As previously announced, Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s new state-of-the-art, 30,000-square-foot production center, located at 1300 Glenview Place, Wauwatosa, WI was severely damaged by historic flooding.
This flooding, described as a "1,000-year flood event," caused the nearby Menominee River to rise from less than 2 feet to over 14 feet in just six hours, from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sunday morning. Local meteorological data indicate this was driven by more than 14 inches of rain falling in less than 12 hours, crushing all-time rainfall records.
Over the past few days, we’ve been able to more accurately assess the full extent of the damage. Unfortunately, it appears that the majority of the building’s contents are a total loss. This includes more than 75,000 unique props, costumes, and set pieces, along with thousands of pieces of sound, lighting, rigging, welding, automation, projection, and paint equipment. The loss also includes vehicles, musical instruments, office and drafting equipment, lifts, power tools, and archives. Additionally, the set for our current production of A Christmas Carol, which was in storage, was destroyed.
The estimated value of the losses will likely exceed $5 million, which is the limit of our flood insurance policy. This disaster has struck at a particularly challenging time, as much of our equipment from the downtown theater complex was being stored in the production facility while we continue construction on the Associated Bank Theater Center.
To ensure that we stay on track for the scheduled opening of the Associated Bank Theater Center and can still produce our upcoming fall and winter productions—including A Christmas Carol—we have begun setting up a temporary production shop at another location. We are also partnering with commercial production shops in the U.S. and Canada to assist in our recovery efforts. We anticipate completing the remediation and rebuilding of our permanent production facility by early 2026.
If you would like to help with our recovery, tax-deductible donations can be made to Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Subscriptions and individual tickets for our inaugural season are also available for purchase.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater remains resilient and creative in the face of these daunting challenges. With the support of our community of patrons, both local and from across the country, we look forward to celebrating the opening of our new facility in just nine weeks and welcoming you back for a season of world-class theater.
Visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com/Flood for more information.
Chad Bauman
Ellen & Joe Checota Executive Director
Milwaukee Repertory Theater
About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Repertory Theater is one of the nation’s first regional theaters and Wisconsin’s largest performing arts organization, presenting a variety of world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire audiences. Led by Ellen & Joe Checota Executive Director Chad Bauman and Artistic Director Mark Clements, Milwaukee Rep is as an anchoring civic, economic and cultural institution in the downtown Milwaukee Theater District. Through staging new plays, beloved classics, compelling dramas, and full-scale musicals from emerging and established voices; its John D. Lewis New Play Development Program that incubates new work from a wide spectrum of innovative voices; education initiatives that eliminate barriers to the arts; and community engagement programs that bring people together to explore new perspectives, Milwaukee Rep inspires meaningful dialogue and enacts positive change within the Milwaukee community. With the opening of its new home in the Associated Bank Theater Center in Fall 2025, Milwaukee Rep will deepen and expand its reach with three state-of-the-art, fully accessible theaters, a dedicated education and engagement center, and a variety of welcoming community spaces. For more information, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com.