Door County 2009 Visitor Guide - (Page 22) estled in the nooks and crannies of Door County, artists live and work, inspired by the natural beauty of their environment. From potters at the wheel to plein air painters, thespians in the parks and musicians in a barn, artists of every dimension and medium thrive along the shorelines of Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Throughout the year, artists welcome visitors to participate in the Door County experience through workshops, classes, lectures, seminars, theatrical productions, and concerts that provide enrichment and enjoyment for every age group. From Bach to Beethoven, salsa to scones, carving a walking stick or crafting a poem, workshops and classes invite visitors to try their hand at something new and challenging. From the early 1900’s when professors from the School of the Art Institute Peninsula Players Theatre in Chicago brought students to Frogtown on the south end of Baileys Harbor, the die was cast for Door County’s reputation as a community for and about the arts. A permanent arts community began with “two planks and a passion.” Premiering in 1935, Peninsula Players’ first production was Noel Coward’s play “Hay Fever.” Within two years, the Players had won the hearts of audiences. The company moved to its present 22-acre site cedar-scented site in Fish Creek in 1937. It is America’s oldest professional resident summer theatre company. In the mid-1950s, potter Abe Cohn became one of the first visual artists to establish a gallery on the Door Peninsula. A teacher and master potter, Abe worked at his wheel under an awning on Main Street throughout that first summer. Abe and his wife Ginka later moved their gallery and studio to a historic barn in an old apple orchard in Fish Creek. Peninsula Art School Gradually, fine artists and craftspeople in every medium followed Abe through the County’s “door” and within a few years, glass-blowers, weavers, sculptors, and jewelers were exhibiting their work in shops, galleries and studios throughout the County. Today, more than 100 independent galleries exhibit the work of multi-faceted artists from the tip of Washington Island to the southern border. Non-profit performing and visual arts organizations, theatrical companies, and museums host a wide spectrum of cultural experiences. Among them are: • Student musicians at the Birch Creek Music Performance Center. • Nine August concerts performed by professional musicians at the Peninsula Music Festival. • Midsummer’s Music Festival performs throughout the community. • American Folklore Theatre brings local lore to life in Peninsula State Park. • Door Community Auditorium, built with local contributions to bring performing arts to the community and Gibraltar students, conveys the concept “it takes a village.” • Third Avenue Playhouse hosts a variety of community performances year ‘round. • Island Players presents quality theater to Washington Islanders and their guests. • The Door County Maritime Museums, Miller Art Museum, Fairfield Center for Contemporary Art, Francis Hardy Center for the Arts, The Clearing, Peninsula School of Art, Corner of the Past, and Ephraim Historical Foundation feature tours, exhibits, classes, and lectures in a plethora of areas. • Independent theatrical companies include Isadoora Theatre Company and Paul Sills Community Theatre. • Washington Island’s Art & Nature Center and the Ridges Sanctuary allow you to personally experience the magic of our fragile ecosystem. Day and night, music echoes through the peninsula. Free community concerts are hosted by the villages of Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Sister Bay, the City of Sturgeon Bay and Door County Maritime Museum. Spread a blanket or unfold a lawn chair; the sound of music fills the summer sky with swinging jazz, hand-clapping marches and toe-tapping folk and country. In the 400 years since Jean Nicolet and Father Marquette passed through the waters of Green Bay, Door County has grown into a destination for visitors who enjoy exploring the arts and the environment. For specific schedule and ticket information, visit www.doorcounty.com and follow the links in the Arts & Culture tab. N The Arts 22 http://www.DoorCounty.com
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