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| | A SPLASH OF IMPROV AUGUST
With Stranger than Fiction
Join Stranger Than Fiction for a night of unscripted comedy where anything can happen - we'll take your summer themed suggestions and transform them into hilarious scenes, characters, and stories right before your eyes.
Perfect for a summer evening, this show promises to be a refreshing and entertaining experience for audiences of all ages. Don't miss out on the fun – come make a splash with us!
We encourage you to have a PICNIC in our lovely back lawn before the show.
Oh, and yes, we do have AIR CONDITIONING!
With 20 years of fun under their belt STRANGER THAN FICTION cast is a diverse collection of talented actors and comedians, united by the shared passion to make the world a funnier place.
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| | STAND-UP AND CHILL AUGUST
With Mike'd Up Comedy Productions
Welcome to Stand-Up & Chill — a refreshing night of excellent stand-up comedy at The Players' Ring!
Join us for big laughs with headliner Steve Bjork joined by a rotating lineup of talented local comics.
Our intimate, air-conditioned theatre keeps things cool while the comedy brings the heat.
Before the show, grab a bite or a drink at The Puddle Dock—or take it to go and soak in the beauty of Prescott Park.
In times like these, laughter isn’t just entertainment—it’s medicine. Come for the comedy, stay for the vibe, and leave feeling a little lighter.
About MIKE'D UP COMEDY PRODUCTIONS: Mike has taken his years of experience as a successful working comedian, his passion for the craft, and love of the stage, and created a company that builds hilarious shows for non-profits, corporations and venues across New England. Mike'd Up Comedy has held hundreds of shows, raised thousands with fundraising teams, and brought countless laughs to local events. Contact Mike'd Up Comedy and learn more about bringing comedy into your community.
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| | WAITING FOR GODOT
By Samuel Beckett
Directed by Bretton Reis
A bold new staging of a play that has challenged and delighted audiences for over seventy years.
The season opens with one of the most iconic—and unexpectedly hilarious—plays of the 20th century. In Waiting for Godot, two weary wanderers meet under a barren tree to await a mysterious figure, certain that he will change their lives for the better. As they pass the time, their conversations unravel into absurdity, poetry, and deeply human comedy. Samuel Beckett’s landmark tragicomedy has been hailed as a masterpiece of existential theatre—but don’t let that scare you. With its sharp wit, physical humor, and touching portrayal of friendship in a chaotic world, Godot remains as funny and relevant as ever. | Buy tickets |
| | DARWIN'S WAITING ROOM
DARWiN’S WAiTiNG ROOM is back—and they’re bringing their signature brand of strange, hysterical, and totally surprising sketch comedy to the Players’ Ring for a full weekend takeover.
Originally born on the Seacoast, this ever-evolving troupe of writers and performers kicked off their return with a mini-summer tour across New England.
Now, they’re back home and ready to perplex and delight local audiences with a fresh lineup of comic shorts that range from the curiously relatable to the gloriously absurd.
Expect the unexpected: a restaurant with no tables or food, a meeting entirely about meetings, and dramatic tributes to the illustrious Emperor Kestro Delipantsia by the ambassadors of the Silly Provinces. Yes, really.
ABOUT DWR: Produced by Eric Doucet and Julia Doucett, DARWiN’S WAiTiNG ROOM features a cast of seasoned comedic performers dedicated to building a creative, laughter-filled community. Whether you’re a longtime Darwinite or a curious newcomer, you’ll be welcomed into a world that’s equal parts quirky, clever, and joyously weird.
Step inside DARWiN’S WAiTiNG ROOM—we promise you’ve never seen anything quite like it.
Learn more about the group at www.dwrcomedy.com
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| | IMPROVISATION FOR ACTORS
A Workshop in Spontaneity, Creativity & Connection
with Harry Prichett
How many times—in the middle of a film, theater, or commercial audition—have you heard the words: “Just improvise”? This high-energy workshop is designed to sharpen the essential skills every actor needs: spontaneity, creativity, and quick, intuitive thinking. Whether you’re crafting a scene, responding to a director’s last-minute note, or navigating a cold read, improv helps you meet the moment with confidence, clarity, and boldness.
What to expect
Through theater games, scene work, and character-based exercises, you’ll build presence, deepen responsiveness, and strengthen your creative instincts. You’ll learn to trust your impulses, listen fully, and collaborate with immediacy and authenticity.
