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Lake Country Playhouse & Academy announces its 2026-2027 season, their 67th.

The Lake Country Playhouse & Academy is often flying under the radar out in Lake Country. They stage performances of topical and traditional and classic plays with great presence and professionalism. It’s time to think about joining them in 2026 – 2027:

Hartland, WI – April 10, 2026, Lake Country Playhouse & Academy (LCP) unveils its 2026–2027 season, the organization’s 67th. The season includes six Mainstage productions and four Academy productions running September 2026 through August 2027. Featuring award-winning musicals, a gripping historical drama, a comedic mystery, and beloved literary tales, this season invites audiences across Lake Country to celebrate the moments that change us.


“Great theatre doesn’t just tell you a story — it puts you inside a moment and asks what you would do.” says Katie Berg, LCP Executive Director. “This season is full of those moments. Characters at crossroads, people choosing courage, love, or the harder right thing. That’s what drew us to every show on this list.”

Mainstage Series:
Sunday in the Park with George – Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, directed by Caitlyn Nettesheim and accompanied by a live chamber orchestra. The story of painter Georges Seurat and the relationships sacrificed in pursuit of his art. Sunday in the Park with George runs September 24–October 11, 2026.


A Christmas Carol The Musical – LCP’s 15th annual holiday production, directed by Danny Polaski. Michael Kosinski and Ernest Brusubardis’ heartwarming adaptation of the Charles Dickens’ classic brings festive cheer as Scrooge embarks on a transformative journey guided by the spirits of Christmas past, present, and future. A Christmas Carol The Musical runs November 27–December 13, 2026.


Radium Girls – Directed by Sarah Jo Martens. Based on the true story of the young women who worked in radium dial factories in the 1920s and filed suit against their employer, changing American labor law in the process. D.W. Gregory’s Radium Girls runs February 19–March 7, 2027.


An Old-Fashioned Family Murder – Directed by Michael Pocaro. A mystery comedy by Joe DiPietro in which a family reunion turns fatal and every guest is a suspect. An Old-Fashioned Family Murder runs April 2–18, 2027.


Seussical The Musical™ – Directed by Morgan Gates. A fantastical musical co-conceived by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Eric Idle, weaving together the works of Dr. Seuss in this family friendly production, celebrating friendship, loyalty and imagination. Seussical The Musical™ runs May 6–23, 2027.


Tuck Everlasting The Musical – Based on the novel by Natalie Babbitt, A young girl discovers a family living with an extraordinary secret and must decide what to do with what she knows. Tuck Everlasting The Musical runs July 9–25, 2027.

Academy Series:
Dare to Dream Jr. – Directed by Emily Keiner. LCP Academy’s fall production celebrating 100 years of Disney in a musical revue. Dare to Dream Jr. runs October 22–November 1, 2026.


Hadestown Teen Edition – Directed by Suze Falk. Anaïs Mitchell’s Tony Award-winning musical retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, performed by Academy students. Hadestown Teen Edition runs January 21–31, 2027.


What Happened After Once Upon A Time – Alexi Alfieri’s comedy in which fairy tale characters reveal their true personalities, and what really follows the fairy tale, performed by Academy students. What Happened After Once Upon A Time runs June 18–26, 2027.


SpongeBob SquarePants The Musical Jr. – The Tony Award-winning musical in its junior edition, closing the Academy year. SpongeBob SquarePants The Musical Jr. runs August 5–15, 2027

Summer 2026 Staged Readings
LCP’s Staged Reading Series returns summer 2026 with three productions, produced in partnership with series sponsor, Kit Sidel; The Birdcage by Arthur Laurents, directed by Elena Donley, playing June 25–27, 2026; Now and Then by Sean Grennan, directed by Chris Gonyo, playing July 10–12, 2026; and Lombardi by Eric Simonson, directed by Nancy Hurd and playing July 17–19, 2026.


“This is a season we are genuinely proud of.” says Berg “Whether you’re a longtime artist, patron, volunteer or joining us for the first time, there is something here for you. Come be part of the story.”


For more information, including expanded production details, performance dates and times, and to purchase season subscriptions or single tickets, please visit www.lakecountryplayhousewi.org.

Lake Country Playhouse & Academy is dedicated to engaging the community through arts education and live theater entertainment from their intimate, 82-seat black box theatre in downtown Hartland. For more details on Lake Country Playhouse & Academy’s history, performances, and educational programs.


