Milwaukee Chamber Theatre Presents WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? At Studio Theatre, Broadway Theatre Center 

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) announces the first professional Milwaukee production in over two decades of Edward Albee's WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?, directed by Keira Fromm and featuring Wisconsin theater legends Laura Gordon and James Ridge in the iconic roles of George and Martha.

MCT's third production of the 2022-2023 season opens Saturday, January 21 at 8pm. Preview night is set for Friday, January 20 at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased via the MCT website, milwaukeechambertheatre.org/tickets or by calling 414-291-7800.

Selected for the 1963 Pulitzer Prize in Drama and winner of the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play, 1963 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play, and 2013 Tony Award for Best Revival, this is a must-see masterpiece by one of America's greatest playwrights. On the campus of a small New England college, long-married George and Martha invite an opportunistic new professor and his stunningly naïve wife home for a nightcap following a faculty mixer. As the cocktails flow, the young pair find themselves caught in the crossfire of a savage marital war between one of the most legendarily dysfunctional couples ever created. As the combatants attack the self-deceptions they've forged for their own survival, the enormous secrets at the foundation of their relationship slowly emerge in this hilarious and harrowing classic that forever changed the face of the American theater.

"What a treat to direct this iconic play in Milwaukee," said Fromm. "It is a play of endless depth and stunning truths about our most fragile selves and our relationships. George and Martha are deeply connected to one another but going through a terrible marital crisis. It's a special thrill bringing these characters and this world to life with Jim Ridge and Laura Gordon, two incredible artists who are mainstays here in Milwaukee." Gordon and Ridge are joined in the cast by Casey Hoekstra (Nick) and Kate Romond (Honey), both familiar to Milwaukee and Wisconsin audiences and making their MCT debuts.

"VIRGINA WOOLF has fascinated me since I first encountered it in college, and I could not be more excited to be producing its first professional production in Milwaukee since the celebrated Bialystock & Bloom version in the late 90s," said MCT Artistic Director Brent Hazelton. "The script remains incredibly relevant and truthful-particularly in what it has to say about how we navigate long-term relationships, generational conflict, and the illusions that we build to protect ourselves from the parts of the world and of ourselves that we fear the most. And I could not imagine a better cast for the pay than this one; the fact that this is the first time in their incredible careers that Laura and Jim have played opposite one another makes it all the more special. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime, don't-miss opportunity for Wisconsin theater lovers."

A ticket to WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRIGINA WOOLF? supports local theatre artists across all disciplines. Rounding out the creative team are notable Milwaukee creatives Jason Fassl (Scenic and Lighting Design), Amy Horst (Costume Design), Jim Guy (Properties Design), Christopher Elst (Fight and Intimacy Choreographer), Emily Wright (Stage Manager), and Josh Hart (Assistant Stage Manager). And MCT is proud to welcome Chicago-based Jeffrey Levin (Composer and Sound Design), for his MCT debut.

Edward Albee's WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf? is supported by Executive Producers Marina and Frank Krejci, Susan and Robert Lueger, and John Shannon and Jan Serr, and Producer J. Michael Reavis.

WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf runs January 20-February 12, 2023, in The Studio Theatre located inside the Broadway Theatre Center. To purchase tickets, go to www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/tickets, call 414-291-7800, or visit the ticket office in person at 158 N. Broadway St. in the Historic Third Ward.

More information about MCT, the 22/23 season, how to purchase tickets, and how to donate can be found at www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org.

TALKS AND EVENTS

Pay What You Choose Night: Mon, Jan 23 at 7:30pm

ASL Performance: Sun, Jan 12 at 2pm

SIPSTUDIO: Sat, Jan 28 at 7pm pre-show, 5th floor rehearsal hall

Artist Appreciation Night: Sat, Jan 28 at 8pm all tickets $15

TalkBacks: Jan 26, Feb 2, Feb 9, Post performances

For more information on talks go to https://www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/continuing-the-conversation.

COVID AND ATTENDEE EXPERIENCE

During the 2021-2022 Season MCT cancelled zero performances due to COVID-19 infections amongst performers--help us protect the play and continue that streak! Due to our unique programming, exceptional multidisciplinary artists, and modest budgetary scale, MCT does not contract understudies. Our financial viability depends on our performers staying healthy through closing night. MCT recognizes that there is no full-proof way to avoid COVID-19, however, masking within the intimate Studio Theatre allows the artists and MCT a safer and stronger future. Protocols will be reassessed on a per-production basis.

ABOUT MILWAUKEE CHAMBER THEATRE 

Founded in 1975 by Montgomery Davis and Ruth Schudson, guided until 2020 by Michael Wright and Kirsten Finn, and now led by Brent Hazelton and Amy A. Salat, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) partners with other arts organizations, community-based organizations, and universities to produce thought-provoking productions and innovative outreach programs on an intimate, human scale. As a leader in developing Milwaukee and Wisconsin's theater community, MCT provides regular employment and a stable artistic home to local theatre professionals through a five-play subscription season, the Young Playwrights Festival (YPF), and the Montgomery Davis Play Development Series (MDPDS). MCT performs at the Broadway Theatre Center in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward and is a proud Member Group of the United Performing Arts Fund. For more information, to purchase tickets, or to donate, please visit milwaukeechambertheatre.org.

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