Five Productions in a Season of Shakespeare and Modern Works

Rick Pender, Talkin' Broadway

Newsweek magazine deemed American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, to be the year's "Best Outdoor Theater Performance," according to votes by readers. I spent four days there this month found that APT lived up to that recognition. Founded as a Shakespeare-focused presenter in 1980, over the decades, APT's repertoire has expanded to encompass modern dramatic works.

The company has two venues, The Hill Theatre, an open-air amphitheater (1,088 seats), and the Touchstone Theatre, an indoor black-box venue (200 seats). Both are reached by walking along winding gravel paths through densely forested land. (Shuttles from the parking lot are also available.) Both stages are surrounded by pines and hardwoods, tons of greenery and fresh, forest scents. (Insect repellent is conveniently offered from stations along the way, although I went unbitten for my entire stay without chemical assistance.)

Their productions are performed by a 40-member professional acting company. The full season of eight productions runs from April until early November. Most of the actors perform in multiple shows, presented in rotating repertory. I attended five and was repeatedly impressed by the versatility and talent of the troupe. On one day I saw actors from a matinee appear in entirely different roles in an evening performance. Here are my reports on the shows I saw:

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