The Peterborough Theatre Guild Presents Young Frankenstein

The Peterborough Theatre Guild has introduced its next production: The Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, with opening night on April 17.

photo courtesy of the peterborough theatre guild.

The story follows Frederick Frankenstein, the grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein. When Frederick inherits his family’s estate in Transylvania, he finds himself drawn into the mad science legacy he tried so hard to escape. With the help of a hunchbacked assistant, Igor, and a spirited lab assistant, Inga, Frederick reluctantly follows in his grandfather’s footsteps and soon discovers the thrill of bringing a creature to life.

The musical features numbers like “The Transylvania Mania,” “He Vas My Boyfriend,” and “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” as Young Frankenstein delivers a night of monstrously good entertainment.

Due to mature themes and content, Young Frankenstein is recommended for audiences 16 years and older.

Show dates include April 17, 18, 19 (matinee), 23, 24, 25, 26 (matinee), 30 and May 1, 2, 3 (matinee). Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., and matinees begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Peterborough Theatre Guild (364 Rogers St.)

Tickets range from $27 to $42, including fees and can be purchased on their website or by calling the box office.

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New Stages Theatre Presents 3rd Annual Brand New Stages Festival Starting Feb. 24

New Stages presents its 3rd annual Brand New Stages festival, bringing new Canadian works to the stage with 7 plays in 6 days and over 40 artists featured at 2 venues from Feb. 24 to Mar. 1.

All photos courtesy of new stages.

From gripping dramas to absurd comedies and family-focused fare, there is something for everyone at the Brand New Stage Festival. New Stages promises a community of local and national theatre artists gathering to develop new work for the stag.

The festival includes 3 main stage shows at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and 4 events at The Theatre on King (TTOK).

The Cull

A staged reading by Michele Riml and Michael St. John Smith

Feb. 26, 7 p.m. at Market Hall

A group of old friends gather to celebrate a 25th wedding anniversary in the B.C. mountains, where wildfires burn, secrets spill out and a wolf cull is underway. First produced by Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre, The Cull is a timely modern drama in an exciting new stage of development.

Directed by Peter Pasyk (Hamlet at the Stratford Festival, Old Times with Soulpepper), The Cull is a powerful new drama with a powerhouse cast, featuring some of Canada’s top talent on stage and screen today: Michael Riley, Tina Jung, Sergio Di Zio, Jenny Young, Matthew Edison and Sarah Wilson. 14+ (strong language)

Munsch Goes Wild

Stories by Robert Munsch, adapted and performed by M. John Kennedy. Directed by Dahlia Katz

Mar. 1, 10:30 a.m. at Market Hall

A fun one for the family! Join M. John Kennedy on a Sunday morning for an all-new, high-octane theatrical storytelling event for the young (and young at heart)! Featuring four of Robert Munsch’s most beloved tales, told in the most creative and energetic ways. If you saw Fireside Munsch in 2025, these are all-new stories being told. Every seat is just $12.50 all-in, incl. venue fees. 4+ (silly language)

12 Dinners

A staged reading by Steve Ross, directed by Randy Read

Mar. 1, 7 p.m. at Market Hall

An acclaimed semi-autobiographical play about a series of dinners that Steve shared with his parents during a particularly eventful time in their lives. Directed by founding Artistic Director Randy Read, 12 Dinners showcases Steve Ross’ meteoric emergence as an exciting Canadian playwright. Previously produced at Stratford’s Here for Now Festival and in Barrie with Talk is Free Theatre, 12 Dinners is catching the eye of theatres across the country. The reading features the original cast from the Stratford production: Jane Spidell, Geoffrey Pounsett, and Ben Skipper. 12+ (mature themes)

An Evening of One Acts (staged readings)

Feb. 24, 7 p.m.

I Started Collecting Teacups After My Grandma Died

By Ryan Pepper

An interprovincial love affair told through poetic dialogue, friendly banter, and the occasional croaking of frogs. Starring Colin Doyle and Andy Trithardt, directed by Mark Wallace. 14+ (strong language)

Are We Sleeping?

Written and directed by Esther Vincent

Florence, a renowned botanist no longer remembers her life’s work or recognizes her own children. Starring Dianne Latchford, Megan Murphy and Mark Wallace. 14+ (mature themes incl. dementia).

Story Slam 2026

Feb. 25, 8 p.m.

Story Slam 2026 hosted by Megan Murphy. The theme is “Well, that was unexpected.” Experience an evening of communal storytelling. Bring a true story to share (5 minutes max) or sit back and enjoy. All are welcome to participate.

Kennel

By Katherine Cullen

Feb. 27, 7 p.m.

