Peterborough Players Announces 2013 Season

At its annual meeting on February 10th, the Peterborough Players announced the lineup of plays (including some of their greatest hits) for its 80th anniversary season this summer; the election of new board members; and the winner of the Flanders Award for best equity actor of the 2012 season.

The 2013 Season of Seven Main Stage Plays:
SAY GOODNIGHT GRACIE - June 26 - July 7
A one-man tour de force by Rupert Holmes
George Burns is now miraculously alive and kicking in a stunning multimedia presentation. We discover George in limbo between this world and the next, unable to join his beloved wife and partner, Gracie Allen, until he gives the Command Performance of his lifetime for God. Joel Rooks, who starred in the show's national tour and off-Broadway revival, stars in an unforgettable performance.

2 PIANOS 4 HANDS - July 10 - 21
A play with music by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt
As children, Ted and Richard don't have much in common - except for the shared desire to become classical pianists. But does either of them have what it takes? 2 Pianos 4 Hands follows the dynamic and comical journey of two boys into adulthood, their musical aspirations gleaming like the grand pianos that they play masterfully on stage from beginning to end. Players favorite Tom Frey returns to star in this hit from the 2010 season, which tops the list of most-requested revivals.

SEAGULL - July 24 - August 4
A classic by Anton Chekhov in a new version by Gus Kaikkonen
In Chekhov's masterwork Seagull, unforgettable characters reveal the passion and pathos of everyday life. When famed actress Irina Arkadina visits her family with her lover Trigorin in tow, they become ensnared in a tangle of romance, intrigue and unrequited love. Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience this masterpiece.

LAUGHING STOCK - August 7 - 18
A backstage farce by Charles Morey, former Players Artistic Director
A hilarious comedy and genuinely affectionate look into the world of the theatre. When The Playhouse, a rustic New England summer theatre (any resemblance to the Peterborough Players is purely coincidental, of course), schedules a repertory season of Dracula, Hamlet and Charley's Aunt, comic mayhem ensues. We follow the well-intentioned but over-matched company from outrageous auditions to ego-driven rehearsals through opening nights gone disastrously awry to the elation of a great play well told and the comic and nostalgic season close. Chuck Morey (who directed last season's The 39 Steps) returns to direct this big hit from the 2004 season.

ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR - Aug. 21 - Sept. 1
A comedy by Sir Alan Ayckbourn
The party may be in the living room, but the action (and comedy) is in the kitchen! Three couples, three kitchens, three successive Christmas Eves - laugh as relationships change, fortunes rise (and fall, and rise again), and the social order gets all mixed up. A ferociously funny play by the master of British comedy, last seen at The Players in 1977.

TBA - September 4 - 15
We can't announce this classic romantic comedy as it is still playing in New York, but we're sure you will fall in love with some of the most charming characters you'll ever meet!

TEA FOR THREE - September 18 - 22
A one-woman show by Eric H. Weinberger
Particularly pertinent in an era of heightened politics, Tea for Three humanizes the political scene with a story both whimsical and deeply moving -- a behind-the-scenes look at Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, and Betty Ford. Share the journey of each as she deals with the fishbowl of First Ladydom. Emmy Award-winning actress Elaine Bromka, with over thirty years in film, television, Broadway and Off-Broadway, starred as eight First Ladies opposite Rich Little in the PBS show The Presidents. Intrigued by their stories, she went on with playwright Eric H. Weinberger to create this one-woman show.

Second Company Plays for Children and Their Families:

SNOW WHITE - 10:30 am - June 29, July 5, 6, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 26, 27
By Marjorie Sokoloff, based on the beloved classic tale
An audience favorite in 2002, this Snow White puts the familiar cast of characters in a whole new light. Join Snow White, all seven dwarves, the handsome prince, the not-quite-so-evil-but certainly-misunderstood witch, a very sassy mirror, and a dancing chicken in a romp the whole family will love!

SCAPINO! - 2:00 pm - August 24, 27, 30, 31; and 7:00 pm - August 26
By Frank Dunlop and Jim Dale, based on Molière's play Les Fourberies de Scapin
(The Pranks of Scapin)
This hilarious play is still talked about from its 1982 production at The Players. A must-see for all lovers of madcap comedy and for the child in all of us...age 8 to 108. Molière wrote his play in 1671; this production brings it alive for today's audiences in an extraordinarily stylish and extremely funny way.

Announcement of New Trustees and Recognition of Outgoing Trustees :
Seven new members of the Board of Trustees were elected: Linda Caracappa of Sharon,
Cy Gregg of Peterborough, Leslie Kenney of Peterborough, Rob Koch of Peterborough, Fred Leventhal of Dublin, Andrew Manns of Peterborough, and Michael Redmond of Jaffrey. The six trustees whose terms expired were thanked for their service on the Board: Peterborough residents Jim Borsari (outgoing president), Jack Burnett, Joyce Gregg, Muriel Henault, and Barbara Miller; and Wilton resident, Jan Brown.
Winner of the Flanders Award:
A 2008 bequest from Charles Flanders created an endowment, the proceeds of which are used to award the best performance by an Equity actor each season. The winner is voted on by the Peterborough Players Board of Trustees. The 2012 winner was Ian Peakes who appeared last season in The 39 Steps and The Admirable Crichton. Previous winners have been Kraig Swartz, Pamela Bob, Lisa Bostnar, and Tom Frey.

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