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626 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 802 / Milwaukee, WI 53202 (Administrative Office) / 414.347.1685 / fax 414.347.1690
©2012 Milwaukee Public Theatre. All Rights Reserved.
Programs
Teens and adults 13 & older,
groups welcome.
Sundays, 4:30 to 6 pm at MPT's Artivity Place
Shops of Grand Avenue,
161 W. Wisconsin.
Call 414-347-1685
Original Theatreworks: Available for Touring
Original Theatreworks:
PIECES: In My Own Voice (2012)
FLOW (2011) From the Start (2011)
Healing Arts: EAP Conference Keynote, Pieces and other wellness programs
Healing Arts: Tap the Potential Disability Awareness Month
Educational Workshops & Arts Residencies
Featured Arts Residency: Puppets, Dance at Keefe Ave. School
Special Events & Custom Programs
Cultivating Community through Public Art: Parades, Festivals, more
Milwaukee Public Theatre is one of the area's few professional nonprofit touring companies that increases awareness of current social issues, promotes cultural diversity, and provides healing arts and wellness resources.
Artists & Performers include:
musicians - classical, jazz, hip hop, pop, world cultures, drummers, Broadway, opera, operetta
dancers - all styles
actors - classical characters, historical impersonators, improv performers
scriptwriters
craft & workshop artists
jewelry makers
face and body painters
dollmakers
caricaturists
chalk artists
muralists
martial artists
flag & fire spinners
puppeteers
fortunetellers
magicians
storytellers
clowns
balloon clowns
mimes
ventriloquists
jugglers
stiltwalkers
designers
costumers
Original and Adapted Theatreworks Available for Tour
Milwaukee Public Theatre MPT creates highly acclaimed original theatreworks about contemporary themes and social issues and customized shows for civic and business events. Most of these shows run 50-60 minutes.
ORIGINAL SHOW: From the Start, Consider the Finish—A play with music and gentle humor for professionals and families facing end-of-life planning issues. A state-wide tour visited 10 venues in 2011, and we hope to expand the tour in 2012. Read more on our Healing Arts page.
ORIGINAL SHOW: FLOW: The Traveling Water Circus engaged thousands of youth in the spring and summer of 2011. The production taught about water origins, water footprint, usage, and management issues, conservation, and careers in the water industry. Using circus skills and highly visual, verbal, musical and kinetic theatrics, FLOW features a water-loving troupe of colorful characters who discover where fresh water comes from, how it’s used and wasted, and what they can do to preserve this most valuable resource. Available for touring. Read more on our Featured Show page.
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE OR TOURING SHOWS which can be booked for your organization:
Mino Ayaa-Being Well: Read a new illustrated summary of the 2010-11 program and its resultant cookbook.
Peaceful Warriors Dance Tribe—Thirza DeFoe, in workshops with youth from Milwaukee's Indian Co
mmunity School (ICS), developed interactive music, dance and movement presentations to tell traditional stories. The youth ensemble is an offshoot of MPT's Winter Voices project. They performed at the 2011 Midwinter Pow Wow, and 2010's Indian Summer Festival, Midwinter Pow Wow, ICS Mini Pow Wow, MATC, Academia, UWM Winter Pow Wow, ICS Honoring Ceremony, and NonProfit Center's Holiday Celebration of Diversity. View photos of the troupe in rehearsal.
AJULA PERFORMANCE TROUPE: A highly dynamic drum and dance ensemble presenting music, dance, and stories from Africa, the diaspora, Latin America and contemporary America. 15-90+ minutes; length of show determines company size and space/technical needs; K - Adult.
INTERACTIVE THEATRE: Empowering vignettes deal with social issues, and invite audience participation in a “rehearsal for life” providing kids with tools to explore solutions to problems they face every day. Developed in collaboration with the Center for Applied Theatre, directed by Mark Weinberg and Jenny Wanasek, shows include: AMY'S ADDICTION, JOEY'S LUNCH MONEY BLUES and PARTY GIRL which address drug/alcohol/tobacco issues, bullying and violence. 90-120 minute, 5-6 person show; Middle School - Adult.
