University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

First Stage will conclude its 2023/24 season with ESCAPE FROM PELIGRO ISLAND, a unique interactive play by award-winning playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer. Learn how to purchase tickets.

An economic and fiscal impact analysis by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Fiscal and Economic Research Center (FERC) reports Overture Center for the Arts contributed $34,480,000 to the Madison economy during its 2021/22 season, September 2021 through June 2022. Overture engaged in the economic impact study to establish a post-pandemic baseline for its activities.

A Red Orchid Theatre has announced the cast for the Chicago Premiere of Is God Is by Aleshea Harris, directed by Marti Gobel. 

First Stage's next offering in the new year is a thrilling production of THE HOBBIT, based on the book The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and adapted for the stage by Greg Banks and directed by Artistic Director Jeff Frank.

Peninsula Players Theatre, America's oldest professional resident summer theater, has announced the appointment of Sarah Bonovich and Greg Wait to its Board of Directors. Bonovich and Wait's election to the Board of Directors is for a three-year term. 

Come celebrate the holidays this year with First Stage and the return of their heartwarming production of RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL!, based on the 1964 television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and stage production directed and conceived by Jeff Frank and First Stage.

The final First Stage production of the 2021/22 season will be THE LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET, a play adapted by Gloria Bond Clunie from the Newbery Medal-winning children's book by Matt de la Peña, with Illustrations by Christian Robinson.

The Cleveland Institute of Music’s Future of Music Faculty Fellowship has added internationally acclaimed musician, composer and educator Wynton Marsalis, and national leader in higher education and distinguished classical musician Dr. Ronald Crutcher to the already impressive list of keynote speakers and faculty for the inaugural program.

Next up in First Stage's Through Our Lens 2021 Virtual Season of Plays will be Arthur Miller's powerful and timely drama THE CRUCIBLE. Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award and inspired by the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, the play takes audiences back to a fictionalized account of the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials that took place during the years 1692 and 1693.

Up next in First Stage's Virtual Season of Plays is ESCAPE FROM PELIGRO ISLAND - A CREATE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE PLAY, written by award-winning, internationally renowned children's playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer (THE SNOW, 2015 and ANTARCTICA, WI, 2018) and directed by First Stage Artistic Director Jeff Frank.

CHRISTMASTOWN COMES TO FIRST STAGE will stream for free via First Stage's YouTube channel as one of First Stage's Signature Theater Events, part of Through Our Lens - A Virtual Performance Series in the 2020/21 season from December 13, 2020 - January 2, 2021.

 Next up in First Stage's 2020/21 Virtual Season of Plays is THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, one of Shakespeare's earliest plays. This adventurous, romantic comedy directed by Marcella Kearns has it all - love, betrayal, hidden identities, a gang of gentlemen outlaws - even a double wedding!

First Stage continues its imaginative exploration of all things virtual with SHE KILLS MONSTERS: VIRTUAL REALMS, a comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games. The play is written by acclaimed young playwright Qui Nguyen.

Charles Dickens' classic holiday story, A CHRISTMAS CAROL comes to the Herberger Theater Center Pavillion, a new outdoor stage, November 28 - December 23 at 7 pm.

GRETEL!, a new folk rock musical developed as part of the First Stage Foundry Stage Series, combines the tale of HANSEL AND GRETEL with VASILISA THE BRAVE (the Russian Cinderella) into a story family audiences will find both compelling and inspiring.