Programming Coordinator Chris Curtis joined the Music Hall in 2006. In the decade that followed, he has helped The Music Hall expand its community footprint with a myriad of programs that include the Film Matters series of documentaries and panel discussions, and artist workshops for young people who belong to local nonprofit arts organizations. Content Editor Regina Baraban chatted with Chris recently about how the arts can stimulate learning, and action, in the community.
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When I first starting working here at The Music Hall, we were in the process of creating the Left Bank Cabaret Series. I had a front row seat as our talented production staff pulled apart the Loft, replaced our seating with cabaret tables and chairs and transforming it to look like a 1940’s Parisian night club. For two weeks the Loft brought Paris to Portsmouth with the addition of our Master of Ceremony, Monsieur le Tuck Tuck, a new cocktail menu, inventive small plates, and a stellar list of artists who seemingly time-traveled from the ‘40s to 2014. This year we brought all of the Left Bank magic back with a fresh list of artists including Francesca Blanchard, who I caught up with this week.Read More
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For the next two weeks the Loft on Congress Street is transformed into a European-inspired intimate setting with signature libations, inventive small plates, and a series of artists who range from Nellie McKay to Ben Baldwin and the Big Note. Director of Operations Michael Tucker also undergoes a comedic transformation to return as our MC extraordinaire, Monsieur le Tuck Tuck. With his trademark cheeky flair, he shares with Editor Regina Baraban some insights about what to expect this season.Read More
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Welcome to July, the second stop on your three-month “What Summer Can Be Like In New England” tour. As we have learned up to now, summer in New England can be like summer in San Francisco; don’t put your fleece away just yet.
Still, if July’s beginning is any indication of what the rest holds in store, we may be in for a demonstration of “Why People Come to New England In the Summer.” Let’s hope.
While we’re waiting, we have a sci-fi thriller showing this week at The Music Hall that will fulfill your need for a summer movie that you can watch without turning your brain off. If you’ve seen the previews (there’s one after the jump, ed.), you know that Ex Machina has a sleek, futuristic look that’s perfect for a film that asks what it means to be both artificial and intelligent, and what it might mean for us humans—poor, meat-pod creatures that we are—when AI really gets revved up.Read More
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As we begin our 2015-16 Season, we are delighted to welcome back the River House Restaurant as a Season Sponsor for the fifth straight year. In this Sponsor Spotlight, I talked with River House co-owner Michael Labrie about the restaurant and our long-standing partnershipRead More
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Anyone who thinks that the universe doesn’t have a nasty sense of humor just hasn’t been paying attention. A month ago, when I was selecting which of The Music Hall’s June films I wanted to discuss, Lambert & Stamp just leapt off the page at me. After all, I love The Who and I love documentaries in general and rock documentaries in particular. So a documentary about The Who (before they were The Who) promised to be a total peanut-and-jelly sandwich experience.Read More
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I started working here at The Music Hall a little over a year ago and during my first week I was able to take one of our famed Historic Tours. As we explored the theater we covered the early history, the struggles to keep up with the changing technology that motion pictures ushered in, and most surprisingly, the fact that just 28 years ago this great theater was on the brink of demolition. Read More
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Following our June discussion we had a social on the terrace of Aria around a beautiful sunset with some wine and cheese we kicked off our summer!Read More
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