Wisconsin Classic Stage

Wisconsin Classic Stage | Bold Plays. Timeless Questions. The first anti-war play in recorded history. A shattering meditation on empire, hubris, and the human cost of war — told from the side of the defeated.

If last night’s first read of GHOSTS is any indication, Milwaukee is about to witness something extraordinary.

The room was alive with sharp, fearless, funny, and deeply human talent. Moments landed. And we haven’t even stood up yet. The surprises won’t just be in the play. The surprise is gonna be this exceptional cast.

🎟️ Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/53243tj4

𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞.

Be the first to hear about upcoming productions, season announcements, auditions, classes, and special events. Go behind the scenes with rehearsal stories, artist spotlights, production insights, and reflections on the craft that drives our work.

Whether you're a longtime supporter, a theatre artist, or discovering Wisconsin Classic Stage for the first time, The Insider brings you closer to the process, the people, and the productions that make our work possible.

Season announcements. Behind the scenes dispatches. Production news. Straight to your inbox.

Link here: https://tinyurl.com/3brfhxtx

𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬
𝙂𝙃𝙊𝙎𝙏𝙎
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙅𝙤𝙝𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣 & 𝙍𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝘿𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙨 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝙃𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚

Ibsen in the Calvary Parking Lot
935 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207

This bold, site-specific production unfolds at sunset in an intimate outdoor setting, delivering Ibsen’s explosive drama with breathtaking closeness. Just 30 seats available per performance.

Featuring:
- Deborah Stencelas Mrs. Alving
- Ben Skwierawski as Osvald Alving
- Cole Castine as Pastor Manders
- Ashley Garcia as Regina
- Ryan Holifield as Jacob Engstrand

Directed by Josh Pohja (𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺 𝘝, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴, 𝘈𝘯 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘔𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦, 𝘏𝘢𝘮𝘭𝘦𝘵, 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦)
Assistant Director | Joel Berkowitz
Stage Manager | Cat Sadler
Costume Supervisor: Katherine Ziemann
Production Supervisor: Cole Castine
Associate Producer: F Marvin Hannah

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟎–𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 𝟔𝐏𝐌 – 𝟖:𝟒𝟓 𝐏𝐌

This is intimate, immersive theater at its absolute finest — powerful, haunting, and dangerously close. A limited-run event

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡:
𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 @ 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞.𝐜𝐨𝐦

Don’t just watch GHOSTS
Experience it.
Tickets on sale NOW!

Wisconsin Classic Stage

Huge thanks to Mark Corkins for leading the company through an intense Suzuki training session. It was a challenging, exhilarating, and transformative ninety minutes - equal parts painful and magical. By the end, we were completely exhausted, but energized by the work and the discipline it demands.

One year ago, Wisconsin Classic Stage opened with HENRY V, a sold-out and critically acclaimed debut.

A talented cast of artists proved that Shakespeare thrives when delivered with boldness, humor, and raw ensemble synergy.

WCS is grateful to be part of an already dynamic theatre culture, and deeply inspired to keep it flourishing.

With a profound sense of our responsibilities to our audience, here’s to the next chapter.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁!

SUZUKI/VIEWPOINTS TRAINING
with Mark Corkins and Josh Pohja

When: Monday, June 1, 2026
6:30–9:30 PM (3 Hours)
Where:
Calvary Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary Hall
935 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Price: $5

Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/4d2ptuju

Why?
Suzuki Technique and Viewpoints balance performers, directors, and theatre professionals with a clear physical language, practical toolset, and structured pathway for postdramatic approaches. Rooted in ensemble practice, it illuminates a group’s relationship to material or theme through non-psychological, physical means.

Through Viewpoints, you’ll explore collaboration, discovery, and the shared creation of dynamic theatre. You’ll work directly with time and space and shifting tempos, duration, distance, gesture, architecture, and pathways to make profound meaning onstage.
For 160 minutes (with one 15 min break), you will train in a dimension where nothing is fixed, everything is in play. Leave with tools that strengthen your work as an actor, director, human being, deviser, or storyteller, and recalibrate your artistic potential.

