FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Cindy Moran, Public Relations
Director, 414-224-1761
May 6, 2008
MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER
UNVEILS ITS 2008/09 SEASON
Artistic Director Joseph Hanreddy has announced Milwaukee Repertory
Theater’s 2008/09 season for the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater,
Stiemke Theater and Stackner Cabaret. The upcoming season has a
riveting collection of plays – from the Pulitzer Prize-winning
drama STATE OF THE UNION to the one-woman tour
de force THE BLONDE, THE BRUNETTE AND THE VENGEFUL READHEAD to
the hilarious comedy GREATER TUNA. Hanreddy calls
the season “adventurous, ambitious and eclectic.” This
season’s wide range of carefully selected plays is sure to
captivate the hearts and minds of audiences.
In the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater’s season opener, STATE
OF THE UNION, the Republicans are grooming Grant Matthews,
a man with no history in politics, to be their presidential candidate
in 1946. When his estranged wife is brought in as a campaign
prop, Matthews soon realizes he must decide between the party
and his own beliefs. This play will be performed against the
backdrop of this year’s Presidential campaign, giving special
resonance to the conflicts at the heart of the story. Following
this intelligent drama will be Sarah Ruhl’s haunting new
play, EURYDICE. A Pulitzer-Prize nominated playwright
for her play THE CLEAN HOUSE, this is Ruhl’s modern twist
on the ancient Greek tale of Eurydice who travels a warped road,
with bizarre and enchanting tiers of love and infatuation, sacrifice
and cynicism and, ultimately, life and death. The fascinating
one-actress play, THE BLONDE, THE BRUNETTE AND THE VENGEFUL
REDHEAD, comes to the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater for
the third production of the season. The audience will meet timid
Rhonda (the redhead) whose lingerie-selling neighbor Lynette
(the brunette) has caught her husband with Russian beauty Tanya
(the blonde). As the story unfolds, Resident Acting Company member
Deborah Staples will transform into various characters, young
and old, male and female to tell this intriguing story.
The second
half of the season begins with the 1955 Off-Broadway hit, TROUBLE
IN MIND. Funny and moving, the play’s real-life
history is as interesting as the story itself. In the play, an
African-American actress struggles between suffering in silence
or losing her job during rehearsals for a Broadway-bound play.
In real life, writer Alice Childress was offered a Broadway production
of the piece if she made some changes. Convinced these changes
compromised the play, she declined and the play has rarely been
seen since. Timothy Douglas, director of the recent Rep world
premiere production THE NIGHT IS A CHILD and last season’s
GEM OF THE OCEAN, will direct. PRIDE AND
PREJUDICE, an adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic
novel, will be the next production of the season. As Hanreddy
writes, the novel “contains some of the most memorable
characters and perfect sentences in the English language.” Follow
the five unique Bennet daughters in their quest for husbands,
because, as the novel states, “It is a truth universally
acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune,
must be in want of a wife.” The sixth and final production
for The Rep’s 08/09 Quadracci Powerhouse Theater season
will feature Resident Acting Company members in 11 of the 15
roles. Ben Barnes, whose Rep credits include ENDGAME, TRANSLATIONS
and A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY, will direct Anton Chekhov’s final
play, THE CHERRY ORCHARD. In a country home
with a special past, the audience will meet a charming family
that hasn’t quite grasped the significance of the changing
world around them. Set on the brink of the Russian Revolution,
this poignant comedic play is considered Chekhov’s masterpiece.
Kicking-off the 08/09 Stiemke Theater season is the recent
Broadway hit, I AM MY OWN WIFE. This play centers
on the true story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a transgender German
antiques dealer, who survived two repressive regimes to eventually
be awarded Germany’s highest civil award. In this unparalleled,
astonishing play, one actor, guest actor Michael Gotch, plays almost
40 roles. Michael is currently appearing in this season’s
production of ARMADALE. The Stiemke Theater’s second production, MIRANDOLINA,
is a hilarious battle of the sexes set in the 18th century. Every
man lusts after Mirandolina. Well, every man except one that is.
