New Hampshire Theatre Project

11/03/2026

DARWiN’S WAiTiNG ROOM
presents
The Pocket Universe
An NHTP Guest Artist Production
Nov 6-22
Fridays at 7:30pm
Saturdays at 4:00pm
Sundays at 2:30pm
TICKETS AVAILABLE: www.nhtheatreproject.org/onstagenow


Sketch comedy beginning this weekend at NHTP!
Enter the many worlds of DARWiN’S WAiTiNG ROOM and be treated to the hilarity of Seacoast talent. Seven writers, nine actors, one theater and a cave man come together to present: The Pocket Universe. Enjoy the comedy of DWR at NHTP Nov. 6-22!

10/29/2026

ONE MORE WEEKEND TO CATCH ACCLAIMED MAINSTAGE DRAMA THE SOUND INSIDE!!

Audiences say:

"That was such a phenomenal performance today! The two extremely gifted actors have given my wife and I so much to think and talk about."

"Soooo good. Never heard of this show before, but I absolutely loved it!"

NHTP MainStage Production
The Sound Inside
by Adam Rapp

Directed by Constance Witman
October 30- 7:30pm
October 31- 4:00pm
November 1- 2:30pm
TICKETS: www.nhtheatreproject.org/onstagenow

New Hampshire Theatre MainStage premieres its 2026-27 Season with the acclaimed drama, The Sound Inside, by Adam Rapp, directed by Constance Witman. A brilliant Ivy League writing professor. A talented yet mysterious student. An unthinkable favor. Everyone has a story – the question is how it ends.

When Bella Baird, an isolated creative writing professor at Yale, begins to mentor a brilliant but enigmatic student named Christopher, the two form an unexpectedly intense bond. As their lives and the stories they tell about themselves become intertwined in unpredictable ways, Bella makes a surprising request of Christopher that neither knows if he can fulfill. Brimming with suspense, Rapp’s riveting play explores the limits of what one person can ask of another.

Starring:
Mairi Chanel - Bella
Viridian Soule - Christopher

Director: Constance Witman
Assistant Director: Heidi Pond
Stage Manager/Lighting Designer: Jess Gero
Set Designer: Rob Prue
Costume Designer: Kayt Prue
Photos by: David Andrew Films

CONTENT WARNING: This show features adult language and themes of su***de and grief - as well as graphic discussion of terminal illness.

SPONSORED BY: JCM Management Company, Kennebunk Savings, and Tim & Mary Barretto

10/28/2026

Auditions coming for Closer at NHTP! Sign up today at the link in the post.

New Hampshire Theatre Project (NHTP) is pleased to announce auditions for the 30th anniversary production of Patrick Marber’s Closer, which will premiere as the opening show of NHTP’s new Project Summer Series. Performances will take place from May 21st to June 6th, 2027. Directed by Todd Hunter, who previously directed NHTP’s acclaimed production of The Shark Is Broken in 2025, Closer delves into the complexities of modern romance.

Auditions will be held at NHTP on Monday, November 9th, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Callbacks will be held on Thursday, November 12th, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. All roles are open to auditioners. RP (or London) accents will be required for performances. Register for auditions at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4FA8A62FA3F4CE9-66746012-nhtp

Characters
* Alice: Ages 18-30
* Dan: Ages 25-35
* Anna: Ages 25-35
* Larry: Ages 35-45

About the Play:
Closer is a powerful exploration of modern romance, where a group of strangers encounter each other, fall in love, and become entangled in a web of sexual desire and betrayal. The play has received critical acclaim, winning the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Foreign Play, the Olivier Award for Best New Play, and the Time Out Award for Best West End Play.
Sides from the play will be provided and are available in PDF format upon request.

10/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for New Hampshire Theatre Project's recent collaboration with The Langdon House, "Victorian Frightful"!
It was a spectacular event full of eerie songs and stories inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, performed in costume by acclaimed storyteller Diane Edgecomb, theater artists Genevieve Aichele and Kathleen Somssich, and musical storyteller Tom Megan. Guests were thrilled by this interactive presentation, enjoying seasonal historical refreshments such as soul cakes and mulled c***r.
This was just the first in NHTP's series of exciting collaborations with The Langdon House! Don't miss An Antebellum Valentine this February, where you can celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day at the Langdon House where Mrs. Anne Ringe Pierce Burroughs welcomes friends and sweethearts for an evening of romance, music, and delectable nibbles inspired by nineteenth century traditions. Tickets and info are always available at www.nhtheatreproject.org/onstagenow

