Summer 2026 will be the “Season of Discovery” at the Peterborough Players.
“The theme of discovery ties our season together, whether it’s the mystery of the ‘Hound of Baskervilles,’ or it’s the discovery in ‘Million Dollar Quarter,’ of these four music icons just starting out,” said Artistic Director Brendon Fox. “Every play this season has discovery in it, whether it’s a formal mystery, or whether it’s within our own hearts.”
The season, the second under the direction of Fox, includes a mystery, a musical, a drama, a classic, and a new play never before performed in New England.
“It’s an eclectic season, and we will have something for everyone. We’ve got Sherlock Holmes, we’ve got Jane Austen, we’ve got Elvis Presley, and we’ve also got a brand-new play that I really think will become a classic,” Fox said.
Fox says he designed this summer’s season after processing feedback from the Player’s patrons and supporters, including the results of a post-season survey.
“We asked people, ‘Why do you go to the theater?’ It’s important to show people we are listening to what they want,” Fox said.
Fox says he was “pleasantly surprised” by the results of the survey, which reflected that the Players audience appreciates a diverse range of theater.
“Two things leaned out at me for this season. One was, I was excited that people were encouraging me to put in more drama, and second was that people also asked us to include new works alongside the classics, so we’re doing a brand-new play. Drama and new plays are both things are things I’m passionate about, so it was great to hear that from our patrons,” Fox said.
“Baskerville,” June 17-28
The Players’ summer season kicks off with “Baskerville,” a Sherlock Holmes Mystery by Ken Ludwig, from June 17-28. Fox says that despite the traditionally scary story of the “Hound of the Baskervilles,” this version is “murderously funny” and is appropriate for all ages.
The classic story has a novel approach, with just five actors playing more than 30 roles, and the bulk of those filled by just three actors.
“We have three ‘chameleons’ who play everyone else — there are incredible quick changes, we’ll have over a dozen different dialects and accents going on, and it is just a huge amount of fun,” Fox said.
“Baskerville” will be directed by Fox.
“Million Dollar Quartet” July 15-26
This summer’s musical, ‘Million Dollar Quartet,” is based on the true story of young men —Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley — meeting up as young performers one night in 1956 at Sun Record Studio in Memphis, Tennessee
“It’s all based on a true story of how these young men all met at the start of their careers, and they had a jam session. We get to learn their back story through flashbacks, and how the producer found each of them,” Fox said.
Fox said casting “Million” was challenging, as each of the actors playing one of the four leads had to be a skilled musician as well.
“They are all triple threats,” Fox said. ‘This show has been a huge hit wherever it has gone. We’re going to blow the roof of the barn, and people are going to be dancing in the aisles.”
Rachel Sabo-Hedges, one of two guest directors this summer at the Players, will direct “Million Dollar Quartet.”
The show is also appropriate for all ages.
“Proof,” July 29-August 9
The Players last performed the classic drama “Proof,” the story of a brilliant young woman wrestling with her role in life, in 2000.
“The role of Catherine is one of those great roles for a woman in her 20’s. Catherine is funny and caustic and smart, and she’s always two steps ahead of everyone else. The show is a real tour de force for all four actors,” Fox said. “Catherine is wrestling with what is her legacy; what is her inheritance? Is she a genius like her father? The story is centered on a mathematical proof discovered in the house where she lives with her father, and it could be absolutely groundbreaking.”
“Proof” is currently showing on Broadway with Don Cheadle.
Charles Morey, who has been involved with the Players since 1969, when he was a summer intern, will return to direct “Proof.”
“Chuck is thrilled to come back and do that, and we’re so excited to have him back,” Fox said.
“A Danger to Yourself and Others,” July 1-12
This season’s brand- new work is “A Danger to Yourself and Others” by Collette Mazunic.
Fox calls “Danger” a “funny, twisty-turny, identity theft, who-dunnit mystery.”
“It’s like ‘The Sting’ meets ‘Ocean’s 11;’ you really can’t see where things are going to go next,” he said. “It’s a little hard to publicize it without giving anything away.”
Fox learned about “Danger” at the Gulf Shore Playhouse New Play Festival in Naples, Florida, and has been workshopping with Mazunic for two and a half years.
“It will be noted that this is the first time this play was performed in New England,” Fox said. “We want to be able to say we were one of the first to give this life.”
Fox says showcasing new work is a Players tradition that “goes back to the very beginning.”
“Edith Bonds Stearn, the founder of the Players, performed new plays. We’ve always had the tradition of doing avant-garde plays up here in the woods; it harkens all the way back to Season One,” Fox said.
“Danger” will include two familiar faces from last season: Rafael Untanan, who played David Bliss in “Hay Fever,” and Brian Owen, who played “Robert” in “Boeing Boeing.”
“I wanted people to have some familiarity; even though this is a new play, I wanted people to be able to recognize some of the actors,” Fox said. “With a brand-new play, discovery is part of the process. Imagine being the first person to see ‘The Glass Menagerie’ or ‘Streetcar Named Desire.’ All plays start out unknown, and they started with people taking a chance.”
Fox said that while it has challenges, performing a brand-new play also has advantages.
“The great thing about a new play is there is no baggage. You’re not being compared to a famous movie or performance. People in Peterborough are going to be able to see this play for the first time,” he said.
“Emma,” August 12-23rd
The season will wrap up with Kate Hamill’s adaptation of the classic story of a well-meaning matchmaker, “Emma.” The show, based on the novel by Jane Austen will be directed by Fox. Fox, who recently directed “Sense and Sensibility” at Brandeis University, said he loved his “first exploration of the world of Jane Austen.”
“The costumes for ‘Emma’ will be absolutely stunning. We have Holly Poe Irvine, who is the chair of costume design at UC Irvine creating the costumes, and it’s going to be elegant, beautiful, charming, and romantic; the adapation stays very true to the novel,” Fox said.
Fox says one fun twist with this version of “Emma” is that Emma narrates the story, with some input from Mr. Knightly.
“Emma is narrating this to us, she gets to determine what scene comes next, the only other person who gets to talk to us is Mr. Knightley, her love interest,” Fox said.
Fox said the messages in “Emma” are timeless and appropriate at this moment in history.
“Jane Austen is very kind to her characters. They are incredibly loving, and they want love and connection, and they learn; and I think that’s a great message to end the season with,” he said.
Fox urges theater goers to plan to see all five shows in the “Season of Discovery.”
“I always say, you want to go on the whole ride, for the whole season,” he said. “Then you get to see the whole repertoire, you get to see the same actors in different roles. We are giving the audience a very diverse range of tastes and experiences, and there is definitely something for everyone,” he said.
For tickets to the 2026 season of the Peterborough Players please go to https://www.peterboroughplayers.org.
