American Players Theatre announces season

AMERICAN PLAYERS THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2008 SEASON

29th Season Features Works by Shakespeare, O’Neill, Shaw and Cowley

SPRING GREEN, WIS – Comedy, drama, history, romance and courtship will play out under the twinkling Spring Green, Wisconsin stars as American Players Theatre (APT) opens their 29th full season. Plays for the 2008 season include Shakespeare’s popular romantic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the historical Henry IV: The Making of a King, a conflation of Henry IV, Parts I and II; Eugene O’Neill’s nostalgic comedy Ah, Wilderness!; George Bernard Shaw’s Widower’s Houses and Hannah Cowley’s lighthearted comedy of manners, The Belle’s Stratagem. Plays are performed in rotating repertory beginning June 7 through October 5, 2008. Please visit www.playinthewoods.org for further information.

Additionally, APT will present the world premiere of The Desert Queen, written and directed by APT actor and playwright James DeVita and starring APT actress Sarah Day. The one-woman show explores the fascinating life of legendary English archeologist and explorer Gertrude Bell who was hailed as the uncrowned Queen of Iraq for having mapped the country’s borders, chosen its first leader and established it first museum. The Desert Queen will be performed July 11 and 27, 2008.

American Players Theatre is located at 5950 Golf Course Road, Spring Green, Wis., on 110 acres of hilly woods and meadows above the Wisconsin River, 40 miles west of Madison. All plays are performed in rotating repertory.

Since its beginning in 1979, APT has grown to be among the most popular outdoor classical theaters in the United States, bringing the classics to more than 100,000 patrons each season. The theater’s mission is to bring the classics to life for as wide and diverse an audience as possible, making great plays accessible and understandable through skilled and reverent presentation.

2008 performances include:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

By William Shakespeare

The quintessential APT comedy. On the eve of the Duke of Athens’ wedding, four young lovers escape to the woods. Unbeknownst to them, they stumble into the middle of a feud between the King and Queen of the Fairies. Mix in a bumbling troupe of actors and a love potion that goes awry, and the evening is filled with mirth and merriment. William Brown directs this high-spirited comedy.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed as follows:

Previews: June 7 at 8 p.m. and June 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Opening night: June 14 at 8 p.m.

Additional performances: June 21 (3 p.m.); June 22 (6 p.m.), June 27 (8 p.m.), June 29 (6 p.m.); July 1 (7:30 p.m.), July 3 (7:30 p.m.), July 5 (8 p.m.); July 9 (7:30 p.m.), July 12 (3 p.m.), July 15 (7:30 p.m.), July 17 (7:30 p.m.), July 19 (3 p.m.), July 23 (7:30 p.m.), July 26 (8 p.m.), July 31 (7:30 p.m.), Aug. 2 (3 p.m.), Aug. 10 (6 p.m.), Aug. 15 (8 p.m.), Aug. 20 (7:30 p.m.), Aug. 23 (8 p.m.), Aug. 26 (7:30 p.m.), Aug. 31 (1 p.m.), Sept. 5 (6 p.m.), Sept. 10 (10:30 a.m.). Sept. 11 (10:30 a.m.), Sept. 12 (10:30 a.m.), Sept. 17 (10:30 a.m.), Sept. 18 (10:30 a.m.), Sept. 19 (10:30 a.m.), Sept. 23 (10 a.m.), Sept. 24 (10 a.m.), Sept. 25 (10:30 a.m.). Sept. 26 (10:30 a.m.), Sept. 27 (8 p.m.), Sept. 31 (10:30 a.m.), Oct. 1 (10 a.m.), Oct. 2 (10 a.m.), Oct. 3 (10:30 a.m.), Oct. 5 (6 p.m.).

Ah, Wilderness!

By Eugene O’Neill

The only comedy O’Neill wrote is an exuberant look at coming of age. Nat Miller’s family gathers for an Independence Day celebration. His 17-year-old son Richard is in love with the neighbor girl, Muriel. When Muriel’s father forbids the courtship, Richard rebels with adolescent fervor. John Langs returns to direct this affectionate story about family and the idealism of youth.

Ah, Wilderness! will be performed as follows:

Previews: June 13 (8 p.m.) and June 19 (7:30 p.m.)

Opening night: June 21 at 8 p.m.

