August 4 2026

August 4 Newsletter

“We have measured many miles to tread a measure with you on this grass.”

—The King to the Princess in Love’s Labour’s Lost by William Shakespeare

Robert Hunter Bry*, Christian Davis Aldridge, Marcus Cunningham, and Will Gonzalez as the king of Navarre and his votaries in Door Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost. Photo by Heidi Hodges.

Upcoming Events

Wednesday: Wine Night*

Enjoy a preshow picnic in the Door Shakespeare Garden with wine and craft soda selection. Your meal is prepared by Door County’s own Thyme Market and Catering. Take in the beautiful scenery of the Garden, mingle with patrons, and enjoy delicious desserts and coffee during intermission. Picnic guests are also privy to preshow preparation.

Wednesday, August 5, 2026, prior to the performance of Love’s Labour’s Lost

Grilled Atlantic Salmon
Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes
Grilled Asparagus
Tart Lemon Bars

Dietary restrictions happily accommodated by calling 920.854.7111.

To sign up, first determine which wine night you would like to attend. Then get your tickets by clicking on the date here, choosing your seat, and then clicking on “Wine Night” in the “Select Ticket Type” drop down menu. We welcome phone registrations as well: 920.854.7111.

Wine Night schedule and menus for the season may be found here.

*Special thanks to our guest sponsors: Dave and Sharon Saunders.

Buy Tickets Online or Call 920.854.7111

Thursday: Will in the Woods

Prior to the evening’s performance – Free Event!

Gather with friends, family, and theater patrons prior to the show for a lively and interactive discussion. “Will in the Woods” is designed to bring us closer to the theatrical traditions and themes of the season, offering new ways to engage with the stories on stage. These conversations foster meaningful dialogue by inviting us to visit the evening`s production with fresh eyes.

Thursday, August 6 | 6:00–7:00 p.m.

Queerness and the Classics

Stories of identity, love, and belonging have long been woven into the history of theater, often in ways that are subtle, coded, or overlooked. Few playwrights offer a more compelling entry point into these themes than Oscar Wilde. Beginning with The Importance of Being Earnest, we’ll discuss how Wilde’s life and work illuminate questions of identity before expanding the conversation to consider LGBTQ+ themes, characters, and interpretations across the classical canon.

We hope you can join us from 6:00 to 7:00 for “Will in the Woods”. Please RSVP for this free event by calling 920.854.7111 or emailing info@doorshakespeare.com.

Shake It Up Saturday

Join Door Shakespeare on August 8 for Shake It Up Saturday, a free, family-friendly pre-show experience that introduces theatergoers to the world of The Importance of Being Earnest.

Beginning at 3:30 p.m., families meet near the box office before heading down to the lakeshore for an hour of theater games, playful activities, and storytelling. Together, we’ll explore the characters, plot, and delightful world of Oscar Wilde’s comedy while helping young audience members feel prepared and excited for the evening’s performance.

Perfect for families with children, Shake It Up Saturday is a fun way to get the wiggles out, spark curiosity, and create a deeper connection to the magic of live theater.

Shake it Up Saturday is free and open to the public. However, registration is required to confirm the schedule and prepare for your visit. Please call 920.854.7111 or email info@doorshakespeare.com to register.

Engage with Door Shakespeare

Don’t Miss This Special Evening!

Final Call for Gala Tickets!

Please join us for an unforgettable evening of laughter and community as we celebrate 31 years of bringing stories to our community—stories that connect us, inspire us, and bring us closer together.

Enjoy a delicious meal accompanied by beer, wine, and mocktails. Rub elbows with fellow theater lovers and members of the Door Shakespeare company while enjoying live performances by our talented artists.

This year’s Annual Fundraising Gala is Sunday, August 9, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the Kress Pavillion in Egg Harbor, Door County, Wisconsin.

Wine • Dinner • Entertainment • Paddle Raiser

Purchase Gala Tickets

Spotlight News

Camp Will

Each summer, Door Shakespeare presents some of our most anticipated performances of the year: the Camp Will Green Shares. At the end of each week of Camp Will, campers share the scenes they’ve been working on throughout the week.

Green Shares are for everyone. The campers perform on our beautiful stage under the maple, while their loved ones gather in our stands to watch young theater makers in their element. Teaching artists give the stage over to their students for an hour, letting the campers shine.

These events have an impact on us all. Campers gain confidence under the grand maple, in themselves as well as in others. They feel the pride of their loved ones, the support of their fellow scene partners, and the guiding nature of their teachers.

For teaching artist Elizabeth Dowling, Green Shares are all about the campers: “The best part is seeing how excited they are to use the stage and own it. The world belongs to the young—it feels pretty important that our stage belongs to them too.”

While leading the campers through the exercises and fun of the week, our Teaching Artists grow as well. Children can teach us profound things about our own lives, the way we live, and the ways we might reconnect with our own sense of wonder.

Teaching artist Marcus Cunningham writes, “It’s very fun and inspiring and grounding to see the balance they all have with their creativity. As adults, I feel like sometimes we can lose the playfulness and fun of our work. This camp is a great reminder of that.”

These ideas get to the heart of what Camp Will really does; it nutures creativity and allows space for expression. Shakespeare is our framework, but theater is what supports the lessons we learn. And everyone is impacted by it. We laugh, we cry, we hold on, and we let go.

Camp Will embraces theater as a collaborative environment and shared experience where everyone involved has the opportunity to learn, create, and grow together.

Camp Will Session 4 Spaces Available

There are still spaces available for our August 10-14 session of Camp Will! Young theater makers ages 8-17 develop communication skills, language, and group social skills through creative play and ensemble work. Our goal is to nurture each young person’s ability to voice ideas, express thoughts, and discover creativity through group collaboration and the poetry of William Shakespeare.

Each day begins with theater games and warm-up activities followed by the exploration of Shakespeare’s language through rhythm, playful exercises, and scene work. All sessions take place outdoors on the grounds of Door Shakespeare’s Theater at Björklunden and are taught by professional actors from the Door Shakespeare company. The week concludes with campers sharing their scene work on the Door Shakespeare stage, followed by the opportunity to watch their instructors perform in the evening’s professional production.

Tuition is $200 for the first student in a family and $175 for each additional student in the same family. Camp Will reserves places in each session for scholarship applicants so no camper is turned away due to financial need. For information about scholarships, including eligibility and how to apply, visit our scholarship information page.

Learn More On Our Website

Actor's Equality Association *Appearing through an agreement between Door Shakespeare and Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.