30 Years of Theatre 30 Years of Performance (1990-2020) In June of 1990, Next Act Theatre was created a long and successful relationship with Cecsarini and with the merger of Next Generation Theatre and the company. Kakuk brought many administrative Theatre Tesseract. After joining the two theatre talents to Next Act Theatre along with his winning companies, Next Act began its journey with a smile. subscriber base of 1,000. Leading the ambitious 1993 - 1995 new theatre company were Producer Jane Barclay Mandel, Artistic Director Jonathan Smoots, and The next two seasons saw encouraging growth Associate Artistic Director David Cecsarini. for Next Act as the theatre continued to stage three productions per year at the Stiemke Theater 1990 - 1992 in the Milwaukee Rep complex. Playing in the Public Library’s Centennial Hall, 1995 - 1998 the first two years were an exercise in patience for this young theatre company. The work was By the 1995-96 season, the company had regained critically acclaimed but the 8th and Wisconsin lo- sufficient strength to add a fourth production. This cation proved a challenge for attracting new made it necessary to secure an alternate space audiences. Near the end of its second year, for one production per season. The Broadway Smoots and Cecsarini realized that, to survive, Theatre Center’s Studio Theatre, the Humphrey they needed to move Next Act downtown and Masonic Center and Marquette’s Helfaer Theatre restructure the company. supplied that fourth venue through these years. Additional staff members were also brought on: 1992 - 1993 C. Michael Wright as Associate Artistic Director in In 1992, with the help of positive sales, strong 1996 and Jonathan West as Marketing and Devel- support from angel Jack Rosenberg and playing opment Manager in 1997. in the Todd Wehr and Stiemke Theaters, Next 1998 - 2000 Act embarked on a reduced, three-production season. At this time, Smoots decided to explore Seeing a need to establish a home space that other artistic opportunities, leaving Cecsarini to could accommodate Next Act’s growing number assume the Producing Director position. He did, of theatre patrons, a goal was set to build a the- however, stay on as Artistic Associate for another atre which could seat between 150-175 patrons. three seasons. A suitable and affordable venue was not found, however, and an interim, 99-seat theatre space Cecsarini was in need of a business partner and was created at 342 N. Water Street on the second in the summer of 1992, Charles Kakuk, who was floor. Housed in the same building as Next Act’s working in marketing at the Milwaukee Ballet, offices and rehearsal space, the Off Broadway reached out to fill this need. His phone call began Theatre (named by Jack Rosenberg) opened in David Cecsarini & Charles Kakuk early 2000. The first production was A NIGHT IN NOVEMBER, a contemporary, Irish one-man show starring James Ridge, directed by Wright. The summer of 2000 also marked the third season of Next Actors: Summer Theatre for Teens. Next Actors is a six-week playwriting and performance seminar that allows 16-20 students, free of charge, to experience the thrill of theatre. With the guidance of professional teaching artists, the students create, produce and perform an original play. The program culminates in a week-long performance tour ending at Next Act Theatre with a final benefit seats that em- performance. braced an in- timate, three- sided thrust stage. The new facility brought with it an expansion of Next Act’s mission: to pro- vide affordable performance space for other companies, emerging groups and independent artists. 2005 - 2010 Next Actors 2014 2012 - present These five years saw more changes for Next Act. Shortly before the 2014-15 season began, Kakuk Wright left to assume the Artistic Directorship at lost his long battle with cancer. “He has truly Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, the Off Broadway given us his all, and Next Act survives as a tes- building was sold and Next Act once again faced tament to his determination and commitment,” the challenge of creating a new theatre space. In Cecsarini said. The Exonerated 2010, Next Act staged its final production at by Jessica Blank & Erik Jensen the Off Broadway: the 2010 Next Actors Benefit The last five seasons have seen the2011 company - 2012 performance. The Journey Home Capital Campaign grow into its new space, retire all construction to build Next Act’s new Walker’s Point facility debt, complete theatre improvement projects had already begun with critical initial support and welcome new patrons to Next Act’s home. from subscribers and generous benefactors Next Act Theatre continues to offer a four-pro- David and Julia Uihlein. duction season of compelling and thought-pro- 2010 - 2011 