Category: American Players Theatre

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PSA: American Players Theatre Announces Their 2023 Season

Hot from my email inbox…the announcement for APT’s 2023 season already. I can’t wait to see as many as these as I can fit into my summer!

AMERICAN PLAYERS THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2023 Season

SPRING GREEN, WIS: American Players Theatre (APT) is thrilled to announce its 2023 lineup, to run June 10 – October 8, with the shoulder season production opening in late October. The Hill Theatre will open with one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies, The Merry Wives of Windsor, on June 10. The second Shakespearean classic will be Romeo + Juliet featuring Shakespeare’s words performed both in spoken English and in American Sign Language. Also playing on the Hill, David Ives’ farce The Liar; Thornton Wilder’s great American Classic Our Town; and Anton’s Shorts – a series of early one-act comedies by Anton Chekhov, adapted by award-winning playwright Aaron Posner.

Next season in the Touchstone Theatre offers four productions never seen before on APT’s stages: Once Upon a Bridge by Sonya Kelly; The Royale by Marco Ramirez; and Wolf at the Door by Marisela Treviño Orta, who wrote last season’s The River Bride. Finally, playing late October through November in the Touchstone, David Auburn’s Proof, directed by Artistic Director Brenda DeVita.

Ms. DeVita said, “The 2022 season has been a gift. Which is not to say it was perfect – I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this past season brought more ups and downs than is typical, with weather and COVID cancellations, and an unprecedented number of understudy put-ins. And I think we learned some lessons about how we can make that path smoother in the future. All that aside, in the end, we were able to successfully return to our rotating repertory structure. Which is so huge – it’s hard to articulate how important that was to this company. We were able to welcome back those glorious, large-cast, gorgeously appointed plays. And we were able to perform them in front of very full houses. It was such an unbelievable blessing to have all those faces back in the audience. It truly felt like a family reunion.

And as we move into planning for 2023, we’re carrying that feeling along with us. I’m not saying it’s a theme, because we don’t do themes, but the stories we’ll be telling next year are about community, and taking care of one another, and how vital it is to have that connection to another human being, or group of human beings. And how sometimes that doesn’t look like you’d think it would. We’re incredibly excited to bring back two great, beloved Shakespeares – The Merry Wives of Windsor, a delightful comedy, and Romeo and Juliet, which will feature actors who are deaf playing Romeo and Friar Laurence, sharing Shakespeare’s poetry through ASL. Of course, we have a great American Classic, Our Town, coming back to the Hill for the first time in 30 years, as well as The Liar – a hilarious farce, which our company will just have a blast with. And a piece newly adapted from Chekhov’s early one-act Vaudevilles, and partly created from whole cloth by Aaron Posner, who is a genius. And in the Touchstone, we have four gorgeous, poetic, contemporary plays that are new to us, as we continue our journey into exploring the new classics, and how they connect and intersect with our foundation and our future.

In The Hill Theatre!

The Merry Wives of Windsor By William Shakespeare Director TBA

When the infamous Sir John Falstaff arrives in Windsor, he immediately decides his path to riches lies in finding a wealthy woman to woo. So he sets about writing identical love letters to two married ladies about town – Mistresses Ford and Page. Though the letters fail to have the intended effect, the ladies find them an excellent inlet to toy with Falstaff, resulting in a funny and energetic exploration of marriage, miscommunication and forgiveness, featuring charming characters and shenanigans to spare.

The Liar By David Ives Adapted from Les Menteur by Pierre Corneille Directed by Keira Fromm

Ridiculous situations abound in this warm and hilarious adaptation of Corneille’s famous farce. Charming Dorande is a shameless liar, and he’s just arrived in Paris with good times on his mind. He very quickly falls in love with a local lady, Clarice, who he has mistaken for her best friend, Lucrece. Further complicating matters is that, unbeknownst to Dorande, Clarice is already engaged – to his childhood friend, Alcippe. Throw in a servant who cannot tell a lie, and a father who is anxious to marry off his wayward son, and you’ve got the type of uproarious comedies that APT does best.

