Small-Town Summer Brings Romanic Heat to American Players Theatre’s “Picnic”

×Picnic (2025) - American Players Theatre

Alina Taber, Rasell Holt, Dee Dee Batteast, Colleen Madden & Triney Sandoval in 'Picnic' with American Players Theatre (2025)

It’s surprising that, in its nearly 50 years of production, American Players Theatre has never thought to focus its efforts on staging Picnic, William Inge’s blistering look at small-town Midwestern culture. Written in 1953, Picnic explored some racy themes at the time.

Today, of course, Picnic seems about as steamy as an episode of TV’s “Sesame Street.”

Robbed of its more salacious overtones, Picnic still remains an excellent choice for American Players Theatre. The play is mounted in the outdoor Hill Theatre, under the direction of Brenda DeVita. It opened in July and continues through September 13.

The now-ta