Oct 16 Friday
When Friko delivered their debut album Where we’ve been, Where we go from here, the Chicago-based band introduced a galvanizing new voice into the indie-rock canon. Both uncompromising in spirit and thrilling in impact, the 2024 LP landed on best-of-the-year lists from the likes of Pitchfork, the cover of NME, and led to glowing acclaim from Rolling Stone, Paste, NPR Music, and SPIN (who noted that the album “places them in a lineage of great indie- and alt-rock acts…bands with prominent weird streaks, arena-sized potential, and the chops to build a bridge between the two”).
In the making of their sophomore full-length, vocalist/guitarist Niko Kapetan, drummer Bailey Minzenberger, guitarist Korgan Robb, and bassist David Fuller gained a powerful new clarity on their purpose and vision while embracing an even bolder sense of abandon, exploring everything from noise-rock to avant-garde classical to ’70s-era symphonic balladry. Equal parts sonically extravagant and emotionally searing, Something Worth Waiting For ultimately locates a wildly elusive balance between the wide-eyed idealism of youth and the self-possessed grit of lived experience.
Oct 22 Thursday
IAN SWEET is the chosen shape Jilian Medford often steps into—and sometimes dissolves inside of.
What began 10 years ago as a solo project that launched her to indie-critical-darling status, over time has evolved into something more atmospheric and less containable: a porous altar, a mirror, a weather system. There are stretches when the line between Jilian and “IAN SWEET” disappears entirely—this time around a very real life trifecta of battling industry pressures, the ending of a 3-year relationship, and a return to living in her native city of Los Angeles.
These serve as the backdrop under which Shiverstruck, her fifth album as IAN SWEET scheduled for release July 24, has found its way into the world.
Oct 29 Thursday
Across his career, Shakey Graves—a.k.a. the performance moniker of Austin, Texas-born Alejandro Rose-Garcia—has intentionally created thrilling musical adventures tailored to each fan: burning CDs and putting them in personalized decorated bags; building intricate scavenger hunts that send fans in search of unique tapes; and Bandcamp-exclusive releases.
"The fans and musicians that really resonate with me—and the inexplicable ways that I find things that I like—are usually entirely through randomness and chaos and accident," Rose-Garcia says. "I've always been on this quest to make people feel like my own music is a choose your own adventure."
Shakey Graves has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 per ticket goes to supporting Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and their work providing emergency financial assistance and other forms of support to career musicians, road crew and anyone who makes the majority of their income in the music business.
Nov 14 Saturday
One of music’s most respected voices, Brandi Carlile is an Oscar-nominee, 11-time Grammy winner, two-time Emmy winner and bestselling author. Her most recent release, Returning To Myself, marked a deeply personal new chapter for Carlile, pairing intimate songwriting with sweeping, emotionally resonant arrangements across a collection that explores self-discovery, identity and the complexities of coming home to oneself. The album earned nominations for Song of the Year ("Returning To Myself") and Artist of the Year at the 2026 Americana Awards.
Carlile was recently selected by the New York Times' readers as #21 on their "Top 100 Living American Songwriters" list and honored as one of TIME’s 2026 Women of the Year. She also performed renditions of “America The Beautiful” at Super Bowl LX and as part of ABC News’ America 250 celebration.
Beloved by her peers, Carlile has worked with artists such as Soundgarden, Sam Smith, Alicia Keys, Hozier, Noah Kahan, P!nk and Dolly Parton; was named OUT Magazine’s Icon of the Year; was awarded Billboard’s Women In Music Trailblazer Award and NMPA’s Songwriter Icon Award; and earned multiple honors from the Americana Music Association. Carlile is a founder of the Looking Out Foundation, which has raised over $10 million to day for grassroots causes. She lives in rural Washington state with her wife and two daughters.
Nov 15 Sunday
Fresh off a breakout year that included 51 sold-out arena and theater shows supporting Djo, a packed Lollapalooza set, and a nearly sold-out U.S. headline tour, Post Animal has re-emerged as one of indie rock's most exciting live bands.
Their latest album, Iron, marks the first time the band's complete original songwriting lineup reunited in the studio in nearly a decade. Written and recorded during an uninterrupted month together, the album captures the chemistry that first defined Post Animal while showcasing a renewed sense of purpose, collaboration, and adventurous songwriting.
Known for their explosive live performances and fearless blend of psych rock, guitar-driven indie, folk, synth-pop and classic rock influences, Post Animal thrives onstage. Every member of the touring band contributes as a songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, creating a dynamic and unpredictable show that has earned them a devoted and rapidly growing fanbase.
Oct 07 Wednesday
Stop by Retzer Nature Center to hike, read, and enjoy this fall’s Story Hike! Set out on the White Trail to read “The Acorn and the Oak” by Rhonda Accardo and learn more about oak trees and their fascinating ecosystem, all while enjoying a heartfelt story along the way.
