THE 2025 PLAYS
June 7 - October 5
HILL THEATRE
A Midsummer Night's Dream
By William Shakespeare
Directed by David Daniel
What better way to start off your summer than with the play that started it all? A sparkling and poetic pop-up book, bursting across the sylvan Hill stage, propelled by magic, romance and the very best kind of mischief. This merry chase is led by a delightful pair of Pucks, as humankind and fairykind alike head to the woods in search of their best selves. And we do the same. Because Midsummer is, above all, a celebration of humanity at its finest; a playground for actors and audience alike. Bring your kids, your kin, your fun-loving friends. This story was built to be experienced alongside your favorite people, beneath a vast and star-strewn sky. Partake, and be merry. Runs June 7 - October 5.
Featuring: Nate Burger, Joshua Castille, Maggie Cramer, Jim DeVita, Tim Gittings, Casey Hoekstra, Josh Krause, Elizabeth Ledo, Sam Luis Massaro, Samantha Newcomb, James Ridge, Marcus Truschinski
A NOTE: Pieces of this production will be performed using American Sign Language (ASL), while remaining accessible to hearing audiences. For information on accessibility, including ASL interpreted and captioned performances, visit americanplayers.org/accessibility.
Fallen Angels
By Noël Coward
Directed by Shannon Cochran
If you're looking for a laugh, my lovelies, Mr. Coward has you covered and then some. A sparkling, new-to-us comedy about the one who got away from multiple Misses. Two married ladies of leisure are surprised by a note from their long-gone Parisian paramour (Yes, the same man. No, not at the same time). His impending arrival twirling them up in a whirlwind of what, what-if and why‑not? Riddles that have them reeling through time to their pre-husband era, swept along on a wave of nostalgia and champagne. Join them as they dream and dither; argue and bargain in a charming attempt to have it all. A farcical feast for every sense. Arrive, grab your favorite bubbly and enjoy the froth. Runs June 13 - September 4.
Featuring: Nate Burger, Phoebe González, Colleen Madden, Sam Luis Massaro, Ronald Román-Meléndez, Laura Rook
Picnic
By William Inge
Directed by Brenda DeVita
A sleepy Midwestern town hums with simmering tensions, when the arrival of a provocative stranger sets it all ablaze. Among the people who dwell in Independence, two sisters are living lives that have been laid out for them like a shimmering party dress. But what if that dress doesn’t fit? Maybe they, and all of these small-town women, have dreams beyond what to wear to the 4th of July dance. It seems they’re all reaching for something just beyond their fingertips. For understanding. For escape. For something to heat their hearts – elusive treasures that can only come at a cost. A sexy, poignant and deeply human drama. Get yourself a front-row seat on the blanket. Runs June 20 - September 13.
Featuring: Tracy Michelle Arnold, Dee Dee Batteast, Sun Mee Chomet, Colleen Madden
Anna in the Tropics
By Nilo Cruz
Directed by Robert Ramirez
Get swept away on the tobacco-sweet breeze of this lush and poetic romance, as family ties smolder beneath a Florida sun. An alluring new lector has arrived in their midst like a match in a powder keg, carrying with him the long-held Cuban tradition of reading aloud as the workers roll cigars. They burn through their work days rapt in his reading of Anna Karenina. But not everyone is a fan of the tradition or the man. As desires ignite and loyalties are tested, each lyrical passage pulls them closer to a reckoning between the past and the future. A pulse-racing, Pulitzer-winning epic, offering a limited number of performances, perfectly accompanied by the sultry summer breeze. Runs August 1 - September 26.
Featuring: Phoebe González, Elizabeth Ledo, Melisa Pereyra, Ronald Román-Meléndez, Triney Sandoval
The Winter's Tale
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Shana Cooper
Human beings are amazing creatures. Our greatest asset might be our unlimited capacity for love. When we’re at our best. But when a person – or in this case, a king – succumbs to baser jealousies, disaster hovers like a Sword of Damocles, threatening even the people he holds most dear. Yet, when all appears lost, the seasons begin to turn, unearthing a sprig of hope from beneath the drifted snow. Sure, it may need some help to flourish. Fortunately, there’s a community of funny, flawed and loveable folks who are eager to pitch in on a happy ending. Those odds may seem long, but hope abounds, always. A bittersweet and human story about the miracle of forgiveness, rarely produced and beautifully manifested on the Hill Stage. Runs August 8 - October 4.
