We know—March is a tough month to get out of the house. Spring is so close you can taste it, but winter hasn’t left quite yet. Fortunately for you, we’ve put together a handful of the most exciting happening on the North Shore this March. A theme this month? Live performances. You’ll find tons of easy, affordable shows this month at North Shore Music Theatre, The Cabot, Castle Hill, and beyond that’ll get you out of the house and get you supporting local theatre. Read on for some top highlights.
Shows at Shalin Liu
All month
Like usual, Rockport Music’s Shalin Liu Performance Center puts on a solid lineup of music and theatre shows this month, starting with a live screening of the National Theatre’s The Importance of Being Earnest on March 1. Other highlights including their Irish programming in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, like performances by The Irish Tenors on March 4 and 5, Danú on March 8, and Dervish on March 15.
Shows at The Cabot
All month
The Cabot in Beverly puts on a few can’t-miss shows this March, too, like a concert by Elvis Costello and Steve Neive on March 1. You’ll also find concerts like Everclear on March 6, Marc Broussard on March 8, and José González on March 27, along with some fun events like a Queen sing-a-long on March 14 and a Cher tribute show on the 28th.
Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Museum
Feb. 27 – March 2
The Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns to the Wenham Museum for the second year after a successful event in 2024. The event helps connect families with affordable, gently used sports gear—families drop off athletic equipment they no longer need throughout the month of February, and the sale takes place on Feb. 27 and 28 from 3 p.m. til 6 p.m., March 1 from 10 a.m. til 4 p.m., and March 2 from 10 a.m. til 1 p.m.
Theatre on Castle Hill: Ada and the Engine
Feb. 27 – March 9
From February 27 through March 9, Castle Hill Productions presents a performance of Ada and the Engine, a poignant drama set in the mid-1800s about Ada Byron Lovelace (daughter of Lord Byron), her relationship with mathmetician Charles Babbage, and her vision that one day computers would make music. The show runs on Thursdays through Sundays in the Great House Ballroom at Castle Hill, and tickets go for $35.
thetrustees.org/program/cranetheatre
Boston Wine & Food Festival
March 5-27
Each winter, the Boston Wine & Food Festival brings an exciting lineup of food and beverage events to downtown Boston during the slowest season of the year, and this year is no different. The festival’s events take place throughout February and March at the Boston Harbor Hotel, featuring special dinners, wine tastings, and classes. Some March highlights include a Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe Dinner on March 14, a Springtime Rosé Master Class on March 22, and an Opus One Reserve Dinner on March 27.
Macbeth at the North Shore Music Theatre
March 6
On Thursday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m., head to North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly to see Shakespeare & Company’s production of Macbeth. The Scottish play tells the dark tale of one king’s rise to power, spurred to violence by his wife and forced to reckon with the consequences of greed. The show runs for a tight 90 minutes with no intermission, and tickets cost $20.
Essex County Rev 250: For the Safety and Defense of the Province
March 8
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution. Communities across the state hold initiatives to celebrate Massachusetts’ heritage in the country’s revolutionary past, and Essex County is no exception. On Saturday, March 8, Essex County Revolution 250 hosts a pay-what-you-can lecture on the colonists’ response to British threats on the eve of the war, followed by live demonstrations of drills used by local militias in the 1770s, all taking place at Meredith Farm in Topsfield.
JC Superstar at the North Shore Music Theatre
March 27-28
On the last Thursday and Friday evenings of March, Voices of Hope puts on their annual show at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly. The group raises funds for cancer research with their performances, and this March, they’re putting on Jesus Christ Superstar, the iconic ‘70s rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. They’ll put on two performances, one on the 27th and one on the 28th, both of which begin at 8 p.m. and are preceded by a silent auction.
Salem Film Fest
March 27-30
The Salem Film Fest returns to the Northshore on the last weekend in March, bringing with it a lineup of independent documentaries from around the world. The annual festival doesn’t charge submission fees, but rather invites independent filmmakers directly for a carefully curated program. The festival runs this year from March 27 through 30 and includes four days of screenings at Cinema Salem, the Peabody Essex Museum, and the National Parks Visitor Center, along with filmmaker Q&As, parties, and special events.
Miranda Russell at Gloucester Stage Company
March 28-30
Joni Mitchell fans, this one’s for you: late this March, Miranda Russell (co-owner of Russell Orchards!) sings Joni Mitchell at the Gloucester Stage Company. Russell and her band will put on three performances — Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. — full of Mitchell’s moving folk tunes about love and loss.