Production Archive
2025 -2026
THE WAVERLY GALLERY
May 7 - 24, 2026
by Kenneth Lonergan
Directed by Bill Coons
SYNOPSIS
Gladys, the elderly matriarch of the Green family, has run an art gallery in a small Greenwich Village hotel for many years. The management wants to replace her less-than-thriving gallery with a coffee shop. Always irascible but now increasingly erratic, Gladys is a cause of concern to her daughter, her son-in-law, and her grandson, from whose point of view this poignant memory play is told. A wacky and heartrending look at the effect of senility on a family.
THE CAST
Marina Re as Gladys Green
Isaac Hickox-Young as Daniel Reed
Ernest Daniel Fleischer as Don Bowman
Celeste Ciulla as Ellen Fine
Claude Choukrane as Howard Fine
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Stage Manger: Ben Montmagny
Set Design: Craig Mowery
Costume Design: Martie Betts
Lighting Design: Clif Rogers
Sound Design: Ben Montmagny
Scenic Painter: Abbey Goodrich
REVIEWS
"I don’t remember when I have seen such a powerful performance as that of Marina Re in an equally compelling play… This performance is now in my brain’s file (may it have a long and robust life) of unforgettable experiences."
– Susan Apel, Artful
"[Marina] Re and Celeste Ciulla gave standout performances at Saturday’s show. I was impressed by the nuance the brilliant Marina Re brought to Green, who was funny and at times tragic without ever veering into caricature… Ciulla’s performance contained similar depth.
"If the subject matter makes you squeamish, and you are unsure if this is the play for you, I give you a reason, oh, a magnificent reason to catch “The Waverly Gallery”... and that reason is Marina Re. Re, as Gladys, is the heart and soul of this production. She makes you believe that Gladys is more than a fictionalized creation of Lonergan’s own grandmother, and a performance of a clever actor. No, in Re, we have someone who transforms Gladys into a fully realized vision before our very eyes, going through the various stages of Alzheimer’s as real and true as anyone who has been afflicted with the condition. The part, for sure, is a great one."
– James Kent, Mountain Times
"Coons, founder and artistic director of Shaker Bridge Theatre, has never turned away from a trying tale. Known for choosing controversial and thought-provoking plays, 'The Waverly Gallery' fits perfectly into the rest of Shaker Bridge’s season."
– Emma Stanton, Vermont Standard
"The Waverly was outstanding, probably best of season. And Marina Re's performance was one of the best, if not the best, in the history of Shaker Bridge! With several relatives who have suffered dementia we could readily relate to the character's suffering through the impossible loss of a family member. And Bill's direction was obvious...direction that made each word and move real. Congratulations on another wonderful season. We have already purchased next season's tickets."
– G & C Daniels
Photo Credit: Caitlin Gomes Photography
SEMINAR
March 26 - April 12, 2026
by Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Kent Burnham
SYNOPSIS
A provocative comedy from Pulitzer Prize nominee Theresa Rebeck (most Broadway-produced female playwright), four aspiring young novelists sign up for private writing classes with Leonard, an international literary figure. Under his recklessly brilliant and unorthodox instruction, some thrive and others flounder, alliances are made and broken, sex is used as a weapon, and hearts are unmoored. The wordplay is not the only thing that turns vicious as innocence collides with experience in this biting comedy.
THE CAST
Brooke Friday as Izzy
Xavier Markey-Smith as Martin
Ben Pereira as Douglas
Tim Rush as Leonard
Leah Schwartz as Kate
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Stage Manger: Ben Montmagny
Intimacy / Fight Director: Caitlin Durkin
Set Design: Craig Mowery
Costume Design: Martie Betts
Lighting Design: Clif Rogers
Sound Design: Ben Montmagny
Scenic Painter: Abbey Goodrich
REVIEWS
"'Seminar' invites audiences into a bold, intimate experience of live theatre... Sharp Directing and a talented cast make Theresa Rebeck's 'Seminar' a smart investment... Ben Pereira puts forth a delightful Douglas, a pompous, over educated, stuffy writer whose connections have gotten him further than his talent has..."
