New Dramaworks: Short Play Festival

Kenilworth Square East, Kenilworth Five-0-Eight 2155 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee, WI

Bold, funny, moving, provocative, original and fresh! View the world we’re living in today through the eyes of some of the newest emerging voices in the American Theatre. The premiere of what will be an ongoing feature of the Theatre Department season, this New Dramaworks series celebrates a collection of original, short dramatic work by UWM students and others that stimulates the imagination and prompts deep conversations.

Once Upon a Mattress

Theatre Building, Mainstage Theatre 2400 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

Once Upon a Mattress, a comic masterpiece based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, propelled Carol Burnett to stardom as Winnifred the Woebegone, a simple swamp princess hoping to win the hand of the prince despite all odds. This hilariously wacky romp is filled with witty, charming, and wonderfully romantic songs and dance numbers composed by Mary Rodgers. It serves as a delightful bookend to a season that began with a neglected gem by her father, Richard Rodgers.

Convocation

Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, Room 250 2419 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI
Hybrid Hybrid Event

You are cordially invited to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts graduation convocation for Fall 2023, Winterim 2024, Spring 2024 and Summer 2023 baccalaureate and master’s degree recipients.

The Green Room and Beyond: A Day in the life of a Theatre Student

Theatre Building, Mainstage Theatre 2400 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

Are you a high school student with a passion for theatre? Whether you're a seasoned performer, a behind-the-scenes enthusiast, or simply someone who loves the art of theatre (like all of us here!), we have an exciting event just for you. It's called "The Green Room and Beyond," and it's completely FREE.

Pericles

Theatre Building, Mainstage Theatre 2400 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

An epic tale of shipwreck and devastating loss, love and redemption across the Ancient Mediterranean. One of William Shakespeare's later plays, Pericles is ultimately a story of the triumph of the human spirit, exploring themes that dominate headlines today: the Middle East, refugees, perilous sea crossings and sex trafficking. It offers spectacular grace and one of the most beautiful reunions this master of the theatrical stage ever wrote.

Musical Theatre Capstone Performance

Theatre Building, Mainstage Theatre 2400 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

A special variety presentation of songs and scenes by the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Students.

Dames at Sea

Theatre Building, Mainstage Theatre 2400 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

The show that launched Bernadette Peters as a Broadway star, this delightful, funny, tongue-in-cheek love letter to Hollywood musicals of the 1930s tells the story of sweet Ruby's journey from her small hometown to New York City to become a Broadway star. There, she meets Dick, a sailor with ambitions as a songwriter. In grand Hollywood fashion, they tap dance their way from the chorus to stardom on the deck of a passing battleship. Dames at Sea is a non-stop ride of romance, laughs, dance and musical delights.

Musical Theatre Showcase

Music Building, Recital Hall 175 2400 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

A special variety presentation of songs and scenes by the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Students.

The Ballad of Maria Martin

Kenilworth Square East, Kenilworth Five-0-Eight 2155 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee, WI

“It’s been a year since I died and still nobody has found me.” Thus begins Maria Marten’s tale of her own murder in 1827 in the village of Polstead, Suffolk, England. “I could tell you that story,” she says, “but I don’t want to yet.” The notorious “Red Barn Murder” sent shockwaves throughout England, retold over the years by playwrights, filmmakers, and balladeers. While the story has all the hallmarks of a classic crime drama—a missing body, a country location, a disreputable squire, a village stuck in its age-old traditions—it is not just a murder story. Told from the victim's perspective, Maria Marten reveals “who I really was. Before.” in an unexpectedly joyous story of female friendship and resilience.

First Year Project

Kenilworth Square East, Kenilworth Five-0-Eight 2155 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee, WI

A play exclusively featuring freshmen performers.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Theatre Building, Mainstage Theatre 2400 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI

15-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain: he excels at mathematics but struggles to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. One night, at seven minutes after midnight, Christopher discovers his neighbor's dog, Wellington, has been speared with a garden fork. Suspected of the crime, Christopher is determined to solve the mystery. His detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a thrilling journey that upturns his world. Based on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon and winner of Tony and Olivier Awards for best play in New York and London.