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The donor newsletter of Milwaukee Rep ISSUE 19 • SPRING 2022
SPEAKING
directl y
Thank you! We are thrilled to see our performance spaces filled with our loyal subscribers and community members eager to return to live performances. Our first show back in the Stackner Cabaret, Dad’s Season Tickets, now ranks as one of the best-selling productions in that space, despite the cancelation of the final week of performances due to COVID-19. We were also excited to bring back Milwaukee’s classic holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol, which played to more than 28,000 patrons. This includes more than 1,000 free tickets that were provided to our community partners through our ACC Community Ticket program (formerly known as the Tiny Tim program) for families who otherwise would not be able to attend. Though we delayed the opening of Toni Stone by one week due to COVID-19, audiences delighted in the powerful story of this trail-blazing baseball player. We have already begun our celebration of the work of Dael Orlandersmith, winner of a 2020 Doris Duke Artist Award. The award honors incredible dance, jazz and theater artists who have demonstrated their potential to make a significant, national impact on their artform. The co-world premiere of Antonio’s Song/I Was Dreaming of a Son opened in January and has received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. After having been rescheduled three times due to the pandemic, this show closed March 6, 2022. Next up in the Stiemke Studio will be the world premiere of Orlandersmith’s New Age, which tells the story of four resilient women at various stages of their lives. Both productions are generously supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Mark Clements Artistic Director
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The National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with Arts Midwest, also supports As You Like It, the inaugural production of our Classics Initiative. In addition to supporting the production, this funding partially underwrites our accompanying Reading Residency program for Milwaukee 7th–9th grade students, as well as Rep Immersion Days that give students a behind-thescenes look at how a production comes to life onstage. Read more about the Classics Initiative and As You Like It on page 7.
Announcing our Capital Campaign Cabinet As work continues on planning a building-wide renovation of our complex, we recently announced Eppstein Uhen Architects as the lead architects for the project and Fischer Dachs Associates as the primary theatrical design consultant. We are also excited to share our Capital Campaign Cabinet, who will guide the campaign over the next five years: Patsy Aster, Tammy Belton-Davis, Wendy Blumenthal, Bladen Burns, Jane and Steve Chernof, Amy and Fred Croen, Tom Duffey, Jason Graham, William Guc, Sandy and Bill Haack, Judy Hansen, John Hunzinger, Tom Irgens, Jeff and Sarah Joerres, John Kordsmeier, Joan Lubar, Vince Martin, Donna Meyer, Linda Mellowes, Rebecca Mitich, Gregory C. Oberland, Tonen (Sara) O’Connor, James Phillips, Karen Plunkett, Elizabeth Quadracci, Ed Seaberg and Patrick Smith, Craig and Mara Swan, Christine Symchych and Jim McNulty, Sally and Nic Wahl, and Peggy Williams-Smith. As always, thank you for your loyal and generous support. The impact of your generosity during these tumultuous times cannot be overstated.
Chad Bauman
Executive Director
SCENES
behind the Bringing the RMS Titanic to Life
Since it first opened on Broadway in 1997, Titanic The Musical has captivated audiences worldwide with its swelling musical score, its depiction of the dreams and aspirations of the passengers and the spectacle associated with recreating an 882.5-foot long, 52,000-ton ship onstage. So, how does a theater design a ship that sinks onstage eight shows a week? At Milwaukee Rep, the answer is through projection technology. Scenic Designer Timothy R. Macabee’s design will have a distinctly minimalistic feel, which will allow the set to function as a large projection screen. Video/Projections Designer Mike Tutaj will then “paint” the set with projections that quickly and seamlessly transition from the claustrophobic engine room to the opulent first-class dining room to the open deck of the RMS Titanic. Projections will also give audiences a clearer understanding of each location within the ship and connect those locations to the characters who inhabit them.
By removing the constraints of physical set pieces (which would need to be moved on and offstage during transitions), Tutaj will create complex scenery and visual motifs within the different spaces in which the play takes place. The historical background of the sinking of the RMS Titanic is central to the story. Text projected onto the set will share key historical context to help audiences gain a deeper understanding of the characters (many are based on actual passengers) and the world in which they lived. Additionally, projections will incorporate the passage of time as the story approaches its climax, relentlessly counting down to the moment when tragedy strikes. Through the use of projection technology, audiences will be transported aboard the RMS Titanic. The musical serves as a breathtaking and touching homage to both victims and survivors. With its larger-than-life spectacle, this epic musical is not to be missed! Titanic The Musical begins April 5 in the Quadracci Powerhouse.
