SKYWORDS
Northern Sky Theater News Spring 2026
Joy-Making: One Show at a Time
MOLLY RHODE Artistic Director
What a delight that it’s already time to pen this year’s SkyWords article! Winter flew by, spring has sprung, and we are thrilled to welcome you back to the Park and the Gould for our 2026 season. As we built this season, we kept one idea at the heart of everything: joy. We want the stories we tell to lift you up. We want you to leave happier and healthier than when you arrived. Creating space for laughter, release, and connection is our greatest privilege, and I can’t wait to have you join us for five unforgettable shows at Northern Sky.
LOOKING BACK
We open the season with something incredibly special. For one week only in June, join us in the Gould for a Fred Alley Tribute Concert. To honor 25 years since Fred’s passing, five artists that knew and loved him will sing songs from his prolific canon and share personal reflections on Fred’s impact. Doc Heide will lead a powerhouse quintet including Jimmy Kaplan, Karen Mal, Katie Dahl, and Jeff Herbst . Fred’s work continues to bring joy to audiences across the country and around the world. What a gift that so much of his legacy lives on in Door County and with us at Northern Sky.
TAKING FLIGHT
The week after the concert, our joy-making moves to the park for this year’s thrilling world premiere, The Thing with Feathers. Created by Robin Share and Clay Zambo (authors of Windjammers), this vibrant story of birds and birders will come alive with dynamic puppetry. Director Zach Woods (last seen at Northern Sky in Love Stings) is staging a show that will truly soar.
At the center of the show is a Kirtland’s Warbler—an endangered bird rarely seen in Wisconsin and known to be an extraordinary singer. Fittingly, our Kirtland’s will be puppeteered and voiced by Alex Campea. The show also features a bird trio: Rachael Zientek returns as the cardinal, Cardi; Nathaniel Contreras joins us for a second season to play the bobolink, Bobo; and newcomer Nahjee Robinson will bring Wilson, a Wilson’s Warbler, to life. Our bird actors began their puppetry journey last August and will be joined by a bird ensemble to bring the full scope of our environment to life.
But there’s more —the show has humans too! The birders are a motley crew, including Doug
TAKING FLIGHT
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Mancheski, Kelly Doherty, Ryan Cappleman, Jamie Mercado (as a runaway bride!) and Karen Estrada. Karen is well known to Door County audiences—she directed last year’s No Bones About It—and we’re thrilled to welcome her back as an actor. Finally, the birders are kept in check by a DNR Ranger played by our long-time friend Dan Klarer, whom we are delighted to have returning to the company.
All this will be brought to life by our cracker-jack design team: Lisa Schlenker on scenic and puppets, Jason Fassl on lighting, Karen Brown-Larimore on costumes, and Jack Purves on sound. Birdsong, love, and laughter await you. See this show as soon as you can, because you’ll want to return again with a friend.
LAUGHTER GUARANTEED
We double down on the joy with this year’s remount of When Butter Churns to Gold by Peter Welkin, Randy Wolfe, and Ron Barnett. Silliness abounds in this audience interactive melodrama. Belly laughs? Check. Puns galore? Check. Show stealing sidekicks? Check and check. This show was last in the park in 2016 and we are gleeful to have five of that cast back for this remount: myself, Chase Stoeger, plus Doug, Kelly, and Alex Dan Klarer will round out the cast as the hilarious multi-character-swapping Narrator, and Nic Trapani’s sound design adds to the hijinks. This show promises a reprieve from all that ails you and will be co-directed by Bill Theisen and me.
MORE MUSTACHES!
Need another helping of mustaches and mayhem? We got you! Something in the Water by Matt Zembrowski is back by popular demand. I’m over the moon to report that the full cast of principals are returning to the show, helmed by Jeff Herbst as Norman Bidwell. New interns will join the cast as resort staff, and I know they’ll be as funny and infectious as ever. Alongside Nathaniel and Nahjee from UW-Milwaukee, we will welcome Emily Odegard and Maxine Danni from UW-Stevens Point.
Making the park experience possible is our first-class stage management team led by Shawn Galligan. He’s joined by rehearsal SM, Emily Wright , assistant stage managers Anna Brooks and Peyton White, and technical intern Micah Cajilig . Additionally, our park season thrives with the stalwart technical support of carpenter Stewart Dawson, wardrobe supervisor Jordan Wallin-Swanson, master electrician Carson Heussner, and tech swing Joe BonDurant . It takes a village, doesn’t it? And our village is exuberant! Finally, the music in the park for all three shows will be top notch thanks to our music directors, Alissa Rhode and Ryan Cappleman, with an able assist in the pit by Dennis Keith Johnson and Bruce Newburn.