Additional performances: June 25 (7:30 p.m.), June 28 (3 p.m.), July 4 (8 p.m.), July 6 (6 p.m.), July 10 (7:30 p.m.), July 12 (8 p.m.), July 16 (7:30 p.m.), July 18 (8 p.m.), July 20 (6 p.m.), July 22 (7:30 p.m.), July 24 (7:30 p.m.), July 26 (3 p.m.), Aug. 2 (8 p.m.), Aug. 9 (3 p.m.), Aug. 17 (6 p.m.), Aug. 23 (3 p.m.), Aug. 29 (8 p.m.), Sept. 7 (1 p.m.), Sept. 13 (8 p.m.), Sept. 19 (8 p.m.), Sept. 25 (7:30 p.m.), Oct. 4 (8 p.m.).

Henry IV: The Making of a King

By William Shakespeare

Director James Bohnen and playwright and APT core company member James DeVita bring Shakespeare’s Henry IV parts 1 and 2 together for one compelling story full of intrigue, war and a ribald Falstaff. After assuming the throne, Henry Bolingbroke must defend his precarious position while trying to reconcile his relationship with his son. As one rebellion is quieted, new ones begin and a wanton prince must amend his ways to win his father’s affection and the throne.

Henry IV: The Making of a King will be performed as follows:

Previews: June 20 (8 p.m.) and June 24 (7:30 p.m.)

Opening night: June 26 at 7:30 p.m.

Additional performances: June 28 (8 p.m.), July 2 (7:30 p.m.), July 5 (3 p.m.), July 8 (7:30 p.m.), July 13 (6 p.m.), July 19 (8 p.m.), July 25 (8 p.m.), Aug. 3 (6 p.m.), Aug. 14 (7:30 p.m.), Aug. 22 (8 p.m.), Aug. 30 (3 p.m.), Sept. 7 (6 p.m.), Sept. 13 (3 p.m.), Sept. 16 (10:30 a.m.), Sept. 20 (8 p.m.).

Widowers’ Houses

By George Bernard Shaw

When a young doctor learns his future father-in-law has earned his wealth through questionable means, he refuses the dowry that awaits. But when he discovers the true source of his own family’s income, he must reconsider his righteousness. A scathing yet humorous look at the ethics of making money as only Shaw -can do. Kenneth Albers returns to direct.

Widower’s Houses will be performed as follows:

Previews: Aug. 1 (8 p.m.) and Aug. 7 (7:30 p.m.)

Opening night: Aug. 9 at 8 p.m.

Additional performances: Aug. 12 (7:30 p.m.), Aug. 16 (3 p.m.), Aug. 21 (7:30 p.m.), Aug. 24 (1 p.m.), Aug. 27 (7:30 p.m.), Aug. 31 (6 p.m.), Sept. 6 (8 p.m.), Sept. 11 (7:30 p.m.), Sept. 14 (6 p.m.), Sept. 20 (3 p.m.), Sept. 26 (8 p.m.), Sept. 28 (6 p.m.), Oct. 4 (3 p.m.).

The Belle’s Stratagem

By Hannah Cowley

For the first time, APT will bring the work of a female playwright to the stage with an enchanting comedy of manners directed by Producing Artistic Director David Frank. Letitia Hardy schemes to win the heart of her betrothed, Doricourt, while he conspires to have the engagement annulled. Meanwhile, jealousy threatens another couple as Lady Touchwood is introduced to London society much to her husband’s dismay. A witty look at marriage and the roles men and woman play.

The Belle’s Stratagem will be performed as follows:

Previews: Aug. 8 (8 p.m.) and Aug. 13 (7:30 p.m.)

Opening night: Aug. 16 at 8 p.m.

Additional performances: Aug. 19 (7:30 p.m.), Aug. 24 (6 p.m.), Aug. 28 (7:30 p.m.), Aug. 30 (8 p.m.), Sept. 6 (3 p.m.), Sept. 12 (8 p.m.), Sept. 14 (1 p.m.), Sept. 27 (3 p.m.), Oct. 3 (8 p.m.).

Producing Artistic Director David Frank said of the season, “The 2008 season is shaping up brilliantly. The company will have more depth than ever and the plays will provide a potent mix of proven masterpieces and neglected gems. We can hardly wait.”

Specific casting for the shows is in progress and will be announced in the spring.

For its 2007 season, which ended October 7, a total of 107,626 people attended performances, including 14,018 students who attended the weekday student matinees during September and October.

 

American Players Theatre (APT) is a professional outdoor theater devoted to classical work with an emphasis on Shakespeare. It was founded in 1979 and continues to be one of the most popular outdoor classical theaters in the nation. APT is located on 110 wooded acres four miles south of Spring Green, Wisconsin, a rural community 40 miles west of Madison. Each season, APT produces 117 performances of five plays, running in rotating repertory June-October.

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