With so many cool shows to choose from this weekend, it’s hard to single out highlights. We’re keeping our top five focused on local and regional performers, including music, theater, comedy, and art events.
PMAC Jazz Night 2019
For its 12th annual Jazz Night event, faculty from the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center’s Jazz Institute celebrate 80 years of Blue Note Records. Two separate bands will perform two different concerts featuring music by Blue Note artists like Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Wynton Marsalis, and Cassandra Wilson. The shows take place at The Music Hall Loft in Portsmouth on Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16, with performances at 7 and 9 p.m. Tickets are $29. Learn more here.
‘Charm’ at NHTP
Pulitzer-nominated playwright Kathleen Cahill will be on hand for the opening weekend of “Charm,” which runs March 15-31 at New Hampshire Theatre Project’s West End Studio Theatre in Portsmouth. The show, directed by Catherine Stewart and starring Colleen A. Madden, tells the true story of 19th-century transcendentalist and feminist Margaret Fuller. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $30. Cahill will lead post-show discussions after each opening-weekend performance. Learn more here.
Wrong Brain HQ3 Grand Opening
Local arts collective Wrong Brain opens its new headquarters in Dover with a party featuring food, music, dancing, and art. The location features artist studios, a gallery, a performance space, and a new clothing boutique. The party on Saturday, March 16, from 5-10 p.m., includes hors d’oeuvres from Chapel + Main, a gallery opening for resident artists, a Sam Pao fashion show, and a dance party with DJ Octo Octa. There is a $10-$20 suggested donation. Learn more here.
Saint Paddy’s Comedy Spectacular
Boston-based comedian Jim McCue returns to The Music Hall in Portsmouth for his annual Saint Paddy’s Day Comedy Spectacular on Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. Other comics on the bill include Joey Carroll, Kristin O’Brien, and host Will Smalley. The event also features Irish dance performances by students from The Murray Academy and McDonough-Grimes Irish Dance (led by former Riverdance cast member John Grimes). Tickets are $32-$37; a portion of proceeds benefits Veterans Count. For more information, click here.
New England Seacoast – The Last Waltz
Martin Scorsese’s documentary “The Last Waltz” is widely considered one of the greatest concert films ever made. It captured The Band’s 1976 farewell concert, which featured guest stars such as Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and many others. On Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m., an ensemble of local musicians will re-create the performance live at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth. Tickets are $20-$25; a portion of proceeds benefits the Continuum Arts Collective. Learn more here.
For a complete calendar of local events, click here.