Capitol Closeup

Paul and Peggo reprise the second of their Holiday  Specials for Paul's last Capitol Close Up broadcast. It's time for change and transition in 2023. Peggo has conducted Songweavers, the women's Community Chorus at the Concord Community Music School for 11 years. On January 24, the Songweavers will have an open sing for folks to sign up. Songweavers is a folk ensemble, no reading music necessary.  All songs are learned by ear. Today's show features songs written by  Peggo and Paul around the theme of "Joy".  We're wishing you a Joyful  New year for 2023.

Paul speaks with Rob Werner, NH state director for the League if Conservation voters. In a wide ranging discussion, they cover the recent election cycle's lack of focus on climate change despite recent landmark federal climate change legislation representing  historic investments in the nation's infrastructure and green economy. They talk about prospects for NH to join its neighbors progressive climate change agendas. Rob recently returned from the annual COP27 UN climate conference in Egypt and they discuss "the good, the bad and the ugly" in the global effort to deal with our fast warming planet.

Paul speaks with Betty Lent, the Director of the Concord Community Player's show "Murder on the Orient Express". The show is the kickoff for the Community Player's 95th anniversary season. In a highly regarded adaptation by Tony Award winning playwright Ken Ludwig. Agatha Christie's

1934 novel comes to the stage with a glamorous international cast. Murder, mystery, intrigue, wit and humor abound in this whodunit as Hercule Poirot, Belgium's gift to the word of great detectives must discover who murdered an American tycoon inside his train compartment locked from the inside!

Performance details:

Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, November 20 at 2:00 pm

Performances at Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince Street, Concord, NH

Tickets $20 (or $16 with purchase of tickets to this and at least one other Players show this season)

Purchase online at www.communityplayersofconcord.org, or at the box office

Paul interviews Democratic leader Carlos Cardona of Laconia. A rising star in New Hampshire Politics, Cardona talks about growing up in a poor village in Puerto Rico without electricity or running water. After moving to New Hampshire and graduating from Laconia High School, Cardona has devoted himself to political action. As a gay Latino, Cardona has been a powerful advocate for fairness, equity and justice, facing down white supremacists and breaking through political prejudice. He believes the New Hampshire Democratic Party has changed, expanding and accepting a new generation of leaders ready to meet today's challenging times.

Paul speaks with Zandra Rice Hawkins and Sarah Robinson of Granite State progress about Women's Reproductive rights, the Right Wing attempt by NH Education commissioner Frank Edelblut and his cronies to pit parents against teachers and school boards with the purported "Parental Rights" push, designed to limit what schools can offer to LGBTQ+ and transgender students, and the landmark health care legislation passed by President Biden and Democrats in Congress which will help thousands of Granite Staters pay for medication and health care.

NBA superfan and analytics nerd Matt Robison joins legendary radio host and sportscasting icon Ken Cail on Cail and Company to break down the Celtics and the NBA season. 

Paul Speaks with New Hampshire State Representative Mel Myler who is running for re-election in Merrimack County District 9 encompassing Hopkinton and Bow about the peril to our democracy. Representative Myler is the ranking member and past chair of the NH House education committee with a cat bird seat to the controversial policies of New Hampshire's libertarian leaning commissioner of education, Frank Edelblut and Governor Sununu, who support diverting public funds for private education. Myler speaks frankly about a New Hampshire Republican party now held hostage by free-staters whose extreme views threaten the ability of legislators to work for the common good.

Paul speaks with Karen Braz, award-winning director of the Concord Community Players' production of The Wind in The Willows. They cover Karen's remarkable career in theater and as an American Sign Language interpreter and talk about the show, a new adaptation for young performers based on the 2017 West End production. This show marks the kick off of the Community Players 95th season, and harkens back to the very first Concord Children's Theater Project inaugural show 27 years ago.

Performance details:

Friday, October 14 at 7:00 pm

Saturday, October 15 at 2:00 pm

Performance at Concord City Auditorium

2 Prince Street, Concord, NH

Tickets $15, Reserved Seating

Purchase online at www.communityplayersofconcord.org, or at the box office

Box Office hours: Oct. 9th 1:00-5:00 pm; Oct. 13th&14th 4:30 – 7:00 pm; Oct. 15th 12:00-2:00 pm

Box Office phone: (603) 228-2793

For more information, contact box office chair David Murdo at [email protected]or (603) 344-4747

The Concord City Auditorium is fully open. Check our website for current COVID protocols.

Paul Hodes speaks with Attorney Mike Lewis, former New Hampshire Prosecutor and advocate for child welfare about the failure's of society in general and New Hampshire in particular to prioritize the welfare of children. They discuss an upcoming law review article Mike coauthored with his wife, Leah Plunkett, about child welfare in the post-Dobbs era and what can be done, including by those who claim to be "pro-life", about truly caring for the lives and welfare of our children.

Paul interviews the "Skyguy", Professor John Gianforte, UNH astronomy Professor and director of the UNH observatory. They talk about recent advances in astronomy, the impact of the Webb telescope, the origin and age of the Universe, how to contemplate Space-Time, exoplanets, NASA's mission to crash a spacecraft into an asteroid and the Fall Astronomy Festival coming up this weekend at the UNH observatory.