- James Kent, Mountain Times
"I enjoyed playwright Theresa Rebeck’s clever, profane dialogue and literary in-jokes... Kate emerges as a moralizing force... Leah Scwartz gives Kate the necessary mixture of spunk and gravitas... "
- Alex Hanson, Valley News
"Theresa Rebeck skewers the essence of her characters well as in the dialogue with which the characters skewer each other...
There is much to sink your teeth into in this vibrantly-acted production... Leah Schwartz excellent as Kate, the cool Bennington grad with the family-owned mega-apartmen the Upper East Side. Martin (Xavier Markey-Smith) is spot-on as the unsure, earnes hugger of the rooms edge... Brooke Friday as Izzy leans into her role of seductress with flashing legs and eyes. Ben Pereira convincingly portrays Douglas, that guy who all try to avoid at the cocktail party or anywhere else, adept as he is with his custom word salad. Leonard played to perfection by Tim Rush, he is the older, previously hot big thing in the literary world, and he hasbeen hired by the group to critique their writing and lead them to success.
- Susan Apel, Artful
"'Seminar' sets out to challenge the characters, the actors, and perhaps most of all the audience. This play challenges our assumptions about art..."
- Emma Stanton, Vermont Standard
Photo Credit: Caitlin Gomes Photography
FOOL FOR LOVE
January 22 - February 8, 2026
by Sam Shepard
Directed by Adrian Wattenmaker
SYNOPSIS
Holed up in a stark motel room on the edge of the Mojave Desert, two former lovers unpack the deep secrets and dark desires of their tangled relationship, passionately tearing each other apart. Beaten down by ill-fated love and a ruthless struggle for identity, can they ultimately live with, or without, each other? Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Sam Shepard (True West, Buried Child, Curse of the Starving Class) brings us an explosive intense landmark myth of the new Wild West.
THE CAST
Mark S. Cartier as Old Man
Sara Killough as May
Nick Sweetland as Martin
Jacob A. Ware as Eddie
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Stage Manger: Ben Montmagny
Intimacy / Fight Director: Joe Isenberg
Set Design: Craig Mowery
Costume Design: Martie Betts
Lighting Design: Brian Kenyon & Clif Rogers
Sound Design: Ben Montmagny
Scenic Painter: Abbey Goodrich
Headlights: Julianne Borger
REVIEWS
"It's a deeply thought-provoking experience from start to finish."
- Emma Stanton, Vermont Standard
"The Shaker Bridge production leans into the drama without coming off cheap, instead honoring the humanity of Shepard's characters."
- Marion Umpleby, Valley News
"[Sarah Killough] is a power is a powerful force in every scene... The solid performances in the Shaker Bridge Theatre production crackle with tension. I recommend seeing this production and its solid potrayals of characters down to their very last chance."
- Alex Brown, Seven Days
"[Jacob A Ware's] energy, at times, transcends acting into a space that feels rooted in reality."
- James Kent, Mountain Times
Photo Credit: Caitlin Gomes Photography
DEAR JACK, DEAR LOUISE
December 4 - 21, 2025
by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Bill Coons
SYNOPSIS
U.S. Army Captain Jack Ludwig, a military doctor stationed in Oregon, begins writing to Louise Rabiner, an aspiring actress and dancer in New York City, hoping to meet her someday if the war will allow. But as the war continues, it threatens to end their relationship before it even starts. Two-time Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig (Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Lend Me a Tenor) tells the heartwarming story of his parents’ courtship during World War II and the results are anything but expected. A joyous story for all to enjoy this holiday season!
THE CAST
Tommy Crawford as Jack
Allie Seibold as Louise
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Stage Manger: Clif Rogers
Set Design: Craig Mowery
Costume Design: Martie Betts
Lighting Design: Clif Rogers
Sound Design: Bill Coons & Clif Rogers
Scenic Painter: Abbey Goodrich
REVIEWS
"Smartly staged and acted... Director Bill Coons adroitly wrings out the story’s warmth and pathos... Shaker Bridge is doing what the small company does best — putting ordinary human warmth in the foreground and hard times in the background. It might be just the kind of story we need in this cold, dark season."
- Alex Hanson, Valley News
“They don’t make ‘em like that anymore. Romances, that is... It is sweet, without being saccharine, from the get-go."
