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The Merry Wives of Windsor |
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| Adapted and directed by Dustin J. Martin | ||
| July 16 - August 1, 2026 | ||
| SETTING | ||
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The suburbs of Windsor, USA, in the 1970s.
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Follow Us:
2026 Season Sponsors
Special Thanks
Lapham Peak Park Rangers; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Carroll University Reservation and Events; Lake Country Playhouse; Waukesha Civic Theater; New Berlin Eisenhower Theater
Things to Know
Video/Photo: Recording and photography during the performance are prohibited at SummerStage of Delafield due to copyright law.
Cell Phones: Patrons are asked to turn off any noise making device before the show begins. You may use your phone to browse this program.
Concessions: Concessions are available approximately 1 hour prior to the start of the show and then again at intermission. Concessions are not sold when the show is in progress. Yes, you may bring your own drinks and snacks to SummerStage!
Seating: All tickets are general admission. We don't have seats in the forest so be sure you bring your lawn chairs and/or blankets!
Bug Spraying: We do spray weekly to control mosquitos and other insects, but you might want to bring some extra bug spray just in case!
Restrooms: You can either use the portable bathrooms next to concessions or use the plumbed bathrooms in the Lapham Lodge (closes at 9 pm) off the parking lot. The golf cart will run at intermission if you want a ride down.
About the Playwright
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, the son of a glove-maker and town official. Though details of his early life are scarce, by the early 1590s he had established himself in London as an actor and playwright, and within a few years he was among the most popular dramatists of his day.
Over roughly two decades he wrote some thirty-seven plays and more than 150 sonnets, ranging from tragedies such as Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear to comedies including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and, of course, The Merry Wives of Windsor. A shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later the King's Men), he helped build the company that performed at the famous Globe Theatre on the south bank of the Thames.
Legend holds that The Merry Wives of Windsor was written at the request of Queen Elizabeth I, who so delighted in the roguish Sir John Falstaff that she wished to see him in love. Whether or not the tale is true, the play remains Shakespeare's most purely domestic comedy—a lively portrait of small-town wit, mischief, and the triumph of two clever wives.
Shakespeare retired to Stratford in his final years and died there in 1616. Four centuries on, his works are performed more often, in more languages, than those of any other playwright—a testament to a voice that still speaks to audiences the world over.
From the Director
The Sweet Delilah Swim Club reads like a love letter to the importance of lifelong friendships. It is funny, yes, and has some really great comedic character development, but in the end, it delivers sweetness and a lot of heart. Plays don't often read so easily or quickly, but I flew through this one, and was excited to direct it. (Thank you, Dustin!)
Many women have a close circle of friends as depicted here, and if they don't, they wish they did: Women who shared a relatively short period of time in their lives together who then made a commitment -- come hell or high water -- to "escape" once a year to have some time with just each other. Over time, these gatherings take on their own life and make for memories way beyond those of the original convergence. Sweet Delilah (or Swim as it became known to us) has a lovely balance of smart, witty humor and broader life pictures that will make a fabulous "Ladies Night Out!" It will also give our male counterparts a little sneak peek into what an elusive "Girls' Weekend" might feel like. I hope you enjoy this amazing cast and have a wonderful night at SummerStage of Delafield!
Tiersa Ferraro
Director
Cast
Creative Team
Dustin J. Martin
Mitchell Anderson
Scott Fudali
John Gonzales
Brianna Deans
Sarah Jo Martens
Claire Kinder
Claire Michels
Shawn Spellman
Teri Bergendahl
David A. Robins
Meet the Company
Caroline Aron
SummerStage: 1st season. Other: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (UW Platteville Pioneer Players); Little Women, Romeo and Juliet, Number the Stars, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Gossamer (Hamilton High School Drama); Friends 4Ever (Oconomowoc Box Theater Co.). Etc: Off the stage, Caroline is a sophomore studying mechanical engineering at UW Platteville. She is so excited to be a part of her first outdoor theatre production and would like to thank her parents, friends, and God for their unwavering support and uplifting encouragement! Enjoy the show!
