The Box In the Wood Theatre
Guild History 1995-2008
A Complete Listing of Productions and Directors

"Camelot" (July '95) - Dennis C. Brei (drama & music)

"Private Lives" (Sept '95) - Gayle Smoot

"Readers' Theatre" (Nov '95) - Dennis C. Brei

"A Romantic Comedy" (Feb '96) - Michael Asher

"And Then There Were None" (Mar '96) - Dennis C. Brei

"The Emperor's New Clothes" (Apr '96) - Dorothy Zerbe

"A Thousand Clowns" (June '96) - Tim Ryan

"Crazy for You" (July '96) - Mike Asher (drama) &
Dennis C. Brei (music)

"One Moment In Time" (Nov '96) - Sandra Smith

"Arsenic and Old Lace" (Mar '97) - Joanne Cowen

"The Music Man" (July '97) - Dennis C. Brei & Kimberly J. Brei

"The Heiress" (Oct '97) - Rosemary Eckley
asst. by Joanne Cowen

"A Toast to God" (Nov '97) - Sandra Smith

"Rumors" (Mar '98) - Joanne Cowen

"The Music of the Night" (July '98) - Dennis C. Brei (drama) &
Judy Kimmer (music)

"The Cemetery Club" (Oct '98) - Joanne Cowen
asst. Dennis C Brei & Kimberly J. Brei

"The Unexpected Guest" (Apr '99) - Kimberly J. Brei & Dennis C. Brei

"The Wind In the Willows" (July '99) - Lucie E. Brei & Tom Webster (drama)
Dennis C. Brei (music)

"Lend Me a Tenor" (Oct '99) - Joanne Cowen

"California Suite" (Apr '00) - Dennis C. Brei
asst.by Sandra Smith & Kimberly J. Brei

"A Bull In a China Shop" (Mar '0l) - Marty Hinshelwood

"Vaudeville Revue" (July '01) - Adeline Bratt

"See How They Run" (Oct '01) - Joanne Cowen

"Don't Dress for Dinner" (Apr '02) - Kimberly J. Brei
asst by Jeff Vollendorf

"Into the Woods" (July "02) - Dennis C. Brei (drama & music)

"Over the River and Through the Woods" - Marty Hinshelwood (Oct '02)

"Come, Blow Your Horn" (Apr '03) - Jeff Vollendorf
asst, by Kimberly J. Brei

"Anything Goes" (July '03) - Joanne Cowen (drama) &
Dennis C. Brei (music)

"Reminiscing" (Aug '03) - Dennis C. Brei

"The Hollow" (Oct '03) - Kimberly J. Brei

"Blithe Spirit" (Apr '04) - Kathy Hieronimczak
asst. by Diane Vollendorf

"Of Thee I Sing" (July '04) - Sharon Schmidt
asst. Joanne Cowen

"Songs from the Attic '04" (Aug '04) - Dennis C. Brei

"Sparks!" (Oct '04) - Dennis C. Brei
asst. by Joanne Cowen & Don Everts

"Play On!" (Mar '05) - Joanne Cowen
asst. by Ann VanGrinsven

"Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" (July '05)
Don Everts (drama) & Joanne Cowen & Mary Lamm (music)

"Moon Over Buffalo" (Oct '05) - Diane Vollendorf
asst. by Jean Klosterman

"Mambo in 1110" (March '06) - Dennis C. Brei
asst. by Sandra Smith & Ralph Beversdorf

"Grease" (July '06) - Kimberly J. Brei (drama) &
Dennis C. Brei (music)

"Steel Magnolias" (Oct '06) - Marty Hinshelwood
asst by Dan Terrio

"Whose Wives Are They Anyway?" (March '07) - Kimberly J. Brei
asst. by Alexander Taylor Mace

"West Side Story" (July '07) - Alexander Taylor Mace
asst. by Cheryl Jones-Ritter & asst. by Kimberly J. Brei

"Rumors" (Oct '07) - Jeff Vollendorf
asst. by Jean Klosterman

"The Elevator" (March '08) Dennis C. Brei
asst. by Emil Kriewaldt

"Footloose" the musical (July '08) - Dan Terrio

"The Odd Couple" (Oct. '08) - Kathy Hieronimczak

Since Camelot . . .

