#milwaukee repertory theater collection
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uwmarchives · 6 years ago
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Long before she was the Happy Homemaker or a Golden Girl, Betty White played Milwaukee’s Fred Miller Theater (now the Mirimar Theater) in a production of the two-act comedy ‘Who Was That Lady I Saw You With?’ The show ran for two weeks in April 1960. White was an established actress at the time, well-known enough to make her the show’s feature attraction and garner her a $1,000 per week salary. The show was directed by Harvey Korman (seen lifting Betty’s hat in the photo above), who would go on to star in The Carol Burnett Show and Blazing Saddles.
The Mirimar Theater opened in 1913 as a movie house, originally known as the Mirimar and later as the Oakland. In 1954, it converted to stage theater, named in honor of Fred Miller, president of Miller Brewery and founder of the theater company that used the house until 1969. That year, the company (now known as the Milwaukee Repertory Theater) moved into the downtown Performing Arts Center.
These items, as well as the original contracts of White and Korman, can be found in box 39 of the UWM Archives’ Milwaukee Repertory Theater Collection (Milw MSS 95).
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zeldaspeaksmindfulness · 4 years ago
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Lookingglass Theatre Company
In Collaboration with WBEZ Chicago present the World Premiere Audio Play of
Her Honor Jane Byrne
Written and Directed by Ensemble Member J. Nicole Brooks
Thanksgiving Day at 11am and Saturday, November 28 at 2pm
Chicago, IL–Lookingglass Theatre Company, in collaboration with WBEZ 91.5 Chicago, presents a World Premiere audio play of Her Honor Jane Byrne, written and directed by Ensemble Member and Mellon Playwright in Residence J. Nicole Brooks. Her Honor Jane Byrne will air on Chicago’s NPR news station WBEZ 91.5 FM and wbez,org on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26 from 11am-1pm CT and Saturday, November 28 from 2pm-4pm CT.
Chicago is “The City That Works”—but does it work for everybody? It’s 1981, the city’s simmering pot of neglected problems boils over, and Chicago’s first woman mayor is moving into Cabrini-Green. Is this just a P.R. stunt, or will it bring the City together? For the next three weeks, residents, activists, media, the “Machine,” and the Mayor herself will collide as the City’s raw truths are exposed. Tune in to find out who will come out on top in Lookingglass Ensemble Member J. Nicole Brooks’ bold new work, Her Honor Jane Byrne?
Her Honor Jane Byrne premiered on the Lookingglass stage in March 2020 just five days before the Theatre had to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lookingglass Theatre Company has partnered with WBEZ, Chicago’s National Public Radio Station, to present Her Honor Jane Byrne as a radio play.
The cast features Ensemble Members Christine Mary Dunford (Jane Byrne), Thomas J. Cox (Alderman Roti, Swibel, Photographer, Evidence Tech) and Tracy Walsh (Reporter, Kathy, Claudia) with Robert Cornelius (Black Che, Seller), Nicole Michelle Haskins (Tiger, Rival Kid), Renee Lockett (Mabel Foley), Frank Nall (O’Donnell, Jay McMullen, Daley, Spilotro), Josh Odor (Superintendent Brzcek, Tavern Owner, Bodyguard, Pilot, Host), Taron Patton (Marion Stamps), Willie “Mudlife Roc” Round (Kid, Tral).
The creative team includes Michael Huey (composer), Christopher M. LaPorte (sound designer), Artistic Associate Wendy Mateo (associate director) Jason K. Martin (dialect specialist), Sarah Burnham (production manager), Jeremy Phillips (production assistant) and Ensemble Member Philip R. Smith (casting).
“Our play joins history to myth. Some of it is dramatic interpretation, and some of it is real,” comments J. Nicole Brooks. “When you grow up in a city that’s hyper segregated, run amuck with corruption, and political stunts and discord, you have to work hard to love it. I love the city of Chicago. I love the history. I’m fascinated by ethnic clans. I’m curious about patronage, councils, aldermen, and committeemen. Who gets elected and how? Who gets to lead us, and will they actually listen to us? Though I was very little, I can remember when it was announced that Mayor Jane Byrne was moving into Cabrini-Green. Can she stop the violence? Well, no one person can. Here we are decades later, asking the same questions. I hope our audiences walk away with a bit of the past, so they may know how to shape our future.”
““It was devastating to close Her Honor Jane Byrne last Spring just after it opened.  A play takes years of work to get it to the point of production, and this play was speaking directly to our city about our city.  So we are thrilled and grateful to WBEZ for giving us a new platform to share J. Nicole Brooks’ timely and brilliant play in its new audio form,” comments Artistic Director Heidi Stillman. “Over the past months since the show closed, it’s subject matter has only become more relevant. Her Honor Jane Byrne is ambitious, timely, and an important piece of work about the way geography, race and inequality line up in Chicago – and how choices made in the past are still playing out in our city today.”  
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. The following sponsors generously supported the premiere of Her Honor Jane Byrne on the Lookingglass stage last spring: Production Sponsors—National Endowment for the Arts and Edgerton Foundation; Lead Sponsors—Melinda McMullen and Duncan Kime; Production Support—Leigh and Henry Bienen, Linda Karn, Rachel E. Kraft and Douglas R. Brown, and Abbie Roth.
About the Artists
J. NICOLE BROOKS (Playwright/Director/Lookingglass Ensemble Member) is an actor, playwright, and director. Recent theatrical credits include Lottery Day (Goodman Theatre), Beyond Caring (Lookingglass Theatre Company), and Immediate Family (Mark Taper Forum, Goodman Theatre). Directing credits at Lookingglass include: Thaddeus & Slocum: A Vaudeville Adventure (co-directed with Krissy Vanderwarker), Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting, and Black Diamond. J. Nicole is author of Fedra: Queen of Haiti, Black Diamond: The Years the Locusts Have Eaten, The Incredible Adventures of Yuri Kochiyama, HeLa, and Her Honor Jane Byrne.
ROBERT CORNELIUS (Black Che, Seller) is making his Lookingglass Theatre debut with the world premiere of Her Honor Jane Byrne. Other Chicago credits include the world premiere of Lottery Day at Goodman Theatre; The Total Bent at Haven Theatre in association with About Face Theatre; Rightlynd, Spiele 36, On the Block and Whitley at Victory Gardens Theater; Picnic with American Theatre Company, W;t with The Hypocrites, Raisin with Court Theatre, Taming of the Shrew at First Folio Theatre, Hamlet at The Gift Theatre, and Aida at Drury Lane Theatre. Regionally, Robert has worked at Indiana Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Madison Repertory Theatre, Montana Repertory Theatre, and St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre. Film/TV credits include: Chicago PD, South Side, Shameless, Hoodlum, and The Chi.
THOMAS J. COX (Alderman Roti, Swibel, Photographer, Evidence Tech/Lookingglass Ensemble Member) most recently appeared at Lookingglass in 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas. A founding Ensemble Member, Thom has appeared in many productions since 1988, including: Cascabel, The Jungle, The Odyssey, West, The Arabian Nights, The Master and Margarita, The Great Fire, Nelson Algren: For Keeps and a Single Day, 1984, The Old Curiosity Shop, and Peter Pan (A Play). Regionally, he has appeared at Goodman Theatre, Writers Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Northlight Theatre, The House Theatre of Chicago, Court Theatre, The Gift Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, and Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Most recently, Thom was seen in Bernhardt/Hamlet and A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre) and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Writers Theatre). TV/Film: Brotherhood (Showtime), Chicago Fire (NBC), Since You’ve Been Gone (Miramax).
CHRISTINE MARY DUNFORD (Jane Byrne/Lookingglass Ensemble Member) has appeared in nearly two dozen Lookingglass productions. Christine’s three most recent productions include Blood Wedding, Trust, and Our Town. For Lookingglass’ 25th Anniversary Season in 2013, she directed her own original adaptation (Jeff nominated) of Still Alice, based on the book by Lisa Genova, which has been translated into multiple languages and is being produced in small theatres across the world. Over the years Christine has served the company as managing director and director of development, and she co-founded and taught with Lookingglass’ Education and Community program. Christine is Director of the School of Theatre and Music at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and she co-founded and helps run the Memory Ensemble—a partnership between Lookingglass and Northwestern’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center (CNADC)—that uses improvisational performance activities to improve life for people with memory loss.
