2018/19 Season Impact Report

2018/19 SEASON I M PA C T R E P O R T

MILWAUKEE REP BY THE NUMBERS

655 $20 PERFORMANCES OF

15 PRODUCTIONS

MILLION

GENERATED IN LOCAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

, 429 15,531 3, 823INDIVIDUAL 195 DONORS ATTENDEES SUBSCRIBERS CLASSROOMS SERVED

52

WITH IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING

,116 890 491 19 STUDENTS

STAFF AND ARTISTS EMPLOYED

SERVED

VOLUNTEERS DONATED

19,925 HOURS OF

SERVICE

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Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Dear Friends, From our humble beginnings on Oakland Avenue 65 years ago to the Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex, Milwaukee Repertory Theater has grown to become Wisconsin’s largest performing arts organization and one of the most significant professional theaters in the country producing nearly 700 performances of 15 plays annually.

While we are perhaps best known for the excellent productions on our stages, the entirety of our work uses entertainment, education and civic engagement to inspire a better tomorrow and help build the skills in our community to make that tomorrow a reality. As your hometown theater, from the stage to the streets, the things we do, we do to bring out the best in Milwaukee!

In this Impact Report, we highlight work from our 2018/19 Season that propelled the theater forward toward achieving our mission of creating positive change through world-class theater experiences that are representative of Milwaukee’s diverse communities. We’re pleased to say that our 65th Anniversary Season exceeded all of our expectations and we hope that you found our programs and productions to be entertaining, provoking and inspiring.

Cheers,

Mark Clements

Chad Bauman

Artistic Director

Executive Director

2018/19 Season Impact Report

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2018/19 SEASON Lost Girl Songs for Nobodies In the Heights Guards at the Taj The All Night Strut!

Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley A Christmas Carol Junk Mark Twain’s River of Song The Chinese Lady Things I Know to be True Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash Rep Lab Every Brilliant Thing Two Trains Running

Chiké Johnson and Malkia Stampley in August Wilson’s Two Trains Running.

Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Chicago Tribune chief critic Chris Jones gave credit to Milwaukee Rep through his feature on our season and stellar reviews of both Junk and Things I Know to be True.

Bill Geisslinger, Aubyn Heglie, and the Cast of Things I Know To Be True.

Photo by Michael Brosilow.

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“I can't overstate how much I admire [Things I Know to be True], which is receiving its American premiere in Milwaukee, under the warm-centered Artistic Director Mark Clements, nor how much I saw it move an audience. …I think this the best new play I have seen this year: I saw it several days ago, have seen other work since then, but still it dances in my head.” – Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune Milwaukee Repertory Theater

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS  In the Heights now ranks as the best-selling production in our entire 65-year history.

After equally successful runs in Cincinnati and Seattle, the production transferred to Portland Center Stage in the summer of 2019.  Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash was extended for an additional two weeks and is now the best-selling show in Stackner Cabaret history. Because of its success, it transferred to Actors Theatre of Louisville for a month-long run in the summer of 2019.  We expanded the Stiemke Studio season to three productions for the first time in nearly a decade.  Junk received a $30,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Mark Clements collaborated with Ayad Akhtar on a new script, cutting it down to two hours with no intermission.

This version was subsequently produced at Washington DC’s Arena Stage.  We hosted the first National Veterans Theater Festival in collaboration with Feast of Crispian. The festival featured productions from veterans across the country and explored issues of returning home and processing military experiences.

 Associate Artistic Director May Adrales was the recipient of the League of Professional Theatre Women’s Josephine Abady Award for creating work of cultural diversity.

 Executive Director Chad Bauman was awarded the 2019 Friend of the Hispanic Community Award by the United Community Center.

2018/19 Season Impact Report

Corbin Mayer and Alex Keiper in Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash.

Photo by Michael Brosilow.

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NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT Jonathan Wainwright, Justin Jones, and Dominic Comperatore in Junk.

Photo by Michael Brosilow.

This season, we produced five premiere productions: the American Premieres of Songs for Nobodies and Things I Know to be True, the World Premieres of Lost Girl and Mark Twain’s River of Song, and the Regional Premiere of Junk.

Within the John (Jack) D. Lewis New Play Development program, we hosted workshops for Tama’s Empanadas by KJ Sanchez (formerly called Grandma’s Empanadas); Run Bambi Run!

by Mark Clements, Eric Simonson, and Gordon Gano of The Violent Femmes; and George and Emily by Associate Artist Jonathan Daly.

We currently have several works in various stages of development, including works commissioned from Dael Orlandersmith, Eleanor Burgess and Catherine Trieschmann, with several more in the process of being commissioned.

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Milwaukee Repertory Theater

ARTISTIC TRAINING Professional Training Institute Of the 75 Milwaukee teens that auditioned, just 16 students were selected to participate in free monthly masterclasses to learn from Milwaukee Rep’s artists. The program culminated in a production of Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a modern retelling of the classic morality play, where students experienced what it was like to be paid professional actors.

