Theater Forward

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.

We can't wait to give our take on the top 10 most-produced plays and top 20 most-produced playwrights in America this season! These annual lists are generated by American Theater Magazine, and we love to dive in and discuss. We talk about what we expected, what surprised us, and how this list reflects some interesting trends for theater in America. Spoiler alert: this season we're producing a rolling world premiere from America's #1 most-produced playwright... Here are the lists so you can follow along! Top 10 most-produced plays in America in 2025-26 Top 20 most-produced playwrights in America in 2025-26

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok is one of America's hottest playwrights, and we're excited to experience two of her plays in Wisconsin during the 2025-26 season. We welcome Marcella Kearns and Jake Penner, two directors preparing to stage her work, to discuss Majok’s themes of survival, resilience, and connection. They share what makes Majok’s plays hit so hard—and why directors are so drawn to her work. We talk about how her plays resonate personally, what challenges them, and why Majok’s stories feel more urgent than ever.