COMIC LEGENDS
When the joy-making in the park is winding down, we will ramp things up in the Gould with another world premiere, a gem of a show created in partnership with our friends at Milwaukee Rep— George & Gracie: A Love Story by Tami Workentin. Directed by Laura Braza, this sparkling tribute to comedy legends George Burns and Gracie Allen is a reminder of how joy evolves— and how performers, like Northern Sky itself, keep reinventing to meet the moment. Starring Wisconsin theater icons Jim Pickering and Tami Workentin (Debbie in Girls On Sand ), with newcomer Jon Riker, this show features magic and music and celebrates vaudeville to the point where joy overflows. Costumes by Jason Orlenko, lighting by Rachael Levy, and magic by Wolfe Bowart make this show glitter and glow. Don’t miss this one, friends.
In Partnership with Milwaukee Rep
In fact, don’t miss anything! Get your Flight Pass and plan your trips! Five shows. Five joy-makers. Come and see us. We’ll take care of you—and you will leave feeling lighter.
See you under the stars,
When Butter Churns to Gold
The Thing with Feathers
ROBIN SHARE & CLAY ZAMBO
Some shows begin with a grand vision. The Thing with Feathers began with a pair of binoculars.
We have been lucky enough to have Northern Sky as part of our creative lives for over a decade. Our first musical, Windjammers, was steeped in the history of Great Lakes sailing. But neither of us had ever seen Lake Michigan or Door County until 2012, when we workshopped Windjammers . From the moment we arrived, we were smitten. The amphitheater, nestled in the woods of Peninsula State Park, holds magic that is impossible to resist. It isn’t just the physical beauty of the place, it’s the people—the artistic staff, actors, longtime volunteers, and multi-generational audiences who return year after year. For writers, Northern Sky is something rare: a creative community that feels like family.
When we returned for a revival of Windjammers , it felt like coming home. Because we write bi-coastally — Robin in L.A, Clay outside NYC — our time together in Door County is always extraordinarily productive. Being here unlocks our creativity.
That summer, Robin brought binoculars, having just gotten into birding. After the show opened Robin stayed on and spent some time in the woods. The pleasure of those walks — the stillness, the surprise, the sheer delight of spotting a bird you’ve never noticed before — combined with the excitement of being in a
theatre that is literally surrounded by nature, planted a seed. What if we did a show about birds? About birding?
We began outlining The Untitled Bird Musical in November 2019. Aside from a few character names, that first outline bears no resemblance to the show audiences will see this summer. That is often the way with musicals, and with Northern Sky it seems especially true — the place has a way of reshaping your ideas into something better.
Development continued through the Covid pandemic. Birding was a great outdoor pastime, so Robin’s enthusiasm grew. In August 2022, we, along with Clay’s everencouraging wife Lissa, rented a farmhouse in Fish Creek for a full month to work intensively on the show. (Full disclosure: it was originally intended to be a vacation—you know: a vacation where you write 13 songs in 11 days. Lissa is not only supportive, but extraordinarily patient.)
Near the end of our stay, we invited a group of actor friends over. We set up a big circle of chairs and an electric piano in the backyard, handed out scripts, and read the whole show for the very first time. The actors did a remarkable job. Lissa was the consummate trouper, singing all the female roles alongside Clay on the male parts. The audience was
generous and enthusiastic, and we left that afternoon feeling, for the first time, like we genuinely had something.
Sidebar: about a week before that reading, Robin had a whim. Till then, every character in the show was human — a group of people out for a day of birding. Then Robin suggested it might be fun to have actual bird characters in the show. Birds that could talk and sing and have lives. Clay said, “Why not?” and the birds got some songs of their own. As it turned out, the birds were among the things the audience enjoyed most, and they requested even more. There’s a lesson in there for writers: be careful what you suggest in a moment of whimsy. You may have to fly with it.
Another sidebar: the night before the reading, sitting on the farmhouse porch, we decided on a title. We had a late-in-the-play song called “Hope,” so it seemed natural to call our musical The Thing with Feathers.
Since then, we’ve been working to develop the show. Director Zach Woods came on board to help shepherd us through the development process, while scenic designer Lisa Schlenker is brilliantly engineering and designing the bird puppets. And artistic director Molly Rhode has been a writing team’s best friend: a combination project manager and superfan.
Last summer, we spent a week at Northern Sky workshopping. It was our first chance to see the puppet prototypes in action, to work directly with the cast, and to get a real sense of what The Thing with Feathers is becoming. Watching our words come to life by this outstanding cast was thrilling, but the puppets — even in their early forms — were something
else entirely. We were genuinely moved. Happily, the responses to the workshop also confirmed: You don’t have to be a birdwatcher to enjoy The Thing with Feathers, any more than you have to make cheese to enjoy Cheeseheads or love winter fishing to enjoy Guys on Ice. It’s a story about the funny, quirky people we all know. And love.
As we write this, we’re deep into new scenes and songs, edits and cuts, excited how little changes bring the story into focus—like carefully adjusting the lenses of binoculars.
There is something right about doing this show in the park where these birds actually live —a show about nature, performed in nature. A show about community, performed for a community we love. Here we are, ready to hatch and be pushed from the nest. We hope we can fly.
Fred Alley Tribute
DOC HEIDE
Twenty-five years ago this May, I was teaching a psychology seminar in Northern California when a receptionist appeared at the door. Come to the phone immediately, she said.
It was Dave Alley. His brother Fred, Northern Sky’s charismatic co-founder and my best friend, had died at age 38 while jogging near the Door County farm the three of us owned together.
Words cannot capture my shock and despair. It was as if the Golden Gate Bridge had collapsed into the sea before our eyes.
Fred couldn’t be gone, I thought. I’d just seen him a few weeks before, glowing from the news that his musical with James Valcq (The Spitfire Grill) had won the prestigious Richard Rodgers Award. Fred was about to fly to New York to receive a $100,000 check from Stephen
INDOOR GOULD SPECIAL EVENT
JUNE 16-20
Sondheim to produce the show Off-Broadway. After years of back-breaking work, he’d finally made it. But then he was taken from us by an unsuspected heart condition.
The decades since have eased our shock but not our sorrow. Those of us lucky enough to have known Fred recognize that he was too singular and complex to accurately describe.
Brilliant, handsome, radiant, mercurial, generous, painstakingly meticulous. Equally prone to passion and silliness. A hilarious actor blessed with a voice that could make angels weep. A writer who likely would have become a household name across America.
I first met Fred in the summer of 1982, when he joined Northern Sky’s predecessor The Heritage Ensemble. I was onstage at our pine-
rimmed Peninsula State Park Amphitheater rehearsing our 4-person cast when Fred arrived accompanied by Ensemble director Dave Peterson. Here’s your new cast member, Dave announced. And he’s terrific.
I’d been lobbying Dave to increase the Ensemble from four to five performers for years. Now, four days before we opened, he had delivered the 19-year-old Fred Alley, looking like an undiscovered James Dean. As soon as he sang, we all recognized he was exceptional. We immediately set out teaching him singing parts and giving him the narrations none of us wanted.
Fred didn’t take to the Ensemble’s format immediately and was skeptical of its occasional corniness. In fact, after his initial season he didn’t return until 1985. But from then on, he was a steady hand. He taught himself guitar, stayed in a dilapidated cabin near Baileys Harbor, and used the lazy summers to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. That eventually turned out to involve writing folkstyle songs and (after sitting out the first year of American Folklore Theatre) writing musicals.
Over the next decade, Fred collaborated with Jimmy Kaplan, James Valcq, Jeff Herbst, Paul Sills, and me to co-author around a dozen musical
comedies, dramas, and revues. He also wrote and recorded lots of singer-songwriter material, some of which has never been heard outside a small circle of friends.
This summer, Northern Sky will celebrate his legacy with a one-week concert series at our lovely indoor Gould Theater from June 16-20. We’ll draw from both his invigorating joint stage work and his wonderful original songs.
For this series we’ve assembled a talented cast who either knew Fred well or were deeply influenced by him. I’ll serve as MC. Jimmy Kaplan (who wrote music to Fred’s hit shows Guys on Ice, Lumberjacks in Love, The Bachelors, and more) will be there. Fred’s childhood friend Jeff Herbst (who directed all of Fred’s shows and is now our Emeritus Artistic Director) will, too. Karen Mal (Fred’s friend who played central roles in several of his shows) will contribute silky vocals and nuanced instrumentals. And Katie Dahl (whose careers as singer-songwriter and playwright grew out of seeing his shows and who’s recorded an album of his songs) will round out the cast. All of us will perform and share stories about him.
We hope you can join us for this event appreciating a remarkable man who left us too soon.
Where Songs & Stories Take Flight
HOLLY FELDMAN Managing Director
There’s a line borrowed from Emily Dickinson and echoed in our upcoming world premiere The Thing With Feathers that says hope is the thing with feathers. I’ve always loved that image: something small and persistent that perches quietly and keeps singing, even when the wind picks up.
Having the title of Managing Director sometimes feels a bit like that. There are days when spreadsheets outnumber songs and when the words of the song sound a lot like “the company van needs new brakes…” But every one of those “windy” behind-the-scenes details exists so that something lighter, something with feathers, you might say, can take flight on stage.
It’s not always glamorous work. No one writes a show tune about budget forecasting (though I wouldn’t rule it out) but the planning happening behind the curtain, building partnerships, nurturing relationships with
our volunteers and donors, and ensuring the organization remains financially healthy, allows Northern Sky to keep investing in what matters most: new musicals written especially for you.
Speaking of new work, one of the most exciting parts of my job is watching brand-new musicals come to life. Each year we take a leap of faith on stories that have never been told before, trusting that the magic between writers, performers, designers, and audiences will turn them into something unforgettable.
That tradition of original storytelling is deeply rooted in our history. This season also marks 25 years since the passing of our co-founder Fred Alley, whose voice and vision helped shape the spirit of Northern Sky from the very beginning. Fred believed in telling stories grounded in this place, stories filled with the humor, heart, and characters of life here in Wisconsin. That belief continues to guide us
today, and it’s something we’ll be honoring as we begin this season together.
