May 27, 2026, Milwaukee, WI — Milwaukee Repertory Theater is proud to be the recipient of a series of prestigious awards and recognitions celebrating the transformational Associated Bank Theater Center. What began as an ambitious vision to create a world‑class artistic home has become an award‑winning model of innovation, collaboration, and community impact, recognized by civic leaders, industry experts, and national media.
These honors reflect not only the beauty and functionality of the new theater center, but also the dedication of the thousands of individuals who helped bring it to life during one of the most challenging periods for the American theater. Together, these accolades underscore the Associated Bank Theater Center’s profound contribution to Milwaukee’s cultural landscape and its role as a catalyst for the city’s continued growth and vibrancy.
“To be recognized by the community we serve, for which we value above all else, is deeply meaningful,” said Chad Bauman, Ellen & Joe Checota Executive Director. “These awards honor not only the building itself, but the people—artists, craftspeople, donors, community members, and partners—who believed in this project and made it possible. We thank them for the ability to continue to serve proudly, as we have for more than seven decades.”
Milwaukee Rep shares this achievement with its extraordinary partners: EUA, Hunzinger Construction Company, Fisher Dachs Associates, Theatre Planning and Design, Chamberlin LLC, Henricksen, and the numerous subcontractors whose thousands of team members contributed more than 300,000 work hours to create this stunning new home for the arts.
Milwaukee Rep’s Associated Bank Theater Center has received the following awards:
2026 Mayor’s Design Award
Milwaukee Rep received one of the city’s highest civic design honors for projects that made extraordinary contributions to Milwaukee’s built environment through large-scale civic, institutional and mixed-use developments that elevate architecture, create community connections and expand opportunities for education and public services. The Associated Bank Theater Center was recognized for its thoughtful integration of public gathering spaces and its contribution to a more vibrant downtown.
Milwaukee Business Journal Real Estate Project of the Year
The Milwaukee Business Journal awarded its top real estate honor to the $80 million transformation of the historic Associated Bank Theater Center. Completed in phases through 2026, the project modernized and expanded the aging venue into a state‑of‑the‑art performing arts complex while preserving a treasured cultural landmark. The recognition highlights the project’s innovative design, upgraded technology, flexible performance spaces, and the extraordinary community support that made this civic investment possible.
The Daily Reporter Construction Project of the Year
Selected from 42 top construction projects statewide, the Associated Bank Theater Center earned The Daily Reporter’s 2026 Construction Project of the Year. The award honors the project’s overall community impact, the significant challenges overcome during construction, the scale and importance of the work, the exceptional teamwork among partners, and the innovative building techniques that brought the vision to life.
ASID Wisconsin Interior Design Project of the Year
The American Society of Interior Designers Wisconsin Chapter recognized EUA and Milwaukee Rep with its highest annual honor for the interior design of the Associated Bank Theater Center. Special congratulations to EUA lead interior designer Jackie Posselt for her exceptional design vision—down to the now‑famous wallpapers that have become a guest favorite throughout the building.
Visit Milwaukee – Milwaukee Magnet Award
Visit Milwaukee honored Executive Director Chad Bauman and Artistic Director Mark Clements with the Milwaukee Magnet Award for their leadership in developing the Associated Bank Theater Center—the largest new regional theater facility to open in the United States in the past decade. Delivered on time and under budget despite pandemic‑era challenges, the project elevates Milwaukee’s national reputation as a destination for arts and culture.
Milwaukee Downtown BID – He(art) of Community Award
Milwaukee Downtown BID recognized Milwaukee Rep for its continued leadership in energizing the city’s cultural core. The He(art) of Community Award celebrates the Associated Bank Theater Center’s role in strengthening downtown vibrancy and expanding access to world‑class performing arts experiences.
Milwaukee Rep’s inaugural season in the Associated Bank Theater Center continues with Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None through June 28 in the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater and the World Premiere George & Gracie: A Love Story in the Stackner Cabaret through June 14. Subscriptions to the 2026/27 Season are now on sale.
For more information, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com
About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin. Its new artistic home, the Associated Bank Theater Center, opened Fall 2025 with three unique performance venues—the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, Herro-Franke Studio Theater, and Stackner Cabaret. For over seven decades, Milwaukee Rep has been a centerpiece of Milwaukee’s vibrant arts and cultural scene with productions ranging from Broadway musicals to Shakespeare to American Classics and New Works that are entertaining, inclusive and impactful. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Executive Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee’s rich diversity. More information visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com
