American Players Theatre Review

Incredible, if you love plays, great acting, you'll love this place.

I enjoy seeing Shakespeare plays live and APT's performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor was excellent. This performance was my first at APT and I plan to go back as soon as I can.

APT always puts together an exceptional performance. They rival the theatre troupes I'm used to in NYC and Austin. We recently went to one of the lesser known Shakespeare productions, and my 11-year-old laughed so hard she cried. This is beautiful, when actors can understand Shakespeare so deeply that they reach all ages and educations.

This is a beautiful outdoor venue in the hills. Bring bug spray!

Absolutely fantastic experience, wonderful actors and invested storytelling. Will go again.

We are so lucky to have this beautiful theater and exceptionally talented group of people in our midst.

It was great! We are very fortunate to have a wonderful experience in our area!

APT walk on the woods quite lovely ! A little dose of the arts with light exercise.

What's not to love about a theater in the woods with superb actors and timeless stories?

Love the plays, the food choices and the ambiance. It's a summer must!!

Exceptional professional plays in a beautiful environment! Well worth the drive! Every seat is a good seat. Clean restrooms, picnic area and good concessions. Bring big spray.

We attended Measure for Measure, and the performance was excellent as always. APT is such a lovely venue for theatre!

The whole experience is magical. Even a huge storm is exciting.

Beautiful setting, excellent acting and directing, great sets and lighting. Bring lunch or dinner and dine before the play.

June 23rd, 2012
APT has gone the way of the Chicago sell out. Forget about Shakespeare in the Woods; for as one of their core cast members stated last night after the show It s American Players Theater, not American Players Shakespeare Theater!" - Colleen Madden. I was at APT back in 1979 and fell in love with it. Since then though I've travelled, I always tried to make it back and support what I considered one of Wisconsin s treasures (Shakespeare unblemished in the woods). Over the past several years I've seen less and less of true Shakespeare on the billing, and like last night when a play is presented, huge liberties are taken by the director and cast. I understand that each director and troupe would like to put their own small spin on the play, but Director James DeVita CUT OUT an hour and a half of the play! (Again from Colleen Madden who was beaming about this) What was presented last night was not Richard III, but a Reader's Digest version. Why take the time to do anything correctly? Don't let the audience decide if they want to view an entire play, chop it down to what is considered optimal viewing time like at the movies. So much for theater being the last refuge from rampant commercialism; let s turn it into the movies. And don't look for the better known plays. They only rotate them through about once a decade or slightly sooner due to their marketing department deciding that is the optimal timing for selling tickets. I'm not sure how they figured this out, but if they had talked to theater lovers like me, then they would have heard that we would be willing to see these great classics every two to three years instead of the eight to ten year rotation that they have set.

APT is now DEAD TO ME. I feel that I have lost an old and dear friend that has been so for 33 years. R.I.P. APT

American Players Theatre is always a hi-light of our entertainment choices. The vibe is casual and intimate, the performances are always top notch, the sets and costuming are breathtaking. Whether you attend the Top of the Hill outdoor theatre or the Touchstone Theatre indoors, comedy or drama, Shakespeare or contemporary plays, you won t be disappointed.

Consistently stellar productions with bold performances by cast members, fresh interpretations, and in such a lush outdoor setting. Who could ask for more?

Outdoor theatre .. new indoor theatre ... super-vast picnic grounds ... free bug spray ... Shakespeare the way the bard did it when he was here!

The atmosphere is amazing, and APT never puts on a bad play. Bring food, friends, and bug spray.

Best theater in the state, and one of the best in the country. The quality of the performances here are always exceptional.

Gorgeous place.

When you go, try to make a day out of it. Get food, friends and blankets to you can have a picnic and enjoy the great venue.

A fabulous outdoor venue to see Shakespeare at its best!

Great location and acoustics. Very intimate theater.

As always, superb performances. "Flea in Her Ear" was a pleasant farce!

Great show, me and my family always have a good time

APT is a treasure and should be a stop for anyone who enjoys live theatre. Creative energy abounds and is enriched by its spectacular wooded location. The productions equal the best of Broadway and the West End.

The indoor theater was amazing and intimate and the performance was stellar.

Love this place! Small indoor theater -200 seats - or larger outdoor space - approx 1,000 seats - either venue presents the best theater around. Whole family goes every year for the past 20 plus years. Don't miss this gem in the woods, and pack a picnic as the grounds are an ideal space to enjoy beautiful Wisconsin.

A magical place with some of the best theater in the world!

They nail it every time. They Excel at their comedies and make Shakespeare accessible to just about anyone through their interpretations. All of this while being in a lovely setting with no bad seats.

Shakespeare (et al) done by fantastic professional stage actors in the beautiful hills of the driftless area. We have never been disappointed by an APT performance. They are always exultant affairs worthy of your every Guilder!

I try to go to at least one play every year! This place is amazing! The actors and actresses really make this an amazing experience. I can't say enough good things.

Beautiful space Saw the story of Will Great cast Wonderful experience

I've been coming to APT every summer for more than 10 years now. I've never had a less than wonderful experience. Bring a picnic and arrive early. Take a hike on the trails on your way up the hill. The theater is small enough to be intimate, and the setting in the middle of the woods adds an extra flare to the performance on the stage. The actors, directors, set and sound designers are amazing. These shows are easily as good as any you might see in Chicago or the Twin Cities. Highly recommended.