- Susan Apel, Artful
“Shaker Bridge Theatre’s production is a chance to watch the fine miracle of two people amazed to discover each other... Crawford and Seibold achieve exquisite timing in this duet. Director Coons pulls viewers into connection with the characters through pace and humor."
- Alex Brown, Seven Days
Photo Credit: Caitlin Gomes Photography
EUREKA DAY
October 2 - 19, 2025
by Jonathan Spector
Directed by Bill Coons
SYNOPSIS
The Eureka Day School in Berkeley, California, is a bastion of progressive ideals: representation, acceptance, social justice. In weekly meetings Eureka Day’s five board members develop and update policy to preserve this culture of inclusivity, reaching decisions only by consensus. But when a mumps outbreak threatens the Eureka community, facts become subjective and every solution divisive, leaving the school’s leadership to confront the central question of our time: How do you build consensus when no one can agree on truth?
THE CAST
Gordon Clapp as Don
Danielle Cohen as Suzanne
Stephanie Jeane as Meiko
Jammie Patton as Carina
Jon Protas as Eli
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Production Stage Manger: Clif Rogers
Rehearsal Stage Manager: Ben Montmagny
Set Design: Craig Mowery
Costume Design: Martie Betts
Lighting Design & Projections: Clif Rogers
Sound Design: Bill Coons & Clif Rogers
Scenic Painter: Abbey Goodrich
REVIEWS
"Shaker Bridge production of Eureka Day reminds us exactly why theater is so essential... For those wishing to have their perspectives challenged, their thoughts broadened, and their hearts expanded, look no further than Shaker Bridge Theatre’s Eureka Day.”
- Emma Stanton, Vermont Standard
"If you want a fresh look at what the erosion of faith in science means in the day-to-day, and are willing (or eager) to accept a witty skewering of the uber-politically correct, jump into this engaging and very funny fray."
- Susan B Apel, Artful
"Eureka Day, an incisive comedy now up at Shaker Bridge Theatre... Thursday’s show was full of jabs at liberal PC culture coupled with thoughtful and complex performances from a standout cast."
- Marion Umpleby, Valley News
Photo Credit: Caitlin Gomes Photography
2024 -2025
MAYTAG VIRGIN
May 8 - 25, 2025
by Audrey Cefaly
Directed by Jammie Patton
SYNOPSIS
Alabama school teacher Lizzy Nash and her new neighbor, Jack Key, have lost their spouses and now find themselves living next door with their back porches and lives staring each other in the face. Two new neighbors put their hearts and laundry on the line and wonder if good clotheslines make good neighbors. As a year passes, kept secrets shake loose and they find themselves wondering if they are ready to live and love again. Laughter, love and laundry.
THE CAST
Napiera Groves Boykin as Elizabeth "Lizzy" Nash
Greg Alverez Reid as Jack Key
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Production Stage Manger: Clif Rogers
Set Design: Craig Mowery
Costume Design: Martie Betts
Lighting Design & Projections: Clif Rogers
Sound Design: Bill Coons & Clif Rogers
Scenic Painter: Abbey Goodrich
REVIEWS
"Heart, humor, and healing fuel Shaker Bridge Theatre’s production of ‘Maytag Virgin’."
- James Kent, Mountain Times
"The actors both have spot-on comedic timing, but they really shine in the dramatic moments in Act II, when they reflect on their long marriages and the loss they each live with. Is romance even possible? “Beach walks . . .,” says Lizzy, recalling a past young love, “they don’t mean anything. They should, but they don’t."
- Susan Apel, Artful
"Gems were sprinkled throughout the play’s two hour run. Lizzy in particular gained new dimensions that Groves Boykin approached with empathy and heart.. The awkwardness that Alverez Reid and Groves Boykin brought to Jack and Lizzy felt
appropriate, as both their characters are grappling with the scary prospect of making themselves vulnerable
again."
- Marion Umpleby, Valley News
Photo Credit: Caitlin Gomes Photography
THE EFFECT
January 23 - February 9, 2025
by Lucy Prebble
Directed by Bill Coons
SYNOPSIS
Connie and Tristan have palpable chemistry - or is it a side effect of a new antidepressant? They are volunteers in a clinical trial, but their sudden and illicit romance forces the supervising doctors to face off over the ethical consequences of their work. The Effect takes on our pill-popping culture with humor and scintillating drama.