10/20/2026

She Will Lead: Ten Years Later
A Reading of New Work & Community Conversation
October 29
7pm

*** FREE EVENT - REGISTRATION REQUIRED***
Register here: https://portsmouthnh.ticketsauce.com/e/she-will-lead-ten-years-later-a-reading-of-new-wor

Ten years ago, New Hampshire Theatre Project commissioned playwright and director Catherine Stewart to interview millennial voters in the run-up to the 2016 Presidential Election. Those conversations became She Will Lead: Women in Politics, a one-act play that premiered at NHTP in November 2016, weaving contemporary voices with the words of pioneering women who sought the presidency long before a woman appeared at the top of a major-party ticket.
A decade later, Stewart is returning to where the project began and to the conversations that created it.
Throughout October 2026, Stewart will conduct a new series of conversations exploring how our ideas about women, leadership, political participation and ambition have, or haven’t, changed over the past ten years. On Thursday, October 29, audiences are invited to NHTP for a first public reading of material emerging from these new conversations alongside selections from Good Lazy Woman, the full-length play that grew from She Will Lead.
The evening will also revisit the remarkable presidential candidacy speeches of Victoria Claflin Woodhull, Margaret Chase Smith and Shirley Chisholm — words spoken decades apart that continue to resonate with questions at the heart of American political life today.
Come hear the new work as it is being made, revisit a project born at NHTP ten years ago, and join the conversation about women, leadership and democracy in America.

Learn more about Good Lazy Woman at goodlazywoman.com

10/16/2026

AN INTIMATE MASTERWORK ARRIVES ON THE SEACOAST:
NEW HAMPSHIRE THEATRE PROJECT OPENS THE SOUND INSIDE THIS FRIDAY

Adam Rapp's Broadway-Acclaimed, Tony-Nominated Drama Comes to Portsmouth for a Strictly Limited Run — Don't Miss Your Chance

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — New Hampshire Theatre Project (NHTP) opens its 2026-27 Season with its MainStage Production of The Sound Inside by Adam Rapp this Friday, October 16, at its intimate black-box space in Portsmouth. The production runs for a strictly limited engagement through November 1, with performances Friday through Sunday. Tickets are on sale now and availability is limited.

A STORY THAT GETS UNDER YOUR SKIN

The Sound Inside is a gripping, 90-minute psychological drama with two actors — no intermission, no distraction, just two extraordinary performances and the quiet devastation of Rapp's language. When Bella Baird, an isolated and accomplished creative writing professor at Yale, begins to mentor Christopher, a brilliant but enigmatic student, an unexpected and intensely personal bond forms between them. As their lives and the stories they tell about themselves become dangerously intertwined, Bella makes a surprising request of Christopher — one that neither of them knows if he can fulfill.
Brimming with suspense, mortality, and the aching mystery of human connection, The Sound Inside is one of the most celebrated American plays of the last decade. It is a story about writers, about loneliness, about what we ask of the people we trust most — and what we are willing to do for them.

WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING

"A gripping mystery. An astonishing new play."
— The New York Times

"A stunning character study of someone you'd like to know."
— Variety

"A gorgeous piece of theatre."
— New York Daily News

"90 uninterrupted minutes of tension... it's about writers: the kind of people who in weaving stories are often in danger of unraveling themselves."
— The New York Times

Awards & Recognition:
● Nominated for Six 2020 Tony Awards, including Best Play
● 2019 New York Times Critic's Pick
● Named among "Best of the Year" by Time, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, and The Hollywood Reporter

FROM THE ARTISTIC TEAM

"This is an incredibly important season for us at New Hampshire Theatre Project. We have made big decisions about the future of our organization recently, and now, this 2026-2027 Season is a pretty landmark moment for us, as we set sail for the future. I had been looking for a season opener that embodied some of what NHTP is about - thought-provoking, conversation-starting, deeply interesting theatre - and found The Sound Inside to be a beautiful choice to do just that. Never could I have imagined what this cast and this team would achieve with it, though. Spectacular work from all involved, and a stunning NHTP directorial debut for Constance Witman.
— Sean Robinson, Executive Artistic Director, NHTP

"There's a quote in the play by Dostoevsky: 'We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, who begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word is spoken.' I think that life is all about connection. This play is about that immediate connection on all types of levels - intellectually, physically. We’re all just looking for somebody to connect to..."
— Constance Witman, Director, The Sound Inside

