RTW Presents THE ROOMMATE By Jen Silverman

Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) will kick off its 27th season themed, "Transformation," with Jen Silverman's 2015 dramedy, THE ROOMMATE. Directed by Renaissance Theaterworks' Co-Founder and Artistic Director Suzan Fete, this production will feature artists Marti Gobel and Isabel Quintero. THE ROOMMATE runs October 18 - November 10, 2019 in the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center (158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202).

Broadway World describes THE ROOMMATE "...as tragic as they come - and it's a tragedy that grows beneath peals of uproarious laughter."

Sharon (Quintero) has been respectable her whole life. Now in her mid-fifties and recently divorced, she needs a roommate to share her Iowa home. Robyn (Gobel), also in her mid-fifties, needs a place to hide and a chance to start over. But as Sharon begins to uncover Robyn's secrets, she realizes her own deep-seated desire to transform her life completely. A dark comedy about what it takes to reroute your life - and what happens when the wheels come off.

A well-calibrated comedy with natural and witty dialogue, THE ROOMMATE portrays the way identities shift in different stages in life. Silverman has stated that she wanted to put two 50-year-old women on stage that defy routine stereotypes and are recognizable as complex and flawed individuals who simply require a judgement-free zone to be themselves. As two very different personalities collide, a bond is formed, which shapes each of them and pulls them toward common ground. "THE ROOMMATE just delights me," says Director Suzan Fete. "It is so rare to find a play with interesting meaty roles for women over fifty AND the play is a laugh-out-loud comedy with a truly surprising twist."

Marti Gobel has appeared on almost every Milwaukee stage and will perform in THE ROOMMATE in a back-to-back appearance at the Broadway Theatre Center, following Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's production of FIRES IN THE MIRROR. Based in Chicago, Isabel Quintero is a theater, film and television actor. Ms. Quintero has performed on a number of Chicago stages, including Goodman Theatre, Teatro Luna, Steppenwolf and Lifeline, and is making her Milwaukee debut with Renaissance Theaterworks.

Tickets for THE ROOMMATE are currently on sale through the Broadway Theatre Center Box Office (158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202, (414) 291-7800 or www.r-t-w.com). For more information, visit www.r-t-w.com/the-roommate.

NEW ARTISTIC HOME FOR 2020-2021 SEASON

Renaissance Theaterworks will perform one last season in its current home, the Broadway Theatre Center located in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward at 158 N. Broadway. Milwaukee's only professional theater company dedicated to improving gender parity in the arts will move to a new artistic home at Next Act Theatre (NAT) at 255 S. Water Street at the beginning of its 2020-2021 production season. "We've grown beyond the capacity of the 99-seat Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center," shares Managing Director Lisa Rasmussen, "and we are excited to seize this moment and embrace the demand for more opportunities for the community to experience RTW. This bold move will allow us to continue on a positive trajectory for many years to come." Administrative offices for Renaissance Theaterworks will remain on the 5th floor of the Broadway Theatre Center.

Studio Theatre of the Broadway Theatre Center (158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202) Single tickets $40 (plus tax and fees), groups (10+), student, and senior discounts are available upon request. Online at www.r-t-w.com or https://cart.broadwaytheatrecenter.com/single/EventListing.aspx?k=441