Changing the Narrative
The 2025-26 Season
Season tickets on sale now
Professional theater in Madison: Our story
We founded Forward Theater Company in 2009 to provide Madison-area audiences with exceptional theater productions, and local professional artists with an artistic home base. We are inspired by the Wisconsin Idea of service to the broader community, and we tie our onstage work to expansive engagement efforts throughout each season.
The plays we produce are fresh, fun, and thought-provoking, bringing the very best of Broadway plays and contemporary theater to local audiences.
Our experience is all about connection – we offer free pre-show lectures and nightly post-show talkbacks with our artists, and you can always find our staff in the lobby ready to strike up a conversation.
Explore Forward Theater
Accessibility
We’re committed to making our plays at Overture Center as accessible as possible to all audiences.
Get to know us
A celebration of the history of Forward Theater, from our founding in 2009 to our place as a statewide leader in supporting new work and hiring Wisconsin artists.
Our Budget
One of our founding values is transparency. Producing professional theater in Madison is not inexpensive, so we consider carefully how we spend each dollar.
You make our
work possible
SUPPORT
Acknowledging Ho-Chunk Nation’s ancestral lands, Forward Theater in Madison celebrates the rich traditions, heritage, and culture that thrived long before our arrival.
We respectfully recognize this Ho-Chunk land and affirm that we are better when we stand together. We encourage you to learn more about Ho-Chunk Nation at ho-chunknation.com.