Sturgeon Bay, WI (January 20, 2026) – Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) announces the eleventh annual WinterWorks Play Reading Series in the Steve & Jackie Kane Theatre at Third Avenue PlayWorks, 239 N 3rd Avenue in downtown Sturgeon Bay, featuring four contemporary plays to run each Saturday in February at 7:30 p.m.
February 7, 2026: Topher Payne’s The Perfect Arrangement
Directed by Ray Jivoff
It’s 1950, and new colors are being added to the Red Scare. Two U.S. State Department employees, Bob and Norma, have been tasked with identifying sexual deviants within their ranks. There’s just one problem: Both Bob and Norma are gay, and have married each other’s partners as a carefully constructed cover. Inspired by the true story of the earliest stirrings of the American gay rights movement, madcap classic sitcom-style laughs give way to provocative drama as two “All-American” couples are forced to stare down the closet door.
February 14, 2026: Tate Hanyok’s Dog Mom
Directed by Mallory Metoxen
Liz is a tough-as-nails New Yorker with a life falling apart faster than her morning bagel. When a scruffy stray dog shows up on her stoop, Liz — the least dog person on the planet — reluctantly agrees to foster it. This temporary inconvenience quickly turns into a heartwarming and hilarious journey of self-discovery. Who says you can’t teach an old dog (or a stubborn New Yorker) new tricks? In the city that never sleeps, it sometimes takes an unexpected friend to wake up what truly matters and that the most loyal friends find each other when they need it most.
February 21, 2026: Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon’s The Shark is Broken
Directed by Jacob Janssen
The first summer blockbuster movie is being filmed—but no one working on the film would know it. Dive deep into the tumultuous, murky waters of the making of a major motion picture with testy, feuding costars, unpredictable weather, and a shark prop whose constant breakdowns are looking like an omen for the future of the movie. In this comedy co-written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, the short tempers of Jaws stars Robert Shaw (father of co-writer Ian), Richard Dreyfuss, and Roy Scheider take center stage as they bond, argue, drink, gamble, and pray for an end to the shoot, not knowing it will change their lives forever.
February 28, 2026: Donald Margulies’s Lunar Eclipse
Directed by Sophie Widman
George has been waiting for this night—the seven stages of a lunar eclipse are viewable from the farm that he shares with his wife, Em, and she decides to join him in taking in the view. As the couple has been married for decades, they know how to take care of each other, needle one another, and offer each other the companionship that has made their lives so full while the world has given them great chasms of emptiness. Tender, loving, and hopeful, Lunar Eclipse looks for answers in the stars to help us find meaning on this earth.
There is no admission fee, but donations are welcome. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Concessions will be available before each reading in the WinterWorks series.
For more information about the 2026 WinterWorks Play Reading Series, visit https://thirdavenueplayworks.org/project/winterworks/.
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ABOUT THIRD AVENUE PLAYWORKS
Located in downtown Sturgeon Bay, Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) presents riveting performances of comedies, dramas, and musicals in the Steve and Jackie Kane Theatre. This unique 124-seat space brings audiences face-to-face with powerful stories by creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible. With its ever-growing reputation, varied educational opportunities, and long-standing presence in the community, TAP is an integral part of Door County’s vibrant arts scene. TAP is Door County’s premier year-round professional theatre. For more information, visit thirdavenueplayworks.org.