NICOLE MICHELLE HASKINS (Tiger, Rival Kid) is making her Lookingglass debut! Acting credits include: The Color Purple (Drury Lane Theatre), U.S. Premiere of Hopelessly Devoted (Piven Theatre Workshop, Jeff nomination: Best Actor in a Play), Caroline, or Change (Firebrand Theatre, Black Theatre Alliance Award nomination: Best Supporting Actress in a Musical), Spitfire Grill (Refuge Theatre Project, Jeff Award Nomination: Best Supporting Actress in a Musical), World Premiere of HeLa (Sideshow Theatre Company); Music Man, Father Comes Home from the Wars Parts 1,2 & 3, and How to Catch Creation (Goodman Theatre), The Wiz (Kokandy Productions, Jeff Award nomination: Best Supporting Actress in a Musical), Parade (Writers Theatre), and RENT (Theo Ubique Caberet Theatre). Proudly represented by Shirley Hamilton. School at Steppenwolf Acting Fellow 2014, Associate Artist with Black Lives, Black Words, International Theatre Collective, and MOSAIC Youth Theatre of Detroit Alum.
RENEE LOCKETT (Mabel Foley) is making her Lookingglass debut. Last seen in First Floor Theater’s Jeff recommended Sugar in our Wounds. Other Chicago credits include: Familiar (Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Jeff nomination: Ensemble), Surely, Goodness and Mercy (Redtwist Theatre, Jeff nomination: Performer in a Drama, Black Theatre Alliance Award nomination: Best Actress), A Wonder in My Soul (Victory Gardens Theater), Crowns (Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, Black Theatre Alliance Award nomination: Best Ensemble). Renee has also worked with Babes with Blades, Court Theatre, Northlight Theatre, MPAACT, Prologue Theatre, Collaboraction Theatre Company, Three Cat Productions, Black Ensemble Theater, ETA  Creative Arts, and Black Lives, Black Words. Renee is an ensemble member of MPAACT and an Artistic Associate with Black Lives, Black Words. Most recent Film credits include: The Plow and Freelancers Anonymous, as well as TV roles on The Chi and a recurring guest star role on Comedy Central’s South Side. Renee is represented by DDO Artists Agency.
FRANK NALL (O’Donnell, Jay McMullen, Daley, Spilotro) is making his Lookingglass debut in this powerful piece by J. Nicole Brooks. A member of the Artistic Home Ensemble, Frank was last seen in their production of Vanya on the Plains as Elijah. Other Chicago credits include: Frankenstein (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, Jeff Award winner) and Traitor as Howard (A Red Orchid Theatre, Jeff Award winner). Film and TV credits include: the CNN reporter from Spygame, Transplant surgeon on Empire, Carlisle on Boss, and assorted commercials. Frank has an MFA from the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign.
JOSH ODOR (Superintendent Brzcek, Tavern Owner, Bodyguard, Pilot, Host) is working with Lookingglass for the first time. Chicago credits include: To Catch a Fish and Blood and Gifts (TimeLine Theatre), El Grito del Bronx (Goodman Theatre/Collaboraction Theatre Company), Oorah! (Steppenwolf Theatre Company/LiveWire Chicago), Scientific Method and The Firebirds Take the Field (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble), Welcome to Jesus (American Theater Company), Moment, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui (Steep Theatre), You on the Moors Now (The Hypocrites), Life On Paper (Jackalope Theatre), Hit the Wall (The Inconvenience), Winterset (Griffin Theatre), The Nutcracker (The House Theatre of Chicago) and Sweet Bird of Youth and The Time of Your Life (The Artistic Home). Regionally Josh has worked at the Long Wharf Theatre. TV/ Film credits: The Chi, Chicago Med/PD/Fire, Boss, Betrayal, Janie Jones, Empire, and The Express.
TARON PATTON (Marion Stamps) returns to the stage in Her Honor Jane Byrne. Producer credits includes: N (Greenhouse Theater Center) and Misty Tanner (Q&A Productions). Directing credits: N (Greenhouse Theater Center) Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (Steppenwolf Garage Rep), Bulrusher and Nativity Tribute (Congo Square Theatre). Acting credits: Meet Vera Stark (Goodman Theatre), Hot L Baltimore (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); The Bluest Eye (Steppenwolf Theatre Company and New Victory Theater), King Hedley II (Congo Square Theatre), and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Goodman Theatre). Television credits: The Chi, Empire, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, A Different World.
WILLIE "MUDLIFE ROC" ROUND (Kid, Tral) is a songwriter, playwright, videographer, mentor, and hip-hop artist hailing from the West Side of Chicago, who has performed across the country and opened for Grammy Award-winning artist Lil Wayne as well as Gucci Mane. He does extensive outreach in the North Lawndale neighborhood in Chicago (also known as “The Holy City”) and has mentored inner city youth as part of the College Mentoring Experience, as well as his own youth movement called MUD LIFE (Motivating the Urban to be Determined). He holds a B.A. in Communications, Radio, and Television Broadcasting from Central State University. His play Broke Down Drone (also co-written with G. Riley Mills) played during the 2019 Peacebook.
TRACY WALSH (Reporter, Kathy, Claudia/Lookingglass Ensemble Member) is a Lookingglass Ensemble Member where she has performed in, choreographed, directed, and written many plays on the Main Stage and for the Lookingglass Young Ensemble. In recent seasons at Lookingglass, Tracy provided dances for The Steadfast Tin Soldier, wrote, directed, and choreographed Cassandra for the Young Ensemble, provided intimacy choreography for Beyond Caring, movement for Acts of God, and choreographed Blood Wedding. She appeared in and choreographed Iphigenia in Aulis (Court Theatre/Getty Villa in Los Angeles), choreographed Agamemnon (Court Theatre) and appeared in and choreographed Electra (Court Theatre). Other Chicago choreography credits include: Arcadia and All’s Well that Ends Well (The Goodman Theatre), The Jewel Box and Don Giovanni (Chicago Opera Theatre), Carmen (Court Theatre) and the Napoleonade (Eclipse Theatre Company). Tracy and her husband own and teach at Lighthouse Yoga in Evanston.
FACT SHEET
Her Honor Jane Byrne will air on Chicago’s NPR news station WBEZ 91.5 FM and wbez,org.
Title:                                        Her Honor Jane Byrne
Written and Directed by:         Ensemble Member J. Nicole Brooks
Featuring:                               Ensemble Members Christine Mary Dunford, Thomas J. Cox and Tracy Walsh with Robert Cornelius, Nicole Michelle Haskins, Renee Lockett, Frank Nall, Josh Odor, Taron Patton, and Willie “Mudlife Roc” Round.
Creative Team:                        Michael Huey (composer), Christopher M. LaPorte (sound designer), Artistic Associate Wendy Mateo (associate director) Jason K. Martin (dialect specialist), Sarah Burnham (production manager), Jeremy Phillips (production assistant) and Ensemble Member Philip R. Smith (casting).
Dates:               Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26 from 11am-1pm CT and Saturday, November 28 from 2pm-4pm CT.
                      Also happening online with Lookingglass
The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Lookingglass Theatre Company presents the holiday stream of Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman’s The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Experience Chicago’s beloved holiday tradition with your family this holiday season, as the production streams into your home this December! Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story about a little tin soldier who never gives up, this production is a gorgeous spectacle of music and movement that is perfect for the whole family.
Online access to the production is $25 and includes Livestream and On Demand. An Opening Night Livestream will take place December 1, 2020 at 6:30PM Central. Opening night is $75 and includes a pre-show event with live music hosted by Ensemble Member Kasey Foster, who plays the Ballerina in The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Following the show, Artistic Producer Kareem Bandealy will host a Q&A with Adaptor/Director and Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman, Co-Sound Designer, Composer and Ensemble Member Andre Pluess, and Costume Designer Ana Kuzmanic.
Tickets are on sale now at www.lookingglasstheatre.org.                                                                    
The cast of The Steadfast Tin Soldier features Ensemble Members Kasey Foster (Ballerina) and Anthony Irons (Goblin), with Joe Dempsey (Nursemaid), John Gregorio (Rat), and Alex Stein (Steadfast Tin Soldier).
