Milwaukee Repertory Theater Inc

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.

THE 2021/22 SEASON BROUGHT THEATER BACK TO OUR STAGES AS CHALLENGES REMAINED AS WE CONTINUED TO NAVIGATE THROUGH COVID-19 PANDEMIC. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PANDEMIC, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MILWAUKEE REP UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED PLANS TO REMAIN AT ITS CURRENT LOCATION AND REMODEL WITH AN EXPANDED COMPLEX WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART THEATERS, ABUNDANT COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES, AN EDUCATION CENTER TO EXPAND STUDENT PROGRAMMING, AND MODERN AUDIENCE AMENITIES.NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT: THE 2021/22 SEASON WAS A RETURN TO MILWAUKEE REP'S MORE TYPICAL OUTPUT IN NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT. WE FOCUSED OUR STIEMKE STUDIO THEATER SEASON AROUND DAEL ORLANDERSMITH'S NEW WORKS, PRODUCING THE WORLD PREMIERE OF NEW AGE (WHICH WE COMMISSIONED AND WORKSHOPPED BEFORE A FULL PRODUCTION) AND ANTONIO'S SONG (BY DAEL ORLANDERSMITH AND ANTONIO SUAREZ, WHICH WAS A CO-WORLD PREMIERE WITH CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN THEATER FESTIVAL). WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO HOST WORKSHOPS FOR SEVERAL OF OUR PIECES CURRENTLY UNDER COMMISSION, WHICH INCLUDED A WORKSHOP OF THE HEART SELLERS (WORLD PREMIERE ON OUR STAGES IN WINTER OF 2023), A WORKSHOP OF NATIVITY VARIATIONS (WORLD PREMIERE ON OUR STAGES IN FALL OF 2022), A DEVELOPMENT SESSION FOR TEENAGE SOUL, A DEVELOPMENT SESSION FOR RUN BAMBI RUN (WORLD PREMIERE ON OUR STAGES IN FALL OF 2023), AND DEVELOPMENT WORK ON WIFE OF A SALESMAN (WORLD PREMIERE ON OUR STAGES IN FALL OF 2022) AND AMERICAN DERVISH. WE ALSO ATTENDED SEVERAL NEW PLAY FESTIVALS BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: THE REP CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR MPACT PARTNERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH OUR POWER & MONEY SERIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PRODUCTIONS, WHICH EXPLORED THE MANY WAYS THAT POWER AND MONEY INFORM OUR SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. CONVERSATIONS RANGED FROM TOPICS ON REDLINING AND RACISM IN MILWAUKEE, TO HOW ART AND LITERATURE BOOST A LOCAL ECONOMY. THE ENGAGEMENT TEAM WORKED COLLABORATIVELY TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO AMPLIFY COMMUNITY VOICES THROUGH OUR CONVERSATION SERIES.

MILWAUKEE REP'S EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS DURING 2021/2022 INCLUDED A PRE-PROFESSIONAL EMERGING PROFESSIONAL RESIDENCY PROGRAM FOR ACTORS, DIRECTORS, AND EDUCATORS, WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND STUDENTS AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO AREA SCHOOLS, STUDENT MATINEES AND REP IMMERSION DAYS, COMMUNITY DINNER DIALOGUES, AND NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMMING PARTNERSHIPS. ADDITIONALLY, WE OFFERED FREE PROGRAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INCLUDING A PROFESSIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE, NEXT NARRATIVE MONOLOGUE COMPETITION MILWAUKEE REGIONALS, AND A TEEN COUNCIL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. WE SERVED 168 SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH OVER 10,500 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS.