PETERBOROUGH – Peterborough Players will welcome author Howard Sherman as guest expert at the next Playgroup, taking place online at 7:30 p.m. on March 26 and April 2.

Sherman’s popular new book, Another Day’s Begun: Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in the 21st Century explores the impact of this enduring classic. The book has recently been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, American Theatre Magazine and NPR’s Weekend Edition, among others.

Session 1 on March 26 will feature Sherman discussing his book and Our Town, in general, with Associate Artistic Director Tom Frey. In session two on April 2, they will be joined by guest artists Tracey Conyer Lee (Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill at Portland Stage Company) and Aliah Whitmore (Mahida’s Extra Key to Heaven at the Players) to further illuminate the impact of Our Town and read select scenes.

In addition to his work as a writer and advocate, Howard has been executive director of the American Theatre Wing and the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, managing director of Geva Theatre, general manager of Goodspeed Musicals, and public relations director of Hartford Stage, as well as interim director of the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts. He has also held administrative positions at the Westport Country Playhouse, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays.

His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, American Theatre Magazine and The Stage newspaper in London. Howard frequently consults, writes, and speaks on issues of censorship and artists’ rights in both academic and professional theatre; he created the Arts Integrity Initiative in 2015 to focus on those efforts.

Another Day’s Begun: Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in the 21st Century examines the ongoing importance of Thornton Wilder’s work through interviews with artists from productions at the Westport Country Playhouse, Miami New Drama, Deaf West Theatre and Pasadena Playhouse, Sing Sing Correctional Facility, and more. The question of why this particular play lives on unfolds throughout the book, which provides information not-to-be-found elsewhere.

Our Town is an incredibly important part of Peterborough Players’ history. The Players staged a post-Broadway debut of the play in 1940, with Wilder acting as onsite advisor to the production. It has since become the most-produced play at the Players, gracing the stage seven times – most recently in 2008 with stage and screen icon James Whitmore as the Stage Manager.

In addition, Another Day’s Begun: Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in the 21st Century can be ordered online from the Toadstool Bookshops. Signed copies can be purchased in-person at the Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough.

Sessions are free, but registration is required, and space is limited. Those who would like to participate in these special events can email info@peterboroughplayers.org and indicate in the subject line: Playgroup – Sherman. A reservation confirmation email will be received shortly after, and a second email with log-on instructions for the online sessions will follow prior to the event.