By Sarah Opdahl

“The Sherman Players are buzzing with excitement about all that we will offer in 2026,” Board President Missy Alexander said. Taking on the lead Board position this year, Alexander said, “We are so excited to reach this amazing moment in the history of the Sherman Players.” Marking 100 years in the “old church on the hill,” she said, “most importantly, we are celebrating the commitment of our community to keep this little venue up and running!”

Alexander shared that in planning for the 2026 season, the Board of Directors “decided to focus on American plays, particularly because our centennial coincides with America’s 250th anniversary. We love Shakespeare and other classics, but this year it is all about American theatre.” The season will kick off in April with a classic Neil Simon comedy, which is set during the turbulent McCarthy era. “Centered on the writing room for a weekly NBC variety show (inspired by “Your Show of Shows”), the writers continuously try to one-up each other, while also navigating network demands, censorship, and the changing interests of their audience,” Alexander noted, “We are excited to have Dan Friedman directing this show… he has a great sense of comedic timing.”

Bye Bye Birdie is a June must-see that is sure to delight audiences. “The minute we announced ‘Birdie,’ the phone started to ring at the Playhouse: When are the auditions? When will tickets go on sale? What are the discounts for a large group? I think we can anticipate a great run for this one,” Alexander commented. Directed by the theater’s own Robin Frome, with music direction by Bob Keck, Alexander is “confident that we will attract a great cast and crew. Let’s face it, this show is American kitsch at its best; It is impossible not to have a good time.”

Beginning in mid-July, the Sherman Players (“Players”) will stage “Restored to Reason,” written by Elizabeth Young, with Jane Farnol directing. Alexander pointed out that this show “is sure to be riveting” and “is a great fit for our American focus, as it centers around Mary Todd Lincoln ten  years after she returns home from Washington, when her son has her institutionalized.” The author was  a participant in the Cold Lemonade program and is active in the regional theatre community.

“Gus Bottazzi, who can be seen on stages all over CT, is directing Inherit the Wind in the fall,” Alexander said, “This courtroom drama, inspired by the Scopes Trial, is also a timely selection as it explores questions of truth, evidence, freedom of speech, and freedom of conscience. It feels appropriate to foster the conversation this show inspires as we move toward election season.”

The year will wrap with the American Christmas Carol, Robin Frome’s adaptation of the Dickens classic. Though very similar to the original, it will be set in a more modern period with “little hints of American culture that keep the experience fresh. We are happy to have Jane Farnol directing this one…she’s sure to have just the right touch. For this family-friendly show we will be sure to have some caroling and hot chocolate to support the holiday feel,” Alexander added.

In addition to their regular season, the Players will host two special events, including a fundraiser in August featuring a musical by Roy O’Neill called “Save the Palace” and a Gala on October 10, which will be held at the Sherman Jewish Community Center. Also, “We have…a growing number of special programs featuring new works, enrichment opportunities for actors and playwrights, and the ever-popular Playhouse Karaoke. The Playhouse is rarely quiet these days,” Alexander remarked.

An exciting ongoing offering at the Playhouse is the Cold Lemonade Series, a program for playwrights in which regional writers submit sections of their work (ten-minute scenes) to be considered for inclusion each month. Board member Morgana Watson reviews the works and puts together an interesting mix to be read at an upcoming Cold Lemonade session. Alexander described the scene, “on the night of the reading, actors show up and are cast – no rehearsals or auditions – to do a cold read of the show. Writers get a chance to see what is working as their writing transitions from page to stage. Several of these shows have gone on to staged readings, and some have been published or produced at other theatres. Anyone can submit a play for consideration (send it to Lemonade@shermanplayers.org) or show up and be cast – or just come and watch the works evolve.”

A delightful part of the theater’s calendar involves the aforementioned nearly monthly Playhouse Karaoke night. Board Vice President and Technical Director, Al Chiappetta. welcomes everyone and the song selection is vast. Another wonderful monthly offering is called 5 Minute Theatre, which allows actors and writers to work on scenes and monologues in a workshop environment. Board member Dan Harnden hosts this monthly event. Alexander noted, there is also an Acting for Film program coming soon.

Alexander stressed that like all non-profit art organizations, “we are always worried about funding, so we are trying to build a plan for the long haul. The diversity of events that I have described is part of that plan. We want to continue to develop interesting seasons, but we also want to be a place where people can grow their talents and share them with new audiences. We are all about supporting a thriving creative community.” In addition, they are investing in some behind-the-scenes improvements—with the help of grant and other funding sources like the Ellen Knowles Harcourt Foundation—such as transitioning incandescent stage lights to LED. They also hope to upgrade the power supply to the theater and add insulation to the attic.

Hard at work already, Alexander explained, “preparing for a show is, at a minimum, two months of rehearsals, 2-, 3- and eventually most nights of the week. And that’s just at the theatre. There are hours of learning lines, painting sets, finding, or building costumes, organizing staff for the shows, and so on. This is a labor of love, to be sure, but it is hard work.”

Alexander described her role as “just doing what needs to be done. Sometimes that’s writing a grant, attending meetings of related organizations, or reaching out to other theatres for ideas and support. Sometimes my job is to produce a show or make sure that our promotional materials are where they need to be, and sometimes I just need to make sure the floors are swept and the bathrooms are clean.” She went on to say, “I am the chief advocate for the theatre by title, and I am the person who tries to ensure that everyone who needs support gets it. It is a lot, but honestly, I am not doing it alone. The Board and our volunteers, directors and actors are all in it with me, lending a hand whenever I ask.”

How best can you support this beloved local community playhouse? “Join us. Become a member. Volunteer. Audition. Buy season tickets if you can. Come to the shows. We need you so we can keep going for another 100 years,” Alexander implored. You can stay up to date on the opportunities by following them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sherman.playhouse) and checking out their website at Shermanplayers.org.

Alexander stressed, “community theatre only works when people show up! We are grateful to every single person who does that – on stage, backstage, on the Board, and in the audience. Community theatre is a special place that is collaborative by definition and filled with generosity on so many levels. At its best, it makes us all feel optimistic about the good that people can do together.”