"For me, The Sound Inside is about the stories we construct to survive, and the rupture that occurs when someone else steps into that narrative. It pushes audiences to confront the boundaries of empathy and the cost of vulnerability. This play doesn’t offer answers, rather it offers questions you carry home with you. You feel the tension, the tenderness, and the ache of this relationship, and the story lingers because it asks us to consider the choices we make when we think no one is watching."
--- Heidi Pond, Assistant Director, The Sound Inside

THEATRE THAT DEMANDS TO BE SEEN

New Hampshire Theatre Project has been a beacon of professional, high-quality theatre in Portsmouth since 1988, and in its home - a 47-seat black box where the audience is never much more than arms' reach from the action - NHTP is uniquely positioned to deliver The Sound Inside at its most affecting. In a space this size, there is nowhere to hide: the performances, the language, and the story land with full force.

The Sound Inside is not a play to wait on. Seacoast audiences who love bold, intelligent, emotionally resonant theatre should secure their seats now.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Production:
The Sound Inside
by Adam Rapp

Presented by:
New Hampshire Theatre Project

Sponsored by:
JCM Management Company
Kennebunk Savings
Tim & Mary Barretto

Venue:
959 Islington Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Opening Night:
Friday, October 16, 2026

Closing Night:
November 1, 2026

Performance Schedule:
Fridays at 7:30 PM
Saturdays at 4:00 PM
Sundays at 2:30 PM
Running Time: 100 min, no intermission

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: https://portsmouthnhtickets.com/?org=67a27f92-6e98-47a1-8542-25b60a1e63a6

ALL PHOTOS BY DAVID ANDREW FILMS

10/15/2026

Yes/And
A six-week improvisation course for anyone
Tuesdays 6pm-8pm
10/20-11/24

REGISTER HERE: https://nhtp-reg.brtapp.com/YESANDASixWeekImprovisationCourseforAnyone102026112426

Yes/And is built around the single habit that makes improvisation work: accept what's actually happening, then build on it. It sounds small. It isn't. Most of us spend more energy blocking, correcting, and redirecting than we realize — in conversations, in meetings, in our own heads. This course takes that one habit apart, practices it in a room full of playful, physical exercises, and sends you back into your week with something to notice.
You don't need to be funny. You don't need to be an actor. You just need to be willing to listen a little harder than usual.

Each session opens with a vocal and physical warm-up, then moves into games and scene work that build on each other over six weeks — starting with presence and agreement, moving through voice, character, and storytelling, and ending not with a performance, but with a conversation about what actually changed. There's no showcase, no audience, no pressure to be good in front of anyone. Just six weeks of practice.

By the end, you'll have spent real time on skills that don't stay in the room: listening without already composing your response, staying present when you don't know what's next, and building with the people around you instead of going it alone.

What to Expect
Six weekly two-hour sessions in a supportive, low-pressure space. No performance experience required, no comedy background needed, no showcase at the end — just consistent practice that compounds week over week.

Details
Cost: $175
Class size: capped at 12 participants
Ages: adults only (18+)
What to wear: something comfortable to move around in
Who It's For
Anyone curious about improv. Anyone who wants to listen and collaborate better. Anyone looking for two hours a week that feel like genuine play. You don’t need to be "creative" or "outgoing" — just willing to show up and try something.

Your Coach
Harry Prichett was a member of both the touring and main-stage companies of Chicago City Limits, one of NYC's longest-running improv comedy shows. He was a co-founder of Radio-Active Theatre, an interactive, improvisational comedy show performed live onstage and broadcast on radio. He has studied with the Manhattan Punchline Theatre, Chicago City Limits, First Amendment, the Magnet Theatre, the Groundlings, the PIT, UCB, and Aretha Sills, all in NYC. He has taught improvisation to children, adults, and corporate executives.

10/14/2026

New Hampshire Theatre Project (NHTP) is pleased to announce auditions for the 30th anniversary production of Patrick Marber’s Closer, which will premiere as the opening show of NHTP’s new Project Summer Series. Performances will take place from May 21st to June 6th, 2027. Directed by Todd Hunter, who previously directed NHTP’s acclaimed production of The Shark Is Broken in 2025, Closer delves into the complexities of modern romance.

Auditions will be held at NHTP on Monday, November 9th, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Callbacks will be held on Thursday, November 12th, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. All roles are open to auditioners. RP (or London) accents will be required for performances. Register for auditions at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4FA8A62FA3F4CE9-66746012-nhtp

Characters
* Alice: Ages 18-30
* Dan: Ages 25-35
* Anna: Ages 25-35
* Larry: Ages 35-45

About the Play:
Closer is a powerful exploration of modern romance, where a group of strangers encounter each other, fall in love, and become entangled in a web of sexual desire and betrayal. The play has received critical acclaim, winning the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Foreign Play, the Olivier Award for Best New Play, and the Time Out Award for Best West End Play.
Sides from the play will be provided and are available in PDF format upon request.

