By the Light of the Moon

Last Thursday night, I went to see the Shakespearian comedy Much Ado About Nothing at the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, which is about forty-miles west of Madison. It’s a classical outdoor theatre that lies amid 110-acres of rolling, wooded acres near the Wisconsin River. APT’s repertoire consists primarily of plays by Shakespeare. For this, its 28th season, which runs from early June through early October, the company will also perform Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Timon of Athens, as well as George Bernard Shaw’s Misalliance, and Tennessee Williams’ Night of the Iguana.

The setting and mood before and during an American Player’s show is truly magical. Before each show, it’s tradition to relax with friends over a pre-theater dinner in the picnic areas surrounding the theater. Shortly before the start of the show, a trumpet beckons patrons to take their seats. During the show, the dark sky lights up with hundreds of dazzling stars, which make for a transcendent experience.

I went to see the show with colleagues from my division at work. We picnicked beforehand, and I brought my first homemade peach pie, still warm from the oven. It was gobbled up in a hurry, and many of my colleagues offered their accolades. This, of course brought a smile to my face. I very much enjoyed the show, which although predictable, was funny and offered strong performances by Michele Arnold, who played the head-strong and infinitely witty Beatrice, as well as the gentleman who played Don John, the wickedly funny evil step-brother, whose name, unfortunately, I cannot recall. Although not always the greatest fan of Shakespeare, I do love the experience at APT, and hope that I might be able to make it back later this summer for Teneessee Williams’ Night of the Iguana.