JC Clementz News

Voting has now opened for the 2014 BroadwayWorld Milwaukee, WI Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 4th.

Voting has now opened for the 2014 BroadwayWorld Milwaukee, WI Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 25th.

Yesterday Artistic Director Mark Clements announced Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 2014/15 Season. 'Next season will offer strong stories that are substantive pieces of theater that are both enlightening and entertaining,' said Clements. 'The season includes two exciting world premieres, after all the terrible things I do and Five Presidents. We will also continue the tradition that I started upon my arrival by including a musical on our main stage - the first production in the Quadracci Powerhouse will be the award-winning musical, The Color Purple. Audiences responded so enthusiastically to last year's production of Ragtime, I believe they are in for another treat with The Color Purple.'

Kicking off Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 2014/15 Season in the Stackner Cabaret is the side-splitting and rollicking production The Doyle & Debbie Show, a perfect blend of comedy and country music. Called "90 minutes of goofy perfection" by the Chicago Sun-Times, The Doyle & Debbie Show features a washed-up country star and his newest singing partner dusting off their microphones and resurrecting a familiar signature sound. Singing 16 original hits, including "Stock Car Love" and "Blue Stretch Pants," this hilarious send-up of country music duos will have audiences doubled-over with laughter and roaring for an encore. The show is parody at its best - simultaneously lampooning country music at the same time idolizing its tradition of iconic duos and the battle of the sexes.

One of the most popular, well-crafted musical revues of all time, Ain't Misbehavin' is simply unforgettable and will be performed in the now-signature Rep style, with a group of five 'Quadruple Threat' actor/singer/dancer/musicians. The cast features Britney Coleman, Christopher James Culberson, Kenney M. Green, Bethany Thomas and Erin Willis. Ain't Misbehavin' runs in the Stackner Cabaret through May 18 and opened Sunday, March 16. The Executive Producers for this production are Greg and Rhonda Oberland and the Associate Producers are David and Camille Kundert.

A Tony Award-winning tour through the legendary Fats Waller songbook, Ain't Misbehavin' dives into the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, the golden age of honky-tonk dives, swing music and stride piano players. Considered "a tribute to the timeless appeal of Waller's music" by The New York Times, Ain't Misbehavin' includes classic Waller hits like "Loungin' at the Waldorf" and "I Can't Give You Anything but Love." Ain't Misbehavin' was conceived by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr. and will be directed by Rep Associate Artist Dan Kazemi, who was the Musical Director of End of The Rainbow, A Christmas Carol, Forever Plaid and Ragtime this season at The Rep.

Yesterday Artistic Director Mark Clements announced Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 2014/15 Season. 'Next season will offer strong stories that are substantive pieces of theater that are both enlightening and entertaining,' said Clements. 'The season includes two exciting world premieres, after all the terrible things I do and Five Presidents. We will also continue the tradition that I started upon my arrival by including a musical on our main stage - the first production in the Quadracci Powerhouse will be the award-winning musical, The Color Purple. Audiences responded so enthusiastically to last year's production of Ragtime, I believe they are in for another treat with The Color Purple.'

The Rep's critically-acclaimed, one-of-a-kind short-play festival, Rep Lab, returns for its fourth season to the intimate Stiemke Studio. Featuring several distinct and different plays, and cast with The Rep's Intern Ensemble, this unique production is sure to provide an altogether new type of theatergoing experience for audiences - a night filled with laughter and tears. Rep Lab runs in The Rep's Stiemke Studio from March 28 - 31.

Four guys, forever classy wearing white dinner jackets, appear in the musical revue Forever Plaid at The Rep's Stackner Cabaret. And when Frankie, Jinx, Smudge and Spanky perform their four-part harmony in the fictional singing group, they exude slightly clueless personalities while, to the audience's delight, their musical talent exceeds expectations.

Forever Plaid is directed by Rep Artistic Associate JC Clementz. The cast for Forever Plaid features Rep newcomers Nate Lewellyn and Anand Nagraj as well as Adam Estes and Paul Helm, both who have previously appeared at the Stackner. Forever Plaid runs in the Stackner Cabaret October 25 - December 29, 2013 and opens on Sunday, October 27. Check out a first look below!

