August 31, 2006
Door County and its attractions beckon to our staff on their one-day-a week “day off.” The rest of the week we’re busy building sets, selling tickets, rehearsing, parking cars, mending costumes, performing and completing a myriad of other daily tasks. However, on Mondays (when we don’t have shows), the Players can be found out and about enjoying Door County just like other residents and visitors.
After catching up on a little sleep in the morning, the interns drag their laundry out of the boathouse where they live and pile into a car (or maybe two) for a field trip to one of the laundromats in Sturgeon Bay. The trip to the “big city” also includes visits to Target or Wal-Mart to pick up necessities, perhaps a quick stop by the library for some reading material, and more than likely lunch at a favorite eatery. Once the errands are complete, the fun can really begin.
On sunny summer days off from work, Players enjoy the natural beauty of Door County. Whether riding bicycles through the state park, kayaking or canoeing on the Mink River Estuary, running along the shoreline, fishing on Kangaroo Lake, or reading a book at the beach, actors and staff alike enjoy soaking up as much nature as possible. Likewise, group or solo outings to Cave Point and Whitefish Dunes are popular.
When feeling the need to express themselves artistically (or come up with great Christmas presents for the in-laws), Players head up the road to Hands-On Art Studio where they can spend hours creating masterpieces. Some people are obviously more artistic than others, but the projects always seem to turn out well and everyone has fun!
Our days off also are a time to spend with family and friends. Whether it be staff and actors with families working and staying at the theater who finally get quality time together, or entertaining out of town visitors, the Players love to partake in the most common Door County activities together. Sometimes this means a trip to The Farm with little ones (or without), an afternoon spent eating ice cream and shopping in Fish Creek, a ferry trip to Washington Island, or simply an evening at the drive-in or playing putt-putt. And of course, at this time of year, it most definitely means a visit to the corn maze (you don’t even need family in town to justify this – just a fun-loving group of interns)!
For all the things I’ve mentioned, I’m sure I’ve forgotten at least 10 others that the Players love to do in their spare time up here. Did I mention Kevin McKillip knits? Or that Tim Monsion can be seen on the golf course regularly (he got a hole in one earlier this summer!)? Or that Peggy Roeder and David New quilt? And of course almost all the actors and staff enjoy just hanging around the theater, competing in games of cribbage, hearts, euchre, and dominos.
With so many wonderful things to do here and so little time available, it’s understandable that everyone begs to come back to Peninsula Players year after year to discover even more of the joys Door County has to offer.
If we don’t see you out and about in the county on our day off (or even if we do), I hope you will join us at the theater for the inspirational story of “The Elephant Man” through Sep. 3 or for Agatha Christie’s classic mystery, “The Moustrap” beginning Sep. 6. For tickets, visit our website at www.peninsulaplayers.com or call the box office at 920-868-3287. See you by the bay!
Megan Felsburg is the Director of Development at Peninsula Players Theatre.