Original music for The Steadfast Tin Soldier is composed by Ensemble Member Andre Pluess and Amanda Dehnert. Musicians include Leandro López Várady (Music Director/Piano), Greg Hirte (Violin), Juan Horie (Cello), and Constance Volk (Flutes).
The creative team includes Todd Rosenthal (scenic design), Ana Kuzmanic (costume design), TJ Gerckens (lighting design), Ensemble Member Andre Pluess and Christopher M. LaPorte (sound design), Leandro López Várady (associate arranger), Ensemble Member Tracy Walsh (choreography), Ensemble Member Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi (circus choreography), Chicago Puppet Studio (puppet design), Amanda Herrmann (properties),Rigability Inc. (rigging design), Katrina Herrmann (stage manager) and Liz Anne Larsen (assistant stage manager). The production was filmed in 2019 by HMS Media.
The Secret Passage
The Secret Passage is a digital membership that reveals a corridor of hidden doors. And behind each door lives an exclusive peek into the Lookingglass process. From mind-expanding artist conversations to first-ever play workshops to archival audio recordings of our former glories to discounts on classes and public Lookingglass events, the perks of the pass will cast you as a true “insider” and a key player in preserving our future.  
The Secret Passage memberships are $50, for access through August 2021, or $8 monthly. Members will receive a discount to The Steadfast Tin Soldier, along with access to the following monthly programming, plus more to be announced:
The Jungle Radio Play by Upton Sinclair, adapted and directed by Ensemble Member David Schwimmer
The Master and Margarita Radio Play, by Mikhail Bulgakov’s adapted by Artistic Director/Ensemble member Heidi Stillman, directed by Heidi Stillman and Ensemble Member David Catlin, featuring many Ensemble Members including David Schwimmer, Philip R. Smith, Joy Gregory, and our beloved friend and Steppenwolf ensemble member Mariann Mayberry.
           The Scarlet Letter Radio Play by Nathaniel Hawthorne, adapted by Ensemble Member Thomas J. Cox
Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon Sneek Peek, a new musical by Artistic Associate Matthew C. Yee
The Hidden Door: Artist Conversations: Online conversations featuring exclusive conversations with Ensemble Members David Schwimmer, Kevin Douglas, Mary Zimmerman, Mellon Playwright in Residence J. Nicole Brooks, Anthony Fleming, Kareem Bandealy, and David Catlin, among others.  
Live Concerts: Coffeehouse and House Party, features Artistic Associates Matt Yee and Sully Ratke, with a special appearance by Ensemble Member Kareem Bandealy. House Party is an intimate concert by Ensemble Member Kasey Foster and partner Charlie Otto.
For more information on The Secret Passage, visit lookingglasstheatre.org/secret-passage
About Lookingglass Theatre Company Inventive. Collaborative. Transformative. Lookingglass Theatre Company, recipient of the 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award, was founded in 1988 by eight Northwestern University students. Now in its 32nd Season, Lookingglass is home to a multi-disciplined ensemble of artists who create story-centered theatrical work that is physical, aurally rich and visually metaphoric. The Company, located in Chicago’s landmark Water Tower Water Works, has staged 70 world premieres, received 161 Joseph Jefferson Award Nominations, and produced work all across the United States. In 2016, Lookingglass received the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions and in 2017, was the recipient of the League of Chicago Theatres’ Artistic Achievement Award.  
Lookingglass continues to expand its artistic, financial, and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Artistic Director Heidi Stillman, Executive Director Rachel L. Fink, a 29-member artistic ensemble, 22 artistic associates, an administrative staff, and a dedicated board of directors led by Chair Nancy Timmers and President Richard Chapman. For more information, visit lookingglasstheatre.org.  
About WBEZ Chicago
WBEZ, Chicago’s NPR news station, serves the community with fact-based, objective news and information. WBEZ’s award-winning journalists ask tough questions, dig deep for answers and expose truths that spark change and foster understanding. In addition to its local and national news programming, WBEZ Chicago is home to a growing portfolio of popular podcasts, including the “Making” series of Making Beyoncé, Making Obama and Making Oprah; an investigative podcast series, Motive; 16 Shots: A podcast about the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald; Nerdette; and Curious City. WBEZ Chicago has a legacy of innovation as the birthplace of nationally acclaimed programs such as This American Life, and Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me! and the ground-breaking podcast, Serial.
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android-for-life · 4 years ago
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"Meet Milwaukee: Visit the city with Google Arts & Culture"
Did you know that Milwaukee is nicknamed the City of Festivals, and hosts 60 in the summer alone? Or that it was called the “Midwest’s Coolest and Most Underrated City” by Vogue? This summer, Visit Milwaukee is one of 16 institutions partnering with Google Arts & Culture to introduce the world to the Brew City. While our celebrations may look different, we’re bringing our festivities to you. From murals and manufacturing to breweries and fine art museums, here are five reasons you should visit our quirky, dynamic community: 
1. The people
Milwaukee is alive. The moment you start speaking to Milwaukeeans you encounter people who are curious about the world around them and proud of their city. Radio Milwaukee offers a platform for all sorts of creatives, including female poets during National Poetry Month and high school musicians through their music lab with Grace Weber. Imagine MKE gives us a glimpse into the creative process of Milwaukee artists like muralist Ken Brown or poet Dasha Kelly Hamilton.
2. The places
One of the many things we do at Visit Milwaukee is help Milwaukeeans celebrate the city’s culture of beer gardens and breweries, giving a nod to the wave of German and Eastern-European immigrants whose beer-brewing culture still shapes the city today. Sculpture Milwaukee takes us to the city streets, reminding us via world-class sculpture to be thoughtful and to keep a sense of humor during our daily journeys through the city’s downtown neighborhoods.
3. The masterpieces
Discover the city’s unique museums from the Milwaukee Art Museum (which houses one of the largest U.S. art collections!), to the Grohmann Museum (home to the world’s most comprehensive art collection dedicated to the evolution of human work). Explore the Haggerty Museum at Marquette University to see 52 works digitized by Google Arts & Culture (including The Philosopher from Rembrandt’s workshop), and tour the Charles Allis Museum’s collection of gem-like paintings (such as Rosa Bonheur’s Head of Roebuck).
4. The performing arts
Between extraordinary performances of actors and musicians in lockdown from the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, fun action shots from First Stage performances like “Mariposa” and “Roald Dahl’s Matilda,” and stories from the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra celebrating their students and their community, music and theater lovers make their mark in Milwaukee.
5. The history
Park systems are not only maintainers of outdoor space—they’re the keepers of our collective histories, as well. Milwaukee County Parks gives us glimpses into city life at the turn of the century, and paints familiar places in a new light through its newly-digitized collection of historical postcards and photographs. Milwaukee County Parks is joined in their exploration of history by the Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear, whose stories of daily life in the 20’s and 30’s let us peek at everything from grocery stores to immigration. Finally, the Milwaukee Public Museum teaches us about Native American history around the Great Lakes and the role native plants played in their societies.
Curious to see more? Stroll around 10 places you wouldn’t expect to be in Milwaukee, or get to know the city’s alphabet by visiting g.co/Milwaukee, downloading the Android or iOS app or visiting Google Arts & Culture. 
Milwaukee Art Museum
Visit the Milwaukee Art Museum, one of the most architecturally extraordinary museums (the “wings” of the Calatrava building open and close) as well as one of the largest art collections in the country.
Milwaukee Brewery
Discover the history of Eastern-European immigrants and the brewery culture they brought with them with Visit Milwaukee.
Lily Pond, Milwaukee Parks
Dive into the past with historical postcards and photographs from Milwaukee County Parks, and see how Milwaukeeans lived at the turn of the century.
Milwaukee's Female Poets
Listen and learn from female Milwaukee poets as they read their work out loud and give you a glimpse into their community, thanks to Radio Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Muralist Ken Brown
Listen to Milwaukee muralists and creatives like Ken Brown discuss their work through Imagine MKE.
Keith Haring at the Haggerty Museum of Art
Watch iconic artist Keith Haring paint a construction fence at the Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University.
