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Questions and To-Do Lists

The entrance to the theatre at Bjorklunden does well to invite visitors to a unique theater experience. Photo by Katie Sikora.

It is hard to believe that only eight weeks ago I got rid of my apartment in Chicago, left my job, bought a car, and moved back to Door County to start working as the Managing Director of Door Shakespeare. It has been incredibly motivating to be part of a supportive community with an inspiring company of artists. These past two months have been a fast and furious introduction to this organization, which has undergone quite a bit of transition since this past winter, and is starting to ask some important questions regarding its place in both the local and broader theatre community. We are asking: how can Door Shakespeare best continue its tradition of bringing unique theatrical experiences, rooted in classical text, to the audiences of the Door County area? How can we remain a year-round presence and serve as an asset to the cultural landscape of the peninsula? Planning for the 2013 season has begun and it is time to start finding answers.

Now, I personally love to write to-do lists. I write them in my day-planner, on pieces of paper to place on the bulletin board above my desk, on the Post-it Note program on my computer, and anywhere else I can find neatly organized lines (I have terrible handwriting) to list tasks or goals. Door Shakespeare’s 2012 summer season is on its way to a successful finish, and I am starting to compile my off-season agenda. This to-do list will definitively and creatively answer the questions above. It will be instrumental in bringing Door County audiences a 2013 season that will redefine Door Shakespeare. I thought this article would be a great opportunity to share with the readers of the Pulse the first few items we will be checking off:

1. Packing and Storing: This year, a main priority for Door Shakespeare is packing up the contents of the Garden in Bjorklunden in a way that will allow us to be a resource for the community during the off-season months. Door Shakespeare recently raised funds to secure a space behind our administrative office in Baileys Harbor that will be converted into our first ever costume, prop, storage and build shop. Door Shakespeare will now be able to catalogue and store our costumes and props so they can be of use to local schools and community theatres in the fall and winter. We can now provide costume and props designers a dedicated space to build. Acquiring this space was a huge check on our summer to-do list.

2. Selecting the Plays: Second on the list is selecting the two plays Door Shakespeare will present in 2013. As of this year, Door Shakespeare has produced ten of William Shakespeare’s plays. That means we have 27 more tales of romance, tragedy, and history to produce in the coming years. For the 2013 season, we are focusing on picking two contrasting plays to that will excite, challenge, and educate our audiences. Of course, we are reaching out and asking everyone from directors and designers, to actors and audience members – what two plays would you like to see performed in the beautiful Garden at Bjorklunden?

3. Assembling the Network: Alongside the selection of plays, we are starting the search for the members for the creative team that will bring the plays to life. We are reaching out to directors, designers, fight choreographers, dramaturges, and other theatre artists from near and far to advise and get involved with Door Shakespeare as we reinvent and establish our artistic identity. We are inviting artistic perspective from all over the country to influence the decisions we make for 2013. We are also building up our administrative staff, educational outreach programming, and Board of Directors so we can best plan for not only 2013, but for the many years to come.

4. Keeping in Touch Over the Winter: As the summer season draws to a close, I am investing in ways for Door Shakespeare to stay in touch with the Door County community. I am also looking at ways to bring new audience members to our 2013 summer season. We are planning performances of concert readings throughout the winter to provide local residents consistent exposure to classical theatre. These concert readings will travel to Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Minneapolis to let those communities know that Door Shakespeare is a destination worth planning on.

As you can see, Door Shakespeare has a very exciting, very extensive to-do list. We have a lot of important questions to answer and some very critical tasks to undertake. And we want you to be involved. We want to know what plays you want to see next. What actors and performances were your favorites over the past years? Are you interested in volunteering? Do you want Door Shakespeare to come to teach and/or perform in your school? This is a very special time for this company, and we hope you will all join us as we answer the questions and meet the tasks that will take Door Shakespeare into a thriving time of growth and renewal.

For more information please visit http://www.doorshakespeare.com or email [email protected].

Peninsula Arts and Humanities Alliance, Inc., is a coalition of non-profit organizations whose purpose is to enhance, promote and advocate the arts, humanities and natural sciences in Door County.