Live Theater in New Hampshire

Looking for fun family/community events? Check out local live theater! New Hampshire has plenty of small theatrical productions that the whole family can enjoy. You can find a wide variety of entertainment, from musicals to concerts to classical plays. Here is a list of a few opportunities to explore:

Palace theater, Manchester: The historic Palace theater is a non-profit performing arts center. Events producedby the Palace include their Professional Productions, known as the Citizens Bank “Performing Arts Series”, as well as all children’s theater, PYT and teen productions including the Palace Teen Company and the Palace Professional theater for Children. They also host events in their Celebrity Series and rent performance space to the community and outside performing groups. This beautiful 840 seat theater is the only one of its kind in this area -now fully restored after narrowly avoiding demolition in 1973. In an area of Manchester that once boasted 22 theaters, the historic Palace is now the only surviving member of The Great White Way.

Leddy Center, Epping: Leddy Center first began as the Epping Community Church Players in 1975. This theater was developed for charity purposes and it still remains a contributor to many of the local charities. Not only do they contribute to the Epping Community Church, but they also donate to the Ambulance Fund, the Epping Fire Department and the Heifer Project International. They changed their name in 1984 wgen they were offered a space in the Leddy Brothers building. The Leddy Center offers a variety of entertainment such as concerts, productions, classes and private theatrical lessons. Some upcoming productions include Mary Gatchell in Concert, Cinderella and Amahl and the Night Visitors.

Seacoast Repertory theater, Portsmouth: The Seacoast Repertory theater has become a community gathering place where old and young come to share stories and entertainment. The community involvement includes pre-show symposiums and post-show discussions. It provides great performances during the summer and weekends, and it is a great place for a social outing. Some of their upcoming productions include Hairspray and The Rocky Horror Show.

Peterborough Players, Peterborough: The Peterborough Players were founded in 1933 by Edith Bond Stearns in an old abandoned farm. During the Depression, she turned this old building into quite a hit. This theater has had quite a few renovations and now seats 250 comfortably. The air conditioning is a major plus and it is wheelchair accessible with hearing assistance available. Some upcoming shows include Doctor Knock, Measure for Measure and The Lady with All the Answers.

Adams Memorial Opera House, Derry: As for the Adams Memorial Opera House, Derry has a lot to boast about! This theater hosts great shows including Broadway musicals, plays, dance, children’s theater, concerts and fine art shows. They even have restored seats from the Boston Opera House. This is a theater you must visit. Ever wanted to put on a production? They are always looking to rent out their venue to productions. Call for new upcoming shows!

This is by no means an exhaustive list but hopefully will whet your appetite for dinner and a show. Some other theaters to should check out include the Capitol Center in Concord, the Interlakes theater in Meredith, Janice B. Streeter Theater in Nashua and many more. School theaters also offer a variety of enjoyable productions for an affordable ticket price; examples include The Johnson and Hennessy theaters at UNH Durham and the Stockbridge theater in Derry.

Skip the reruns and TV and come see what the New Hampshire theaters have to offer.