COLLABORATION · INNOVATION · EDUCATION
Summit Players Theatre is a traveling, non-profit theatre company that presents short, accessible, free Shakespeare workshops and performances to audiences around the state of Wisconsin. Before each show, we teach a 45 minute workshop for kids (and fun adults) on Shakespearean text, general theatre practices, and how Shakespeare used nature in his plays.
All the words in our shows belong to Shakespeare, there are just less of them. Summit Players Theatre shows are produced with new cuttings of Shakespeare's scripts that become tight, approximately 75-minute shows full of mayhem, character switches and hilarity.
The Summit Players' Shakespeare in the State Parks program is unique: we are the only company in the country which tours a production to multiple state parks each summer, presenting a show and education programs completely free to audiences. We are proud to be working in collaboration with the Wisconsin State Parks system and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to create a positive overlap between the arts and outdoor recreation programs. Our goal is to use theatre as a learning medium and introduce children to a love of language, communicating, and constructive play, while providing adults with an enjoyable theatrical experience.
The name Summit is rooted in the idea of "coming together" to create, as in a "summit meeting," and also in reaching toward the peak of creativity. We want to make the best theatre experiences possible, and involve our communities in that process. When we plan each season, we come together at our Summit meetings to discuss, plan, problem-solve, and ultimately find a way to share the magic of theatre with communities all over the state.
Summit Players shows happen in the summer, but we're active year-round! As theatre educators, we offer educational workshops to school groups, libraries, community centers, and others. Interested? Reach out to us - we'd love to teach your group!
Since 2015, Summit Players Theatre transformed from a student-founded project to a nonprofit theatre organization employing artists from around the country. Throughout these changes the mission has remained the same—we're as committed as ever to bringing free outdoor theatre to communities across the state and creating an enjoyable Shakespearience for all.
