World Premiere Wisconsin

Impossible Operas
2023-05-26 19:30, 2023-05-25 19:30 (America/Chicago) | Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N Broadway Theatre Center, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Quasimondo Physical Theatre
— By Jeffrey Mosser, Brian Rott, Jill Anna Ponasik, Anja Notanja —
Some operas are so challenging, they’re considered practically impossible. In this company devised work, Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Quasimondo Physical Theatre will present seven of them…in a row.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Thursday, May 25 & 7:30 PM
Friday, May 26 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 27 @ 2 PM
Saturday, May 27 @ 6 PM
Sunday, May 28 @ 2 PM

THE LAST HOTEL by Marcia Jablonski
2023-05-26 16:00 | Alley Stage, 18 Shake Rag St., Mineral Point, WI, 53565, United States
SHAKE RAG ALLEY CENTER FOR THE ARTS
— By Marcia Jablonski —
While waiting out a blizzard in a luxury hotel, an art student, her professor, and a hotel employee are trying to determine how much intervention they should act on with the homeless artist they are trying to keep safe from the storm.
On WPW Backstage by Mike Fischer:
A Heartless Homeland: New Play Asks Hard Questions About Homelessness in America

There’s an App For That
2023-05-25 19:30, 2023-05-21 18:00, 2023-05-20 19:30, 2023-05-19 19:30 | Bartell Theatre, 113 E Mifflin St, Madison, WI, 53703, United States
PILE OF CATS THEATRE COMPANY
— By Ned O’Reilly —
What do you do when your devices start running your life? If you’re Didi, you add more and more apps until you start glitching. Come see this satire of the electronic-driven nature of contemporary life.
Shakshuka. Shostakovich. Pronouns. Twitch. Kitchens and Couches. Luxurious Moisture. Corporate intrigue. And Cats. Madison’s most accomplished fringe theatre company features the talents of some of the area’s most gifted actors performing the latest by Madison’s most produced playwright of the last decade, all in an intimate setting for a scintillatingly entertaining night at the theatre.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Friday, May 19 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, May 20 @ 7:30PM
Sunday, May 21 @ 6pm
Thursday, May 25 @ 7:30PM
Friday, May 26 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, May 27 @ 7:30PM

I Carry Your Heart With Me
2023-05-25 19:30, 2023-05-24 19:30, 2023-05-21 14:00, 2023-05-20 19:30, 2023-05-19 14:00, 2023-05-18 19:30, 2023-05-17 19:30, 2023-05-14 14:00 and 1 more date | Third Avenue PlayWorks, 235 N 3rd Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI, 54235, United States
THIRD AVENUE PLAYWORKS
— By Jennifer Blackmer —
Esther Shannon is a government stenographer working for the US Air Force during the tempestuous Vietnam War. Lonely, conflicted, and haunted by voices from her past, Esther finds herself smack dab in the middle of a troubling investigation.
With plenty of twists and turns along the way, Jennifer Blackmer’s taut, suspenseful mystery packs a real emotional wallop at the end. This new play will be presented as part of World Premiere Wisconsin, an inaugural and ambitious statewide festival celebrating original works.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Wednesday, May 10 Preview @ 7:30 PM (Pay-What-You-Will)
Thursday, May 11 Preview @ 7:30 PM
Friday, May 12 Opening @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 13 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday, May 14 @ 2 PM
Wednesday, May 17 @ 7:30 PM
Thursday, May 18 @ 7:30 PM
Friday, May 19 @ 2 PM
Saturday, May 20 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday, May 21 @ 2 PM
Wednesday, May 24 @ 7:30 PM
Thursday, May 25 @ 7:30 PM
Friday, May 26 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 27 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday, May 28 @ 2 PM

MARGARET adapted by Marcella Kearns
2023-05-21 18:00 | Young Shakespeare Players, 1806 West Lawn Avenue, Madison, WI, 53711, United States
ILLYRIA PRODUCTIONS
— adapted by Marcella Kearns from William Shakespeare —
An adaptation of the Wars of the Roses plays for young performers, focused on Queen Margaret.
On WPW Backstage by Mike Fischer
Illyria Productions’ Sunday Reading of Margaret Postponed: For Now, You’ll Need to Settle for Rewatching Game of Thrones
Move Over, Cersei! Upcoming Reading Showcases Shakespearean Inspiration for Game of Thrones
Why Do We Fight? And What’s Worth Fighting For?

