By Sarah Opdahl

The theater season is just beginning at The Sherman Playhouse, which is proud to be celebrating its 99th year in existence. On Route 39 in Sherman, the theatre provides a unique, culture-rich experience to see shows that feature talented regional actors along with great company in typically full houses. With a strong mix of mainstage shows on tap, The Sherman Players are ready to wow their audiences and, as the shows are all comedies, will surely fill the Playhouse with joy and laughter.

The Sherman Players’ President Steve Stott explained that the season is well balanced, with “plays that we feel will appeal to our audience’s diverse tastes.” There’s a combination of familiar works—a Shakespeare piece will be staged later this year—and new pieces that will feel fresh to the devoted theatregoers in the area. A throughline that the theatre is delivering on is “directors who can deliver quality, innovative productions,” Stott stressed. In addition, he and the rest of the board of directors are thrilled “that we are able to attract new talent onto our stage and to see actors want to return to the Playhouse.  We have, in this area, a particularly vibrant and active local theatre scene.” He went on to say, “Fine community theatres exist in our neighboring towns, so actors and directors have a great choice of shows and venues when deciding what they’d like to get involved with.” Many repeat performers live in surrounding towns, but there are also actors who commit to travel quite a distance (think: Poughkeepsie for a Dinner with Friends lead) to participate in shows at The Sherman Playhouse, rehearsals for which last between six and nine weeks, three to four times per week on average.

First up in the stellar season ahead is Dinner with Friends, by Donald Margulies, which is described by Stott as a picture perfect rendition “of the bombshell impact a sudden marital split can have, not just on the couple directly involved, but also on the relationships within close friend groups.”  Through a roller coaster of emotions, the play provides relatable, “absolutely authentic characters… we know these people, we can feel with them, cry, and laugh with them.” To achieve this, Stott explained, Director Terry Sagedy shows his stripes as “a master of bringing the most honest performances out of his actors, and he has such wonderful actors to work with here.” Though a heavy storyline, he said, “this is a play filled with humor too – the comfortable humor in how close friends and family speak to each other, and the unexpected humor in an awkward moment, a misplaced comment, or the oversharing of a private thought.” He warns that this show is not suitable for younger audiences, with raw language and topics included, but stressed that it is “an absolute gem of a play” for mature audiences, so much so that it  earned the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2000.

Everyone’s familiar with Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare’s timeless tale of love and the importance of good communication, but Stott says that this production will be a standout. “Two words,” he said of the show’s director, “Robin Frome,” who is expected to draw a talented cast of characters. A widely respected director, actor, and theater teacher, “Robin has proved time and again that he really knows Shakespeare and how to present it in the most innovative and accessible ways.  My first foray into the works of the Bard was in a Robin Frome production, and I’ve performed in a few under him since then,” he said, going on to say, “I suspect I’m in good company when I say that Much Ado About Nothing is my favorite of Shakespeare’s works. The characters are strong, the dialogue sparkles, the wit leaps off the page – just the right balance of drama, intelligence, and absurdity.”

Next is a play that will be new to many: Bernhardt/Hamlet. Lest you think, two ‘Shakespeares’ in one season?  “No, not at all!,” Stott stressed, “While the connecting thread is there with the preceding show, this one is a completely different animal.” He pointed to a famous Mark Twain quote: “There are five kinds of actresses: bad actresses, fair actresses, good actresses, great actresses – and then there is Sarah Bernhardt,” referring to Bernhardt who “was arguably the most famous actress of the late 1800’s, a celebrity at the height of her success.” The play is “the rollicking tale of how she took on the role of her career – Hamlet.  Full of high comedy and human drama, this play promises to be a delight for actors and audiences, with an electric leadi ng lady role in Bernhardt herself.” Stott shared, “We are delighted to welcome Director Kyle Minor to make his Sherman Playhouse debut.  Kyle is a director, actor, playwright, and scholar with big ambitions for this wonderful play.  The playhouse is exactly the right place for him to realize them.”

