Student Matinees

Description: In this high-energy World Premiere by award-winning playwright Idris Goodwin (HBO’s Def Poetry Jam), two Hip-Hop artists mix slick beats and rhymes with important questions about censorship and expression in popular music. This engaging new play – half DJ jam session, half TED Talk – uses wit, humor and the uncanny powers of the Wu-Tang Clan to enter a conversation on parenting, identity and survival. At what age is it appropriate to introduce our children to music, life and an uncertain world – however controversial it may be? 

Themes: music, culture, hip hop, censorship, parenthood, explicit/obscene content, language, respectability

For Which Audiences? Recommended for ages 16+

Content Advisory: Parental Advisory contains mentions of topics commonly labeled with “Parental Advisory” warnings on albums, including violence, sexual content, and obscenities.

Student Matinee Dates:
Tuesday, October 3, 2023 – 10:30am
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 – 10:30am
Thursday, October 26, 2023- 10:30am

Description:Passion, blackmail and revenge combine into a breathtaking, edge-of-your-seat murder mystery. Jealous suspicion gives way to cold-blooded vengeance when a gold-digging husband’s perfect crime misfires, trapping all parties in a sinister and dangerous web of lies. This classic, which inspired Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, has been newly adapted by acclaimed playwright Jeffrey Hatcher (Holmes and Watson) and is brimming with shocking surprises that will keep you guessing until the end.

Themes: murder, jealousy, gaslighting, LGBT relationships, the “perfect crime”

For Which Audiences? Recommended for ages 14+

Content Advisory: Dial M for Murder contains mentions & depictions of violence, murder, alcohol consumption, cigarette use

Student Matinee Dates:
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 – 10:30am

Description: A Christmas Carol is one of the best-known and well-loved stories in the English language. During the course of one memorable Christmas Eve, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future help Ebenezer Scrooge discover that it is never too late to change his miserly ways. Milwaukee Rep favorite Matt Daniels returns to play Scrooge, as enchanting music, dance, costumes, scenery and special effects will once again fill the theater to tell this timeless tale of love, hope and redemption.

For Which Audiences? Recommended for ages 6+

Student Matinee Dates:
Thursday, November 30, 2023 - 10:30am
Thursday, December 7, 2023 - 10:30am
Thursday, December 14, 2023 - 10:30am

Description: This endearing tale of family, friendship, love and adventure never fails to tug on the heartstrings, and with a new adaptation by prolific playwright Kate Hamill, it's never been more resonant. During the years of the Civil War, ambitious 15-year-old Jo March and her sisters must navigate hardships, heartbreak and humility as they come of age in a world bound by class and tragedy. Tender and playful, this incredible production will help you fall in love all over again with these four young dreamers as they discover themselves in a country divided. Little Women is the third production in our Classics Initiative. 

Themes: Family, growing up, change, grief, gender roles, freedom

For Which Audiences? Recommended for ages 10+

Content Advisory: Little Women contains mentions of war and depictions of sexual harassment and death

Student Matinee Dates:
Wed. January 24, 2024 – 10:00am (Immersion Day)
Tues. January 30, 2024 – 10:00am (Immersion Day)
Tues. February 13, 2024- 10:30am

Description: Since its premiere in 2019, this Pulitzer Prize finalist has taken the theatrical world by storm, breathing new life into our Constitution by imagining how it will shape the next generation of Americans. As a teenager, Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the country. In this hilarious, witty and refreshingly honest new play, she revisits her fifteen-year-old self to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the lasting impact of the document that shaped their journey.

Themes: Politics, women's rights, immigration, depression, domestic abuse, the history of the United States

For Which Audiences? Recommended for ages 12+

Content Advisory: What the Constitution Means to Me contains mentions of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and discussions of abortion and its stigmatization.

Student Matinee Dates:
Tuesday, February 27, 2024 - 10:30am
Wednesday, Feb 28, 2024 - 10:30am

Description: One of the most beloved novels of the 20th century comes to life in this captivating portrayal of faith, family, and friendship. In 1940s Brooklyn, two brilliant young Jewish boys grow up sharing a love of baseball. Although they live just five blocks from each other, the shadows of their fathers keep them a world apart. As they reach adulthood, their complicated friendship will test the bounds of belief, understanding and reconciliation. Set against the backdrop of WWII and the creation of the state of Israel, Chaim Potok's acclaimed story balances transformation and tradition, growing up and growing wise, and living out your truths – no matter the consequences.

Themes: Faith/religion, tradition, family, friendship, choice, freedom, communication, the Holocaust

For Which Audiences? Recommended for ages 10+

Content Advisory: The Chosen contains mentions of war, genocide (specifically the Holocaust)

Student Matinee Dates:
Wed. March 13, 2024 – 10:00am (Immersion Day)
Tues. March 19, 2024- 10:30am

Description: The creator of some of our nation’s most powerful Civil Rights anthems, Nina Simone shook the world with her music. After the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Simone's tribute song "Four Women" transformed her from gifted pianist to trailblazing activist, charting a new course as an agent of change and healing. This play with music shines a light on how she found her true calling and gave voice to a movement through impactful and inspirational songs like "Mississippi Goddam," "Go Limp" and “Sinnerman."

Themes: Civil rights, feminism, protest, justice, selfhood, Black womanhood

For Which Audiences? Recommended for ages 14+

Content Advisory: Nina Simone: Four Women contains mention of racial prejudice and violence, murder, sexual assault, adult language

Student Matinee Dates:
Tues. April 30, 2024- 10:30am

Rep Immersion Days
A full day of fun and education as we give students an inside peek into the magic of creating live theater. Students arrive in the morning for demonstrations of the technical side of the production, workshops with various staff members at Milwaukee Rep as well as a boxed lunch for each person. A matinee performance of the production follows lunch. Cost for the Immersion part of your day is $10 per person and includes lunch. The $10 does not include your ticket to see the production.

Beyond the Student Matinee
You can further enhance your Student Matinee experience with Backstage Tours before or after the production, with our Pre- and Post-Show Workshops where an artist from the production can visit your classroom, or our highly successful  that directly teaches literacy skills using the text from the play.

Backstage Tours
At this time we have suspended Backstage Tours due to restrictions around COVID-19. We hope to resume tours again in the summer of 2023. Take a peek behind-the-scenes at the workings of Milwaukee Rep through a guided Backstage Tour. Groups will see theater at work in our production areas as well as hear the history of our theater and company. Tour routes may differ depending on what is happening in our spaces, but tours will generally cover our props, costumes, carpentry, and paint shops, our administration offices, and our three theater spaces. 

Cost: $2/person, minimum $30/group

To book, please contact: Ro Spice-Kopischke, Education Coordinator at rspice-kopischke@milwaukeerep.com or 414-290-5393.

"The students really enjoyed it and had their eyes opened about lots of theatre things it's impossible for us to expose them to here. Many commented on the career connections that they'd never made in this field. I thought that was really interesting. We have lots of artistic kids, but I think many of them feel that won't benefit them in the workforce. They saw yesterday that there are jobs for people who love the arts."
– Teacher, Barneveld High School

Pre and Post-Show Workshops
Enhance your Student Matinee experience by bringing a professional actor or artist into your classroom! Pre-Show Workshops are designed to prepare students to see our productions. They might get a glimpse into various design elements, participate in an activity based on theme, or learn more about the context of the show they are going to see. Post-Show Workshops give students the chance to discuss the production with an artist from the show, participate in a relevant activity, and reflect on their student matinee experience.

Please note that an actor may not always be available for a workshop depending on the schedule.