A CAPPOCALYPSE! OR; Oconomowocapella’s A Cappella Practice Has Been Canceled! by Andrew Hobgood, Joe Lino, Jaimelyn Gray, and The Constructivists
2023-05-21 16:00 | Interchange Theater, 628 N 10th St, Milwaukee, WI, United States
THE CONSTRUCTIVISTS
— by Andrew Hobgood, Joe Lino, Jaimelyn Gray, and The Constructivists —
The 39th Annual Upper Midwest Regional A Cappella Championships are mere days away. The final practice is tonight. And most of the ensemble is late. The group’s leader finally gets things moving, and the ensemble is just about to start warming up when the last ensemble member finally arrives: covered in blood and blathering about how it’s raining sheep blood outside. Is it raining blood? Is it sheep blood? Did Myron remember the pitch pipe?! All of these questions and more will be answered!
On WPW Backstage by Mike Fischer
The Way We Live Now: Finding Community and Speaking Truth in a Divided America

The Gracious Sisters
2023-05-21 15:30, 2023-05-20 19:00, 2023-05-20 13:00, 2023-05-19 19:00, 2023-05-14 15:30, 2023-05-13 19:00, 2023-05-13 13:00, 2023-05-07 15:30 and 3 more dates | Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, 325 West Walnut St., Milwaukee, WI, 53212, United States
FIRST STAGE
— By Alice Austen; A free adaptation of The Eumenides, by Aeschylus —
When archaeological intern Alice falls down an ancient Greek rabbit hole, she discovers the aftermath of a violent murder, with the goddesses of vengeance, or “Furies,” chasing down the accused to exact bloody retribution. Athena, the goddess of wisdom (and war), persuades the Furies that the accused should have a fair trial before a jury. When the jury is divided in a split decision, all must come to terms with the balance of a desire for vengeance, and the need for grace. Recommended for families with young people ages 13+
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Friday, May 5 @ 7PM
Saturday, May 6 @ 1PM
Saturday, May 6 @ 7PM
Sunday, May 7 @ 3:30PM
Friday, May 12 @ 7PM (Pay What You Choose)
Saturday, May 13 @ 1PM
Saturday, May 13 @ 7PM
Sunday, May 14 @ 3:30PM
Friday, May 19 @ 7PM
Saturday, May 20 @ 1PM
Saturday, May 20 @ 7PM
Sunday, May 21 @ 3:30PM

The Tisch Mills Fringe Festival One Acts
2023-05-21 14:00, 2023-05-19 19:30 | The Forst Inn, E2910 County Road BB, Kewaunee, WI, 54216, United States
By Multiple Playwrights
The Tisch Mills Fringe Festival features two original premiere works along with four previously produced and published works. Our original works include:
DEEPER MEANING by Martin Prevost
A college student goes to see their British Literature professor to discuss a paper they’ve written on Porphyria’s Lover by Robert Browning. What starts out as a simple discussion of the deeper meaning behind the poem turns into discussion of the deeper meaning of life and how sometimes things are not always as they seem. And until you see the deeper meaning behind life you may never truly know what haunts a someone’s past.
ON YOUR SHOULDER by Elizabeth Szyman
Playwright and actress Elizabeth Szyman explores the myriad of emotional turmoil, social expectation, and healing surrounding the concept of grief in the year following the unexpected passing of her mother. Part memoir, part study, part guide, “On Your Shoulder” reveals one individual’s journey surviving universal loss.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Friday, May 19 @ 7:30PM [World Premieres Playing]
Saturday, May 20 @ 4PM
Sunday, May 21 @ 2PM [World Premieres Playing]
Friday, May 26 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, May 27 @ 4PM [World Premieres Playing]
Sunday, May 28 @ 2PM

God’s Spies
2023-05-21 14:00, 2023-05-20 20:00, 2023-05-20 16:30, 2023-05-19 19:30, 2023-05-18 19:30, 2023-05-17 19:30, 2023-05-14 14:00, 2023-05-13 20:00 and 17 more dates | Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St., Milwaukee, WI, 53204, United States
NEXT ACT THEATRE
— Bill Cain —
A lawyer, a sex worker and a playwright walk into a room. And then they stay. Shakespeare (Shax) runs London’s most popular theatre, but now he’s forced to shelter inside due to an outbreak of plague. With the theatres closed and no distractions, what’s left to be done is to write a new masterpiece. Assisted by two unlikely companions, Shax (and favorite Next Act playwright Bill Cain) explore the mysteries of life, love and death while navigating the complexities of a world under quarantine lockdown.

SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Thursday, April 27 @ 7:30 PM
Friday, April 28 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 29 @ 4:30 PM
Saturday, April 29 @ 8PM
Sunday, April 30 @ 2PM
Wednesday, May 3 @ 1:30 PM
Wednesday, May 3 @ 7:30 PM
Thursday, May 4 @ 7:30 PM
Friday, May 5 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 6 @ 4:30 PM
Saturday, May 6 @ 8PM
Sunday, May 7 @ 2PM
Wednesday, May 10 @ 1:30 PM
Wednesday, May 10 @ 7:30 PM
Thursday, May 11 @ 7:30 PM
Friday, May 12 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 13 @ 4:30 PM
Saturday, May 13 @ 8PM
Sunday, May 14 @ 2PM
Monday, May 15@ 7:30 PM – Pay What You Can (all tickets sold in-person only)
Wednesday, May 17 @ 7:30 PM
Thursday, May 18 @ 7:30 PM
Friday, May 19 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 20 @ 4:30 PM
Saturday, May 20 @ 8PM
Sunday, May 21 @ 2PM

Lincoln & Liberty Too
2023-05-21 14:00, 2023-05-20 19:00, 2023-05-19 19:00 | Webb Theatre, St. Norbert College, 315 3rd St, DePere, WI, 54115, United States
By Ralph Ehlinger and Mary Ehlinger
It is 1862, nearly ten years since newlyweds Peter and Jennie emigrated from Luxembourg, settling on the Wisconsin shores of Lake Michigan. Now, with four children and almost enough saved to purchase a farm of their own, the Civil War threatens to detour their dreams. Lincoln has ordered a draft. Led to believe that the war will soon end, Peter enlists. He fights in some of the war’s bloodiest battles until his war ends two years later at Andersonville Prison. Through it all, their letters to each other reveal the durability of the immigrant dream, and the love and hope that can survive the worst of adversities.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Friday, May 19 @ 7PM
Saturday, May 20 @ 7PM
Sunday, May 21 @ 2PM

THE KENOSHA VERBATIM PROJECT by Nora Carroll, Rayven Craft, Katherine Layendecker, Martin McClendon
2023-05-20 19:30 | Wartburg Theatre, Carthage College, 2001 Alford Park Drive, Kenosha, WI, 53140, United States
CARTHAGE COLLEGE THEATRE
— by Nora Carroll, Rayven Craft, Katherine Layendecker, Martin McClendon —
In the summer of 2020, Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha police officer, touching off a chain of events that led to protests and major incidents in downtown Kenosha, including the killing of two protesters by teenager Kyle Rittenhouse. What has happened since then? How has Kenosha changed or not changed? How do people view their city since these incidents? How do we move ahead?
Carthage Theatre faculty and students are creating a piece of reality-based verbatim theatre that will examine how the people of our community have navigated the aftermath. Collecting material through interviews with community members as well as through researching trial transcripts, news articles, and other documents, the team will create a script using the actual words of the people who experienced it.
On WPW Backstage by Mike Fischer
The Way We Live Now: Finding Community and Speaking Truth in a Divided America

God’s Spies [Pay What You Can]
2023-05-15 19:30 | Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St., Milwaukee, WI, 53204, United States

HYPOTHETICALS by Rebecca Anne Nguyen
2023-05-15 19:00 | Sunstone Studio, 127 E Wells St, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
SELF-PRODUCED
— by Rebecca Anne Nguyen —
“Hypotheticals” is a romantic comedy about a beautiful but misanthropic woman who kisses a stranger in an elevator on her way to psychotherapy. When the stranger turns out to be her new therapist, they’re forced into a professional relationship where the intimate environment is as fertile for romantic tension as it is for personal growth—until the revelation of a mutual secret threatens to bind them together or tear them apart.
On WPW Backstage by Mike Fischer
The Reality of an Illusion: Reflections on Rebecca Anne Nguyen’s HYPOTHETICALS

