Theatre in the Great Wet Outdoors

Last Tuesday we went to Spring Green to see "Julius Caesar" at the absolute most bestest place in the whole world. I love APT. I love the drive over there (although it's too far) because it's just such a beautiful part of the state. I love the outdoor theatre and the hike up the hill. I love the actors.

Up until this year, I was crazy about the plays. They always seemed to have a very Lutheran undertone. At first, I just assumed it was something in Shakespeare. But as I've seen more Shakespeare, I realize that different companies play it different ways. And APT always seems to fit my worldview best, and fit my theology best, and delve me into lovelier theological musings than what I got from other companies. But now I'm a bit worried, because one of my favorite directors has become the manager of the whole place and isn't directing as much. I wonder what that will do to the way stories are presented?

We've had drought for years. This summer, God has given us rain. It's lovely. And for all the times I prayed for rain, I told myself that I wouldn't complain when it interfered with my plans. So I'm not complaining. Understand? But, boy oh boy, was it ever wet on Tuesday!

It drizzled and misted during the first act (100 minutes). We were in ponchos and damp. Actually, the weather fit the setting of the play quite well, even if we were a little wet. After intermission, there was a short first scene with drizzle, but then the sky opened up. They had to halt the performance and send us for cover. The rattle of the raindrops on our ponchos was so loud that the actors just could NOT get enough volume to be heard. They sent us down to the tent which is used for rained-out school matinees. It was okay, but it helped to close one's eyes and "see" the stage and the costumes and the movement that the actors would've been making had they still been on the real stage.

Afterwards we went into town to the General Store. I hate shopping. I hate shopping. Yes, I do -- I hate shopping. But I LOVE this store! When Gary and I had been over in Spring Green for our anniversary, I saw a board game that I wanted to get for school and for fun. I thought it was pricey. But when I tried to find it elsewhere, I discovered that it's not widely available. So I wanted to go back and buy it. Because of the cold rain and a little blue child, we decided said blue child needed something warm in her. We stopped at the restaurant in the General Store and bought soups and cocoa and stuff. While there, some of the actors stopped by after the performance, and we chatted with them a bit. Tracy (that'd be Brutus's wife, for those of you who attended the play)was saying that they've never had rain like this before, as long as she can remember in her 7 or 8 years in the company. Yes, there's been rain this bad, but it had always been for regular performances. And they'll call those off and give raincheck tickets. But for school matinees, they can't have people come back. It's too close to end of season, and the schools can't arrange to re-do the busses and the fieldtrip permission slips and all that jazz. So this play was one that made memories of how drenching and loud the rain was, because the actors couldn't stop the show and had to make it through (even though they got to move to a drier location).

For our 20th anniversary, my husband and I went to APT. One of the performances we were at also happened to be once of the worst rained-upon plays they've had. It even made APT's anniversary memory book. That night, they sent us for cover twice due to dangerous weather (not just wet). And by the end of the show, only about 100 patrons (less than 10% of the original audience) were left to see how Richard II turned out. When we were at APT this year for our 25th anniversary, it was the day there was flooding across the middle part of the state, and weather bad enough to knock out the power at home for the kids.

My husband had wished (once upon a time) that we could go on a cruise for our anniversary. All I can say is that I think the people who live near the ocean should thank us for going to APT instead of on a cruise. It prevented the hurricane that would surely have hit had we been on a boat that day.

And we can expect rain Friday next week. That's the day we have tickets to "Romeo and Juliet." Don't water your lawn on Thursday....