Youngblood Theatre Company
The regular theatre season takes flight August 13th with Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s Around the World in 80 Days. This stage adaptation of the Jules Verne classic is directed by Patrick Holland and stars a heap of veteran Milwaukee actors. Waiting for opening night seems to be akin to standing idle in the so-called express check out lane with five item-encumbered people in line before you all writing checks.
Just when you think you won’t be able to stand the wait, along comes Youngblood Theatre Company. The veteran actors of tomorrow are the ambitious and prolific young actors of today. Milwaukee is nothing if not teeming with progressive and fervent theatre artists hungry for opportunities to display their wares. Youngblood is just one of at least three new Milwaukee theatre companies that seem to have sprouted up in the last few months.
Youngblood Theatre Company is comprised of Artistic Director Michael Cotey and several other Univeristy of Wisconsin – Milwaukee graduates. Their mission statement is thus: to support the emerging theatre artists of Milwaukee by providing challenging opportunities for early-career actors and theatre technicians to gain professional experience. Youngblood Theatre Company’s inaugural season is an amazing 3 Play Festival that runs from July 10th through August 2nd in various Milwaukee locations.
Youngblood’s 3 shows are:
DAVID'S REDHAIRED DEATH by Sherry Kramer
Synopsis: Jean and Marilyn, two redheads, are falling in love. The death of Jean’s brother David may be enough to keep the two crimson haired women apart.
Directed by Laura Sedlak
Featuring: Tess Cinpinski, Josh Sandvick, Zachary William Spencer, & Jazmin Vollmar
July 10, 11, 17, 18 & 7:30pm; July 12, 19 & 2:00pm. Presented at UWM Studio Theatre
SAVAGE IN LIMBO by John Patrick Shanley
Synopsis: A group of rootless young “losers” congregate at an anonymous Bronx bar hoping to find respite from the drabness of their lives.
Directed by David Rothrock
Featuring: Callie Eberdt, Ashely Sevedge, Tommy Stevens, Abbey Starr White,
& Andrew Edwin Voss
July 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29 @ 7:00pm This environment-based production places the audience in the intimate setting of Landmark Lanes’ Side Bar.
GOD BRIDGE by Benjamin Wilson
Synopsis: This world premiere play by recent UWM graduate Wilson concerns a couple looking for a missing boy. They encounter a pair of homeless people who stand watch of a bridge overlooking the Milwaukee River. There, the couple discovers the root of their relationship and the problems thereof.
Directed by Lillian Tillson
Featuring: Michael Cotey, Max Hultquist, Daniel Koester, Robyn Starkey,
Lineve Thurman, Jason Waszak, & Katie Whittaker
July 24, 25, 31, August 1 & 7:30pm; July 26, August 2 & 2:00pm Presented at Kenilworth Studio Theatre
Founding Artistic Director Michael Cotey tells us the impetus for Youngblood and how the theatre company began.
“In the spring of this year, five of us got together one afternoon and started talking about the limited opportunities available in Milwaukee for recent graduates. Most of the theaters in town, especially the major ones, audition once a year through the Milwaukee Generals. For a Non-Equity actor, getting a spot in the Generals is often fairly difficult. If you don't call almost immediately when the phone line opens, you can almost guarantee you won't get an audition spot since there is an army of Non-Equity actors in Milwaukee. Regardless, most theaters are completely cast for the following season by March and opportunities are limited, even before you factor in recent graduates. For those of us who are graduated, this upcoming season looked to be a dry one. Instead of dwelling on the lack of work, we began to talk about creating our own work. Why not be proactive and create the theatre we what to be a part of anyways? We decided on three shows, which was the basis for what we thought would be a one-time "summer theatre-fest" outing. As we continued talking, however, it was clear that we could be so much more than that and that this shouldn't end with this summer. That's how YOUNGBLOOD was born.”
Subscriptions to all 3 Youngblood plays are available for single low price of $30.00 through the Peck School of the Arts Ticket Office, 2419 East Kenwood Boulevard. Single tickets are available for $12.00. Tickets can also be purchased by phone at (414) 229-4308.
For more information on Michael Cotey or Youngblood Theatre Company visit their website at www.youngbloodtheatre.com
Visit Milwaukee Theatre Examiner tomorrow for more informative talk from Michael Cotey about Youngblood Theatre Company, including details on the chosen plays and the future of Youngblood.
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