A Woman Is…
2023-05-14 15:00, 2023-05-13 19:30 | Diane Ballweg Theatre, 1000 Edgewood College Drive, Madison, WI, 53711, United States
By Danielle Dresden
This production is a cabaret about family, identity, and becoming who you are. It features triple-threat performer Kiki Moritsugu in a solo show that is part monologue, part musical theater, part tribute, and part exorcism.
It’s all about Kiki’s relationship with her larger-than-life mother, Canadian actress Jo Hutchings. A WOMAN IS… addresses universal experiences even as it follows the story of one woman. Sharing three generations of backstage stories, Kiki shows the love, laughter, and learning that animated a family where role conflict could be a literal thing…plus, her own, personal experiences, from summer stock to every shopping mall in Canada to Broadway.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Saturday, May 13 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday, May 14 @ 3PM

I Carry Your Heart With Me [Opening]
2023-05-12 19:30 | Third Avenue PlayWorks, 235 N 3rd Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI, 54235, United States

The Gracious Sisters [Pay What You Choose]
2023-05-12 19:00 | Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, 325 West Walnut St., Milwaukee, WI, 53212, United States

I Carry Your Heart With Me [Preview]
2023-05-11 19:30 | Third Avenue PlayWorks, 235 N 3rd Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI, 54235, United States

I Carry Your Heart With Me [Preview, Pay What You Will]
2023-05-10 19:30 | Third Avenue PlayWorks, 235 N 3rd Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI, 54235, United States

It’s All Overboard
2023-05-06 20:00, 2023-05-05 20:00, 2023-05-04 20:00, 2023-04-29 20:00, 2023-04-28 20:00, 2023-04-27 20:00 | Broom Street Theater, 1119 Williamson St, Madison, WI, 53703, United States
BROOM STREET THEATER
— By Lisa Sipos —
A cruise-ship romantic comedy; but what happens when true love is sitting on the other side of the political aisle? A recent widower and a divorcee find themselves unraveling an evil plot that must be stopped before the victim says “I do.” Can our hero save the day and his relationships?
NOTE: the doors to the theater (and the box office) open at 7:45 pm. We don’t have a waiting area in the theater, so the doors are locked once the show begins at 8:00. We ask people to arrive at Williamson Street earlier than they think they need to be since it’s a popular place and parking can take some time.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Friday, April 14 @ 8PM (opening)
Saturday, April 15 @ 8PM
Thursday, April 20 @ 8PM
Friday, April 21 @ 8PM
Saturday, April 22 @ 8PM
Thursday, April 27 @ 8PM
Friday, April 28 @ 8PM
Saturday, April 29 @ 8PM
Thursday, May 4 @ 8PM
Friday, May 5 @ 8PM
Saturday, May 6 @ 8PM (closing)

Hush the Waves
2023-05-06 14:00, 2023-05-05 19:30, 2023-05-04 19:30, 2023-04-30 14:00, 2023-04-29 19:30, 2023-04-28 19:30, 2023-04-27 19:30 | Bartell Theatre, Drury Stage, 113 E Mifflin St, Madison, WI, 53703, United States
STROLLERS THEATRE
— By Sam White —
Two women, a generation apart, struggle with the challenges of teenage pregnancy – one in 1948, the other in 1978. Though their lives were similarly changed, their worlds stand in stark contrast as both face the shame, conflict, and social stigmas unique to their generation. Through a magical connection, they reach out to each other across time and space to help the other cope, survive, and flourish. Hush the Waves comes from true stories of acclaimed WI author Sam White’s life, with universal themes, events, and outcomes that explore common threads shared by more families than one might believe.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Friday, April 21 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, April 22 @ 7:30PM
Thursday, April 27 @ 7:30PM
Friday, April 28 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, April 29 @ 7:30PM
Sunday, April 30 @ 2PM
Thursday, May 4 @ 7:30PM
Friday, May 5 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, May 6 @ 2PM

