Milwaukee Repertory Theater

History

After being established as the Fred Miller Theatre Company, the name was changed to Milwaukee Repertory Theater in the late 1950s, to reflect its growing catalogue of classic and contemporary plays, and a commitment to develop the resident acting community. In 1968, it moved from its original space—the Fred Miller Theatre, on Oakland Ave.—to the Todd Wehr Theater at the Performing Art Center in downtown Milwaukee. In 1974, a small warehouse was converted into the experimental Court Street Theater, which served as a laboratory for creative exploration and a testing ground for new playwrights. Milwaukee Repertory Theater moved to its current location in 1987 and closed its Court Street operations. The theater is now located on the east bank of the Milwaukee River in Associated Bank Theater Center at 108 E Wells St, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater is dedicated to presenting new playwrights, reliving classics, and commissioning translations of classic and contemporary foreign playwrights. Each year, Milwaukee Rep welcomes up to 275,000 people at nearly 700 performances of 15 productions ranging from compelling dramas, powerful classics, new plays and full-scale musicals in its three unique performance venues. Since 1958, Milwaukee Repertory Theater has premiered nearly 150 plays and musicals. Historically the theater has put on annual holiday productions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol at the historic Pabst Theater since 1976. In 2012, Milwaukee Rep recorded a deficit of nearly $400,000, despite an increase in total ticket revenue of 60% from the previous season. Coming out of the recession, Milwaukee Rep refined its budget, increased ticket sales, and received a single donation of half a million dollars helping to pay down the accumulated deficit from past seasons.

After raising $80+ million through its Powering Milwaukee campaign, in fall 2025, the theater is set to complete a major renovation and open the 152,500+ square-foot Associated Bank Theater Center, which includes the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, the Herro-Franke Studio Theater and the Stackner Cabaret. The Powerhouse Theater is designed for flexibility, capable of transforming between a proscenium and thrust stage to suit production needs. The renovation also improved accessibility through expanded programs and adaptive technologies, including new listening devices and upgraded walkways. Additionally, the project introduced the Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center, a new facility with event and education spaces, expected to serve more than 20,000 students annually.

Theater spaces

• 568 to 671-seat Ellen and Joe Checota Powerhouse Thrust/Proscenium Stage
• 205-seat Herro-Franke Studio
• 186-seat Stackner Cabaret Theater, bar, and restaurant

World Premieres

Notable artists

At Fred Miller Theater:

• Betty White - actress
• Rita Moreno - actress
• Ann B. Davis - actress
• Geraldine Page - actress
• Ethel Waters - actress
• Gloria Grahame - actress
• Eva Le Gallienne - actress
• Rosemary Harris - actress
• Christina Pickles - actress
• Olga Bielinska - actress
• Jeffrey Lynn - actor
• John Carradine - actor
• Will Geer - actor
• Edward Everett Horton - actor
• Frank McHugh - actor
• Ed Flanders - actor
• Richard Dysart - actor
• Larry Linville - actor

At Milwaukee Repertory Theater:

• Judith Light - member of the Rep's company
• Erika Slezak - member of The Rep's company
• Ayad Akhtar - playwright of Disgraced, The Who and The What, and * McNeal*
• Marc Alaimo - member of the Rep's Company (1967—1970)
• Dick Enberg - writer of McGuire, 2022–2023 Season
• Anthony Crivello - cast of McGuire, 2022–2023 Season
• Tom Hulce - cast of Romeo and Juliet, 1978–79 Season
• David Mamet - playwright, Lakeboat, 1980–81 Season, premiere
• Chris Noth - cast of The Torch 1988–89 Season
• Larry Shue - member of The Rep's company
• Jeffrey Tambor - three seasons at the Rep (1971—75)
• Carmen Cusack - cast of Ragtime, 2013–2024 Season
• Gordon Gano - composer of Run, Bambi, Run, 2023–2024 Season
• Armando Gutierrez - cast of Run, Bambi, Run, 2023-2024 Season
• Chris McCarrell - cast of Prelude to a Kiss a musical, 2024/25 Season
• Karen Ziemba - cast of Prelude to a Kiss a musical, 2024/25 Season
• Caitlin Houlahan - cast of Prelude to a Kiss a musical, 2024/25 Season

