Marcus Center

The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It serves as the home of the Florentine Opera, Milwaukee Ballet, First Stage Children's Theater and other local arts organizations, and was also the home of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra from 1969 until 2020. It is located at 829 North Water Street, at the intersection of State Street in downtown Milwaukee, and is owned by Milwaukee County.

Marcus Center for the Performing Arts

The Marcus Center was designed in the Brutalist style by noted Chicago architect Harry Weese.[1] Construction began on June 27, 1966, and it opened on July 26, 1969 as the Performing Arts Center. After a $25 million donation from the Marcus Corporation in honor of its founder Ben Marcus and his wife Ceil, Milwaukee County changed the venue's name in 1994.

In 2017, Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall was fully renovated, including a new Riverwalk Entrance and lobby foyer, designed by LA DALLMAN, the Milwaukee and Boston-based architecture practice of Grace La and James Dallman.[2] Renowned for sensitivity to mid-century modern buildings, both La and Dallman are appointed faculty at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Performance and other facilities

The center contains four major theater venues:

  • Uihlein Hall - Designed for operas, musicals, orchestral concerts, dance programs, theatrical productions, lectures, annual meetings, commencements, or film screenings, it has a seating capacity of 2,305, and is the largest theater in the Marcus Center. Uihlein Hall is named in honor of the Uihlein family, the owners of the former Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. It was renovated in 1997.
  • Todd Wehr Hall - Designed for lectures, concerts, plays, conferences and meetings, this hall has a seating capacity of 496.
  • Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall - Designed for teleconferencing, meetings, seminars, new product introductions, commencements, plays, dance programs, film screenings or concerts, this theater has a seating capacity of 475.
  • Peck Pavilion - An open-air structure, located on the Milwaukee River and adjacent to a grove of chestnut trees, the Peck Pavilion is suitable for concerts, film or lecture series, dance programs, dramatic performances, product demonstrations, weddings and receptions. It has a seating capacity of 400.
  • Bradley Pavilion - A banquet hall overlooking the Milwaukee River.
  • Green Room - A smaller banquet hall and meeting room.
  • Anello Atrium
  • Magin Lounge
  • Fitch Garden

In addition, the center's grounds feature several public artworks including Seymour Lipton's Laureate and Allen Ditson's Trigon.


On July 31, 1974, The Marshall Tucker Band recorded their set at the venue. Four songs from the performance were included on their 1974 album, Where We All Belong, and one song was included on the band's 1975 album, Searchin' for a Rainbow.

See also

References
  1. Gould, Whitney (April 12, 2007). "Oh, the Humanities!". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on August 15, 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  2. "Classic Downtown Theater Refurbished and Renamed: Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall Opens with a Blast of Fall Entertainment!". Urban Milwaukee. November 12, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2018.

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