Milwaukee’s In Tandem Returns ... In Fond du Lac

In Tandem Theatre returns to the stage in its new home in Fond du Lac this month with All is Calm, a deeply moving story of German and British forces laying down arms to celebrate the holiday.

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It all came to an end in 2019. The husband and wife team of Chris and Jane Fleiler had been developing thoughtful, beloved theater on stages around the edges of the heart of Milwaukee for over two decades. They weren’t ready to let it go, though. So they kept In Tandem Theatre alive on paper as a nonprofit. There were resources. They thought that maybe they could launch a show at some point in some way. They only needed the right opportunity. 

That opportunity has presented itself late this autumn. Chris had been working on faculty at UW-Fond du Lac, which regrettably was recently forced to shut its doors. Some of the buildings on campus have been turned into The Prairie Theatre and Events Center, which the Fleilers have been hired to run. This month, In Tandem returns to the stage for the first time in over half a decade with All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. The show is set on the front lines of World War I. British and German forces cease fighting in the interest of celebrating December 25 with each other for a brief and pleasant moment in the bleakness of one of the most gut-wrenching wars in history. 

Jane directs the show, which gathers talent from around Fond du Lac, nearby communities and places as far away as Oak Creek and Sheboygan. The nine-person ensemble features: Omer Durfee, Chris Flieller, Joe Gallo, Nathan Guelig, Myles Hensel, Mason Kind, David Neese, Matt Regalie and Tony Secord. 

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“While the show is growing in popularity, we felt it needed to be heard now more than ever and a production in our new home of Fond du Lac felt right,” says Jane. “There is a powerful, yet somehow gentle message in it that really resonates: humanity is there, even under the most dire circumstances. It was then and it is now. We just have to look harder to find it and sometimes disobey in order to obey our own integrity.” 

In Tandem is proud to announce the show as the inaugural show of the new era for the company.  Future plans include a three-day, free Shakespeare in the Prairie event next summer. 

In Tandem’s production of All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 runs Nov. 21-Dec. 1 at Prairie Theatre and Events Center, 400 University Drive, Fond du Lac. For ticket reservations, visit hometowntickets.com/events/all-is-calm-the-christmas-truce-of-1914.