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Skylight Music Theatre Closes Season with Porgy and Bess

Artistic Director Bill Theisen explains why he chose the production of Porgy and Bess to end his nine-year run at the Skylight Music Theatre.

The closing show of the Skylight Music Theatre’s current season also marks the end of an era for the theater. Their staging of a new production of the Gershwins’ classic Porgy and Bess also marks the last production under the artistic direction of Bill Theisen.

It’s a stripped down production – the cast in some productions can number as many as 70, but Skylight’s rendition includes only 15.

This production is Skylight’s first staging of Porgy and Bess, and it’s the first Milwaukee production of the play since 1989.

Bill Theisen is the stage director and choreographer for this production, which opens tomorrow. The production will end his nine-year tenure as artistic director at the organization – new artistic director Viswa Subbaraman takes over the position next season. Theisen has been associated with Skylight Music Theatre since 1981.

Bonnie North
Bonnie joined WUWM in March 2006 as the Arts Producer of the locally produced weekday magazine program Lake Effect.