2022-2023 SEASON
Wisconsin Premiere
WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS?
by Brian Quijada with original music by Klassik
Featuring Kellen "Klassik" Abston and Isa Arciniegas
directed by Artistic Director Brent Hazelton
September 30 - October 23, 2022 | Studio Theatre
A stand-up-and-cheer celebration of what it means to be an American
An elementary school history lesson on Rosa Parks ignites in a young Latina living at the crossroads of cultures a search for her place in American history—and her place in her own family as an aspiring musician. Part play, part concert, and all heartfelt journey of self-discovery, this one-of-a-kind theater experience blends Hip Hop, spoken word poetry, and traditional solo performance with a live score from 2021 Milwaukee Arts Board Artist of the Year, Klassik.
“…something special…” Time Out New York
“…verbal dexterity and warmhearted charm…” Chicago Tribune
“…a very entertaining evening that explores critical interactions in America…” DC Metro Arts
Wisconsin Premiere
MISERY
adapted by William Goldman from the novel by Stephen King
Featuring Kelly Doherty, Jonathan Wainwright, and Christopher Elst
directed by Artistic Director Brent Hazelton
November 18 - December 18, 2022 | Studio Theatre
A white-knuckle staging of one of the most well-read best-sellers of all-time
Rescued from a car crash that leaves him unable to walk, novelist Paul Sheldon wakes in the secluded home of Annie Wilkes, his self-proclaimed number one fan. But doting convalescent care quickly turns into unhinged rage when Annie learns that Paul’s latest novel includes the death of her favorite character, and Paul is left to fight for his life if he has any hopes of escape. Whether a newcomer to the story or a devoted fan, this spine-tingling, tense cat-and-mouse stage adaptation will grip you until the very end.
“…marvelously entertaining…” Broadway World
“…a carnival ride that piles on the twists and thrills…” New York Post
“…potent suspense…a splendid yarn, well-told…” Cincinnati Enquirer
American Classic
Edward Albee's WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
Featuring Laura Gordon, Casey Hoekstra, James Ridge, and Kate Romond
directed by Keira Fromm
January 20 - February 12, 2023 | Studio Theatre
A must-see masterpiece in its first Milwaukee production in over two decades
On the campus of a small New England college, long-married George and Martha invite an opportunistic new professor and his stunningly naïve wife home for a nightcap following a faculty mixer. As the cocktails flow, the young pair find themselves caught in the crossfire of a savage marital war between one of the most legendarily dysfunctional couples ever created. As the combatants attack the self-deceptions they’ve forged for their own survival, the enormous secrets at the foundation of their relationship slowly emerge in this hilarious and harrowing classic that forever changed the face of the American theater.
“…Edward Albee’s masterwork…” The New Yorker
“..an astonishing play…” The Guardian
“…a brilliant piece of writing…” NY Herald-Tribune
World Premiere
HOOPS
adapted by Eliana Pipes with original music by B~Free from the Hoops Project by Nicole Acosta
part of World Premiere Wisconsin, a statewide festival celebrating new plays
March 10 - April 2, 2023 | Studio Theatre
Local art begets local art as Milwaukee multi-disciplinary artist Nicole Acosta’s internationally acclaimed Hoops Portrait Project comes to the stage.
Hoop earrings express complex, layered, and beautiful individual and community identities across cultures and generations.
Through in-depth interviews crafted into an evening of monologues in the tradition of theater documentarians like Anna Deavere Smith, Eve Ensler, and KJ Sanchez, HOOPS centers stories of visibility and individuality, community and collectivism, and survival and transcendence in a space to celebrate culture as it explores the potent resonance of these symbols to those who identify most strongly with them.
Find the Hoops Project at www.hoopsproject.co
MCT is proud to be a Festival Theater in World Premiere Wisconsin, a state-wide festival celebrating new plays and musicals from March 1–June 30, 2023. To learn more visit www.worldpremierewisconsin.com.
Modern Classic
THE MOUNTAINTOP
by Katori Hall
Featuring Cereyna Bougouneau and more to be announced
directed by Mikael Burke
April 21 - May 7, 2023 | Cabot Theatre
An inspiring reimaging of a moment that changed America forever
On the evening of April 3rd, 1968, after delivering one of his most memorable speeches, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., retires to his room in Memphis’ Lorraine Motel. When a knock on the door reveals a hotel maid bearing a cup of coffee, King soon finds himself confronting his past and present, future and legacy—and reconciling the prospect of a life’s work completed without closure. This surrealist retelling of a seminal moment in American history first brought the winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, author of Broadway hit TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, and executive producer of Starz’ P-Valley, to international prominence.
“…an undeniable thrill…ingenious” New York Times
“…as audacious as it is inventive…” Associated Press
“…crackles with theatricality and humanity…” Newsday