Sculpture Milwaukee
Check out public sculpture and explore the different work that each year brings to Milwaukee’s streets with Sculpture Milwaukee.
Source : The Official Google Blog via Source information
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earlrmerrill · 6 years ago
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Imagine MKE – Chief Executive Officer
An accomplished professional and exemplary leader, the CEO of Imagine MKE will build the organization, advance the strategic agenda, recruit a talented staff, and facilitate the engagement of grasstops and grassroots leaders in Milwaukee.
Organization Imagine MKE is a start-up nonprofit organization whose mission is to unite diverse artists and arts and culture groups to strengthen their ability to thrive and contribute to an inclusive, engaged, and inspired community for residents and visitors of Greater Milwaukee. Imagine MKE will serve as the leadership hub to advance the contribution and sustainability of Milwaukee’s arts and culture sector. The specific goals include supporting artists to access more economic opportunity for their creative expression, partnering with local groups to achieve greater cultural, social, educational, and economic impacts, and building greater public engagement and support for arts and culture. The success of this initiative will increase local and national recognition, local audiences, and financial support for the arts and culture sector and increase social and economic benefits for the city as a whole.
Sustainability of the breadth and depth of the arts and culture sector in Milwaukee has been at risk for many years. This is reflected in increasing dependence on contributed income, lack of living wages for artists, and plateaued audience development. The sector is struggling to remain relevant in a changing population in which many residents have no access to arts and culture. In response to these conditions, more than 100 diverse artists and leaders from arts groups, neighborhoods, business, and philanthropy designed Imagine MKE’s strategic agenda. As a collective impact effort, these same arts, culture, and community leaders will work together with Imagine MKE staff to achieve the overarching deliverable of improved sustainability and expanded community relevance of artists and arts and culture groups. 
This agenda is an ambitious one that was borne of the sector and its activation will be informed by current community opportunities, identifying and layering strategic decisions on organizational priorities. The sector representatives built this agenda with the knowledge that it will be adapted to meet both the needs of the sector and the needs and priorities of the community. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), board, and staff will be the key stewards of managing and advancing this agenda.
Imagine MKE will provide businesses, local government, and community groups a central place to access artists and arts groups to partner on projects that combine cultural, economic, and social impact. The organization will promote and coordinate opportunities to build audience and capacity. Imagine MKE will work to ensure that the philanthropic and public investments in arts and culture have the greatest influence possible and that the sector will gain seats at community decision-making tables. With its partners, Imagine MKE will tell a cohesive, data-driven story of the value and power of arts and culture to build a more connected community. Perhaps most importantly, Imagine MKE will be a leadership voice and ears for the sector as it helps build a more vibrant, engaged, and inspired Milwaukee.
Poised for significant growth, the organization’s proposed, fully staffed operating budget is $790,000, with 100 percent derived from contributed revenue in the initial year. Currently, there is a transition budget with an interim consultant management team in place until the new CEO is on board. Fundraising for the fully staffed initial year is near completion. The staff will include six direct reports to the CEO, one each in programming, fundraising, marketing and communications, outreach and education, network support, and administrative support. Imagine MKE has a 14-member board of directors, led by Chair Katie Heil. Comprised of community leaders, the board of directors includes Work Group Chairs in the areas of Narrative and Network, Public Policy and Advocacy, Neighborhood Based Arts and Culture Impact, and Support for Artists. 
Community As Wisconsin’s largest city, Milwaukee offers rich history, diverse neighborhoods, and world-renown arts and culture. The city sits on the shores of Lake Michigan at the confluence of three rivers where indigenous people lived for thousands of years. In the mid-1800s there was an influx of German immigrants and the sense of community established is still strongly present today. With an estimated population of almost 600,000 residents, the city is the commercial capital of Wisconsin and an important market in the Midwest. Milwaukee is home to seven Fortune 500 global headquarters and many thriving industries, including electronics, medical technology, and food and beverage manufacturing.
Milwaukee provides a robust breadth and depth of diverse arts and cultural offerings. It is the only Midwestern city boasting a nationally acclaimed and ranked symphony, ballet company, regional repertory theater company, opera company, and art museum. There are major facility developments underway in Milwaukee, including a new symphony hall (along with a newly appointed Music Director), new homes for the Milwaukee Ballet and the Milwaukee Public Museum, and continual additions to the world-renowned Milwaukee Art Museum. The Milwaukee Youth Arts Center houses the biggest children’s theater company and youth symphony orchestra in the nation. The city features numerous dance and theater companies, including the highly reputed Milwaukee Repertory Theater and Skylight Music Theatre, a unique musical opera company. One of the reasons for this stellar arts scene is the United Performing Arts Fund, which was established in 1967 and is the region’s largest arts fundraising group. The arts and culture sector has been booming for some time and establishing strategies to protect and sustain these assets will be key to establishing Milwaukee as a vibrant community attracting and retaining the best of talent. 
Known as a “big city of little neighborhoods,” Milwaukee’s East Side, Historic Third Ward, and Bay View are just a few of its great locales, each with its own unique personality. Offering rich cultural diversity with mixed-use areas that are simultaneously historic and hip, the region attracts young professionals and families. The cost of living is 10 percent lower than the national average, making it an accessible metropolitan destination. Major new additions to the city in the past two decades include the Milwaukee RiverWalk, the Wisconsin Center, and Pier Wisconsin. Often referred to as the “City of Festivals,” Milwaukee is home to an amazing film festival, many ethnic festivals celebrating the city’s diverse cultural makeup, and Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival. 
Milwaukee County has one of the best park systems in the nation and the area features numerous outdoor attractions, including kayaking down the Milwaukee River and cycling on the 125-mile Oak Leaf Trail. Sports fans can catch the MLB Brewers at Miller Park, considered one of the best ballparks in America, and the NBA Bucks at the brand-new Fiserv Forum, a 17,500-seat arena designed solely for basketball. Milwaukee also offers extensive options for public transportation, including streetcar, bus, and commuter rail networks. General Mitchell International Airport is the largest airport in the Wisconsin region, serving over half a million passengers a year. 
Sources: jsonline.com; visitmilwaukee.com; mmac.org
Position Summary  An accomplished professional and exemplary leader, the CEO of Imagine MKE will build the organization, advance the strategic agenda, recruit a talented staff, and facilitate the engagement of grasstops and grassroots leaders in Milwaukee. Reporting to the board of directors, the CEO will be an entrepreneurial leader responsible for supervising and directing all aspects of the strategic vision, public visibility, and managerial operations. The successful candidate will be inclusive, collaborative, creative, adaptive, and able to lead a sector-focused, results-based culture defined by the best practices of collective impact. This individual will own a deep commitment to inclusion and racial equity. A passionate champion of arts and culture, the CEO will support staff, board, and volunteers to pursue and be accountable for ambitious goals that socially and economically benefit the community. 
Roles and Responsibilities
Leadership and Advocacy
Serve as the primary representative and spokesperson of Imagine MKE.
Develop relationships with key stakeholders and influencers at the civic, corporate, government, and community levels.
Create and communicate strategies to demonstrate the economic and civic value of a diverse and vibrant arts and culture sector. 
Design and implement strategies to increase the sustainability of the sector by identifying and facilitating opportunities for revenue diversification and audience development.
Increase access to arts and culture experiences in diverse Milwaukee communities and neighborhoods.
Establish strategies and methodologies to measure the social and economic impact of the arts and culture sector and communicate findings through public reporting.
Advocate for increased community investment in arts and culture to address inequities, ensure sustainability, and expand opportunities for growth.
Leverage resources and connections to ensure Imagine MKE is involved in community development decision-making.
Arts and Culture Sector Engagement
Sustain and increase the level of sector engagement through Imagine MKE Work Groups.
Nurture the inclusive nature of Imagine MKE to increase agenda ownership among Work Group participants and to balance expectations. 
Evaluate and prioritize opportunities in collaboration with Imagine MKE Work Groups to leverage resources and achieve maximum impact.
Explore viability to develop and maintain a combined arts and culture calendar for greater Milwaukee to enhance asset mapping and identify gaps in service. 
