Each year from June to September, audiences in Southern Vermont and the surrounding region have a unique opportunity to see world-class theatre in their own backyards. The Dorset Theatre Festival, currently in its 48th season, is a regionally and nationally-renowned organization playing a crucial role in the greater ecosystem of the American theatre. But for a company known for sending productions to New York and beyond, Dorset’s 2025 season is something more intimate: less about destination, more about origin.
In spotlighting the power of familial connection—whether by serendipity or design—the Festival’s 2025 mainstage season has become a living, breathing exploration of kinship both onstage and off. From married co-stars to multi-generational acting trios, the season is a celebration of families who make art together, underscoring how the Festival, for all its national reputation, remains rooted in community and connection.
“At its heart, theatre is about relationships,” says Executive Artistic Director Will Rucker. “This year, that idea has come alive in an unexpectedly literal way.”
A Cosmic Reunion: Satellites
Later in July, Satellites, a new work by Erin Breznitsky, features an offstage couple bringing authenticity to their onstage roles.
As summer’s warmth gently descends on Southern Vermont, Dorset Theatre Festival is set to light up the Dorset Playhouse with another extraordinary new play: Satellites.
Directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt–a six-time Dorset main stage director whose previous works have flourished off-Broadway–this two-hander stars real-life married actors Christopher Lowell and Kerry Bishé—beloved film and television favorites—each bringing unparalleled depth to this constellation of love, chance, and cosmic connection.
Christopher Lowell, famed for his magnetic turns as Piz in Veronica Mars, Dell in Private Practice, Bash in GLOW, and Jesse in How I Met Your Father, brings a beguiling mix of confidence and vulnerability to his character, astronaut Mike Turner.
Opposite him, Kerry Bishé radiates intelligence and warmth as climate scientist Katherine Sparks. Fans know her from Halt and Catch Fire, Scrubs, Narcos, and, notably, Argo, which won a SAG ensemble award
Together, their real-life marriage transforms onstage chemistry into a delicate dance as they portray Dr. Katherine Sparks and Captain Mike Turner, a married couple dealing with the emotional fallout of Mike’s mysterious return from a seven-year disappearance in space. The couple must navigate the complexities of rekindling their relationship amidst the changes time has wrought. The play delves into themes of ambition, connection, and the challenges of reconciling past love with present realities.
Critics have hailed the play as “mesmerizing… a romance grounded in reality” and “one of the best shows I’ve seen this year”, praising its balance of cosmic wonder and human intimacy.
“I’m thrilled to be premiering Satellites at Dorset with this astronomically talented team,” said Satellites playwright Erin Breznitsky. “Kerry and Chris are each fantastic actors in their own right, but together they will bring a depth and emotional resonance that is perfect for the world of this play, which is cosmic and intimate in equal measure. I can’t wait for audiences to see them at work on stage.”
To help create the immersive world of the play, Satellites will feature the stunning work of renowned projection designer Joey Moro—an MFA graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Associate Professor at BerkleeNYC—who has established a signature style that beautifully merges technological precision with emotional storytelling.
With credits spanning over 150 productions on Broadway, regional stages, museums, and international installations, Moro’s work consistently elevates the dramatic impact of live performance.
Moro’s recent highlights include mesmerizing projections for Houston Ballet’s Good Vibrations, theatre-dance staple Vietgone, and a vibrant reimagining of Once on this Island—each praised for its immersive environments and scenic integration.
At Dorset Theatre Festival, Moro engineered the media systems and projection content for productions like Skeleton Crew (2018) and True Art (2023), where critics noted that his “evocative projections punctuated the tension”
A Family Affair in Other Desert Cities
Other Desert Cities runs August 22 to September 16.
The season closes with Jon Robin Baitz’s Other Desert Cities, a searing family drama set against the glittering backdrop of Palm Springs. Dorset’s production adds a unique real-life layer: Jayne Atkinson and Michel Gill, both seasoned stage and screen performers, star as Silda Grauman and Lyman Wyeth. Rounding out the family affair is Jayne and Michel’s real-life son, Jeremy Gill, starring as Trip Wyeth.
“We can’t wait to have Jayne back this summer. Our staff has come to think of Jayne as family, and this time she’ll have her real family alongside her,” Rucker says. “I’m so excited by the entire cast. On top of that, I’m looking forward to witnessing Jayne, Michel, and Jeremy do this together.”
