Andy’s Summer Playhouse in Wilton has announced an action-packed schedule with main-stage plays, one-night plays, a musical, and even a traveling show in the works for its 56th summer season.
Executive Director SMJ, who took the helm of Andy’s in October, said their team was thrilled after the success of last summer’s season. SMJ, who served as Artistic Director for the 2025 season, said the playhouse is launching several new projects this summer in addition to Andy’s traditional full-length, mainstage plays.
“It’s been just crazy leading up to this point; we started everything earlier, there is a lot going on, and we’re just so excited for this summer,” SMJ said. “It’s a really exciting time to try new things. ”
According to SMJ, 2,700 people saw shows at Andy’s last summer.
“We are hoping to break 3,000 audience members this summer,” they said.
Andy’s Summer Playhouse, which runs from June 22 to August 16, is still accepting registrations for children and youth ages 8 to 18. To register, go to andyssummerplayhouse.org/2026season.
Last summer’s “Battle of the Books,” written by SMJ and performed at Andy’s, won an award for Excellence in Playwriting from the N.H. Theater Alliance.
This summer’s season will launch with “Welcome to the Hilltop,” on Saturday, June 27 at 7 p.m., with a series of shows created and performed by Andy’s campers. According to SMJ, “Welcome to the Hilltop” is inspired by and will replace Andy’s tradition of 24-hour plays.
“For ‘Welcome to the Hilltop,’ we’ll have 50 or more kids involved and they will write, direct, act and design from anywhere to four to six new plays,” SMJ said. “This is our way of kicking off the summer and jumping right in. I love the intimate feel of Andy’s — even with 100 kids taking part last year, people felt close to new friends they had just met.”
The first mainstage play of the season will be “Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase,” in which Nancy Drew has to face a paranormal mystery to save her family.
“This story has just come into the public domain, so it may be the first theater adaptation of that book,” SMJ said.
“Staircase” will incorporate mime, movement, text, and dialogue.
“We have mime students who are back for their third summer who will be doing some wonderful movement sequences; it’s a fantastic story for that type of storytelling,” SMJ said
“Hidden Staircase” will be followed by the two full-stage production teen plays: “Everything You Wanted,” by Jess Honovich, a drama/comedy set at a summer camp, and “it’s literally the end of the world, like, for real this time,” by Paige Esterly, about teens surviving an environmental apocalypse, “one barbecued squirrel at a time.”
SMJ said for this summer’s season, the Andy’s team looked for plays that address issues that are important to teenagers.
“We have so many teens in the program. Sixty-five to 75% of the kids were teens last summer, and we saw a lot of need for teens to explore issues that are important to them,” SMJ said.
Both teen plays will feature professional design, choreography, sets, and lighting, and will be performed by teens and children.
“The balance is how can we make sure the kids feel like they are doing something great and contributing and having a voice, while also empowering the adults so that they are making really great work while also giving back,” SMJ said.
Both teen plays will be performed on select dates from July 25 to Aug. 1.
“With the teen shows, we have smaller casts, but we will have two shows going at once, so there will be more opportunity for kids to participate,” SMJ said. “Everyone will be able to see two shows on the same weekend.”
On July 7, Andy’s will host a staged workshop reading of Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,” which will feature 25 Andy’s campers.
SMJ said one of their goals is for Andy’s to produce plays that will “have a greater impact,” both outside of the playhouse and outside of the region.
“Two of our shows have had professional premieres after being performed at Andy’s. These kids will impact the next generation of what theater is; it will be a whole new era of community and inclusive theater making,” SMJ said.
Andy’s will also present a touring play, “The Day the Crayons Quit,” directed by former Andy’s camper Elsa Guerra. The 30-minute play will be performed in venues around the Monadnock Region, including at the Peterborough Library and at the Peterborough Players.
The final mainstage production of the summer will be the musical “The Forest Knows” by Marina Pires, in which a young Irish woman undertakes a spiritual quest.
“Marina Pires has been on Broadway. It’s a really wonderful musical and it will have a giant ensemble of 50 kids, with amazing music,” SMJ said.
Summer at Andy’s will conclude with the annual John C. Russell playwriting festival, an evening of brand-new plays written by Andy’s students.
All guests at Andy’s are invited to donate $10 the the Andy’s Community Ticket fund, which will provide free tickets to anyone who would like to attend a show.
“We are doing a new initiative, Andy’s community ticket fund, where people can donate $10 into a giant pot and help provide free tickets for people who might not otherwise be able to attend a show,” SMJ said. “Parents may be in positions where they can’t support their child to come to the show, or there may be people have no access to live theater before. It is our mission to support live theater in every way we can.”
To register for camp, purchase tickets or donate to Andy’s, go to andyssummerplayhouse.org/tickets.
