Programs

Educational Workshops & Arts Residencies

Artists & Performers Include:

Balloon Artists
Caricaturists
Chalk Artists
Clowns
Comedians
Costume Artists
Craft Artists
Dancers
Dollmakers
Facepainters
Flag & Fire Spinners
Fortune Tellers
Jewelry Artists
Jugglers
Magicians
Mimes
Musicians
Puppeteers
Stiltwalkers
Storytellers
Ventriloquists
Visual Artists

Original and Adapted Theatreworks

Milwaukee Public Theatre specializes in the creation of highly acclaimed theatreworks that celebrate our uniqueness and challenge us to reach our potential.

A major area of programming since 1976 has been a summer free-to-the-public musical/vaudeville/ circus production that has toured Milwaukee's parks and public places.

Touring shows present vital issues including the economics and politics of food, illiteracy, homelessness, health and other contemporary themes and social issues through large-scale public events and parades.

Current shows include:

INTERACTIVE THEATRE--Empowering vignettes dealing with social issues and inviting audience participation in a “rehearsal for life” that provides tools to explore solutions for problems kids face every day. Interactive Theatre is developed in collaboration with the Center for Applied Theatre and directed by Mark Weinberg and Jenny Wanasek.

PERSUADING TIFFANY--An interactive play exploring the social and media pressures on contemporary teenagers to engage in sexual activity.

NO GOOD REASON TO STAY?--Deals with a teenager trying to decide whether or not to drop out of school.

AMY'S ADDITION, JOEY'S LUNCHTIME BLUES and PARTY GIRL--Empowering vignettes dealing with drug/alcohol tobacco issues, bullying and violence. Presentations are 90-120 minutes with a 5-6 person show. Space/technical needs: 10’ x 10’; for audiences middle school thru adult of 30-150 people.

TALES FROM THE NILE--Rose Onama’s stories about growing up on the Nile River in Uganda accompanied by music and drumming. Presentations are 20-60 minutes with a 2-5 person show; Flexible space needs requiring 1 wireless & 1 standing mic, minimum; for audiences K thru adult.

AJULA--A highly dynamic youth drum and dance troupe presenting music, dance and stories from the African diaspora. Presentations are 20-60 minutes with a 6-15 person show. Space/technical needs: 20’-30’ x 20’-30’ clean bare floor, preferably wood; with 5- standing mics; for audiences K thru adult.

CUENTAME UN CUENTO: LATIN AMERICAN FOLK TALES--A bi-lingual, simply staged set of interactive stories with music and masks that are adapted and directed by Carolina Soza. Presentations are 20-60 minutes with a 2-4 person show. Space/technical needs: 10’ x 10’ for 2 wireless mics and 1 standing mic; for audiences K thru adult.

ONE WOMAN'S VOICE--An interactive history program about citizenship and the right to vote that recreates the character of Theodora Winton Youmans, an early Wisconsin journalist and suffragette. Created and performed by Kathleen Stacy, this presentation is a 20-30 minute performance with a 20-30 minute talk-back. Technical need: 1 wireless mic; for audiences age 8-adult.

TOBACCOSAURUS REX--A humorous and educational puppet play about tobacco that is toured by two performers or taught to youth to perform themselves. Performances are 30 minutes with a 20-30 minute talk-back or a 2-hour performance/workshop. Space/technical needs: good sightlines for classroom of 25-30; for audiences in 1st-5th grade.

F.A.Q.S--An original show with music by and for young people that deals with HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. Created in collaboration with MPS, Fighting Back and Running Rebels, performances are 30 minutes with a 20-30 minute talk-back. Space needs: good sightlines for classrooms of 25-30; for audiences in middle & high school.

STORYTELLERS--MPT presents a wonderful array of storytellers, spinning tales ranging from folklore to history, from far away lands and distant times to the very heart of our communities today. Tell us what you’re looking for and our gifted performers wil make your audience laugh, cry, gasp, sigh and beg for more through simple staging or strolling. Performances are 30-60 minutes with a 1-person show. Space/technical needs: 1 wireless mic; for audiences K thru adult.

CAPAZ-- A collaboration with the Latino Health Organization to incorporate theatre to reach and empower Latino families of children with disabilities in Milwaukee.

WHAT IS COOL?--FABULOUS FENO’s one-person circus featuring juggling, magic, and music dealing with peer pressure, violence, tobacco/drug abuse. Performances are 20-60 minutes with 1-person show. Space/technical needs: 10’ x 10’ with 1 wireless mic; for audiences K thru adult.

CIRCUS/PAGEANTRY--Throughout Milwaukee, we celebrate community With a delightful variety of clowns, jugglers, stiltwalkers, giant puppets, colorful banners and flags and costumed characters so that every celebration takes on a unique vibrancy. Our artists can come to your site and help you create your own circus, puppets and parade

UNCLOTHED: The Naked Truth, Survivors’ Stories of Sexual Abuse-- A play written by local playwright La’Ketta Caldwell that is based on hundreds of interviews with women who have been sexually assaulted and ways they have been able to find healing.

We want to thank you for coming to Hawley. We think that at least five sixths of the audience loved the show and the rest liked it! (Can’t you tell we are studying fractions? ) You were great !
- 5th Grade Students, Hawley environmental School -

626 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 802 / Milwaukee, WI 53202 (Administrative Office) / 414.347.1685 / fax 414.347.1690

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