Theater
An actor’s homecoming: Willem Dafoe returns to where it all started
As a small-town kid studying at UWM in the 1970s, Willem Dafoe never dreamed of becoming a star. But he’s gone on to become one of the most acclaimed and in-demand actors in the business.
Facing a pandemic, Peck reimagines play as a radio drama
Faced with the obstacles of staging a performance of “Playboy of the Western World” amid continuing pandemic protocols, Peck decided to do something radical — to reconfigure the production as a radio play.
UWM associate professor selected as playwright-in-residence at First Stage
During his residency, the theater will stage Alvaro Saar Rios’ most recent play “On the Wings of a Mariposa,” which will debut in October.
Theater prof directs neighborhood revival on city’s south side
Associate theatre professor Rebecca Holderness is collaborating with a team that is planning for the Modjeska Theater’s renovation from a vacant theater and parking lot to a community center with green space and an indoor, all-seasons playground.
Feast of Crispian directors to host National Veterans Theatre Festival
James Tasse, senior lecturer, and William Watson, associate professor in the Peck School of the Arts theatre department, host the first-ever National Veterans Theatre Festival May 23-26 at the Milwaukee Rep’s Stiemke Studio.
Opera teaches lessons in life and career for UWM music students
Staging an opera isn’t easy, but it’s worth the effort for the valuable lessons it teaches UWM music and theater students, say those involved. This year’s production is Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito.”
Stoner, Theatre Department honored at Kennedy Center regional event
Red velvet and gold medals will greet the Peck School of the Arts Department of Theatre when its faculty and students participate in the 50th Annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival’s Midwestern-region event on Jan. 12.
Feast of Crispian helps traumatized veterans, with assistance from Shakespeare
The program created by UWM theater faculty has spurred interest from schools and veterans’ organizations nationwide.
UWM grad designs theater fight scenes that look and feel real
Christopher Elst has carved out a niche in southeastern Wisconsin’s theater world: He’s one of the few who helps create fight scenes so real that the audience worries about someone getting hurt.
Curtain rises on UWM’s renovated, updated Mainstage Theatre
A fire in UWM’s Mainstage Theatre caused millions in damage and disrupted productions for almost a year. But it also provided the opportunity to improve the theater in myriad ways, from lighting and acoustics to accessibility and comfort, and it taught students lessons in resilience and adaptability.