Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Saw the opening night performance for Of Mice and Men. It was very well performed. And produced. The story is engaging, with a tragic ending. You can’t help but feel for George, who has to make a heart wrenching decision. And there was a lovely reception after, to celebrate the successful opening night.

I love seeing shows at the Milwaukee Rep! Other than the fact that they make you buy «sippie cups» to drink your wine in, great theater with fantastic productions.
Why the low marks then? These people will not stop calling me.
I receive a call more than once a week for at least the last 4 or 5 months asking for money or when I’m going to buy tickets. It’s like straight up harassment at this point. I’m an early to rise, early to bed kinda gal, and I was pretty peeved that last week after drifting off to sleep around 845pm, I was awoken by, again, one of their calls.
This truly makes me never want to see a show with them again, as I have never experienced such non stop calling ever, from literally any business or doctor or dentist, ever.
Truly poor service guys.

My parents and some of their friends have season tickets for the Rep and have for several years now. Occasionally I get to tag along when one of the ticket holders can’t make it. Most recently I had the privilege of seeing Dream Girls. It was absolutely fantastic! Nova Y. Payton, who played Effie, was incredible. Her voice was powerful and engaging. The staging of the show was so creative, allowing JImmy Early to play off the audience. I absolutely loved it!

I look forward to the Blues show put on by The Rep every season. The Stackner has great drinks themed to match the show. I highly recommend not missing this one!

The Rep is wonderful… my favorite shows were Cabaret, The Assassins, and Guttenburg! The Musical! Intimate space and talented actors.

I’ve decided I love this place. I like going to the theater, and every time I go I wonder why I don’t go more. This past weekend, I was privy to a very unique and awesome experience. My friend had been gifted a charity auction item which included a private tour of the Rep followed by a show. The tour was conducted by the Rep’s managing director Chad, who told us all kinds of great stories, showed us all the ins and outs of the place, and really opened our eyes to all that goes into putting on the shows. We even met a Wigmaster — how many people can say that? For the show, we were in the smallest theater, which is set up cabaret style with tables and wait staff. We were in the best seats in the house, front and center, and were blown away by the talent of the actor playing Liberace. I went into the day with little to no expectation, and left realizing I need to get to that dang theater more often. It’s one of the many great things going on in Milwaukee.

The Rep has been producing pretty fantastic shows for many, many years.
But their 2014 version of The Color Purple was absolutely amazing.
I had high hopes given the reviews and tidbits from friends that had already seen it. And not only did they live up to the advanced billing, they blew it away!
The theater is modern and the acoustics are great. There is nary a bad seat in the house, including those in the balcony. And prices are a great value, especially for students, young adults and seniors.
The quality of acting was a new level of greatness. This could have easily been an Off Broadway show. From the spirited dialogue to the heart-​wrenching vocals, I was captivated at every moment.
Leadership and direction at the Rep is demonstrating a commitment to being a standard bearer for live performance art and I’m thrilled that Milwaukee audiences can reap the benefits!

My favorite theater company in the area. I always have to make time to see at least one show each season, if not more. The Quadracci Powerhouse is a great venue — one of those theaters where there are no bad seats and you’re always pretty close to the action. I’ve also seen shows in the Stiemke Studio (even more intimate!), but haven’t made it to the Stackner Cabaret yet — put it on the list! I’ve yet to see a bad performance here. It’s pretty great that you can buy cocktails in a sippy cup to take into the theater with you (though the cup does cost extra).

I recently saw «After All the Terrible Things I Do» at the Rep and it was a lovely experience. The theater was small enough that there were no bad seats. The set was incredible and the stage allowed the actors to face all members of the audience at various points throughout the play. We were able to bring our drinks into the theater after purchasing a plastic «sippy cup» which was a cute idea.
I was very impressed by the production, direction and acting in this play. I will not hesitate to return for more productions.

