The Craic Shatters Records becoming the Stackner Cabaret’s Best-Selling Show

Milwaukee, WI – [February 13, 2025] The World Premiere of The Craic created by Artistic Director Mark Clements and Deanie Vallone has officially become the best-selling show in Stackner Cabaret history. This joyous celebration of Irish Spirit has captivated audiences since its opening on January 17, consistently filling seats with pint raising patrons. Don’t miss the chance to be a part of this historic run – limited availability remains through March 16, 2025.

Prepare to be swept away by “a spirited night of traditional Irish music” that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel calls “dazzling… a perfect fit.” Set in one of South Kerry’s most welcoming pubs, The Craic follows four musicians as they prepare for one of their weekly Irish music sessions. The evening takes an unexpected turn when a long-estranged bandmate walks through the door, reigniting old rivalries, unspoken romances and unresolved tensions. As the night unfolds, the five friends share music, stories, and drinks confronting their shared history while rediscovering the bonds that unite them. Brimming with Irish humor, heartfelt camaraderie, and featuring classics like “Danny Boy” and “Whiskey in the Jar,” this world premiere musical promises an unforgettable celebration of friendship, music, and the indomitable Irish spirit. Sláinte!

The Craic cast features the musically talented Trevor Lindley Craft (Once, National Tour), Luke Darnell (Ring of Fire, Flat Rock Playhouse), Megan Loomis (Run Bambi Run, Milwaukee Rep), Alexander Sovronsky (Indecent, Arena Stage), and Claire-Frances Sullivan (Once, Coachella Valley Rep).

The Craic is directed by Artistic Director Mark Clements. He is joined by music director and arranger Dan Kazemi (Women of Rock, Milwaukee Rep), scenic designer Emily Lotz (Always…Patsy Cline, Milwaukee Rep), costume designer Mason Baria, lighting designer Noele Stollmack (The Chosen, Milwaukee Rep), sound designer Joe Cerqua (Things I Know to be True, Milwaukee Rep), voice and dialect coach Jill Walmsley Zager, casting director Jonathan Hetler, and stage manager Josh Hart.

The Craic is a John (Jack) D. Lewis New Play Development Program production and is presented by Jim Phillips and Karen Plunkett with Executive Producers Judi and Chris Collins, Associate Producers Amelie Clements, Renee and Tom McCutcheon, and Meredith and Thomas Scrivner with media sponsor Shepherd Express. The Craic is sponsored in part by the Milwaukee Irish Fest Foundation and is a part of the David Kundert Stackner Season.

The Craic runs through March 16, 2025, in the Stackner Cabaret. To purchase tickets, go to www.MilwaukeeRep.com, call the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490 or visit in person at 108 E Wells Street in Downtown Milwaukee. Best availability is as follows: Sundays, March 2 and March 9, 7pm; Tuesdays March 4 and March 11, 7:30pm; Wednesdays March 5 and March 12, 7:30pm; Thursdays, March 6 and March 13, 7:30pm; and Saturday, March 15, 8pm.

For more information, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com.

About Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin with its new artistic home in the Associated Bank Theater Center opening 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 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 is available at www.MilwaukeeRep.com

Production photos can be found in The Craic media kit.

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.