Milwaukee Repertory Theater

RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH to Open at Peninsula Players Theatre
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 24, 2026

Peninsula Players Theatre will present RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF JOHNNY CASH, a theatrical tribute featuring hits like 'Folsom Prison Blues' and 'I Walk the Line,' directed by Dan Kazemi in his debut at the theater.

Video: First Look at THE CRAIC at Milwaukee Repertory Theater
by Joshua Wright - Jul 17, 2026

Milwaukee Repertory Theater has released first look footage of THE CRAIC, back by popular demand after a sell-out run, playing March 26 through May 23, 2027 in the Stackner Cabaret.

Interview: Theatre Life with Peggy McKowen
by Elliot Lanes - Jul 10, 2026

Today’s subject Peggy McKowen is currently living her theatre life as the Artistic Director for one of the most important theatre festivals for new plays in the country Contemporary American Theatre Festival (CATF). Located at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia this year’s festival will present five new plays in repertory between July 10th and August 2nd. 2026 marks CATF’s 36th season.

Next Act Theatre Promotes Elyse Edelman to Associate Artistic Director
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 6, 2026

Next Act Theatre promoted Elyse Edelman to Associate Artistic Director and hired Gabriela Flores as Patron Services Manager, a shared role with Renaissance Theaterworks, as both companies prepare for their upcoming seasons.

BroadwayWorld Gets a Makeover — Plus a $6B Theater Deal in the Works
by Alex Freeman - Jun 29, 2026

This week's newsletter is a big one for BroadwayWorld — we've launched a fully redesigned website and new On Demand TV apps, bringing our content to over 700 million televisions worldwide. On Broadway, Maybe Happy Ending is on track to become the longest-running show in Belasco Theatre history, while the 17th Annual Jimmy Awards crowned Jake James and Samia Posadas as its top performers at the Minskoff.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater Adds 8 New Board Trustees
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jun 24, 2026

Milwaukee Repertory Theater revealed eight new Board Trustees, including former TCG President Ben Cameron and Medical College of Wisconsin President Dr. Shekar Kurpad, to serve three-year terms guiding the theater's next chapter.

BILL by Roger Q. Mason to Receive Developmental Reading with PlayPenn
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 18, 2026

Roger Q. Mason's new play BILL, a sequel to Lavender Men, will receive a developmental reading at Open Jar Studios in New York as part of PlayPenn's New Play Development Conference.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater to Hold Exclusive One-Day Ticket Sale For FOOTLOOSE
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jun 15, 2026

Milwaukee Repertory Theater will kick off the 2026/27 Season with an exclusive One Day Sale for the musical opener Footloose. Directed and choreographed by Olivier Award-winner Stephen Mear, Footloose bursts onto the stage with ’80s anthems this summer.

Industry Pro Newsletter: The Lost Boys Wins Big in the Theater Fans Choice Awards — Plus the WNO-Kennedy Center Drama Heats Up
by Alex Freeman - Jun 15, 2026

The theater world never really slows down — and this week is proof. The Lost Boys dominated our Theater Fans' Choice Awards, sweeping nearly every musical category, while the Washington National Opera's legal battle with the Kennedy Center over $17 million in disputed funds continues to unfold. On a more hopeful note, Berkeley's beloved Aurora Theatre is planning its comeback after a year in the dark. All that, plus BroadwayWorld has launched a brand-new Producer Fantasy Game — so if you've ever thought you could pick the hits, now's your chance to prove it.

Video: AGATHA CHRISTIE'S AND THEN THERE WERE NONE Sneak Peek at Milwaukee Rep
by Robert Diamond - Jun 11, 2026

Milwaukee Rep has shared a sneak peek at AGATHA CHRISTIE'S AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, revealing each island guest confronted with a past crime as suspicion spreads and the question of who the true killer is takes center stage.

Industry Pro Newsletter: The Tony Effect: Analyzing Post-Awards Ticket Data
by Alex Freeman - Jun 8, 2026

Following the 79th Annual Tony Awards, this coverage examines the immediate impact of Broadway's biggest night, including data-driven insights into post-ceremony ticket sales and a recap of key event moments. Outside New York, the industry continues to navigate significant organizational shifts, featuring new leadership appointments at the Berkeley and Nottingham Playhouses and strategic developments at the Kennedy Center and Norwich Theatre, alongside reports of major financial milestones at Hartford Stage and the Overture Center.

Industry Pro Newsletter: Kennedy Center Ruling, Broadway's Record Season & New York's $150M Tax Credit Boost
by Alex Freeman - Jun 1, 2026

On the legal and legislative front, a federal judge ordered the removal of President Trump's name from the Kennedy Center and temporarily blocked its planned closure, while New York State added $150 million to its theatrical production tax credit program. Broadway closed out its 2025–2026 season with a new all-time box office record of $1.91 billion, and the Broadway League and Actors' Equity announced a new audition initiative called LEAP.

Review: AGATHA CHRISTIE'S AND THEN THERE WERE NONE at Milwaukee Repertory Theater
by Keith Gray-Dozal - May 30, 2026

What did our critic think of REVIEW: AGATHA CHRISTIE'S AND THEN THERE WERE NONE AT MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER at Milwaukee Repertory Theater?

Wake Up With BroadwayWorld May 27, 2026- Inside CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL Choreo and More
by - May 27, 2026

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is May 27, 2026 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

Industry Pro Newsletter: Doomsday for the American Theater? Not in Milwaukee
by Alex Freeman - May 26, 2026

On the business side, ATG Entertainment is reportedly being prepared for a possible sale by its private equity owner, while Pittsburgh Public Theater terminated its staff ahead of its merger with Pittsburgh CLO — two stories that speak to the consolidation and financial pressures reshaping the industry. Against that backdrop, Milwaukee Repertory Theater stands out as a striking counterexample: the company has nearly doubled its operating budget since 2020, opened a landmark $80 million theater complex, and is expanding its season to 13 productions, fueled by a philosophy of investing in artists and audiences rather than contracting.

Doomsday for American Theater? Not at Milwaukee Rep, Where the Budget Just Doubled.
by Joshua Wright - May 26, 2026

Executive Director Chad Bauman on Milwaukee Rep's expansion, new play development, and why he sees this moment in American theater as 'a call to purpose.'

Video: Watch a Preview of MRS. CHRISTIE
by Michael Major - May 8, 2026

​​​​​​​Milwaukee Repertory Theater has released a new trailer video for MRS. CHRISTIE, Heidi Armbruster's effervescent new comedy now playing through May 10, 2026 at the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater.

Review: GEORGE & GRACIE: A LOVE STORY at Milwaukee Rep
by Cathy Jakicic - May 4, 2026

Actor/writer Tami Workentin wrote the play (her first) for herself and her real life husband, James Pickering. The jokes (with a bit of music and history thrown in) can fast and furious,. You could almost hear the rim shot.

True Colors Theatre Announces Finalists for Fifth Anniversary Next Narrative® Monologue Competition
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 29, 2026

True Colors Theatre Company announced finalists for the fifth anniversary of its Next Narrative® Monologue Competition, which draws high school students nationwide to compete for more than $16,000 in scholarship prizes.

FRIDA...A SELF PORTRAIT Becomes the Best‑Selling Show in Milwaukee Rep’s Studio Theater History
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 27, 2026

Milwaukee Repertory Theater's Frida … A Self Portrait, written and performed by Vanessa Severo, has officially become the best‑selling production in the history of the Herro‑Franke Studio Theater, surpassing the record set earlier this season by Ayad Akhtar’s McNeal.