This theatre company is by far the best in the city. Season tickets are a must at least for the Powerhouse Theater. I’ve been to so many shows a favorite does not come to mind. There are dozens swirling in my head. The Stackner and The Stiemke are awesome as well. Ask any theater goer if they like The Rep and the answer is usually the same. Milwaukee has many, many great theaters and we are very gracious for all of them.
There is plenty of parking if you plan ahead and eat and park at a nearby restaurant. Perhaps even take a taxi from home if you’re less than 5 miles.

We have had season tickets to the Rep for 15 years. They always offer a fine production, and I believe if possible they have gotten better in recent years. The price of tickets are very reasonable and there is not a bad seat in the house.
Make sure you go early to the «Rep in Depth.» It is about an hour prior to the production, and a member of the cast or crew comes out and tells you about the background of the show. The audience can even ask questions. This is great when you don’t know the show, and it adds so much… what is the extra price you ask??? Nothing, as it is part of your ticket…
I hope you can tell that I believe we are lucky to live so close to such a great theater.

This historic theater seats about 700 patrons. There are two floors; the main level and the balcony. It is constructed in an intimate setting which makes the experience between the actors and the audience much more exciting & awe-​inspiring. Visiting, The Rep makes me appreciate the actors’ craft and energy in live theater. Some of the Rep’s heritage can be read on plaques in the lobby. The bar, gift shop and concierge stations are located directly outside the theater doors, which is convenient in returning to your seat once the intermission ends. I’ve had the pleasure of viewing «End of The Rainbow» which detailed the final years of Judy Garland’s life. The show was humorous and very informative to people unfamiliar with Ms. Garland. I look forward to purchasing tickets for «An Iliad» this coming week.

My wife and I saw «End of the Rainbow» — a story about an aging Judy Garland here last night. We purchased the tickets partially because we fall within the 20 – 35 year old range in which they give priority seating and a deal of $ 20.
PARKING: Running late to a show stresses me out. Downtown parking can add to that stress. We purchased a parking pass to the Milwaukee Center Garage with our tickets online. This parking garage is like a maze and it goes four levels under ground. The elevator from the garage takes you right to the entrance of the Rep.
THE LOBBY: Reminded me of a casino where senior citizens look and act lost, starting and stopping for no apparent reason, making anyone walking behind them to almost stumble over them. They have concession where a bottle of water cost $ 3, BUT it had the Shakespeare quote «A little water clears us of this deed.» printed on it so it was okay. All drinks must have a lid, my wife wanted a $ 3 hot green tea, but the paper cups don’t have lids so The Rep makes you purchase a plastic sippy cup for $ 2. So $ 5 for a hot green tea in the theater, «No, no, no, no!»
FINDING OUR SEATS: Our show was in the Quadracci Powerhouse, which is named for Betty Quadracci, a philanthropist who recently passed away. There are ushers in red suits around that help you to your seats. They were very friendly, unlike Kelly B’s experience.
THE SHOW: The lighting, sound, actors EVERYTHING was amazing. This particular show had some vulgar language and to hear the gasps of the older crowd was priceless! (Shitbag, Fuck, Asshole — these words were used liberally in the script.) The Chicago actress Hollis Resnik was mesmerizing. This production continues through February 9^th, 2014.
POST: Milwaukee has great opportunities to enjoy arts and culture. I am concerned because when I’ve been to the ballet and theatre here it’s an aging demographic. If we don’t get young people interested in these arts, will they survive for the next generation?

The Rep is awesome. I’m still a little bit confused about the way that the theaters are named in this complex, but we were in the small theater on the lower level (which I believe, is called the rep… but maybe that’s the whole building — whatever).
Anyways, not a bad seat in the house. AND… get this. For 20 – 35 year olds, they will occasionally offer $ 20 seats. Which is about half what older people have to pay. And in a world of senior discounts, I happen to find that pretty funny.
But I get it. The Rep really wants to appeal to a younger crowd, and they completely do. We went to see Venus in Fur, which was a litlte edgier, and it was performed awesomely. The actors were amazing, the set was cool, and there wasn’t a bad seat in the house.
Will definitely be returning.

