Tag: Drama

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PSA: Milwaukee’s Premier Youth Theater: FIRST STAGE: Announces Their 2025-2026 Season!

FIRST STAGE ANNOUNCES ITS 2025-2026 SEASON
From Neverland to Arendelle, a thrilling lineup of magical adventures, beloved classics and a world premiere takes center stage!

MILWAUKEE – First Stage – one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families – unveils its 2025-2026 season, featuring seven captivating productions designed to delight theater lovers of all ages! The season kicks off with a spine-tingling start as GOOSEBUMPS: PHANTOM OF THE AUDITORIUM brings R.L. Stine’s iconic stories to the stage—just in time for Halloween. Then, set sail for adventure with PETER PAN AND WENDY, where audiences will soar to Neverland for a timeless tale of courage and imagination. And to (snow) cap it all off, a flurry of excitement awaits with the stage adaptation of DISNEY’S FROZEN, where audiences can journey to Arendelle and witness the beloved story of sisterhood, love and the music we all know and love.


Adding to the excitement, First Stage is thrilled to present the next great holiday classic of THE PIGEON GETS A BIG TIME HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA!—a world premiere musical adventure featuring Mo Willems’ fan-favorite characters Elephant, Piggie, and Pigeon. Get ready for hilarious hijinks, holiday chaos and plenty of surprises as these storybook characters leap off the page and take center stage.

“As I begin my 30th season at First Stage, I reflect on how we’ve been the foundation for so many young people’s first theater experiences and the families who share in those moments,” said Jeff Frank, executive artistic director at First Stage. “This 2025-2026 season will offer those same wondrous adventures—from a subterranean lair harboring a ghost with a grudge to the North Pole where a determined Pigeon tries valiantly to drive a sleigh; from a boy who refuses to grow up to a girl and dragon who overcome fears. We’re also thrilled to be among a select group of professional theaters around the country producing DISNEY’S FROZEN, the full-length Broadway musical!”

Performances will take place at the Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, with additional productions staged at the Goodman Mainstage Hall in the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. Family Packages and single tickets to First Stage’s 2025-2026 season will go on sale April 21, 2025.

R.L. Stine’s GOOSEBUMPS: PHANTOM OF THE AUDITORIUM –  Oct. 11 – Nov. 2, 2025

Todd Wehr Theater, Marcus Performing Arts Center

Horror fans Brooke and Zeke are thrilled to be starring in a mysterious show called The Phantom, and not the least bit frightened by the old legend that the play is cursed. But when strange, eerie messages appear and a masked menace starts disrupting rehearsals, they begin to wonder: what if there really is a ghost haunting their school, determined to stop the show?! Prepare to get goosebumps as they race to solve the mystery in this thrilling and chilling musical, based on the classic series by R.L. Stine.

Recommended for families with young people ages 8-18 and thrill seekers of all ages!

WORLD PREMIERE!

THE PIGEON GETS A BIG TIME HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA! – Nov. 21 – Dec. 28, 2025

Todd Wehr Theater, Marcus Performing Arts Center

When Mo Willems’ characters get together for the holidays, it’s bound to be the biggest extravaganza ever! The Unlimited Squirrels deck the halls and Elephant and Piggie come ready to celebrate! But will The Pigeon join in the festivities, or will he run all the way to the North Pole in search of the greatest gift ever? Catchy tunes, silly stories, goofy gifts, audience antics: it’s all in this brand-new musical party that sleighs!

Recommended for families with young people ages 4-14 and festive celebrators of all ages! 

LOVABYE DRAGON – Jan. 24 – Feb. 15, 2026

Goodman Mainstage Hall, Milwaukee Youth Arts Center

An enchanting musical of unexpected friendship between a lonely girl and an even lonelier dragon. Together they embark on a grand adventure to the farthest far away, only to face their greatest challenge. Covering three books in the Dragon and Girl series by Wisconsin author Barbara Joosse – Lovabye Dragon, Evermore Dragon and Sail Away Dragon – this adaptation with infectious music and lyrics by The Happy Racers is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face, lift your spirits, and get you singing and dancing along!

Recommended for families with young people ages 3-8 and brave explorers of all ages!