Romeo + Juliet By William Shakespeare Directed by John Langs

In this gorgeous new production originated at ACT Theatre in Seattle, American Sign Language is seamlessly united with Shakespeare’s sweeping poetry. The story is one you likely know – the feuding Montague and Capulet clans come crashing together when the star-crossed Romeo and Juliet fall utterly in love, even though, in this case, they speak different languages. As characters speak their truths with their whole hearts, a chorus of actors speaks along with the signing in this lush, full-hearted imagining of one of the greatest tragedies ever written.

Our Town By Thornton Wilder Directed by Tim Ocel

Wilder’s Pulitzer-Prize winning classic returns to the Hill Theatre for the first time since 1992. That little town of Grover’s Corners contains multitudes. Centered around George and Emily, a young couple in love, the story of their lives together evolves as the acts carry on, intertwined with the story of the town itself, the narrative stewarded by an all-knowing stage manager. A timeless tale that gently reminds us about the importance of appreciating the life we have, and the people with whom we share it.

Anton’s Shorts Brief Plays & Vaudevilles by the Young Anton Chekhov Freely adapted for the stage by Aaron Posner Directed by Jake Penner

Sometimes, Russian comedy isn’t so much comedy in the traditional sense (just ask anyone who’s seen The Seagull). That said, Anton Chekhov had a phase in his youth where everything seemed very funny indeed – even when the topics are serious ones: the complexities of love and life; of marriage and moving on. Adapted by award-winning playwright and regular stage director at APT, Aaron Posner, who weaves the pieces together with an original work of fiction featuring Chekhov himself.

In The Touchstone Theatre

Once Upon a Bridge By Sonya Kelly Directed by Laura Rook

Based on a true story, three lives intersect for an instant, and are changed forever. A young woman starting out in a new city is bumped – or is she pushed? – or did she fall? – into the path of an oncoming bus, her life spared by bare inches. One man hustles off, while another risks his job to stay. Structured as a series of flowing monologues, these strangers tell a tale of the distance between our hopes and realities; our perceived futures and unchangeable past; between ourselves and the people around us. A poetic and hopeful meditation about choices, consequences and picking up the pieces when they fall. 

The Royale By Marco Ramirez Directed by Tyrone Phillips

In the early 1900s, Jay Jackson, known in boxing circles as “The Sport,” is primed to become the first Black heavyweight champion of the world. It’s an opportunity to open doors for himself, and all the potential prize-fighters who come after him – most immediately, his young could-be protégé, Fish. But what is the price of bringing those barriers down? And who is reaping the rewards of his sacrifice? What do his accomplishments mean to those who come after, and what do they mean to the safety of his family in an intolerant time? A graceful, theatrical play about boxing, without a single punch thrown.

Wolf at the Door By Marisela Treviño Orta Directed by Melisa Pereyra

Wolf at the Door leans into the darkness that can live inside marriage vows, and the extreme lengths that people must sometimes go to break free from them. A mysterious woman arrives at the steps of Isadora and Septimo’s abusive and unhappy home. A pregnant woman, who Septimo sees as the answer to his quest for an heir – whether she’s interested or not. A second play in Orta’s ongoing cycle of Latine fairy tales, along with The River Bride, which APT staged last season. Contains adult themes and language.

Proof By David Auburn Directed by Brenda DeVita

Catherine has lived alone with her father, who had once been a world-renowned mathematician, in order to care for him during a period of mental decline. But the nature of their conversations is starting to cause her to fear that she may share more with her father than a love of numbers. Complicating this is one of her father’s former students, Hal, combing through his journals for something of value, while anxiously wondering if his own best days are behind him at 28. And Catherine’s sister, Claire, who only wants the best for Catherine, though her motives may not be entirely unselfish. A poignant and surprisingly funny look at what we’re willing to sacrifice for those we love – and what we’re not. Contains adult themes and language.

APT is a professional repertory theater devoted to the great and future classics. It was founded in 1979 and continues to be one of the most popular outdoor classical theaters in the nation.

The Theatre is located in Spring Green, Wis., on 110 acres of hilly woods and meadows above the Wisconsin River. The outdoor amphitheater is built within a natural hollow atop an oak-wooded hill. Under the dome of sky, 1,089 comfortably cushioned seats encircle three sides of the stage. In 2009, APT opened the 201-seat indoor Touchstone Theatre, offering a different type of play and experience.

For more information, visit www.americanplayers.org

Which ones are a must see for you?