Story Hike is provided through a partnership with Retzer Nature Center and the Bridges Library System.
The United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026. To understand how our nation came to be, we invite you to think about how immigrants have shaped the United States, starting right here in Milwaukee.Indigenous Peoples were the first to live on this land. Later, waves of immigrants arrived, changing the community and creating the Milwaukee we know today. Examining immigration in Milwaukee offers a window into the larger American story.For over 180 years, immigrants have shaped Milwaukee’s economy, neighborhoods, and culture. Waves of German, Polish, Italian, and Irish newcomers built businesses to grow the city in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their skills and labor established Milwaukee as a center of industry and craftsmanship.As new generations arrive from Latin America, Asia, Southwest Asia and North Africa (also referred to as the Middle East), and Africa, they bring traditions, languages, and foods that continue to redefine what it means to be American. Milwaukee’s diversity can be seen in its restaurants, festivals, and neighborhoods. Here, the legacies of past and present immigrants come together to shape the future.
Family histories, myth, and memories not only survive migration and cultural transplantation; they persist at the foundations of identity. Warren King’s sophisticated sculptures explore his family’s origins in Shaoxing, China, their journey to the suburbs of Wisconsin, and how he understands this displacement in light of his own Western upbringing. King’s sculptures often combine thematic and aesthetic elements from Chinese and Western traditions, masterfully working cardboard into near life-size figures and wall pieces that recall traditional lacquerware and woodcarving. This exhibition originated at the James Watrous Gallery in Madison, Wisconsin, where it was co-curated by Jody Clowes and Warren King, and is presented in collaboration with the Organization of Chinese Americans-Wisconsin.
Calling all Crawlers! Good Land Reads, Tabletop Bookshelf, Epilogue Books, and Bewitched Between Bindings are bringing Dungeon Crawler Carl fans together from across the Milwaukee area.
Come meet fellow DCC fans, talk Carl and Princess Donut, share favorite moments and theories, and find your people. Whether you’ve read the whole series or are just curious about what all the fuss is about, you’re welcome.
Free to attend. Beer, coffee, and drinks will be available for purchase.
The Camera Club meets monthly with instructional programming, sharing/critiquing of members' photographs, discussing equipment and technique, and providing opportunities for taking photographs at Retzer Nature Center and other nature areas.
Brennen Steines constructs abstract topographies that embody the alchemical nature of painting’s materiality. Through utilizing various excavational processes and emulsive solutions, Steines produces visceral terrains that speak to geologic time and the haunting awe of material transformation. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at DIMIN (NYC), Chilli Art Projects (London), Museum of Wisconsin Art. Jeffrey Deitch (NYC), The Alice Wilds (Milwaukee), and Usable Space (Milwaukee). He is currently based in New Haven, CT.
Get your mid-week laughs at Hump Day Ha-Has! We put an incredible comedy line up together with comics from the Midwest that are sure to get your funny bone flexing. Tickets are $20 presale, $25 at the Door. Doors at 6pm, show starts at 7pm. This show is 21+.
Featuring John Egan (Green Bay, WI), Alecia Altstaetter (Milwaukee, WI), Ian Molnar (Chicago, IL), Chris Schmidt (Milwaukee, WI), and headliner Dana Ehrmann (Milwaukee, WI)
Line up is subject to change.
All ticket Sales are Final. No refunds, exchange only.
Get ready to kick off your heels and feel the beat! The smash-hit film Footloose the Musical explodes onto the stage with high-octane choreography and electrifying ’80s anthems, including “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” and “Holding Out for a Hero.” When city teen Ren moves to a small town where dancing is banned, he challenges the rules, sparks romance, and inspires a community to rediscover joy, freedom, and the power of music. Helmed by Olivier Award-winning artist Stephen Mear, who wowed Rep audiences with his choreography for Ragtime and Guys and Dolls, this energetic, feel-good Tony-nominated musical will have you laughing, cheering, and jumping to your feet.
Step into an unforgettable adventure of mystery, mischief, and messy humanity. Katie Bender transforms the theater into an intimate DIY séance, daring to summon the spirit of Houdini—and maybe wrestle with the chaos of her own life along the way. Equal parts hilarious, haunting, and heartbreakingly honest, this one-woman show fuses memoir and live magic to explore ambition, motherhood, and the craving to break free. Expect laughter and glimpses of the extraordinary hidden in everyday life.
“A funny…haunted exploration of ambition, legacy, and familial responsibility.” — The Austin Chronicle
*Please note that dates, times and ticket prices are subject to change. Visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com for the most up-to-date information.
Perpetually single Bobby confronts his fear of intimacy and commitment while his married friends push him to accept the messy reality of love rather than remaining safely alone. This groundbreaking touching musical is one of Stephen Sondheim’s most sophisticated, pertinent, and tuneful scores.