An absurdly comic staged reading, directed by Mark Wallace. A kitten, a doggie and a guinea pig take the stage, but this play for young audiences goes way off the rails in its search for an ending. Definitely not for young audiences! Starring Hilary Wear, Stew Granger, Amy Keating, Annie Lujn and Jeff Yung. 14+ (strong language)

Picture Day

By Madeleine Brown

Feb. 28, 7 p.m.

It’s picture day at an elementary school, but when the school photographer doesn’t show up, a principal’s lie cascades into a series of disasters, as this brand new farce reaches hilarious heights. Starring Marc Rico Ludwig, Mark Rostrup, Dreda Blow, Linda Kash, Megan Walsh and Oaklen Conroy. 14+ (strong language)

Visit the website for festival info and to buy tickets, or visit the Market Hall and TTOK websites.

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Peterborough-Born Playwright Brings Midnight Madness To The Peterborough Theatre Guild This Month

Canadian playwright and Peterborough native Dave Carley presents Midnight Madness, coming to the Peterborough Theatre Guild starting Feb. 27.

photo courtesy of the peterborough theatre guild.

The witty and heartfelt comedy is set just minutes before midnight on the final night of Bloom’s Furniture’s going-out-of-business sale. Midnight Madness unfolds in the store’s upstairs bed department where Wesley, the department manager, is closing up for the very last time; alone, overlooked and facing the end of a career that never quite lived up to his hopes.

Then a blast from his past comes charging up the stairs.

When Anna Bregner arrives in Wesley’s domain, she has no idea the salesman is a former classmate. Wesley, however, remembers her all too well. He has kept tabs on all his former classmates. Anna, despite early setbacks, has put herself through law school and returned home to Ashburnham to begin her legal career. Her fresh start collides poignantly with the end of Wesley’s.

As the night unfolds, Anna and Wesley revisit the humiliating high school events that drove them both away before graduation. Together, they discover that some burdens can finally be let go.

Show dates include Feb. 27 and 28, March 1 (matinee), 5, 6, 7, 8 (matinee), 12, 13 and 14. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., while matinees start at 1:30 p.m.

Tickets range from $20 to $30 including fees can be purchased online.

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4th Line Theatre’s Box Office Opens Feb. 9 For Summer Season Ticket Purchases

The 4th Line Theatre box office will open to the public Feb. 9 to purchase play tickets for the theatre’s 2026 Summer Season.

wild irish geese returns to the 4th line stage after its sold-out 2025 premiere. photo courtesy of 4th line theatre.

Tickets, gift certificates and charcuterie snack boxes can be purchased by phone, toll-free, online and at 4th Line Theatre’s Box Office (9 Tupper Street, Millbrook.)

Schoolhouse

Set in 1938 in rural Ontario, Schoolhouse unfolds within S.S. #1 Jericho, a one-room school just outside the fictional village of Baker’s Creek. When 18-year-old Melita Linton takes on her first teaching position, she encounters a lively group of students and a community rooted in tradition.

Her resolve is tested by the arrival of Ewart, a withdrawn youth recently released from a reform school and sent to work on a local farm. As Miss. Linton strives to reach him, she uncovers the deep bonds and quiet fears of small-town life. Rich with humour and humanity, Schoolhouse beautifully evokes a vanished era in Canadian rural history.

Wild Irish Geese

Back by popular demand after its sold-out 2025 premiere, Wild Irish Geese returns to the 4th Line stage with a powerful story of migration and starting over. In the 1820’s, Peter Robinson led an emigration scheme that brought hundreds of Irish families to Canada as they fled famine and poverty. More than 2,000 arrived in Scotts Plains (later known as Peterborough) and began their lives anew. Wild Irish Geese reflects on the courage, displacement and enduring spirit of those who journeyed far to survive.

Through hardship and hope, these new Canadians forged a fragile beginning in a complex colonial landscape. Planting deep roots in the Peterborough area, these Irish emigrants now have tens of thousands of descendants both locally and across the globe.

“As we look ahead to our 34th season, we are excited to bring back two amazing plays from the theatre’s canon of work,” says Managing Artistic Director Kim Blackwell. “Both productions explore resilience, hope and the universal search for home.”

Visit the website to learn more.

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4th Line Theatre Breaks Ground With Maja Ardal’s The Legend of Pearl Hart

4th Line Theatre announces its 19th annual Breaking Ground event on Jan. 31 at Catherine Parr Traill College’s Bagnani Hall, with excerpts from Maja Ardal’s The Legend of Pearl Hart.

file photo.

Born in Lindsay, Ontario in 1871, Pearl Hart was the first woman tried and convicted of stagecoach robbery in the U.S. Pearl’s journey takes her from small town Ontario through Chicago’s World’s Fair, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows and rough mining frontiers of Arizona. Her trial, imprisonment and escapades while disguised as a boy made her a notorious celebrity of the times.