Partner with a broad array of organizations, such as United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN), Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Greater Milwaukee Committee, and public sector partners, to ensure strategic alignment and coordination of programs with similar goals and objectives. 
Programs and Revenue Development
Identify and explore viability of new program opportunities for Imagine MKE to serve as a think tank for policy ideas and strategies to enhance the arts and culture sector in Greater Milwaukee.
Serve as a guiding partner to artists and arts and culture organizations for best practices in areas including but not limited to organizational structure, board planning, governance, proposal creation, fundraising, and volunteer management. 
Support audience development efforts and explore opportunities to leverage sector marketing through partnerships with UPAF, MARN, Visit Milwaukee, Milwaukee Filmmakers Alliance, Greater Together, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and other similar organizations.
Develop methodologies to measure audience participation and investment and create strategies to reach new audiences.
Expand and diversify creative offerings available to residents throughout Milwaukee’s neighborhoods and elevate the visibility of existing neighborhood cultural assets.
Promote capacity building by providing business development training to individual artists.
Benchmark similar advocacy programs across the country with an eye to implementing best practices.
Organizational Development
Develop a realistic business plan and oversee all aspects of building a new organization, including bylaws, budgets, HR policies and procedures, and strategic, fundraising, marketing, and communication plans.
Oversee all fiduciary and budget aspects of the organization.
Hire and manage staff with clear expectations and support.
Help develop and support the engagement of the board as effective governors, ambassadors, and advocates for Imagine MKE.
Facilitate the collective impact structure, managing a diverse group of engaged stakeholders who will support Imagine MKE’s ongoing work.
Manage organizational resources in accordance with the highest ethical and nonprofit standards.
Instill and drive a culture of philanthropy and accountability within the organization.
Traits and Characteristics
The CEO will be a natural leader and advocate with a high level of comfort and credibility in both traditional power structures and grassroot community environments. A firm believer in cultural equity and inclusion, the CEO will have a deep appreciation for the value of shared ownership and collective impact, along with a strong understanding of the arts and culture’s capacity to transform, inspire, regenerate, and build bridges across communities. A creative entrepreneur and dynamic innovator, the CEO will envision and activate Imagine MKE’s impact and reach. With superior communication skills and political savvy, this individual will possess an exceptional ability to manage and engage diverse networks at all socioeconomic levels. A result-oriented leader, the CEO will pursue and be accountable for ambitious performance goals.
Other key competencies include:
Teamwork – The ability to effectively and productively working with others to unite the sector, achieve organizational goals, and manage conflict.
Self-Starting and Flexibility – The capacity to demonstrate initiative and agility in adapting to change.
Diplomacy and Appreciating Others – The dexterity to identify with and care about others, treating everyone fairly, regardless of personal biases or beliefs.
Qualifications A bachelor’s degree and demonstrated expertise in organizational development, collaboration, program creation, public policy, advocacy, and fiscal management are required. Experience working with public agencies, arts councils, creative industries, and/or similar institutions is essential. The successful candidate will possess a commitment to the arts, artists, and development of cultural organizations. Demonstrated expertise relevant to successfully collaborating with artists, business executives, community leaders, and elected and appointed officials is essential. Applicants must have experience working with boards and high-level volunteers. Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills are necessary. Knowledge of the Milwaukee area’s complexities is highly desirable. 
Compensation and Benefits Imagine MKE’s competitive compensation (commensurate with experience) consists of a base salary along with incentives linked to board designed benchmarks. Its benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage; a flexible spending account; life and disability insurances; paid time off; holiday and sick pay; and participation in a 403(b) retirement plan.
Applications and Inquiries Please submit a letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred) to:
Jenna Deja, Vice President 201 West Lake Street, Suite 133 Chicago, IL 60606-1803 Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 227 Email [email protected]
Imagine MKE is an equal opportunity employer and is dedicated to the goal of building a diverse and inclusive organization. It strongly encourages applications from women, people of color, and members of other historically under-represented groups.
READ MORE
Article source here:Arts Journal
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artsforlifenonprofit · 6 years ago
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AFL to honor Steven Woolf at June 10th Best Performance Awards The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ Augustin Family Artistic Director Steven Woolf will be honored with Arts For Life’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the Best Performance Awards June 10. Arts For Life is pleased to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Woolf “In Recognition of artistic vision, passion and excellence.” Woolf will retire at the end of the 2018-2019 season at The Rep, where he has spent the past 31 years, making it a culturally significant and financially successful theater. However, he will remain as Artistic Director Emeritus. The Rep has exceeded $1 million in single-season ticket revenue for each of the past two years. Woolf has produced more than 300 shows and directed 45. Since 2006, The Rep has received 104 combined Kevin Kline and St. Louis Theater Circle awards. He grew up in Milwaukee, Wisc., and earned a bachelor’s degree in theater and an MFA in directing from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He has directed at regional, stock and off-Broadway theaters, and worked on Broadway. He was on the Juilliard School of Drama faculty under John Houseman. He is on the adjunct faculty at Webster University. “It’s not often you get to live your dream, but I’ve been able to do just that at The Rep,” Woolf said. “My life’s work has been about the theatre, and making it all come together has been a grand experience. Our theatre has had major successes and some bumps in the road. But through it all, I’ve had fun – it’s too hard a gig not to have fun. I am wildly proud to have been a part of the collective effort that has built our institution into a community leader.” Tickets are $25 and available on our website artsforlife.org. #aflbpa2018
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milwaukeerep · 7 years ago
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Milwaukee Rep Hosts First Of Its Kind “Intersections Summit”
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A National Convening of Regional Theater Community Engagement Practitioners
March 23-25, 2018
“What’s always moved me most about the theater is its capacity to build community. It is a communal experience. By definition. In an age of virtuality, it requires presence. The presence of performers, of an audience. At its best, theater creates a sense of shared experience and sparks a conversation in a way no other art form can.” – Ayad Akhtar, Milwaukee Rep Associate Artist
October 18, 2017 – Milwaukee Repertory Theater will host the first of its kind,  Intersections Summit, a national convening for community engagement practitioners in regional theaters across the country.  As theaters continue to add community engagement practices to their institutions at increasing frequency, the Intersections Summit will be a platform for reflection, inquiry, and collaboration.
“The first line of Milwaukee Rep’s mission is to ignite positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community, which means that Community Engagement is as vital to us as the art on our stages,” said Managing Director Chad Bauman.  “By hosting the Intersections Summit, we hope to provide a space for regional theater community engagement practitioners to come together, share resources and increase our capacity for nationwide collective impact.”
At the heart of the Intersections Summit is the recognition that community engagement efforts constantly intersect with the work of others—with colleagues in other areas of our organizations, with organizers and leaders in our communities, with donors, trustees, audiences, and artists. The Intersections Summit is an opportunity for practitioners and supporters of community engagement to name the tensions and the strengths that occur at these intersections, to build collective capacity across institutional and geographical borders, and to envision a future for community engagement in the American theater.
The Intersections Summit planning committee includes Milwaukee Rep’s Director of Community Engagement Cortney McEniry, Marcie Bramucci (People’s Light), Elizabeth Broderson (A.C.T), Leah Harris (Dallas Theater Center), Anita Maynard-Losh (Arena Stage), Chris Moses (Alliance Theatre), Erica Nagel (McCarter Theatre Center), Nabra Nelson (Milwaukee Rep), Jesus Reyes (Center Theatre), Willa Taylor (Goodman Theatre), Jenny Toutant (Milwaukee Rep), and Mark Valdez (Mixed Blood, Alliance Theater)
Support for the Intersections Summit is provided by Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Mpact Program, a new initiative designed to use the theater’s assets to create bridges between disparate communities, bring us together in the examination of varying worldviews, and discover creative ways in which programming can address community needs and maximize our collective opportunities. Mpact is generously supported by Northwestern Mutual, the Lubar Family Fund for Engagement and Education and the Herzfeld Foundation.  Participation in the Intersections Summit is free of charge.
The Intersections Summit Keynote speaker is Carmen Morgan, founder and director of artEquity, a national program that provides tools, resources, and training to support the intersection of art and activism.  Additional speakers and session presenters to be announced in January.  
