The history of Cape Rep, the professional theatre company nestled in the northern section of Nickerson State Park in Brewster, could read as a play itself. It’s a tale of perseverance and wonder, of chance and hope. And like many great dramas, it’s also a commentary upon the importance of Theatre and Art. Characters include a visionary and his fellow enthusiasts who embrace a call to adventure; a pragmatic heroine who spins dreams into reality through the magic of words; artists of various stripes; and the theatre geeks and enthusiasts—average people both local and from afar—who support the main cast. For nearly four decades, Cape Rep has remained steadfast in its goal to create a professional theatre company in service to the local community. Its official history states: “Today, Cape Rep theatre is the only professional theatre on Cape Cod dedicated to serving the artists who live here, and is also unique in that it commissions and produces plays and musicals from local playwrights, over 35 in its 38 year history. We are a company dedicated to great stories. We read voraciously in an effort to choose plays and musicals that speak to us for our time. Most important, we invite artists here from outside this region to embrace the wider world and the diversity of people and ideas necessary to enrich our lives.” Just as in Cape Rep’s productions, its story unfolds over a sequence of acts—from its founding to its current project, the renovation of the historic Crosby Barn. In the spirit of Shakespeare, one could imagine its journey in five parts (and with some fictionalized interpretation).

Act 1: In the Ewther.