THE CAST
Sophia Grasso as Connie
Susan Haefner as Dr. Lorna James
Haulston Mann as Tristan
Tim Rus as Dr. Toby Sealey
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Production Stage Manger: Clif Rogers
Set Design: Craig Mowery
Costume Design: Martie Betts
Lighting Design: Clif Rogers
Sound Design: Bill Coons & Clif Rogers
Scenic Painter: Abbey Goodrich
REVIEWS
"In a powerfully focused production, the play rises above its clever premise to intrigue viewers by exposing the core of human emotion."
- Alex Brown, Seven Days
"The show has the expert timing of an Agatha Christie Story, a credit to Prebble's writing and Coon's direction. Mann and Grosso display impressive mastery of their characters."
- Marion Umpleby, Valley News
"Shaker Bridges' excellent ensemble acting is what makes this production so satisfying. Grasso's Connie and Mann's Tristan act and interact so comfortably that both the romance and its troubles seem inevitable. Haefner has the Herculean task of delivering the depths of the play's most complex character, Dr. James, which she does with expertise and sympathy. Rush gives dimension to the cad Dr. Healey - which is a challenge... 'The Effect' is compelling theater expertly performed and produced - and it's a lot of fun too."
- Jim Lowe, Rutland Herald / Times Argus
Photo Credit: Caitlin Gomes Photography
THE WICKHAMS: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY
December 5 - 22, 2024
by Lauren Gunderson & Margot Melcon
Directed by Bill Coons
SYNOPSIS
A yuletide sequel to Pride And Prejudice. In the downstairs servants’ quarters Mrs. Reynolds, a no-nonsense housekeeper; Cassie, an eager new maid; and Brian, a lovesick footman, are bustling with preparations for holiday guests. But their work is interrupted by the midnight arrival of the definitely not invited Mr. Wickham - Lydia’s rogue of a husband and Mr. Darcy’s sworn enemy. A charming holiday tale that explores the confines of class and the generosity of forgiveness.
THE CAST
Julianne Borger as Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy
Danielle Cohen as Mrs. Reynollds
Seth Eliser as Brian
Dory Psomas as Lydia Wickham
Allie Seibold as Cassie
Noor Taher as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy
Isaac Hickox-Young as George Wickham
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Production Stage Manger: Clif Rogers
Set Design: Craig Mowery
Costume Design: Martie Betts
Lighting Design: Clif Rogers
Sound Design: Bill Coons & Clif Rogers
Scenic Painter: Abbey Goodrich
REVIEW
"This is a thoroughly enjoyable play. The acting is so good - each and every actor is excellent, costumes great, the set - you feel like you're right there, downstairs in the servants' quarters of Pemberley! Every aspect is noteworthy and spirit lifting!
Don't miss it!"
-A. McLaughlin
Photo Credit: Caitlin Gomes Photography
THE THANKSGIVING PLAY
September 26 - October 13, 2024
by Larissa FastHorse
Directed by Bill Coons
SYNOPSIS
Good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in Larissa FastHorse’s wickedly funny satire, as a troupe of terminally woke teaching artists scrambles to create an elementary school pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month without ruffling any feathers. What could possibly go wrong? Just about everything. Rambunctious, thorny and not altogether politically correct, The Thanksgiving Play serves up the hypocrisies of woke America on a big, family-style, platter. Come get ya some.
THE CAST
Michael Stewart Allen as Jaxton
Amy Hutchins as Logan
Scott Sweatt as Caden
Laura Woyasz as Alicia
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Production Stage Manger: Clif Rogers
Set Design: Craig Mowery
Costume Design: Martie Betts
Lighting Design: Clif Rogers
Sound Design: Bill Coons & Clif Rogers
Scenic Painter: Abbey Goodrich
REVIEW
"Buzzing with an energy... Could it be that a play like this one will change how the nation thinks about this cherished holiday?"
- Alex Hanson, Valley News
Photo Credit: Caitlin Gomes Photography