The Theatrical Landscape: An Interview with Dan Klarer

*written by Eric Simonson

Eric Simonson recently reached out to Dan Klarer who has his finger on the pulse of Door County’s theater scene and will be leading one of Björklunden’s seminars, The Door Four (July 28 – Aug. 2). Klarer will lead discussions and host pilgrimages that include attending four performances at each of Door County’s professional theaters.

Klarer is a local theater artist and lives in Door County. He has worked as an actor, educator, stage manager, costume designer, house manager, fight director, and company manager in theatres across America and in the UK. He holds a BA from UW Stevens Point and a master’s degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Simonson caught up with Dan to ask him a few questions about his Björklunden experience:

Eric Simonson (ES): WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME AWARE OF BJÖRKLUNDEN?
Dan Klarer (DK): Well, when I worked with Northern Sky Theater we used to use Björklunden as a rehearsal hall. We would rehearse in the main hall and live and eat and do our thing there, and then go to our respective housing. Over the years I’ve kept in touch with a lot of the people who work there. I’ve always been interested in what’s going on and the extreme breadth of work available and events that are there for everyone. It’s a pretty remarkable place.

ES: HOW DID YOUR CLASS, THE DOOR FOUR, COME ABOUT?
DK: Tom McKenzie approached me and asked if I had any ideas for a theater seminar. And I was like, you know, I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, and I’ve worked at all four theaters and I always know what’s going on there, and the fact that they’re all going on at the same time in the summer, it feels like a no-brainer that there should be some sort of class or practical seminar on the topic. Each theater has its own brand. And to flesh that out and explain the day-to-day workings at each theatre and discover their differences, I think that would be something special. I’m particularly excited about taking people to see these shows and getting their feedback on what they experience.

ES: YOU AND I KNOW EACH OTHER FROM WORKING ON THE DOOR KINETIC ARTS FESTIVAL (DKAF), WHICH ALSO TAKES PLACE AT BJÖRKLUNDEN. WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME AWARE OF DKAF?
DK: I started going to DKAF since 2017 or '18.

ES: WOW, YOU’RE ONE OF THE EARLY ONES.
DK: Yeah. I was at Peninsula Payers then, and I would sneak off to see one or two events. And I was so intrigued by the level of the quality of artists and the programming. And I always thought, "I want to be involved in this.” I really believe in it, and that’s when you and I met. I think it’s an extremely unique event in the county. And I think it offers something other arts organizations don’t because the artists are so unique. And it takes place at Björklunden. This place has an impact on the artists. It gives them a space to create and to be supported by the staff in this beautiful inspiring place, and then they get to share all that with an audience.

ES: HOW IS BJÖRKLUNDEN SPECIAL TO YOU?
DK: Honestly, it is the true craftsman atmosphere of the grounds. To have the Shakespeare Garden and all those beautiful trails along the lake and the beauty of how they built the lodge. It is quintessentially Door County to me. The Scandinavian lodge, the water and the cedar trees, the community aspect of the place. It feels like an elevated version of what you want a summer camp for adults to be. It feels magical and ancient, and because of the nostalgic nature of the place, for me at least, it always feels like going home.