The Peninsula Players : the first fifty years

44 Pages·1984·9.491 MB·English

by  Jim Legault

To Caroline
with love from each of us
The Peninsula Players
1935 _. 1984
,
Caroline
FROM BRASS TO GOLD M..
What brass those Fishers had -
starting a theatre in an unknown
area of Wisconsin in the middle of a
depression! By 1938. when I first
joined them, they had become like
pewter - a soft, mellow. dynamic
family doing classics. originals. and
good standard fare.
Mama Fisher. the mad Prussian.
we secretly called her. ruled with a
gloved mailed fist. She was cook and
you ate her sturdy food not only
because it was good but because it
was good for you! Her garden of
vegetables was in the lower parking
lot east of the boat house. her
storage cellar was next to the well by
the main lodge. She played German
Lieder records as she cooked and
designed/cut/sewed costumes. You
stayed away from her then, but
when her high giggle of a laugh was
heard, she was delightful.
Papa. the lanky. mad genius. we
secretly called him, fixed things,
2
drank coffee from a saucer, smoked
cigars incessantly and when cajoled
into service as an actor. did so as C.
Raebum Fyfe, a fine pseudo for C.R
Fisher. He was around but never
took this whole theatre venture toe
seriously. The kids: just one sentenc<
on each from someone who coulc
write a short book on them. Caroline.
a beauty in any condition, dynamic.
volatile. heart full of compassion.
couldn't ae:t and knew it. Brother
Richard didn't agree. He adapted
plays to star his sister. He directed,
worked in his flower garden. wrote
reviews, had a crew cut. and was
adored by the family. Richie was the
genius they all agreed. Margie was a
voluptuous beauty to whom the
family never paid much attention.
She acted on occasion but being the
youngest didn't stand much of a
chance with the competition. The
big names in the company were Leo
Lucker and Helen (Casey) Bragdon
- how fantastic they both were - 3
Gertrude Needham (not quite of
this planet). Marden McBroom,
Stacey Keach Sr. and several others. 4
Mama Richie Fisher
Caroline was to marry Rodion Rath
bone and the world was to change 2 5
as we sat around a radio on Sep Caroline Fisher Leo Lucker and Margot Fisher in
Amphitryon 1938
tember 1. 1939 and heard Hitler 3
had invaded Poland. The end of the Caroline Fisher 6
C.R. Fisher. Maggy Maggerstadt Margot Fisher, Leo Lucker and
Players' beginning was at hand.
and Friends Gertrude Needham in Al Mrs.
Beam's 1938
Skip to the 1950s: Nearly 25 years
old. the Players are in their silver
years. I'm back as co-director with
Leo and we're doing some of the
best. biggest. most exciting plays
written - Inherit the Wind. Tea
house of the August Moon. On
Borrowed Time, Mr. Roberts. Ten
plays a summer. one a week. A back
breaker for actors. crew and direc
tors. One begged for a walk-on after
the fourth week.
.. Bv now new names appear: Bill
Munchow, Maggie Magerstadt.
j
Jeanne Bolan. Maurice Ottinger.
Jean Leslie and others including
Harvey Korman (we trained him for
4 the Carol Burnett show!) and Simon
(Dan) Scott, the handsome. grey
hai red hospital supervisor on
Trapper John.
All of us look back on those years
as an important foundation stone
of our acting craft. We were not
playing under the stars as before
the war. but now there was a huge
canvas tarp over the audience. When
it rained the show stopped. The
actors flipped the water out of huge
pockets and a camaraderie was felt
all around.
My next impression of the Players
and the final one - is of the golden
period nearing our 50th anniversary
- 1984. The Fishers folded away in
the Fifties and a brassy young man
named Jim McKenzie came in 1946
as an apprentice. married Jeanne
Bolan. developed a genius for theatre
management and is now our pro
5 ducer/ owner (with the Bank of
Sturgeon Bay).
By now and since the 60s. names
of Dennis Kennedy.Jan Leahy.Jean
Sincere. Amy McKenzie, the Walkers
- J.W. and Pam, etc. By now we're
under a wooden pavilion. By now we
have a rehearsal hall. By now- it's
too much to comprehend!
I've left out strike nights and Eva
Klingbile, the parties at the Boyn tons.
the Friedmans. the Buchbinders.
the fall season. DA. On Golden Pond.
the beer garden, Tom Birmingham.
our audiences-too much. For me?
I'm glad I'm alive to celebrate the
growth of the Players from brass -
pewter-silver - gold - all essential
to where we are now in 1984. Happy
anniversary.