And speaking of taking flight. as it turns out, that commitment to original storytelling is catching attention far beyond Door County. Over the past year Northern Sky has been featured in travel stories in National Geographic and Forbes, and we were honored to be the subject of a wonderful piece in The New York Times by our new friend and fan, Elisabeth Vincentelli.
And then there’s you.
Our donors, sponsors, volunteers, and ticket buyers form the wind beneath those metaphorical feathers. Your generosity makes it possible for Northern Sky to remain both adventurous and sustainable, a balancing act every nonprofit arts organization strives for.
Every season when I stand at the back of the theater I see families who have been coming for generations, first-time visitors just discov-
ering the magic of a Northern Sky original, volunteers greeting audiences with programs and smiles, and yes, the occasional mosquito who apparently also enjoys musical theater.
You are the reason the song keeps going.
So when I think about that idea, hope as a small but resilient thing with feathers, it feels especially fitting for Northern Sky. After all, what we do here is a little improbable. We gather in the woods. We tell brand-new stories. And we trust that if we sing them with enough heart, people will flock back year after year to listen.
And somehow, wonderfully, they do.
I look forward to seeing you at the park and the Gould this season, blankets, bug spray, binoculars, belly laughs, and all.
Northern Sky’s One Act of Kindness Society, launched in 2021, celebrates those who have chosen to create a lasting legacy by including Northern Sky in their will, trust, or estate plan. The phrase “one act of kindness” comes from the lyrics of a song in the musical, Boxcar. The song insists that one act of kindness often ripples out into many others by reminding us “there is good in the world.”
Members of Northern Sky’s
One Act of Kindness Society
Ann Abbott
E.H. Barker
Pam Blanchard
Claire CaJacob & Deb DuMont
Susan & Jim Caldwell
Susan Crawford & Jeffrey Rosemann
Cynthia & Larry Crock
Craig Cullum & Helena Campbell
Robert C. & Lois K. Dittus
Lisa & David Fink
Barbara Gould
Jim & Barb Hansen
Chuck Harmon
Bob & Lisa Heider
Doc Heide & Jody Jessup
Brad & Catherine Jongsma
Rita & Frank Jury
John & Mary Lou Kroll
Cal & Trish Pierson
Jim Stangle
Cynthia Stiehl
Greg & Wendy Vichick
Merrilee & John Waldron
James Wilson
Pete & Leslie Yaeger
To notify us of your plans, or to learn more about what including Northern Sky in your estate plans might look like, please contact Holly Feldman at holly@northernskytheater.com or 920-633-3228.
My Word! How eleven years can feel like a lifetime! It’s hard to believe, but that’s how long it’s been since our writing team last collaborated on When Butter Churns to Gold. But it’s such a treat for us that our show is back ‘on the boards’ once again. Show remounts often come with the risk that the piece will feel dated or out of touch with the current moment. But that’s the great thing about melodrama. The form has been a staple in the American theatre for decades and never seems to go out of style. The Looney Tunes and Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons so many of us watched as kids pushed the form into a gleeful, campy world. So now, it seems it doesn’t matter when a melodrama was written, audiences delight in the white-hat wearing heroes and heroines, whisker-twisting villains, and the absurd hi-jinks that ensue when their objectives come into conflict.
Peter Welkin, the book writer, recalls that eleven years ago, the final push in our show’s gestational process was a real kicker for him personally. “Not only was our team handing our ‘show baby’ over to the Northern Sky production process, but I was also in the throes of passing a kidney stone during the final week of workshopping the show. Ouch! But when the show finally opened, audiences responded with the same kind of gusto for booing and cheering that I had experienced during the five years I spent working at the Great American Melodrama in Oceano, CA. That made it all worthwhile. It’s always remarkable to me just how honest an audience will be when given
When Butter Churns to Gold
PETER WELKIN, RANDI WOLFE & RON BARNETT
the chance to respond to the action onstage. It’s a visceral thing to react to good and evil. We may doubt them sometimes, but our senses don’t lie. We’re thrilled to experience the show again after all this time, though we’ll always reminisce about that 25 degree below zero weather in Milwaukee during the original January workshop. Brrrr…but that’s how the art gets made. Our writing team won’t be a part of rehearsals this time but the memories of that moment in time will last…intense, challenging, but deeply rewarding. My three children, who saw the original opening night, are all adults now, which makes looking back at the last eleven years even more poignant. While I keep myself warm and cozy in Los Angeles, I’m at work developing a new musical inspired by a unique photograph I discovered in my family’s genealogy album…always more to mine from my deep Wisconsin roots. Maybe in eleven years it can leave another indelible mark.”
Composer Ron Barnett was recently quoted over a smoky glass of Laphroig, saying that “writing When Butter Churns to Gold was my first collaboration with Northern Sky Theater, a relationship that’s lasted, to my delight and with gratitude, for several years now…even to the point where Fish Creek feels like a second home to my wife and me, and the tremendously talented staff at Northern Sky feel like old friends.” Ron is awfully modest though and won’t go on about the other shows he’s written for Northern Sky, like Reality Trip and The Fish Whisperer.
