TheaterWorks News

BroadwayWorld brings you the Best of Milwaukee in the year 2012. Check out the Top Theatre Stories from each month during in the year 2012. We look forward to another exciting year of theatre in 2013!

Connecticut always is home to some of the finest regional theater around and 2012 was no exception. The task of trying to pick the "best" has generated lots of discussion with a slew of productions vying for our attention since the calendar year actually covers parts of two different seasons.

Voting is now underway for the Connecticut Awards and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January.

Voting is now underway for the Connecticut Awards and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the live standings below.

Kready, dressed in full elf garb that incudes candy-cane tights (Margaret Charbonneau, costume design), often reclining in an ornate Santa throne decorated with a background of Christmas trees (Michael Lenaghan, set design), brings personalities to life with recreations of SantaLand moments under the direction of Rob Ruggiero, TheaterWorks' newly appointed producing artistic director.

After a nationwide search, the board of directors of TheaterWorks is very pleased to announce that it has selected Rob Ruggiero as TheaterWorks' new Producing Artistic Director. Mr. Ruggiero, who has been affiliated with TheaterWorks for 20 years and has served as its Interim Artistic Director since March of 2012, will assume his role as of January 1, 2013. Michael G. Albano, the president of TheaterWorks' board, stated that the search committee had reviewed approximately 130 applications for the position. Although the committee was impressed by these applicants' enthusiasm and variety of experience, Mr. Albano explained that "the committee came to the conclusion that no applicant could match Rob's combination of directorial excellence on a national level, his management and fundraising skills and instincts, his knowledge of the community, and his exciting vision for the theater's future."

Lee Summers, a veteran performer having made his Broadway debut in the original production of Dreamgirls, continues as a voice in the American Musical Theater. His works have been presented at numerous New York and regional theatres such as The Milwaukee Repertory, The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, The Long Wharf Theatre, The Phoenix Theatre, Karamu Theatre, The Phoenix Theatre, The Meadow Brook Theatre, The Madison Theatre, Theaterworks Palo Alto, The Triad Theatre, New World Stages, Urban Arts Theatre, AMAS Musical Theatre, Crossroads Theatre, RACCA's Seaport Salon, The Kirk Theatre, The Gramercy Theatre, Radio City Music Hall's workshop spaces and many others.

Playhouse on Park's somewhat bumpy production of DRIVING MISS DAISY proves to be smart holiday programming.

Voting is now underway for the Connecticut Awards and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the live standings below.

The SantaLand Diaries is a merrily subversive holiday comedy about an out of work writer who takes a job as an elf at Macy's Department Store writen by David Sedaris and adapted by Joe Mantello. Last seen on Hartford's TheaterWorks stage in 2005, this hysterically funny holiday classic will be directed by Rob Ruggiero. Jeff Kready (Broadway's Billy Elliot and Goodspeed's Carousel) stars as Crumpet, the sardonic Yuletide elf.

Voting is now underway for the Connecticut Awards and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the latest standings below.

Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) is working with a local visual artist, Kathryne Martin, for the production of THE ROAD TO MECCA by Athol Fugard. Thanks to the support of the Mary L. Nohl Fund, Kathryne is working on many small owl sculptures that mirror the real-life work of the main character in the play, Helen Martins of South Africa. Ms. Helen's work and life bear surprising similarities to Milwaukee's own Mary Nohl's life.

Lee Summers, a veteran performer having made his Broadway debut in the original production of Dreamgirls, continues as a voice in the American Musical Theater. His works have been presented at numerous New York and regional theatres such as The Milwaukee Repertory, The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, The Long Wharf Theatre, The Phoenix Theatre, Karamu Theatre, The Phoenix Theatre, The Meadow Brook Theatre, The Madison Theatre, Theaterworks Palo Alto, The Triad Theatre, New World Stages, Urban Arts Theatre, AMAS Musical Theatre, Crossroads Theatre, RACCA's Seaport Salon, The Kirk Theatre, The Gramercy Theatre, Radio City Music Hall's workshop spaces and many others.

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Joshua Borenstein, present The Killing of Sister George, by Frank Marcus and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by and starring Kathleen Turner.

Voting is now underway for the Connecticut Awards and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the live standings below!

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) presents COLLECTED STORIES by Donald Margulies, tonight, November 21 - December 16, 2012, in collaboration with Forward Theater Company of Madison. In COLLECTED STORIES two strong-willed writers from dramatically different backgrounds struggle with success.

Voting is now underway for the Connecticut Awards and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the live standings below!

The SantaLand Diaries is a merrily subversive holiday comedy about an out of work writer who takes a job as an elf at Macy's Department Store writen by David Sedaris and adapted by Joe Mantello. Last seen on Hartford's TheaterWorks stage in 2005, this hysterically funny holiday classic will be directed by Rob Ruggiero. Jeff Kready (Broadway's Billy Elliot and Goodspeed's Carousel) stars as Crumpet, the sardonic Yuletide elf.

Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) presents the 2nd show of its 20th season EDUCATING RITA a comedy by Willy Russell. Jenny Wanasek will direct this comedy featuring Jonathan Smoots and Cristina Panfilio. Running January 18 - February 10, 2013 at the Studio Theatre, 158 N. Broadway, tickets can be purchased for $36 (fee & taxes not included) in person at the Broadway Theatre Center Box Office, by telephone at (414) 291-7800, or online at www.r-t-w.com.

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Joshua Borenstein, present The Killing of Sister George, by Frank Marcus and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by and starring Kathleen Turner.