Although I thought the play Circle Mirror Transformation was done poorly, I loved the theater…read more Intimate, the audience on three sides, there isn't a bad seat in the house. Acoustics are good and the lighting excellent. As for Circle, the casting was ludicrous, especially the younger women who didn't fit their roles at all. Their performances were less than high school level. They played into over-acting, exaggerating every facial expression and movement. It was embarrassing. This play's staging is all about mirror placement. The audience should be able to see the reactive expressions of the actors from different angles. This director placed one mirror at the back of the stage, barely reflecting the audience. What the heck was that? It served no purpose. I understand the Next Act Theater has a low budget, but hire actors who look the part of the characters they play. There are hundreds of wonderful theatrical artists in the Milwaukee area who would give anything for one of these parts. There is no excuse. All that being said, the Next Act Theater is still a fantastic venue to see a production, most are much better than this version of Circle Mirror Transformation, an Obie award winning play.

Milwaukee's theater scene is really strong, but don't sleep on this small powerhouse of a theater,…read moreNext Act Theatre! I loved my subscriptions in 2021, 2022, and can always count on Next Act to give me a play that makes me think, laugh, question society through the lens of a new play written in a Shakespearean style or through a multicultural lens. So far in 2023 I've enjoyed Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" the West End's longest running play, and am looking forward to another in 2024! The art in the lobby is curated to reflect the current play, as well! Seats are easy to purchase online or by phone, and there's even an audio service during performances for the hard of hearing. Next Act supports the best in acting talent in the Milwaukee area, great playwrights and I recommend you check them out!

This theatre is a hidden gem in a great part of Milwaukee. I realized it happened to be right down…read morethe street from my apartment on Broadway. What a great location! When you walk inside it is so much more magnificent than expected! The people are friendly and helpful in directing you to the right place. There is a full bar on the second floor that allows you to bring drinks into the theatre. It seems as though they usually have two shows rolling at once -- one to the right, one to the left. Lots of people and so much fun! The play was awesome and I'd love to go check out others.

All the Stars!! Nothing is more classy than a night at the…read moretheater. I am a musician and I appreciate all types of musical performances. Being a percussionist, I was totally amped when a band mate suggested we come here for "Things that go Ding!"; a humorous performance of percussion-based vaudeville, musicals, and classical music genres. You haven't heard anything until you have heard the Aria from Carmen played on a two-octave set of taxi horns. For a percussion based musical performance, the sound in the Cabot Theater was just perfect. No matter the volume level, it was always perfectly clear and balanced. This theater seats about 350 seats with two level of boxes. It's a beautiful homage to an 18th century European opera. I was very happy with how roomy the seats were. I'm 6'4" and had plenty of legroom. Upstairs has a very nice bar area and the "black box" theater for smaller productions. I've been in there for two "Theatrical readings of Yelp Reviews" events in years past and have always thoroughly enjoyed being here. The staff is very professional, very talented, and very friendly. Prices are very reasonable and there are tons of great restaurants within walking distance. Class up your life and check out the latest events here!!

The Warner Grand Theater is beautiful! I've attended two holiday pops concerts here as while as a…read moremovie night where MSO played the score. I've sat in the balcony and in the orchestra, there are no bad seats. Speaking of seats, they are quite a bit roomier than you would think! There are bars on all the floors and plenty of bathrooms. The lobby area has floor to ceiling windows allowing for lots of natural light to shine through. We are so lucky to have such a beautiful theatre and wonderful orchestra in Milwaukee.

First time here to see a concert, Keb Mo and Shawn Colvin…read more The theater is breathtaking. They have done such an incredible with the restoration. The inside is excellent. The stage, the audience seats, balconies, all wonderful. There was great attention to all the details. We had great seats, Orchestra, 3rd row center. Great sight line to the stage. The lighting was very good. Our issue was with the sound. Not sure if it was the location (too close), the acoustics of the room, or the mixing, but for us the sound was muddled. I think next time we will try to get a spot further back. The lobby area is quite comfortable. And the adjoining lobby the east allows for gathering or special events. The entire place is a GEM. Looking forward to our next visit.

Been coming to the Rep for years. This past year they completely remodeled several of the theaters,…read moreincluding the Powerhouse, which has been rebranded as the Checota Powerhouse, formerly the Quadracci Powerhouse. We were there on a Saturday night to see the premiere of Come From Away. The theater and all the amenities are terrific. The entire space feels much more open and free flowing. The actual theater now has more seating, and the seats have armrests, which for me is a big plus. The stage is also larger, with more vertical space, which really enhances the overall experience. We arrived just in time for the show, and since there was no intermission, there was not much opportunity to explore the public spaces while they were fully in use. Looking forward to spending more time taking it all in at the next show, coming up in January.

