Summer Means Shakespeare (in the Park), 2025

American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin did a production of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING in 2024. Photo by Liz Lauren.

By Mary Boyle

Most of the area theatre companies take a break over the summer months, when everyone would rather be outdoors and soaking up the sun, but there are a few whose season only coincides with Wisconsin's warmest months, and they bring their performances outdoors with an almost exclusive focus on the most famous of playwrights:  William Shakespeare.

Since 2014, the Summit Players, a group of mainly Marquette Alumni, have worked hard to make Shakespeare accessible to families by performing for free at State Parks throughout Wisconsin.  This year, the production is the Shakespearean comedy, LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. Their plays use the original language, but they are edited for time and to be as family-friendly as possible, while still retaining the brilliance that the Bard intended. Summit Players even offer a pre-show workshop that is perfect for school-aged kids, so be sure to check that out.  The Players will be just north of Oz in Sheboygan at Kohler-Andrae State Park on Saturday, July 21st for a 5:30 workshop and 7 p.m. show, and just west of Oz in Hartford at the Kettle Moraine State Forest on Sunday, July 25th with a 5:30 workshop and 7 p.m. show.  Note that you will need a vehicle admission sticker to get into the parks. To see the Summit Players full schedule and learn more, go to:  ​www.summitplayerstheatre.com/

Optimist Theatre in Milwaukee has been doing Shakespeare in the Park in Milwaukee since 2010.  This season runs on Saturdays and Sundays from July 12th through August 17th, rotating to different parks around Milwaukee each weekend, with a streamlined, three-person, 80 minute reimagined 1980s beach party production of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, as well as a puppet-powered, breezy 45-minute romp of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.  In between performances,  The PLAY’s the Thing invites you to dive into fun, hands-on activities inspired by Shakespeare, theatre and ‘80s pop culture, and Early Music Now musicians will also set the scene by performing Renaissance-era music — in totally tubular 1980s beach party attire. The shows are always free to attend and  outdoors (you will need to bring your own chair/blanket).  Walk ups are welcome but you are encouraged to register at their website; space is always first come, first served. Members (a yearly donation of $75) are able to reserve seats at one show each season    To see the full schedule and learn more about Optimist Theatre, please visit: ​http://www.optimisttheatre.org

Door Shakespeare has been doing Shakespearean productions, as well as other classical works, in the Garden of Björklunden’s 405-acre estate on Lake Michigan in Baileys Harbor for over 20 years.  This season they will perform Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT as well as Dickens' GREAT EXPECTATIONS, from July 5th through August 17th.  A trip to Door County is made even better with the addition of live, outdoor theatre in the Garden of Björklunden. To learn more about Door Shakespeare, their play schedule, and their other programs, visit http://www.doorshakespeare.com​.

In Tandem Theatre, once a Milwaukee staple, has reinvented themselves at the Fond du Lac County Prairie Theater, where they will host a three-day Shakespeare in the Prairie Festival from July 31st through August 2nd, 2025.  The festival will go from 5-7 p.m., with a performance of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM beginning at 7 p.m. each evening. 
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​For those willing to travel just a bit further, one of the best outdoor theatre experiences in Wisconsin is just outside of Spring Green at the American Players Theatre.  APT has multiple productions, both modern and classic, throughout the summer on two different stages, one outdoor and one indoor, but they never fail to perform at least one of Shakespeare's plays.  This season, APT has selected two by the Bard:  A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and THE WINTER'S TALE.  The APT season opens Saturday, June 7th and runs through Sunday, November 23rd.  To learn more about APT's complete season, go to: ​https://americanplayers.org/

There is a reason that Shakespeare in the Park can be found in outdoor spaces throughout the country: in William Shakespeare's time, his plays were mainly performed in an open-air theater, so it feels right to recreate those conditions for today's audiences.  The outdoor theatre experience, much like an outdoor concert, has an energy all its own that must be experienced to be understood.  While every live theatre performance is unique, the weather and nature are crucial and unpredictable parts of the outdoor theatre production that give an entirely different, and highly individual, dimension to a play, and make for an unforgettable performance.  Add to the itinery of your camping trip, or go just for the show, but make sure you add one of these performances to your summer calendar!