voking plays, enjoying a loyal and growing pa- Next Act’s 2010-11 three-show season was tron base. In addition to providing an affordable housed at the Tenth Street Theatre while offic- rental location to small and emerging perform- es and rehearsal space were established at 219 ing arts groups, Next Act is thrilled to announce N. Milwaukee Street. Construction for Next Act’s that starting in the 2020-21 season, Renaissance new home began in May 2011 with a tight comple- Theaterworks, an established local theatre com- tion deadline of October 6th, in time for the first pany dedicated to promoting the work of female performance of the 22nd season. authors and artists, will make 255 S. Water Street its theatrical home. 2011 - 2012 Next Act opened its new home at 255 S. Water Come join us for the next 30 years! Street with the powerful play THE EXONERATED. Next Act now had a dynamic new home with 152 Next Act Theatre’s 29 YEAR JOURNEY in pictures. ff Broadway Theatre ffBroadway Centennial Hall Hall Centennial Library Downtown O St Water 255 S 2019 - 2020 2010 - 2011 1999 - 2000 The Revolutionists by Lauren Gunderson Four Places by Joel Drake Johnson Hauptmann by John Logan Laughter on the 23rd Floor by Neil Simon Big Boys by Rich Orloff Room Service by John Murray & Allen Boretz A Small Fire by Adam Bock A Sleeping Country by Melanie Marnich A Night in November by Marie Jones My Thing of Love by Alexandra Gersten 9 Circles by Bill Cain * 2009 - 2010 2018 - 2019 Mary’s Wedding by Stephen Massicotte 1998 - 1999 Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley 7 Stories by Morris Panych How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel The Twelve Dates of Christmas Purgatorio by Ariel Dorfman Greetings! by Tom Dudzick by Ginna Hoben The Value Of Names by Jeffrey Sweet The Dresser by Ronald Harwood Below the Belt by Richard Dresser Blood at the Root by Dominique Morisseau 2008 - 2009 How to Write a New Book for the Bible Lombardi: The Only Thing by Eric Simonson 1997 - 1998 by Bill Cain Murderers by Jeffrey Hatcher Artis Generis by James DeVita / 2017 - 2018 Going to St. Ives by Lee Blessing Descent by Tom Patrick Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson The Pavilion by Craig Wright Stage Struck by Simon Gray Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me The Secret Mask by Rick Chafe 2007 - 2008 by Frank McGuinness Equivocation by Bill Cain An Interview with Paul Robeson The Price by Arthur Miller I And You by Lauren Gunderson by Paul A. Mabon, Sr. & John Kishline 2016 - 2017 Greetings! by Tom Dudzick 1996 - 1997 The Taming by Lauren Gunderson Faith Healer by Brian Friel Sylvia by A.R. Gurney UnSilent Night The Mystery of Irma Vep: A Penny Dreadful The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard by John Kishline and Edward Morgan by Charles Ludlam Three Viewings by Jeffrey Hatcher Kindertransport by Diane Samuels The Other Place by Sharr White 2006 - 2007 Bloomsday by Steven Dietz Last of the Boys by Steven Dietz 1995 - 1996 2015 - 2016 Mercy of a Storm by Jeffrey Hatcher The Destiny of Me by Larry Kramer Back of the Throat by Yussef El Guindi Paradise by Glyn O’Malley Noël and Gertie by Sheridan Morley Bravo, Caruso! by William Luce Ears on a Beatle by Mark St. Germain Fool for Love by Sam Shepard Relatively Speaking by Alan Ayckbourn Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 2005 - 2006 by Anna Deavere Smith Coyote on a Fence by Bruce Graham 1994 - 1995 Motherhood Out Loud Red Herring by Michael Hollinger Marvin’s Room by Scott McPherson Conceived by Susan R. Rose & Joan Stein The Retreat from Moscow On the Open Road by Steve Tesich 2014 - 2015 by William Nicholson Billy Bishop Goes to War Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter An Infinite Ache by David Schulner by John Gray and Eric Peterson by Julie Marie Myatt 2004 - 2005 1993 - 1994 Heresy by A.R. Gurney Dear Esther by Richard Rashke Lips Together, Teeth Apart No Child... by Nilaja Sun The Voice of the Prairie by John Olive by Terrence McNally TEN QUESTIONS to Ask your Biology Teacher The Goodbye People by Herb Gardner The Firebugs by Max Frisch about Evolution by Stephen Massicotte Master Harold... and the boys Evelyn and the Polka King by John Olive 2013 - 2014 by Athol Fugard 1992 - 1993 Perfect Mendacity by Jason Wells 2003 - 2004 Brief Lives by Patrick Garland Groucho: A Life in Revue Mindgame by Anthony Horowitz Incommunicado by Tom Dulack Book, lyrics & music by Arthur Marx & Bravo, Caruso! by William Luce Private Lives by Noël Coward Robert Fisher Between Men and Cattle by Richard Kalinoski 1991 - 1992 Race by David Mamet Stones in His Pockets by Marie Jones Three Views of the Same Object The Boys Next Door by Tom Griffin by Henry Murray 2002 - 2003 And a Nightingale Sang by C.P.