American Players Theatre is a classical American theatrical troupe and theater complex located near

Spring Green Spring green is a color that was traditionally considered to be on the yellow side of green, but in modern computer systems based on the RGB color model is halfway between cyan and green on the color wheel. The modern spring green, when plott ...

, Wisconsin. It has been called the best classical theater company in the United States by the late '' Wall Street Journal'' drama critic, Terry Teachout. 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 An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the ...

Brenda DeVita.

History

American Players Theatre was founded in 1977 by Randall Duk Kim, Anne Occhiogrosso, and Charles J. Bright. The group moved to

, Wisconsin in 1979 and held its first performance in 1980. 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. In 2009, the group built the 200-seat Touchstone Theatre to complement its outdoor amphitheater. 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.

Productions

Though initially founded as a purely Shakespearean company, the Theatre began adding other playwrights to its repertoire in 1985, beginning with

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

. Since then, the Theatre has produced plays by George Bernard Shaw,

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

, and

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

, among others. The Theatre produces nine plays each year, eight in the summer and one in winter. Artistic director Brenda DeVita said more than 110,000 people see the performances annually. 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.

References

External links

American Players Theatre website
{{authority control Theatres in Wisconsin Shakespeare festivals in the United States Tourist attractions in Iowa County, Wisconsin Theatre companies in Wisconsin Buildings and structures in Iowa County, Wisconsin