Hidden Under the Stars

A gem is only special if it’s hidden. Finding something brilliant tucked away somewhere ordinary continues to fuel our excitement and curiosity to seek out these treasures. Glowing right in the heart of the wooded, Peninsula State Park of Door County, Wisconsin, lies a hidden gem precious to me, the outdoor, Northern Sky Theater.
My childhood memories of Lake Michigan have merged into one beautiful blur of lighthouses, rocky shores, and perch sandwiches, but the dark depths of the peninsula’s woodlands hides a secret beauty. For adventure among these trees, sure you can pitch your tent on park grounds, hike or bike the trails, or even check out the nature center, but if you push deep past these truisms, you’ll find this theater’s original and hilarious plays about the very place it calls home.
Nestled in the shadows of towering trees, the small wooden stage drew me in like a moth to a flame. Today we have taken the art of theater and locked it up inside fancy, red velvet covered floors and walls. Northern Sky ignores these guidelines, taking us back to a simpler time. Why not take an art we love and stick it smack dab in the easiness of nature?
The performances lit up my eyes and filled up my heart. I could look down at the grass beneath my feet, the sky above my head, and feel the presence of the woods all around me. The rustling trees and chirping crickets singing their parts loud and proud in harmony with each musical number. The summer night draping the intimate theater in a blanket of stars and warmth. The air fills with the heart of Wisconsinites and the smell of cedar, stripping the art back to the basic joys of music, laughter, and people.
Here, it's safe to let out my bursts of laughter, munch my M&M’s, and feel no shame in my grandmother’s paranoid reapplication of bug spray to my ankles. From the wooden benches we looked up to the stage from, the actors' genuine performances allowed the love and pride in what they do to shine through, reminding us why people starting acting in the first place. All insiders know the vital importance of bringing their cushions and blankets to avoid a sore bum for the rest of the week, trust me.
If you drive through the winding paths leading here, park in the small grass lot, and walk under the hood of the trees with the ones you love by your side, the moment you find your seat you'll feel the spirit radiating from this stage and the people that fill it.