The Nicolet Theatre is set in a cozy, lakeside location on the ground floor of the Learning Resources Center of Nicolet College. Built in 1971, the theatre was first designed as a lecture hall, with 250 seats surrounding the stage in a one hundred fifty degree arc. Most visitors describe the setting as “intimate” with the furthest seat only 40 feet from the center of the stage. Over the years, it has been updated with a state-of the art lighting and sound system, including a wireless assistive hearing system available for guests who are hearing impaired.
The Theatre is regularly used for Nicolet classes, workshops and conferences, and daytime entertainment for students. It is also a performance facility. Since the building of the Lake Julia Campus, the Nicolet Players have mounted their own play productions (0ver 160 titles since 1971). The 1990's saw a fundamental shift in the offerings at the Nicolet Theatre. In 1993, the theatre department began to co-sponsor a concert series with the WXPR, the local public radio station. Occasionally other events became available and were featured on an ad-hoc basis.
In 1997, the Theatre Department proposed and launched a comprehensive Arts and Speakers Series. The series included the Nicolet Players productions and the Public Radio/Nicolet Folk Concert Series, but also was expanded to bring in other concerts, lectures, theatre/dance troupes, and travelogues. With this expansion in programming the college was able to showcase a variety of educational and cultural offerings under a centralized umbrella. The “Nicolet Live!” series, now entering its Eighth year, features 16-20 events, amounting to 28-32 performances annually. A typical season would include:
2 Nicolet Players Productions . The Nicolet Players is a community theatre group, under the directorship of Nicolet's Speech and Theatre instructor. Roughly 30% of the volunteers participating in productions are Nicolet students, the remainder are community members coming from all walks of life.
Professional Lecturers Past speakers have included High School Principal Joe Clark, a debate featuring ACLU President Nadine Strossen, and Arctic Explorer Will Steger. Usually, the lecturers are retained to speak several times.
Concerts These include folk concerts co-sponsored with the local public radio station, but have also been expanded to include community choral groups, classical and world music, and local musicians. A typical season will also include a “Headliner” like Joan Baez, George Winston or Ricky Skaggs.
Touring Theatre Productions , including Shakespeare Troupes, Dance Troupes, and Family Programming. With funding from a 21 st Century Community Learning Center grant, the Theatre Department has been able to send some of these artists into the local schools for daytime residencies.
World Travelogues featuring local residents.
Beyond the series, when scheduling permits, the college co-sponsors events with the public library, local camera clubs and children's theatre groups.
Yearly, 6,000-7,000 people attend the events, resulting in an 85% fill rate. 53% of the audiences come from the Rhinelander area, and 47% of the audiences come from beyond, representing 71 different zip codes. Typically, 13% of the audience are Nicolet Students, 24% Senior Citizens, 6 % High School Students, leaving 57% for the remaining public.