Workshop Highlights
- Spontaneity & Risk-Taking – Let go of getting it “right” and make original, instinctive choices.
- Active Listening & Reactivity – Sharpen your awareness, pick up cues, and respond with commitment.
What You’ll Explore
- Improv Foundation
- Warm-Ups & Games
- Scene Work
What You’ll Gain
- Confidence in auditions and live performance
- A practical improv toolkit
- Stronger listening, collaboration, and communication skills
- Comfort with the unexpected—and the ability to thrive in it
About the instructor
Harry Prichett is a veteran performer, teacher, and improviser with deep roots in comedy and improvisation. He was a member of the touring and main-stage companies of Chicago City Limits, one of New York’s longest-running improv shows, and co-founded Radio-Active Theatre, an innovative, interactive comedy show performed live and broadcast on radio.
Harry’s work spans film, television, and stage. As a teacher, he’s introduced the art of improvisation to a wide range of students—from children and adults to corporate professionals—creating supportive, risk-taking environments that inspire creativity, collaboration, and authentic expression. He has trained and performed with The Groundlings, UCB, The PIT, The Magnet Theater, Manhattan Punchline, First Amendment, and Aretha Sills. | Buy tickets |
| | THE PERFECT SCENE
A 6-Week Scene Study Intensive
with Constance Witman
Over six weeks, actors will work in pairs or small groups to analyze, rehearse, and fully inhabit a single scene. You’ll explore every layer of your text — from script analysis to emotional truth — and bring it to life for a public performance on the Players’ Ring stage.
WEEK 1: Introduction & Scene Assignments
- Overview of the workshop structure and goals
- Pairing actors into scene partners or small ensembles
- First read-through and initial impressions
- Discussion: what makes a scene compelling?
WEEKS 2–5: (10/18, 10/25, 11/01, 11/08) Deep Dive into Your Scene
Each week, participants will refine their work through a combination of rehearsal, coaching, and targeted exercises:
- Script Analysis – understanding plot, theme, and context
- Character Development – exploring backstory, objectives, and relationships
- Objectives & Tactics – defining what your character wants and how they pursue it
- Subtext – discovering the unspoken layers beneath the dialogue
- Emotional Truth – connecting to the scene’s core with authenticity
- Physical & Vocal Choices – embodying your character fully
- Spontaneity & Reactivity – staying present and responsive in the moment
Participants will be encouraged to do independent work and meet with their scene partners outside of class to rehearse and study, building rapport and deepening their work between sessions.
WEEK 6 (11/15): Polish & Performance Prep
- Final run-throughs with coaching and adjustments
- Building confidence and ensemble trust
- Technical considerations for performance in the Players’ Ring space
FINAL PERFORMANCE (Tuesday November 18th at 7 PM) At the end of the six weeks, participants will perform their scenes in a showcase open to the public at the Players’ Ring — a celebration of process, growth, and craft. | Buy tickets |
| | THE MAN WHO LAUGHS
Adapted by the ensemble from "The Man Who Laughs" by Victor Hugo
With inspiration from the film directed by Paul Leni
Directed by Peter Josephson
A collaboration with Glass Dove Productions
A spine tingling, one-act romantic horror that speaks volumes—without saying a word.
Just in time for Halloween, the Players’ Ring presents a haunting new original work: The Man Who Laughs: get ready to be transported back to the silent film era, when actors told stories without uttering a single word. Set during the shadowy reign of Queen Anne, this gothic horror-romance follows Gwynplaine, the most famous clown in England. His acrobatic talents and broad, omnipresent grin delight peasants and noblemen alike. But this clown can never remove his makeup. His crowd pleasing grin is a curse, carved into his face when he was a child at the behest of a cruel, vindictive king. When a beautiful dutchess attends his show, a secret from Gwynpalin's past is revealed, a secret that threatens to destroy everything he has built, and everyone he holds dear. | Buy tickets |
| | YE MERRY GENTLEMEN
By G Matthew Gaskell
Directed by Sam Smith
The whole family is trying to convince George that there's no Santa Claus, but he has some surprises up his sleeve... | Buy tickets |
| | Charles Dickens'
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Adapted and Directed by Ben Bagley
By popular demand, this show returns after last year's sold-out (but cut short!) run!
