Milwaukee, Wis – May 13, 2021 – Milwaukee Rep is proud to present several options to enjoy unique theater experiences and live entertainment safely outdoors including three Summer Concerts and SoundStage MKE, an audio play walking tour.
Featuring some of Milwaukee Rep’s best talent, the 2021 Summer Concert Series will be performed at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts Peck Pavilion (929 N Water St, Milwaukee) on June 26 and August 13; and the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts Lawn (3270 Mitchell Park Dr, Brookfield) on July 31. Concerts will be socially distanced and all CDC and City of Milwaukee, as well as each individual venue’s health and safety regulations will apply.
– Saturday, June 26 at 7pm at the Peck Pavilion, The Three Divos will feature three of Milwaukee Rep’s favorite leading men – Gavin Gregory (Coalhouse Walker Jr in Ragtime), Jeffrey Kringer (Tony in West Side Story) and Nicholas Rodriguez (Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls) singing some of their favorite Broadway and popular hits.
– Saturday, July 31 at 7pm at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center Lawn, The Three Divas will feature three of Milwaukee Rep’s favorite leading women – Nova Y Payton (Effie in Dreamgirls), Bethany Thomas (Hedwig, The Color Purple, Ragtime, Songs for Nobodies) and Dan’yelle Williamson (Lorrell in Dreamgirls) singing some of their favorite Broadway and popular hits.
– Friday, August 13 at 7pm at the Peck Pavilion includes a Hedwig Cast Reunion featuring Maxwell Emmet, Tommy Hahn, Patrick Morrow, Bethany Thomas and Steve Watts rocking out to tunes from the show as well as other Broadway hits.
Longtime Rep collaborator Dan Kazemi music directs and plays keyboards for all three concerts.
Tickets for The Three Divos June 26 concert at the Marcus Center Peck Pavilion are on sale now at TicketMaster.com/MCPA. Reserved seats in the bowl are $42 per person. Lawn PODs are available at $42 per POD. Each POD seats 1-5 persons and only 1 ticket is needed for the entire POD. Tickets for the July 31 and August 13 concert will go on sale later in June.
In addition to the Summer Concert series, starting June 11, 2021, Milwaukee Rep is launching SoundStage MKE which is part audio play, part walking tour set against the backdrop of Downtown Milwaukee. Milwaukee native and Indigenous playwright Marisa Carr (Reconciliations), writer Deanie Vallone, sound designer and composer Andre Pluess and director May Adrales take listeners on an aural journey through the streets of the city. People can experience the history, humor, and hidden treasures of beloved landmarks and locales as they listen to imagined plays and fascinating “Soundbytes” during a socially distanced walk or from the comfort of home.
SoundStage MKE begins at the Central Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library (814 W. Wells St.) and ends at the War Memorial Center (750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive). The tour has been divided into four audio sections and can be enjoyed in any order, or split up into multiple days/listening sessions or all in one session. The total tour is roughly 3 miles long with many stops along the way.
Each four sections include an individual original audio play written by Marisa Carr and informative “Soundbytes” written by Deannie Vallone. The audio plays include:
– The Books performed by Raymond Lee and Sola Thompson.
Jessie and Alex ditch school to go to…the library? A series of misunderstandings lead these two high schoolers to the most unexpected place.
– Bridge Wars, A Short Historical Comedy on the Origins of the City of Milwaukee performed by Lillian Castillo, Sun Mee Chomet, Tiffany Rachelle Stewart and DeLanna Studi.
Bridges. Bombs. Beavers. The history of Milwaukee’s founding–and why none of the streets or bridges line up–is more ridiculous than you can imagine!
– The Night Shift performed by Michael Doherty and James Austin Williams.
Gary has worked at the Pfister for 30 years; Kurt’s on his first day. What the two of them discover on their night shift together will surprise them both.
– The War at Home performed by Jake Hart and DiMonte Henning.
Against a background of uprising and social unrest, two Iraq veterans search for their roles in the war being fought in their own backyard.
SoundStage MKE will be available free of charge on www.MilwaukeeRep.com starting June 11 through the summer of 2023 so anyone can take advantage and explore at their own pace.
For an even more interactive experience join Milwaukee Rep Staff for a special one-day only organized walking tour on Saturday, June 12. Tours will leave every 15mins from 12:30pm – 1:15pm, reserve a spot by emailing info@milwaukeerep.com.
Special thanks to the 2021 Summer Concert Series corporate sponsor Rockwell Automation and Executive Producers Kit Seidel and Cheryl & David Walker. SoundStage MKE is sponsored by Executive Producers Judy Hansen and Camille & David Kundert.
For more information on the 2021 Summer Concert Series and SoundStage MKE please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com
