PORTSMOUTH – Looking for thought-provoking drama, romantic horror, classic Shakespeare and maybe even a recipe for hope?
 
The Players’ Ring Theatre announces its Mainstage Season for 2025-26 promising to deliver all of this and more. (See sidebar)
 
Every year, the theater holds the so called “Ring-Toss,” a community event where theatermakers – playwrights, directors, performers, producers – have the opportunity to pitch their works and ideas. 
 
This year was no different, with 93 submissions received, and many of them creatively presented live in front of a supportive audience of fellow artists, and narrowed down to 10 productions including the annual “A Christmas Carol,” that runs each December.
 
The Players’ Ring Theatre is a historic and uniquely intimate 75-seat venue at 105 Marcy St., right at the edge of beautiful Prescott Park. Donors were invited to an exclusive season preview at the end of May.

“It’s pretty remarkable and inspiring to realize how far the Players’ Ring has come over the past few years,” said the Ring’s executive director, Margherita Giacobbi. 

“What started as a volunteer-run organization hosting externally produced shows has grown into a professionally operated theater with a staff of five. Season after season, we engage hundreds of local and regional artists to produce 10 Mainstage productions in house.”

In addition to assuming financial risk for all the shows, over the past few years the Ring has taken full ownership of the artistic curation of a season that reflects its founders’ (Barbara and Gary Newton) mission of creating a safe space for artists to take risks while intentionally growing as a theater committed to excellence.

“We still hold on tightly to our community-driven spirit,” Giacobbi said. “Every year we accept submissions from local playwrights with new work, directors with dream titles, even actors with roles they feel would be a great fit for our space. But now we balance those ideas with a broader artistic vision – one rooted in layered, joyful, and meaningful storytelling that reflects the plurality and complexity of human experience.”

The Ring’s season selection process is truly collaborative. Submissions come through an open call, and those who are able, present a two-minute pitch in person to the Ring’s team and a roomful of fellow artists. 

“Then, with the help of volunteer readers and our staff, we read every play, gather feedback, and carefully consider how each piece fits within the larger puzzle,” Giacobbi added. “We look for that perfect mix – ease and challenge, risk and familiarity, known titles and brand-new voices, variety of genres, themes and communities that are represented by those stories.”

The reinstatement of the theater’s Artistic Committee – which includes staff and board members as well as invited community members – has been pivotal. Having so many perspectives in the room makes the process richer and more intentional. 

“At the same time, we want artists to feel ownership in what they do here, so we prioritize selecting projects they’re genuinely passionate about. Without their deep commitment, none of these productions could come to life,” Giacobbi added.

 “And, speaking of commitment, another essential piece of this equation is our audience. They support us not just by showing up show after show, but by subscribing—placing their trust in us and giving us the ability to plan boldly. We launched subscriptions just three years ago, and we now have over 300 subscribers! Our 4-, 6-, and 9-show packages offer generous perks and discounts.”
“And finally, some of our audience members take that trust even further by contributing philanthropically. We’ve just launched a new giving level – the Production Champion – that invites donors join and witness the creative process from the ground up. Our audience is uniquely curious and loves to know how the magic happens. This is their chance to gather a unique perspective on our work,” she said.

Board member and chairwoman of the Ring’s Artistic Committee Shonni Holmes said she was introduced to the Players’ Ring by her husband Jacob who gifted her tickets for her birthday. 
 
“As a theater performer, educator, and director specializing in intimate spaces and work by underrepresented voices, the Ring was the perfect place for me to dip my foot into the N.H. theater landscape,” she said.
 
Holmes had relocated to New Hampshire from Los Angeles where she worked with countless film legends and received the NAACP Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in an LA-based production of August Wilson’s “Jitney.” 
 
Holmes joined the Board in October 2024, with a mission for the Artistic Committee to honor the Ring’s history while supporting its advancement.
 
“We discovered that all we had to do was set the intention to become a committee that served everyone in the growing Seacoast community, and the submissions piled in,” she said. “We received some amazing published and original works that completely aligned with both our committee’s mission and the voice of the greater community- it was kismet. Season planning was tons of fun and incredibly challenging, and I’m so very proud of the outcome.” 
 
The Ring’s 34th season kicks off Sept. 12 with “Waiting for Godot,” Samuel Beckett’s iconic tragicomedy, brought to life in a bold new staging by one of the Seacoast’s must multifaceted and superb artists, Bretton Reis. Two wanderers wait beneath a tree for someone who may never come – unraveling absurdity, humor, and unexpected hope along the way.
 
Next up – perfect for Halloween – is “The Man Who Laughs,” from the book by Victor Hugo and the ominous film by Paul Leni, directed by Peter Josephson. Emily Karelitz created the concept of this production and also acts in it. It is a world premiere of an original work.
 
“I love drama, but I do think we all need a little fun right now,” Karelitz said. “The story of ‘The Man Who Laughs’ is certainly spooky, and its themes can be dark at times. However, by staging the story as a live silent film, we aim to give our audiences a novel experience, a good time, and hopefully, spark some discussion on the way home from the theater.” 
 
After some holiday cheer that includes “Ye Merry Gentlemen,” by G. Matthew Gaskell and directed by Sam Smith, and “A Christmas Carol,” adapted and directed by Ben Bagley, the new year will feature “Seeing Violet,” a New England History Drama by Peter Snoad and directed by Sandi Clark Kaddy.
 
“The Ring has a well-deserved reputation for producing diverse and thought-provoking new plays, and I thought ‘Seeing Violet’ would be a good match in that respect,” Snoad said.
 
