World Premiere Wisconsin

Statewide theater festival celebrates new plays

Spearheaded by the leadership of Madison’s Forward Theater Company, the Milwaukee Repertory Theater and Door County’s Northern Sky Theater, World Premiere Wisconsin launched its inaugural festival March 1 and will run it through June 30 throughout the state.

“World Premiere Wisconsin was born out of my desire to celebrate the incredible theater makers in our state,” said founder Jen Uphoff Gray. “Theatergoers will have an extraordinary opportunity this spring to be the first to see scores of new works without having to travel far and to know that by showing up, they are contributing to the creation of this art.”

World Premiere Wisconsin’s website, worldpremierewisconsin.com,  offers a complete list of productions, readings, workshops and more, and the organization is also offering a free, mobile-exclusive digital passport that allows attendees to check in at participating festival theaters, redeem promotional offers and earn points along the way that can be redeemed for rewards.

Three Door County theater companies will host shows as part of the World Premiere Wisconsin festival. Third Avenue PlayWorks will present I Carry Your Heart with Me by Jennifer Blackmer May 10-29; Peninsula Players will put on A Rock Sails By by Sean Grennan June 13 – July 2; and Northern Sky Theater will stage The Fish Whisperer by Scott Guy and Robin Share, with music by Dan Wessels and Ron Barnette, June 14 – Aug. 25.