Author: Ed Heinzelman

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PSA: HAMLET Presented By Summit Players Theatre In State Parks!

I am late to the party again but I want to make sure I get this out there. Kaylene Howard from the Summit Players Theatre shared this with me late last week. Their season is already underway so don’t wait too long…and if you are in Milwaukee there are a couple of local parks where Hamlet is being presented! So here is a bit of the info that Kaylene shared and info gleaned from the Summit Players Theatre website.

We have a few Milwaukee area local shows this month, including a performances on June 29th at Catalano Square Park in the Third Ward. Additionally, in July, we will have performances relatively locally at Kettle Moraine State Forest, Pike Lake on July 17th, Kohler-Andrae State Park on July 18th, and our closing performance is in Milwaukee at Havenwoods State Park again on July 26th!

The Summit Players present their 2026 season: Shakespeare’s Hamlet. We will once again visit 18 different Wisconsin State Parks this summer for 19 unique shows!

All shows and workshops are presented free of charge. Seating is general admission on a first come, first served basis. Wisconsin State Park Admission is required at most locations and can be purchased upon entry to the park. If you have an annual state sticker already, you are all set.

One of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. Performed with six actors in under 80 minutes.

With his father’s recent death still looming in his mind, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark grapples with the truth of his father’s death, his mother’s betrayal and his uncle’s role in all of it. Relationships are torn apart. Deceit will be revealed. At the heart of it all, Hamlet must decide between his duty and his doubt, and learn what it means to be alive amidst power and privilege. 

Cast:

Sarah Zapiain: Hamlet

​Naomi Kriege: Ophelia, Guildenstern, Gravedigger 1, Page, Osric

​Jake Badovski: King Claudius, Bernardo

​Matthew Torkilsen: Polonius, Horatio, Player King, Messenger

​Sarah B.E.: Queen Gertrude, Marcellus, Fortinbras, Gravedigger 2, Player Queen, Messenger

​Caleb Lawrence: Laertes, Ghost, Rosencrantz, Player Lucianus

Dates and locations can be found here.

One more delightful opportunity to enjoy theater out of doors

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PSA: Ibsen In The Parking Lot: Wisconsin Classic Stage’s Production of Ibsen’s Ghosts:

And now for something completely different:

A scandalous modern classic: a fever dream of inherited guilt, buried desire, and the quiet violences families inflict on themselves. Ghosts returns with unnerving immediacy through the prism of assisted suicide and America’s fentanyl epidemic — exposing a world where morality is performative, grief is anesthetized, and love curdles into control. Set within a parking lot, this intimate and hallucinatory production traps its characters under the glare of fluorescent lights and inescapable memory.

Overview

Wisconsin Classic Stage presents GHOSTS, Henrik Ibsen’s explosive and haunting masterpiece translated by Brian Johnston and Rick Davis.

GHOSTS by Henrik Ibsen
An unforgettable site-specific production

Wisconsin Classic Stage presents GHOSTS, Henrik Ibsen’s explosive and haunting masterpiece, translated by Ibsen scholars Brian Johnston and Rick Davis.

Unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, this daring, site-specific production unfolds in the historic Calvary Presbyterian Church Parking Lot — where the ghosts of the past collide with the urgent realities of today.

Director Josh Pohja (Henry V, Hamlet, An Enemy of the People, The Persians, Antigone, All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914) reimagines Ibsen’s most controversial play with gripping intensity, drawing powerful parallels between the moral and familial decay in the text and our modern fentanyl crisis. Expect raw truth, cinematic staging, and theatrical bravery that will leave you breathless as the sun sets.

Featuring

  • Deborah Stencel as Mrs. Alving
  • Ben Skwierawski as Osvald Alving
  • Cole Castine as Pastor Manders
  • Ryan Holifield as Engstrand
  • and introducing Ashley Garcia as Regina

Performance Dates: July 10–19, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:45 PM (ending at sunset)

Visit www.wisconsinclassicstage.com for more.

This intimate production is strictly limited to just 30 seats per performance, creating an exclusive and immersive theatrical experience you won’t forget.

If you’ve never attended a Wisconsin Classic Stage event, prepare for a rare blend of elegance, unflinching truth, and profound beauty.

Ticket Information HERE!

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PSA: Summerstage of Delafield’s 2026 season starts June 11th!

I have been aware of Summerstage of Delafield for a few seasons but have never made the opportunity to check it out. But when this reached my mailbox a few days ago, I have to find a spot in my summer to fit one or more of these plays in! From Summerstage:

Summerstage of Delafield’s 2026 season starts next Thursday, June 11th with THE SWEET DELILAH SWIM CLUB. This production will be followed by THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, BECKY’S NEW CAR, and the world-premiere musical DOOR’S OPEN! In addition to the theatrical productions, there will be a one night only John Williams tribute concert on August 4th.

We would love to spread the word about our beautiful outdoor venue and invite audiences to try “tailgating theater” by bringing their friends and family to have a pre-show picnic.

The Sweet Delilah Swim Club

June 11 – 27, 2026

Join five unforgettable women as they navigate the unpredictable waters of life, love, and friendship over four decades in this touching, funny tribute to the enduring bonds that time and distance can never break.

The Merry Wives of Windsor

July 16 – August 1, 2026

Sir John Falstaff has a brilliant plan to woo two wealthy wives at once to solve his cash flow issues. The only problem is the wives are best friends, they talk, and they’ve decided to humiliate him in a series of increasingly ridiculous tricks.

Becky’s New Car

August 20 – September 5, 2026

Ever feel like you’re just a passenger in your own life? Join Becky as she accidentally steers her way into a double life, a billboard-sized lie, and a series of comedic collisions. It’s a high-speed comedy that invites the audience to hop in and enjoy the ride. Door’s Open! is part of World Premiere Wisconsin, a statewide festival celebrating new plays and musicals running throughout 2026.

Door’s Open!

September 10 – 19, 2026

In the heart of Wisconsin’s mystical thumb, Door County, a divorced, single mother and a young widower searching for hope and a new future are mentored by a tribal Midi, Lottie White Feather. A heartwarming and inspiring story!

The Music of John Williams

August 4, 2026

Star Wars, Superman, Harry Potter, and more! Join us for an extraordinary evening celebrating the unforgettable music of John Williams, the greatest film composer of all time, performed by the Hartland Community Band.

Summerstage of Delafield is an outdoor experience at Lapham Peak State Park in Delafield WI. Information on the park, stage, and amenities can be found here.

More information about each of these shows can be found by clicking on the images or links above…and more information and tickets can be found here. Box Office Info is here.

Ever more summer theater to enjoy!