Sophia Bernhardt
SummerStage: 1st season. Other: The Baker Street Irregulars: Season 2 (Secret Handshake Productions); Captain…Conundrum/A Rhino’s Role, (Kohl’s Wild Theater); Prescription: Murder (West Allis Players); Once Upon a Song, Love & Legacy: A Night of Jazz Standards, The Book of Will (Lake Country Playhouse); Frederick’s Fables (Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra/First Stage); Utah Shakespeare Festival 2024, The Tempest, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, An Enemy of The People, Henry IV Part I (First Stage/Young Company) Othello (Prism Youth Theater Company). Training: MKE REP’s School of Theater, Interchange Theater Co-Op, First Stage Theater Academy. Etc: Sophia is thrilled to make her SummerStage debut in her favorite Shakespeare comedy! Offstage, Sophia is a pianist, songwriter, and puppet enthusiast. She thanks Dustin for the opportunity to be in one of her favorite plays and her family for their constant support. She hopes you enjoy the show! @sophia_ann.b on Instagram.
Tess Cinpinski
SummerStage: 2nd season. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Other: Bug (The Constructivists); Blithe Spirit, The Odd Couple (Sunset Playhouse); A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It (Optimist Theater); Bachelorette (Theater RED); Gruesome Playground Injuries, Red Light Winter, Dying City, Freak Show, Spirits to Enforce, Flu Season, [Sic] (Youngblood Theatre), The Shape of Things (All In Productions), The Importance of Being Earnest (Boulevard Theater). Training: BFA (Acting) UW-Milwaukee Etc: Tess is ecstatic to be working again with SummerStage. She would like to send a special thanks to those that support her work as an actor, and enjoy the thrill of live theater.
Mike Crowley
SummerStage: 1st season. Other: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Lake Country Playhouse), Born Yesterday (Lake Country Playhouse), Suite Surrender (Falls Patio Players), The Fantasticks (Broccoli Theatricals) The Visit (Waukesha Civic Theatre), The Explorers Club (Lake Country Playhouse) Woody Allen’s Death (Northern Michigan University). Etc: Mike is excited to perform in his first show here at SummerStage. He has appeared in over 90 productions with numerous theater groups over the years. He’s incredibly proud of the fact that his granddaughter Sydney is following in Papa’s footsteps by appearing in four shows by age eleven.
Duelon Duran
SummerStage: 1st season. Other: Tartuffe (Trout Theatre) Star Travel With Her (Inspiration Studios) The Message, Scapino!, Pericles: Prince of Tyre, Let Me Down Easy, Macbeth (Peck School of the Arts) Julius Caesar, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It (Fox Valley Summer Shakespeare Theatre). Training: Renaissance High School for the Arts, Acting BFA (Peck School of the Arts, Incomplete) Etc: Duleon is excited for his debut season at SummerStage and thanks everyone for their support!
Hal Erickson
SummerStage: 3rd season. Door's Open!, Unnecessary Farce, The Liar. Other: You Can’t Take It With You, And Then There Were None, Phantasies Such as These, Room Service, Any Number Can Die, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Run for Your Wife, Something Rotten, The Spider’s Web, Arsenic and Old Lace (Sunset Playhouse); An Enemy of the People (Company of Strangers); It’s a Wonderful Life, Six interactive faith-based presentations (Morning Star Productions); On Golden Pond (Village Players, Mukwonago); Deathtrap (Memories Dinner Theater); 1776 (West Allis Players); 12 Angry Men, Newsies: The Musical (Waukesha Civic Theater). Training: BFA, U.W.-Milwaukee; MA U.N.C.-Chapel Hill,Professional Outdoor Drama and Children’s Theater. Etc: Thrilled to return to SummerStage, make new theater friends, speak some Shakespeare and even sing in Wisconsin-ese. Love and kisses once more to my wife, my sons, my grandkids and my lifelong pals.
Mikael Hagerstrand
SummerStage: 2nd season. An Inspector Calls (Eric Birling). Other: Barefoot in the Park (Renaissance Theatreworks); The Dining Room, Jane Eyre, Geezers, Our Town (Lake Country Playhouse); UWM 2026 Short Play Festival, Scapino, The Outsiders, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Pericles, UWM 2024 Short Play Festival, Macbeth, Let Me Down Easy (UW-Milwaukee); The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Hartford Players); Cabaret (NexGen Youth Theatre). Training: BFA in Acting, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Etc: Mikael is excited to return to SummerStage to play amongst the trees. He would like to thank his friends and family for supporting his passions. Enjoy the show!
