Our History

From 1980 to 1997 John directed high school musicals in Campbellsport. In the mid-1980’s Alan acted in those musicals. After graduating and moving on in his life, Alan lost touch with the theatre. In the spring of 2005 John reconnected with Alan and persuaded him to audition for Petruchio in Campbellsport Community Theatres’ production of Kiss Me Kate, a role Alan had played in high school. Alan won the role and his interest in theatre was rekindled and intensified.

When Kiss Me Kate concluded, John and Alan decided there needed to be a place to perform for players who wanted to be in non-musicals, since most of the community theatres in the area only wanted to do musicals. They approached the Campbellsport Lions Club because they had sponsored some plays 20 years earlier which John had been in. The Lions Club accepted the offer and John & Alan recruited other players and in February, 2006, produced, directed, and played in Arsenic & Old Lace as a Lions Club fundraiser. The play made some money and they had so much fun they decided to do it again. In February, 2007 they produced and directed, again as a Lions fundraiser, the Wisconsin premiere of Murdered To Death.

They wanted to do more than just the once a year show for a Lions Club fundraiser, so John Brandl & Alan Venturini formed the Kettle Moraine Players and are organizing it as a non-stock, non-profit theatre company. Their vision is expressed in the mission statement of the organization.