Joe Hill: A Song of Protest
2023-04-30 14:00, 2023-04-29 16:00, 2023-04-28 19:00, 2023-04-27 19:00, 2023-04-23 14:00 | The Prairie Theater, UWO/FDL Campus, 400 University Dr., Fond du Lac, WI, 54935, United States
UW-OSHKOSH /FOND DU LAC THEATRE
— By Anthony Wood —
His music gave a voice to the voiceless. His indomitable spirit inspired millions to march against their oppressors. But just after sunrise on November 19, 1915 Joe Hill was executed by a firing squad at the Utah State Penitentiary, convicted of a murder that many say he couldn’t have committed. Who was this enigmatic man– charismatic leader, cold-blooded killer, or both? Experience his saga through song and story as we delve into the mystery of one of the most important figures of the Twentieth Century.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Thursday, April 20 @ 7PM
Friday, April 21 @ 7PM
Saturday, April 22 @ 4PM
Sunday, April 23 @ 2PM
Thursday, April 27 @ 7PM – Pay What You Can
Friday, April 28 @ 7PM
Saturday, April 29 @ 4PM
Sunday, April 30 @ 2PM

Artemisia
2023-04-30 14:00, 2023-04-29 19:30, 2023-04-28 19:30, 2023-04-27 19:30, 2023-04-26 19:30, 2023-04-25 19:30, 2023-04-23 14:00 | Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State St, Madison, WI, 53703, United States
FORWARD THEATER COMPANY
— By Lauren Gunderson —
Forward Theater is proud to present the World Premiere of ‘Artemisia,’ a new play by Lauren Gunderson (author of ‘Silent Sky’ and ‘I and You’). Artemisia Gentileschi was the most celebrated female painter of the 17th century, yet her name is remembered by few. A work of humor and warmth that celebrates the courage, artistry, and humanity of a woman who attacked the glass ceiling with every brush stroke.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Thursday April 13 @ 7:30 PM
Friday April 14 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday April 15 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday April 16 @ 2PM
Wednesday, April 19 @ 7:30 PM
Thursday, April 20 @ 7:30 PM
Friday, April 21 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 22 @ 2PM
Saturday, April 22 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday, April 23 @ 2PM
Tuesday,, April 25 @7:30 PM
Wednesday, April 26 @ 7:30 PM
Thursday, April 27 @ 7:30 PM
Friday, April 28 @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 29 @ 2PM (ASL performance)
Saturday, April 29 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday, April 30 @ 2PM

Zuri’s Crown
2023-04-29 14:00, 2023-04-28 19:30, 2023-04-28 11:00, 2023-04-27 19:30, 2023-04-27 11:00 | Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall – Marcus Performing Arts Center, 929 North Water Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
BLACK ARTS MKE
— By Sheri Williams Pannell, Cynthia Cobb, Parrish Collier, Don E. Pannell —
A contemporary adaptation of the classic Rapunzel story, the musical is set just around the corner from your neighborhood and features a mysterious woman who teaches a beauty supply store owner’s arrogant wife that being different should not be scary.
SHOW DATES & TIMES:
Thursday, April 27 @ 11AM Student Matinee
Thursday, April 27 @ 7:30PM
Friday, April 28 @ 11AM Student Matinee
Friday, April 28 @ 7:30PM
Saturday, April 29 @ 2PM Matinee

Artemisia [ASL]
2023-04-29 14:00 | Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State St, Madison, WI, 53703, United States

THE FORGOTTEN GIRL by Idris Goodwin
2023-04-26 19:00 | Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, 325 West Walnut St., Milwaukee, WI, 53212, United States
FIRST STAGE
— By Idris Goodwin —
On a cold winter night, Iris and her best friend, Daniel, play in the freshly fallen snow in the woods when they stumble upon the gravestone of a young girl, Avery Moore. Strange things begin to happen, and Iris and Daniel research the area to find answers. They learn of their town’s history of segregation, and become determined to restore Avery’s grave and pay proper respect for her and others buried there. A ghostly tale with a historical twist, this empowering tale examines the connection of past and present, friendship, and forgiveness. For families with young people ages 10 and up.
On WPW Backstage by Mike Fischer
The Great Awakening: First Stage and Black Arts MKE Dream a New Tomorrow for Black America