Sparks fly as Mirandolina tries to win over the infamous misogynist
in this play by Carlo Goldoni. The 08/09 Stiemke season will close
with the Stephen Jeffrey’s stimulating I JUST STOPPED
BY TO SEE THE MAN. This story follows 75-year-old Jesse,
the best blues guitarist of his generation. Surrounded by stories
and myth, the legend’s daughter may have her own secrets.
When a British pop star, desperately seeking Jesse’s approval
and the right to sing the blues, confronts the legend he does not
fathom the enormous confrontation that results.
The Stackner Cabaret’s 08/09 season has four musical
delights. The Stackner season begins with the musical tribute ISN’T
IT ROMANTIC . . . which features music from three legendary
songwriting teams: Jerome Kern, Rogers and Hart and George and
Ira Gershwin. In this production, the beautiful sounds of Jimi
Ray Malary will be returning to The Rep along with local musician
William Knowles. Jimi has lit up the Stackner Cabaret previously
with ELLINGTON: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF THE DUKE, JAZZ ROYALTY and
THE KING OF COOL. Next up, GREATER
TUNA will feature Resident Acting Company members Gerry
Neugent and Lee Ernst. This hilarious comedy set in small town
Texas tracks an eclectic group of citizens (adults, children and
animals) played by only two actors. The world premiere of DOGPARK:
THE MUSICAL is the Cabaret’s third production next
season. The work of the songwriting team of Jahnna Beecham, Malcolm
Hillgartner and Michael Hume (the wacky minds behind CHAPS! and
THEY CAME FROM WAY OUT THERE) follows Daisy, Champ, Boogie and
Spud. Capping off the Stackner 08/09 season, will be Kevin Ramsey’s FIRE
ON THE BAYOU: A MARDI GRAS MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA. Kevin
was the creator of this season’s hit GRAFTON CITY BLUES.
FIRE ON THE BAYOU brings a musical tribute his hometown of
New Orleans to Milwaukee mixing the sounds of jazz, zydeco and
Dixieland.
Staying faithful to a three decade-long tradition, The Rep will
once more perform the uplifting and ageless tale of the triumph
of grace and goodness in A CHRISTMAS CAROL. The
production features not only Dickens’ magical story, but
beautifully sung arrangements of the most affecting music written
for the season. This year, Resident Acting Company Member James
Pickering will be revisiting the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. The
classic and beloved Christmas tale will once again take place in
the beautifully restored Pabst Theater.
Subscriptions to the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater (6 plays), Stiemke
Theater (3 plays), and Stackner Cabaret (4 plays) range in price
from $36 to $306. Flex Passes, good for six admissions to any Quadracci
Powerhouse Theater, Stiemke Theater or Stackner Cabaret performances
are available for $291 (valid any time) and $225 (valid Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday). Subscriptions are now available
online at milwaukeerep.com at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater Ticket
Office, 108 E. Wells Street, or by phone at 414-224-9490.
Single tickets for the 08/09 season will go on sale August
25,
2008.
For more information, or to receive a free brochure, call The Rep
Ticket Office. Information is also available
on The Rep’s Web site at: milwaukeerep.com.
TO ORDER 2008/09 SEASON TICKETS OR FOR
MORE INFORMATION,
CALL THE REP TICKET OFFICE AT 414-224-9490
OR VISIT MILWAUKEEREP.COM.
_____________________
Milwaukee Repertory Theater
2008/09 Season
QUADRACCI POWERHOUSE THEATER |
STATE OF THE UNION
By Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
Directed by Michael Halberstam
Previews: September
16 - 18, 2008
Opens: September
19, 2008
Closes: October
12, 2008
The Republicans are looking for a new Presidential candidate
in 1946, and they pin all their hopes on Grant Matthews,
a charismatic, successful businessman with no prior involvement
in politics. When Matthews’ estranged wife encourages
him to stand firm with his honest, outspoken style, he soon
discovers that he must choose between political ambition
and moral principles. This Pulitzer Prize-winning drama offers
a shrewd and witty look at affairs of state as well as
of the heart.