Breaking Ground is part of 4th Line Theatre’s New Play Development program, designed to support, nurture and encourage the creation of environmentally-staged historical plays

“Public readings are an important part of the creation of plays,” says Kim Blackwell, 4th Line’s Managing Artistic Director. “This forum gives the writer the opportunity to figure out what resonates with audiences. The audience’s feedback during the discussion afterward may be the most valuable aspect of Breaking Ground.”

Kim Blackwell will dramaturge the reading, directed by Anita La Selva, which will feature performers: Robert Winslow, Amy Keating, Colin A. Doyle, Lindsay Wilson, Ryan Tobin and Celine Gadoury.

The free event will take place at Bagnani Hall on Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. To reserve a seat call or email 4th Line Theatre’s Box Office.

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New Stages Theatre Presents Women of the Fur Trade

New Stages Theatre presents a staged reading of Frances Koncan’s Women of the Fur Trade, coming to Market Hall Jan. 24.

photo courtesy of new stages.

Set in “18 hundred and something-something,” the story revolves around the lives of three women, Ojibwe, Métis and British, all of whom speak in a 21st-century slang.

The playwright, Frances Koncan, found that historical accounts of the fur trade were written by men and decides to feature the perspective of “unheard voices”; three women during the time of the fur trade and the Red River Resistance.

Directed by Patti Shaughnessy, Women of the Fur Trade’s cast includes Michelle Bardach (seen recently in Rez Gas in Port Hope), Sera-Lys McArthur and Megan Murphy, featuring Mac Fyfe as Thomas Scott and Chris Mejaki as Louis Riel. The play is stage managed by Sarah Lazzarino.

The 7 p.m. show runs for approximately two hours and is suitable for ages 14 plus.

Tickets can be purchased online, or by calling the Market Hall box office. If preferred seats are not available, call the box office and join the waiting list, as some new seats may become available in the days leading up to the show.

Tickets are $30 plus a $4 venue fee, available on a sliding-scale of ticketing options.

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Peterborough Theatre Guild Announces Six Theatrical Productions For 2025-26 Season

The Peterborough Theatre Guild has released its lineup for the upcoming 2025-26 season with six theatrical productions slated to run from late September to early May next year, announced on Monday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Theatre Guild.

The following the shows and dates:

• Opening Night by Norm Foster

  • Directed by Margaret Monis

  • Sept. 19 – Oct. 4

• 291 by Jade O’Keeffe

  • Directed by Lisa Dixon

  • Nov. 1 – 15

• The Emperor’s New Clothes by Gerry McBride based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen

  • Directed by Gerry McBride

  • Dec. 5 - 14, 2025

• Where You Are by Kristen Da Silva

  • Directed by Jerry Allen

  • Jan. 16 - 31, 2026

• Midnight Madness by Dave Carley

  • Directed by Jane Werger

  • Feb. 27 – March 14, 2026

• The Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks, Original Direction & Choreography by Susan Stroman

  • Directed by Nate Axcell

  • April 17 – May 3, 2026

The season starts with Opening Night by renowned Canadian playwright Norm Foster, directed by Margaret Monis. This hilarious play takes audiences on a journey behind the scenes of a chaotic theatre premiere. Get ready for twists and turns, sharp wit and great characters.

Adding a dramatic twist, 291, written by local playwright Jade O’Keeffe and directed by Lisa Dixon, brings a touch of historical intrigue with a locally written piece that delves into the letters between acclaimed artist Georgia O’Keeffe and her lover, photographer Alfred Stieglitz. This original work highlights the artistry and emotion behind one of history’s most famous creative couples.

As the holiday season approaches, families can enjoy the beloved children's production of The Emperor's New Clothes, written and directed by Gerry McBride. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, this adaptation promises to be full of humour and enchantment for audiences of all ages.

Where You Are by Kristen Da Silva, directed by Jerry Allen, is a comedy that features a heartwarming tale of love, family, and unexpected second chances in a charming, small-town setting.

Midnight Madness by Peterborough Native, Dave Carley, is a romantic comedy about two former classmates who unexpectedly reunite at a furniture store’s going-out-of-business sale.

For those who love a musical spectacle, the season rounds out with the electrifying production of Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, directed by Nate Axcell. This hilarious parody of the horror genre promises electrifying choreography, clever wordplay and big belly laughs.

Season and individual show tickets will be available starting July 1 through the box office and online.

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Hometown PTBO: Andrew Mills Recovering From a Brain Tumour to Direct "Crossing Over" at Market Hall On May 29-31

This week on Hometown PTBO, David Tuan Bui talks with Andrew Mills, director of "Crossing Over" for Trent Valley Archives Theatre, about the production at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre from May 29-31, his recovery from suffering a brain tumour in 2018 and his first directing role since his injury.