This theater is absolutely beautiful. Once of the most gorgeous theaters I’ve been in in Wisconsin. My issues are mostly with the staff.
I went for a production of The Christmas Carol. The actors/​actresses were great! The set was cute and I enjoyed the show.
We spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to find parking. Most frustrating was the parking structure next door did not indicate whether or not there were open spots, and over half the spots were reserved. Well it was a friday night and I’m assuming that those spots were for office workers — maybe open them up?
We ended up finding street parking several blocks away. We ran to the door and were rudely «greeted» by one of the snottiest ladies I’ve had the displeasure to encounter. We mentioned (at about curtain call) that we had will call tickets. She just said «The show’s starting» and pointed out the door to the right. We ran out the door and there was no indication of direction to the will call window. It was detached from the theater entirely — poor design. We got them and had to walk all the way around again, putting us back in the doors after the show started. When we walked in the rude lady literally started laughing in our faces! I was livid.
A young boy led us to our seats, and never once uttered a word during the uncomfortably silent elevator ride. Once in my seat, my armrest was disconnected. I put my arm on it unknowingly causing it to fall and clatter causing quite the disruption.
At intermission we ran to the restroom, which is a two stall room inconveniently placed on the corner, with one sink in front of the door to the restroom… just very odd.
Cute show, nice production — sound was off, needs some serious updates, especially in the staffing department.

This theater has some of the best plays/​musicals and I would recommend to anyone.
The plays that I have seen are below were performed in the Quadracci Powerhouse:
1-​Raison in the Sun
2-​Amy Winehouse
3-​Ragtime
The theater is a little small, but spacious and cozy for any occasion. You can also eat dinner at the Stackner Cabernet before or after the play. I think this feature really puts a special touch to the occasion. I brought my mom here for her birthday and we had dinner in the Stackner Cabernet and then watched the play and it was a phenomenal experience. You can also pre-​pay for parking for a special price so that you don’t have to drive around for a parking spot or worry about paying per hour.

Way to go Rep for putting on another stellar performance. Thanks to Nana for footing the bill for this one as shows are not usually in my budget. We experienced Ragtime! We smiled, we laughed, we cried, jumped in shock and stood up clapping to celebrate the skill and artistry the actors, directors and stage crew shared with us.
Nana is terrified of heights but was able to manage the front row of the balcony just fine, thanks to the railings.
It is always a treat to see a show at the Rep, the inhouse actors are skilled at bringing you into a story and the guest performers are a delight to the lucky audience.
My only reason for not giving it 5 stars is because it is not as affordable as I would like. I wish I could expose my kids to shows more and see more diversity in the audience.

According to the website: «A cleverly converted power plant, the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex houses three theaters. Considered the Rep’s mainstage, the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater seats 720 patrons. The 218-​seat Stiemke Theater is a black box featuring a flexible seating configuration. The Stackner Cabaret is a full service restaurant and bar and presents smaller, mainly music– based pieces for audiences in its 118-​seat theater. Together, these spaces provide the Rep with a variety of staging options and allow us to offer our audiences a wide range of dramatic fare. The Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex also houses the Rep’s rehearsal facilities, shops and administrative offices.» Such a big complex linking together these theaters in one space (also attached to the Pabst) is a fantastic idea for a city with terrible weather during the main parts of the season: I appreciated the indoor connections and the consistency of knowing where to go for much of the big productions in town. The design is sorely lacking: the architecture feels like an airline hanger, nothing so elegant. The intercontinental hotel is also attached to the complex as well as a few other stores. You might never guess its a theater complex form the common areas, more of an old mall, which is unfortunate. With a lot of people inside the sound echoes immensely and annoyingly.

As expected, the professional actors did a great job with Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, her first published novel (1811). The romantic fictional story is set in the early 19^th Cent. (Regency Era), a pre-​Victorian period. There were very strict rules regarding social behavior and relationships and status and money were very important!

Diary of Anne Frank on right now in the Powerhouse is great!