EURYDICE
By Sarah Ruhl
Directed by Jonathan Moscone
Previews: October
28 - 30, 2008
Opens: October
31, 2008
Closes: November
23, 2008
Pulitzer Prize-nominee Sarah Ruhl (THE CLEAN HOUSE) returns
with a haunting, new play that explores the pain of love,
loss and memories. EURYDICE is a contemporary re-telling
of Orpheus’ descent into the underworld. In this inventive
and lyrical play, Eurydice must decide how long to cling
to the memories of her life and loves on earth.
THE BLONDE, THE BRUNETTE AND THE VENGEFUL REDHEAD
By Robert Hewett
Directed by Joseph Hanreddy
Previews: December
9 - 11, 2008
Opens: December
12, 2008
Closes: January
4, 2009
This one-woman tour de force performance explores multiple
perspectives on love, anger and adultery. When a desperate
housewife suspects that her husband is cheating, her rash act
of revenge forever changes the lives of everyone around her.
Resident Acting Company Member Deborah Staples transforms into
seven different characters in this play that will leave you
questioning whether or not truth is really just a matter of
perception. |
|
TROUBLE IN MIND
By Alice Childress
Directed by Timothy Douglas
Previews: January
20 - 22, 2009
Opens: January
23, 2009
Closes: February
15, 2009
The year is 1957 and African-American actress Wiletta Mayer
is ready for her big break. She has started rehearsals on
a play headed for Broadway, but when racially demoralizing
stereotypes start to spill forth from the play, will Wiletta’s
insistence on truth cost everyone the jobs they so desperately
need? TROUBLE IN MIND is a fierce and funny look at the half
truths we tell ourselves about race, identity and opportunity
in America.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Adapted from the novel by Jane Austin
Directed by J.R. Sullivan
Previews: March
3 - 5, 2009
Opens: March
6, 2009
Closes: March
29, 2009
One of the most delightful and popular romantic comedies
of all time, Jane Austen’s classic tale takes us to
Regency England circa 1813 and the drawing room of Mr. and
Mrs. Bennet as they seek wealthy husbands for their five
marriageable daughters. When an eligible young man and his
friend arrive at a nearby mansion, the lives of Jane Bennet
and her sisters are abuzz with excitement and passion.
THE CHERRY ORCHARD
By Anton Chekhov
Directed by Ben Barnes
Previews: April
14 - 16, 2009
Opens: April
17, 2009
Closes: May
10, 2009
Set in 1904 on the edge of the Russian Revolution, this
bittersweet and haunting comedy is Chekhov’s final
play and masterpiece about a rapidly changing world and a
way of life on the brink of destruction. With fortunes fading
fast and the auction of their estate looming on the horizon,
an impoverished Russian family is uncertain of what the future
will bring. |
STIEMKE
THEATER
|
I AM MY OWN WIFE
By Doug Wright
Directed by John Langs
Previews: September
10 - 11, 2008
Opens: September
12, 2008
Closes: October
5, 2008
German transvestite Charlotte von Mahlsdorf’s remarkable
feats of bravery allow her to survive despite two of the
most brutally oppressive regimes in history: the Nazis of
the Third Reich and the Communists that ruled East Germany.
One actor portrays more than 30 characters in this phenomenal
Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning work that explores
the will to survive.
MIRANDOLINA
By Carlo Goldoni
Directed by László Marton
Previews: January
28 - 29, 2009
Opens: January
30, 2009
Closes: February
22, 2009
A sizzling battle of the sexes catches fire in
Goldoni’s 18th century Italian farce. Single, sexy
and independent Mirandolina is mistress of her own inn and
besieged by a constant stream of suitors. Though all the
men around her seem to fall madly in love with her, will
she be able to win over the one man she has her own heart
set on - a notorious woman-hater? Come watch as the sparks
fly. |
|
I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MAN
By Stephen Jeffreys
Directed by TBA
Previews: April 8 - 9, 2009
Opens: April 10, 2009
Closes: May 3, 2009
Set in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, I JUST STOPPED BY
TO SEE THE MAN is a passionate and political ode to the power
and truth of the blues. It tells the story of Jesse Davidson,
the greatest living bluesman, long believed dead, who is living
out his simple life with his activist daughter in a bare shack.
