In the winter of 2001, a group of friends gathered frequently at Björklunden
in Baileys Harbor to make dinner, drink wine, and read plays. Then one
night someone suggested, “Why don’t we perform one of these
plays?” The play they chose was All in the Timing by David Ives,
and the founders of Isadoora Theatre Company – Andrew Olson, Ben
Meyer, Jane Hillstrom, and Sheila Sabrey-Saperstein – were on their
way.
From the very beginning, they wanted to create something fresh. The goal
of the founders was to establish Door County’s finest community
theatre ensemble, showcasing works of risk and artistic integrity that
might not otherwise find their way to a Door County stage. Their vision
was to create a theatre company that would challenge audiences as well
as entertain, would provoke thought as well as laughter, and carve out
a place in the greater landscape of Door County theatre. They agreed not
only to produce shows primarily in the off season, when more community
members could be involved, but also to encourage a broad range of talent
to try their hand at acting, singing, dancing, designing, and directing
– to invoke a truly “ensemble” feel where creativity
could be encouraged and all were welcome.
Building a community theatre company from scratch was not without its
challenges. “We only got some shows up and running by the skin of
our teeth,” laughs President and Co-Founder Andrew Olson. “Some
of the goals we set for ourselves – producing shows at multiple
venues, keeping budgets low so ticket prices would be accessible for all,
giving new performers a chance to be onstage – have turned into
big challenges. It is always rewarding, though,” Olson is quick
to add. “Staying up all night to get a set painted is worth it when
you see how much audiences appreciate what you are trying to do, and how
much the experience means to those who are involved. We grow with every
show, and with every bump in the road we get better at what we do.”
Since the original production of All in the Timing in May of 2002, Isadoora
Theatre Company has presented 13 fully-produced plays and musicals, as
well as an original piece honoring war veterans entitled Living Up to
Memorial Day. They have presented a wide variety of shows, from Sexual
Perversity in Chicago and Assassins to The Foreigner, The Fantasticks,
Side by Side by Sondheim, and The Laramie Project. Classic playwrights
such as Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, and Anton Chekhov appear alongside
modern voices in the American theatre such as David Mamet, Jane Martin,
Christopher Durang, and Stephen Sondheim. The shows Isadoora produces
each have their own personality – sometimes family-friendly, frequently
with more mature content, but always striving to present Door County audiences
with top-quality productions of works that might otherwise only be produced
in major cities.
Along with variety in the content of its seasons, Isadoora has always
committed itself to reaching as much of the Door County audience as possible
by varying the venues where they perform as well. With shows at the Ephraim
Village Hall, Fish Creek Village Hall, Door Community Auditorium, Lawrence
University’s Björklunden, Third Avenue Playhouse, Andre’s
Food and Spirits, and Southern Door Community Auditorium, Isadoora has
brought the theater experience to the doorsteps of many of the peninsula’s
villages and towns.
Isadoora has also embraced a grassroots approach to theatre, something
essential for a company that thrives and survives on volunteer support.
While Isadoora is committed to hiring professional directors and designers,
the overwhelming majority of people involved with any given production
donate their time. A season of three, sometimes four, productions is only
made possible through generous contributions and sponsorships of local
businesses and patrons of the arts. Of equal importance are the organizations
which donate space to Isadoora for rehearsals, set and costume construction,
and performances. For a theatre company without a permanent home, this
community support is vital to helping Isadoora continue to grow.
Isadoora Theatre Company is proud to be celebrating its fifth anniversary
by presenting its most ambitious season ever. The season opens with Art
by Yasmina Reza, directed by Peter Daniels, with performances at Peninsula
Art School and Third Avenue Playhouse. Art is a comedy that won the 1998
Tony Award for Best Play that follows three friends as they discuss male
friendship, intellectual honesty and, of course, what is or isn’t
art. This winter Chicago, the musical by Bob Fosse, Fred Ebb & John
Kander, will appear at the Door Community Auditorium. Led by the Artistic
Team of Ross Dippel, Andrew Olson, Julia LaViolette, and Jane Hillstrom,
Chicago is one of Broadway’s most popular and thrilling musicals.
The winner of six Tony Awards, it’s an electrifying tale of greed,
murder, and show biz, full of Roaring '20s jazz-based music and dance.
The Fifth Anniversary Season closes in May with Tennessee Williams’
The Glass Menagerie, directed by Arthur Hopper. This famous play of modern
American theatre, a drama of great tenderness, charm and beauty, will
be presented at the Ephraim Village Hall.
In a few short years, Isadoora has grown from a small group of friends
putting on a show with borrowed props and costumes from their own closets,
to a semi-professional community theatre company that produces a full
season of drama, musicals, and comedy each year. Along the way, more than
100 Door County community members from all walks of life and every level
of experience have joined Isadoora – whether as board members, actors,
designers, directors, technicians, stage managers, musicians, dancers,
carpenters, graphic designers, or even ushers. And yet, Isadoora always
keeps a firm hold on its roots: a group of friends getting together to
share the joy of theatre, even as it continues to grow.
“One of the things that we are most proud of is that Isadoora has
touched the lives of so many people,” says Olson, “and that
we continually provide opportunities for novices and professionals alike
in all areas of theatre. Door County is a community blessed with a wealth
of artistic talent, and Isadoora Theatre Company provides quality, professional
experiences for all who get involved.”
2006 – 2007 Season Schedule
Art by Yasmina Reza
October 13 - 15 at Peninsula Art School
October 19 - 22 at Third Avenue Playhouse
Show times: Thursday - Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm
Chicago, by Bob Fosse, Fred Ebb & John
Kander
February 15 - 18 and 22 - 25, 2007 at Door Community Auditorium
Show times: Thursday - Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm.
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
May 17 - 20 and 24 – 27, 2007 at Ephraim Village Hall
Show times: Thursday - Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00