Featuring: David Alan Anderson, La Shawn Banks, Dee Dee Batteast, Nate Burger, David Daniel, Sarah Day, Josh Krause, Gavin Lawrence, Laura Rook
TOUCHSTONE THEATRE
The Barber and The Unnamed Prince
By Gavin Dillon Lawrence
Directed by Gavin Dillon Lawrence
DC mourns the passing of the Godfather of Go-Go – a home-grown music known to few outside the capital city. But while Chuck Brown may be dead, he is not gone. His sound and rhythms permeate and define the soul of the Chocolate City, even as it’s being reimagined by the gentrification train. For the moment, though, there are still good times at Kofi’s barbershop. A space for jokes and truth and tradition; for conversations that resonate through generations. As Kofi and his teenage son, Prince, lock heads about the future of the barbershop, a battle ensues revealing the fragile yet undeniable love between a father and his son. A vibrant elegy for a community in transition, funny and rhythmic and raw. Grab a seat for this powerful world-premiere in the Touchstone. Runs June 24 - September 25.
Featuring: David Alan Anderson, Nathan Barlow, Jonathan Gardner, Josh Krause
'ART'
By Yasmina Reza
A pricey piece of abstract art contains multitudes. Or it contains nothing of note. Perspective is key, and opinions are free – but what do they say about the beholder? The fate of a friendship hangs in the balance (and quite literally on the wall) as three men test the boundaries of their once-steady status quo, throwing barbs with abandon as they build alliances and burn bridges with equal aplomb. Join as they dig in, waver and challenge, navigating their perceptions of each other and themselves. It’s a wickedly funny look at friendship, flaws and all, overflowing with wit and charm and plenty of snark. An artful debate that will leave you laughing. Runs June 13 - September 28.
Featuring: La Shawn Banks, Triney Sandoval, Marcus Truschinski
Tribes
By Nina Raine
Directed by John Langs
How well do we really know the people we love? The answer, inevitably: not nearly as well as we think. Take this family – creative, charismatic. Razor sharp in intellect and in tongue. It’s a routine they’ve been running forever, and with their once empty nest recently refilled, they’ve got every beat in its perfect place. Or so they think. For one son who is Deaf, a new world is opening; one his family has long locked away from him. If he walks into that world, can they hold onto their funny, dysfunctional dynamic? Should they? Family drama of the best variety – hilarious and fearless and messy, featuring a cast that will make you feel right at home. Runs August 2 - September 27.
Featuring: Joshua Castille, Jim DeVita, Maggie Cramer, Casey Hoekstra, Colleen Madden, Lindsay Welliver
A NOTE: American Sign Language will be used during portions of this production.
Opening in October
The 39 Steps
By Patrick Barlow
Directed by John Taylor Phillips
Grab your gummy bears and buckle up for a fall-down funny thriller, as a charming everyman is swept up in romance and ridiculous twists. Launched into an intrigue he didn’t know he needed, our Mr. Hannay navigates femmes fatales, villains and clowns with dashing, theatrical flair. It’s a seductive spy story based on all the best noir, with a hearty comic twist – think North by Northwest by Noël Coward. All brought to gleeful life by four incredible actors playing over 100 characters. It’s the thrilling escape we’ve all been craving – a special event in the Touchstone that will leave you in stitches. Secure your tickets before they’re stolen away. Runs October 22 - November 23.
Featuring: Nate Burger, Casey Hoekstra, Laura Rook, Marcus Truschinski
About the Theatre
APT is a professional repertory theater devoted to the great and future classics. It was founded in 1979 and continues to be one of the most popular outdoor classical theaters in the nation.
The Theatre is located in Spring Green, Wis., on 110 acres of hilly woods and meadows above the Wisconsin River. The outdoor amphitheater is built within a natural hollow atop an oak-wooded hill. Under the dome of sky, 1,075 comfortably cushioned seats encircle three sides of the stage. In 2009, APT opened the 201-seat indoor Touchstone Theatre, offering a different type of play and experience.
For more information, visit americanplayers.org
For photos or interviews, please contact: Patty Heaston, pheaston@americanplayers.org
Credits:
American Players Theatre, 2025