Directed by Robert Egan, this Pulitzer Prize finalist delves into the complexities of family secrets and the impact of a memoir on a Palm Springs family. The Atkinson-Gill family’s involvement adds a unique dynamic to the production, enriching its exploration of familial ties.
Jayne Atkinson is no stranger to the Dorset Theatre Festival stage. In 2018 Jayne made her Dorset Theatre Festival debut to great acclaim in the one-woman tour-de-force play, Ann by Holland Taylor. Two seasons ago, she starred opposite Tim Daly in the World Premiere of Still by Lia Romeo, a role she reprised in the off-Broadway transfer the following year, earning her a 2025 Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play. Last summer, Jayne starred as Jodi Dean in the World Premiere of True Art by Jessica Provenz. Now in her fourth season at the Festival, Jayne is returning to the Dorset Playhouse to work alongside her family to bring lived experiences to a play that seeks to probe the wounds and loyalties of family life.
For Atkinson and Michel Gill, the theatre is not just a profession; it’s a shared language, a lineage, and now, a legacy carried forward by their son, Jeremy Gill.
Atkinson made her mark on Broadway with performances in The Rainmaker and Enchanted April, both earning her Tony Award nominations. But it was her riveting turns on television—as Karen Hayes in 24 and the formidable Secretary of State Catherine Durant in House of Cards—that brought her into millions of living rooms and firmly into the spotlight.
Her husband, Michel Gill, is no stranger to that same limelight. Gill’s understated intensity as President Garrett Walker in House of Cards was met with critical acclaim, solidifying his role as one of television’s most quietly powerful actors. With additional credits in Mr. Robot, The Dropout, and The Gilded Age, Gill has shown remarkable range, often bringing a moral complexity to the roles he inhabits.
Jeremy Gill stands out as a promising new voice—not because of his parents, but because of his own presence. At 22, Jeremy has recently gotten attention, fresh off an episode of Law & Order: SVU with piercing eyes and a quiet intensity reminiscent of both parents.
Yet, for all their professional endeavors, it’s the family’s quiet unity that truly impresses. In a business notorious for ego and instability, the Atkinson-Gill trio exudes warmth, intellect, and a grounded sense of purpose.
This production will also welcome legendary actress, Laila Robins, and newcomer, Elizabeth Stahlmann, to the Dorset Playhouse.
Laila Robins steps into the central role of the matriarch in turmoil, Polly Wyeth. With a formidable résumé that includes Broadway performances in Heartbreak House, Frozen, and The Herbal Bed, and screen turns in American Horror Stories, The Boys, Dr. Death, The Walking Dead, and more, Robins brings both gravitas and raw emotional power to the stage.
Elizabeth Stahlmann will play Brooke Wyeth. Stahlmann—a Yale-trained actor with a resume that spans powerhouse roles in Tectonic Theater Project’s Here There Are Blueberries (earning a Lucille Lortel nomination), Slave Play at Mark Taper Forum, Grounded at Westport Country Playhouse, and significant stints with The Guthrie and Yale Rep—brings a refined craft and breadth of experience to her portrayal.
“For years I’ve heard how wonderful it is to work at Dorset Theatre Festival. I’m excited to put on a play in the beauty of Vermont, especially under the leadership of Will. Of course this fantastic play has always piqued my interest, and Robert’s intimacy with the piece assures me we’re in great hands. When I saw this fantastic cast, including Laila, I became even more excited this summer. Laila was assigned as my mentor upon graduation from acting school at Yale and I’ve long admired her talent and her career,” says Elizabeth Stahlmann.
“As relevant today as when it first premiered,” says Rucker,.“In a divided country,” Rucker notes, “this play asks what we owe to family, to truth, and to each other. It’s about politics, yes—but also about memory, storytelling, and the costs of silence.”
“Sometimes, art imitates life. This summer, life is very much a part of the art,” says Rucker. “In a world where schedules are tight and creative lives often mean time apart, it’s a treat for Dorset Theatre Festival to be able to provide the opportunity for artists to collaborate not just with colleagues, but with the people they love most.”
Tickets for the 48th season of the Dorset Theatre Festival are available now at dorsettheatrefestival.org, by phone at 802-867-2223, or by stopping by the box office at the Dorset Playhouse.
