American Players Theatre

American Players Theatre is a classical American theatrical troupe and theater complex located near Spring Green, Wisconsin. It has been called the best classical theater company in the United States by the late Wall Street Journal drama critic, Terry Teachout.[3] The Theatre was founded by Randall Duk Kim, Anne Occhiogrosso, and Charles J. Bright, and held its first performance in 1980. Performances are held at a 110-acre complex with two theaters, a 1,089-seat outdoor amphitheater and the 200-seat indoor Touchstone Theatre. It is led by artistic director Brenda DeVita.

American Players Theatre
Formation1977 (1977)
TypeTheatre group
PurposeShakespearean, classics
Location
Coordinates43.142162348936175°N 90.03818192397267°W / 43.142162348936175; -90.03818192397267
Artistic director(s)
Brenda DeVita
Notable members
James DeVita
Randall Duk Kim (former)
Amy Acker (former)[1]
Emma Bates (former)[1]
Carrie Coon (former)[2]
Websiteamericanplayers.org

History

American Players Theatre was founded in 1977 by Randall Duk Kim, Anne Occhiogrosso, and Charles J. Bright. The group moved to Spring Green, Wisconsin in 1979 and held its first performance in 1980.[4] The Theatre struggled financially in its early years and nearly closed after being nominated for a Regional Theatre Tony Award in 1985. By 1986, the Theatre had approximately $600,000 in debt and announced plans to close, but community fundraising and a loan from the state government allowed the Theatre to pay off its debts.[5]

In 2009, the group built the 200-seat Touchstone Theatre to complement its outdoor amphitheater.[6]

In 2017, the complex finished a $7.7 million renovation project, replacing a wooden stage built in 1995 in the outdoor amphitheater and adding additional space for props and sets.[7]

Productions
James Ridge and Tracy Michelle Arnold perform in The Taming of the Shrew in 2011.

Though initially founded as a purely Shakespearean company, the Theatre began adding other playwrights to its repertoire in 1985, beginning with Anton Chekhov.[8] Since then, the Theatre has produced plays by George Bernard Shaw, Noël Coward,[9] and Henrik Ibsen, among others.[10] The Theatre produces nine plays each year, eight in the summer and one in winter.[11] Artistic director Brenda DeVita said more than 110,000 people see the performances annually.[4] The Theatre is known for the quality of its performances, with the late Wall Street Journal drama critic, Terry Teachout, calling it "the finest classical theater festival" in the United States.[3]

References
  1. Thomas, Rob (June 21, 2013). "Actors in Joss Whedon's 'Much Ado' once did Shakespeare at American Players Theatre". The Capital Times. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  2. Christians, Lindsay (June 6, 2013). "How Carrie Coon went from the Rathskeller to the red carpet". The Capital Times. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  3. Teachout, Terry (July 29, 2021). "'Rough Crossing' Review: Riding the Waves of Wit". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  4. Considine, Allison (June 7, 2016). "Know a Theatre: American Players Theatre of Spring Green, Wisc". American Theatre. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  5. Shipp, E.R. (September 16, 1986). "Wisconsin saves a rural theater". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  6. Lenehan, Michael (September 25, 2014). "David Frank, take a bow". Isthmus. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  7. Conklin, Aaron R. (July 25, 2017). "Renovations open doors for American Players Theatre". Madison Magazine. WISC-TV. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  8. Fischer, Mike (May 19, 2017). "American Players Theatre embraces roots while expanding". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  9. Teachout, Terry (September 3, 2009). "Seeing Shakespeare Plain". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  10. Conklin, Aaron R. (June 15, 2019). "American Players Theatre hits big 4-0". Madison Magazine. WISC-TV. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  11. Teachout, Terry (August 31, 2017). "'A View From the Bridge' and 'Cyrano de Bergerac' Reviews: Better Than Broadway". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 19, 2022.

43°8′32″N 90°2′18″W

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