CIRQUE SPECTACOLO! An exciting and colorful array of circus performers: jugglers, stilt-walkers, unicyclists, magicians, mimes, balloon artists, dancers and musicians. Indoor or outdoor events; strolling, parades, stage shows; All ages.
CUENTAME UN CUENTO: Simply staged, bi-lingual and interactive stories with music, adapted and directed by Carolina Soza. 20-60 minute, 2-4 person show; space/technical needs: 10’ x 10’; 2 wireless mics; K - Adult.
FAQS (Facing Adolescent Questions About Sex): An original show with music by and for young people about HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. 30 minute performance, 20-30 minute talk-back; Middle and high school classrooms or small assemblies.
MOULIN ROUGE CABARET FANTASTIQUE: Journey back to 1890s Paris for the sights and sounds of a French themed nightclub. Strolling cancan dancers and clowns, singers, musicians interact with your guests and then present an exciting floor show. 60-90 minutes; call for technical requirements and fees; Adult.
PIRATES CARIBE: A delightful interactive tale told through music and dance where greedy, bumbling pirates are outsmarted by their tropical island hosts. 45-60 minutes; K - Adult.
TOBACCOSAURUS REX: A humorous and educational puppet play about tobacco; 30 minute performance, 20-30 minute talk-back; or 2-6-hour performance/workshop; Grades 2-5.
UNCLOTHED…the naked truth: Survivor Stories of Sexual Abuse and Healing: An original production written by La’Ketta Caldwell based on interviews with over 100 women. 60 minute performance, 20-30 minute talk-back; Special version adapted for teen audiences available; Grade 8 - Adult.
WORLD TALES: Storytellers from diverse cultures share tales from around the world, often accompanied by music and drumming; 20-60 minute, 1-3 person shows; flexible space needs; 1 wireless & 1 standing mic, minimum; K - Adult.
RECENTLY STAGED SHOWS
ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE—May, 2010
Lincoln Center of the Arts, Milwaukee. Music, dance and puppetry brought found objects and trash to life in a story about consumer and personal values, recycling, and preserving a healthy environment. An urban youth meets "trash creatures" who teach him that his actions can help to assure a cleaner earth for coming generations. View photos of the production which featured original music by Azeeza Islam and Ernie Brusubardis. Read more about the cast and related recycled art projects.
CAMP WE-KAN-TAK-IT—2009 and 2010. An original multi-media musical comedy developed by Voices Theater and Milwaukee Public Theatre about the Civilian Conservation Corps. The play toured nine statewide in 2009 and 2010, with a special event with Historic Milwaukee, including a Bus Touri of Milwaukee CCC/WPA sites. Read the complete news release. Resource Guides are still available for download: The Humdinger, on the CCC; and the Fireside Chatter, on the WPA. The play program is available. Listen to the 2010 interview on Wisconsin Public Radio and view performance photos.
SPECTACOLO!—April 2009. This original piece charmed student audiences with clowning, tumbling, juggling and other circus arts in a colorful story about cooperation and leadership. An experienced and wildly talented cast demonstrated circus skills and comedic talents while slipping in valuable lessons about teamwork.
CAPAZ (“Capable” in Spanish)—2008-2010. Short interactive plays about health care access for families of children with disabilities. Audiences were invited by the bilingual cast to change negative outcomes in the plays. Audiences included health care professionals. Capaz was funded by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) Center.
TASAWARI (“Capable” in Swahili)— 2008-2010. Interactive theatreworks for African American families whose children have special needs as well. It was also initiated by funding from CYSHCN and from Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. The program was expanded to help support families dealing with cancer and other health issues.
WINTER VOICES: Native American Stories to Warm the Heart—December, 2008. Four traditional stories about the change of seasons featured drumming, dancing detailed costumes and nationally-recognized hoop dancer Thirza DeFoe was performed for student and large public audiences at Lincoln Center of the Arts.
CUSTOMIZED EVENTS: Have a show or event idea you'd like us to create for you? Call MPT Special Projects Director for a detailed quote: 414-347-1685
- Albert Einstein -