For Season 18, Playhouse on Park celebrates the power of discovering what connects us. Across six extraordinary productions, we’ll hear new voices, experience shared stories, and discover the connections that remind us how much we have in common.
From stories of resilience and courage to music, friendship, community, and the search for belonging, this season invites us to laugh together, reflect together, and see the world through another person’s eyes.
by Mark St. Germain
Adapted from the memoir of the same name by Eddie Jaku
Eddie Jaku’s sobering and touching tribute to those lost in the holocaust showcases how one can still be “the happiest man on earth” in spite of tragedy.
Eddie Jaku, a German-Jewish survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp, considers himself "The Happiest Man On Earth", despite losing his family, friends, and country to the Holocaust. In this one-man show, Jaku takes us through the day he was taken by the Nazis and his seven years of imprisonment, up to today, where he is dedicated to sharing the stories of those lost and teaching others how to find the light in the darkness.
by Peter Rothstein
Vocal Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach
The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence arose a silence, then a song. Amid the combat, a German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, and peace. A remarkable true story told in the words and songs of the men who lived it.
by Brian Quijada
Inspired by the journey of up-and-coming writer and composer Brian Quijada’s mother from El Salvador to the US, Somewhere Over the Border follows Reina Quijada’s journey down a very different yellow brick road. As the American Dream beckons, she makes friends, dodges danger, and searches for the almighty "El Gran Coyote" in this nod to L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. With onstage musicians weaving together cumbia, Mexican mariachi, boleros, rock, and hip hop, Quijada tells a tale of bravery and determination born of love for your family.
by Karen Zacarias
Ana is a Type A personality who lives in a letter-perfect world with an adoring husband, the perfect job, and her greatest passion: Book Club. But when her cherished group becomes the focus of a documentary film, their intimate discussions about life and literature take a turn for the hilarious in front of the inescapable camera lens. This buoyant comedy on contemporary culture will have everyone laughing, reflecting, and reading between the lines.

by Greg Banks
with music by Victor Zupanc
Based on the story by Carlo Collodi
This fresh, fast-paced, story-within-a-story retelling of the classic Pinocchio is brought to life by five actors weaving together live instruments, shadow puppetry, and boundless imagination. From the moment Geppetto carves him from a piece of wood, Pinocchio dreams of becoming a real boy. But will the all-too-tempting delights of puppet shows and Playland lead him astray? When Geppetto is swallowed by a whale, it's up to this little puppet to summon his courage and prove that his love for Papa is real—and discover what it truly means to be alive.
“A vital and imaginative take on the familiar tale of a wooden puppet.” - Star Tribune
“By showing kids the strings that hold this theatrical production up … the production tells them not only do ‘you belong here,’ but ‘you are a vital part of the magic '” - Broad Street Review
Adapted by Joseph Robinette
Based on the book by E.B. White
Fern Arable loves little Wilbur, the piglet she rescued from the butcher. But when her father insists he must be sold, Wilbur goes to live on her aunt and uncle's farm, where he meets a barnyard full of quirky animal friends—including a wise spider named Charlotte. When whispers of Christmas dinner begin to spread through the barn, Wilbur and his friends must find a way to save him. This timeless story celebrates the power of friendship, kindness, and hope, reminding us all what it truly means to be "some pig."
90 minutes of laughs! Showtime: 8:00pm
Doors open 30 min. prior to show $20.00, reserved seating BYOB!
CALL THE BOX OFFICE: 860-523-5900 Ext. 10
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