Pabst Theater Foundation Works to Assure Continued Success, Preservation of Pabst Theater

To help ensure the longevity of the Pabst Theater building, on Friday the Pabst Theater Foundation was reorganized to better enable it to focus on preservation of the National Historical Landmark.

The idea for the reorganization came from discussions with philanthropist Michael Cudahy. Cudahy, 92, believes that the reorganization is critical to continuing his success in preserving the building, keeping its finances on a sound footing and bringing hundreds of thousands of people to shows there every year.

“With this reorganization, I’m confident that the continued success and the preservation of the Pabst Theater will be assured for generations to come,” Cudahy said.

The Pabst Theater Foundation’s reorganization transfers the venue’s booking and management responsibilities to a new, separate entity that will shoulder all financial risks relating to shows. The change protects the foundation against potential operating losses and allows it to focus on its mission – ensuring the perpetual upkeep and improvement of the historic Pabst Theater building.

Cudahy purchased the building from the City of Milwaukee in 2002 with the promise of preserving the 1895 landmark structure and relieving the city of its operating and maintenance costs.

Kevin Lindsey, president of the Pabst Theater Foundation board, said, “To ensure the future success of the Pabst Theater and protect Michael Cudahy’s legacy and civic contributions, it makes sense to separate our foundation from the risks inherent in booking and staging shows.”

Under the reorganization, The Pabst Theater Group, which has operated the theater as part of the foundation, has been reorganized into a separate entity, PTG Live Events. PTG will continue to book the shows at and manage the Pabst, Riverside Theater and Turner Hall Ballroom.

Gary Witt, president of PTG Live Events, said, “Our top priority is for PTG to continue to sustain these important venues through diverse programming that helps build Milwaukee community.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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