Ground Breaking Date Set For Milwaukee Rep's New Associated Bank Theater Center

Milwaukee Repertory Theater has announced the official groundbreaking for the new Associated Bank Theater Center will take place on Saturday, May 11, 2024, just before the theater's annual Curtain Call Ball celebration.  Construction on the state-of-the-art complex is expected to last through the fall of 2025 and will redefine the standard of theater in Wisconsin with three unique performance spaces, a large, unified lobby providing ample opportunities for community events, a dedicated Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center to serve the theater's 20,000+ students, an expanded offsite production center employing hundreds of local artisans and venues with modern audience amenities.  Take a virtual walkthrough of the Associated Theater Center here.

Milwaukee Rep is currently at 92% of its once-in-a-generation $78M Powering Milwaukee Capital Campaign to build an expanded new home in the Associated Bank Theater Center. The goal of the campaign has increased to $78M from the originally announced $75M in the fall of 2022 due to inflationary cost increases.

To ensure the theater powers through to the finish, several of Milwaukee Rep's Donors have issued a challenge for all new or increased gifts to be matched dollar for dollar if given before May 1, 2024. There are seat naming options at different levels throughout the new Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, Herro-Franke Studio Theater and the Stackner Cabaret. Visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com/TakeASeat  for more information and how to make a gift and name a seat.

“We are as excited as ever to break ground on our new facility that will expand our ability to produce and develop new plays, advance our educational impact and create unique opportunities for the community to come together,” said Chad Bauman, Executive Director. “We have experienced tremendous support to get us this far and the ‘Power to the Finish: Seat Naming Campaign' offers a unique opportunity for the community at large to leave their stamp on the theater for generations to come.”

Milwaukee Rep is halfway through its 70th Anniversary Season with What the Constitution Means to Me and Guys on Ice currently in performance. Closing out the critically acclaimed season are The Chosen (March 5-31), Piano Men 2 (March 22-May 19) and Nina Simone: Four Women (April 16-May 12). Next season while the Associated Bank Theater Center is under construction the Powerhouse Season productions will take place in three venues across the greater Milwaukee area: The Harris Theater at Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts (3270 Mitchell Park Dr, Brookfield), the Marcus Performing Arts Center – Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall (929 N. Water St, Milwaukee), and in Milwaukee Rep's Stiemke Studio (108 E Wells St.). The Stiemke Studio Season and Stackner Cabaret Season will remain in their respective venues during construction. For more information on the upcoming season visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com

To learn more about the Powering Milwaukee Campaign and to get involved, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com/PoweringMilwaukee.