About Us
Original Construction
Built in 1991 as the community's living testament to its dedication and passion to the performing arts, the Southern Door Community Auditorium, located on the campus of Southern Door County Schools, is a 592-seat proscenium theater. Under the stewardship and championing of the late John Wood, Southern Door residents approved the auditorium project as part of a larger district expansion project.
Hosting a wide-range of school and contracted performances, the space features exemplary natural acoustics combined with state-of-the-art equipment and a knowledgeable staff to ensure amazingly enriching, entertaining and inspiring performances. Indeed, patrons rave about the space's warm-sounded acoustical properties and great views - regardless of their seat location.
The facility is able to be readily adapted to any type of performance or event, small or large, due to support spaces that include a scene shop, star dressing rooms, box office, costume/prop room, orchestra pit, large technical production spaces for sound, lighting and projection and more.
Advisory Team
The following individuals serve on our advisory team in an effort to provide the best experience for all stakeholders including our audience, donors, and performers.
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Cory Vandertie
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Josh Lardinois
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Patti Vickman
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Erin Shortall
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Sue Massart
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Barb Schriner-Schmitt
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Sigrid Slaby
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Marissa Norton
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Sara Mueller
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Ann Bretl
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Kaira Rouer
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Rob Soukup
Recent History
With the celebration of our 25th Anniversary in 2016, the Southern Door Community Auditorium kicked off an ambitious “Convocation Plaza” brick fundraiser project to rejuvenate the exterior grass entry. The plaza includes engraved bricks, seating, and a school and community sculpture project that was unveiled in 2023 titled, “Learn to Soar”. This Artist-In-Residence featured renowned local artist and Southern Door alumnus, Robert Soukup along with co-artist and Project Manager, Barb Schriner-Schmitt.
The story of the sculpture “Learn to Soar” (outdoor corten steel sculpture): The first figure, a detailed silhouette, and an open book, represents the start of learning as a musical staff begins with a few notes of the school song. Then, as the staff turns, the notes change to images of “what learning looks like,” drawn by elementary students.
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A High School design team worked with Mr. Soukup to create a model to guide the construction of this sculpture. The music staff advances to surround the figures. As the figures swirl around and grow larger, they become more abstract, representing how individuals become more than what they look like on the outside. Growing through knowledge, collaboration and creation, the figures reach up joyfully and meet an eagle wing, ready to graduate and soar into the world!
“Learn to Soar II” features an indoor mobile sculpture. The music staff continues inside the auditorium entrance, this time spiraling around a kinetic sculpture and making a visual connection to the exterior sculpture. A design team of Middle School students worked with Mr. Soukup to plan this mobile. Each of the five wing shapes contains copper disks embossed by Middle School art classes and the Design Team, representing areas of learning at Southern Door.