Bob Thompson, Artistic Director
6
1935 Plays
Hay Fever
Hedda Gabler
Criminal at Large
The Second Man
The Mad Hopes
I was a cub reporter for the Green It also enhanced my standing with
Bay Press-Gazette and a frequent the young bucks in Door County
Door County visitor when I heard when a group of us would adjourn
about a group of young people who to some local watering hole after the
were planning to stage several plays The show and the beautiful young
in an informal outdoor theatre in aclresses were smart enough to
PENINSULA PLAYERS
Fish Creek during the summer of natter a young reporter who was
1935. AT reviewing their performances.
This was something new and a THE THEATRE IN THE GARDEN When the site of the theater was
welcomeaddition toasummerresort moved from behind the Bonnie
colony then in its infancy and worthy Th~ir FIRST Play Brook motel in Fish Creek to its
of some press coverage. The news Thursday, July 25 to Saiunlay. July 27 present site on the Green Bay shore
paper was an early promoter of the Noel Coward's we all thought we had it made. But
tourist trade in the area. I wrote a ttHAY FEVER" the subsequent expense of building
story about their plans and then il into a weatherproofa mphitheater
attended theopeningnightproduc \\Ith kept the Fisher family in constant
Gertrude Needham
tion of Hay Fever on Thursday hot water. It was always a good
evening. July 25. I 935. CAST OF CHARACTERS question whether they would be
As a result of that first effort and (In ord~r of their ap1....-ar:rn"c:) able lo open for another season.
subsequent friendship with mem Sorel Bl1<i.s. ( .u11hnC' J"hc-r That's when the McKenzie family
Simon Bli. .s ...•. , M.uJC'r-~ldlrvum
bers of the Fisher family. I became entered the picture. And again I
Cbu .........•••..•.•..• , , . . . . \luu \V1lh.un. .
sort ofa n unofficial public relations Jud11h B!i ......... _ . c,<"nruJC' NC"c-Jh:im enjoyed a close family relationship
Dilv1J Bh,, •....•••••. ••• , ...• , .• , Lui tiC"\Uti:c
director for the infant theater. SanJ\ T\rC'IL . . .,_c,m O'Shu since they had belonged to the same
The Peninsula Players in those ~t,ra ArunJd .. AJcl;11Jct. l,nun ski club as I in earlier years and I
Ru:harJ Grear ham J11 ..r rh tla\H'.'
early days were primarily the product Jackie Cor\t11n.. lk;ith hn\h had taught all the McKenzie boys
of the Fisher family. All the family Thl· 3\tHlR 111 rh1· plJ\ r;il..c .. rl.i": Ill 1hc t1.1ll "' 1h,• how to ski. Jim emerged from one
members had a role. Mama Fisher Al1•-'C'"' h1)U"t" 3t Coolh3m, ir1 Junr time backstage apprentice into the
Ac1 I S:uurJJ~ A11nnuon
made most of the costumes herself Act II S:uurd:ty bcnmj,!. savior of the theater and thank
and supervised the dining hall. Papa Act Ill Sund:t) \1otnmj,! goodness. in its fiftieth year. the
Fisher was the maintenance man Players are now on solid financial
and general all-around handyman. ground.
Richard was the director. stage 111 "hT1hrht· MS.r. -cLotn·"J Lrulac~d :l"·Lr i"l' I"I "m .1llke1m· ht1l .... 11frb ... t, <rlnl'·P, •':!Hl<l;i(m)ll>· 1A11 tltiwA 'I'H"a '<l·lRl\ Door County in the modern era
manager, and bit player when nec.es m tht· role of l:ilen L••\bor~ The rla) \\Ill run lor ihrn· n11"''1..Ut1>C' has become a noted cultural center
1111o:h1~. Au..: 1-2· 3
sary. with its own school of watercolor
And colorful Caroline was the gal artists. an annual music festival
out front. One of my fondest which is noted throughout the
memories was her annual visit to Midwest. a budding music school of
the Press-Gazette office each spring its own. a growing collection of other
to announce that the Players were artists and artisans.
back in business for the summer. But it was the Peninsula Players
She would flounce through the office who led the way back there in 1935.
in one of her inimitable get-ups. and I am very. very proud to have
leaving the young males on the staff watched from the sidelines and seen
gaping in amazement. It boosted my all of this come to be.
standing with the staff as well as my John Torinus
own ego when she would Oing herself
into a chair in my small office and
direct loud endearing remarks in
my direction.
"C. Raeb urn Fyfe. the old Gramps.
They always had him in the program.
and they made up some plays for
him. 'Veteran and distinguished
character actor. he's been with the
company since the start. He did
some of the most interesting char
acterizations.' That was his bio.
"In You Can't Take It With You.
he had a little scene (where he had
to come in with an ant colony) that
0
was supposed to last about a minute.
So he came in with the ants. and
this one Ii ttle scene lasted about
fifteen minutes. They couldn't get
him off the stage! He went on and on
... I thought he was talking in
Sanskrit! That one-minute cameo!"
Bill Munchow
"Richard was who the theatre was
kind of built for. He was their genius.
He could write these plays that. at
the time. took off Hitler and Cham
berlain. I would play Chamberlain.
and Stacey Keach would play Hi tier.
But he would write these things in a
satirical vein. These were the revues
that Richard put out every year. The
general audience didn't appreciate
the whole thing. just certain parts.