Summer matinees can be a bit warm, and fall evening shows a bit chilly, so schedule and dress accordingly.

First time seeing a play here in the rain. I don't I know how the actors just shrug off the cold and rain, but they are terrific. We've seen lots of plays here and love the place!

One of my favorite childhood memories is experiencing quality theater in the woods at APT. A magical time, rain or shine!

Fantastic time today at the APT for Fences. Wonderful actors. Incredible production!

Another perfect night and spectacular show under the stars!

Outdoor theater at it best great picnic facilities and World class players

We do at least two company outings to APT every summer in order to take advantage of the great setup and location. Every time has been nothing but a pleasurable experience. The free-to-use grills scattered around the shaded picnic areas are a huge bonus to our beer and wine drinking crew. The amphitheater itself is worth a visit if you haven't done something like this under the night sky, and to say nothing of the plays! Though we tend to opt for the comedies, we were able to catch Gift of the Magi this winter - everyone's reactions have always been the same: fantastic!

Great casual atmosphere with helpful staff. Deals can sometimes be found online and can bring food and beverages for a pre-show outside picnic.

APT has been around for a long time and for good reason. They have amazing performers and a beautiful outdoor setting. It's definitely the best way to experience Shakespeare and other classic plays in Wisconsin! You can even picnic on the grounds...just don't forget to prepare for the weather!

Great place to see a play- but bring your sunscreen

Had a wonderful time with coworkers this past summer attending a great show at APT. It was in September when the mosquitoes where bad, but we had no issues with the mosquitoes during the show. Will definitely go again.

Great actors and not a bad seat to be had except plan ahead for the sun depending on when you go. Some seats in the back have better coverage and you can still see/hear actors just fine. Theatre On The Hill has benches to rest if needed or you can take a shuttle up from the parking lot. Good sandwich, snacks and drink options at the concessions.

What an amazing place! Tucked far back into the woods surrounding Spring Green, this is a Wisconsin treasure that you will not want to miss. Their performance of Macbeth was the best Shakespeare that I have ever seen. It's a perfect place to have a "date night", with plenty of picnic space and concessions for sale on site, as well. I could go on and on about how great this place is, but I will leave it by saying that you won't be disappointed if you check it out.

We saw 12th knight. Excellent show. Actors were great. The outside amphitheater is a great way to experience a show. They had bug spray on the hike up the hill to the theater. It wasn't too buggy or hot.

1st time there and the play was amazing! Funny and entertaining. I would recommend going a few times a year!!

Great time. Take a pinic and make it a full day trip.

Midsummer night's dream was awesome. Beautiful setting for theatre.

Good plays but getting out after is always a disaster.

I wouldn't miss out on this quality entertainment. Makes for a great date night - picnic dinner and a play under the stars. Can't beat it! The mosquitos can be intense, but bug spray is provided, and during the play it's not been a problem. The picnic ground are excellent with tables, grills, and concessions of sandwiches and other goodies to purchase.

I wish there was better protection from the rain in case of sprinkles, but it is a very charming theater. It's nice to be it in the woods. The play was very entertaining and actors were very good.

I have been going every year for years. It is one of the best theatre experiences in the country!

Though closed in 2020 due to the pandemic, APT is a wondrous place where for 40 summers the words of Shakespeare and other playwrights have echoed among the hills of the Driftless area of Southwestern Wisconsin in Spring Green. With hope in our hearts the Summer of 2021 can't come soon enough.

Always an amazing atmosphere and setting to view/experience the amazing performances put on by a talented group of performer's. Love it!!!

Et Tu Brutus? Common mans culture theater. Very nice and very fun.

Great outdoor theater. Superb acting
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

Great play in a wonderful outdoor theater, what a superb summer evening experience!

This is such a neat theatre! Actors were great. We saw Born Yesterday and I would highly recommend.

Excellent A DOLL'S HOUSE and SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER, we love APT!

Such a beautiful show, and the staff and cast are so passionate about their work... it would be impossible to not enjoy this place. APT does such a wonderful job of bringing the arts to everyone!

We were stuck in the freezing rain with a lot of bugs

We see between 4 to 7 plays a year, nice date with my wife picnic wine & a play.

Incredible venue, incredible show, incredible actors and very friendly staff. We come back every year. Such a great experience!

I can't say enough wonderful things about APT. The plays are brilliantly thought out and delivered. The actors are incredibly talented. The location is an experience in itself. My advice is to make a day or weekend of it. Bring in a feast before and have a picnic. Have a glass of wine or hot chocolate while enjoying the show. Very accommodating to those that need assistance getting from the parking lot to the theater.

Go to every show that we can even if we bought the tickets and can't go. Then we give the tickets to friends and Neighbors.

Beautiful place to picnic and enjoy great performances of Shakespeare and other classics.

The shows are great! Places like this are truly unique and we're lucky to have them.

It has many fun plays. We go there once a year and the experience is magical! The actors and costumes are amazing. I highly recommend this theater.

Always an amazing experience. Great to see a play and have a picnic, or if you want a restaurant experience, check out Freddy Valentine's in Spring Green.

Without a doubt the best performance of As You Like It I've ever seen. Beautiful venue and remarkably well acted! Can't wait to come back next season!

This was around my 8th time coming to a performance here and I ve loved every one! Make sure to leave time beforehand to picnic and after for slow traffic while leaving

The best national and ensemble actors in the entire mid-west.