Not the first time... Milwaukee Rep has used projection technology onstage in prior productions. Milwaukee Rep’s 2018/19 production of Junk by Ayad Akhtar employed a similar configuration, using images projected onto a simple set to transition instantaneously from the wood-paneled offices of Sacker Lowell & Associates to the expansive New York City skyline. In the 2017/18 Season, a large white sheet served as the backdrop for Dael Orlandersmith’s Until the Flood, providing a canvas for projected images and artwork related to Ferguson, Missouri, bringing the memories of its citizens to life. Drawing inspiration from these past productions, Titanic The Musical will take our use of projection technology to new heights.
Brian Mani in Junk. Photo by Michael Brosilow.
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the womenMILWAUKEE who MADE REP In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, we honor the women who championed Milwaukee Rep and made it the company it is today. Their leadership, forethought, and visionary philanthropy laid the foundation for our impact today. We are so very grateful to them and the women leaders who continue to create their legacies today!
Dr. Mary Widrig John Dr. Mary Widrig John was the first to step forward. Observing the lack of theater in Milwaukee, she founded Milwaukee Repertory Theater—one of the first professional regional theaters in the country. Dr. John served as President and Chairman of the Board, incorporated then as a joint stock company under the name Drama Inc (the inspiration for the name of this newsletter). She produced our first 37 plays with stars such as Geraldine Page and Betty White.She also founded the School of Professional Arts, which operated in conjunction with the theater and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Born in 1925 in Green Bay, her last visit to Milwaukee Rep was in 2015. She sadly passed away on February 26, 2022.
Judy Hansen Judy Hansen is currently serving her third term as President of the Board of Trustees. She previously served as President in the mid-1990’s during the “Campaign to Create the Future” and co-chaired the campaign. After her first tenure as President, she relocated to New Haven, CT where she completed her graduate studies in theater management at the Yale School of Drama. Her second term as President began in 2012, during which she recruited Executive Director Chad Bauman to join the company. After the end of her second term, she served as a co-chair of our “Made in Milwaukee” campaign and has now returned for a third-term as President of the Board, leading our terrific volunteer board as we embark upon the planning and fundraising for our new building complex.
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Jane Bradley Uihlein Jane Bradley Uihlein was one of the first to join Dr. John, becoming one of the leading civic forces behind the creation of Milwaukee’s first professional theater. Knowing that the city’s leaders would have to step forward, she convinced Frederick C. Miller, chairman of Miller Brewing Company, to chair the fundraising campaign to build a theater. She went on to support many Milwaukee landmarks, including the former BMO Harris Bradley Center and the Pettit National Ice Center. Her devotion to Milwaukee lives on through the Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation, which she founded in 1985 following the sale of her father’s company, Allen-Bradley, to Rockwell Automation.
Tonen (Sara) O’Connor Tonen (Sara) O’Connor served as Managing Director from 1974 until 1995. In the early 80s, O’Connor realized Milwaukee Rep had outgrown its home in the Todd Wehr Theater and needed more space. Working with local city officials and business leaders, she led the renovation of a vacant power plant on Wells Street into what is now the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex. Her book, Working Space: The Milwaukee Repertory Theater Builds a Home, documents the renovation and describes Milwaukee Rep’s pivotal role in downtown development. A decade later in 1995, O’Connor championed the $10 million Campaign to Create the Future to support operating costs of the new theater complex. She is currently serving on the building and campaign cabinet for our new theater complex.
the womenMILWAUKEE who MADE REP Patty Baker In 1987, Patty Baker moved kicking and screaming from New York City to Milwaukee. In 2000, she left here sobbing and miserable to take up residence in Florida upon her husband Jay’s retirement. She so loved Milwaukee and Milwaukee Rep (whose Friends board she served on for several years) that she and Jay— who with Judy Hansen co-chaired the Campaign to Create the Future—provided the lead gift to name the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex. They continue to support the theater and Milwaukee-area children every year by providing funding for our ACC Community Impact Tickets program, which provides thousands of free tickets to A Christmas Carol to community-based organizations. Today, Patty is a two-time Tony winning co-producer with several shows on Broadway and she still loves Milwaukee!
Betty Quadracci Betty and Harry Quadracci were the co-founders of Quad/Graphics Inc., a multibillion-dollar printing company based in Sussex. While Harry Quadracci was considered the force behind the company, Betty Quadracci was at the front and center of the community. Betty had been a member of the Milwaukee Rep family since the early days at the Fred Miller Theater. She served on Milwaukee Rep’s board during the late 1980s and, in this role, was heavily involved in the powerplant renovation. Together, the Quadraccis made the second-largest donation in Milwaukee Rep’s history and our flagship theater was renamed the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater in their honor.
Building your Legacy – Myths about Planned Giving Leaving a planned gift is a powerful way to translate your love of great theater into your own legacy of support, and will ensure Milwaukee Rep continues to delight and challenge audiences for generations to come. However, even donors who have been attending productions for many years may not realize the impact they can have on tomorrow’s Milwaukee Rep by committing to a planned gift now nor that they will enjoy benefits and special events at the theater today. We spoke with Director of Major and Planned Giving Alli Engelsma-Mosser to dispel some of the common myths about planned giving.