They didn't know what he was
talking about. because he was so far
above in his intellectual approach.''
"Casey Bragdon was also a genius.
She could create as much as he did
but in a different way."
Bob Thompson
C.R. Fisher in Wuthering Heights
1945
"He was always just playing
"Caroline's father was C.R. Fisher.
around. having fun. He pretended to
He was a mechanical/electrical
milk bats: Tm going to get that bat
genius who lived in Rogers City.
and I'm going to milk it. and I'm
which is the home of the big quarry.
going to make something out of
There is an enormous quarry that
that milk.' The milking of the bats
U.S. Steel owns. and Fisher helped
was Papa's big thing. He was going
create the endless belt for the lake
to get something and create some
boats. He was a genius. And com
thing out of that. He was always
pletely eccentric."
thinking of something. but it was
Bob Thompson
off in left field.''
Bob Thompson
1937 Plays
The Importance of Being Earnest
Goodbye Again
Post Road
The Way of the World
When in Rome
Seven Sea Birds
1938 Plays
At Mrs. Beam·s
Lysistrata. Impromptu
Night Must Fall
This Mercy We Have Shown
Lady Windermere's Fan
Perish The Thought
The Dark Tower
1939 Plays
The Circle
Dracula
Rain
Dr. Knock
Ways and Means/Salome
Hotel Universe
Violence Isn't Nice
2
3
4
"One of the reasons for its success
and survival is that from the begin
1
ning there was excellent quality. It Margot Fisher and Jean Leslie in
set a pattern for the future. Amphitryon 1938
"Everyone was dedicated." 2
Jane Wolf Leo Lucker, Casey Bragdon in
Night Must Fall 1938
3
Lillian Schoen in Night Must Fall
1938
4
Dan Scott, Caroline Fisher, John
Behney, Romayne Mostrom. Rudy
Bond and Helen Bragdon in Rain
5
Caroline Fisher in Camille
"What romantic memories! What
joy! What 'tragedies'! My first car
wreck, my first passionate love affair
(Caroline) unconsummated alas!
And I was an actor/ The first star
filled sky whose stars could almost
be touched - the first Northern
Lights - the first Beethoven and
Tchaikovsky-so many firsts, how
could I possibly forget?
"It was a beautiful time which I
shall always cherish."
Sam Wanamaker
5
REMEMBERING THE THEATRE
IN-A-GAROEN AFTER 50 YEARS ...
It was my good fortune to meet her into stellar roles like Salome. all this was Nirvana to a budding
the Fisher family at the outset of my Undine and Alcmene (in Amphitryon actress. Fish Creek generated an
acting career. In fact. they gave me 38). atmosphere in which the ideals of
my professional start: as a character To me it was. from the start. a love young-people-in-love-with-theatre
woman in the Peninsula Players affair with the Fisher family, the could thrive. Anything was possible.
company at $5.00 a week plus room. Theatre-in-a-Garden. and the whole Rich Fisher not only directed plays.
board and transportation - and a beautiful setting in the pine woods he wrote them. and they were good
bonus ifthe theatre made any profit along Wisconsin's shoreline. To be ones. Three (Seven Sea Birds, This
that summer of 1937. Richard Fisher. cast in Oedipus Rex. The Importance Mercy We Have Shown, and Undine)
at 20 years of age. was our director: of Being Earnest, Lady Winder received world premieres at the
his sister Caroline. at 22. was the mere 's Fan, The Glass Menagerie, Theatre-in-a-Garden. Our produc
company business manager and Inherit the Wind. The Lale Chris tions of Oedipus Rex and Lysistrata
would (reluctantly) appear on stage topher Bean - comedies and were Fisher adaptations. We wrote
as Cathie in Wuthe'ring Heights or dramas of such calibre that they our own musical revues. four or five
Millimant in The Way of the World. called forth one's best efforts; to be of them.
always to full houses: Mama Fisher where one could eat. sleep and The Theatre-in-a-Garden was a
fed us royally. coddled us. and clothed breathe theatre 24 hours a day: to Utopia for all us pre-war Peninsula
us in some of the handsomest go down to the shore after supper Players, and the vision carried over
costumes I have seen in all my 50 and watch the sunset across Green into the post-war years in spite of
years in the theatre: Papa Fisher Bay as one went over one's lines for changes and disappointments. We
was our maintenance man and the evening performance and lost all the Fishers to Hollywood
electrical wizard, wiring every build thought about the character one eventually. even Caroline, but she
ing on the property from the theatre, was preparing to assume: and then, came back. Finally we even lost the
box office and lodge to the dormitory. after the show. to relax in the lodge theatre. though. happily. that simply
cabin and boathouse; and Margie on rainy evenings. or sit in the meant a new chapter for the Players.
Fisher. then nearing her mid-teens. theatre, out under the stars. listen May there be many more!
did 'props', walk-ons and bit parts. ing to Beethoven or Sibelius. Holst's Helen Bragdon
but a natural talent soon catapulted PlanetS uite or Madame Butterfly-