Milwaukee Rep Exceeds Petullo Challenge Raising 81% of Goal for New Associated Bank Theater Center

Milwaukee Repertory Theater has revealed the Powering Milwaukee Campaign has exceeded the Petullo Challenge raising $61 million to date, surpassing 80% of its $75 million goal, a crucial benchmark needed to finalize construction timelines for the new Associated Bank Theater Center. Issued by an Anonymous Donor and Sustaining Trustee Anthony Petullo, the challenge matched every new or increased gift dollar for dollar through June 30, 2023 up to $7.5 million.

Milwaukee Rep’s 2023/24 Season, marking the theater’s 70th anniversary, will continue as planned in its current home starting with the World Premiere rock musical Run Bambi Run in September and featuring 12 full productions in all three theater venues through May 2024.  More information on the construction timeline for the Associated Bank Theater Center will be announced later this summer. 

“Thank you to our challengers, Sustaining Trustee Anthony Petullo and an Anonymous Donor, who provided a great incentive for new and increased gifts to put us closer to our final goal,” said Chad Bauman, Executive Director.  “By raising 81% of our goal, we now get down to the exciting work of finalizing timelines and vendors for the new Associated Bank Theater Center.  We could not have reached this point in the campaign without our fantastic co-chairs, Tammy Belton-Davis, Bill and Sandy Haack, Jeff and Sarah Joerres, and Craig and Mara Swan, our dedicated Board President Judy Hansen, our trustees, several key community advisors and staff who have worked tirelessly this past year and a half to bring our new state of the art theater to life.  While we still have a way to go, it is hearting to see the community rally together in such a positive way.”

The Powering Milwaukee Campaign to build the new Associated Bank Theater Center will define the standard of theater in Wisconsin for generations to come.  The campaign funds the creation of a new complex, including three state-of-the-art performances spaces, a large, unified lobby providing ample opportunities for community events, a dedicated Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center to serve the theater’s 20,000+ students, an expanded offsite production center employing hundreds of local artisans, and venues with modern audience amenities. 

To learn more about the Powering Milwaukee Campaign and to get involved, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com/PoweringMilwaukee.

 

About Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin with three unique performance venues in the Associated Bank Theater Center.  For over seven decades, Milwaukee Rep has been a centerpiece of Milwaukee’s vibrant arts and cultural scene with productions ranging from Broadway musicals to Shakespeare to American Classics and New Works that are entertaining, inclusive, and impactful. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Executive Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee’s rich diversity.

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