MYTH: Estate planning is only about distributing my assets. Estate planning is about much more than distributing your assets; it is an opportunity to reflect your values, secure your legacy, and ensure the things you are passionate about are sustained. For many people, a gift in their will is the largest donation they’ll ever make. By including Milwaukee Rep in your estate plans, you will make a significant, lasting impact on the theater you love.
MYTH: I have to make a large gift to make an impact. Every gift makes a difference! There is no minimum amount to join the Limelight Legacy Society, and there are many ways to give. Whether you make us the beneficiary of a retirement account or life insurance policy, or simply indicate a percentage of your estate to Milwaukee Rep instead, your gift will help us fulfill our mission.
MYTH: Milwaukee Rep will want to see my will and/or financial information. No, we do not need a copy of your will, though we encourage you to provide as much information as you are comfortable sharing. All we require is a signed document stating your intentions. You will also have the opportunity to direct your gift to support New Play Development, Education and Community Outreach, or our general operations. If you have already designated Milwaukee Rep in your estate plans and would like to be recognized, or if you have any questions about the Limelight Legacy Society, contact Alli Engelsma-Mosser at: (414) 290-5366 or AEngelsma-Mosser@MilwaukeeRep.com
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DEVELOPMENT
New Play
Milwaukee Rep Co-Commissions a New Play: Wife of a Salesman
Playwright Eleanor Burgess
Milwaukee Rep entered 2022 with 10 new plays in development as part of the John (Jack) D. Lewis New Play Development Program. One of these plays, Wife of a Salesman by Eleanor Burgess, will enjoy its world premiere this March at Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois.
Wife of a Salesman is an imaginative retelling of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman from the perspective of Linda Loman, the wife of Miller’s tragic protagonist, Willy. In Burgess’s reimagining, Linda takes the narrative into her own hands, confronting Willy’s former mistress in a dialogue that explores poignant themes of marriage, duty and division and demonstrates just how much the world has changed—and how much it has not—over the course of generations. Burgess’s collaboration with Milwaukee Rep began after Artistic Director Mark Clements saw an earlier play by Burgess, The Niceties, at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in 2017. After seeing the production, Clements knew he wanted to include The Niceties in our 2019/20 Season. He also approached Burgess to offer an original commission, and Burgess shared several play ideas. Wife of a Salesman stood out for its innovative analysis of Miller’s seminal work and thoughtful exploration of the American dream. As Writers Theatre also expressed interest in the project, we embarked on our first co-commission.
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Over the next three years, Wife of a Salesman was developed through a series of workshops and readings with support from both Writers Theatre and Milwaukee Rep. The final step before the piece’s world-premiere production was a staged reading at Writers Theatre featuring the actors who will perform in the opening production. As co-commissioners of this piece, Milwaukee Rep supported and guided Burgess’s writing and revision process, providing space and resources with a cast and creative team and offering dramaturgical feedback on script drafts. “This co-commission has been an exciting opportunity to collaborate with another theater,” says Literary Director & Associate Artistic Producer Deanie Vallone, who oversees the new play development program at Milwaukee Rep. “We were able to share financial and artistic resources, which gave Burgess a longer period of time to develop the piece. Multiple artistic teams and audiences provided feedback, and there were opportunities to see the work performed by different casts. Our collaboration with Writers Theatre has been a win-win situation, and has allowed Milwaukee Rep to build a relationship with another regional theater.” Will Wife of a Salesman come to Milwaukee Rep? “Someday soon, I hope!” says Vallone. “A goal of the program is to support new works from creation to full production, so it’s very possible you will see Wife of a Salesman on a Rep stage in the future.”
Kimber Sprawl (left) and Kate Levy (right) in The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess. Photo by Michael Brosilow.
MARK
on the
Ask Artistic Director Mark Clements...
What is the Classics Initiative? As the largest producer of professional theater in Wisconsin, the lack of classical plays in recent seasons represents a missed opportunity and is unusual for a theater of our scope. With this in mind, we established the Classics Initiative, an ambitious plan, which is generously sponsored by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, to bring classical works back to Rep stages. The canon of world-renowned classics largely consists of plays that are exceptionally costly to produce; among other factors, classic plays often feature large casts and can require historically accurate costumes made from expensive fabrics. Coupled with an increasingly difficult funding environment for general operating support for theaters, resurrecting classical plays is a formidable endeavor. We are excited to kick off this initiative with As You Like It, conceived and adapted by Daryl Cloran. Set in 1960s British Columbia, this adaptation uses the music of the Beatles to tell Shakespeare’s timeless tale of mistaken identity and love conquering all. In Cloran’s reimagining, Rosalind wins her true love, Orlando triumphs over his vengeful brother, and all enjoy a celebration of love and happy endings, underscored by the immortal music of the Beatles. I chose Cloran’s adaptation of As You Like It because it cuts right to the heart of the story and incorporates popular music to make the piece more accessible to modern audiences. Cloran illuminates the parallel themes of the production and the Beatles music many people have enjoyed for years, encouraging audience members to make connections to their own life experiences. In this moment in history, when we are collectively feeling lonely and isolated, As You Like It uses its vivid score and resounding theme that love conquers all to remind us of the many brilliant, complicated things that make up the human experience. In our increasingly complex world, a return to the classics will provide a wealth of knowledge, enjoyment and sense of history to be gained from some of the best writers and thoughtleaders the world has ever known. We hope this Classics Initiative will offer an even broader view of humanity, fostering understanding, tolerance and empathy.