Legend surrounds Jesse – like the story about him selling
his soul to the devil so that he could play guitar. But when
Karl, a famous English rocker who has been making a fortune
off the legend’s tunes, stumbles into their solitude
and probes for the truth about Jesse, he triggers a confrontation
of mythic proportions.
Stiemke Theater Special
Production
GUYS ON ICE
book and lyrics by Fred Alley
music by James Kaplan
directed by Jeffrey Herbst
Opens: December
17, 2008
Closes: January
4, 2009
Back by popular demand, the ice shanty crew
returns for their seventh hilarious engagement. Join us in
celebrating “De
Wishing Hole”, “Ode to a Snowmobile Suit”, “Fish
is de Miracle Food” and “De One dat Got Away!” |
|
ISN’T IT ROMANTIC . . .
Written and Directed by David Koch
Preview: September 5, 2008
Opens: September 6, 2008
Closes: November 2, 2008
Jimi Ray Malary returns to the Stackner after his past hit
shows ELLINGTON: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF THE DUKE, JAZZ ROYALTY
and THE KING OF COOL. This tribute features the songs that
epitomize romance from three of popular music’s most
prolific and enduring songwriting teams: Jerome Kern, Rodgers
and Hart and George and Ira Gershwin.
GREATER TUNA
By Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard
Directed by J.R. Sullivan
Preview: November 7, 2008
Opens: November 8, 2008
Closes: December 28, 2008
The hilarious comedy about Texas’ third smallest town,
where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline
never dies. The eclectic band of citizens that make up this
town are portrayed by only two performers, making this satire
on life in rural America even more delightful as they depict
all of the inhabitants of Tuna – men, women, children
and animals. |
|
DOGPARK: THE MUSICAL
By Jahnna Beecham, Malcolm Hillgartner and Michael J. Hume
Directed by Jahnna Beecham
Preview: January 9, 2009
Opens: January 10, 2009
Closes: March 1, 2009
An all-new musical canine comedy from the creators of CHAPS!
and THEY CAME FROM WAY OUT THERE. Follow Daisy, Champ, Bogie
and Spud through their adventures at the hippest, hottest
place in town: the Dogpark, where every dog has his day,
and love conquers all.
FIRE ON THE BAYOU:
A Mardi Gras Musical Extravaganza
Written and Directed by Kevin Ramsey
Preview: March 6, 2009
Opens: March 7, 2009
Closes: May 10, 2009
From the creator of GRAFTON CITY BLUES, and native son of New
Orleans, comes this steamy musical gumbo that traces the history
of New Orleans Jazz. This show will heat up the Stackner Cabaret
with a mixture of the sounds of jazz, zydeco, Dixieland and
the second line. Laissez les bons temps rouler. |
PABST THEATER
|
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Adapted by Joseph Hanreddy
and Edward Morgan
Directed by Judy Berdan
Previews: November 28, 2008 – 2:00 p.m.
Opens: November 28, 2008
Closes: December 28, 2008
For 33 years, A CHRISTMAS CAROL has been Milwaukee’s
best-loved family tradition and longest-running holiday production!
This highly acclaimed production combines traditional Christmas
carols, magnificent costumes, and memorable characters with
Dickens’ timeless Christmas tale. Rep Resident Company
Actor James Pickering returns to the role of Scrooge. Don’t
miss this Milwaukee favorite that is sure to be a memorable
holiday experience for the whole family! |
|
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TO ORDER 2008/09 SEASON
TICKETS OR FOR MORE INFORMATION,
CALL THE REP TICKET OFFICE AT 414-224-9490
OR VISIT MILWAUKEEREP.COM.
_____________________ |
Subscriber Benefits
- Subscribers can pre-purchase Parking Passes for the
Milwaukee Center underground parking garage for only
$6.50
- Guaranteed Seating – Guaranteed Nights Out!
