CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION to Open at Hackmatack Playhouse This Summer

This summer, Hackmatack Farm + Playhouse invites audiences to experience Circle Mirror Transformation, the second theatrical production in its 2026 season, on stage July 24 – August 1.

Circle Mirror Transformation, by Annie Baker, is a quietly funny and deeply human play that follows five strangers who sign up for a community center acting class in a small Vermont town. Through awkward warm-ups, improv games, and unexpected personal revelations, the group forms connections they never anticipated. What begins as a simple class becomes a tender exploration of vulnerability, identity, and the small but meaningful ways we change each other. Both humorous and touching, Circle Mirror Transformation shows how ordinary people come to understand themselves and one another in surprising ways.

Leading the creative team are Director Wanda Strukus and Scenic Designer Dane Leeman. 

For Strukus, the heart of the play lies in its ability to remind audiences why theatre matters.”If you've ever heard someone say, “Theater changed my life,” and wondered what they meant, if you've had your own life-changing experience with theater, or if you're secretly longing to tap into whatever it is that makes us gloriously (and sometimes awkwardly) human, this play is a warm and loving gift to you”

Strukus highlights the close-knit atmosphere of the theatre class, inviting audiences to observe the story from a unique perspective. “This production is extra special because our design team is creating the “community center” location of the play not on the stage, but in the center of the Hackmatack barn, tapping into the rich history of Hackmatack as a community space that hosts not just theater but contra dances, farm dinners, music, family programming, and special events. The architecture, 50+ year history, and atmosphere of the barn all play a role in creating this magical world.”