November 1, 2023 (MILWAUKEE) — Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Milwaukee Rep) is pleased to announce that with a generous $5 million gift, the Studio Theater in the new Associated Bank Theater Center will be named the Herro-Franke Studio Theater after philanthropist David Herro and his partner, Milwaukee Rep trustee Jay Franke.
Of the $5 million gift, $4 million is allocated to the Powering Milwaukee Campaign and $1 million to the John (Jack) D. Lewis New Play Development Fund to further support the new plays and playwrights produced in the Studio theater and beyond.
“David and I are honored to support Milwaukee Rep as they build their new home in the Associated Bank Theater Center,” said Jay Franke. “The theater is a special place where many artistic elements come together to create an experience completely unique to every audience. It’s a thrill to be a part of and we look forward to audiences’ generations from now experiencing the innovative art that will be possible in the new theater center.”
“In addition to David and Jay being incredibly generous donors, they are also very sophisticated ones, and are extremely cognizant of the fact that beautiful new performance spaces are only truly relevant, if the work produced in them is of a certain level of excellence too,” said Mark Clements, Artistic Director. “Therefore, their serious commitment to invest in new play development, in tandem with naming the new Herro-Franke Studio Theater, is incredibly exciting and meaningful to us.”