The first time I saw a production by this company (or any theater for that matter) was back in my senior year of high school, 2002-2003, in the old Off Broadway space near the Milwaukee Public Market. I was invited to see two plays by one of the English teachers (and head of the school's National Honor Society) with her students. It was great! I don't remember the titles, but I remember one of the shows dealt with a woman losing her mind and working through it or something like that (Angela, you play a great crazy lady; Ruth you are wonderful classic). Anyway, I at least remember how much I enjoyed my first theater experiences. I didn't think I would see much more after that, but then I married a theater junkie and have had the privilege to see much of the wonderful works our city has to offer.
Saturday, October 29th, was my first time inside the new theater space (I saw "The Exonerated," touching play, well done). It is so much nicer then the old space, not that I didn't like the old space but the new one has some advantages the other did not. The new space is configured the same way as the old, three sides for people to sit and the stage essentially in the center of the audience. No more pillars in the way of some people's view, yay! They have parking, yay! (Wait, why am I excited about the parking lot, I don't even drive...?!) It is a larger space then the previous with a roomier sitting area in the box office area. Simple, clean, very minimalist modern design. It lost a little of the close intimate feel the other theater space had, but I guess you'll lose that when you move into a roomier space. The theater space itself is a little lighter then the old, again probably due to its expanding size.
The building is not in a prominent spot in the city, but they turned it into a giant golden yellow building with it's name plastered quite largely on its side so when you're in the right area it should be easy to spot. There are a few places to get food and drink in the area before the show if you're interested, namely: Alterra Coffee, Stack'd (a burger spot), and Moct (a bar). Of course, Downtown is nearby and they have a number of places to eat and drink and shop and such. If you don't have time to go to one of these places, however, they do sell soda and water (do they still sell wine and head sized cookies like the old spot?... I didn't check).
So, go to town, grab a bite, and see a show here. Very nice new spot for this Milwaukee based theater. Bravo! read more