For lyricist Randi Wolfe, working on this show was a season of firsts. “First time collaborating with Peter and Ron, first time writing a show that had been commissioned, and first time being part of the full journey from page to stage.” During table readings, she delighted in hearing her lyrics sung for the first time by actors who were already finding the characters. During rehearsals, she loved watching the show evolve and take on a life beyond anything she and her collaborators had put on the page. It was exhilarating and humbling in equal measure. As a newcomer to the Northern Sky family of writers, she was welcomed with open arms and made to feel right at home. The cast’s talent and dedication elevated the work in ways she hadn’t imagined. “They didn’t just perform the musical; they inhabited it, found its heart, and showcased it beautifully.” And then there was Door County. Traveling to Wisconsin for the premiere was something she’ll carry with her always. “Sitting anonymously in that
audience, surrounded by the woods and the energy of a community that genuinely loves live theatre, it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that reminds me why we write in the first place.”
It is our sincere desire that audiences will have similar feelings about the return of When Butter Churns to Gold. Even if you missed the show the first time around, the form and style will welcome you in, make you feel comfortable with the classic archetypes, and hopefully, will tickle your family’s funny bone and be a delightful part of your summer adventures.
Cheers to the Summer Season!
Doc Heide Concert
Join Doc Heide and his band Zen of Thieves on Sunday, July 19 at our Gould Theater for the release concert for their new album Birthplace of the Thunder. Described as “arrestingly beautiful”, the songs on the album offer a psychospiritual take on today’s world, exploring compassion, optimism, mysticism, myth, and the life of Northern Sky legend Fred Alley. The concert features Northern Sky artists Eric Lewis, Karen Mal, Jimmy Kaplan, Amy Chaffee, Lee Becker, Matt Zembrowski, Steve Koehler, and Holly Feldman, plus Grammy nominees Hans Christian (cello) and Paul Taylor (drums), as well as Door County favorite Paul Sowinski (2025 BAMMY Award for Bassist of the Year), along with other special guests. Lee Becker (Ernie the Moocher in Guys on Ice) will serve as MC for the evening, interviewing Doc about the songs and their origins. Tickets are $40 each and the performance starts at 7:00 PM. Performance is not eligible for the 10% Flight Pass discount.
George & Gracie: A Love Story
As my husband Jim Pickering and I were sitting around grousing about work and the lack of it I said, “I should write a play!” What was I thinking?! We threw out the names of different comedy duos that we admired and eventually landed on George & Gracie. Jim had the glasses and I was daffy and we were off to the races. The race, however, turned into a 4 year project full of false starts. When the final 5th-ish draft felt like something people might want to hear I was given the opportunity for a public reading that turned out to be a roaring success and here we are today (after maybe 6 or maybe 7 more versions). You’re in luck! It’s done!
I fell in love with all that I learned about them not only as performers but as a married couple. When writing about real people you need to find a way into where you can
dramatize or make a story up based on your imagination of them vs staying directly tied to real life events. I thought about how George might have felt going on for the first time without his partner and landed on the premise that you will get to see in this show: George, struggling with 1 hour prior to his solo show and his fear of potential failure. With the need for George to get himself on stage we now have the conflict of time. Through the device of a 1940’s elevator functioning as a time machine, George is transported back to how they met, fell in love and formed an act.
The idea of the elevator came from a conversation with a dear colleague with whom I was bouncing ideas back and forth. He said, “What kind of elevator pitch would you give to those that never knew of them: A little girl, a millennial etc.?” The elevator was the thing that
Guarantee your spot for a season filled with music, laughter, and storytelling with a Northern Sky Summer Season Subscription.
We are thrilled to announce that Northern Sky will be offering subscriptions again for the 2026 season! Introducing the Flight Pass, inspired by our summer world premiere The Thing with Feathers Pass will provide patrons with the opportunity to purchase four tickets for the price of three which can be used for any of the park performances, in any combination, in 2026. That’s 25% savings on our summer season! Subscribers also enjoy premium seating and the freedom to choose their performance dates at their convenience. In addition, subscribers can also take advantage of a 10% discount for any additional tickets including performances at the Gould Theater. Subscriptions can be purchased starting March 4th through June 20th via the Northern Sky website or by calling the box office. Secure your seats, enjoy the best views in the house, and take flight with Northern Sky this summer.
stuck and it became the center or the play. My goal was to celebrate those whose shoulders we stand on. I also wanted to serve up Mr. Burns as an egoless artist who was willing to give up on telling the jokes to be the straight man when he recognized this zany broad was the star. Then to celebrate this glorious woman and skill set that was deep and rich. She fell into our hearts leaving us always feeling just a little better. I also wanted to celebrate marriage. These two loved each other as do Jim and I. Game on.
