It’s a big weekend for arts and culture on the Seacoast, with Discover Portsmouth and the Woodman Museum open for the season, and Art ’Round Town, the Dover Art Walk, and the Art of Great Bay Show and Sale all coming up. But there’s also lots of great music, film, theater, and literature to look forward to. Here are some of the highlights.
Exeter LitFest 2019
TEAM (Town Exeter Arts Music) presents a packed schedule at multiple venues during this year’s Exeter LitFest on Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6. Among the highlights are the LitFest Cosplay Celebration, a reading by author Joe Hill with a performance by Bitter Pill, and a keynote address by author Dan Brown. There will also be scavenger hunts, trivia, film screenings, author talks, panel discussions, and more. For a full schedule and more information, click here.
NH Folk Art Exhibition
Discover Portsmouth’s 2019 exhibition features artistically and culturally significant objects from the 18th century to today. “New Hampshire Folk Art: By the People, for the People” opens to the public during Art ’Round Town on Friday, April 5, from 5-8 p.m. A companion show in the balcony gallery features contemporary art by members of the League of NH Craftsmen. Learn more here. Incidentally, the Woodman Museum in Dover is hosting its own folk-art show, called New England Folk.
‘The Roommate’ at Star Theatre
Jen Silverman’s comedy “The Roommate” is billed as “‘The Odd Couple’ meets ‘Breaking Bad.’” The play is about two middle-aged women — one a gay vegan slam poet and the other a divorced housewife — who become roommates. Threshold Stage Company will present the show’s Seacoast premiere at Star Theatre in the Kittery Community Center from April 5-14. Show times are Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25. Learn more here.
Burst & Bloom Showcase
Local label Burst & Bloom Records will present its annual showcase of regional talent on the Button Factory Stage at WSCA Portsmouth Community Radio on Saturday, April 6, from 7-10 p.m. The event will feature live performances by musical acts Guy Capecelatro III, Sam Carp, The Eastern Sleds, Late Lights, Mehetable, The Orchards, Jim Rioux, and Tiger Saw, as well as poetry readings from Capecelatro and Rebecca Hennessy. Tickets are $10. For more information, click here.
NH Jewish Film Festival
This year’s NH Jewish Film Festival features a total of 17 films spread across five cities. Two of them will be screened at The Music Hall Loft in Portsmouth on Sunday, April 7: “The Last Suit” at 1 p.m. and “Satan and Adam” at 3:30 p.m. A post-film discussion follows the latter screening. Tickets are $12; learn more here. (Meanwhile, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Patty Griffin will be just around the corner at The Music Hall’s main theater at 7 p.m.)
For a complete calendar of local events, click here.