The Modjeska Theater, located at 1134 W. Mitchell Street in Milwaukee, officially opened its doors to patrons in 1910, serving as one of Milwaukee’s premier vaudeville outlets. Named after the Polish actress Helena Modjeska (1840-1909) who specialized in Shakespearean roles, the theater initially catered to the Polish-American community in the City of Milwaukee. First built with 840 seats, the theater was replaced in 1924 on the grounds of the same address with a much larger structure full of grandeur – holding 2,000 seats, a full orchestra pit, trap doors abetting the most famous of vaudeville acts and a Barton pipe organ. The 1924 build was designed by Chicago’s C.W. and George Rapp, who also designed the Warner on Wisconsin Avenue (now known as The Grand, which is currently being restored to be the home of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra), The Wisconsin Theater and the Uptown Theater in Milwaukee (both now razed). For decades, the Modjeska operated prosperously as a premier entertainment destination.
In the 1950’s, the pipes from the organ chambers were removed to install freon air conditioning units. United Artists operated the venue until 1987 when they removed their offices from the surrounding building. In 1991, Creative Services International purchased the theater and renovated it into a live music venue. Throughout the 1990’s and early 2000’s, the Modjeska hosted such national acts as Ministry, Rob Zombie, Rise Against, Cheap Trick, Mogwai, The Gregg Allman Band, Judas Priest, Marilyn Manson, Faith No More, and the White Stripes. The Modjeska was then converted to a children’s theater for a period of time. However, after enduring several changes in ownership, the success of the theater remained limited, and the venue eventually closed in 2010.
Since then, MSDOC has been working to breathe life back into the Modjeska and again see it prosper and be available for the Milwaukee community. MSDOC has repaired the roof and some mechanicals and has put a number of hours in to cleaning up the theater, but ultimately the theater must be operated by a company with theater or venue management and operations experience. The ultimate end-use of the Modjeska could be for concerts, movies, community events or a combination of all of the above. The Modjeska further may be situated in a Milwaukee “Opportunity Zone” and may be eligible for State or Federal Historical Tax Credits.
