Reading Residency

Rep Education programs are designed to engage students in meaningful experiences that explore interdisciplinary topics and concepts connected to the art seen on Milwaukee Rep stages. All programs work to develop student’s skills in three primary areas:

• Reading Comprehension (e.g. text evidence, reading enjoyment)
• Social-Emotional Learning (e.g. relationship skills, social awareness)
• Theater Participation (e.g. understanding of and involvement in the theater)

Because these three areas are based largely on English Language Arts and theater, Rep Education program objectives and curriculum are aligned to Wisconsin Academic Standards, National Arts Standards and the CASEL Social Emotional Framework. View the Reading Residency Final Report to see how Milwaukee Rep programming impacted classrooms in the past year. The Education & Engagement team is happy to work with you to determine how our programming can best support your curriculum.

A Reading Residency consists of 14 in-school workshops with a Milwaukee Rep Teaching Artist. This program is geared towards middle and high school classrooms with curriculum built around a production from our season. Residencies include:

1. Workshops covering topics related to the production, such as historical context, literary elements, theater and stage craft, cultural connections and ensemble-building.
2. One Rep Immersion Day, a full-day experience including a performance and behind-the-scenes demonstrations about how a piece of literature is brought to life on stage.
3. A post-show workshop with an actor from the production, who will come to the classroom for a personalized discussion on the performance, a career in the arts and more.
4. A final project, allowing students to share their learning and experiences creatively!

For more information, check out our Reading Residency Fact Sheet.

Reading Residency, Jr. is geared towards elementary and middle school students and is structured around age-appropriate texts. The Reading Residency Jr. consists of 14 in-school workshops with a Milwaukee Rep Teaching Artist. Residencies include:

1. Workshops introducing various theater elements to students, content of the text such as historical context, literary elements, cultural connections and ensemble-building.
2. One Immersive Field Trip, a full-day experience including a Backstage Tour focusing on various career paths and hands-on workshops on how a story is brought to life on stage.
3. A final project, allowing students to share their learning and experiences creatively!

A Mini-Reading Residency is geared towards any age group. It is a more general curriculum that gives a taste of a full Reading Residency. Consisting of 4 in-school workshops with a Milwaukee Rep Teaching Artist. Residencies include:

1. 3 pre-show workshops covering topics related to the production, such as historical context, literary elements, theater and stage craft, cultural connections and ensemble-building.
2. One Rep Immersion Day, a full-day experience including a performance and behind-the-scenes demonstrations about how a piece of literature is brought to life on stage.
3. A post-show workshop with an artist from the production, who will come to the classroom for a personalized discussion on the performance, a career in the arts and more.

Milwaukee Rep is proud to work with schools across the greater Milwaukee area. Our school partners for Reading Residency Programs include: 

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School 
• Manitoba School 
• Story School 
• Humboldt Park School 
• Bruce Guadalupe Middle School 
• Trowbridge School of Great Lakes Studies 
• Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts 
• Rogers Street Academy 
• Tenor High School - Cathedral Square 
• NOVA High School 
• Veritas High School 
• Pathways High School 
• Lincoln Elementary School 
• Academia de Lenguaje y Bellas Artes (ALBA)

Please email education@milwaukeerep.com or call 414-290-5393 with any questions or concerns.