PETERBOROUGH – While onstage offerings are on hiatus, the Peterborough Players has been keeping connected with their treasured patrons and community through entertaining, engaging, and original digital programming under their Players Online umbrella.

On Oct. 23 and Oct. 30, the Players will host the first in a new three-workshop series called Playgroup. For patrons and artists alike, Playgroup provides an opportunity to learn, interact, and discover the elements that comprise the theatre they love. Three theatrical subject matter experts will share their knowledge and experience in two-session workshops. Admission is free, but registration is required.

The series will begin by welcoming Peterborough Players and Pioneer Theatre Company Former Artistic Director, MacDowell Fellow and playwright Charles Morey. Morey will present on The Mechanics of Comedy, with a spotlight on his hysterical farce The Ladies Man, produced at the Players in 2016. Moderated by Associate Artistic Director Tom Frey, Session 1 on October 23 will be an overview and discussion of the ins, outs, and “rules” of comedy. Session 2 on October 30 will be a deeper dive into comedy, featuring Frey and Players favorite Kraig Swartz performing brief scenes, including excerpts from The Ladies Man, with thoughts, input, and adjustment from Morey. Participants will be able to submit questions to the artists via chat during each session.

“Playgroup will give people the chance to experience what it actually takes to do what we do, beyond what they see on stage. This is an opportunity to invite patrons to an ‘open rehearsal’ of sorts, and really show them what goes into making theatre – how do we create comedy? How do we workshop a play? How do we interpret great works? We’re excited to bring this unique experience to our audiences, online,” says Frey.

The series will continue with Players Artistic Director, MacDowell Fellow, actor, and playwright Gus Kaikkonen presenting on Shakespeare on November 13th and 20th , and playwright, actor, NHIA graduate, and 2020-2021 member of American Theatre Group’s PlayLab writers group for BIPOC and LBTGQIA+ voices, Tracey Conyer Lee on Playwriting on December 4th and 11th. All sessions start at 7:30pm and will last approximately one hour.

Space is limited for each session, and registration is required. Those who would like to participate in these special events can email info@peterboroughplayers.org and indicate in the subject line which workshops they’d like to see. (For example: Playgroup – Morey, Playgroup – Kaikkonen and Lee, Playgroup – All) A reservation confirmation email will be received shortly after, and a second email with log-on instructions for the online sessions will follow a few days prior to the event in question.

For more of the Players’ digital offerings, visit their website, peterboroughplayers.org, and look for Players Online, follow their social media channels, and be sure to sign up for eblasts.

Peterborough Players is New Hampshire’s premiere professional regional theater. Currently on a COVID-19 related intermission, the Players is known for an annual Summer Season consisting of 7 main stage productions and 2 children’s shows, the Players also now produces a 3-play Winter Season and continues to offer the Arts on Screen series that includes screenings of renowned performances from the Met: Live in HD and London’s National Theatre. The Players enriches the human experience by producing quality live professional theatre, developing and training theatre artists, and offering New Hampshire a wide variety of performing arts events. Peterborough Players is sponsored in part by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information please visit Peterborough Players, 55 Hadley Road, Peterborough, NH 03458 or www.peterboroughplayers.org.