Called 'the greatest singer in the world' by Frank Sinatra, the always charming, classy and debonair Tony Bennett crooned his way into the heart of America. In this sexy musical revue, three superb male singers perform an anthology of Bennett's best work - from 'Rags to Riches' to 'Put On a Happy Face' to the title track and many more - celebrating more than six decades of remarkable music in this swingin' walk down memory lane. David Grapes and Todd Olson are co-creators for the production; Todd Olson will also be directing The Rep's production. Original piano and vocal arrangements for I Left My Heart are by Vince di Mura. The cast features singers Eric Jon Mahlum, Andrew McMath and Rob Tucker, all making their Rep debuts, and Richard Carsey, well-known to Milwaukee audiences from his years with Skylight Music Theatre, will accompany them on piano. Carsey is also the Music Director for the production. I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett runs in the Stackner Cabaret from tonight, August 23 - October 20 and opens Sunday, August 25.

Called "the greatest singer in the world" by Frank Sinatra, the always charming, classy and debonair Tony Bennett crooned his way into the heart of America. In this sexy musical revue, three superb male singers perform an anthology of Bennett's best work - from "Rags to Riches" to "Put On a Happy Face" to the title track and many more - celebrating more than six decades of remarkable music in this swingin' walk down memory lane. David Grapes and Todd Olson are co-creators for the production; Todd Olson will also be directing The Rep's production. Original piano and vocal arrangements for I Left My Heart are by Vince di Mura. The cast features singers Eric Jon Mahlum, Andrew McMath and Rob Tucker, all making their Rep debuts, and Richard Carsey, well-known to Milwaukee audiences from his years with Skylight Music Theatre, will accompany them on piano. Carsey is also the Music Director for the production. I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett runs in the Stackner Cabaret from August 23 - October 20 and opens Sunday, August 25.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater announced casting today for I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett, the first production to open The Rep's 60th Anniversary 2013/14 Season, Venus in Fur, coming to the Stiemke Studio in late September, Forever Plaid, opening at the end of October in the Stackner Cabaret and Noises Off, the second production in the Quadracci Powerhouse this season.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater has announced the dynamic directors and creative teams selected for the 2013/14 Season, The Rep's 60th Anniversary. These talented directors and creative teams will help The Rep continue in its commitment to offer brave, challenging, entertaining, stimulating, thought-provoking and vital works with a distinctive aesthetic.

The Rep's critically-acclaimed, one-of-a-kind short-play festival, Rep Lab, returns for its third season to the intimate Stiemke Studio. Featuring several distinct and different plays, and cast with The Rep's Intern Ensemble, this unique production is sure to provide an altogether new type of theatergoing experience for audiences - a night filled with laughter and tears. Rep Lab runs in The Rep's Stiemke Studio from today, March 1 - 4.

The Rep's critically-acclaimed, one-of-a-kind short-play festival, Rep Lab, returns for its third season to the intimate Stiemke Studio. Featuring several distinct and different plays, and cast with The Rep's Intern Ensemble, this unique production is sure to provide an altogether new type of theatergoing experience for audiences - a night filled with laughter and tears. Rep Lab runs in The Rep's Stiemke Studio from March 1 - 4.

One of Shakespeare's most tragic heroes squares off against literature's greatest villain in a visceral, sexy, hard-driving story of intrigue, betrayal and vengeance, as Iago leads Othello to the edge of jealous madness by sowing seeds of doubt about his wife's fidelity. This classic revenge tragedy comes to life in a modern and edgy adaptation set in the world of motorcycle gangs. This production of Othello will be directed by Artistic Director Mark Clements, the role of Othello will be performed by guest actor Lindsay Smiling, and the role of Iago will be performed by Rep Resident Acting Company Member Gerard Neugent. The Rep's production of Othello is sponsored by Harley-Davidson Motor Company and runs April 3 - May 6, 2012 in The Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse and previews Tuesday, April 3 - Thursday, April 5, and opens on Friday, April 6.

One of Shakespeare's most tragic heroes squares off against literature's greatest villain in a visceral, sexy, hard-driving story of intrigue, betrayal and vengeance, as Iago leads Othello to the edge of jealous madness by sowing seeds of doubt about his wife's fidelity. This classic revenge tragedy comes to life in a modern and edgy adaptation set in the world of motorcycle gangs. This production of Othello will be directed by Artistic Director Mark Clements, the role of Othello will be performed by guest actor Lindsay Smiling, and the role of Iago will be performed by Rep Resident Acting Company Member Gerard Neugent. The Rep's production of Othello is sponsored by Harley-Davidson Motor Company and runs April 3 - May 6, 2012 in The Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse and previews Tuesday, April 3 - Thursday, April 5, and opens on Friday, April 6.