The Intersections Summit will take place this March 23-25, 2018 at Milwaukee Repertory Theater.   Please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com/IntersectionsSummit for more information.
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showbizchicago · 8 years ago
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Greenhouse Theater Center is pleased to conclude its Solo Celebration! Series with the Chicago premiere of John Walch’s savagely funny one-man show CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL, directed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey and starring Will Allan. CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL will play January 13 – February 12, 2017 at The Greenhouse Theater Center (Upstairs Mainstage), 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at greenhousetheater.org, in person at the box office or by calling (773) 404-7336. 
An inner tube, a bagel, a donut, a lifesaver, a holiday wreath, a tire-swing, a cycle of abuse: circles, and at the center of them all sits an enigmatic squirrel. Orbiting that squirrel is Chester, a self-described “rodentophobe” who spins the outlandish, funny and bruising tale of growing up with a father who developed a rabid hatred for squirrels that eventually infected every aspect of his life. Pursued by memories of his father’s intolerant legacy, Chester is pulled into the black hole at the center of his own life, unsure of how he will break free from the darkness that encircles him.
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Pictured: Will Allan stars in Greenhouse Theater Center’s world premiere of CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL by John Walch, directed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey. Photos by Evan Hanover.
“The Solo Celebration, which was The Greenhouse’s inaugural producing endeavor, has reached its closing production. It has been profoundly rewarding to bridge communities and celebrate solo works born in Chicago and beyond,” comments Artistic Director Jacob Harvey. “Will Allan makes the perfect collaborator in the series’ conclusion, John Walch’s wonderfully off-kilter comedy.”
The production team for CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL includes: Grant Sabin (scenic design), Erik Barry (lighting design) and Jeffrey Levin (sound design), Josh Prisching (video design) and Ashley Bowman (stage manager).
About The Artists
John Walch’s (Playwright) other plays include: In the Book Of, The Dinosaur Within, What God Hath Wrought!, Turn Out to Knead, The Nature of Mutation, Jesting with Edge Tools, Craving Gravy or Love in the Time of Cannibalism, Alice Threw the Looking Glass (a parody of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style), as well as numerous one acts, musicals, collaborations and shorts. His work has been produced, commissioned and developed at theaters such as Center Theatre Group, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Public Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Theatre @ Boston Court, Kitchen Dog, Edinburgh Fringe Fest and Off-Broadway at Urban Stages. Awards include: The Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays; the American Theatre Critics Association’s Osborn Award; the Frederick Loewe Award in Musical Theatre and the Charlotte Woolard Award recognizing a new voice in the American Theatre. John is a two time Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, and was a James Michener Fellow at the Michener Center at University of Texas @ Austin. John is an alum of New Dramatists in NYC, and has taught playwriting across the country and heads the MFA Program in Playwriting at University of Arkansas. Current projects include a pilot for PBS called BrainWorks, exploring the frontiers of neuroscience, a musical with the composer Nile Rodgers, and The Bell Play, a work in progress featuring aerial choreography and tons (literally) of church bells in collaboration with writer-director Katie Pearl.
Jacob Harvey (Director) is the Artistic Director of the Greenhouse Theater Center and most recently directed the world premiere of I Do Today as part of the Solo Celebraton! Series. Harvey is also a producer for Your Theatrics International, a full service entertainment Production Company, specializing in the production of theatrical events around the world. He was awarded the Bret C. Harte Director/Producer Fellowship for Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s 2013/14 Season; served as Associate Producer and Interim Director of Programming for the Drama Desk Award Winning New York Musical Theatre Festival; and served as the Co-Artistic Director of the Ovation Award-Nominated Mechanicals Theatre Group in Los Angeles. He was the co-producer of Ladyhawks (NYMF 2013 Best of Fest under the title Volleygirls); the associate producer of Ryan Scott Oliver’s 35MM: A Musical Exhibition and the director of the Eberhardt and Collyer musical Right Together, Left Together. Other directing credits include, Mr. Marmalade (The Theatricians), The Shape of Things (Silver Bell Productions), the world premiere of The Many Selves of Mia Scott (Carrie Hamilton Theater) and assistant director of the world premiere of Marcus Gardley’s The House The Will Not Stand (Berkeley Repertory Theatre).
Will Allan (Chester) was last seen in Steppenwolf Theatre’s of Annie Baker’s The Flick” Previous Chicago credits include Good People, The March, Animal Farm and A Separate Peace (Steppenwolf Theatre); The Seagull and Dartmoor Prison (Goodman Theatre); The History Boys (TimeLine Theatre); The Whale (Victory Gardens); The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? (Remy Bumppo); Speech and Debate and It’s a Wonderful Life (American Theater Company); Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing (First Folio); and Red Noses and Good Soul of Szechuan (Strawdog). Regional credits include The Mousetrap (Milwaukee Rep) and Red (Human Race Theatre Co.).
About Solo Celebration! 
CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL is one of 12 plays featured in Greenhouse’s Solo Celebration! Series, which includes ten full productions, two limited engagements and other special events running June 2016 through February 2017. Among the other directors connected to solo series are Goodman Theatre Producer and Artistic Collective Member Steve Scott, Writers Theatre Resident Director Kimberly Senior, Directors Lab Chicago Artistic Director Elizabeth Margolius and Remy Bumppo Artistic Associate Linda Gillum. Some of the performers confirmed to star in solo works include Jeff Award-winners Kate Buddeke, Gene Weygandt, Linda Reiter, acclaimed British actor Simon Slater, Will Allan and Carin Silkaitis. Most productions will be produced in their entirety by Greenhouse, while other plays will be stated with co-producers including Sideshow Theatre Company and The Other Theatre Company. Greenhouse’s “Solo Celebration!” is co-produced by Forum Productions and underwritten by the Wendy and William Spatz Charitable Foundation.
About the Greenhouse Theater Center
The Greenhouse Theater Center is a nonprofit performance venue located at 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Our complex offers two newly remodeled 190-seat main stage spaces, two 60-seat studio theaters, an in-house rehearsal room and Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre book store.
Our mission at the Greenhouse is first and foremost to grow local theatre. We strive to cultivate a fertile environment for local artists, from individual renters to our bevy of resident companies, to develop and produce their work. In 2014 alone, The Greenhouse Theater Center provided space for almost 1,000 ticketed performances, serving more than 54,000 patrons. Among these events were at least 30 productions by our resident companies, including the celebrated American Blues Theater and Remy Bumppo Theatre Company. Through our Trellis Program, we offer the community affordable access to our work by housing Chicago’s only dedicated used theatre bookstore, located on the second floor of our complex, as well as offering a free reading series eachTuesday night where local artists workshop their latest scripts. Additionally, we also continue to play an active role in cultivating and nurturing our community through continued partnerships with the League of Chicago Theaters and local Chambers of Commerce.
As of 2016, the Greenhouse Theater Center embraced the true spirit of growth and launched its producing entity. With the announcement of our eight month long Solo Celebration Series, helmed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey, we will produce 12 solo plays from June 2016 to February 2017. Through this inaugural effort, we hope to expand the solo play cannon while also cultivating a larger conversation about the possibilities of the one-person play.
With new ideas always incubating, the Greenhouse Theater Center is flourishing. Come grow with us!
Greenhouse Theater Center’s Chicago Premiere of CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL Runs Through February 12 Greenhouse Theater Center is pleased to conclude its Solo Celebration! Series with the Chicago premiere of John Walch’s savagely funny one-man show CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL, directed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey and starring Will Allan. 
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uwmarchives · 6 years ago
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World Theatre Day 2019
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Milwaukee Repertory Theater: 1978-1979. Romeo & Juliet
The International Theatre Institute began celebrating World Theatre Day in 1962. To join the celebration, we are sharing this image from the 1978-1979 Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, staged at the Pabst Theater featuring Thomas Hulce and Valerie Mahaffey and directed by John Dillon.
