movie “One For The Money” by Janet Evanovich about bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, whose grandmother is played by Debbie Reynolds? A: The film starring Katherine Heigl as the character featured in the long series of Evanovich novels is set to open nationally on Jan. 27.