Renaissance Theaterworks Launches 2026 with CARDBOARD PIANO — a Gripping, Heart-Rending Love Story from Acclaimed Playwright Hansol Jung
December 16, 2025 (Milwaukee, WI) Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) ignites the second half of its 33rd season with the Wisconsin Premiere of CARDBOARD PIANO, Hansol Jung’s searing, urgent, and deeply human drama about forbidden love, spiritual conflict, and the long shadow of war. The production runs January 11 – February 1, with preview performances on January 9 and 10, at the Theater on 255 S. Water Street in Milwaukee’s Harbor District.
Set in a chapel in war-torn Uganda on New Year’s Eve 1999, CARDBOARD PIANO begins with the secret wedding of two teenage girls—one Ugandan, one the daughter of American missionaries. Their celebration is violently interrupted, setting off a story that spans years and asks unflinching questions about faith, forgiveness, and the transformative power of love. RTW’s production is helmed by celebrated director Elyse Edelman, marking her third directorial collaboration with the company.
RTW’s Artistic Director, Suzan Fete, commented about her choice to produce this play.
“Theater exists not only to entertain but to illuminate. At RTW, we choose brave stories—women’s stories—that challenge, provoke, and inspire. This is how we keep the art alive and relevant.”
RTW continues its commitment to access and inclusion with $17 Affordable Cost Tickets (ACT) for Wednesday Matinees, Thursday Nights and Friday Nights, as well as a Pay-What-You-Choose (PWYC)* preview performance on Friday, January 9 at 7:30pm. Tickets range from $17–$49 and are available at rtwmke.org, by phone at 414-278-0765, or in person at the box office (open 12:00–5:00 p.m. daily, and two hours before performances). *PWYC tickets go on sale same-day, in-person only, at 6:30pm.
Throughout the run of CARDBOARD PIANO, RTW offers a range of accessibility services including Open Captioned performances, ASL Interpretation, a Sensory-Friendly performance, Audio Description, a fully wheelchair-accessible venue, and a hearing loop system. These features ensure that every patron, regardless of ability, can experience live theater comfortably and fully.
Published on December 17, 2025