“‘Seeing Violet’ is about a wealthy New England couple who struggle to come to terms with revelations that their ancestors were enslavers and made a fortune from the slave trade,” Snoad said. “We're living through a dark time in which our government is systematically trying to whitewash and erase parts of our national history – especially as they relate to people of color.”
 
Snoad wants this play to contribute to the public conversation about the history and legacy of slavery in New England. It is a world premiere of an original work.
 
“And I'm excited that we'll be able to expand the educational impact of the production through a collaboration with the Seacoast African American Culture Center, and hopefully other organizations like the NH Black Heritage Trail, and the Strawbery Banke Museum,” Snoad said.
 
Coming in February 2026, “Julius Caesar’ by William Shakespeare – directed by Andrew Codispoti and Glenn Provost – offers a thrilling dive into ancient Roman intrigue. This fast-paced, ensemble-driven production will blend political drama with immersive staging and audience interaction, making timeless themes of ambition, loyalty, and civil unrest feel strikingly immediate.
 
March brings “Enid’s Mill,” a family drama with a recipe for hope, by Martha Douglas-Osmundson and directed by Leslie Pasternack. It, also, is a world premiere of an original work.
 
“The play’s characters are witty, warm, and emotionally complex,” Pasternack said. “There is messiness woven through this script, but also lots of hope. Set in the 1970s in upstate New York, the play entertains us with its groovy retro vibe, but its characters still constantly surprise me.” 
 
Pasternack said she, Douglas-Osmundson, and all of her theater colleagues, have been wondering what audiences will want and need to see in the coming season.
 
“Love? Empathy? Humor? A willingness to look at difficult problems and suggest some solutions?” she asks. “‘Enid’s Mill’ checks all the boxes, plus you’ll get bell bottoms, great hair, and music that makes you want to dance.” 
 
 Also, on the spring agenda is “Girls And Boys,” by Dennis Kelly with Constance Witman, the actor of this one-woman play.
 
“I first discovered this piece while listening to an episode of the ‘Smartless’ podcast with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett,” Witman said. 
 
“Their guest was Carey Mulligan, who spoke about her experience with the play and how she began her acting career without formal training. She described taking risks and eventually performing in a one-woman show. I was struck by her honesty and vulnerability – and deeply inspired by the idea of someone embracing such a bold, personal piece early in their journey,” Witman added.
 
“I ordered the script and read it and I was surprised – it was nothing like I expected. The piece was complex and moving. As I sat with it, I began to wonder if I might be able to tell this story myself. It carries so many powerful and timely messages.”
 
May brings “The Children” to the stage, a post-nuclear play by Lucy Kirkwood and directed by Matthew Parent.
 
Actor Bob Murphy, who plays Robin – a nuclear engineer, jokester, and keeper of secrets – said he saw this show on Broadway in 2017 – a play about three characters in retirement facing a natural catastrophe. 
 
“Despite the dire circumstances of the play, it is an intimate, surprising, and funny portrait of a time of life that should be quiet, settled, and predictable yet is anything but,” Murphy said.
 
“The play's setting, a seaside summer cottage, is located near a nuclear power plant which the three characters spent their careers building and operating,” he added. “The Players' Ring is located the same distance from a nuclear power plant.”
 
The season will conclude with a bang: “Emma” by Kate Hamill – a farcical take on Jane Austen’s classic – brings screwball comedy, feminist insight, and Regency flair together for a thrilling finale that’s modern and timeless.
 
“But before we dive into Season 34, pay us a visit at our air-conditioned venue by the water!” said Giacobbi. “In partnership with our longtime friends Stranger Than Fiction, the talented comics of Mike’d Up Productions, and with generous support from The Puddle Dock Restaurant, we’re launching ‘THE COOL DOWN – a summer series of eight performances of stand-up and improv comedy. Tickets start at just $15, the space is cool, and let’s face it – we all need a little levity these days. So, keep us in mind for your summer plans!”
 
For more information on the plays, subscriptions and tickets, visit www.playersring.org.
 
(SIDEBAR)

PLAYERS’ RING THEATRE MAINSTAGE SEASON 2025-26

• Sept. 12 – 28 : “Waiting for Godot”, a tragicomic masterpiece by Samuel Beckett and directed by Bretton Reis.

• Oct. 17 – Nov. 2: “The Man Who Laughs”, a romantic horror directed by Peter Josephson. 

• Nov. 14 – 30 : “Ye Merry Gentlemen”, a holiday fable, by G. Matthew Gaskell and directed by Sam Smith.

• Dec. 5 – 28: “A Christmas Carol”, adapted and directed by Ben Bagley.

• Jan. 9 – 25: “Seeing Violet”, a New England History Drama by Peter Snoad and directed by Sandi Clark Kaddy.

• Feb. 6 – 22: “Julius Caesar”, William Shakespeare’s tragedy of power and betrayal, facilitated by Andrew Codispoti and Glenn Provost.

• March 6 – 22: “Enid’s Mill”, a family drama with a recipe for hope by Marth Douglas-Osmundson and directed by Leslie Pasternack

• April 10 – 19: “Girls and Boys”, a one-woman tour de force by Dennis Kelly with Constance Witman

• May 1 – 17: “The Children”, a post-nuclear play by Lucy Kirkwood, directed by Matthew Parent

• May 29 -June 21: “Emma”, Jane Austin reimagined – a Regency comedy with a twist, by Kate Hamill and directed by Ro Gavin. A collaboration with RGC Theatre.