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American Players Theatre: Hamlet

To be or not to be…almost became not to be when I waited until the very last day to stream the American Players Theatre Hamlet. And that would have been a silent tragedy as this is the most engaging and relatable version of Hamlet that I remember seeing.

Nick Burger as Hamlet with Yorick, photo courtesy of APT

As always, the focal point of this play is the character of Hamlet. And the play will be made or broken on how the actor perceives the personage of Hamlet, his relationships in the play, and how he decides to employ Hamlet’s apparent madness. Nate Burger was an incredible casting choice and here he is at the peak of his powers and as I said above…delivers a very real and very relatable Hamlet. This was just an incredible experience for me and now I am sorry that I didn’t make a second trek to Spring Green to see and hear this in person. Sometimes Hamlet as played is a bit too distant but here we feel an incredible empathy for and understanding of the character. Burger has always been an engaging actor, but this was simply his most outstanding performance!

Jamal James as Laertes, Chike’ Johnson as Polonius, photo courtesy of APT

Chike’ Johnson is the consummate Polonius. A bit haughty, a bit officious, but clearly a man in charge and a man in control of his destiny. Johnson has him down, precisely. I hope to see him in future APT productions…and sometime in the future, I’d like to see him play Claudius!

Triney Sandoval as Claudius, Colleen Madden as Getrude, photo courtesy of APT

And what a satisfying and regal couple we have in Colleen Madden as Gertrude and Triney Sandoval as Claudius. No doubts at all about the situation they find themselves in. No concerns in the world other than what the heck is wrong with Hamlet! Madden and Sandoval play the preening detached pair just the way you expect these two characters to act. And Sandoval’s reaction to the play within the play is priceless.

Laertes is played by Jamal James. And he easily takes on some of the characteristics explored by Johnson as Polonius…so he presents a striking and obvious son to the elder statesman. But he also, within propriety, exhibits the excitement of youth and that eagerness to strike out on his own in France…despite the obvious ties to his father’s purse strings. And in his own grief he is readily willing to conspire with Claudius to kill Hamlet.

Chike’ Johnson as Polonius, Alys Dickerson as Ophelia, photo courtesy of APT

And Alys Dickerson gives us the equally dutiful daughter, Ophelia, willing to listen to her father even though it goes against her heart. Dickerson gives a great reading of the doubtful young woman who is trying to balance social mores against her young persons instincts. She truly makes us feel the tragedy that befalls her character.

And the ghost of Hamlet’s father is played with sufficient regal bearing and foreboding by David Daniel to make us feel and fear his presence. Although I did feel that some of his spoken lines were overwrought…but his presence was quite intimidating on itself.

And this performance was perfectly understandable. No attempts to go deep into Elizabethan accents or pronunciations and as a result the dialogues gave us the complete story and the full beauty of Shakespeare’s poetry.

cast of Hamlet, photo courtesy of APT

And the costuming here was amazing. Of no discernible era, it enhanced the depiction of the characters in very transparent fashion. Daniele Tyler Mathews really outdid most costuming conventions for Shakespeare plays. Neither dependent on Elizabethan stylings nor outrageously usurping modern dress, Mathews combined styles across the centuries to complement the character’s traits and exemplify their actions in the play. So an Elizabethan vest here, an exaggerated 1930’s wide lapel man’s suit there, 1950’s clothing, an early 1960’s woman’s office casual jacket and slacks, to any number of costumes that bore a regal look without an identifiable period. And of course the costume for Hamlet’s father that helped install that ominous regal mien that David Daniel brought to bear here.

SO: this was directed by Jame DeVita. Bravo!! In past seasons the watch has always been, what is DeVita playing this season. Going forward we must all add to that, what is DeVita directing this season.

And to my readers, I am sorry. Because I procrastinated to long this has closed on stage as well as the streaming version. Hopefully the streamed version will be available again sometime in the future.

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American Players Theatre: Love’s Labour’s Lost

Everyone loves the major comedies of William Shakespeare. But they often don’t the credit that they deserve because the plots get convoluted or the humor gets lost in translation into the 21st Century. But not so with the American Players Theatre presentation of Love’s Labour’s Lost. Director Brenda DeVita has pushed Love’s Labour’s Lost from simple comedy to slapstick to farce…and the audience loved it…I don’t remember ever hearing as much laughter…giggles…or titters as those elicited in response to this play.

Love’s Labour’s Lost, 2022. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of the American Players Theatre.