Do you have a question for Mark? Submit your questions to onthemark@milwaukeerep.com and see his answers in an upcoming issue!
L–R: Rose Pickering, Marie Mathay and Richard Riehle in Hedda Gabler. Photo by Mark Avery.
Programming the Classics Recognizing the gap in classical programming and its impact on local audiences, we envisioned a five-year initiative to bring fully produced, world-class productions of classic plays back to Milwaukee Rep. In selecting classic plays to produce, we want to prioritize masterpieces that: •
have endured beyond the time period they were written (pre-1900) to reflect the universality of our human existence
•
significantly shaped and impacted the art form of theater through their language, themes, and questions raised
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have pushed artistry to expansive new heights, are meaningfully accessible to the Milwaukee community, and invite our community to engage deeply with the work on our stages.
Classical plays that meet the above criteria would include works by Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus, Shakespeare, Moliere, Marlowe, Sheridan, Wilde, Ibsen, Lorca and Chekov, to name a few.
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REPRISE Make a big impact in smaller increments through Reprise, Milwaukee Rep’s monthly giving program. Reprise allows you to spread your gift over a 12-month period and gain access to benefits only available to Reprise members, such as single-ticket presale opportunities and insider access. Some advantages of monthly giving include: • Smaller recurring gifts are easier on your budget. • Monthly charges help build your credit card reward points. • Gifts are automatically renewed every year. Your card will be charged around the 1st or 15th of each month based on your preference. Additionally, you can increase, decrease, or cancel at any time. Please contact Director of Development Amy Dorman for more information.
UPCOMING EVENTS March 23, 2022: Magic in the Making Donors $250+ are invited for an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience. Mark Clements, Artistic Director of Milwaukee Rep and Director of Titanic The Musical, will lead a conversation with designers of the upcoming production.
April 9, 2022: Opening Night of Titanic The Musical Donors $10,000+ are invited to an opening celebration of a Quadracci Powerhouse production each season. The evening includes a dinner at Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel and tickets to the opening night performance.
April 26, 2022: Rep Immersion Day, Titanic The Musical Donors $1,000+ are invited to attend technical demonstrations alongside students participating in Rep Education programs before a special matinee performance.
May 3, 2022: First Rehearsal: Get Happy: Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland and Murder on the Orient Express Donors $1,500+ are invited to join us for the first rehearsals of Get Happy: Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland and Murder on the Orient Express. Enjoy some light refreshments with the casts and listen to the directors and designers introduce the productions before sitting in on read-throughs of the scripts.
May 7, 2022: Curtain Call Ball Milwaukee Rep’s largest fundraiser, the Curtain Call Ball, is a night of dinner, dancing, live and silent auctions, and a world-class theatrical experience. This year, we will celebrate our grand voyage into Milwaukee Rep’s future. See Save The Date (right) for more info.
June 3, 2022: Opening Night of Murder on the Orient Express Donors $2,500+ are invited to an opening celebration of a Quadracci Powerhouse production each season. The evening includes a dinner at Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel and tickets to the opening night performance.
June 6, 2022: Limelight Luncheon Members of our Limelight Legacy Society are invited to join us for a private lunch and discussion in the Stackner Cabaret. Cover: The cast of Toni Stone. Photo by Michael Brosilow.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater Development Department
108 E. Wells Street • Milwaukee, WI 53202 Chuck Rozewicz
Morgen Clarey
Chief Development Officer crozewicz@milwaukeerep.com
Associate Director of Development, Events & Stewardship mclarey@milwaukeerep.com
Amy Dorman Director of Development adorman@milwaukeerep.com
Alli Engelsma-Mosser Director of Major and Planned Giving aengelsma-mosser@milwaukeerep.com
Cassidy Skorija Associate Director of Development, Institutional Giving cskorija@milwaukeerep.com
Yolanda Doney Development Associate ydoney@milwaukeerep.com
To make a gift in support of Milwaukee Repertory Theater, please contact the Development Department
www.MilwaukeeRep.com