“Boulevard Theatre” literally translates as Milwaukee's “avenue” of “arts.” I deliberately chose this appellation over 38 years ago (1984-1985) when I was a younger actor trying to learn my craft and thinking that I might leave my table jockey job (waiting tables) at Mader's German Restaurant, as I hoped to earn a living in the local theatre scene. That didn't quite occur, as a few low-paying acting gigs (appearances with the old Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, the former Clavis Theatre, the now-defunct Marquette Summer Repertory, the once-thriving Platteville Shakespeare Festival, etc.) reinforced that I would be serving pork shank dinners for a lot longer than anticipated.
I began producing my own brand of theatre. I found a space that I paid for in Riverwest and directed my first play (Virginia, acclaimed writer Edna O'Brien's take on the life of writer Virginia Woolf). Later, I found a space (a charming brick storefront that Boulevard would later purchase) in Bay View, and our presence on Kinnickinnic fully transformed the entire neighborhood. Our cozy black box theatre attracted new businesses (Lulu Cafe & Bar is just one of the countless new businesses that we attracted to this once-neglected, yet soon-to-be-thriving area).
Boulevard served as the “poor man's” version of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre in that once-blighted area and gave tremendous opportunities to hundreds of actors and other artists (many later formed their own companies, such as Renaissance Theatreworks, Bialystock & Bloom, Zeitgeist Theatre, Dramatists Theatre, etc.). My literary tastes would wholly reflect Boulevard's mission of presenting scripts by noted American playwrights (Edward Albee, David Mamet, Tennessee Williams, etc.) as well as countless applauded revivals of scripts by classic playwrights (Shakespeare, Moliere, Gogol, Calderon, etc.). Boulevard was staging intelligent, thoughtful and stimulating scripts that any multi-million dollar repertory theatre would (and should!) drool over.
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Decades later, a few local political scofflaws and sketchy neighbors made it impossible to retain our presence in Bay View (2014) and we were forced to sell our cherished home and become a roaming theatre company. Our next few seasons enjoyed tremendous welcome and success at the East Side's Plymouth Church. We continued staging full (sets, lights, costumes, curtains, etc.) shows, but later would focus on presenting intriguing readings (think of our elevated concert series as plays without sets, music, or theatrical lighting) at music stands. Fully rehearsed, pay-what-you-wish public showings of deeply rewarding presentations that ask patrons to participate in our creative process by using their own fertile imaginations to fill in the visual “gaps.” Our next presentation is the Milwaukee premiere of Bruce Graham's tender comedy Stella and Lou (Sept. 30-Oct. 6). This charming tale of mature romance testifies that love is indeed the best social security.
Mark & Boulevard Theatre extends deep thanks to Sugar Maple owner Adrienne Pierlussi for her unending support of the greater MKE arts community. Brava! And what a great staff! Bravo, redux.
Photo Credit: Erol Reyal
Mark Bucher
Visit: Milwaukee Boulevard Theatre
