BY Rick Cleveland
DIRECTED BY Mark Clements
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Carol & Rob Manegold
A CO-PRODUCTION WITH Arizona Theatre Company
"Brilliantly intellectual and darkly funny — not to be missed."
From Emmy Award-winning writer Rick Cleveland (Six Feet Under, The West Wing, and House of Cards), comes a funny and incisive new drama about the meeting of America’s most exclusive club – the ex-presidents. Obliged to gather together on the day of Richard Nixon’s funeral, four “exes” and one “current” vent frustrations, revisit old grievances, and reveal the toll that it takes on any person foolish enough to seek the highest office in the land.
What’s Five Presidents like? Should I see it?
A slam-dunk if you like The West Wing, but also if you enjoy Veep, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, or political cartoons in The New Yorker – real life politics, but with a fictionalize, biting, comedic edge. Witty banter, speeches about honor, political secrets, and jelly beans, make this World Premiere Event everything you’d want it a dynamic and winning piece of theater Plus, Milwaukee audiences will be amongst the first in the nation to see this new play!
To learn more about the Five Presidents, go to the Milwaukee Rep’s webpage
Tap buttons:
Artists: Cast and Creative Team background information
Multimedia:
Audio: Learn more about Five Presidents from Artistic Director, Mark Clements
The Milwaukee Rep’s production of Five Presidents opens March 10. The running time is approximately two hours.
Please note that we will have excellent theater seating in middle sections 3 and 4 facing center stage.
Registration Limit: 95
Please note that we will have excellent theater seating in lower and middle area of the Orchestra section in sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 facing center stage.
Non-Member Policy: Non-members may registration for PLATO bus trips only as a guest of a PLATO member. Each PLATO member is entitled to bring one non-member guest per bus trip.
Non-member guests pay an additional $15.00 registration fee. (PLATO Member Rate: $60.00/year. Membership forms are available on the bus.)
Accessibility Policy: Milwaukee Rep’s Powerhouse Theater is handicapped accessible. Our seats will be in the orchestra section where each row is a step down with handrail support. On the Badger Bus, you must be able to climb steps to board and exit the bus. If you need assistance, we recommend that you bring a friend to give you a hand.
Registration Limit: 95
Pricing
PLATO Member Cost:
$68.00 Lunch is on your own $83.00 Rep Speaker Luncheon
Guest of a Member Cost:
$83.00 Lunch on your own
$98.00 Rep Speaker Luncheon
Cost includes Rep ticket, Badger Bus travel w/Wi-Fi access. The Rep’s Speaker Luncheon is a $15.00 option.
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Member Extra Theater Ticket Purchase $47.00
For Non-Member Guest who will meet you in Milwaukee.
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The Rep Speaker Matinee Lunch is a buffet consisting of soup du jour, mixed green salad, seasonal fruit, assorted finger sandwiches (egg salad, ham & cheese, tuna salad + 1 chef’s choice), warm rolls, and assorted cookies and bars. Beverages include regular and decaf coffee and assorted teas. It is held in the adjoining Intercontinental Hotel, Cash bar is available. Lunch will be served buffet style from 11:30 AM to 12:45 PM. A member of the Rep’s creative team will discuss a particular feature of the production. Cost is $15.00.
Rep In-Depth – an optional, but highly recommended, lively and informative 30 minute pre-talk which starts 45 minutes before every performance in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater and runs from 12:45 PM to 1:15 PM. It is free and you can drop in any time during the course of the talk. This popular series is sure to enhance your theater-going experience with background information about the play you are about to see. Come and join us and all of the other audience members who enjoy this free educational event! (Use Mezzanine Level entrance to the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater)
~ ~ ~ ~ Trip Options ~ ~ ~ ~
Free Time from 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM in which to Enjoy Lunch and to Explore
Option 1 – will be attractive to those who enjoy lunch on their own and want free time to explore downtown Milwaukee. There are two bus drop-off locations from which to begin.