10/13/2026

This Friday night!! NHTP opens its 2026-2027 MainStage Season with the New Hampshire premiere of critically acclaimed psychological thriller The Sound Inside by Adam Rapp, directed by Constance Witman.

Get your tickets now at: https://portsmouthnhtickets.com/?org=67a27f92-6e98-47a1-8542-25b60a1e63a6

Intense, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, The Sound Inside is the story of Bella Baird, an isolated creative writing professor at Yale, who begins to mentor a brilliant but enigmatic student named Christopher, forming an unexpectedly intense bond. As their lives and the stories they tell about themselves become intertwined in unpredictable ways, Bella makes a surprising request of Christopher that neither knows if he can fulfill. Rapp’s riveting play explores the limits of what one person can ask of another. Everyone has a story - the question is how it ends.

10/05/2026

HIRING NOW:
New Hampshire Theatre Project Seeks Assistant Development Manager

Assistant Development Manager

LOCATION Portsmouth NH
JOB TYPE Part-time
SALARY TYPE Hourly
SALARY $30/hour, approximately 10 hours/week

About the Organization
New Hampshire Theatre Project (NHTP) is an applied theatre company, using the craft of theatre and creative play to address real world problems, spark conversations, connect individuals, and strengthen communities. Created in 1988, NHTP has continued to use the process of theatre to create revelatory
experiences for individuals and communities across New England and beyond. NHTP operates out of our 50-seat black box theater on Islington Street in Portsmouth, with three main areas of programming:
MainStage Productions onsite, including the Playreading For Grownups Series and guest artists; Theatre For Life professional development and training programs delivered onsite and throughout New England;
and the award-winning Elephant-in-the-Room Series® which tours throughout New Hampshire and beyond.

About the Job

DESCRIPTION
This is a part-time position, based in Portsmouth, with the opportunity for growth. The Assistant Development Manager will work with the Director of Community Engagement to learn the management of NHTP’s current development activities. Flexible hours, some can be remote, occasional evening or weekend hours for events may be required.
Supervision:
The Assistant Development Manager will report to the Director of Community Engagement.

MAJOR DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
• Help lead the campaigns that fuel our mission, including our winter appeal, sponsorships, NH Gives, and major gifts, and see firsthand how generosity becomes theatre that changes lives.
• Be the steady hand behind every gift. Whether it arrives as a check, an online donation, a sponsorship, a DAF, or a matching gift, you’ll record it promptly and accurately so every contribution counts.
• Manage the tax acknowledgment process, making sure every donor receives an accurate, timely, IRS-compliant record of their support.
• Write the thank you letters that turn a gift into a relationship, showing individuals, businesses, and foundations the difference they’ve made.
• Serve as a liaison to Artisan Business Solutions, helping to grant opportunities moving forward.
• Keep our gift records organized and reliable, in both electronic and paper form, so every donor relationship is built on a strong foundation.
• Partner with our staff and board to create donor events, fundraising experiences, and stewardship that bring people closer to the work they make possible.
• Grow with our team through regular staff meetings, training, and supervisory sessions, and bring your part to a workplace where people genuinely support one another.
• Track and report your hours accurately and on time using the tools we provide.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
• Maintain donor confidentiality.
• Consistently meet deadlines and maintain accurate constituent records.
• Assist in maintaining NHTP’s reputation for excellence in the community and work to ensure positive relations between donors and NHTP.
• Understand, believe, and advocate for the mission of NHTP.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
• Ability to work on a team as well as accomplish tasks independently and take direction.
• Capable of working with diverse constituents and both internal and external teams and partners
• Ability to work under deadlines.
• Detail-oriented, organized, able to handle multiple projects at once and be productive in a fast-paced environment.
• Communication & Writing: Strong basic writing and communication skills with a genuine passion for storytelling and illustrating NHTP’s impact.
• Creative Tools: Experience with Canva and a comfortable working knowledge of social media platforms is a plus.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Proficient (or ability to learn) Little Green Light or similar donor database system.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Suite, Zoom and willingness to learn other emerging technologies.
• Experience in supporting a non-profit advancement/development office.

Submit your cover letter and resume by email to: [email protected]