Peterborough Players to Stage MASS APPEAL and STEEL MAGNOLIAS This Winter

Fresh off the heals of the successful run of The Santaland Diaries in December, the Peterborough Players Inaugural Winter Season returns to the stage in February for the final two shows of the season.

Mass Appeal by Bill C Davis takes to the stage on February 1. Starring Gus Kaikkonen and Adam Sowers, directed by Keith Stevens, Mass Appeal is "a tender comedy about the meaning and power of both secular and religious love". It tells of the close and often times comedic Friendship between Father Tim Farley and an idealistic young seminarian, Mark Dolan. Mark challenges both Fr. Farley's humorous sermons and some long held traditions of the Church leading to a conflict that raises difficult questions for both men: What is the price of honesty? How far do ends justify means? Mass Appeal runs February 1-11.

The season closes in with Robert Harling's classic play, Steel Magnolias featuring Lisa Bostnar, Alycia Kunkle, Katelyn Manfre, Kathy Manfre, Brenny Rabine and Pamela White, directed by Gus Kaikkonen. Six strong Southern women gather weekly at Truvy's beauty shop, where all the ladies who are anybody go to have their hair done. Full of heart and humor, the play is a funny and moving story of love, loss, and enduring friendship. Playwright Robert Harling said "...while gorgeous, magnolias are fragile and bruise easily-qualities often attributed to Southern women. My extraordinary life experiences with my sister and mother showed me that women are indeed gorgeous, but their lives can be fragile. But underneath, they possess a tensile strength stronger than anything I could ever muster." Steel Magnolias runs February 15-26.

"Our patrons and supporters have been asking us to expand our season for some time now," says Artistic Director Gus Kaikkonen. "Based on our many conversations the consensus was that February in the Monadnock Region was ripe for some added excitement. We are eager to present these plays as part of our inaugural Winter Season and hope this will become an annual undertaking."

Single tickets are $39 and a 6-ticket flex pass can be purchased for $180. Both options are on sale now.

For more information on the Peterborough Players Inaugural Winter Season, call the box office at 603-924-7585 or visit online at www.peterboroughplayers.org. The Peterborough Players is located at 55 Hadley Rd in Peterborough, NH.

The Peterborough Players, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, has been providing professional theatre to audiences since 1933.