Graduating students will attend DePaul University, Yale University, and the Guthrie Theatre’s BFA acting program.

“This has been one of the most defining programs of my adolescence.”

Emerging Professional Resident Program Twenty emerging artists from across the country joined us for the season to train as professional actors, directors, stage managers, theater technicians, educators, and company managers alongside our professional staff. They received housing, bus passes, and a weekly stipend so they could focus on their craft full time.

“I’m extremely grateful that I was able to meet and learn from some of the most talented actors in the country. I have a much better understanding of what it means to be prepared as an actor, and how to contribute most effectively to an ensemble.”

2018/19 Season Impact Report

2018/19 Emerging Professional Residents in Rep Lab 2019.

Photo by Michael Brosilow.

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MPACT - COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Our Mpact initiative combines engagement and education programs to foster authentic relationships and provide meaningful opportunities for civic discourse.

We developed the Power & Money Series as an ongoing conversation throughout the season. This series of workshops, panel discussions, and community round table events explored the intersection of wealth, business, and power in Milwaukee as it related to select productions.

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Power & Money & Puerto Rico Power & Money & FAFSA Power & Money & Wisconsin & Writers Power & Money & Dumplings & Dialogue Power & Money & Milwaukee & Architecture Power & Money & Literacy & Women Power & Money & Sideshows Power & Money & Orientalism Power & Money & Response & Resistance Power & Money & Property & Development

Milwaukee Repertory Theater

This season, a mural was created during In the Heights, where community members came together to paint different squares of the mural. The final mural hung in the lobby throughout the production. To further build community, we provided short performances from the production at more than 20 events during the summer of 2018.

Our innovative Act II program took place after every performance of Every Brilliant Thing. Audience members stayed to participate in post-show discussions about mental health facilitated by the Zeidler Center for Public Discussion.

Scott Greer in Every Brilliant Thing.

Photo by Michael Brosilow.

2018/19 Season Impact Report

During our production of A Christmas Carol, we provided 2,000 free tickets to 28 Milwaukee organizations through our Tiny Tim ticket program. This program allows local children and families to attend who otherwise would not have the opportunity.

Jonathan Wainwright and the Cast of A Christmas Carol.

Photo by Michael Brosilow.

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MPACT - EDUCATION Rep Education uses an arts-integrated approach to increase literacy, social emotional skills, and active participation in theater. During the 2018/19 Season, nearly 20,000 students representing 150 schools were involved in in-school residencies, after school programming, Rep Immersion Days, and student matinees.

Reading Residency

After School Program

Reading Residencies took place around In the Heights, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, and Two Trains Running. We had 52 middle and high school classrooms participate and nearly 1,500 students throughout the Milwaukee Public School system.

Over 10 weeks, students from five sites participated in programming that used art to explore their community, passions, and identities. We held showcases in December and May, where students showed the work they created through this program for family and friends in the Stackner Cabaret.

“

Something I gained from this program is confidence. For example before this program I felt scared to read but now I like to read especially scripts.

“

I think the idea of having students see a play to learn about the many problems the characters [in Two Trains Running] and [August Wilson] had is a very important thing for students within MPS to learn.

”

This will be the last year we provide this type of after school programming.

Beginning in the 2019/20 school year, we will replace this program with the nation-wide August Wilson Monologue Competition.

”

– student participants

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Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Amani Neighborhood Revitalization We participated in community events like Thanksgiving dinners and the annual Safe Summer Kickoff at Moody Park. We provided Reading Residencies and after school programming for neighborhood youth.

Finally, we provided community-based programs including The Amani Storytellers, an intergenerational group of residents that communicate the positivity of Amani.

In the summer of 2019, our Education staff traveled with several residents to the Center for Performing and Civic Practice Institute in Chicago to devise a co-creation model that will help raise awareness around lead water issues in Amani.

Teen Council Members of Teen Council represented Milwaukee Rep at Arts Advocacy Day in March, meeting with state representatives and advocating for the value of public arts funding. Students also served as panelists at the annual Theatre Communications Group conference in Miami, FL.

2018/19 Season Impact Report

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PILLAR PARTNERS

MPACT COUNCIL

Our eleven Pillar Partners are community organizations in long-term mutually beneficial partnerships with The Rep.

A council comprised of civic leaders who guide our community engagement efforts.