An adaptation true to Dickens' charming, chucklesome, yet unforgettably haunting tale. Tailor-made for the Players Ring’s intimate setting, this holiday production embraces theatricality, a bit of sleight-of-hand, and narration by a pair of unlikely (and sometimes unwilling) fools. | Buy tickets |
| | SEEING VIOLET
By Peter Snoad
Directed by Sandi Clark Kaddy
A collaboration with The Seacoast African American Culture Center, Black Heritage Trail and Strawbery Banke Museum
Spanning centuries and peeling back layers of denial, Seeing Violet is a gripping new drama about memory, reckoning, and the cost of looking away.
A house steeped in history. A ghost in a servant's dress. And the unsettling truths that rise from the walls. When Betsy and John inherit an 18th-century New England home, a series of discoveries—including a manumission paper for an enslaved woman named Violet—shatter their understanding of the past. As Betsy begins to “see” Violet, she’s drawn into a relentless quest to uncover her story—and confront the painful legacy their family and community tried to forget. | Buy tickets |
| | JULIUS CAESAR
By William Shakespeare
Facilitated by Andrew Codispoti and Glenn Provost
In a fraught landscape where rhetoric is a precursor to violence and civic duty is often a cover for naked ambition, alliances are forged as quickly as they are broken and lifelong friendships are sacrificed on the altar of power.
Inspired by actual historical records and figures, Shakespeare's classic Roman tragedy of political intrigue, murder, and civil wars is presented with modern staging featuring a tight ensemble and audience interaction that is guaranteed to satisfy newcomers and purists alike.
Fresh off his victory in a military conflict against the great Pompey, Julius Caesar seeks to capitalize on his popularity by crowning himself a dictator of Rome. One of Caesar's most feared political enemies in the senate, the wily and unscrupulous Cassius, seeks to sway the heart of the noble and popular Brutus to join him in a conspiracy to assassinate Caesar before his power grows beyond all bounds of control. High-minded ideals and survival itself clash as the affair unravels, and the fate of the known world will rest on the ability of a few to sway the citizenry. | Buy tickets |
| | ENID'S MILL
By Martha Douglas-Osmundson
Directed by Leslie Pasternack
A tender, richly human story about resilience, memory, and what it means to come home.
In 1979 upstate New York, a quiet house tucked beside an old mill holds decades of silence, grief—and possibility. Enid’s Mill is a poignant new family drama about the healing power of time, love, and art. When Cassie returns home after a ten-year absence, she must confront the tragedy that tore her family apart and the brilliant, neurodiverse sister she left behind. With painter’s brushes and unspoken truths, the sisters navigate a stormy reunion that could transform them both. | Buy tickets |
| | GIRLS AND BOYS
By Dennis Kelly
Performed by Constance Witman
It started as a chance encounter in an airport line. A funny, flirty spark. A love story. But in Girls & Boys, that story takes a stunning, harrowing turn.
In this gripping one-woman show by Olivier Award-winner Dennis Kelly, we meet a sharp, ambitious woman whose life is upended by an unimaginable act. With biting humor, brutal honesty, and breathtaking emotional range, Girls & Boys is both a searing personal narrative and a powerful indictment of gendered violence. Seacoast favorite and award-winning actor Constance Witman delivers a tour-de-force performance in this unforgettable theatrical event. | Buy tickets |
| | THE CHILDREN
By Lucy Kirkwood
A riveting exploration of our responsibility to each other—and the planet.
In the wake of a nuclear disaster, two retired nuclear scientists visit a former colleague, asking her to make a life-altering decision. The Children is a taut, thought-provoking drama that explores the ethical and personal consequences of the choices we make for the next generation. Award-winning playwright Lucy Kirkwood delves into the intersection of personal responsibility and global catastrophe, examining how the actions of one generation impact those that follow. With biting wit, searing tension, and poignant humanity, The Children is a play about aging, legacy, and the terrifying burden of a broken world. | Buy tickets |
| | EMMA
Adapted by Kate Hamill from the novel by Jane Austen
Directed by Ro Gavin
In collaboration with RGC Theatre
A lively reimagining of Jane Austen's classic.
Emma Woodhouse is a clever, ambitious young woman who, despite her vow never to marry, becomes the self-appointed matchmaker of Highbury. Kate Hamill's adaptation infuses the original with sharp wit and contemporary flair, capturing the essence of Austen's social commentary while introducing modern sensibilities. Under Ro Gavin's direction, this production promises a dynamic and fresh perspective on a beloved tale. | Buy tickets |
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