Milwaukee Rep’s Season Kicks off in the Stackner Cabaret with High-Energy Broadway Celebration The World Goes ’Round
Image from the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
August 19, 2026 [Milwaukee] – Milwaukee Repertory Theater kicks off its 2026/27 Season, its second in the Associated Bank Theater Center, with The World Goes ’Round, a vibrant musical revue celebrating the legendary songwriting team John Kander and Fred Ebb, running September 11 – November 1, 2026, in the Stackner Cabaret. Featuring 36 unforgettable songs from iconic Broadway hits including Chicago, Cabaret, and Kiss of the Spider Woman, this dazzling production delivers pure musical joy from start to finish.
The cast of The World Goes ’Round features seven powerhouse performers including Milwaukee native Joe Kinosian, creator of Murder For Two which premiered off-Broadway and sold out the Stackner in the 2017/18 season. He is joined by:
- RJ Christian (Parade, American Theatre Group)
- Paula Gaudier (In the Heights, Bristol Riverside Theater)
- Jillian Louis (It Should have Been You, Broadway)
- Brett Ryback (Murder For Two, off-Broadway)
- Tiffany Topol (Guys & Dolls, Milwaukee Rep)
- A cast member yet to be announced.
Conceived by Susan Stroman, David Thompson, and Scott Ellis, The World Goes ’Round is directed and choreographed by Milwaukee Rep favorite Kelley Faulkner, whose dynamic staging brings sizzling showstoppers, intimate ballads, and razor-sharp humor to life in an unforgettable night of song and dance. She is joined by:
- Music Director and Arranger: Joe Kinosian (Murder For Two)
- Set Designer: Em Allen (The Pigeon Gets a Big Time Holiday Extravaganza, First Stage)
- Costume Designer: Robert Sharon (It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Milwaukee Rep)
- Lighting Designer: Megan Reilly (Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, UW-Madison)
- Sound Designer: Stefanie Senior (Women of Rock, Milwaukee Rep)
- Stage Manager: Jade Bruno
A beloved celebration of Kander and Ebb’s unmatched musical legacy, The World Goes ’Round moves seamlessly from bold, brassy numbers to tender, emotionally rich moments—showcasing the duo’s extraordinary range and the performers’ exceptional versatility. Praised as a “snazzily staged outpouring of song and dance” (The New York Times), this exhilarating revue invites audiences to revel in Broadway’s greatest hits performed with heart, humor, and show-stopping style.
The World Goes ’Round will be performed September 11 – November 1, 2026, in the Stackner Cabaret as part of the David Kundert Stackner Season, with Executive Producers Kristine and Wayne Lueders and Associate Producers Richard Grunke and William Grasch.
To purchase tickets to The World Goes ’Round, visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com, call the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490, or stop by in person at 108 E Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee. For more information, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com.
About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin. Its new artistic home, the Associated Bank Theater Center, opened Fall 2025 with three unique performance venues—the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, Herro-Franke Studio Theater, and Stackner Cabaret. For over seven decades, Milwaukee Rep has been a centerpiece of Milwaukee’s vibrant arts and cultural scene with productions ranging from Broadway musicals to Shakespeare to American Classics and New Works that are entertaining, inclusive, and impactful. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Ellen & Joe Checota Executive Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee’s rich diversity.
More information visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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