Stefan Kent
SummerStage: 3rd season. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Aslan), The Liar (Dorante), Hamlet (Rosencrantz). Other: Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Sense and Sensibility (Waukesha Civic Theatre); Appropriate, Twelfth Night, Sleeping Beauty (East 15 Acting School); All’s Well That Ends Well (The Show Must Go Online); Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe Higher Ed); Cruel Intentions: The 90’s Musical (Outskirts Theatre Co.); Cry It Out (After Sunset Series); Richard II (Voices Found Repertory); Fuddy Meers, Next to Normal, The Drowsy Chaperone, Bach at Leipzig (Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota); Shrek the Musical (Home and Community Options); Hello, Dolly!, The Producers (Fountain City River Players). Training: MFA in Acting, East 15 Acting School (UK); Actor Training, National Youth Theatre of Great Britain. Etc: Acting in productions in the woods has become a tradition Stefan looks forward to for the summer–hopefully being here becomes a tradition you look forward to, too!
Ariel Korducki
SummerStage: 1st season. Other: Proof, A Christmas Carol, The Tin Woman (Lake Country Playhouse); Murder on the Orient Express (Waukesha Civic Theatre); Barefoot in the Park, Steel Magnolias (Watertown Players) Training: B.A. Maranatha Baptist University (English/Dramatic Productions) Etc: Ariel is beyond thrilled to be making her SummerStage debut! She especially wants to thank her husband Matt for all of his love and support.
Del Lovejoy
SummerStage: 4th season. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Hamlet, Crimes of the Heart. Other: Pippin (Racine Theatre Guild), Sense and Sensibility, The Humans (Waukesha Civic Theatre), The Gap, Men on Boats, The Service, 100 (OU Helmerich School of Drama). Training: BFA, OU Helmerich School of Drama. Etc: Special thanks to Del’s adopted family, the Penzkovers, for all their love and support.
Jim Mallmann
SummerStage: 10th season. The Miracle Worker, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Nerd, Rumors, Twelfth Night, Pride and Prejudice, The Trip to Bountiful, Tartuffe, Romeo & Juliet, Present Laughter, Little Women, The Odd Couple, Picnic, Much Ado About Nothing, Don't Drink The Water. Other: Nana’s Naughty Knickers, Now and Then, Murder at the Howard Johnson’s, Drinking Habits, Clue, Four Weddings and an Elvis (Sunset Playhouse); Noises Off, Leaving Iowa (Falls Patio Players); The Laramie Project (Waukesha Civic Theatre); The Mousetrap (Racine Theatre Guild).
William Molitor
SummerStage: 7th season. Pride and Prejudice (Mr. Bennet), Twelfth Night (Malvolio), On Golden Pond (Norman Thayer), Anne of Green Gables (Matthew Cuthbert), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Egeus/Quince), Hamlet (Polonius), An Inspector Calls (Arthur Birling). Other: The Persians, Henry V (Wisconsin Classic Stage); Rehearsal For Murder, Other Desert Cities (Sunset Playhouse); Cymbeline (Whirligig Productions); Romeo & Juliet, The Tempest, Medea (Voices Found Repertory); The Nativity Variations (U/S) (The Milwaukee Rep); I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard (U/S), A Very Deadly Constructivists Holiday (The Constructivists); Things I Know to Be True (Kith & Kin Theatre Collective); Bad Seed, The Haunting of Hill House (Waukesha Civic Theatre); The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream-The Musical, The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (Off The Wall Theatre);The Book Of Will, Mars' Lost, Witness for the Prosecution (Lake Country Playhouse); Stupid F**king Bird (Placeholder Players).
James Ryan
SummerStage: 4th season. Rumors, A Trip to Bountiful, Romeo and Juliet. Other: A Lion in Winter, Don’t Drink the Water, Our Town, The Miracle Worker, The Tavern, Wit (Waukesha Civic Theatre); Eurydice (The University of Wisconsin-Waukesha). Etc: Mr Ryan is thrilled to be back at SummerStage to play in Shakespere’s great romp!
Jeff Sommerfeld
SummerStage: 2nd season. Hamlet (Ghost, Player King, and Gravedigger). Other: The Maltese Falcon (Kettle Moraine Playhouse); A Christmas Carol, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Great River Educational Arts Theater); The 1940’s Radio Hour (Chippewa Valley Cultural Association); Fiddler on the Roof, Anything Goes, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Damn Yankees, Bye Bye Birdie, Camelot, Godspell, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Chippewa Area Catholic Schools) Training: Milwaukee Rep School of Theater Etc: Thank you to my family, friends, and all who support live theater – enjoy the show!
