It’s the final weekend of 2019, so make it one to remember. Here are some entertainment options featuring theater, comedy, music, and more.
ZEST•FEST New Vaudeville Festival
Pontine Theatre follows up the holidays with its annual ZEST•FEST New Vaudeville Festival, featuring a series of family-friendly matinee shows at The Plains School in Portsmouth. It takes place Dec. 27-29, with all shows beginning at 2 p.m. On Friday, Bryson Lang shows off his juggling skills. On Saturday, John Higby presents his Yoyo Show. On Sunday, BJ Hickman performs feats of magic. Tickets to each performance are $15. For more information, click here.
Discovering Magic at the Ring
Continuing a post-holiday tradition, The Players’ Ring in Portsmouth presents its sixth annual “Discovering Magic” show from Dec. 27-29. Performer Andrew Pinard will lead an exploration of magic, science, perception, and deception involving sleights of hand, nefarious con games, historical tidbits, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. It’s been described as a “mind-numbing, jaw-dropping, eye-opening” experience. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $16-$20. For more information, click here.
Dorks in Dungeons at 3S
The year’s final Dorks in Dungeons performance takes place at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth on Friday, Dec. 27, from 8-10 p.m. Now in its eighth season, Dorks in Dungeons features an improvisational troupe of comic actors who embark on new fantastical adventures in each episode. Audience members and a 20-sided die help determine the dorks’ fate in this live role-playing game. Tickets are $12 online, or pay-what-you-can at the door. For more information, click here.
End-of-the-Year Comedy
The best cure for the holiday blues is laughter, and a couple of well-known regional comics will deliver that medicine from Dec. 27-29. Juston McKinney hosts Last Laugh 2019 at The Music Hall in Portsmouth on Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4:30 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 6 p.m. ($26). Bob Marley performs at the Rochester Opera House on Saturday at 4, 6:30, and 9 p.m., and on Sunday at 3, 5, and 7:30 p.m. ($37.50).
Ghost of Paul Revere w/ Bell Systems
Two Portland-area bands join forces for a show at The Press Room in Portsmouth on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 9 p.m. Ghost of Paul Revere, led by guitarist and singer Griffin Sherry, describes its sound as “holler folk.” Bell Systems, a new collaboration between Genevieve Beaudoin of Dead Gowns and Spencer Albee of As Fast As and Rustic Overtones, plays irreverent pop music (and they have an album due out in the spring). Tickets are $25-$30. Learn more here.
For a complete calendar of local events, click here.