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PSA: ANNOUNCING FIRST STAGE’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

ANNOUNCING FIRST STAGE’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
Explore Timeless Tales and New Adventures with
World Premiere Musical Winnie the Pooh: Forever Friends and more!

MILWAUKEE, Wis (March 26, 2026) – First Stage proudly announces its 2026–2027 Season, marking the organization’s 40th Anniversary with a vibrant lineup of beloved classics, imaginative adventures, and memorable family experiences.

“For 40 years, First Stage has been a place where friends and families come together to share stories that inspire conversation, imagination, wonder, and empathy,” shared Executive Artistic Director Jeff Frank. “This anniversary season celebrates timeless tales loved by all ages while inviting audiences to experience new adventures together. There’s never been a better time to make forever memories at First Stage.”

From whimsical tales to epic adventures, the 2026-2027 season offers something for every age.

GO DOG GO!  /  VE PERRO ¡VE!
October 3 – November 1, 2026  |  Ages 3+
Goodman Mainstage Hall at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
Ve Perro ¡Ve! comes to life on stage in a fast, funny, bilingual romp full of roller-skating, bicycle-riding, and car-driving dogs. P.D. Eastman’s classic is delightfully ridículo—and wonderfully fun for all ages!

DR. SEUSS’S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!
November 21 – December 27, 2026  |  Ages 5+
Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Performing Arts Center
Experience the wit, wonder, and larger-than-life spirit audiences know and love, wrapped in toe-tapping songs and Seuss-ian spectacle. Bursting with humor, heart, and holiday magic, this musical celebration is a must-see event that invites audiences of all ages to rediscover the joy of the season.

EVERYBODY  |  Young Company Performance Project
December 4-13, 2026  |  Ages 13+
Goodman Mainstage Hall at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
Absurdly funny and deeply witty, this modern riff on the medieval morality play, Everyman, casts a different “Everybody” by lottery each performance, exploring life, death, and the meaning of it all.

WINNIE-THE-POOH: FOREVER FRIENDS  |  World Premiere
January 29 – February 28, 2027  |  Ages 3+
Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Performing Arts Center
Return to the Hundred Acre Wood in this heartwarming world premiere musical filled with friendship, imagination, and a little bit of honey. When Christopher Robin returns with his granddaughter, Winnie-the-Pooh and friends remind us that the simplest moments together can mean the very most.

THE SNOW  |  Academy Production Lab
February 12 – 21, 2027  |  Ages 7+
Goodman Mainstage Hall at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
When an epic snowfall traps the villagers of tiny Kishka, young Theodore Sutton comes up with a daring solution. Whimsical, humorous, mysterious, and heartfelt, this play weaves a fantastical Grimmsian tale for the entire family.

TWELFTH NIGHT  |  Young Company Performance Project
March 12 – 21, 2027  |  Ages 12+
Goodman Mainstage Hall at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
A sparkling comedy of love, laughter, and chaos, this Shakespearean classic invites you into a world of witty wordplay, charming characters, and twists that keep you swooning until the very last scene. 

THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE
April 2 – May 2, 2027  |  Ages 8+
Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall at the Marcus Performing Arts Center
Step through the wardrobe and discover the fantastical world of Narnia like never before! In this imaginative adaptation, Peter and Lucy return to the room where their adventure began — reminding us that even the smallest among us can change the world.

BROADWAY JUNIOR REVUE: PURE IMAGINATION  |  Theater Academy Production
May 14 – 23, 2027  |  All Ages
Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall at the Marcus Performing Arts Center
Celebrate 40 years of First Stage with a brand new musical revue featuring our Theater Academy students performing songs from Broadway hits and Disney favorites, alongside stories that showcase the creativity and collaboration at the heart of First Stage since 1987.

Click here to learn more about the 2026-2027 season shows.

Families and friends can experience the magic with First Stage Family Packages, on sale now. These customizable packages allow families to choose the shows they love with maximum flexibility and savings, while unlocking exclusive perks:

  • Guaranteed lowest price all season — up to 50% savings!
  • Exclusive access and priority seat selection
  • Free and flexible ticket exchanges
  • $25 Coupon for 2026-2027 School Year Academy
  • Free Family Workshops: Pre-show education for the whole family
  • Exclusive Backstage Tours: Experience behind the scenes magic

Family Packages can purchased at firststage.org. Family Package families receive early access to seats, ensuring the best selection for the season’s most popular shows. Tickets start at $11. Single tickets go on sale May 1, when Family Package prices increase. First Stage also welcomes thousands of students and educators each season through its weekday matinee Field Trip Performances, giving young people the opportunity to experience live theater as part of their learning journey. First Stage offers affordable school matinee tickets along with classroom workshops that connect the productions to curriculum and social-emotional learning. These workshops help students explore storytelling, character, and themes before and after attending a performance, making theater an engaging extension of the classroom. Field Trips are on sale now.