The Milwaukee Repertory Theater Photographic History collection allows you to browse photographs of productions by year, playwright, director, actor, and technical designers, among other categories and is available here:
https://uwm.edu/lib-collections/mkerep/
You can also access the theater’s paper collection, which includes correspondence and records with a visit to the UWM Archives at the Golda Meir Library:
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mil00095
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earlrmerrill · 6 years ago
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Imagine MKE – Chief Executive Officer
Organization Imagine MKE is a start-up nonprofit organization whose mission is to unite diverse artists and arts and culture groups to strengthen their ability to thrive and contribute to an inclusive, engaged, and inspired community for residents and visitors of Greater Milwaukee. Imagine MKE will serve as the leadership hub to advance the contribution and sustainability of Milwaukee’s arts and culture sector. The specific goals include supporting artists to access more economic opportunity for their creative expression, partnering with local groups to achieve greater cultural, social, educational, and economic impacts, and building greater public engagement and support for arts and culture. The success of this initiative will increase local and national recognition, local audiences, and financial support for the arts and culture sector and increase social and economic benefits for the city as a whole.
Sustainability of the breadth and depth of the arts and culture sector in Milwaukee has been at risk for many years. This is reflected in increasing dependence on contributed income, lack of living wages for artists, and plateaued audience development. The sector is struggling to remain relevant in a changing population in which many residents have no access to arts and culture. In response to these conditions, more than 100 diverse artists and leaders from arts groups, neighborhoods, business, and philanthropy designed Imagine MKE’s strategic agenda. As a collective impact effort, these same arts, culture, and community leaders will work together with Imagine MKE staff to achieve the overarching deliverable of improved sustainability and expanded community relevance of artists and arts and culture groups. 
This agenda is an ambitious one that was borne of the sector and its activation will be informed by current community opportunities, identifying and layering strategic decisions on organizational priorities. The sector representatives built this agenda with the knowledge that it will be adapted to meet both the needs of the sector and the needs and priorities of the community. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), board, and staff will be the key stewards of managing and advancing this agenda.
Imagine MKE will provide businesses, local government, and community groups a central place to access artists and arts groups to partner on projects that combine cultural, economic, and social impact. The organization will promote and coordinate opportunities to build audience and capacity. Imagine MKE will work to ensure that the philanthropic and public investments in arts and culture have the greatest influence possible and that the sector will gain seats at community decision-making tables. With its partners, Imagine MKE will tell a cohesive, data-driven story of the value and power of arts and culture to build a more connected community. Perhaps most importantly, Imagine MKE will be a leadership voice and ears for the sector as it helps build a more vibrant, engaged, and inspired Milwaukee.
Poised for significant growth, the organization’s proposed, fully staffed operating budget is $790,000, with 100 percent derived from contributed revenue in the initial year. Currently, there is a transition budget with an interim consultant management team in place until the new CEO is on board. Fundraising for the fully staffed initial year is near completion. The staff will include six direct reports to the CEO, one each in programming, fundraising, marketing and communications, outreach and education, network support, and administrative support. Imagine MKE has a 14-member board of directors, led by Chair Katie Heil. Comprised of community leaders, the board of directors includes Work Group Chairs in the areas of Narrative and Network, Public Policy and Advocacy, Neighborhood Based Arts and Culture Impact, and Support for Artists. 
Community As Wisconsin’s largest city, Milwaukee offers rich history, diverse neighborhoods, and world-renown arts and culture. The city sits on the shores of Lake Michigan at the confluence of three rivers where indigenous people lived for thousands of years. In the mid-1800s there was an influx of German immigrants and the sense of community established is still strongly present today. With an estimated population of almost 600,000 residents, the city is the commercial capital of Wisconsin and an important market in the Midwest. Milwaukee is home to seven Fortune 500 global headquarters and many thriving industries, including electronics, medical technology, and food and beverage manufacturing.
Milwaukee provides a robust breadth and depth of diverse arts and cultural offerings. It is the only Midwestern city boasting a nationally acclaimed and ranked symphony, ballet company, regional repertory theater company, opera company, and art museum. There are major facility developments underway in Milwaukee, including a new symphony hall (along with a newly appointed Music Director), new homes for the Milwaukee Ballet and the Milwaukee Public Museum, and continual additions to the world-renowned Milwaukee Art Museum. The Milwaukee Youth Arts Center houses the biggest children’s theater company and youth symphony orchestra in the nation. The city features numerous dance and theater companies, including the highly reputed Milwaukee Repertory Theater and Skylight Music Theatre, a unique musical opera company. One of the reasons for this stellar arts scene is the United Performing Arts Fund, which was established in 1967 and is the region’s largest arts fundraising group. The arts and culture sector has been booming for some time and establishing strategies to protect and sustain these assets will be key to establishing Milwaukee as a vibrant community attracting and retaining the best of talent. 
Known as a “big city of little neighborhoods,” Milwaukee’s East Side, Historic Third Ward, and Bay View are just a few of its great locales, each with its own unique personality. Offering rich cultural diversity with mixed-use areas that are simultaneously historic and hip, the region attracts young professionals and families. The cost of living is 10 percent lower than the national average, making it an accessible metropolitan destination. Major new additions to the city in the past two decades include the Milwaukee RiverWalk, the Wisconsin Center, and Pier Wisconsin. Often referred to as the “City of Festivals,” Milwaukee is home to an amazing film festival, many ethnic festivals celebrating the city’s diverse cultural makeup, and Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival. 
Milwaukee County has one of the best park systems in the nation and the area features numerous outdoor attractions, including kayaking down the Milwaukee River and cycling on the 125-mile Oak Leaf Trail. Sports fans can catch the MLB Brewers at Miller Park, considered one of the best ballparks in America, and the NBA Bucks at the brand-new Fiserv Forum, a 17,500-seat arena designed solely for basketball. Milwaukee also offers extensive options for public transportation, including streetcar, bus, and commuter rail networks. General Mitchell International Airport is the largest airport in the Wisconsin region, serving over half a million passengers a year. 
Sources: jsonline.com; visitmilwaukee.com; mmac.org
Position Summary  An accomplished professional and exemplary leader, the CEO of Imagine MKE will build the organization, advance the strategic agenda, recruit a talented staff, and facilitate the engagement of grasstops and grassroots leaders in Milwaukee. Reporting to the board of directors, the CEO will be an entrepreneurial leader responsible for supervising and directing all aspects of the strategic vision, public visibility, and managerial operations. The successful candidate will be inclusive, collaborative, creative, adaptive, and able to lead a sector-focused, results-based culture defined by the best practices of collective impact. This individual will own a deep commitment to inclusion and racial equity. A passionate champion of arts and culture, the CEO will support staff, board, and volunteers to pursue and be accountable for ambitious goals that socially and economically benefit the community. 
Roles and Responsibilities
Leadership and Advocacy
Serve as the primary representative and spokesperson of Imagine MKE.
Develop relationships with key stakeholders and influencers at the civic, corporate, government, and community levels.
Create and communicate strategies to demonstrate the economic and civic value of a diverse and vibrant arts and culture sector. 
Design and implement strategies to increase the sustainability of the sector by identifying and facilitating opportunities for revenue diversification and audience development.
Increase access to arts and culture experiences in diverse Milwaukee communities and neighborhoods.
Establish strategies and methodologies to measure the social and economic impact of the arts and culture sector and communicate findings through public reporting.
Advocate for increased community investment in arts and culture to address inequities, ensure sustainability, and expand opportunities for growth.
Leverage resources and connections to ensure Imagine MKE is involved in community development decision-making.
Arts and Culture Sector Engagement
Sustain and increase the level of sector engagement through Imagine MKE Work Groups.
Nurture the inclusive nature of Imagine MKE to increase agenda ownership among Work Group participants and to balance expectations. 
Evaluate and prioritize opportunities in collaboration with Imagine MKE Work Groups to leverage resources and achieve maximum impact.
Explore viability to develop and maintain a combined arts and culture calendar for greater Milwaukee to enhance asset mapping and identify gaps in service. 
Partner with a broad array of organizations, such as United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN), Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Greater Milwaukee Committee, and public sector partners, to ensure strategic alignment and coordination of programs with similar goals and objectives. 
Programs and Revenue Development
Identify and explore viability of new program opportunities for Imagine MKE to serve as a think tank for policy ideas and strategies to enhance the arts and culture sector in Greater Milwaukee.
Serve as a guiding partner to artists and arts and culture organizations for best practices in areas including but not limited to organizational structure, board planning, governance, proposal creation, fundraising, and volunteer management. 