Phil Stepanski
SummerStage: 6th season. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Leading Ladies, Romeo and Juliet, Picnic, Talley’s Folly. Other: Now and Then (Director), Clue, Run for Your Wife, Betrayal, The Foreigner, The Nerd, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Lumberjacks in Love, Red, Hot and Cole (Sunset Playhouse); The Underpants (Director), Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables, Noises Off, Miss Saigon, Lend Me a Tenor, The Tavern, Smoke on the Mountain (Waukesha Civic Theatre); 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Director), The Secret Garden, Sweeney Todd (Lake Country Playhouse) Training: BFA, Marquette University. Etc: Phil is the full time theater director at New Berlin Eisenhower Middle/High School, and invites all of you to come see their production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child this November! www.eisenhowertheater.org
Ryan Stepanski
SummerStage: 2nd season. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Other: Goosebumps, Pete The Cat, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (First Stage); Spamalot, Wind in the Willows, Elf, Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Exit Stage Riley, Once Upon a Mattress, Beauty and the Beast, Fairytale Courtroom, Matilda Jr. (The Box Theatre); Hadestown, Shrek Jr., Spongebob Youth Edition, Frozen Jr., For Purely Elfish Reasons (Waukesha Civic Theatre) Training: First Stage Academy Etc: Ryan is very excited to be back for another season at SummerStage! He’d like to thank his parents, directors, and theater teachers for all of their help along the way.
Dustin J. Martin
SummerStage: 15th season. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Nerd, Rumors, Tartuffe, Romeo & Juliet, The Importance of Being Earnest, Much Ado About Nothing, Talley’s Folly, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). Other: Measure for Measure (Madison Shakespeare Company); 33 Variations, Silent Sky, Murder on the Orient Express, The Diary of Anne Frank (Waukesha Civic Theatre); Blithe Spirit, Clue, Wait Until Dark, Noises Off, Betrayal, The Dixie Swim Club (Sunset Playhouse); The Miracle Worker, Steel Magnolias (Acacia Theatre). Training: BA, Cedarville University. Etc: Much love to my daughters for their support. My efforts this season are dedicated to the memory of my mentor Gary W. Barker, who modeled and taught the skill, expertise, and professionalism that I seek to replicate in every production I direct. “I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine.”
Mitchell Anderson
Scott Fudali
SummerStage: 7th season. Boeing Boeing (Bernard), Leading Ladies (Rev. Duncan Woolery), The Nerd (Willum), The Odd Couple (Vinnie). Other: Chapter Two, A Few Good Men, Is Murder Tax Deductible (Cream City Theater); The Nerd, Prescription:Murder, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Lend Me A Tenor, Barefoot in the Park, Getting Away with Murder (West Allis Players). Etc: Scott has been once again enjoying the challenges of designing and building in the great outdoors with SummerStage for this season. He hopes everyone has an enjoyable night under the stars. Love to his wife and parents, and a special thanks to those who have supported all his theater adventures and pushed him when necessary.
John Gonzales
Brianna Deans
SummerStage: 1st season. Other: The Hello Girls; Antigone: History Repeats, Her Story Echoes; Our Town; The Tavern; 10-MOPS; It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Wisconsin Lutheran College); Young Frankenstein (Hartford Players); Assist. These Shining Lives; Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberly (Acacia Theatre). Training: BA, Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Sarah Jo Martens
SummerStage: 2nd season. Love, Loss and What I Wore. Other: Of Thread &Thorn, Bull in a China Shop (Kith and Kin); Sense and Sensibility, Newsies, Enchanted April, Haunting of Hill House, 12 Angry Men, Matilda (Waukesha Civic Theatre); Anastasia, Jekyll and Hyde,The Clockmaker’s Daughter (US-Midwest Premiere), Jane Eyre, Our Town, The Secret Garden, Bloody Murder, A Christmas Carol, Catch the Butcher, The Revolutionists (Lake Country Playhouse); Eurydice, Agnes of God, On the Verge, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Winter’s Tale, Antigone, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Haroun and the Sea of Stories (Michigan Tech Theatre Company). Training: MS, Michigan Technological University. Etc: Never a dull moment! Here’s to many more wild opportunities. Much love to her kitties who put up with threads and fabric everywhere they’re not allowed to play with, and the incredible found family who help the moment she asks. Thank you Maggie and Paula, for everything!
