Mike McDeromott
Aerial shot of a full theater at American Players Theatre.
Physical improvements at APT include a more accessible picnic area, a second driveway and more art on the way up the hill.
To say that American Players Theatre’s artistic director Brenda DeVita and managing director Sara Young are excited about the company’s upcoming 44th season is an understatement.
“We had an incredibly exciting first day of rehearsal,” DeVita says in a recent interview. “The vibe is great. Everyone is game. They’re open to new experiences. We’re having amazing conversations already about who we are and what we want to accomplish this season.” This burst of energy in our conversation was a marked change from the last time we spoke, in December 2022, after a physically and emotionally draining season for APT, with the staff trying to stay one step ahead of the COVID-19 virus.
“We definitely needed some time to recover after last year,” says Young. “The stress of coming through the pandemic and then welcoming audiences back while trying to keep everyone safe and healthy — it was unlike anything we could have imagined. And it took a toll on all of us, but particularly on the stage management team and our understudies.”
But after a few months to rest and regroup, the unofficial theme for the theater in 2023 is “bigger and better.” Those improvements and changes will be immediately apparent for audiences returning to APT for a season of performances in the woods.
Down the hill
The first noticeable change patrons will encounter is a larger, more brightly lit parking area with 100 added parking spaces, more greenery, and a new, second exit. “The parking lot is something we wanted to improve for years,” Young says. “A portion of the lot will also be paved with asphalt, and we’ll have fully accessible picnic tables in a small, stamped concrete area, with easy access to the shuttle.” Funded completely by a tourism grant from the state of Wisconsin meant for capital projects, these improvements may not seem sexy, but they should have a big positive impact, allowing more theatergoers to get in and out of the lot, quickly and easily.
There is also more art on display throughout APT’s grounds. Each summer the company’s Art in the Woods program invites 3D artists to display their sculptures in the picnic areas and along the walking paths. This year APT had more applications than ever before, from artists wishing to augment the site’s natural beauty with their own work.
On stage
This season’s roster of actors, designers, directors and crew members is also noticeably bigger, and includes many new faces. “We had the opportunity this season with Our Town and The Merry Wives of Windsor to invest in bigger casts, with lots of opportunities for representation. So we did a really deep dive into our audition process, evaluating how we could improve it and ensuring that we are truly hiring the best people for the roles,” DeVita explains. “We started asking people to read the plays before they met with us, so they could have deeper conversations with directors about the work.” As a result, actors with diverse backgrounds are coming to Spring Green from all over the country.
There are also more actors ready to step on stage at a moment’s notice, and thanks to the company’s new understudy program, they will be even more prepared to take over a role if another actor can’t perform. “Basically after last summer, we had to come up with a more efficient system for subbing in an actor on short notice,” says Young. “The risk of actors contracting COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, in fact we’ve already had one outbreak during rehearsals, but we all feel much more prepared for it.”
Moreover, says DeVita, there’s a whole new approach. “We’ve clarified our objectives for understudies, modified timelines, and allocated a lot more time to making sure performers are prepared. For example, lead actors are assigned fewer understudy roles. We’ve hired an understudy support person, who can make sure that everyone has enough rehearsal to confidently take over a role, book in hand, when they need to, starting a week after the show opens. We’ve also hired a ‘swing’ — someone whose only job is to cover for actors’ absences.”
There’s still a good chance audiences will see a performance with an understudy, says Young. “But we’re hoping we won’t have to cancel any performances due to illness, and that the transitions will be more seamless.”
And making the trip to Spring Green to experience the performances in person is again the only way to see the performances: APT decided to discontinue offering video-on-demand versions of any of their plays. “The amount of time and resources put into filming one of our productions, versus the number of people who actually took advantage of the opportunity to view them remotely meant it just wasn’t feasible for us going forward,” DeVita says. “It turns out APT is an experience that is really difficult, maybe even impossible, to replicate on film.”
The plays
Deciding which plays to see at APT is an annual dilemma for theater lovers. Here are some of DeVita’s thoughts on the plays debuting in June and July this year.
The Liar
Based on a French farce by Pierre Corneille, The Liar is written in rhyming couplets using contemporary language. “We were literally crying, we were laughing so hard during the rehearsal,” says DeVita. “It’s hilarious, a little bit naughty and absurd. A total romp. And since it’s a title most people don’t know, we’re really encouraging folks to check it out. Not only is it hilariously funny, it’s a feast for the eyes — the costumes and wigs are packed with so many bright colors. It’s designed for sheer enjoyment and we all need more of that.”
Our Town
Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play returns to the Hill Theatre for the first time since 1992, with a cast packed with APT favorites. “Watching Sarah Day as the Stage Manager will be a special moment for our audiences,” says DeVita. “And it’s such an extraordinary fit for our company. The play is about community in the same way we are a community. We change and grow with our audiences every year.” The script, she continues, is “so passionate about the truth. So reverent and beautiful about what it has to say.” Our Town is traditionally performed with a minimal set, and she believes APT’s already spare outdoor stage surrounded by nature will enhance the simplicity of the story.
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Taking the idea of community in a completely different direction, one of Shakespeare’s most well-loved comedies is back with a stylistic twist — filled with dance. “Brian Cowing is returning to do the choreography,” says DeVita. “He asked each of the cast members about their favorite dance styles before rehearsals began. Now there’s tap dance, there’s flamenco, all sorts of styles in the production — there’s a devised dance moment in the prologue. The duel is a dance-off. The whole show is so full of life, full of music, full of community. It’s pure joy.”
Once Upon a Bridge
For a theater that is known for producing centuries-old classics, this is an anomaly. APT is producing the American premiere of a three-person monologue play that debuted in Galway, Ireland, in 2021. Commissioned by Druid Performing Arts Company, Once Upon a Bridge was broadcast while theaters were still closed due to the pandemic. “Jimmy (DeVita) saw an online version of Sonya Kelly’s play when everything was shut down and was really taken with it. He insisted that I see it. And that led to us putting it in the season,” says DeVita.
[Editor's note: this story has been corrected to reflect that it is APT's 44th season.]