In Partnership with Milwaukee Rep
SPONSOR SUPPORT ENSURES THE FUTURE OF NORTHERN SKY WHILE KEEPING OUR TICKET PRICES AFFORDABLE.
Season Sponsors
The Haggard Family
Tony & Judy Licata
Emmy & Steve Stanley in honor of Fred Alley Wisconsin Public Radio
The Thing With Feathers Tom & Brenda Koch Nicolet Bank
Oneida Nation White Gull Inn
When Butter Churns to Gold
Coyote Roadhouse Jason Feldman Landscapes On Deck Clothing Company
Something In The Water
Fred Alley Tribute Concert
George & Gracie: A Love Story
Street Market Chuck & Barb Murphy Wulf Brothers
Ticket Sponsor Wilson’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor Post Show After Glow
New Work is Center Stage in Wisconsin
LACHRISA GRANDBERRY NOVA Program Director
As the Director of NOVA Programming at Northern Sky (Nurturing Original Voices and Artists), I’m continually inspired by the artists who show up to do the brave, generative work of creating new stories. Through writing circles, workshops, and readings, NOVA remains a safe space where the next generation of theater voices are nurtured, bold ideas are explored, and new work is given room to be planted and to grow. As an extension of my position, I’m also honored to serve on the board of World Premiere Wisconsin, representing Northern Sky as a producing theater. WPW is a statewide festival dedicated to championing new plays
and musicals. Serving as a board member of WPW allows us to further connect Northern Sky’s development work to a broader artistic community. As Northern Sky enters its 2026 Festival Season with World Premiere Wisconsin, NOVA remains an important part of our future in supporting the creation of new stories that may one day find their way to the stage under the peninsula sky. I recently wrote the following “we believe” statement for World Premiere Wisconsin Festival kick-off event, and it feels just as true to the heart of NOVA’s mission. It’s an offering that reflects why this work matters and why we continue to invest in it.
WE BELIEVE
We believe all of Wisconsin is a stage from the tip of Door County to the state line, from city streets to small towns, from long-standing institutions to bold new voices.
This place holds us. This place gathers us. This place has always been making theater.
We believe in the power of new work . In stories still becoming. Stories that ask better questions than answers.
Stories that challenge us, stretch us, and invite us to be more present, more curious, more human.
We believe new work is how theater stays alive.
How it responds to the world as it is not as it once was.
New stories help us practice empathy, imagine possibility, and rehearse the kind of future we want to live in.
We believe these stories deserve time, care, and brave rooms.
They deserve collaborators who listen deeply.
Audiences willing to lean in. And communities that understand that growth rarely comes from playing it safe.
We believe in bold ideas.
In artists who take risks.
In theaters that open their doors to possibility.
We believe collaboration makes the work stronger.
That when theaters work together, communities thrive.
And together, we build an ecosystem that sustains creativity, creates jobs, and affirms that art is essential, not optional.
We believe World Premiere Wisconsin is an invitation.
To artists.
To audiences.
To partners and supporters.
To champion new voices.
To invest in imagination.
To step into a yearlong celebration of what’s possible when we make room for new work.
And above all, we believe this: When we support new work, we don’t just build better theater we build better humans.
WANT TO SHARE IN THE APPLAUSE?
BECOME A VOLUNTEER!
Do you love theatre? Do you enjoy sharing that experience with others? If your answers are “yes!” then we have the perfect opportunity for you! Northern Sky relies on, and is always looking for, fans ready to step up and lend a hand! No experience is necessary – just a willingness to help and a desire to be part of something original in Door County. Please the office (920) 8546117 or e-mail volunteer@northernskytheater.com.