In the spring of 1995 I was asked to direct my first production at the Mielke Arts Center by Mike Ascher, the President of the Shawano County Arts Council (SCAC) at that time.  "Camelot" was slated to open in July and I said "yes."  In the midst of preparing the cast of 30 some actors, learning the role of Sir Sagramore after the young man that was originally cast had to drop out, working on sets and costumes . . . I found that I was also producing the show, which meant tickets, advertising, programs, running the house and all the doings that an audience is only aware of only if they are handled poorly. I didn't panic, but I had to learn and do a great many things through June and July.  Lucky for me "Camelot" is one of those classic, great musicals filled with great songs and wonderful humor and drama.  I had a great cast.  It was upon "Camelot's"  completion that I thought to myself . . . "Self, those who are directing here need some help" and so I mailed a simple invitation to those involved with "Camelot" and from the "Camelot" cast "The Box in the Wood Theatre Guild" was formed.  Some of those founding members are still active with us - Ann Van Grinsven, Tom Webster, Kimberly (then Kroening) Brei, Cheryl Folkerts, Delores Brei - and some have moved away only to be replaced by others over the passing years.  There has always been a core of very dedicated people investing in the future of "The Box in the Wood Theatre Guild."
   Our name was derived from the song that was composed by Dorothy Zerbe and performed at the closing performance of "Camelot" by Dorothy and Rusty Mitchell, accompanying themselves on guitars.  "The Box in the Wood" has become our anthem and is performed as an encore at the end of every summer's musical.  To us the song is a "musical treasure" and something we cherish.  We are indebted to Dorothy for it's creation.  And why are we a "box" . . .because the Mielke Arts Center was conceived as what is called a "black box" theatre - allowing for the movement of the stage and seating to accommodate a variety of approaches to staging theatrical productions, including performances in "the round," as was "Into the Woods" and "The Music Man." When we started this "thing" we had no idea if we would survive, if we would flounder, if we would thrive.  There have been countless hours given by hundreds of people to keep the dream of community theatre alive here in the Shawano area - we have had cast and crew members from Bonduel, Cecil, Pulaski, Gillett, Oconto, Little Suamico, Green Bay, Appleton, Marion, Bowler, Keshena, Tigerton, Gresham, Clintonville, Stevens Point, Oconto Falls, Zachow, New London, Leopolis, Tilleda, Pella and more.  We have had 27 directors and asst. directors of all ages and we have had cast members from about age five to those in their 80's. We welcome all those who wish to join us and we hold open auditions for our productions.  If you wish to be involved with community theatre we are always looking for people to help us behind and on the stage.
   Now thirteen years later we can say we have not only survived but that we have thrived - and that is of course due to your attendance and your support.  In July of 2006 we broke all of our previous attendance numbers with the performance of "Grease" by having to add two performances to accommodate the high demand for tickets.  We have presented musical classics like "The Music Man" and "Anything Goes" to newer musical fare like "Into the Woods" and a tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber.   The Guild has performed traditional comedies like "Arsenic and Old Lace," "Blythe Spirit" and Neil Simon's "California Suite" and "Rumors" to newer comedic fare like "Whose Wives Are They Anyway?" and "Moon Over Buffalo." We've rounded out our programming with 'who-done-its' such as Agatha Christie's "The Hollow" and "The Unexpected Guest" and the 'dramedies' - "The Cemetery Club" and "Steel Magnolias."
    As we open our 44th production we thank you, our patrons and donors, the SCAC, Shawano County and the Mielke Foundation for making "The Box In the Wood Theatre Guild" a continuing adventure in community theatre here in the greater Shawano area.

