The Walpole Players

On June 17, 2022, The Walpole Players will open its second production of Alan Bennett’s adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, the children’s novel by Kenneth Grahame. Their first production of this play was in 1993 and was not only the US premiere of that show, it was the premiere for the entire Western Hemisphere! At the time, the original production was still on stage at the National Theatre in London and we were not allowed to reference that fact. Directed by Jane Skofield with the assistance of her husband Herman, they spent months retaining the rights to produce the play here after seeing it at the National Theatre during a trip to London.

While it’s the same story, with a slightly shortened script from the original, this year’s production will be different in several ways, from the costumes and set design to the music. However, it is the same charming story with the same delightful characters, and many cast members from the 1993 production are either reprising their original roles or appearing in new ones. And don’t let the term “children’s novel” deceive you into thinking this is a play just for children! Alan Bennett’s script injects plenty of sly jokes for the adults. This is a play for all ages!

We are dedicating our 2022 production to Jane, who not only directed this and other plays in the early days of The Walpole Players, but was instrumental in making the Players a successful organization and a permanent part of our community. We hope Jane would approve of what we’ve done in her honor!

Tickets will go on sale on May 18, and for the first time be available to purchase online through our website, TheWalpolePlayers.org. Tickets will also be available at Galloway Real Estate, Mascoma Bank in Walpole, and at the door. Show dates and times are: Friday, Saturday, and Thursday, June 17, 18, and 23, at 7:00 PM; Sunday, June 19, at 2:00 PM; and Saturday, June 25, at 8:00 PM. Ticket cost is $15 for ages 12 and over, $10 for children under 12.

So mark your calendars now and plan to attend one of our shows the weekend before and during Walpole’s Old Home Days!

The Walpole Players are seeking a stage manager for our next production, Alan Bennett’s The Wind in the Willows.

A Stage Manager is the glue that holds a production together! So please spread the word and contact us at WalpolePlayers@gmail.com or 603-756-2535 if you or someone you know might be interested. Performance dates are June 17-19, 23, and 25.

Get your tickets in advance at Mascoma Bank in Walpole for a savings of $3 per ticket compared to the pay-at-the-door price!

Come on out, invite your friends, bring your neighbors, and celebrate the end of winter!

This Saturday, doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7:00.

If you’ve been cooped up with Cabin Fever, the Walpole Players has the perfect remedy. After a two-year hiatus, the Cabin Fever Radio Follies will be back on March 12, 2022! Be prepared for an evening of intrigue, laughs, and a trip to the wild, wild west. You’ll recognize the familiar voices of Fibber McGee and Molly, Bob and Ray, Jack Benny, and make the acquaintance of Doc Savage and his not-so-able assistants.

The audience will be seated at tables in a dinner theater setting. Please plan to bring your own food and drink to enjoy before and during the show (don’t forget to bring your plates and utensils). So reserve a table for you and your friends!
We’d like to extend a big Thank-You to Mascoma Bank in Walpole, where tickets can be purchased in advance for $12. Any ticket sold or paid for at the door will be $15. Doors open at 6:30 PM and the show starts at 7:00 PM.

Questions? Check our website TheWalpolePlayers.org, our Facebook page, or call 603-345-0230.

For the safety of our audience members, actors, and our com- munity at large, everyone in attendance will be required to wear a mask upon entering the building. Once you are seated at your table, you may remove your mask, but your mask must be worn if you leave your seat at any time for any reason. We also request that audience members be vaccinated. We will not be requiring proof of vaccination status, but we will be checking temperatures at the door. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4°F or higher will be asked to leave, and a full refund will be given.

We are still looking for a few adults, teens, and children for our June production of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS! If you couldn’t make the auditions and are interested, please email walpoleplayers@gmail.com!

Auditions for:

Alan Bennett’s

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Sunday at 1:00 and Monday at 6:00

Helen Miller Theater, second floor Walpole Town Hall

All ages!

The Walpole Players will be holding auditions for our 2022 spring/summer production of Alan Bennett’s THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS on Sunday, Feb. 6 at 1:00 PM, and Monday, Feb. 7 at 6:00 PM. Auditions will be held in the Helen Miller Theater, second floor of the Walpole Town Hall. Performance dates are June 17, 18, 19, 23, and 25. All ages are needed for this play! There are a lot of roles for children, several of which have no spoken lines. There are also many adult roles, large and small, but all of great importance! There is group singing in this play, and there will be a small orchestra.

If you would like to audition, it would be helpful to email walpoleplayers@gmail.com to get an audition form to complete ahead of time. If you would like to be considered for a part but cannot make either of these auditIon times, please email us and let us know!

For the safety of our audience members, actors, and our community at large, everyone age 12 and older involved in the play is required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 prior to their first rehearsal.

Calling all old time radio enthusiasts! Our annual CABIN FEVER RADIO FOLLIES will be on Saturday, March 12, and directed by Judy Epstein and Meg Kupiec. We are looking for readers, actors, and sound effects artists! Our first meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 6:30 PM in the Helen Miller Theater, and we will continue to meet every Tuesday until the performance. We already have the scripts so all we need is you!

If you remember, we were one day away from our Radio Follies performance in 2020 when we had to cancel all activities due to Covid-19. So we want to welcome our audience back with the best show ever!

Congratulations to the cast and crew of It’s a Wonderful Life! Their dedication and hard work made our first show back in the Helen Miller Theater a great success! As a result, The Walpole Players raised $500 EACH for the Fall Mountain Food Shelf and Our Place Drop-in Center!

Thank you to everyone who came and saw the show, especially those who braved the weather on Saturday! You are why we do what we do!

The show will go on! Please leave early so you don’t need to rush. Please be careful commuting to and from the theater. Doors open at 6:15, so plan ahead!