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4th Line Theatre to Brings Peterborough History to Life In World Premiere Production 'Jim Watts: Girl Reporter'

4th Line Theatre is bringing Peterborough History to life with its world premiere production of 'Jim Watts: Girl Reporter' running from July 30 to Aug. 24.

Photo courtesy of 4th Line Theatre.

According to a synopsis, the play takes audiences from Toronto to Madrid to Peterborough and features a local connection in Jim Higgins who raised his family in Peterborough and was truly heroic as a member of the Mackenzie-Papineau brigade in Spain.

“Thankfully I've had one of the best tools you could possibly have which is Jim Higgins's daughter Jeanette, compiled a memoir of his so reading through that, reading his entire life story is the biggest resource that any actor could possible have from his own words,” said Thomas Fornier (Jim Higgins).

Eugenia “Jim” Watts, was most famously known for being a Canadian correspondent for the Spanish Civil War and the only woman to join the MacKenzie-Papineaus, Canada’s Republican regiment in Spain. Her political beliefs and actions were heavily inspired by Emma Goldman, a prominent feminist at the time. Jim Watts began her political work as a theatre artist in Toronto, later founding Theatre of Action. She was a prominent figure in the theatre movement during the 1930s. Watts did more than write about the Spanish Civil War, as she was also an active participant in nursing and driving ambulances for the wounded civilians and soldiers.

“I didn't know a lot about this piece of history myself so I'm sure that other people will be learning about it for the first time as well,” said Katie Ryerson (Jim Watts). “Getting to play someone who is a real person is a real honour and a real gift and premiering a new work for the first time is always a real honour and real privilege.”

The play is written by Beverly Cooper and directed by Kim Blackwell. The production has 28 cast members and a crew of 15 people.

“I think I'm ideally suited to direct it because I helped dramaturge it and help support Bev in the writing of the piece in the past five years,” said Blackwell. “I really like directing world premieres because I always imagine it like a field of fresh snow where there are no other footprints and I get to put my footprints in that fresh snow.”

Opening night is Aug. 1 with July 30 and 31 as preview nights. Shows run from Tuesday to Saturday at 6 p.m. and tickets are available online at 4th Line Theatre’s website.

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4th Line Theatre Announces Two Productions For Its 2024 Summer Lineup

4th Line Theatre has announced its 32nd summer season and two premiere productions ‘Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes’ and ‘Jim Watts: Girl Reporter’ on Monday morning.

Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes was written by Alison Lawrence (pictured). Photo courtesy of 4th Line Theatre.

The season will begin on July 1 with Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes, written by Alison Lawrence, based on the book by Shirleyan English and Bonnie Sitter and directed by Autumn Smith, who returns after appearing in the 2023 production of The Cavan Blazers. 

Beginning on July 30, Jim Watts: Girl Reporter, written by Beverley Cooper and directed by Kim Blackwell, will take the stage. Cooper wrote The Other: A Strange Christmas Tale for 4th Line, which had a sold-out run in December 2018.

“In our 2024 season, I am proud to share these two plays with audiences,” explained Blackwell, 4th Line’s managing artistic director “These world premiere productions have been developed through our new play development program.”

Longtime Musical Director Justin Hiscox returns to write original music, compose and musically direct for the summer season. Hiscox returns in 2024 for his 24th season after surviving a life-threatening illness this past summer.

Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes is a funny and enlightening exploration of the largely unknown story of the teenage girls who stepped up and worked on farms across Canada to feed the troops and all Canadians during WWII. These ‘Farmerettes,’ all in their 90s now, tell us that the summers they worked on those farms were the best of their lives, even 70 or more years later.

Jim Watts: Girl Reporter is a fascinating exploration of the experience of trailblazing youth who illegally flocked to Spain to fight fascism, attempting to stop its march across Europe in the mid-1930s. Jean ‘Jim’ Watts was the only woman to join Canada’s regiment in Spain, the MacKenzie-Papineaus. The play takes us from Toronto to Madrid, from political rallies to the battlefields of Spain—and Peterborough’s own Jim Higgins — union organizer and hero — figures prominently in the story.

“Both of the plays focus on young people who are willing to do just about anything to do their part,” explains Blackwell. “These young people were desperate to try and make a difference in a world gone mad. They were all true heroes.”

Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes

• Directed by Autumn Smith

• July 1 – 20, 2024

• Previews: July 1, 2

• Opening Night: July 3

• Monday to Saturday at 6 p.m.

Jim Watts: Girl Reporter

• July 30 – August 24, 2024

• Previews: July 30, 31

• Opening Night: August 1

• Tuesday to Saturday at 6 p.m.

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