You don’t have to go to New York City or London to see world-class theater. You can just head into the woods of Wisconsin.
Since the late ‘70s, American Players Theatre has been staging acclaimed productions of plays by William Shakespeare, Noel Coward, Henrik Ibsen, and more at its 1,075-seat outdoor Hill Theatre and 200-seat indoor Touchstone Theatre, located outside Spring Green. For many theater lovers in Wisconsin, it just isn’t summer without at least one trip up the hill to see APT.
One of those theater lovers is Cap Times food and culture editor Lindsay Christians, who makes many trips back and forth between Madison and Spring Green every summer. On the City Cast Madison podcast today, host Bianca Martin chats with Lindsay about her favorite productions this year and what she’s looking forward to the rest of the season.
But maybe you’re not an APT pro like Lindsay. If you haven’t experienced American Players Theatre yet, here’s some tips and tricks for making the most out of your visit.
How To Get Tickets
Tickets are on sale through the American Players Theatre website, including a calendar that’s an easy way to see which plays are being performed when.
Pro tip: Before the season starts, APT will usually offer early-bird discounts where you can save big money. They will also have occasional promotions during the season, such as last week’s “Founders’ Day” special.
Also, make sure to follow American Players Theatre on Facebook and Instagram. Every Monday, they’ll announce which performances they’re selling half-off “rush tickets” for. (None this week, sorry!)
Which Shows To See
My advice is to buy tickets to a show that you really want to see that you’re familiar with. Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” for example, is a play that seems tailor-made for APT.
Pro tip: And then get tickets to a play that you might be less familiar with, a play that isn’t in the “canon.” I’ve heard that “The Death of Chuck Brown,” now playing in the Touchstone Theatre, is fantastic, and “Fallen Angels,” one of Coward’s lesser-known plays, is a hoot and a half.
The Trip Out There
From Madison, take Highway 14 west, passing through the towns of Cross Plains, Black Earth, Arena, and Mazomanie. The drive usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on where you’re coming from in Madison. So I advise leaving 90 minutes ahead of the start time if you’re planning to go straight to the theater, or add extra time if you plan to picnic beforehand. (More on this later.)
Then take a left at County Highway C about four miles west of Arena. The sign for American Players Theatre is pretty small (I’ve missed the turn more than once), so look for the much larger Spring Valley Inn sign for the place to turn off. Once you get there, parking is free.
What To Wear
Some people like to dress up in their summer finery for APT, but a lot of people just go super casual. The most important thing is to dress for the weather – light fabrics, sunglasses, maybe a hat for a matinee, an extra layer for an evening show.
Pro tip: The most important thing is to wear good, sturdy shoes, because you have to walk uphill to the theater a little ways. And wear bug spray! APT puts out lots of bug spray for use, but you can’t go wrong bringing some of your own. The mosquitos can get pretty bad down in the picnic area, although I haven’t noticed them much in the actual theater. That may be because bats often patrol the skies above the theater during evening performances.
What To Eat
There are plenty of restaurants to stop along the way and eat, including Reunion in Spring Green and the new Vintage Brewing Company in Cross Plains.
Pro tip: But c’mon, it’s APT! Half of the fun is bringing a picnic to eat before the show. The grounds have plenty of picnic tables and shelters for use. When I was there, a couple of musicians busted out a banjo and guitar to provide live entertainment while we were eating.
Pack sandwiches, or a charcuterie board with prosciutto and salami, crackers, and nice cheeses. And a chilled bottle of wine or champagne, of course.
There’s also gas grills if you want to cook up some meat yourself, and a picnic area snack bar with catered lunches from Hubbard Avenue Diner. You can’t bring anything into the theater, so take all your stuff back to your car before you head up the hill.
Up at the theater, there’s a second pretty extensive snack bar where you can buy drinks, ice cream, and other treats. I know one frequent visitor whose go-to snack during a long play is a packet of chocolate covered espresso beans during intermission.
