As we creep closer to the holidays, more spirited events are popping up at venues across the Seacoast. Here are some of the upcoming highlights.
‘Not On This Night’ – On Demand
Stage Wright Films’ online production of “Not On This Night” is available on demand Dec. 10 to Jan. 9 (in conjunction with “The Winter Solstice in Story and Song“). Presented by New Hampshire Theatre Project, the screen adaptation of Evelyn Jones’ play is set on the French/Belgian border during World War II. Tickets are $10. Learn more here.
Diversity and Wine at 3S Artspace
Guests at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth will be treated to four wines and meet the people behind their production during a special tasting on Friday from 6-8 p.m. BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Color) voices in the industry will explain how to support and further a more diverse and inclusive market for wine. Tickets are $25. Learn more here.
‘Nut/Cracked’ at The Dance Hall
In “Nut/Cracked,” The Bang Group disassembles and rearranges “The Nutcracker,” splicing Tchaikovsky’s original score with big-band swing music and percussive dance theater. The show returns to The Dance Hall in Kittery for a two-night run on Friday from 7:30-9 p.m. and Saturday from 2-3:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-$30. Learn more here.
‘A Christmas Carol’ at the ROH
Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and a few notorious ghosts are on stage for the holidays in Rochester this month. Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” runs Dec. 9-19 at the Rochester Opera House. Show times are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 5 p.m. Tickets are $16-$26. Learn more here.
Brubeck Brothers Quartet at Jimmy’s
Bassist, trombonist, and composer Chris Brubeck and drummer Dan Brubeck cut their first record all the way back in 1966. The sons of jazz piano great Dave Brubeck, the brothers will bring their quartet to Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club in Portsmouth for two performances on Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (UPDATE: SOLD OUT)
Concerts at The Stone Church
It will be a festive weekend at The Stone Church in Newmarket. The Maine Dead Project makes its Church debut with two shows on Friday and Saturday at 9 p.m. ($20). Dan Blakeslee & The Calabash Club play a Christmasland Jubilee with guest Jonee Earthquake Band on Sunday from 2-4 p.m. ($12). And the string duo of Jim Prendergast and Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki follow with an Irish Christmas concert on Sunday from 5-7 p.m. ($15). Learn more here.
‘The Toymaker’s Apprentice’ at the Ring
Village children Jack and Libby compete to win an apprentice job for toymaker Gideon in Martin McGeachy’s play “The Toymaker’s Apprentice.” It’s on stage Dec. 11-19 at The Players’ Ring in Portsmouth (in conjunction with “A Christmas Carol“). Show times are Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $15-$25. Learn more here.
‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ at The Word Barn
Nothing evokes the holiday spirit like “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” New Hampshire-based group The Heather Pierson Jazz Trio will perform composer Vince Guaraldi’s beloved score of the Peanuts classic at The Word Barn in Exeter (relocated from The Orchard Chapel) on Saturday from 7-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. Learn more here.
Rock My Soul Holiday Concert
Rock My Soul is a 20-member secular choir that specializes in rich harmonies and unique arrangements. They’re playing their annual spree of Rockin’ Soulful Holiday Concerts across the region, including a performance at Saint John’s United Methodist Church in Dover on Sunday at 5 p.m. Tickets are $5-$25. Learn more here.
Twisted Pine at The Music Hall
With a style they describe as “Americana funk,” Boston-based band Twisted Pine takes traditional music in all sorts of directions, incorporating elements of bluegrass, jazz, indie folk, pop, and more. They’ll be at The Music Hall in Portsmouth for a concert on Sunday at 8 p.m. Tickets are sold by the table at $30 per person. Learn more here.
See the full calendar for more local events.