Next Act Theatre

I was totally unaware that this little theater, tucked next to an architectural firm on Water Street, existed until I saw an advertisement for «Back of the Throat» kicking around (a play that I’ve heard great things about and — until recently — seethed with jealousy that it wasn’t staged in Milwaukee). So I was more than thrilled to discover that it was being performed here!
It’s hard to disassociate my review of the actual theater with the play (which was FANTASTIC — the cast, the set designers, and the entire crew did an amazing job), but I’ll try. The actual theater is very intimate, with three wings of seats reminiscent of an old-​style movie theater. The crowd skewed a lot older, but as a result, I didn’t hear one cell phone go off or have a drink spilled on me. The reception area is very attractive, but slightly disorganized (we weren’t aware when we could enter the actual theater, so we awkwardly sat on a bench outside the ticketing booth). If you’re feeling hungry before the show, there’s a little booth area that sells snacks and drinks.
All in all, I’m very impressed by the quality and diversity of performances that this theater hosts. My fiancé and I are definitely looking forward to the next time we visit!

I won free tickets to the Milwaukee Comedy Festival. Thanks, Unilocal!The first three days were held at the Next Act Theatre, which I’ve never visited.
I never get to this part of town, so it was hard to picture where this place was located. However, once I arrived, I was impressed by how nice the outside of the building looked and even more impressed when I entered the lobby.
The bar is the first thing you see when you enter. The ticket windows are off to your right, priorities!
The lobby has a nice lounge area, very clean, and it’s a great spot to wait for a friend who is running a little late for the show.
The theatre itself is small with seats on three sides of the floor/​stage area. The seats weren’t comfortable, particularly the back rests. I shifted often, and I noticed my friend leaned forward often. That’s the only knock I have, but it’s kind of a big one because guests should be comfortable when watching a show.
I enjoyed the Milwaukee Comedy Festival very much, and I think this is a great venue for it, as well as other shows. I’ll go back, but I’ll try to remember to bring a cushion for my back next time.

This theater space is truly a hidden gem. I say that, because it took some skilled navigation to find. Having a Water St. address, but being in that Bermuda triangle thing where Water splits off AND having google maps not recognize the address… made the trek to Next Act Theatre interesting? Yes, interesting. A quest for comedy indeed!
I saw the Milwaukee Comedy Festival at this location (which was a-​mazing, and suggest that y’all get there next year!!). The space was really nice. Updated, clean, and the booze was so cheap! Which makes for a very loose audience that will laugh even louder. Huzzah!
I would hands down return to this venue for another show– it seems to draw in quite the interesting acts. Check it out, yo!

Went here with my Red Hat group. Location is a little bit of a challenge but once you are close, the building is easy to spot. Parking is free; a big plus. We ate lunch at nearby restaurant so was just a 5″ drive to theatre. Audience is 3-​sided around the stage. We had no trouble hearing or seeing the actors. Saw «Sylvia» and it was great. Tickets for an afternoon show were only $ 20. A busload of people came from Madison so word must have traveled that this is good show for the money.

The first time I saw a production by this company (or any theater for that matter) was back in my senior year of high school, 2002 – 2003, in the old Off Broadway space near the Milwaukee Public Market. I was invited to see two plays by one of the English teachers (and head of the school’s National Honor Society) with her students. It was great! I don’t remember the titles, but I remember one of the shows dealt with a woman losing her mind and working through it or something like that (Angela, you play a great crazy lady; Ruth you are wonderful classic). Anyway, I at least remember how much I enjoyed my first theater experiences. I didn’t think I would see much more after that, but then I married a theater junkie and have had the privilege to see much of the wonderful works our city has to offer.
Saturday, October 29^th, was my first time inside the new theater space (I saw «The Exonerated,» touching play, well done). It is so much nicer then the old space, not that I didn’t like the old space but the new one has some advantages the other did not. The new space is configured the same way as the old, three sides for people to sit and the stage essentially in the center of the audience. No more pillars in the way of some people’s view, yay! They have parking, yay! (Wait, why am I excited about the parking lot, I don’t even drive!!!) It is a larger space then the previous with a roomier sitting area in the box office area. Simple, clean, very minimalist modern design. It lost a little of the close intimate feel the other theater space had, but I guess you’ll lose that when you move into a roomier space. The theater space itself is a little lighter then the old, again probably due to its expanding size.
The building is not in a prominent spot in the city, but they turned it into a giant golden yellow building with it’s name plastered quite largely on its side so when you’re in the right area it should be easy to spot. There are a few places to get food and drink in the area before the show if you’re interested, namely: Alterra Coffee, Stack’d (a burger spot), and Moct (a bar). Of course, Downtown is nearby and they have a number of places to eat and drink and shop and such. If you don’t have time to go to one of these places, however, they do sell soda and water (do they still sell wine and head sized cookies like the old spot… I didn’t check).
So, go to town, grab a bite, and see a show here. Very nice new spot for this Milwaukee based theater. Bravo!