Theater Forward

In part two of this summer series, we invite three more of our favorite Wisconsin theater artists to share memories of the mentors who inspired them, challenged them, and helped shape their careers.

Funny and heartfelt (with a special surprise for Jen!), these stories celebrate the lasting impact of the people whose lessons stay with us long after the applause has faded.

Theater is built on passing knowledge from one generation to the next, and every theater artist has a story about someone who changed their life. In this special two-part series, we invite some of our favorite Wisconsin theater artists to share memories of the mentors who inspired them, challenged them, and helped shape their careers. Funny and heartfelt (and occasionally surprising), these stories celebrate the lasting impact of the people whose lessons stay with us long after the applause has faded.

If you follow theaters anywhere in America, you know that spring is officially Season Announcement Season! Across the country, theater companies are revealing their upcoming slate of plays (and pretending the choices were effortless).

We’re often asked how the season actually comes together: What do we look for? What do we argue about? What makes a play feel “Forward”? In this episode, we unpack the thinking behind our 2026–27 Past is Prologue season and talk about why these four stories from the past are pointed squarely at our present.

Inspired by our rolling world premiere of Lady Disdain by Lauren Gunderson (a modern rom-com set in the world of romance publishing), we decided to get a little dirty and talk about our own guilty pleasures. No apologies, no filters. 

From sit-coms to Andrew Lloyd Webber to french fries and (GASP) preferring Love's Labor's Lost over Richard II, the team opens up about their own guilty pleasures, and why it's important to never yuck anyone's yum. 

Suzan Fete is a founder and Artistic Director of Renaissance Theaterworks in Milwaukee, WI, celebrating their 33rd season of producing plays while promoting the work of women, both on and offstage. As Suzan approaches retirement from Renaissance, we invited her to reflect on her career, the evolving role of feminism on stage, and her dreams for the future of American theater. 

In this episode, we turn the mic around! We invited our own Marketing Director and podcast producer Scott Haden into the studio for a candid conversation about what it takes to promote live theater in 2026.

We talk about how the landscape has shifted over the past decade, and how arts organizations are working harder than ever to connect with audiences in a crowded digital world. We also explore how people are discovering shows, how they decide what’s worth their time, and what it means for theaters when traditional previews and reviews may no longer guide the way.

Put on your scuba gear, because this conversation goes DEEP. We sit down with Milwaukee-based dramaturg and author Deanie Vallone to talk about the "heart and the art" involved in developing new work. If you didn't know, we LOVE new plays. New plays are a celebration of the aliveness of our artform! A dramaturg plays a major role in their development, providing insight and expertise to help them evolve to the next level.

We dive into the delicate balance of collaborating with directors, the pitfalls of rewrites and "workshopping to death," and the rewards of successfully moving a new play forward. 

This episode is also a reminder to stay tuned for the return of World Premiere Wisconsin, a statewide festival featuring new plays and musicals. 

If you like this episode, be sure to scroll through our archives and check out Episode 65, featuring an in-depth interview with dramaturg Khalid Long!

Join us for our end-of-year episode, in which we share our theater-related resolutions for 2026 (that we swear we won't break).

We talk about theatergoing roadtrips to places we've never been, exploring productions by our favorite playwrights, helping actors master the business side of show business, and continuing in our mission to build a strong theater community in the state of Wisconsin.

As the holidays approach, we share everything we loved about 2025, including stellar productions, new endeavors, the ever-expanding support of our audiences, and the brilliant artists that make everything we do possible.

We are excited to welcome Chad Bauman, the Ellen & Joe Checota Executive Director of Milwaukee Repertory Theater!

Milwaukee Rep has a LOT going on right now - including the debut of their brand-new, state-of-the-art theater center on the heels of an epic flood that threatened to pull the rug out before the season even began. We dive into the highs and lows of the last year at the Rep, the attention Wisconsin theater is getting on a national level, and what's on the horizon for one of our state's flagship theater companies.