BWW Preview: Spectacular First Stage 30th Anniversary Season Celebrates 61 World Premieres

What other regional or national theater company can be credited with producing 61 total world premieres? Professional children's theater company First Stage began a legacy 30 years ago, and continues in their new season under the theme "Theater You Never Outgrow." Artistic Director Jeff Frank believes the company creates the strongest theater, at home, in Milwaukee, which eventually reverberates around the country. Now authors and producers nationally recognize First Stage and knock on the company's door, approaching them with opportunities, so the company can envision new legacies in Theater for Young Audiences.

First Stage's 30th anniversary season begins with the world premiere - Goosebumps, which in Frank's words, emphasizes one paramount element of the First Stage mission: "Bringing contemporary and classic children's literature to the stage."

With an official title for this production, Goosebumps The Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium and includes seven original musical numbers with a pop-rock vibe to open on October 14. Similar to a young people's "Phantom of the Opera," Danny Abosh and Artistic Assistant Director John Maclay recreate magic, music and mystery in a multi-generational musical. Niffer Clarke directs the funny, suspenseful and scary world premiere. To which Frank says, "Clarke's directorial debut represents another First Stage missive: "To take a chance on an early career director who respects our work and young people."

To ring in Milwaukee's holiday season, Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer: The Musical, returns to sparkle this November through December. After bringing the musical to stage life several years ago, Frank directs the beloved tale for the final time while adding several new songs to delight audiences once again. Frank explains, "Everything we learned from the national tour we've incorporated to make the musical brighter than ever before."

The 2017 New Year features the final installment of First Stage's extraordinary Wisconsin Cycle, plays based in or about Wisconsin. This original world premiere by Sheri Williams Pannell shares heart, history, stories and songs of the Milwaukee Renaissance in Welcome to Bronzeville, a neighborhood located near the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. Music plays a huge part in the production, although the story is not a musical. Frank elaborates on the theater's power when he says, "We've been honored to work with the elders of the BRONZEVILLE community. Their wisdom and guidance have played a critical role in shaping this important new work."

In another twist of an enduring classic, Maclay and Joe Foust collaborate on another World Premiere Robin Hood, a play which presents the mythical hero from a young person's perspective. The young actors prepare as "Merry Men in training" in a play filled with adventure and humor. Our young heroes discover that they can be agents of change in the face of economic disparity, corrupt leadership and social injustice influence the world, which opens February 17.

In another theatrical attempt to help young audiences understand a difficult to diagnose illness, First Stage presents "Mockingbird," based on the young adult's novel by Katherine Erskine, who won a National Book Award for the novel. While the main character struggles with imminent losses and social acceptance in her life, the play's primary theme conveys hope by allowing the main character's courage and strength to shine through. This tender father-daughter story regards loss in light of seeing the light in the future and opens March 24.

No one enjoys more adulation in a child's world than Junie B. Jones. On April 28, First Stage opens "Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook,' a play by Alison Gregory adapted from two stories in the Barbara Park's series. Age appropriate casting, a hallmark of the theater company, centers these productions on young people and their actual emotions, which captures and develops production authenticity for the children in the audience and those who have loved and read Barbara Park's books.

In addition to this stellar 30th season, the phenomenal First Steps series reprises Lois Ehlert's "Mole Hill Stories" in collaboration with the Milwaukee's Danceworks. And following in January, award winning Wisconsin author Barbara Joose's children's series "The Dragon and the Girl" breathe life into the play, Lovabye Dragon, written by Frank under Josse's cooperation. This world premiere brings this mythical creature to life through constructing a 12 feet puppet designed by Brandon Kirkham. This lively production also includes music by the Happy Racers, a Nashville band Frank discovered to rock the small world of the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center theater. First Stage applied for a "Henson Grant" to finance Lovabye Dragon in creating an enchanting world premiere to delight young audiences and those young at heart, each selection in this season certainly lives up to "Theater You Never Outgrow."

After the 2016-2017 season ends, First Stage will have introduced a record 61 world premieres in 30 years...that's almost two world premieres a season. A monumental task, in development and execution, which takes years of advance creativity and planning to achieve. This new repertoire adds to the national canon of professional Theater for Young Audiences, and in the process developed hundreds of young people, for Milwaukee theater and beyond in other careers. The company's spectacular 30th anniversary hopes as Frank puts it, "To create theater so the audience will lean in and engage with the actors. Where minds and imagination are brought to life with a season that celebrates who we are."

The First Stage 30th Anniversary Season of Theater You Never Outgrow opens October 14. For further information on special events, performance schedule, individual tickets or season tickets, please call: 414.267.2961 or www.firststage.org.

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