Out of the Woods
We reached out to our Northern Sky family of performers to find out what they’ve been up to this year. Here’s what they told us (in random order):
Matt Zembrowski has been busy writing MKE MVP, a musical about the Milwaukee Bucks 2021 Championship season, slated to premiere at the Milwaukee Rep in January, 2027. He has also been assisting with several regional productions of DAD’S SEASON TICKETS, including the Racine Theater Guild’s production this summer. Jos N. Banks acted this winter in AVENUE Q at The Spot Theater in Ketchum, ID and will appear this June in THE HOT WING KIND at American Stage in St. Petersburg, FL. He’s also done costume designs at Orlando Shakespeare and South Coast Rep. Tami Workentin writes that “the summer had me at Peninsula Players for my second round as Clairee in STEEL MAGNOLIAS. Back in Milwaukee I completed my 6th year in The Milwaukee Rep’s 50th annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL alongside my husband Jim Pickering where we solicited Scrooge for cash and got turned down yet again. We’ll get him next year! I am currently deep into work as Peg in SWING STATE at Next Act Theatre. After that I am thrilled to be moving into the World Premier of my play GEORGE & GRACIE ... A LOVE STORY at the Milwaukee Rep which we are delighted to bring the audiences of Northern Sky in the Fall.” Katie Dahl says she “has been touring a lot, working on a few new musicals, and had the joy of seeing THE FISHERMAN’S DAUGHTERS performed (by and with many Northern Sky friends) at the Milwaukee Rep.” Laurie Flanigan Hegge tells us “It’s been a busy year for the Hegges. In Summer 2025, Jon performed in CABARET at the Guthrie Theatre followed by WHITE CHRISTMAS and GUYS AND DOLLS. at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. This summer he’ll play Oz in COME FROM AWAY at the Guthrie and then head back to CDT for ANNIE through Feb. 2027. Laurie’s play PRICK had two wonderful productions in 2025 directed by Northern Sky pals Amy Chaffee (Tulane University)
and Jeff Mills (Proboscis Theatre, Chicago).” Laurie is working on a musical adaptation of the award-winning novel EVIDENCE OF V with singer/songwriter Jonatha Brooke. Her musical HORMEL GIRLS plays at Cedar Summerstock Theatre in Osage, IA in June. Bill Theisen was thrilled to collaborate with Katie Dahl and James Valcq as director for the workshop of THE GIFT OF THE MAGI at Northern Sky last December. He also continues his online teaching and coaching responsibilities with graduate student voice majors. Amy Chaffee says she “still teaches at Tulane University; worked on the new AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY movie coaching Channing Tatum; taught in New Zealand, Italy, and Portugal. And got to collaborate on Doc Heide’s album BIRTHPLACE OF THE THUNDER and read the lead in Karen Mal and David Stoddard’s new show for Northern Sky, THE KEEPER.” Claudia Russell writes that she “is finishing up her 6th CD late this spring. Excited to be sending it out into the world! We’ll be touring the Midwest this fall. Can’t wait to see those beautiful leaves!” Jimmy Kaplan tells us he “participated in the Nautilus Composer–Librettist Studio in Minneapolis, where I got to collaborate with 5 new writers - it was life-changing! I was also delighted to play piano for a variety of songs on the new CD from Doc Heide’s band, Zen of Thieves!” Dave Hudson has “had a busy year enjoying his family, especially his granddaughter, Sunny. It was a fun year to see MUSKIE LOVE have two productions further north, and NAKED RADIO receive its 3rd Canadian production.” He and Paul Libman are working on a shorter, improved version of NAKED RADIO. Dave is also working on creating UNEXPECTED STORIES, a new youth musical for his wife’s company, The Actors Garden. It will premiere this summer. What Northern Sky calls the “off-season” has been very much “on” for Clay Zambo: teaching
at University of Hartford, music-directing WHITE CHRISTMAS, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, and the 8th annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL EXPERIENCE--and, with Robin Share, preparing THE THING WITH FEATHERS for this summer’s premiere. And he writes, “because it’s good every now and again to do something really scary, I played “Man in Chair” in a production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. It was terrifying, exhilarating, and renewed my admiration for the actors I work with every day.” Robin adds, “When taking a break from writing and workshopping THE THING WITH FEATHERS in preparation for the summer debut, Robin has spent her time peacefully protesting against injustice, teaching Zumba with a decidedly Broadway flair, singing in a community choir, hiking, and looking at lots of birds (of course!).” After having a banner year in 2025 including recording sessions in Los Angeles, Nashville, San Francisco and Sturgeon Bay, Eric Lewis has relocated to Nashville to attend the Blackbird Academy to expand his knowledge of audio recording engineering. Dan Klarer has been performing and teaching theater at Third Avenue PlayWorks. Alissa Rhode continues her work as Music Director and leader of the House Band for the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee. She worked on three productions at Milwaukee Repertory Theater this season: A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE FISHERMAN’S DAUGHTERS, and GEORGE & GRACIE: A LOVE STORY. Shawn Galligan stage managed NUTCRACKER at Madison Ballet for the last time, took stagehand gigs with IATSE local 470 out of Green Bay, and attended Adepticon in Milwaukee, his favorite gaming convention. Alex Campea writes that he “was lucky enough to spend most of his off-season in Milwaukee, first as Jacob, Potiphar, and Pharaoh in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT at Skylight Music Theater, then as John Murphy in THE FISHERMAN’S DAUGHTERS at Milwaukee Repertory Theater.” He’s also pursuing work as a medical coder after finishing his certification last May. Richard Castle enjoyed seeing his CLUE parody, MURDER…WELL DONE! in
Milwaukee last Fall. He’s excited to see his comedy HOUSEWARNING PARTY at Threshold Theatre this Spring in Minneapolis. He’s also hard at work on his fourth Northern Sky musical. Suzanne Graff Gomes says she is “newly retired from my desk job with a credit union just in time to return to the stage with James Valcq directing me as Hannah in THE SPITFIRE GRILL at the Skylight. I will also be doing a reading of Matt Zembrowski’s new play for the Milwaukee Rep and returning to the County this summer to direct THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST for Door Shakespeare. A new chapter ahead for me!” Colin Welford tells us he “has been keeping busy in Door County, running the nonprofit “Colin & Friends” musical organization, sharing wonderful live music, usually without admission charge. In 2025 C&F sold out the DCA, gave a 90-minute live broadcast on WPR, visited many retirement communities, and raised money both for new toilets in an English cathedral and for the Gibraltar School Ecology Clubs! Colin followed in the footsteps of Doc and Jeff of Northern Sky, by being named the 2025 recipient of the Winifred Boynton Creative Spirit Award, given by Björklunden, the northern campus of Lawrence University.” Lee Becker writes that he “has been working with a company called Mad Science, going into schools, libraries and community centers demonstrating various scientific principles in an entertaining way, sometimes blowing things up or freezing them with dry ice. I’ve also started hosting trivia nights at a local pub.” He and Doc Heide spent a week in Great Smokies National Park in November developing a forthcoming small-cast musical. And as alluded to above, Doc recorded and released a new album with his band Zen of Thieves. It’s streaming on all major platforms (https://zenofthieves.com) and has received airplay on Wisconsin Public Radio. An album release concert featuring the band (e.g., Eric Lewis, Steve Koehler, Karen Mal, Matt Zembrowski, Amy Chaffee, Jimmy Kaplan, Holly Feldman, Hans Christian, etc.) will perform at our Gould Theater on Sunday, July 19. Lee Becker will serve as MC.
