WILTON, N.H., – Fresh off the Governor’s Silver Lining Resiliency Award, Andy’s Summer Playhouse is pleased to announce the theme and calendar for its 52nd season of all-original works, dubbed “ANDY’S 52: THE NEW FRONTIER.” Andy’s is also thrilled to announce the continuation of tuition-free programming.

“As we navigated through the pandemic, with digital and hybrid programming, it became evidently clear that every child needs artistic expression in their life,” says Producing Artistic Director, Jared Mezzocchi, who was himself an “Andy’s Kid” in the 1990s. “It is vital to make sure that no financial barrier will prohibit any child from participating.” Mezzochi continues by saying, “Andy’s has always pioneered ground-breaking original theater since its inception back in 1971. As we look to 2022, it’s imperative that we maintain this mission into the future. And so, we embark upon The New Frontier.”

In a full season return, the Playhouse will offer three productions, appealing to a versatile audience of young artists onstage and off. To launch the season, the first mainstage show will be a Choose Your Own Adventure production, where audience members will choose the sequence of scenes, invoking a potentially new ending every night.

The second production is the widely successful “Greenhouse Initiative,” a shorter rehearsal process that focuses on new play development, in which the performers work eye-to-eye with the director and playwright, developing the script in real-time. This year’s Greenhouse explores multimedia, sensor-based technologies that allow performers to operate the immersive sound and video design onstage simultaneously during the performance.

Finally, the long-awaited return of an original musical will cap off this exciting new season, celebrating the full return of artistic innovation on the historic Wilton Hillside. Additionally, there will be a number of week-long workshops offered throughout the summer, focusing on subjects from playwriting to improv to music. The workshops will culminate in an evening performance in late July, dubbed “Andy’s Academy.”

Summer Schedule

• The First Mainstage rehearses between June 8 and June 29, with performances June 30- July 9. Initial rehearsals will be after-school.

• The Greenhouse Initiative will rehearse July 11-July 20 and perform July 21-23.

• The Musical Mainstage will rehearse from July 11 to August 10, with performances August 11-20.

• Orientations for the 2022 season are free and will take place on Sunday, May 22 and May 29 at Andy’s Playhouse, 582 Isaac Frye Hwy in Wilton. Orientations are 1-3 pm.

All children ages 8-18 are welcome and required to attend one orientation session in order to be cast in a mainstage production. A parent or guardian must also attend the orientation session to meet the directors and staff and learn more about the upcoming season. Sign-ups for both the summer productions and workshops will take place during orientation. Parents may RSVP for these orientations and learn more about what Andy’s has to offer at www.andyssummerplayhouse.org. For more information, contact Administrative Director, Katerina Klavon, at info@andyssummerplayhouse.org.

About Andy’s Summer Playhouse:

Andy’s Summer Playhouse fosters creative collaborations between children and professional artists who work eye-to-eye to explore contemporary ideas and issues through a variety of media: performance art, theater, dance, music, puppetry and video. Andy’s Kids also have the ability to train in theater-making off-stage, including playwriting, directing, and design/construction for scene costume, prop, video and lighting. Founded in 1971 in Mason, NH, and relocated to Wilton, NH in the 1980’s, Andy’s Kids come from all surrounding communities, including Antrim, Amherst, Bennington, Brookline, Dublin, Francestown, Greenfield, Hollis, Jaffrey, Lyndeborough, Mason, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, Peterborough, Temple, Wilton, and beyond.

Visit https://www.andyssummerplayhouse.org