Fall in love with GRETEL!

First Stage’s Foundry Stage Series forges the future of theater through emerging plays, artists, and engaging experiences. This series has been developing over the past couple of seasons and along with new play readings (presented free of charge), now features a professionally produced production with associated workshops to deepen the shared theater experience for audiences.

First Stage will present the regional premiere production of GRETEL! in this year’s Foundry Stage Series. Written by Jason Tremblay with Suzan Zeder, this folk rock musical will run February 21 through March 22, 2020 at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center.

GRETEL! reinterprets and combines the folktales of Vasilisa the Beautiful from Russia and the Grimm Brother’s Hansel and Gretel—telling the tale of how one young girl overcomes life’s obstacles with courage, perseverance, determination, and kindness.

First Stage will extend and enhance audiences’ GRETEL! experience by facilitating associated theater workshops that will explore the power of emotions and folk/fairy tales. It is our hope that the strong girl hero of GRETEL! inspires youth—particularly youn­­­g women—to overcome life’s challenges with emotional intelligence, compassion and kindness. The free associated workshops will take place at MYAC between GRETEL!’s Saturday public matinee performances and prior to the school matinees on Thursdays.

Courage in Storytelling Family Workshops 

You’re invited! Enhance your GRETEL! experience with our free Courage in Storytelling Family Theater Workshops, available on Saturday afternoons from 2:30pm-3:15pm at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. Workshops are included with your Saturday GRETEL! matinee performance ticket purchase. Audience members seeing the 1:00pm or 3:30pm Saturday performances of GRETEL! are invited to attend.

These workshops will explore Courage in Storytelling—how folktales give meaning to the human experience, expand emotional awareness, and create connections. Guided by Milwaukee theater artist and humanities expert Sheri Williams Pannell, families will explore folktales and the power of emotions through focused dramatic scene work, expression, and group discussion.

The GRETEL! Workshops are funded in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Humanities Council, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this project do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Wisconsin Humanities Council supports and creates programs that use history, culture and discussion to strengthen community life for everyone in Wisconsin.