Bus Drop A: Milwaukee Public Market. There are many nearby Third Ward restaurants from which to choose, including the Milwaukee Public Market that contains eight distinctive eateries. For those choosing Bus Drop A who want to attend the Rep In-Depth pre-talk, our bus will return to pick you up at 12:30 PM and get you to the theater in time for its 12:45 start. Note: if want to spend more time in the Third Ward, the Milwaukee Rep is a short walk north on Water St. (5 blocks or 0.4 mile) and is located on NW corner of Water and Wells Streets. Our play begins at 1:30 PM.
Bus Drop B: Milwaukee Rep entrance. There are many downtown restaurants located within walking distance from the theater, including those across the river and along the Riverwalk. Since you will be so close to the Rep, you will have time for lunch and the 12:45 pm Rep In-Depth pre-talk, or for exploring downtown a bit longer before the performance begins at 1:30 PM.
Option 2 – will be appealing to those who want to more fully explore the play rather than the neighborhood. The bus stop is on Wells Street in front of the Milwaukee Rep entrance. The Rep Speaker Luncheon is held in the Galleria of the Intercontinental Hotel. Use the Rep main entrance. Walk to the Rotunda. Turn right and enter the hotel. The Galleria will be on your right.
The Rep Speaker Matinee Lunch is served buffet style from 11:30 AM to 12:45 PM in the adjoining Intercontinental Hotel’s Art Galleria. A member of the Rep’s creative team will discuss a particular feature of the production. The luncheon buffet consists of soup du jour, mixed green salad, seasonal fruit, assorted finger sandwiches (egg salad, ham & cheese, tuna salad + 1 chef’s choice), warm rolls, and assorted cookies and bars. Beverages include regular and decaf coffee and assorted teas. Cash bar is available.
From the Rep Speaker Luncheon to Attend Rep In-Depth. It is a leisurely walk back to the rotunda. Take the elevator to the Mezzanine, or walk up the two short flights of stairs of the white marble staircase to the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater Mezzanine Level Entrance. The Rep In-Depth pre-talk begins at 12:45 PM.
Itinerary
Bear in mind that our boarding bus route is like Madison Metro or any other municipal bus service. Please arrive early at your boarding stop so you don’t miss the bus. When everyone is aboard and seated, we leave. Arrive early and we will all arrive Milwaukee on time to begin our day.
– Don’t be late. We can wait just 5 minutes at any one location.
– Pack water bottles and snacks for sustenance on the journey.
Leave Madison
Bus 1 9:00 AM Bus arrives at Oakwood University Woods to begin boarding.
Bus 1 - 9:20 AM leaves for Milwaukee
(Or, sooner if everyone is aboard)
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Bus 2 - 9:00 AM arrives at Capitol Lakes for loading.
Bus 2 - 9:20 AM arrives at East Towne Shopko for loading.
Bus 2 - 9:30 AM departs for Milwaukee (Or, sooner if everyone is aboard)
In Milwaukee
11:00 AM Bus 1 & 2 Drop A in Third Ward for Milwaukee Public Market and other nearby restaurants
11:15 AM Bus 1 & 2 Drop B at Rep Theater entrance for Rep Speaker Luncheon and nearby restaurants
11:30 AM Rep Speaker Luncheon Buffet Begins
12:30 PM Bus 1 & 2 Return to Milwaukee Public Market to pick up those for Rep In-Depth
12:35 PM Rep Speaker Luncheon Ends
12:45 PM Rep In-Depth pre-talk begins. (Use Mezzanine Level entrance)
1:30 PM Five Presidents performance begins
3:30 PM Five Presidents performance ends
3:30 PM - Bus 1 & 2 Begin bus boarding for
3:45 PM return to Madison. There will be adequate time for coat check retrieval and restroom use
Depart for Madison (As soon as everyone is aboard)
Arrive Madison
Bus 2 - 5:15 PM East Towne Shopko
Bus 2 - 5:35 PM Capitol Lakes
Bus 1 - 5:45 PM Oakwood University Woods
Registration Notes
Registration Limit: 80
March 2- Five Presidents w/Rep Speaker Luncheon Bus Trip Registration Deadline
March 2 - Five Presidents w/Lunch on Your Own Bus Trip Registration Deadline
For further information, contact Bob Blitzke, bblitzke@gmail.com and 608-271-7741
