FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Annie Jurczyk, Associate Managing Director, 414-224-1761

September 7, 2005

Milwaukee Repertory Theater announces an all-new event!
JOHN McGIVERN AND FRIENDS
LATE NIGHT AT THE REP

Stiemke Theater
Special Presentation

Laugh out loud with comedian John McGivern and his friends on select Friday nights from September through December in the Stiemke Theater at 11:00 pm presented by Milwaukee Repertory Theater. John McGivern has toured to sold-out houses in many cities across the country including his hometown Milwaukee. His stories about family and friends are told with humor, sincerity and compassion. John has been in many Rep productions including SHEAR MADNESS, FULLY COMMITTED and LOVERS AND EXECUTIONERS.

Joining him on Friday, September 30 is Dave Luczak host of the popular morning show on WKLH –- 96.5FM.  On Friday, October 28, WAMI Award-winning singer/songwriter Ryan McIntyre will join John and on Friday, November 4 enjoy the talents of Channel 4's reporter/funnyman Vince Vitrano .  Tickets are only $15.00 and can be purchased in person at The Rep Ticket Office at 108 East Wells Street , by phone at (414) 224-9490, or online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com.

John McGivern is the author and star of many personally written one-man shows and has received critical acclaim all over the country. His first show, Midwest Side Story, opened to rave reviews at the Baliwick Theater in Chicago. Through the years, his shows have taken on slightly different names though they are all based on his real life experiences as a Catholic boy growing up gay. His stories about family and friends are told with sincerity, compassion, and humor. Born in Milwaukee , one of six children in an Irish Catholic working class family, his topics include parents, nuns, school, and being the one who could never throw a ball!

John has appeared in numerous productions written for the stage. He is probably best known for his role of Tony Whitcomb in the long running comedy hit, Shear Madness.  He has played the role in Chicago , Milwaukee , Washington , D.C., Tampa , St. Paul , and San Francisco . He is also proud to have been part of the Studio Theater's Helen Hayes award winning production of March of the Falsettos as Mendel. John was also seen in A Lawyer, a Priest and an Atheist Walk into a Bar at The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. He has won numerous awards for this show including the 1994 John W. Schmid Award for "Best Writer of a New Work" and the "After Dark Award" for outstanding performance by an actor.

John is thrilled to share the stage with the following guests:

Friday, September 30, 2005 special guest DAVE LUCZAK

Dave Luczak, along with co-host Carole Caine, have dominated Milwaukee 's morning airwaves for over two decades on 96.5 WKLH. He introduced Milwaukee radio listeners to John McGivern almost 12 years ago and since then Dave and John have done dozens of shows together. Like John, Dave grew up in a blue collar family attending Catholic schools. Dave (and wife Cindy) also have three kids that are a never-ending source of great material. In his 25 years in radio, Dave's done it all. From flying with the Blue Angels to co-hosting Harley Davidson's 100th anniversary pre-show, to interviewing hundreds of celebrities. His real life stories and no nonsense style makes him so relatable. 

Friday, October 28, 2005 special guest RYAN McINTYRE

Ryan McIntyre was born and raised in Waukesha, WI .  A fourth generation musician, Ryan enjoyed a heavy dose of music at an early age.  At the age of eighteen Ryan's music found a home with the popular Milwaukee based band EXIT.  The band landed film and television placements while racking up multiple industry awards during their seven year run.  In November of 2004, the group disbanded and Ryan is now pursuing a solo career.  He's been described as "The voice of James Taylor with the looks of The Beatles."  Ryan was named the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Male Vocalist of the Year in April of 2005. For more information, please go to Ryan's website at www.ryanmcintyremusic.com.

Friday, November 4, 2005 special guest VINCE VITRANO

Vince Vitrano is best known for his day job as a news reporter for Today's TMJ4. Although his comedic efforts are most popular, Vince's award-winning reports range from the hilarious to the tragic as he covers news throughout Wisconsin . He's been with the station for more than five years. Only dabbling in comedy, the Milwaukee native is relatively new to the stage. More a storyteller than a performer, Vince shares humorous perspectives on his job, his family, and life here in Milwaukee.

Tickets to JOHN McGIVERN AND FRIENDS - LATE NIGHT AT THE REP are $15.00. For more info rmation or to charge tickets, call (414) 224-9490. Tickets can be purchased online 24/7 at milwaukeerep.com.

###

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 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 11 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, and a member of Theatre Wisconsin, the statewide association of non-profit professional theaters. 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
Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex
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