Wrapping up the 2025 season is a proven local favorite, Wreck the Halls, which will be similar to previous productions but will also include the tinkering of Director Bradford Blake. Previously staged in 2021 and 2023,  the Players “wanted a strong holiday show to finish up the season, a crowd-pleaser that we knew would fill the Playhouse with fun and put us in a great mood going into 2026,” Stott said. He shared, “This is popular, quite rude, laugh-out-loud entertainment, presented in a fast-paced, high-energy extravaganza.  My personal favorite numbers are (and I may be paraphrasing titles here) “I’m a Fruitcake,” “Pain in the Derriere,” and the exuberant “Broadway Diva Holiday.”

In addition to the mainstage productions, the Sherman Players continue  to support local writers and new works with The Cold Lemonade Reading Series  –  evening events in which playwrights and actors can gather and four or five new pieces can be “cold” read, on stage, by actors who are cast on the spot. “The director s get to hear their words out loud, usually for the first time, and the actors get to exercise their acting muscles in a fun, friendly, and supportive environment, ” Stott explained, adding that they “felt this perfectly complemented the various writing workshops and existing groups run at our fellow arts organizations, while offering something unique at the Playhouse.  We’ve been delighted with how popular these sessions have become.” Unique to a local theater scene outside of a major city, the series was created by Board Member Morgana Watson, who was inspired by a similar group she worked with in New York City.  “It’s not just actors and writers in the house either, the sessions are open for anyone to attend, and we regularly have a healthy audience joining in the fun,” Stott added, saying, “Lately we have introduced a panel Q&A session at the end of the night, where the authors can answer questions and receive feedback. There’s a monthly cadence to these sessions, with information posted on our website about the upcoming events. They’re free for directors, actors, and audience, though we will always accept donations towards the running costs, and our usual range of Playhouse concessions are on sale too.” Writers who are interested in hearing their work performed should submit an approximately ten-minute excerpt to Morgana via email at lemonade@shermanplayers.org—she will review the submissions for inclusion in upcoming sessions. 

Staged readings are also offered regularly at The Sherman Playhouse, with two new plays planned for readings in the summer.  Plus, this theatre continues to be the place to be on highly popular Playhouse Karaoke nights, “which are always a great deal of fun!,” Stott expressed. He shared that Al Chiappetta, their Vice President, Technical Director, and “all-round Mr. Playhouse, swears he’ll never be seen on stage in any of our shows.  He shuns the spotlight which he so expertly manages.  BUT when not being our technical guru or hauling rocks in his day job, where can he be found?  With a microphone in his hand, belting out songs on any karaoke stage that’ll have him!”   Stott’s thoughts about Karaoke nights? “After over a year of monthly-ish Saturday night Playhouse Karaoke nights, I think we can call it a resounding success.  Partnering with Jim Fairfield’s Summit Entertainment these events have gone from strength to strength.  They’re fun and exciting and attract some fantastic singing talent.  There’s plenty of opportunity for the casual singer who just wants to belt out their favorites too, and not just the showtunes you’d expect from a theatrical crowd either!  We get all abilities, and I’m always struck by just how supportive and encouraging our karaoke crowd is.”

“The 2025 season is an emotional one for me personally,” Stott emphasized, explaining that he will soon step down after five years as President, “Dinner with Friends will be my last show.” He went on, “I will be moving back to my native England later this year, and while I’m excited to be heading home and the new adventures there, it’s with much sadness that I’ll be leaving the loveliest little theatre in Connecticut, and the family of friends I’ve made here.” Excitedly, he declared, “I take comfort and pride in leaving the Sherman Players in such a great position as we approach our 100th birthday next year, and the start of a new century of success.”

Following a freshening up of the Playhouse over the winter, the theatre is ready for its doors to open.  There is a  Gala Opening on Friday, April 4, with a party after the opening night show. Dinner with Friends runs thr ee weekends – April 4, 5, 6; 11, 12, 13; and, 18, 19.  Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.  Doors open 30 minutes before the show.  Tickets are $24 for Adults and Seniors, $12 for Students with valid ID, and are available at shermanplayers.org.  On Thursday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m. they have their Final Dress Rehearsal Preview, at which all tickets are $12, available only at the door.