Claire Kinder
SummerStage: 6th season. The Sweet Delilah Swim Club, The Liar, Tartuffe, The Trip to Bountiful, Pride & Prejudice, The Nerd, A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Other: Titus Andronicus (Voices Found Rep); Medea (Voices Found Rep); The Giver (Waukesha Civic Theater); Mars Lost (Lakeland Players Theater); Elephant Man (Voices Found Rep); Tempest (Voice Found Rep); Bridges of Madison County (Waukesha Civic Theater); Macbeth -Teen Ed. (Waukesha Civic Theater) Training: BA-Theater UW- Whitewater and Trial & Error. Etc: “She wears life like Elvis wore sequins, with no apology laced into the seams.” - Ashley Poston, Geekerella
Claire Michels
SummerStage: 2nd season. Other: Lighting Designer: Calendar Girls (Waukesha Civic Theatre); The Play That Goes Wrong, As You Like It (DSHA); Cowboy vs. Samurai (Lotus Theatre); Miss Holmes (Sunset Playhouse), Assistant Lighting Designer: A Christmas Carol (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre); I am my own Wife (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre) Training: BFA Lighting Design and Technology from University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Etc: Claire is so excited for her second season at SummerStage. She would like to thank her family and friends as well as her colleagues for an amazing opportunity!
Shawn Spellman
SummerStage: 5th season. The Sweet Delilah Swim Club, The Liar, An Inspector Calls, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other: 33 Variations, Silent Sky, Leading Ladies, Diary of Anne Frank, Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) (Waukesha Civic Theatre). Etc: With this being my fifth season at SummerStage, I am excited to take in this great venue with this wonderful cast and crew.
Teri Bergendahl
SummerStage: 3rd season. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Steel Magnolias. Other: Drinking Habits (Sunset Playhouse); The Haunting of Hill House (Waukesha Civic Theatre); A Lifespan of a Fact (Waukesha Civic Theater; Savannah Sipping Society (Sunset Playhouse); 12 Angry Men, Always a Bridesmaid (Waukesha Civic Theatre). Etc: Teri is grateful to return to SummerStage and thanks her family and friends for the lovely support!
David A. Robins
SummerStage: 4th season. The Sweet Delilah Swim Club, The Liar, An Inspector Calls, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Steel Magnolias, Unnecessary Farce, Hamlet, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Miracle Worker. Other: Enchanted April, 12 Angry Men, Murder on the Orient Express, Silent Sky, Mamma Mia!, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Underpants, But Why Bump Off Barnaby?, A Little Night Music (Waukesha Civic Theatre); Blithe Spirit, Spider’s Web, Clue (Sunset Playhouse); The Addams Family, The Fantasticks, Company, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Sondheim on Sondheim (Broccoli Theatricals); Coraline (Bad Example Productions); Sweeney Todd, Legally Blonde (Lake Country Playhouse); Kiss Me, Kate (UW Waukesha). Training: BFA, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Etc: When I’m not in the booth or backstage, you can usually find me attending a pop culture or gaming convention, or playing an RPG or (some would say overly-complicated) board game. As always, all my love to Steph for her continued support and understanding. And thank you to Corey and Sam for taking the time to see why I’m too busy to hang out. Carpe noctem!
Donors
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Thank you to all of our sponsors, donors, and grantors! It is through the generous support of those listed here that enable us to bring you Great Performances in the Great Outdoors!
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Our Organization
Board of Directors
| President | Leah Teske |
| Vice President | Joe Lucey |
| Secretary | Marty Malin |
| Treasurer | Michael Fantry |
| Members at Large | Susan Barnhart, William Molitor, Tom Van Gilder |
Staff
| Artistic Director | Dustin J. Martin |
| Office Assistant | Sylvia Murphy |
| Bookkeeper | Stephanie D. Martin |
Seasonal Staff
| Event Managers | Mindy Imig, Tori Jeske, Sylvia Murphy, David Woodford, Lori Woodford |
| Production Photography | Colleen Boehm |
| Social Media Marketing | Sophia Bernhardt |
Committees
2026 Season Selection: Dustin J. Martin (chair), Donna Daniels, Jim Mallmann, Stephanie D. Martin, Josh Scheibe, and Sam White.
Grounds: Susan Barnhart (co-chair), William Molitor (co-chair), Joe Lucey, Deanne Bowman Olson, Deb Peterson, and Rosie Thessin.
Volunteers
Our volunteers are vital to our success! Volunteers are needed throughout the summer to assist with our events, but you could also join one of our committees or the Board of Directors.
If you are interested in joining us to volunteer, let us know at summerstageofdelafield.org/volunteer.
Our 2026 Season
