Milwaukee Rep's 2016/2017 season

Classics, prize-winners, musicals & more!

Last night, I was one of the many theater-loving, Rep-supporting Milwaukeeans who packed into the Quadracci Powerhouse to find out what's happening at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater next season. I won't go into great detail — you can find all the scoop on the Rep's website — but I will tell you what I'm most excited about.

There are a few shows in the Stackner Cabaret (a small, cabaret-style dinner theater) that I'm itching to see. The first is Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill — an award-winning musical that's an up-close and personal evening with Billie Holiday. In a similar days-of-yore musical vein, the Stackner will also perform I Love a Piano — a celebration of the music of Irving Berlin. Though it will be hard not to hear Judy's voice in my head, I'm super stoked for that one. Then there's McGuire — the story of Marquette basketball's Al McGuire and a show that's sure to bring in that cross-section of theater-goers and Milwaukee sports fans (Merry Christmas, Dad!).

In the Powerhouse, the musical is Man of la Mancha — the story of Don Quixote and winner of five Tony awards including Best Musical and Best Musical Score. I can't say I really know any of the music, but with a resume like that, sign me up! For non-musicals, next January the Rep will do the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Disgraced, written by Milwaukee native Ayad Akhtar (writer of the Rep's upcoming play The Invisible Hand). Their final two Quadracci plays in 2017 will be The Glass Menagerie and Jane Eyre — an American classic and sweeping costume drama, respectively. Lots of awesomeness to look forward to. 

Oh, and then there's a re-imagined Christmas Carol! The Rep has been putting on this classic Christmas story for 40 seasons, so any re-imagining is a welcome breath of fresh air. It will be cool to see what new wonders they bring to the show. Spoiler alert: We were told there would be snow in the audience! Consider me there with jingle bells on. Now where do I subscribe to the Rep's next season?