Support audience development efforts and explore opportunities to leverage sector marketing through partnerships with UPAF, MARN, Visit Milwaukee, Milwaukee Filmmakers Alliance, Greater Together, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and other similar organizations.
Develop methodologies to measure audience participation and investment and create strategies to reach new audiences.
Expand and diversify creative offerings available to residents throughout Milwaukee’s neighborhoods and elevate the visibility of existing neighborhood cultural assets.
Promote capacity building by providing business development training to individual artists.
Benchmark similar advocacy programs across the country with an eye to implementing best practices.
Organizational Development
Develop a realistic business plan and oversee all aspects of building a new organization, including bylaws, budgets, HR policies and procedures, and strategic, fundraising, marketing, and communication plans.
Oversee all fiduciary and budget aspects of the organization.
Hire and manage staff with clear expectations and support.
Help develop and support the engagement of the board as effective governors, ambassadors, and advocates for Imagine MKE.
Facilitate the collective impact structure, managing a diverse group of engaged stakeholders who will support Imagine MKE’s ongoing work.
Manage organizational resources in accordance with the highest ethical and nonprofit standards.
Instill and drive a culture of philanthropy and accountability within the organization.
Traits and Characteristics
The CEO will be a natural leader and advocate with a high level of comfort and credibility in both traditional power structures and grassroot community environments. A firm believer in cultural equity and inclusion, the CEO will have a deep appreciation for the value of shared ownership and collective impact, along with a strong understanding of the arts and culture’s capacity to transform, inspire, regenerate, and build bridges across communities. A creative entrepreneur and dynamic innovator, the CEO will envision and activate Imagine MKE’s impact and reach. With superior communication skills and political savvy, this individual will possess an exceptional ability to manage and engage diverse networks at all socioeconomic levels. A result-oriented leader, the CEO will pursue and be accountable for ambitious performance goals.
Other key competencies include:
Teamwork – The ability to effectively and productively working with others to unite the sector, achieve organizational goals, and manage conflict.
Self-Starting and Flexibility – The capacity to demonstrate initiative and agility in adapting to change.
Diplomacy and Appreciating Others – The dexterity to identify with and care about others, treating everyone fairly, regardless of personal biases or beliefs.
Qualifications A bachelor’s degree and demonstrated expertise in organizational development, collaboration, program creation, public policy, advocacy, and fiscal management are required. Experience working with public agencies, arts councils, creative industries, and/or similar institutions is essential. The successful candidate will possess a commitment to the arts, artists, and development of cultural organizations. Demonstrated expertise relevant to successfully collaborating with artists, business executives, community leaders, and elected and appointed officials is essential. Applicants must have experience working with boards and high-level volunteers. Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills are necessary. Knowledge of the Milwaukee area’s complexities is highly desirable. 
Compensation and Benefits Imagine MKE’s competitive compensation (commensurate with experience) consists of a base salary along with incentives linked to board designed benchmarks. Its benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage; a flexible spending account; life and disability insurances; paid time off; holiday and sick pay; and participation in a 403(b) retirement plan.
Applications and Inquiries Please submit a letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred) to:
Jenna Deja, Vice President 201 West Lake Street, Suite 133 Chicago, IL 60606-1803 Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 227 Email [email protected]
Imagine MKE is an equal opportunity employer and is dedicated to the goal of building a diverse and inclusive organization. It strongly encourages applications from women, people of color, and members of other historically under-represented groups.
Article source here:Arts Journal
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milwaukeerep · 7 years ago
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Joint Statement on Bronzeville Arts Ensemble’s Work with Two Cultural Institutions
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Bronzeville Arts Ensemble’s production of Mojo and the Sayso in the Stiemke Studio in 2016.
Two years ago, Bronzeville Arts Ensemble (BAE) and Milwaukee Repertory Theater (The Rep) joined in partnership through which BAE would become a resident theater company of The Rep. This unique pairing was designed to strengthen both companies with the ultimate goal for BAE to have a long-term, sustainable path given the tremendous challenges that face emerging theater companies.
Recently an opportunity arose for BAE to join Black Arts MKE as a permanent resident company, and we have collectively agreed to pursue that opportunity. Black Arts MKE can provide the necessary back office and managerial support for BAE to continue to grow and The Rep can invite another emerging theater company to join in residence. 
“This is a great opportunity for BAE. We thank them for their partnership and wish them nothing but success in the future,” said Chad Bauman, managing director, The Rep. The partnership between BAE and The Rep has resulted in terrific collaborations, not the least of which was a critically acclaimed production of The Mojo and The Sayso in the Stiemke Studio. 
“Bronzeville Arts Ensemble is fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in partnership with Milwaukee Repertory Theater over the past two years,” said Sheri Williams Pannell, artistic director, Bronzeville Arts Ensemble. “Collaboration helps make theater happen, especially for relatively new companies like BAE. We are grateful to The Rep for its support and mentorship.”
This important collaboration will only strengthen great arts efforts in this community. “Black Arts MKE is excited to welcome BAE to the family as a permanent resident and looks forward to amazing productions,” said Barbara Wanzo, executive director, Black Arts MKE.
Bronzeville Arts Ensemble will begin its residency this month in time for planning its 2018 production season.
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milwaukeerep · 8 years ago
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A Record Breaking Year for the “A Christmas Carol” Families Program
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Milwaukee Repertory Theater Raised Record Breaking $111,628 for Pillar Partner Boy & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee - the Recipient of the A Christmas Carol Families Program
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a timeless tale of hope and redemption that has been a cornerstone of Milwaukee Repertory Theater for more than 40 years playing to 1.5 million people making it Milwaukee’s favorite holiday tradition.   This year’s brand new production, adapted and directed by Artistic Director Mark Clements was made even more special by raising a record breaking $111,628 through the A Christmas Carol Families Program benefitting Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, one of The Rep’s new Pillar Partners.   
In fostering The Rep’s mission of creating positive change in the community, the annual A Christmas Carol Families Program, was created to raise funds for underprivileged families during the holiday season.   This year’s record breaking donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, is due in large part to an anonymous donor who was so moved by the end-of-show appeal that he pledged to match all gifts given dollar for dollar up to $50,000.  Through the generosity of the A Christmas Carol audiences, The Rep raised $61,628, and combined with the match, a total of $111,628 to support families in need and the amazing programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. 
“It’s humbling to see the level of generosity shown by The Rep and its patrons through the A Christmas Carol Families Program,” said Vincent Lyles, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.  “This is a great example of one of our treasured partners leading a community effort to create opportunities for children that will have a life-long impact.”
“By working closely with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee as a Pillar Partner of The Rep, we’ve seen firsthand the tremendous impact of their programs on our community,” commented Managing Director Chad Bauman. “Not only was the new production of A Christmas Carol record-breaking in terms of ticket sales, I couldn’t be more thrilled that our incredible audiences set a record for their generosity as well, reminding us all as to the true spirit of the holiday season.”
About A Christmas Carol Families Program:
As much as A Christmas Carol is a Milwaukee trading, so too is the A Christmas Carol Families Program.  After each performance of A Christmas Carol cast members collect money to purchase holiday gifts for families in need. The Rep staff volunteers to purchase and wrap the gifts, and then present them to the families.  Any leftover funds are then donated to the chosen organization for all the excellent work they do in the community.  In years past, The Rep has raised nearly $40,000 annually toward these efforts benefiting such organizations as Running Rebels, COA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, La Causa, Journey House, Sojourner Family Peace Center, Next Door Foundation and more.  
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM), one of the largest and longest youth serving agencies in Milwaukee, offers structured after-school and summer programming to more than 43,000 children and teens each year. Within the safety of 44 locations, youth have access to free meals, academic support, role models and opportunities to build character and explore new interests. Through programs like SPARK Early Literacy Initiative and World of Work, the Clubs provide a structured pathway for members to thrive in all stages of their education and gain valuable job experience that will help them develop successful careers as adults.
More than 86 percent of the organization’s annual budget goes toward youth programming. Charity Navigator, America’s largest and most-utilized charity evaluator, has given BGCGM its highest rating of four stars. For more information, please visit www.boysgirlsclubs.org.
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