Community involvement

Milwaukee Rep's community programs include student matinées, facility tours, residencies, and in-school workshops. It contributes complimentary tickets to Milwaukee area non-profit fund-raisers. Milwaukee Rep also sponsors adult acting classes, public lectures and discussions, pre-show "The Rep-In-Depth" presentations in the Quadracci Powerhouse and Stiemke Studio, and audience talk-backs. Additional patron features include "pay-what-you-can" performances, audio described performances, American Sign Language-interpreted performances, captioned performances and numerous special events including Opening Night and Closing Night parties. The Friends of Milwaukee Repertory Theater is its official volunteer organization.

Milwaukee Rep is also home to one of the oldest internship programs in regional theater. Each season acting, directing, and production interns join the company full-time to gain experience in professional theater. Mark Clements is the current artistic director and Chad Bauman is the current Ellen & Joe Checota executive director.

Awards and notable mentions

Time Magazine

• Top Ten Theater of the Year, Moby Dick - 2002

New York Times

• 15 Shows to See on Stages Around the U.S. This Fall, Prelude to a Kiss A Musical - 2024

BroadwayWorld Milwaukee

• Theatre of the Year - 2019

• Best Play, *Things I Know to be True * - 2019

• Best Musical, West Side Story - 2019

• Best Play, An Iliad - 2014

• Theatre of the Year - 2014

Yomuri-Shinbun Award

• Silence - 1995

Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award

• The Heart Sellers by Lloyd Suh - 2023

References

References

1. (June 3, 2025). "Mission & Core Values".
2. (1995). "The Cambridge guide to theatre". Cambridge University Press.
3. "Milwaukee Repertory Theater – History and Mission".
4. "New Play Development".
5. Schuyler, David. (January 6, 2014). "Milwaukee Repertory Theater posts fiscal 2013 deficit despite attendance growth". [[Milwaukee Business Journal]].
6. "Theater Management Knowledge Base » Case Study: Milwaukee Repertory Theater (2014)".
7. "Milwaukee Repertory Theater Unveils Inaugural Season of the New Associated Bank Theater Center (2025)".
8. "Milwaukee Repertory Theater Production History 1954-1980".
9. Hernandez, Ernio. (December 18, 2005). "The Pipes Are Calling: Bach at Leipzig Ends Off-Broadway Run Dec. 18".
10. Oleksinski, Johnny. (February 26, 2014). "Milwaukee Repertory Theater announces 2014-15 season". [[Chicago Tribune]].
11. "A Christmas Carol (2016)".
12. (23 September 2023). "Review: 'Run Bambi Run' at Milwaukee Rep tells the story of a female cop turned prison escapee — it's a blast of a musical".
13. https://milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/the-craic/
14. https://milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/george-gracie-a-love-story/
15. Rutledge, Tom. (March 21, 2017). "When the Milwaukee theater was named for Miller in 1955".
16. https://milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/run-bambi-run/
17. https://milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/run-bambi-run/
18. https://www.milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/prelude-to-a-kiss-the-musical/
19. https://www.milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/prelude-to-a-kiss-the-musical/
20. https://www.milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/prelude-to-a-kiss-the-musical/
21. (February 22, 2010). "Joseph Hanreddy Joins UWM's Peck School of the Arts to Launch New Fellowship in Directing and Design". Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
22. "Top 10 Everything 2002". TIME USA, LLC.
23. Collins‑Hughes, Laura. (September 14, 2024). "15 Shows to See on Stages Around the U.S. This Fall".
24. (January 15, 2020). "Winners Announced For 2019 BroadwayWorld Milwaukee Awards".
25. (January 15, 2020). "Winners Announced For 2019 BroadwayWorld Milwaukee Awards".
26. (January 15, 2020). "Winners Announced For 2019 BroadwayWorld Milwaukee Awards".
27. (January 14, 2015). "2014 BroadwayWorld Milwaukee Winners Announced – Doug Clemons, James DeVita & More!".
28. (January 14, 2015). "2014 BroadwayWorld Milwaukee Winners Announced – Doug Clemons, James DeVita & More!".
29. (May 6, 2024). "Milwaukee Rep's "The Heart Sellers" wins national best new play of year award".