The Milwaukee Rep is a great place to catch a show. We saw Mrs. Christie last night in the Checota…read morePowerhouse Theater. The seats are comfortable and have a nice amount of seat room. I like that you don't feel like you are on top of each other. Last night's experience was a bit unique in that the weather delayed our performance start time. Staff were professional and kept everyone in the theater for safety. Once the tornado warning was lifted, we were able to congregate by the bar area until they were ready to start. I purchased a rishi tea for $4.50 while we waited. I could not get the hot water out of the carafe, staff assisted and realized the internal pump was isn't the carafe. Plenty of bathrooms for during intermission. While it can take a while to get out if the attached parking garage after the show, it is a good option for parking. I purchased parking ahead of time for $12 and just scanned a QR code in/out. Easy. My only complaint is that I wish the Milwaukee rep would have posted the weather delay online as I kept checking their social media pages to see if the show was still going to happen.

celebrated my birthday!! show was 100% interactive I had a blast I would recommend to friendsread more

Date of visit: Saturday, February 10…read more This experience was a gift from a friend that had always wanted to do a murder mystery dinner/party. I too, have always been interested in this concept though the results were a mixed bag. Check in was a bit of a cluster as there were two tables next to each other, but no signs and that resulted in people shuffling back and forth because there was nothing to guide us. Once we got in the right line, we were asked to come up with a name for ourselves for the evening. Wish we had known this in advance so we could have been more creative. We then were checked in and given tickets for our food choices. There was a color-coding system that almost everyone forgot as soon as they found their table and wish they would have just labeled the damn things, "pork," or "chicken." Speaking of pork, the food overall was just okay. My apple pork was pretty good but I didn't care for the green beans. The salad was pretty good, as were the rolls. The cheesecake dessert was pretty pedestrian, likely Sara Lee or the like. After you were seated, the "host," Sue came in to lay the ground rules. I think much of my dissatisfaction stemmed from her and the two police office actors who were just a bit over the top for my tastes. Sue did not have the qualities of a good host, in my opinion. She was efficient and knew her stuff, but wasn't charming or gracious. I found her a bit grating, unfortunately. I am sure she's a lovely person she just didn't set the scene for me. I also didn't like the "interactive" portions of the event where we were encouraged to mingle with the other participants to see who was "suspicious." For those more introverted folks, this was not great. Given all that, kudos to the rest of the acting staff for injecting some fun and mystery to this event!

We love live performances, but we don't often go to the MPAC. It's partly because of the selection…read moreof shows, and partly because of the size of the space. We prefer the more intimate setting of the smaller theaters in town. However, if you want to see a Broadway-caliber show, then Marcus is the place to go. We got tickets for Hamilton. The show itself was amazing. Most of the people I met there had been to at least one other performance. Many of them knew the dialogue and lyrics and could easily follow along. For someone without those benefits, we struggled to understand. Some of this was due to the performers' voices, how well they were mic'd, the mixing at the soundboard, and the acoustics in the space. It's hard to get consistent, high-quality sound in a large theater. We were in the L5 balcony seating, and that is definitely not as good as being on the main floor, center (no surprise there). Also, they recently updated the main orchestra seating with additional aisles so that you don't have to literally climb over 50 people to get to your seat. That is not the case in the balcony sections. There are only two ways to get to your seat: far right or far left. We were in the very middle, so neither point gave any advantage. The attached parking structure is convenient, but have you ever been in one that is more bumpy? Did they actually design it with speed bumps every 20 feet? Glad we went to the show.

I went with a friend on a Sunday afternoon to see the Milwaukee Ballet Alice in Wonderland at…read moreMarcus Performing Arts Center. It was absolutely incredible! The costumes were amazing, the choreography was perfect, and the ballet dancers were so graceful and talented. I was in awe the entire time!

My love affair with the Boulevard is fairly new. Mark (The Artistic Director) stopped by a meeting…read moreI hosted awhile back and brought along some of the actors to share a reading with us. I then drug my date to the full length performance of "Circle Mirror Transformation". I had no idea what to expect, but I loved the energy and accessibility of the folks I met and I wanted more. I enjoyed the first show so much I've been to another one since and have brought several of my friends with me! That same energy and sense of accessibility was clear at the theater-I was not disappointed! Mark makes a point to acknowledge people in the audience, thanking them, and asking them to talk about their organizations. There is a real sense of community happening and it's hard not to feel like part of the family. Location is perfect-You can park once and grab dinner before and drinks or dessert after. Arrive early (Doors open 20 minutes prior to curtain). Try out your chair and make sure it's comfortable, there are a few fairly uncomfortable ones. Avoid the "Lincoln Balcony". Have a drink and pee before you get there. Small space=No food/drink service and one tiny bathroom.