PETER PAN AND WENDY –  Feb. 20 – March 22, 2026

Todd Wehr Theater, Marcus Performing Arts Center

J.M. Barrie’s classic story comes to life as never seen before in this thrilling new production. Through the magic of stage wizardry and the power of your imagination, you will find yourself transported along with Wendy and her brothers to Neverland – a place of magic and wonder, of danger and suspense, but above all, a place where you will believe in the seemingly unbelievable! Marvel as the Darling children are swept into Peter’s deadly battle with Captain Hook and his mostly fearsome pirate crew. With so much excitement, why ever go home again…?

Recommended for families with young people ages 6-14 and magical dreamers of all ages! 

DISNEY’S FROZEN – April 11 – May 17, 2026

Todd Wehr Theater, Marcus Performing Arts Center

In the beautiful, mountainous kingdom of Arendelle, Princesses Anna and Elsa grow up sheltered inside their castle, isolated from the world. When Elsa is crowned queen, the magical powers she has desperately tried to conceal take control, and she flees into the mountains. As a ferocious winter descends, Anna sets off on an epic journey to find Elsa and bring her home with the help of hardworking ice harvester Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven, and a happy-go-lucky snowman named Olaf. Full of magic, humor, and a stunning musical score, FROZEN is a powerful tale of sisterhood, acceptance, and finding the real meaning of true love. Now, experience the full-length Broadway musical brought to life as only First Stage can!

Recommended for families with young people ages 8-18 and determined adventurers of all ages!

Our award-winning Young Company continues its remarkable work with two powerful performance projects:

ROSE OF TREASON – Nov. 7 – 16, 2025

Goodman Mainstage Hall, Milwaukee Youth Arts Center

In 1943, a group of university students in Germany were appalled at the truth that was coming to light about the Nazi Party. They started a resistance group aimed at bringing down Hitler and the Nazi regime. Their story is one of breathtaking courage, selflessness, and utter faith in what is right. The efforts of The White Rose are an inspiring tribute to the goodness of humanity shining even in the darkest moments of history. Presented in partnership with Violins of Hope and the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Recommended for families with young people ages 12-18 and courageous leaders of all ages! 

JULIUS CAESAR – March 13 – 22, 2026

Goodman Mainstage Hall, Milwaukee Youth Arts Center

Beware the Ides of March! If only Julius Caesar had listened. Fresh from a victory over his rival Pompey, Caesar basks in his newfound power, celebrated by the people of Rome. But not everyone is cheering. Some fear he is becoming too powerful; powerful enough to end the Roman Republic and crown himself king. Betrayal. Conspiracies. A public that cheers one day and turns the next. Who should hold power? And what happens when those in control decide to take matters into their own hands? Shakespeare’s gripping political thriller comes to life in a story of loyalty, honor, and the price of ambition.

Recommended for families with young people ages 14-18 and Shakespeare fans of all ages! 

Don’t miss out on discounted tickets to the 2025-2026 season!

  • Family Packages allow ticket buyers to save 20% when purchasing tickets to two or three shows and save 25% when purchasing tickets to four or more shows.
    • New this season: purchase your tickets by August 1, 2025, to receive 10% off* single tickets or an additional 10% off* of your Family Package – Saving up to 35%! 

*This offer excludes DISNEY’S FROZEN.

For additional information about the 2025-2026 season and to order tickets, please go to firststage.org or call 

(414) 267-2961. 

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PSA: Lake Country Playhouse and Academy Presents David Auburn’s Proof!

Lake Country Playhouse & Academy Presents Award-Winning Drama Proof

Hartland, WI – April 17, 2025 – Lake Country Playhouse & Academy (LCP) is proud to present David Auburn’s drama Proof, winner of the 2001 Tony Award for Best Play and Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Catherine, a troubled young woman, has spent years caring for her brilliant but mentally unstable father, a renowned mathematician. After his death, she’s left to navigate her own uncertain future while grappling with the arrival of her estranged sister, Claire; the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s; and the 103 notebooks her father left behind. As the weekend unfolds, a budding romance and the discovery of a mysterious notebook force Catherine to confront the most challenging question of all: how much of her father’s brilliance—or his madness—has she inherited?

“I was drawn to direct at LCP because Proof is one of my favorite plays of the last 25 years,” says director Naomi Tiefel, making her LCP directorial debut. “When you combine this masterfully written play with our talented cast and the intimacy of the LCP stage, it becomes a theatrical experience you don’t want to miss.”