Instructors:
Mark Corkins - Suzuki; Milwaukee Acting Theatre Legend
Josh Pohja – Viewpoints; Executive Artistic Producer at Wisconsin Classic Stage

What to Bring/Wear: Comfortable, flexible clothing for movement, water bottle, pen & notepad. Come ready to move at your capacity (whatever that is today!) while being challenged to push the edges of your creative intelligence. You’ll use your body, voice, and spatial awareness to build dynamic, grounded, intentional physical storytelling.

Important: Please arrive early, accounting for parking, so we can start promptly at 6:30 PM. We look forward to moving, creating, and connecting with you in this exciting ensemble-based practice.

Email education [at] wisconinsclassicstage.com for more information.

We are thrilled to welcome Cole Castine as Wisconsin Classic Stage’s Artistic Director. Cole will help lead the company with a focus on production, company growth, and artistic development. His grounded leadership and thoughtful perspective bring an important balance to the company’s bold artistic energy, helping shape greater accountability within Wisconsin Classic Stage’s mission, process, and values as the organization continues to grow.

Come see Cole Castine as Pastor Manders in our summer production of Ibsen's GHOSTS. Ticket link here: https://tinyurl.com/52tyxey4

Wisconsin Classic Stage proudly presents Brian Johnston & Rick Davis’s definitive translation of Ibsen's haunting masterpiece GHOSTS.

📍 Performances: Ibsen in the Calvary Parking Lot
935 W. Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53207
🎟️ Tickets on sale TODAY!
Event ticket link here: https://tinyurl.com/52tyxey4

Featuring:
Deborah Stencel as Mrs. Alving
Ben Skwierawski as Osvald Alving
Cole Castine as Pastor Manders
Ryan Holifield as Engstrand
(with additional cast to be announced)

Performance Dates: July 10–19, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (ending at sunset)

This immersive production is strictly limited to just 30 seats per performance.

Don’t miss this bold, intimate, and unforgettable production.
🔗 Get your tickets now: wisconsinclassicstage.com

SUZUKI/VIEWPOINTS TRAINING
with Mark Corkins and Josh Pohja

When: Monday, June 1, 2026
6:30–9:30 PM (3 Hours)
Where:
Calvary Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary Hall
935 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Price: $5

Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/4d2ptuju

Why?
Suzuki Technique and Viewpoints balance performers, directors, and theatre professionals with a clear physical language, practical toolset, and structured pathway for postdramatic approaches. Rooted in ensemble practice, it illuminates a group’s relationship to material or theme through non-psychological, physical means.

Through Viewpoints, you’ll explore collaboration, discovery, and the shared creation of dynamic theatre. You’ll work directly with time and space and shifting tempos, duration, distance, gesture, architecture, and pathways to make profound meaning onstage.
For 160 minutes (with one 15 min break), you will train in a dimension where nothing is fixed, everything is in play. Leave with tools that strengthen your work as an actor, director, human being, deviser, or storyteller, and recalibrate your artistic potential.

Instructors:
Mark Corkins - Suzuki; Milwaukee Acting Theatre Legend
Josh Pohja – Viewpoints; Executive Artistic Producer at Wisconsin Classic Stage

What to Bring/Wear: Comfortable, flexible clothing for movement, water bottle, pen & notepad. Come ready to move at your capacity (whatever that is today!) while being challenged to push the edges of your creative intelligence. You’ll use your body, voice, and spatial awareness to build dynamic, grounded, intentional physical storytelling.

Important: Please arrive early, accounting for parking, so we can start promptly at 6:30 PM. We look forward to moving, creating, and connecting with you in this exciting ensemble-based practice.

Email education [at] wisconinsclassicstage.com for more information.