Summit Players bring love of Shakespeare, playful spirit to free shows in parks

On a cool but sunny Friday evening, A.J. Magoon stood on a deck in Three Bridges Park before an empty audience area.

If he was nervous, Magoon kept it to himself. It was time to start Summit Players Theatre's pre-show children's workshop — but no one showed.

It really depends on the location, Magoon said. Plus, the show itself, scheduled to begin at 7, was always a hit at Three Bridges. As showtime neared, the audience proved him right.

This is Summit's third summer traveling across the state to perform a Shakespeare play and lead children's workshops. The company consists of seven actors, all but one of them Marquette University students and alumni. They cram into two cars to drive as far as five-and-a-half hours away to stage their rendition of Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors."

The performances are free.

"It was wonderful," said Audrey Connor, who saw the company for the first time at Three Bridges. "I can't believe it's free — I feel a little guilty."

Returning actors receive a stipend of $1,000, new actors make $800. The actors wear many hats, and, in addition to summer performances and rehearsals, some work year-round to promote and manage the company, Hannah Klapperich-Mueller, Summit's executive director, said. Almost all work full time, are students, or both, in addition to performing for Summit.

"It's a tough balance to really do everything and do everything 100%," Ava Thomann, a third-year Summit actor, said. "It's finding that balance that's the biggest challenge."

Klapperich-Mueller first had the idea to start this theater company while camping with her parents in Potawatomi State Park, where she saw opportunity in an unused outdoor stage.

The company, which began as Klapperich-Mueller's senior project, took off.

"As soon as we got on the road, we decided that this was something that needed to be more permanent," Klapperich-Mueller said.

Grant funding and individual donations allow the small team to bring the plays to areas of Wisconsin that may lack a strong theater presence.

"Shakespeare's not easy, and I feel like a lot of people give up on it easily," said Nadja Simmonds, a first-year Summit actor. "You feel accomplished when you get it, so trying to make others feel accomplished is a big thing."

Workshops teach children about Shakespeare's style, describing iambic pentameter as "a secret code" to crack. They take advantage of the outdoor setting to explain the playwright's use of nature and play games that involve reciting lines.

From simple props and sound effects (the audience supplies the birdsong and wind), to interactive moments, the show is meant to make Shakespeare accessible and easy to understand.

"It's a fun, accessible way to see a show," said Mitch Bultman, who also saw Summit for the first time at Three Bridges. "If it's your first time seeing Shakespeare, it can make it less intimidating."

The gains for the young adult performers are wide-ranging, from business savvy to acting chops. But all said it comes down to having fun and helping the audience do the same.

"The world opens up to you a lot more when you feel literate with language and with Shakespeare," Klapperich-Mueller said. "It's like this wonderful puzzle that once you unlock it, you're in the 'in club.' " 

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that all seven members of the Summit Players Theatre were Marquette University students or alumni. 

IF YOU GO

The Summit Players will perform "The Comedy of Errors" at 7 p.m. July 28 at Lakeshore State Park, 7 p.m. July 29 at Kohler-Andrae State Park and 2:30 p.m. July 30 at Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pike Lake Unit. Pre-show workshops begin 90 minutes before performances. Admission is free. Info: summitplayerstheatre.com.