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Is This A Room: A Surprisingly Intense Drama From A Real Life Text

I have never attended a play where any of the dialogue was….REDACTED. Welcome to the 21st Century.

Left to Right: Rasell Holt, Jonathan Wainwright and Isabelle Muthiah. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

Is This A Room is an original concept put together by Tina Satter and the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre is fortunate to be able to bring this to Milwaukee. Satter has built this play on the actual transcript of the interrogation of whistleblower Reality Winner by the FBI on June 3, 2017. Winner was arrested for leaking an intelligence report related to Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections. She was later convicted and sentenced to over five years in prison. The fact that the transcript alone makes intense dramatic dialogue is amazing.

First, let’s consider the set, or in this case, lack of set for Is This A Room. Instead we have an industrial strength gray carpet mid-theater with the Chamber Theatre’s seating split with a portion on either side of our stage. Not quite theater in the round but not Chamber’s usual layout either. As we move into the action, we understand why this is important. The transcript/dialogue clearly indicates our location and describes how the action moves from one site to another. AND, as the cast thrusts and parries through their conversations, they intensify those moods and feelings with agitated pacing around the space/room. And there are times where director Brent Hazelton has the cast move about in obvious stalking or moves to make advantage in their physical relationship to the other characters. When many observers or critics talk about directors choreographing the action on stage, it tends to be more metaphor than fact, but in Is This A Room, Hazelton has choreographed an actual dance here. And Hazelton’s facility in crafting this text into an engaging play on stage is equally satisfying.

Left to right: Isabelle Muthiah, Jonathan Wainwright, and Rasell Holt. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

Isabelle Muthiah is Reality Leigh Winner. Muthiah is ingenious as Winner. Initially playing a naivety card, she is cool and coy and intentionally slow to understand what is going on until the FBI plays their cards. And even as events start going against her, Muthiah never loses her cool or her control and sometimes leads the agents down a tangential path. Jonathan Wainwright plays Special Agent Justin C. Garrick, the bad cop in our pair of special agents? Well, not the bad cop in a forceful threatening way, but the bad cop in asking most of the questions and always the most direct questions, and the holder of the facts at hand. Wainwright tries to project something of a wise fatherly figure, trying to put Winner at ease. And Special Agent R. Wallace Taylor is played by Rasell Holt. Holt’s Taylor shows more empathy for Winner and I guess, he would be considered the good cop. He asks questions, but not the direct type we get from Garrick, but follow up questions or clarification questions which do show his empathy.

Left to right: Jonathan Wainwright, Isabelle Muthiah, and Rasell Holt. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

And then there is the Unknown Male! Well, well not exactly unknown. While Garrick and Taylor are both plainclothes special agents, the Unknown Male is in full FBI regalia and armed to the teeth. And Unknown Male is played by one of my favorite actors, Mark Corkins. It was great to see him on a local stage again outside of his annual appearances in the Christmas Carol. Well, Corkins gives us an officer who is something of a doofus. Wandering around seemingly aimlessly, often unaware of his surroundings, generally unaware of those around him, constantly distracted, but absolutely sinister! And he gets to deliver the line that gives the play its name, Is This A Room?

Mark Corkins and Isabelle Muthiah. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

When working with a minimal set, other technical items become far more important. Like lighting: Jason Fassl is the Scenic & Lighting Designer here and the mood and direction on stage is clearly emphasized by Fassl’s lighting. And Stephanie K. Brownell’s costumes set us in the right place and atmosphere as well. The special agents and Winner are dressed in casual clothes which supports the initial casual conversations in the text. But as I said, Corkins is absolutely sinister in his role as an FBI agent and that is enhanced by Brownell’s custom FBI costume.

Foreground kneeling: Mark Corkins, behind him left to right, Rasell Holt. Isabelle Muthiah, and Jonathan Wainwright. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

Is This A Room continues through April 5, 2026 at the Broadway Theatre Center’s Studio Theatre. Run time: approximately 75 minutes with no intermissions.

Additional information and ticket info can be found here. When ordering tickets, please note the changes in seating for this play.