Dennis C. Brei
Production Advisory Chair
The Box in the Wood Theatre Guild

 

Looking Back At The SCAC

By Ann Van Grinsven

Upstairs in the Mielke theatre, when searching for something else, I found a grocery bag filled with newspaper articles, photos, and more, from 1976, ‘77,’78,’85,’86, and ‘87, all thrown together in a jumble. Well, in a weak moment, I volunteered to sort through the mess and organize it. It took some months of procrastination, but I finally had articles sorted by year, then by subject. There were also some similar articles that I simply discarded. Anyway, as you can imagine, I had to read most of the articles in order to sort them. I found out some early facts regarding the formation of the Shawano County Arts Council of which I was not aware. 
 A typewritten document (author unknown) dated June 8, 1976, states: “The Shawano-Menominee Arts Council evolved through conferences in the Shawano Ministerial Association early in 1967. It was felt that a need existed for an organization to correlate all fine arts activities in the community; this organization to be composed of citizens representing all area civic, educational, and religious groups. The Shawano-Menominee Arts Foundation and Council decided to incorporate under the name Shawano-Menominee Arts Council with regular meetings to be held on the second Thursday of every month. The actual incorporation occurred on May 23, 1967. Later, in 1974, the name was changed to the Shawano County Arts Council.” I didn't realize that one of the first goals of the Council at that time was to bring good, classical movie films to the residents  those no longer shown on the regular movie circuit. A film festival was held in the spring of 1967 and continued in 1968 and 1969. These films were shown at the Crescent Theatre in Shawano. The Council also sponsored bus trips for elementary school children to Green Bay and Clintonville to hear performances by the Green Bay Youth Symphony and the Wisconsin Youth Symphony. Keep in mind, that there was no Mielke Theatre at this time. Construction of the theatre took place in 1975 and 1976. Therefore, any musical performances were held at area churches, schools, and even restaurants. Poetry and drama workshops were held at the high school. Dramatic productions from Green Bay’s Chancel Players (1969), Marinette Players (1972) and the Milwaukee Repertory The first Art Fair sponsored by the SCAC was in 1969, held in Ridlington Woods, which was located between the Olga Brener Elementary School and Shawano High School. This year will be the 38th year for the Art Fair, located now in the beautiful wooded park surrounding the Mielke Arts Center. The Old Time Music and Crafts Fair began in 1979. Our outdoor marquee sign was installed in 1986, courtesy of funds from the SCAC. There’s more, in September of 1971 a public meeting was held at Zion Lutheran Church to explore the possibility of a drama program in Shawano. Early promoters were Mr. & Mrs. William Stanton, Carol Dahl, and Paul Wollangk. In March of 1972, Carol Dahl, Henry Ross and Galen Winter spoke on Channel 38 (PBS) regarding the feasibility of a theatre in Shawano. Public reaction was positive, and enthusiasm grew for the project. Prior to this, Dr. Edward F. Mielke had donated 24 acres of land near Shawano Lake to Shawano County for the establishment of Mielke Park. With interest in a theatre growing, Dr. Mielke and John McCormick, Shawano County‚s Extension Resource Agent, discussed it, and the two men thought that the park would be an ideal site for a theatre in the woods. The Mielke Foundation, the City of Shawano, and Shawano County donated $100,000 toward the construction of the theatre. The Mielke Theatre was dedicated on February 8, 1976, with an overflow crowd of 800 people attending. In 1994, the name was changed to Mielke Arts Center, as the events held there and in the surrounding woods, included the visual arts as well as the theatre arts. There were a number of old SCAC newsletters with the many articles. Just to look back, I’ve reprinted an article of Ellen Casey in the April 1979 issue – “Folk Music Stirs Theatre Goers”:
“February 4th at 7:45am two cold and road-weary travelers pulled up to the Mielke Theatre’s back door, unloaded a carload of instruments, and walked inside. A few minutes later they were on a warm, spotlit stage, joking, talking, and producing some of the best music around. Claudia Schmidt and Ken Bloom entranced their audience for nearly three hours with folk songs, ballads and blues. Sometimes solo, sometimes together, their musical talents were evident on an assortment of instruments ranging from guitar, dulcimer and banjo to a “pianolin”, bagpipes and clarinet. Although Claudia presently lives in Green Bay and Ken in Chicago, both are seasoned travelers, singing and playing from the East coast to the West. It was the Perfect way to open the Mielke’s Bluegrass and Folk music series; a night of song with real troubadours of the road.” Also in the April lineup at the Mielke in April of that year, were the St. Norbert Swinging Knights, Thunder Mt. and Pitz Valley Bluegrass Bands, Mielke Way Coffeehouse, and Alan Pitt Workshop. The Shawano Civic Players had just finished their run of “Barefoot in the Park” in March. I found that the Mielke Theatre was booming at that time with many, many activities all year round.