Rep Lab 2022
There is a true and unrelenting magic in the world of professional theater. With humor and touching sentiments (and puppets), the shows chosen for this year’s Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Rep Lab express what is great about the performing arts. Packed with talented performers ready to put on two exciting performances, Hidden in This Picture by Aaron Sorkin and The Last Nickel by Jane Shepard, the Rep Lab 2022 is shaping up to be a terrific way to experience the Milwaukee Rep.
Hidden in this Picture and The Last Nickel take place on Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 26, at 2 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit milwaukeerep.com/shows/show/rep-lab-2022.
The Milwaukee Rep Lab is a year-long residency offered to applicants looking for a bridge into the world of professional theater. The Milwaukee Rep Lab performers become known as Emerging Professional Residents (EPRs). “My experience as an Emerging Professional Resident has been extremely rewarding” says Emma Johnson, EPR and director of The Last Nickel. “Finally, our years' worth of bottled-up determination, drive, and passion gets to be seen by audiences.”
Presented with the chance to work with professionals from all over the country, and to study for a year at one of the region’s foremost theaters, the self-exploration involved with a Milwaukee Reb Lab residency is a rare and life-changing experience. “The work that is done at Milwaukee Rep is absolutely brilliant. Behind the scenes, you see whole teams of people working to craft a vision and tell a story together in record time, dealing with limitations and restrictions with incredible grace and patience for each other,” says Daniel Blanco, EPR and director of Hidden in This Picture. “You feel everyone's dedication to their craft, and to each other; it’s a beautiful community that everyone in the Rep has created together over the years.”
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The two short plays will be performed back-to-back. From the satirical approach of Hidden in this Picture to the simultaneously funny and touching nature of The Last Nickel, the plays promise to be a memorable showcase of new talent. “These plays are wildly different, without a doubt, but in their own ways, they both deal with themes of grief and acceptance of the situations handed to us,” says Blanco. “I feel like it perfectly encapsulates just what it means to be a young, up-and-coming artist.” As the first Rep Lab shows since the COVID-19 pandemic, the pieces are sure to resonate deeply with audiences, and provide an excellent view into the hard work of all the EPRs over the past year.
