Steel Magnolias - July 13 - 22, 2012

By Robert Harling

Director - Judi Wilson

Producer - Ina Stenner

A heart-warming and bittersweet comedy, Steel Magnolias tells the story of six very special friends bonded together by mutual triumphs and tragedies. Sharing each other’s strength and loyalty, these remarkable women survive the cycles of life, birth and death to emerge stronger, closer and still laughing.

Magnolia blossoms are beautiful but short-lived, easily destroyed by time and the elements. Not unlike magnolia blossoms, the characters in this play might have been considered delicate southern belles, but truly they are more like steel magnolias, altogether tougher things. Steel magnolias capture much of the beauty of the real blossoms, but are far more resistant to the afflictions of an unforgiving world. Like steel magnolias, our characters have a kind of showy beauty that withstands the hardships of life. They suffer pain and loss, but they bounce back with a joking defiance.

A first play for Robert Harling, Steel Magnolias met with immediate critical and popular acceptance in its premier production by New York's WPA Theatre.

It has been said that Steel Magnolias could be ‘the funniest play ever to make you cry’.

For ticket information go to the box office

Student Summer Mentorship Program

The Peterborough Theatre Guild is once again running a student mentorship program. This program provides the opportunity for local students to become directly involved in creating a production in August at the Peterborough Theatre Guild. The Guild will be looking for elementary and secondary students to fill all of the major roles, such as a director, producer, stage manager, designers, technicians and crew. Auditions will be held as usual, providing opportunities for student actors to work with Guild veterans on the stage.

Our August play is The Good Doctor, a comedy with music written by Neil Simon. It is set in Russia during the 19th century and is in the style of Chekovian comedies. It is composed of a series of scenes in which the only connecting thread is the character of The Writer who is obviously Anton Chekov. Simon uses several direct references to Chekov in the play.

In one sketch a harridan storms the bank and upbraids the manager for his gout and lack of money. In another, a father takes his son to a house where he will be initiated into the mysteries of sex, only to relent at the last moment and leave the boy more perplexed thatn ever. In another sketch, a crafty seducer goes to work on a wedded woman, only to realize the woman has been in command from the first overture. Let us not forget the classic tale of a man who offers to drown himself for three rubles.

Details about applying

“The Mouse House” Sweeps EODL Awards

Sun 15 April, 2012

The Peterborough Theatre Guild swept the awards handed out today (Sunday) at the Eastern Ontario Drama League's full length play festival held in Ottawa.

The premiere production of "The Mouse House", written by Peterborough's Robert Ainsworth, captured 10 of 16 awards, including Best Production, Best Director (Ainsworth), Best Actor (Shared by Jack Roe and Matthew Finlan), Acting Excellence (Terry Novak), and Best Cameo (Cheryl Lyon).   Complete story

The PTG thanks Werner Bergen

The PTG thanks Werner Bergen for his many years of support and wishes him well in his retirement from the Peterborough Examiner.

Read the Examiner story