Amid the Remote Wisconsin Countryside, a Hidden Theatrical Gem Beckons

By Aaron Krause, TheatreCriticism.com | July 25, 2018

SPRING GREEN, Wisconsin — It’s tucked away amid 110 acres of hilly woods and meadows near this town of about 1,600 in southwest Wisconsin.

Indeed, you could easily miss it if you’re not on the lookout for the sign. It points a patron in the direction of the renowned destination.

But there’s no reason to worry: If you drive past it, there’s a good chance you’ll end up in perhaps the only store in a one-stoplight hamlet. Chances are, the clerk will guide you back on your way with a smile.

Once you spot the sign and follow it, the car will ease onto the grounds of the country’s second largest outdoor theater company devoted to the classics. You will have arrived at American Players Theatre (APT), founded in 1977.

Today, it draws more than 110,000 people from around the country and beyond. APT operates with an annual budget of more than $6 million.

The company’s leadership draws from a pool of classically-trained actors. They battle bugs and sometimes rain to clearly, and with authentic emotion, reach the back of the 1,089-seat outdoor Hill Theatre. It’s located atop a steeper hill than the 201-seat indoor Touchstone Theatre.

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