Tiefel brings a wealth of experience in both acting and directing, with recent credits including Calendar Girls (West Bend Theatre Company), Agatha Christie’s Rule of Three (Wisconsin Lutheran College), Deja Vu Again (Kettle Moraine Playhouse), and Beauty and the Beast and The Wizard of Oz (Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School).

“As a college professional and active community theater participant, I find nothing more beautiful than the marriage of science and art,” Tiefel adds. “Proof is about far more than mathematical genius. It explores complex relationships between fathers and daughters, sisters, and lovers. It’s about mental health and women in science—subjects that are deeply meaningful to me.”

Tiefel is joined by stage manager Angie Rodenkirch, returning to LCP in a new role after serving as music director for A Christmas Carol in 2023 and 2024, and appearing in Our Town and A Rock Sails By. Costume design is by Beck Men, and Breanne Brennan—co-director of LCP’s acclaimed 2025 production of Jekyll & Hyde—serves as production manager.

The cast of four includes local actors Michael Chobanoff (Robert), Anna Gumberg (Catherine), Keenan Ellis (Hal), and Ariel Korducki (Claire), several of whom are also making their LCP debut.

“The reason I love [Proof] is because each of the four characters develops such deep, authentic relationships—both in real time and through flashbacks,” says Tiefel. “The talent in this cast is unbelievable, and we spend so much time in our rehearsals really digging into who these people are and what drives them.”

Proof will run from May 9-23, 2025 at Lake Country Playhouse & Academy, 221 E. Capitol Drive, Hartland, WI  53029. Performances will be held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm and Sunday afternoons at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $26. Tickets can be purchased online at www.lakecountryplayhousewi.org

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Every Brilliant Thing Enthralls With Insights, Hope, And Sharing

This is a very intimate play…featuring one actor as storyteller who engages the audience in the telling. And the Goodman Mainstage at the Milwaukee Youth Art Center is the ideal intimate venue for the telling of this tale. We all become family here.

Yes, we only have one actor/character on stage. The character does not have a name and begins their story with a monologue that explains what the term Every Brilliant Thing means and where it originated. And at this point it is important to mention that this is a play about mental illness and suicide. And our actor is a youngster when we first meet and we get to share their growth and awareness and thoughts through a decade or better. And at first Every Brilliant Thing is a list to help their mother heal…a simple list of Brilliant Things! But eventually it becomes a coping mechanism as our actor struggles through their life as well…and obviously suffers from a reluctantly acknowledged mental health issue of their own.

Elyse Edelman. Photographer: Ross Zentner. Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

Director Molly Rhode as taken a risk here…and instead of casting a single actor for entire run…Rhode has cast Milwaukee favorites James Carrington and Elyse Edelman on alternating evenings. Which opens up a new question that I hadn’t considered before…what effect on the story will gender have? Will a female character seem more sympathetic? Will a male character be perceived as weak? ??? Edelman held the floor when I attended on Sunday March 2 and just mesmerized the audience. She is a grand story teller!

James Carrington. Photographer Ross Zentner. Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

But even without the dual casting this story will evolve differently at each performance. There are roles for the audience to play, as the actor selects audience members to play a vet, school counselor, and father. So bring your best actor voice and face when you attend. Depending on the actor and the audience member selected, the story will deviate from performance to performance and there will be a fair amount of ad lib activity on everyone’s part.

Elyse Edelman. Photographer: Ross Zentner.. Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

But there’s more: There’s the actual Every Brilliant Thing List! When a new audience member found her seat next to me, I exclaimed, what great seats! And she replied, yes they are as long as I don’t have to be in the play…at which point Edelman came over and recruited my neighbor to participate…simply reading a line when her number was called: “Really Good Oranges!” There is some fun when a volunteer has forgotten their number and fails to respond on the first cue.

James Carrington and audience member. Photographer: Ross Zentner.. Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

Yes, the topic is mental health and some sad life events. So there are moments of feeling choked up with tight throats and teary eyes. But there is an incredible amount of hope and happiness here and laughter that make this play feel full circle and complete…despite the unusual format.

I’d appreciate hearing from any of you who experienced James Carrington in this role. I have seen him in a number of other plays and I am sure he nails this!

Every Brilliant Thing continues at the Goodman Mainstage Hall at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center (just north of the Deer District in the old Schlitz Brewery area) through March 16, 2025. Run time: approximately 75 minutes, no intermission​

Additional information and tickets available here. If you have druthers on whether you see Elyse Edelman or James Carrington, the dates of their performances are listed.