Madison's best free bread, reading 'Yesteryear; and a new tiki bar

Posted April 24, 2026

Cap Times New Core Co Banner2026

Lindsay Christians, The Cap Times

A dispatch from Spring Green

I was honored to write this feature about American Players Theatre actress Sarah Day, who announced her retirement from the company today. Let’s also celebrate the three new core company members! Here are a few of my favorite moments from the three of them. —Lindsay



Triney Sandoval’s first summer up the Hill was 2019, when he played Sir Toby Belch in the funniest, most free-wheeling production of “Twelfth Night” (above) I’ve ever seen. He’s since had excellent, more serious turns in “The River Bride” and “Anna in the Tropics,” but I would let Sir Toby talk me into all kinds of bad decisions.


La Shawn Banks began performing with APT more than 20 years ago. He’s played intense roles (“The Island”) to over-the-top physical comedy (his Richard Burbage in “The Book of Will” was a show-stopper, above). Banks’ eyebrows tell entire stories. Nobody steals a scene like he does.


Casey Hoekstra is absolutely fearless onstage. He’s always leaping over stuff and brandishing swords and tearing from one end of the stage to the other. His Puck (with Josh Castille) was the single best part of APT’s most recent “Midsummer,” and I cackled so hard at his antics in “The 39 Steps” I could have pulled something. Above is "The Liar," with Phoebe González in 2023.

Photos by Liz Lauren. Read full piece here.