Spring 2026
All shows are free, with no tickets or reservations required. Performances begin at 7:30 PM at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince Street.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
The Freese Brothers Big Band Salutes the Greatest Generation and the Home Front
In the spring of 1946, as members of the Greatest Generation continued returning home from Europe and the Pacific, they and their families listened to the soundtrack of the war years. Radio programs and record players offered tunes that had built an emotional bridge from fox holes, ships and air bases to anxious living rooms back home. The Freese Brothers Big Band offers an 80th anniversary salute to the Greatest Generation and the Home Front with tunes that will transport audiences back to the first peaceful springtime for America after four years of war and worry.
Wednesday 3/18/26
Margo Burns
From Mickey to Magoo: The Golden Age of American Animation and
Saturday Morning Cartoons: Bugs Bunny, Bullwinkle, and Big Business in the 1960s
From the 1920s to the 1960s, adult American theatergoers could anticipate a cartoon before each feature film. From Mickey Mouse to Donald Duck, Popeye, Betty Boop, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tom and Jerry, Mighty Mouse, Casper the Friendly Ghost, and Mr. Magoo, the beloved cartoon "stars" were every bit as memorable as the Hollywood actors who shared the marquee. Many of these cartoons were redistributed as Saturday morning shows for kids of the next generation. Margo Burns will introduce us to the people and studios that made these films and the changing technology, aesthetics, music, politics, and economics behind them.
Wednesday 3/25/26
The Serious and the Sideshow: Two Sides of the NH Primary with Neil Levesque and David Tirrell Wysocki
For more than a century, New Hampshire's First in the Nation Primary has helped shape the nation's presidential election ballots. The contest is serious business - sometimes shattering the dreams of powerful candidates and enabling others to emerge from the pack and win the General Election.
At the same time, it includes a sideshow of lesser-known candidates yearning for a moment in the spotlight even though they have no chance of election victory. What do Billy Joe Clegg, Vermin Supreme, Russell Fornwalt and Caroline “The Hemp Lady” Killeen have in common with Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Barack Obama and George W. Bush? They, and hundreds of others. have all been on the New Hampshire Presidential Primary ballot.
Neil Levesque, executive director of the NH Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, will tell us about the history of the NH primary and David Tirrell Wysocki, former AP reporter, will tell us about the sideshow.
Wednesday 4/1/26 An Evening of A Cappella with The Afternotes and Tonehenge
The Afternotes
The Afternotes is a women’s a cappella group made up of UNH alumnae. They bring a fun style and varied repertoire to their performances, with sets that include songs by Pink, The Bangles, Fleetwood Mac, and Billie Eilish.
The seven men of Tonehenge have been entertaining audiences throughout New England since 2009 with their blend of popular and traditional music. Their tag line, “rock solid a cappella” is a play on the group’s name as well as their repertoire, with a focus on familiar tunes from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. In 2018, and 2019, Tonehenge appeared on WGBH’s popular talent show “Sing That Thing.”
Wednesday 4/8/26
A Jazz Celebration of African American Music and Art with The Prodigals
The Prodigals, an 8-piece horn band under the direction of Rev. Dr. Bob Maccini, has performed jazz interpretations of sacred music throughout central NH for nearly 20 years. The band, fronted by vocalists Rev. Emilia Halstead and Rev. Renee’ Rouse, will play 10 original jazz arrangements of African American spirituals and gospel music, with each arrangement created by Rev. Dr. Maccini. Each work will be described historically by Rev. Rebecca Maccini.
Also featured will be works of art by African American artists, described and contextualized by art historian Inez McDermott.
Wednesday 4/15/26
Life on the Seas, Life with the Bees
with Fred Richards, Jim Watt, and Katie Watt
Life on the Seas
Join former Merchant Marine helmsman Fred Richards for a photo tour of his two voyages in the 1970s on replenishment supply ships with the US Navy. See candid, close-up views of the Sixth Fleet’s two aircraft carrier groups as they were re-fueled and re-provisioned while underway in the Mediterranean Sea; and learn how since World War II the Navy has refined the re-supply capability of its fleets to maintain battle readiness.
Life with the Bees
Jim and Katie Watt, a local father-daughter duo, share the inspiring story behind the founding of the Concord Bee Company. Hear firsthand how a shared passion for beekeeping grew into a thriving small business in Concord, NH. From their first hive to their mission of supporting pollinators and producing high-quality local honey, their journey is one of entrepreneurship, family, and environmental stewardship. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, aspiring beekeeper, or simply curious about the buzz behind bees, you will find this this talk informative and heartwarming.
Wednesday 4/22/26 Magic Play with Andrew Pinard
Take a journey on stage with Andrew Pinard as he shares wonders and mysteries from around the world while traveling through time in this new interactive experience that blends magic, music, storytelling, theatre, and more.
We look forward to seeing you next season.