The love of performing arts runs rampant in the Monadnock region. From plays, musicals, and operas to circus performances and, of course, the holiday ballet staple The Nutcracker, there’s a show here for all ages and occasions.
The Peterborough Players have a deep love for high caliber theater. Share in that enthusiasm with a visit to their renovated barn, happily secluded in a charming, rural setting. The Players not only put on their own shows (while giving their audiences a peek at the stagecraft process) they broadcast live from The Metropolitan Opera and London’s National Theatre on their big screen. Make a night of it with their red carpet, cash bar, and catered bites!
Another way to enjoy a good libretto is with Raylynmor Opera, a small professional company performing live opera around the region. Raylynmor’s repertoire includes many of the Spanish, Italian, and German classics, but sung in English to make these works more accessible. Catch the next Barber of Seville, Hansel and Gretel, Macbeth, and the like to witness this company’s lively and joyful stage interpretations!
Immersive and innovative, Firelight Theatre Workshop presents both contemporary and original theater and original film in traditional and site-specific venues. For a new, intimate, and thought-provoking experience of being in an audience, keep an eye on their season plans! The co-founders also offer a direct line to their expertise and creativity through classes and workshops at their home base in Peterborough.
Keene’s Edge Ensemble Theatre Company has been performing and teaching theater for decades. The company’s name reflects their preference for material – edgy! Many performances and staged readings are from American one-act plays of the 20th century, in addition to originals and plays by widely recognizable playwrights. Catch a passionate and very affordable production, often presented with dinner, dessert, or snacks, at their home on Marlboro Street. The ensemble has also produced a handful of films, and engages the locality in classes and workshops in acting, theater, and improvisation.
Some of the most fun in the Monadnock region’s arts scene is in its sense of community spirit. If you find yourself near Marlborough or Antrim, Branch River Theatre, Small Pond Productions, or the Antrim Players are a few community theater groups that are sure to boost your level of entertainment! Check out these creative, fun-loving groups for a wide mix of performances, from original musicals and variety shows to contemporary professional theater to the classics. If you feel inspired, stick around for workshops on acting, stage lighting and set design, because everyone deserves to partake in the arts!
Local volunteer organization The Keene Lions Club fundraises through annual winter and summer musicals – and the whole community comes out to enjoy the show! From The Wizard of Oz to Anastasia, check to see if one of their all-age and family friendly musical extravaganzas are running during your visit. The club goes all out for set, costume, and stage design – a production you won’t want to miss!
It can be both fulfilling and heartwarming to see youth pour themselves into terrific performances. See the region’s young theater artists perform the classics at one of Project Shakespeare’s plays. For a fun dance performance, check out the arts education nonprofit MoCo Arts. This local school collaborates with Boston Ballet to put on their annual Nutcracker! (They also offer drop-in classes for every age, if you feel the need to move your feet.) And while The New Hampshire Dance Institute mostly works with schools, a big show sweeps Keene State College’s Redfern Arts Center every year. To see pre-professional dance, Keene State College’s dance program is one of the best around. Catch their Evening of Dance or Choreography Showcases each semester to see students honing their skills. Hop into a drop-in class to dance along with them!
There are even more fun, creative, and often wacky performances to discover in the local circus community. Youth circus arts education group Flying Gravity Circus in Wilton encourages kids to discover and hone their love for skill-building and performance art. See them land their coolest tricks at various venues around the region including The Amato Center, Andy’s Summer Playhouse, and Wilton’s local Waldorf school. Circus performers will often be inspired to set up their equipment in the region’s natural resources – imagine performance art in the trees! If circus sounds like something you want to try for yourself, the New England Center for Circus Arts right next door in Brattleboro, VT is an internationally recognized training school for amateurs and professionals alike. Drop in for some fun with flexibility, silks, trapeze, and so much more!
