Performance Dates and Times:

Friday, February 19 at 7:30 PM Central

Saturday, February 20 at 7:30 PM Central

Sunday, February 21 at 2:00 PM Central

Friday, February 26 at 7:30 PM Central

Saturday, February 27 at 7:30 PM Central

Sunday, February 28 at 2:00 PM Central

Tickets: $22 General

*Only 18 tickets available for each performance!*

Location: Zoom!

Cast & Creative Team:

Music & Lyrics: SistaStrings Direction: Jill Anna Ponasik

Sound Design: Johanna Rose Video Design: Traveling Lemur

Puppet Design: Angry Young Men

Lighting: Encore Theatrical Lighting

Choir: Kevin Sievert, Shawn Holmes, Raven Dockery, Shayne Steliga, Danny Brylow, Josh & Julianne Perkins.

For more information: milwaukeeoperatheatre.org

What is a Zoom Zoirèe? We’re so glad you asked! It’s a word we just made up for a soirèe (a gathering typically held in a private home) that occurs over Zoom, allowing theater fans to consume a story while remaining safe during a global pandemic.

What are The Distance Commissions? The Distance Commissions are two brand new music-theatre pieces inspired by the idea of distance, designed to be composed, produced and performed remotely. This is our sneaky way to keep audiences and artists connected and inspired during a dark Covid winter.

What will it be like? After greeting each other in our virtual lobby, we’ll settle down to view three short videos as well as a mini behind-the-scenes documentary. The cast and creative team will be there to share stories and and answer questions. It’s like a Zoom happy hour, but way better, and with theater!

How do tickets work? Tickets are reserved for a specific date and time (remember when you had to get to a matinee?). A single ticket provides one device/household access to a zoirée. A whole household is welcome to tune in on one device together. We are limiting each zoirée to 18 devices, plus MOT team members and cast, to keep the experience intimate and comfortable.

Why are you doing this? We’ve been hearing from both artists and audiences that they feel isolated and are hungry to connect. And, that they’re tired of streaming productions online. So, we decided to try and address both of those needs. Hence, very short, original works, written and performed by local artists, that meet us where we are right now. This is an experiment, because, if you can’t try new things when the world is upside down, then when can you?

Do I have to have my camera on? No, of course not. You don’t even have to introduce yourself if you don’t want to. We welcome both extroverts and introverts at MOT.