Wisconsin’s American Players Theatre Wins 2026 Regional Theatre Tony Award
Founded in 1977, American Players Theatre has become a leading destination for Shakespeare and classical works
What to Know
- American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin has been named the recipient of the 2026 Regional Theatre Tony Award and will receive a $25,000 grant
- The acclaimed nonprofit theater company, founded in 1977, is recognized for its Shakespeare-centered repertory productions and commitment to classical theater, producing nine plays annually from June through November
- The 79th Annual Tony Awards, hosted by P!NK, will air live from Radio City Music Hall on CBS and Paramount+ on June 7 at 8 PM ET
Wisconsin's American Players Theatre has been named the recipient of the 2026 Regional Theatre Tony Award. The honor is accompanied by a grant of $25,000.
“American Players Theatre is a one-of-a-kind institution, delivering world-class theater presentations to the Midwest for decades, and we are thrilled to recognize the team there with this award,” said Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing and Jason Laks, President of The Broadway League in a joint statement. “They have succeeded in their mission of illuminating the shared human experience through timeless classics, and in doing so, have broadened the theater-going audience in their community and beyond.”
American Players Theatre is located just outside Spring Green, Wisconsin. Now in its 47th year, APT produces nine plays in rotating repertory from June through November. Its mission is to perform timeless, challenging, poetic texts, with Shakespeare at the center, to the broadest audience possible. APT believes that works widely regarded as classics remain relevant and powerful today, and that this theater is also uniquely positioned to seek out and explore work with potential to become classics for future generations.
APT was founded in 1977 by Randall Duk Kim, Anne Occhiogrosso and Charles Bright on the belief that the great plays of the Western Canon, Shakespeare in particular, were best performed in the manner intended by the playwright. Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brenda DeVita and Managing Director Sara Young, the company is committed to the ideal that the way they create art is as important as the art they create. To that end, they dedicate themselves to developing the organization based on shared values of trust, respect and the joyful pursuit of constant improvement.
The American Theatre Wing's 79th Annual Tony Awards, hosted by P!NK, will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on June 7 at 8:00pm ET live from Radio City Music Hall.