8/24/2023 0 Comments Fireside dinner theater mil wiThis production was first scheduled to come to Overture in 2020, then again in 2021 but it was postponed due to COVID. The result is an absolutely stunning - and mostly true - testament to the extreme lengths people will go to, to help their fellow men in a crisis. The folksy, Canadian-nice characters, many based on actual Gander residents, are paired with the Celtic-inspired music of Newfoundland and a fluid, minimalist production style that depends much more on the artistry of the ensemble than on elaborate sets and costumes. This event inspired the surprise Broadway hit “Come from Away,” which was nominated for seven Tony Awards in 2017. They included an obscure, human interest piece about a small town in Canada whose citizens unexpectedly hosted 7,000 air passengers from all over the world, after the US airspace was closed and dozens of planes were forced to land at the nearest airport - an outdated stopover in Gander, Newfoundland. Based on the production photos The Rep has posted from last spring, it looks like a sumptuous visual experience and most of the cast is returning to their roles – including some well known Milwaukee performers such as Matt Daniels, Max Pink, Andrew Verala, and Rana Roman.īuried in the horrifying details and images of 9/11, there were a few stories of courage and simple kindnesses that helped us all weather the tragedy. It’s a great period piece, which means beautiful costumes, lots of drama amongst the very rich and the very poor, and a tragedy of such proportion that it still captivates us. The theater had planned to begin this season with the musical Ragtime, which they mounted in 2013, but decided to bring this production back, since so many ticket holders did not get the chance to see it. This lesser-known musical was actually the Milwaukee Rep’s season finale last spring, but because COVID spread through the large cast during the run, many of the performances were canceled. It’s a fun flashback to the 1950s, great songs, and it will be interesting to see the Fireside do it in the round. There is renewed interest in this show right now because of the recent passing of Olivia Newton John. ![]() I hope you’ll check them out.īroadway Shows Coming to Wisconsin Theaters this FallĮveryone has probably seen this musical, either the iconic movie featuring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John or the stage musical, which has been standard fare for high schools and community theaters for decades. These are simply the shows that are top of mind for me. ![]() This is in no way comprehensive - we are fortunate to have many theater options in Wisconsin in the coming year. Since I had already compiled thoughts about these shows, I decided to share the entire list here. The time goes so quickly! There’s always more to talk about! So, of course I prepared for about three hours worth of conversations and ended up cramming just a few points into a 26 minute segment. (To listen, check out the interviews here.)Īfter a bit of research, I was delighted to see that there are a lot of great examples coming up, both on national tours and in locally produced professional shows. While at the O’Neill Theater, Zac worked with grant recipients of the Jerome Robbins Foundation and Jim Henson Foundation while overseeing and contributing to the Young Playwright’s Festival, National Puppetry Conference, the National Musical Theater Conference, National Playwright’s Conference, and the Cabaret & Performance Conference.This morning I had the privilege of being interviewed by Kate Archer Kent on Wisconsin Public Radio about Broadway shows coming to Wisconsin in the coming year, following a half hour discussion about the “state-of-the-art” from American Players Theatre’s Artistic Director Brenda DeVita and Forward Theater’s Artistic Director Jen Uphoff Gray. In addition to time spent behind stage, Zac maintains years of training as an actor, director, and playwright which he constantly uses to inform his technical work. Originally from Wisconsin, Zac attended Lawrence University, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and the National Theater Institute and worked with the Fireside Dinner Theater in Fort Atkinson, WI and Skylight Music Theater in Milwaukee, WI. ![]() ![]() Zachary Cooper joined Ballet Arizona in the Spring of 2021 after a tenure as Technical Director at the two-time Tony winning Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT and has worked professionally in theatrical production for nearly a decade.
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