- Savings
- Easy Ticket Exchange
- Missed Show Insurance
- Babysitter Rebate
- Park & Dine Convenience
- Free Subscriber Benefits Card
- Priority on tickets to A CHRISTMAS CAROL
- 4 issues of The Rep’s Prologue e-newsletter
with in-depth information about The Rep and its productions
- $5 Bring a Friend discount on additional single tickets
SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION SERIES
Theater Thursdays
An event that’s perfect for Milwaukee’s
fun, creative professionals and their co-workers, friends
(single or attached), and others who like to get together
around a drink and see a great production. Held on the second
Thursday of each Quadracci Powerhouse Theater production,
Theater Thursdays feature a pre-show reception with complimentary
hors d’oeuvres, behind-the-scenes insights, and a full
cash bar.
Early Bird Tuesday
This series is perfect for theatergoers who like to get home
early on a weeknight or dine out after work and come straight
to the theater. These Tuesday evening performances begin
at 6:30 p.m. |
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Smoke-Free Sunday Matinee
One Sunday matinee in the Quadracci and Stiemke Theater will
eliminate onstage smoking if used for that production.
Family Sunday Matinees
When you subscribe to this series, children can also have
a great time at The Rep. While you enjoy the play, your
5 to 12 year-old children can participate in fun, educational
theater activities with The Rep’s Education Department
in on-site theater workshops – at no additional
cost! 5 to 7-year-olds will enjoy creative and dramatic
activities, while a separate class for 8 to 12-year-olds
will offer more advanced theater games and explorations.
Audio-Described Performance
Each production features a special audio-described performance.
Patrons who have a visual impairment are supplied with
a headset attached to a small radio receiver, which allows
them to hear a live, real-time description of the action
on stage.
Interpreted Performance
Each Quadracci Powerhouse Theater and Stiemke Theater production
features a performance interpreted in American Sign Language
(ASL) for the enjoyment of patrons who are deaf or hard
of hearing.
Captioned Theater Performance
On the fourth Sunday matinee of each Quadracci Powerhouse
Theater production, patrons can watch the performance and
view lines from the script as they run concurrently with
the actors’ lines on a 4’ X 6’ screen
located on the house left wall next to the stage. This
is a perfect way for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing
to enjoy the performance. |
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Open to the public before and after all evening performances, Milwaukee
Repertory Theater’s Stackner Cabaret, located on the second
floor of the Milwaukee Center, is our own full-service, smoke-free
bar and restaurant. Featuring delicious dinners, as well as late
night cocktails, coffee, and desserts, the Cabaret is the ideal
meeting place for patrons attending Rep performances. For dinner
reservations, call 414-224-9490.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater is a nationally recognized
theater company that presents a critically-acclaimed selection
of compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary
works and lively Cabaret shows on three stages from September
through May. The Rep also produces an annual production of A CHRISTMAS
CAROL. The Rep's home, the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex,
accommodates the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, the Stiemke Theater
and the Stackner Cabaret. The Rep is also home to a Resident Acting
Company of 12 actors who perform with The Rep throughout the season.
The Rep is proud to be a member of the United
Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), which provides major annual financial
support. The Rep is a member of the League
of Resident Theatres (LORT), a management association of some
of the nation's largest non-profit professional theaters that collectively
bargains with the unions that represent the actors, directors and
designers that work at The Rep; a constituent of Theatre
Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the
nonprofit professional theater; and a member of Theatre
Wisconsin, the statewide association of non-profit professional
theaters. This theater operates under an agreement between the League
of Resident Theatres and Actors'
Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage
managers in the United States. The set, costume and lighting designers
are members of United Scenic Artists,
a national labor union. This theater is an equal opportunity employer.
Except in plays where race itself is an issue, casting is decided
based on ability, not race.
Milwaukee
Repertory Theater, 108 E Wells St Milwaukee, WI 53202
Ticket Office: 414-224-9490 Ticket Office Fax: 225-5490
Administrative: 414-224-1761 Fax: 414-224-9097
http://www.milwaukeerep.com |
