11 months after fire, Mainstage Theatre ready for its closeup

The despair that followed the fire at UWM’s Mainstage Theatre in April 2017 was quickly replaced with determination and optimism. Work began immediately to rebuild, and 11 months later, the theater is ready for the spotlight again.

The theater is not just rebuilt, but improved. The 1960s era equipment has been modernized, with improved lighting and acoustics, brand new seats and ceilings and other improvements.

“We did put the theater back in a better place than it was,” said Jessica Berlin Krivsky, production manager at UWM’s Peck School of the Arts. “The state of theater itself has grown and changed so much that it’s nice that we’ve caught up with it. I wish it wasn’t under these circumstances, but the reopened theater is a huge benefit for the program and our students.”

The reopening of the Mainstage Theatre coincides with the March 7 to 11 run of “12 Ophelias.” The next scheduled performance is the musical “9 to 5,” running May 2-6. For tickets to “12 Ophelias” or “9 to 5,” go to the Peck School of the Arts box office online or call 414-229-4308. Later this spring, the Peck School will announce a grand-reopening Shakespeare production scheduled for fall 2018, and featuring guest performers and a guest director.