My husband and I love going to see the many wonderful productions performed in this small theater…read morespace. They hire many beginning actors/ actresses, helping get their foot in the door, as well as many local talents. Mark is always very sociable and promotes the current works being presented by other theater companies; many times if someone from another theater is in the audience he will give them a moment to announce what they have in store. This theater is one of the reasons Bay View has become such a wonderful neighborhood to visit, live in, and open new business. I would suggest giving this theater a try, I think too many people overlook local theaters and miss out on some very well produced pieces. Also, Mark is a certified officiant for weddings and did a wonderful job with ours. We received many compliments from our guests and we were thrilled that he could take part in such an important way on our wedding day. Thanks Mark! :) Street parking only, in spitting distance of: Cafe Lulu, Guanajuato (sp?), Riviera Mia, Babe's, Stone Creek Coffee, Toppers, Cafe Centraal, Wild Flour Bakery, and Jimmy Johns in case you want dinner or a snack before the show. There are other scrumptious places to eat within a short drive as well.

Renaissance Theaterworks is dedicated to improving gender parity in theater. They're the only woman…read morefounded and run theater company in Milwaukee. What's not to love about that?!? My mom and I went recently to their production of Top Girls. The theater space the show was in was perfectly intimate (not a bad seat in the house). I love enjoying plays in such small venues. To be able to see the actors every facial expression and gesture completely captivates me. The play was beautifully acted and thought provoking. It was a great play to see with my mom (who was staying with me for a couple weeks). We ended up having some great conversations about it! If you go to see one of their shows on a Wednesday evening, it's wine Wednesday! You get a complimentary glass of wine with the play. Oh...and they gave us chocolates (like really amazing, rich bites of heavenly goodness) as we exited. What a lovely evening! Get to it!

Founded in 1993, Renaissance Theaterworks is Milwaukee's only women-founded, women-run theatre…read morecompany. Their mission is to "create compelling theater focusing on the exploration of the feminine voice and to offer professional opportunities to emerging local theater artists." I've seen two of their excellent offerings written by 2009 Playwright in Residence (part-founder) Marie Kohler: Boswell's Dreams (2005) and the Dig (2009). Both plays were intriguing and well worth my art dollars. The company has since taken up residence at the 100-person seat Studio Theater in the Broadway Theater complex. With the Third Ward location one can easily find plenty of restaurants nearby to make this a nice centerpiece for a night out. Parking in the lot next door is $5 or you might be lucky to find an open meter space. Renaissance Theaterworks is well worth your time and support! Support the Arts, Milwaukee!

This is my 3rd show in the last year at this theatre. The seats are very comfortable with ample leg…read moreroom. The ushers are all very friendly and more than happy to get you to your seat and answer any questions you have. The actors/performers really get into their parts and make the show what it is. Parking underneath the Rep is easy and you can even pay online ahead of time to park and avoid the machines on each floor to pay parking before you leave.

Date of visit: 11/14/21…read more I still remain impressed by the quality and intimacy of this theatre, especially given its previous life as part of a power plant. The seat quality and overall condition of the theatre and lobby are excellent, and it's easy to find your seats after crossing the skybridge from the lobby to the auditorium. They are verifying COVID vaccinations before entering the theatre, which I greatly appreciated. My only issue with this venue is that there isn't enough room for those of us that are above-average height. My legs and feet felt a bit cramped over the course of the show, and I was incredibly pleased that the seat next to me was empty so I could stretch out a tad. I'm only 5'11", I can't imagine what those even taller than me would go through here!

I've been going here to see who's throughout the past decade like Tosh.O, plays and music…read moreconcerts. The most recent show I've seen was the Harry Potter Sorcerer's Stone film and live music orchestra performed by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. What a surreal experience, it was wild hearing live music as the movie played on the movie screen. They served Butter beer and popcorn to enhance the Harry Potter movie watching experience! The front facing building has been renovated which now looks more Modern. And refreshed. The inside shows the classic preserved historic look adding to the experience. Convenient service from the security bag check at the entrance, ticket checking, and concession stands! Come see a show and support the entertainment industry! Including local!

We always enjoy an evening of music at the Riverside it's a beautiful venue with amazing and…read morefriendly staff. The building is also absolutely beautiful .