Miller High Life Theatre Tickets

Miller High Life Theatre History

One of the most popular Milwaukee venues is Miller High Life Theatre, a beautifully constructed facility sitting right in the heart of the stadium district.

The Miller High Life Theatre was previously known as the Milwaukee Auditorium, then the Milwaukee Theatre. The Milwaukee Auditorium was built on the site of the Exhibition Hall which burned to the ground in 1909. Throughout its lifetime, this venue has held many public events including concerts, sporting and theatre events, and graduations. The Auditorium was especially a favorite concert venue, drawing the likes of Bob Dylan, Roger Waters, and Frank Zappa over the years. Probably the most famous moment in the theatre’s history was a speech delivered by then-presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt immediately following an assassination attempt on his life.

The venue is now much more modern after a major renovation in 2003. In the beginning, the venue met budget projections in its first 23 months of operation, the Wisconsin Center District (operators of the Milwaukee Theatre) contend the $42 million renovations (nearly $10 million over budget) have paid off in other ways. Those ways include a convention draw or the subsequent revenue area restaurants and hotels receive from touring acts the Miller High Life Theatre hosts, including Jerry Seinfeld and David Bowie.

One of the Miller High Life Theatre's most appealing features is its lobby. The lobby of the theatre features a spacious, elegant domed rotunda, which begs to be used for large parties and receptions; even wedding receptions.

The Miller High Life Theatre seats up to 4,086 people in two tiers of seating. If a more intimate setting is required, seating at the theatre can be configured to eliminate the two outermost sections; 1 and 5, creating seating for 2,500. The steeply angled house at the Miller High Life Theatre allows each seat a clear view of the 74-foot stage. The most distant seat from the stage is 125 feet, compared with 210 feet in the Milwaukee Auditorium.

There is an orchestra pit in the Miller High Life Theatre with room for more than 60 players. If not needed for a show, the space can accommodate 57 audience seats. In addition, the theatre houses two “royal boxes”, each with room for 39. Sitting on the edge of each corner of the stage, these “royal boxes” may not have the best view of the stage, but they do offer a good spot to be seen.

The venue has also been home to Broadway hits, Urinetown, Miss Saigon, and Oliver!

Miller High Life Theatre Address
800 W Wells St,
Milwaukee, WI 53233