How Did We Get Here?
Optimist Theatre History
In a cheap pizza joint in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1992, four friends decided they wanted to use their passion for theatre and education to make the world a better place. The result was Midwest Children’s Theatre, the forerunner of Optimist Theatre, and our first touring school show, “The Magic Library”.
As Midwest Children's Theatre, we reached hundreds of schools, libraries and community groups with more than three hundred performances of more than a dozen projects. From a one-person interactive performance in a local grade school to an elaborately produced play in a 1200-seat auditorium, we’ve worked to enrich the spirit and capture the imagination of our audiences.
To Be! Shakespeare Here and Now
Also born during our days as Midwest Children's Theatre, Optimist continues to celebrate our roots in touring to schools and libraries with "To Be! Shakespeare Here and Now," a one-person experience with William Shakespeare. "To Be!" features performances of some of the bard's best-known works along with audience participation and a humorous look at Sixteenth Century England. The program plays primarily in Wisconsin and the Midwest, but has played locations including Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and most recently Florence, Italy. |
What an incredibly talented and creative group of people. A fun and easy way to share an important message. Probably the best "school" performance I have ever seen in many, many years of teaching. |
2009...
A similar group of friends were astounded to realize that Milwaukee didn't have a Shakespeare in the Park so set out to create one. The company name was changed from Midwest Children's Theatre to Optimist Theatre. Being the height of a recession, the name purposefully was chosen to remind us of the most important attribute moving forward.
2010...
Optimist Theatre created Milwaukee's first free Shakespeare in the Park. Our production of The Tempest, starring James Pickering as Prospero, Angela Iannone as Ariel and Tom Reed as Caliban was a popular and critical hit and marked the beginning of free Shakespeare in the Park. In 2011, we produced beloved shows like Twelfth Night, with an all-star cast directed by Laura Gordon; and 2012, it was Macbeth, starring Tom Reed in the titular role and the phenomenal Marti Gobel as Lady Macbeth
2013...
After three successful seasons gifted with green space on the campus of Alverno College, Shakespeare in the Park moved to a real park! Under the generous auspices of COA Youth and Family Centers, Optimist Theatre performed in the Selig-Joseph-Folz Amphitheater in Alice Bertschy Kadish Park with the 2013 season performance As You Like It. 2014, those Optimists produced the infrequently produced The Winter's Tale, showcasing the luminous Beth Mulkerron; 2015 was the summer of love with A Midsummer Night's Dream, with a dream ensemble encompassing Todd Denning and Malkia Stampley as Oberon/Theseus and Titania/Hippolyta; and the still-politically-relevant Julius Caesar, led by Allen Edge in the titular role, Laura Gray as Mark Antony,
Angela Iannone as Brutus and Patrick Lawlor as Cassius.
2017...
OUR BIGGEST MOVE YET. The 2017 season marked a very important change of venue, this time to the beautiful and centrally located Peck Pavilion at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Our first production of Much Ado About Nothing featuring Todd Denning as Benedick and Kelly Faulkner as Beatrice was enjoyed by a whopping 68% increase in audience! Yes, over 3,700 people came to Shakespeare in the Park at the Peck Pavilion. 2018's King Lear, starring Milwaukee theatre legend Jim Pickering in the title role was another smash hit, receiving standing ovations every performance.
2019...
Optimist Theatre will celebrate our 10TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON with a production of The Comedy of Errors. Optimist Theatre is also now recognized as a Resident Partner of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
2020...
Alas, the plague did close all the playhouses. However, we are Optimists! (see 2009) and crafted a web series platform called No Holds Bard and debuted with a 16-episode serialization of Shakespeare's Pericles, Prince of Tyre.
A similar group of friends were astounded to realize that Milwaukee didn't have a Shakespeare in the Park so set out to create one. The company name was changed from Midwest Children's Theatre to Optimist Theatre. Being the height of a recession, the name purposefully was chosen to remind us of the most important attribute moving forward.
2010...
Optimist Theatre created Milwaukee's first free Shakespeare in the Park. Our production of The Tempest, starring James Pickering as Prospero, Angela Iannone as Ariel and Tom Reed as Caliban was a popular and critical hit and marked the beginning of free Shakespeare in the Park. In 2011, we produced beloved shows like Twelfth Night, with an all-star cast directed by Laura Gordon; and 2012, it was Macbeth, starring Tom Reed in the titular role and the phenomenal Marti Gobel as Lady Macbeth
2013...
After three successful seasons gifted with green space on the campus of Alverno College, Shakespeare in the Park moved to a real park! Under the generous auspices of COA Youth and Family Centers, Optimist Theatre performed in the Selig-Joseph-Folz Amphitheater in Alice Bertschy Kadish Park with the 2013 season performance As You Like It. 2014, those Optimists produced the infrequently produced The Winter's Tale, showcasing the luminous Beth Mulkerron; 2015 was the summer of love with A Midsummer Night's Dream, with a dream ensemble encompassing Todd Denning and Malkia Stampley as Oberon/Theseus and Titania/Hippolyta; and the still-politically-relevant Julius Caesar, led by Allen Edge in the titular role, Laura Gray as Mark Antony,
Angela Iannone as Brutus and Patrick Lawlor as Cassius.
2017...
OUR BIGGEST MOVE YET. The 2017 season marked a very important change of venue, this time to the beautiful and centrally located Peck Pavilion at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Our first production of Much Ado About Nothing featuring Todd Denning as Benedick and Kelly Faulkner as Beatrice was enjoyed by a whopping 68% increase in audience! Yes, over 3,700 people came to Shakespeare in the Park at the Peck Pavilion. 2018's King Lear, starring Milwaukee theatre legend Jim Pickering in the title role was another smash hit, receiving standing ovations every performance.
2019...
Optimist Theatre will celebrate our 10TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON with a production of The Comedy of Errors. Optimist Theatre is also now recognized as a Resident Partner of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
2020...
Alas, the plague did close all the playhouses. However, we are Optimists! (see 2009) and crafted a web series platform called No Holds Bard and debuted with a 16-episode serialization of Shakespeare's Pericles, Prince of Tyre.