With funds from the state’s arts division, Peterborough Players will look to expand its educational programming.

Victoria Zischke, the theater’s new managing director, said she’s exploring long-term endeavors that would focus on reviving some youth programs, as well as potentially adding new ones.

“We’re very committed to an educational philosophy here,” Zischke said. “What we want to get back to is providing that for the younger members in the community, as well.”

As for how the $13,500 grant will be used, Zischke said she’s exploring several ideas: workshops on acting and technical production, restarting the Theater for Young Audiences initiative and maybe even school tours.

The money from the state’s Division of the Arts is intended to help strengthen New Hampshire’s local arts scene and localities’ “capacity for affordable diverse arts programs,” according to the grant. Gov. Chris Sununu and the Executive Council approved the funding last month.

Peterborough Players currently has a summer internship program, or a “core company,” as Zischke called it, which allows college-age participants to get hands-on experience and learn from more-seasoned technicians. As they return for multiple years, Zischke said Peterborough Players helps them hone their skills at higher and higher levels.

“We are very much about fostering them in learning their role in the theater and where they want to go with their life in the theater,” Zischke said.

To help staff new programs, first on Zischke’s to-do list would be to hire more non-union actors. Peterborough Players has a contract with Actors Equity, which requires them to use a certain number of actors from that union. Zischke said that can limit the roles available for non-union actors, but she wants to provide opportunities to younger people and have them help with educational programs.

She’s considering revamping Theater for Young Audiences, which would put on smaller shows designed for community members to bring their children. Those ended before the pandemic, but Zischke hopes to bring them back; it all comes down to scheduling and “having enough hours in the day,” she said.

Zischke also wants to look into starting school tours, in which the Peterborough Players would take short shows to local schools. This could connect with specific classes or topics, such as the tours she has done focusing on Shakespeare. It would start local to Peterborough, she said, but she’d consider expansion.

Zischke said the new programs are unconfirmed, but would likely be staggered. She hopes to start some in 2026, while the school tours may come later. 

“We just want to make sure that whatever we put into place has longevity attached to it,” Zischke said. “We  want it to be something that is sustainable over  the long term, that if the community real  ly latches onto it  and  really wants it, we don’ t have to disappoint them.”

Charlotte Matherly is the  statehouse reporter for the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript and Concord Monitor in partnership with Report for America. Follow her on X at @charmatherly, or send her an email at cmatherly@cmonitor.com.