Our Favorite Things: Based on the memoir of Maria Augusta von Trapp and turned into the world's most beloved musical, The Sound of Music (11/17-19) is coming to Concord - so you don't have to climb any mountains to see it! See how they solve a problem like Maria at The Community Players of Concord.

Modern Love: Fabricating Modernism: Prints from the School of Paris (through 1/7) is an initial selection of works from a previously unseen private collection. Intriguing! This exhibition features artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Sonia Delaunay, and Georges Rouault. Check out these heavy hitters at the Currier Museum (Manchester)

Joy To The World: Uplifting, heartwarming, and powerful, Man On The Hill (11/24-26) is the story of one old man's journey through life. Think "Our Town" but with music. The cascade of musical styles will have you smiling, crying, clapping, dancing, and singing along. This production is appropriate for all ages; catch it at the Hatbox Theatre (Concord) 

Lasers!: Rock out this holiday season with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the return of The Ghosts of Christmas Eve" (11/24) - our family went last year, and the kids absolutely loved it! According to TSO: "We're pulling out all the stops to make sure this winter tour is our best show in years." That's probably code for "even more lasers" at the SNHU Arena (Manchester)

A Family Affair: For a different take on A Christmas Carol (11/29), why not see a one-man production starring the actual great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens? Yes, really! You can see for yourself if Gerald Dickens does justice to his forefather's work at the Dana Center for the Arts, Saint Anselm (Manchester)

For Jolly Happy Souls: A magical hat, a Christmas wish, an estranged daughter, and a new snowman friend, the tale of Frosty (12/9) promises to sprinkle holiday cheer across the stage at the Capitol Center for the Arts (Concord)

Editor's Pick:

It's the ultimate Christmas one-two punch (and no, not the kind you spike at the holiday party!) First, it's toe shoes and Tchaikovsky in The Nutcracker (11/16-19). With delicate costumes and engaging and vivid imagery, Clara's dream comes to life onstage at the historic Palace Theatre. 

Then, the tradition continues with Charles Dickens' classic story, A Christmas Carol (11/24-12/23.) Known for his penny-pinching ways, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts on a snowy Christmas Eve. Filled with lively song and dance, special effects, professional actors, and a live orchestra, this heartwarming tale will create family memories you will cherish forever at the Palace Theatre (Manchester)

Sponsor's Pick:

Hometown Boy Doing Good: Seth Meyers (11/4) comes home to share some stories, make you laugh, and raise money and awareness for two critical local organizations. Supporting both CASA of New Hampshire and Granite State Children's Alliance, it will be a fun night out that does some good. SNHU Arena (Manchester) 

Consider This: I can't say that I have seen Consider The Source (11/11) live, but they have been on my radar for quite some time. An instrumental trio from NYC with a very unusual style utilizing uncommon instruments, they have been traveling the world for nearly twenty years. Lastly, I never need much of an excuse to visit The Stone Church (Newmarket), though this is a great one.

Nineties Rockin': In the middle of that decade, I feel like there was an influx of hard-driving, one-word-named bands. Call it prog rock, post-grunge, or just good ole rock n roll, but I found it invigorating. Tool (11/13) at SNHU (Manchester) will be bringing what you seek.

If You Love Christmas: I had never heard of Gary before moving to the area, despite his career longevity and accolades from just about anyone affiliated with music. His omnipresence on local radio shows (as an on-air guest, not especially music airtime) changed that. Gary Hoey - Ho! Ho! Hoey (12/2) at Tupelo Music Hall (Derry) is a good excuse to finally see him live.

If You Hate Christmas: The Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour (12/2) looks like an interesting option. Presented as a 90-minute program of seven short films curated from the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, including two award winners. The Music Hall (Portsmouth)

Editor's Pick:

I certainly have no intent of turning this into a soapbox for random internet based recommendations. Still, the music calendar was looking less than inspiring, and YouTube just notified me that a season preview had been released for a series I follow; I shocked myself at how quickly I clicked to view. That excited for it. Following up on last month's ski flick pick, this series follows professional skier Cody Townsend as he attempts to ski the lines from the classic book The Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America. Each video details his ascent and descent in detail and typically runs under twenty minutes. Even non-skiers will enjoy the beautiful scenery and excellent cinematography and learn a thing or two. This is the fourth season, so there are plenty of lines to catch up on, of which two are here in the Granite State.

The Fifty (Anytime) skithefifty.com and streaming on YouTube.