Photo Flash: First Look at Peninsula Players' BUTLER, Opening Tonight

Richard Strand's Civil War drama "Butler" makes its Midwest Première tonight, August 20, at Peninsula Players Theatre, America's oldest professional resident summer theater and Door County's theatrical icon. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

"Butler" is a winner of The Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Program and made its world première in June at the New Jersey Repertory Company. This is the second fully staged production of "Butler" and Strand has been in residence with The Players cast working on his script.

Strand became aware of the historical events from a footnote in a Lincoln biography. Butler reports to duty at Fort Monroe, a Union hold-out fort in Virginia. On his first day, 153 years ago, three runaway slaves, including Shepard Mallory, row across the James River to the fort and ask for sanctuary. Butler's decision and actions have repercussions that ripple through the rest of the Civil War. While these events were real, Strand takes audiences into the fort and provides a fictional look at what could have been discussed.

The Peninsula Players perform "Butler" Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. with a 4 p.m. matinee Sunday, Aug. 31. Individual and group tickets are also available. Individual ticket prices range from $35 to $44. There are no performances on Mondays. For more information or to reserve tickets phone the Peninsula Players box office at 920-868-3287 or visit the website at www.peninsulaplayers.com.