Milwaukee’s Theater Season 2023-24 features an LGBTQ Theater’s Revival and a Reprise or Two

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The upcoming 2023-24 LGBTQ theater season begins where it ended last season, namely, with a Boulevard Theatre reading of Joshua Hamon’s Significant Other. Back by popular demand for those who were unable to see the show due to the sellout performance last June, the reprise takes place on Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Boulevard’s Bay View venue, Sugar Maple. Director Mark Bucher has invited the cream of Milwaukee’s LGBTQ leadership to attend as well (hopefully, they’ll show up). On Sept. 30, Boulevard presents the Wisconsin premiere of noted American playwright Bruce Graham’s romance Stella and Lou. The Boulevard plans yet another performance in the spring . 

Speaking of reprises, this season’s big news is the return of Theatrical Tendencies (TT). Founded in 2010 as Milwaukee’s first and only LGBTQ dedicated theater troupe, its opening two seasons took place at the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center. The company closed in early 2012 to be revived shortly thereafter at a new location, Soulstice Theatre. When that venue closed in 2017, TT found itself once again on hiatus. Announcing its return in March 2019, TT’s planned reopening was then thwarted by the COVID pandemic. 

Now, TT is finally back (this time for sure) for its seventh season. Its new home is Inspiration Studios (IS) in West Allis. Both TT’s Mark E. Schuster and IS owner Erico Ortiz expressed their enthusiasm about their collaboration. “I like the venue and its intimacy. All of our shows are small cast so they will work out well. Rehearsal space is available there as well. Everything is there,” Schuster said, continuing, “Inspiration Studios’ space fits the size of our stories. But it’s also small enough to let the audience fill in the rest with their imagination. The story is what matters. All the rest is set dressing. “

Ortiz, too, is looking forward to combining forces with TT. “We are so honored to host serious LGBTQ theater and provide the community with this incredible opportunity to experience it,” Ortiz said.

Taking on ‘Torch Song’

TT’s opening production is Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song (a new, modified 2018 version of the 1978 Torch Song Trilogy. Schuster explains his choice, “Relevant representation matters now more than ever. The movie version was always a favorite of mine. I loved the story and the lead character, Arnold, a Jewish, gay, drag queen confronting fear. There’s so much in the script—drag, adoption, coming out, bisexuality, searching for love and acceptance. It comes down to a universal message, gay or straight, respect is all you need.” 

Staging Fierstein’s 1978 classic and competing with the playwright’s own performance is one Schuster is eager to take on. “I’m ready to make it work for our audience. It will be interesting to see and develop the character. There is a line referring to his voice (unto itself unmistakably Fierstein) so that presents a particular challenge.” Torch Song’s six performance run begins October 20. 

TT’s season continues in February, with The Submission by Jeff Calbert. “I was interested in The Submission because of the race issue. It’s about a gay playwright writing about a Black family. The author hires a woman of color to present as the imaginary playwright while he still controls things from behind the scenes.  Calamity ensues.” as Schuster explains, adding, “It’s an interesting interplay of relationships and shaky alliances. Of course, it tries to answer the question, can a gay white playwright write about a Black family?” 

Christopher Durang’s Tony Award winning Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike follows in June. Schuster admits having always been a fan of Durang and notes, “It’s outrageous at times. Disney costumes are involved and I’m a fan of that, too.” Evolving around the lives of three adult siblings the play (as the title suggests) is inspired in part by Anton Chekov but certainly presents its own take on family rivalries, real versus assumed identities and older versus younger generations. 

Asked about his season’s choices, Schuster replied, “People ask why I don’t do lighthearted fare. One thing has always been important to me—I want the audience to leave with something emotional and go out and make change in our world. Our shows encouraged people to do that. In The Submission, for example, the character of the playwright isn’t a great person. We want to see all of our community.”

In all, Schuster sees a long future for Theatrical Tendencies as the place for LGBTQ theater saying, “Other theater companies have a Pride Night. At TT, every night will be Pride Night.”