And it probably helped that the story here is more direct though not particularly anymore sensible than other Shakespearean comedies…but knowing who the characters are and how they arre expected to act made it all work the more. But DeVita’s wily insertions of cultural touch points like pratfalls and physical comedy reminiscent of ‘professional’ wrestling, some moves that referred back to Steve Martin’s wild and crazy guy and a moment of Hans and Franz style, we want to pump you up, made for easy laughter.

One stand out here…Josh Krause as Dull, the constable…a character to watch as he did his best swaggering Barney Fife and toward just a bit of Charlie Chaplin…a magical character that I imagine would be easy to overlook in other theaters.

And another key yet not out front character is Costard, a groundskeeper, nimbly played by Jeb Burris. At first taken into custody by Dull for flaunting an edict from the King by ‘communing’ with the lovely Jaquenetta, Dull becomes the middle man in much of the plot as the plots transpires! One of his key tasks is to circumvent the king’s edict by secretly delivering missives from the gentlemen of the king’s court to the visiting ladies who are accompanying the Princess of France. And we all knew that hi-jinks were afoot when the stationary for each was a different color…and so they were all mis-delivered. Oafish clumsiness as written or a wily slyness as played by Burris? I am leaning toward the latter!

David Daniel & James Ridge, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 2022. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of American Players Theatre.

Other amazing tidbits that build and support the laughter? That would include Nathaniel, a curate played to the hilt by David Daniel as a pompous preening and ever overreaching in his ultimately silly and laughable discourse with Holofernes. And Holofernes allows Shakespeare a chance to take an on target potshot at academics and in that role, James Ridge knows exactly where and how far to stretch to make it just absolutely hilarious.

Marcus Truschinski, Ronald Román-Meléndez, Jamal James & Nate Burger, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 2022. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of American Players Theatre

And one of the most popular ‘interludes’ is the attempt by the King and his retinue to fool their French guests by appearing unannounced at the ladies camp in Russian garb and performing a number of ‘Russian dances’…and who can’t love the Russian bear in their company. And the unsurprised ladies make great sport of the gentlemen and put them in their place.

And one other sidebar to mention…Triney Sandoval is just a delight as Don Armando, a knight, professor, and guest in the court of Navarre. And is his mispronunciation of English a result of his inexperience with the language or a bit of word play on his part or that of the bard? It comes across as high comedy in Snadoval’s hands.

Jamal James, Nate Burger, Ronald Román-Meléndez & Marcus Truschinski, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 2022. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of the American Players Theatre.

And no, I am not ignoring the principals. But in this presentation I think some of the most hilarious bits of the play come from the effective use of the minor and supporting characters…we know whence the King and Princess will go and what they will do.

But yes, I need to mention that Nate Berger was regal and intellectual as the King of Navarre but he wasn’t always too quick to see when his friends were making sport of him or when the Princess of France was getting the better of him. And the Princess of France? Phoebe Gonzalez was everything you expect from a princess and she was one with her retinue and ready to make sport of the King as well as fall in love with him. Amazing.

Jennifer Vosters, Melisa Pereyra, Phoebe González & Samantha Newcomb, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 2022. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of the American Players Theatre.

And a number of back stage specialists need to be recognized.

There are a ton of situational changes in the story line that require a lot of costume choices and costume changes. So Holly Payne, costume designer, and Jeannette Christensen, assistant costume designer, deserve immense credit for dozens of elegant costumes for all characters and all situations. Their efforts made the story telling here even more magical!! And my hats off to the actors who managed to make numerous changes and keep the flow of the play going.

Triney Sandoval & Matthew Benenson Cruz, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 2022. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of the American Players Theatre.

And then, again, the amazing work of Brian Cowing, choreographer, and Jeb Burris, fight director, needs to be applauded. The various scenes where characters are dancing…or gesticulating wildly in the presence of unseen others…and the dueling scene between Don Armando and his page Moth…were ballet…enchanting…and smooth as silk.

Love’s Labour’s Lost is being presented in The Hill Theatre and runs in repertory through October 2nd, 2022. If you want more information or want to order tickets, follow this link: LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST

Sidebar: There’s Always Room For Jello

David Daniel, Josh Krause & James Ridge, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 2022. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of the American Players Theatre

[sorry if I overdid the photos]