John Kordsmeier, Chair of Mpact Council Former Board President of Milwaukee Rep Former President of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation

Dr. Dan Bergen Executive Director, Marquette University Office of Community Engagement

La’Ketta Caldwell Senior Program Manager, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee

Bridget Clementi VP, Community Health, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin

Katie Heil Community Volunteer (Greater Together, Milwaukee Film Festival, Cultural Commons)

Glenn Kleiman Executive Director, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee

Connie Kordsmeier Former Teacher, Community Volunteer

Susan Lloyd Former Executive Director, Zilber Family Foundation

Jacobo Lovo Artistic Director, Latino Arts

Marianne Lubar Community Volunteer

Rob Manegold Board Member

Cacy Masters Associate Director, Safe & Sound

Tonen O'Connor Former Managing Director of Milwaukee Rep Resident Priest Emerita, Milwaukee Zen Center

Paula Penebaker President & CEO, YWCA

Dr. Christine Pharr President, Mount Mary University

Tom Schneider Executive Director, COA Youth & Family Centers

Jennifer Steiner Marketing Director, United Community Center

Zak Van Voorhees Director of Program Services, Lead 2 Change

Dr. Katherine Wilson Executive Director, Zeidler Center for Public Discussion

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Milwaukee Repertory Theater

STACKNER CABARET

The newly renovated Stackner Cabaret opened in September 2018 on time and on budget to the delight of our patrons and guests. We were able to add 60 seats with the new configuration, update our aging kitchen, invest in new production equipment, and replace the uncomfortable aluminum chairs. Its elegant design won local architecture firm Uihlein/Wilson - Ramlow/Stein Architects the silver award for design from the American Society of Interior Designers.

Inspired by a lead gift from Vince and Jan Martin, 55 generous corporate, foundation, and individual donors came together and contributed $1.78 million to realize this project.

2018/19 Season Impact Report

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FINANCIALS ( un audi ted)

REVENUES TOTAL REVENUE: $14,220,176 Ticket Sales - $7,050,807 (50%) Contributions & Grants - $4,870,444 (34%) Food & Beverage - $916,855 (5%) Endowment - $524,000 (4%) Other Sources - $858,070 (6%)

EXPENSES TOTAL EXPENSES: $13,217,994 Programming - $7,611,964 (58%) Marketing - $2,212,786 (17%) Fundraising - $677,751 (5%) Administrative - $1,307,003 (10%) Food & Beverage - $837,947 (6%) Occupancy - $708,976 (5%) Charity Navigator The Rep received Charity Navigator’s 4-star ranking for financial management for the sixth straight year. We remain the only performing arts organization in Wisconsin to receive a 4-star ranking.

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United Performing Arts Fund The Rep received UPAF’s Good Stewards award for managerial excellence in 2018 for the fourth time in five years.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater

2018/19 BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF F ICERS President

Secretary

Gregory C. Oberland Catherine Robinson Northwestern Mutual

Community Volunteer

Retired President

At Large

Joaquín Altoro Town Bank Senior Vice President

Vice President, Development

Gina Peter

Treasurer

Patrick Gallagher CBRE Capital Markets

Wells Fargo

At Large

Judy Hansen

Executive VP

Vice President

Broadway Producer

Vice President, Trustees

Immediate Past President

At Large

Stacy P. Williams

Ed Seaberg

Robert W. Baird & Co.

Rockwell Automation

Senior Investment Consultant

Former VP of IT Operations

Linda Marcus Linda Marcus Design Principal

TRUSTEES Ayad Akhtar

Robert H. Duffy

Kris Lueders

Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright

Quarles & Brady

Foley & Lardner LLP

Matt Bartel

Partner, Labor & Employment Practice, Banking & Financial Institutions Practice

Robert H. Manegold

Watermark

Molly Fritz

President, Digital Measures

Ivor Benjamin, MD Medical College of Wisconsin Cardio-Vascular Center Director, Professor

Wendy W. Blumenthal Blumenthal & Associates

Community Volunteer

Charles E. Kubly Foundation

Dr. Mark Niedfeldt M.D.

President

ModernMed

John Halechko

Adam J. Peck

Associated Bank

Riverwater Partners

Exec. VP., Director of Branch Banking

Principal and CIO

Bryan B. House

James Phelps

Melanie Booth

Foley & Lardner LLP

JCP Construction

Community Volunteer

Partner

President

Warren Buliox MWH Law Group Partner

Bladen Burns Fiduciary Management

John Hunzinger, P.E.

Joseph Pickart

Hunzinger Construction Company

Husch Blackwell

President

Partner

Lynda Johnson Harley-Davidson, Inc.

Karen Plunkett Plunkett Family Foundation

SVP and Partner

Assistant Treasurer

Mike Carter

Bradley Kalscheur

MiraMedia3

Michael Best

Principal

Northwestern Mutual Chief Financial Officer

Partner, Wealth Planning Services

Jane Chernof

David Kundert

Community Volunteer

Marybeth Cottrill BMO Wealth Management Private Wealth Advisor

Amy Croen Geneva Capital Co-Founder, Co-President

2018/19 Season Impact Report

JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management Retired Chairman

Phoebe Lewis

Caran Quadracci Craig Swan Community Volunteer

Deborah Tomczyk Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Community Volunteer

Partner and Chair of Real Estate Practice Group

Joan Lubar

Nicholas P. Wahl

Community Volunteer

Godfrey Kahn President and Managing Partner

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FRONT COVER: Ryan Alvarado and the Cast of In the Heights. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

BACK COVER: Lisa Helmi Johanson in The Chinese Lady. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater 108 E. Wells St. Milwaukee, WI 53202