MILWAUKEE: Renaissance Theaterworks has announced updates to its 2020-21 season. In keeping with recommendations from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the CDC, the company has decided to push its season from an October start to January.
In addition, the company is permanently moving to their new artistic home at 255 S. Water Street, also home to Next Act Theatre. Both companies are working together with health experts to prepare for live audiences. The building protocols may include physical distancing, enhanced cleaning, and paperless tickets and playbills.
“The health and safety of our patrons, artists, and staff is our first priority,” says founder and artistic director Suzan Fete in a statement. “Delaying the start of our season was a difficult decision to make. We will use the additional time to create, in conjunction with state and local health authorities, COVID-19 safety protocols that will allow us to welcome everyone back safely.”
The season will kick off with Minita Gandhi’s MUTHALAND (Jan. 8-31, 2021), about a young Indian-American woman’s transformative journey to her homeland. Lavina Jadhwani will direct.
Next up will be Anna Ziegler’s Actually (March 12-April 4, 2021), an exploration of the culture of sexual consent through the story of two college freshman at Princeton. Mary MacDonald Kerr will direct.
Following will be Bekah Brunstetter’s The Cake (June 26-July 18, 2021), which was originally slated to open the season this fall. The play is about a baker wrestling with the decision of whether to make a cake for her best friend’s daughter, who is marrying a woman. Jenny Wanasek will direct.
Also part of the programming with be the company’s seventh annual Br!nk New Play Festival, which offers female playwrights week-long workshops and public virtual readings in September.
Founded in 1993, Renaissance Theaterworks promotes the work of women onstage and off, and aims to improve gender parity in the Milwaukee theatre community.
