Every now and then, if you're lucky, you get to experience a performance that is so completely pitch perfect that when it ends, you have to remind yourself to breathe. American Players Theater's current production of Athol Fugard's The Island is such a production.

Long before the house lights dimmed, everyone in the audience had already been joined in a suffocating and visceral awareness of the suffering imposed on the prisoners of the infamous prison island, which warehoused South African political prisoners in the long decades of apartheid. The bare-bones set, the harsh yellow lighting, the pre-show glimpse into the life of the prisoners, and-  most of all - the powerful and nuanced performances of La Shawn Banks and Chike Johnson drew each audience member into the quarry where they toiled and the cell where they rehearsed a liberating performance of Sophocles' Antigone.

Congratulations to first-time APT director Derrick Sanders and to designer Yu Shibagaki, but most of all to APT's new artistic director Brenda DaVita. The Island was a daring addition to this summer's lineup, superbly executed. We can't wait to see what you have in mind for next year.

Contributed by Coleman

When Strollers opened The Curious Savage in February, 1963, the following text appeared in its program:

'As we watch ourselves being played this day on the stage - - let us introspect into our position in the action.  In seeing self, project knowledge into the world, Nature, the Cosmos.  There we shall also meet Wisdom, i.e. which has "charged the world".'

This is the first of a new series of posts which we call "Strollers Throwback Thursday" - featuring various productions from the last 59 years. Feel free to comment on these posts, especially if you were involved, or attended them or if you can identify the actors

Contributed by Lucas Sevedge

For 2 Saturdays a month since May, Lucas Sevedge has led the charge on our Archive Project.  

What is the archive project?  Well, over a dozen bins of photos, newspaper articles, programs, and production drawings from Strollers shows dating as far back as the early 60’s are being scanned.  This project will likely take 2 to 3 years to complete, however, at the end we will have our history digitally stored and be able to share it with everyone!

Have you done a production with Strollers?  Would you like to take a walk down memory lane?  All of this will be possible thanks to Lucas and the volunteers who donate their Saturday afternoons to the Archive Project.

Anyone is welcome to participate and you can see what dates and at what location we will be archiving by going to the Volunteer Spot  website or by contacting Lucas Sevedge at lsevedge@gmail.com

Come be a part of Strollers history!


Contributed by Erin Baal

If Igor Stravinsky, Luis Bunuel and Martha Graham had a love child, it would be the Theatre de l"Ange Fou.

For the record, I hate mimes. I REALLY hate mimes. I will walk a great distance to avoid an encounter with a white-faced, white-gloved, striped-shirt, bowler-hatted mime trying to work his way out of an invisible box.

Thus, I had no intention of every going to the Theatre de l"Ange Fou at the White Church Theatre in Spring Green, until a friend - whose avuncular aversion to mimes is at least as great as mine - urged me to attend. So last year I went to a performance, and ... I was blown away. It was eloquent, moving, magical, entrancing. It was unlike anything I ever thought of as "mime". I was riveted to my seat. My eyes popped out of my head.

Last night, I returned for their final performance of the 2015 season - and I was even more enchanted than I was on my first visit. I'm hooked.

With poetry, dance, music, and film,; with grace, emotion, courage and strength - Theatre de l"Ange Fou wordlessly shares a storyline, a heartbeat, a lifeline to a mysterious world that is entirely familiar and completely alien.

Put it on your To-Do list for next summer. These are world-class artists hailing from all over the world. You won't regret it.

Contributed by Coleman