Early this morning, The Alchemist Theatre announced in an email and on its Facebook page that it will close after almost 12 years in Bay View. Owners of the offbeat and intimate 64-seat playhouse located at 2569 S. Kinnickinnic Avenue said last night’s final performance of The Bartender: Another Round will be the venue’s final closing night.

Here’s the full message from owners Erica Case and Aaron Kopec:

It is with mixed emotions that we share with you that tonight’s closing night of Alchemist Theatre’s “The Bartender: Another Round” has been The Alchemist Theatre’s final closing night.

Twelve years of theatre supported by “average folks” taking a chance on live theatre and entertainment.

Twelve years of hard working actors, crew members, family and support staff pouring their hearts and hard work into this space.

Thank you to EVERYONE who was a part of this experiment and experience.

“We are the music makers,

And we are the dreamers of dreams,

Wandering by lone sea-breakers,

And sitting by desolate streams;

World-losers and world-forsakers,

On whom the pale moon gleams:

Yet we are the movers and shakers

Of the world for ever, it seems.”

-Arthur O’Shaughnessy

The Alchemist Theatre, like all theatres, are 90% simply setting up a lightening rod and working on keeping it standing through countless thunderstorms.

The energy comes from elsewhere.

You can’t advertise for it.

You can’t audition for it.

Sometimes, that lightening rod simply attracts the right mix of energy.

Erica and I simply worked at keeping that lighting rod tied to the top of the building with chewing gum and bailing wire for 12 years.

YOU were all were the lightening.

YOU were all the energy.

As we close this venue, we ask you all to keep up the spark.

Keep up the energy.

“Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,

Listen to the DON’TS

Listen to the SHOULDN’TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WONT’S

Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to me-

Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can be.”

-Shel Silverstein

Thank you all so much for being part of our ANYTHING.

Thank you.

-Erica Case & Aaron Kopec