SHOWS
NORTHERN SKY THEATER
Door County, Wisconsin Door County, Wisconsin
2026 OUTDOOR SCHEDULE
JUNE
World Premiere
Begins Wednesday, June 24, at 7:30 pm Shows on Mondays at 5 pm, Wednesdays at 7:30 pm & Saturdays at 7:30 pm at the outdoor amphitheater
JULY
Begins Monday, June 29, at 7:30 pm Shows on Mondays at 7:30 pm & Thursdays at 7:30 pm at the outdoor amphitheater
AUGUST
- 7:30
- 7:30
- 7:30 SITW - 7:30 SITW - 7:30
- 7:30
24 25 26 27 28 29
- 7:30
- 7:30
Begins Friday, June 26, at 7:30 pm Shows on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm & Fridays at 7:30 pm at the outdoor amphitheater
OUTDOOR PARK AMPHITHEATER
Adults: $29-$37 • Students: $19-$27
Main ticket office hours at the Gould Theater June 16 - August 29: 11am-7pm Mon and 3pm–7pm Tues–Sat 29 28 27 TTWF - 5:00 SITW - 7:30
- 7:30
Children (Ages 3-12): $14-$22 • Children Under 3: Free on lap Park Amphitheater: 10169 Shore Rd, Fish Creek, WI 54212 12:30pm–2:30pm Mon–Sat and one hour prior to each performance
In Partnership with Milwaukee Rep
September 9 - October 24
Tuesday - Saturday performances
Written by Tami Workentin, a heartfelt tribute to legendary comedy couple George Burns and Gracie Allen, filled with fun, flair, and magic.
Donation Levels
❑
$25,000 & up - Belgian Angel
❑
$10,000 to $24,999 - Victory Farmer
❑
$5,000 to $9,999 - Spitfire Griller
❑ $2,500 to $4,999 - Windjammer
❑ $1,000 to $2,499 - Ice Fisher
❑ $500 to $999 - Happy Lumberjack
❑ $300 to $499 - Music Lover
❑ $125 to $299 - Galactic Packer
❑ $75 to $124 - Bone Dancer
❑ $25 to $74 - Cheesehead
Designated Funds
Northern Sky General Operating Fund
❑ Please accept my gift of $ for the General Operating Fund.
Fred
Alley
New Musical Fund
❑ Please accept my gift of $ for the Fred Alley New Musical Fund.
Northern Sky Endowment Fund
❑ Please accept my gift of $ for the Endowment Fund.
We are a 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID 39-1666391. Your donation is tax deductible as allowed by law.
❑ My employer will match my gift Employer Name: Paperwork: ❑ is enclosed ❑ will be sent
❑ My check number _______________________ payable to Northern Sky Theater is enclosed.
❑ Please charge $ _______________________ to my ❑ MasterCard ❑ Visa (Please provide info below)
ACCOUNT NUMBER EXP DATE CVV
Please clip & mail to: Northern Sky Theater - 9058 County Rd A, Fish Creek,WI 54212 Thank You!
Your gift of $25 or more from 4/1/2026 through 3/31/2027 will be recognized in our 2027 playbill.
Northern Sky Theater, Inc. 9058 County Road A Fish Creek, WI 54212
2026 SEASON
March 4-June 20
See page 12 inside!
Our Mission
The mission of Northern Sky Theater is to create, develop, and present professional musical and dramatic productions which will further the knowledge and appreciation of the culture and heritage of the United States.
Northern Sky Theater is dedicated to maintaining standards of artistic excellence; celebrating and illuminating the human condition; reaching a large audience of all ages, including families; and fostering a humanistic work environment with adequate and appropriate emotional, financial and creative support for all those associated with us.