Peninsula Players Pre-Show Seminar Features Playwright Paul Slade Smith

Fish Creek, Wis. (July 15, 2024) — Playwright and actor Paul Slade Smith will lead a pre-show seminar at Peninsula Players Theatre on Wednesday, July 24, at 6:30 p.m., in conjunction with the Midwest premiere of his comedy “The Angel Next Door,” adapted from “Play at the Castle” by Ferenc Molnár.

General admission seating will begin prior to the seminar; no tickets are necessary. Tickets are available for the 8:00 p.m. performance following the seminar. Pre-show seminars at Peninsula Players Theatre are free events for the public as a commitment to educate and serve its community at large.  

Smith has a successful history with Peninsula Players Theatre, where his first play, “Unnecessary Farce,” had its second production and his next play, “The Outsider” (originally titled “A Real Lulu”), received its world premiere. His plays have collectively had nearly 500 productions and have been translated into French, German, Swiss and Icelandic. “Unnecessary Farce” alone has been produced in Australia, Austria, Canada, Great Britain, Iceland, Japan, Singapore and Switzerland.

Smith also performed at Peninsula Players Theatre in its 2012 production of “Chicago,” portraying Mr. Cellophane, Amos Hart. He also performed in “Sunday in the Park with George,” “The Nerd,” “Once A Ponzi Time” and “The Game’s Afoot.”   Smith performed in the Broadway production of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” as the original Grandpa George and performed the roles of Grandpa Joe and Willy Wonka as their understudy. In 2019, Smith toured Australia as Willy Wonka and received a Helpmann Award nomination for his portrayal of the candy maker.  He also performed the roles of Mr. Henshaw, Charles Frohman and Captain James Hook in Broadway’s “Finding Neverland.”  His additional credits include the 2018 Lincoln Center revival of “My Fair Lady,” the US national tours of “Wicked” (Doctor Dillamond), “My Fair Lady” (Jaime), ​and “The Phantom of the Opera.” 

Pre-show seminars will also be held on:

• Thursday, August 8 – Paul Sowinski, bass and vocals for Big Mouth & the Power Tool Horns

• Thursday, August 29, 2024 – Mauricio Kilwein Guevara, poet, educator and more

• Friday, October 11 – Dr. Christopher Chan, Agatha Christie expert. This Autumn Pre-Show Seminar will begin at 5:30 p.m. 

“The Angel Next Door” will conclude its run on July 28 at 2:00 p.m.  Performances are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 p.m., except for Sunday, July 28 at 2:00 p.m.   In the autumn, curtain times change for the run of “The Stranger” by Agatha Christie to Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:00 p.m. except for Sundays, September 8 and October 20 at 2:00 p.m.  The audience pavilion’s side panels, doors and vents will remain open throughout summer. Patrons should dress for the weather and be prepared for shifting temperatures and breezes off the bay.