MILWAUKEE — A new musical celebrating the Milwaukee Bucks' 2021 NBA championship run is set to make its world premiere at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. The show, titled MKE MVP, was written by local playwright Matt Zembrowski and is scheduled to open in January.
Zembrowski was commissioned to write the musical by Milwaukee Rep Artistic Director Mark Clements, who wanted a show focused on Giannis Antetokounmpo's impact on the city — told through the eyes of the fans.
"We'd love to do something about Giannis, we'd love to do something about his impact on the city, and we'd like it to be from the perspective of the fans," Clements said.
Zembrowski, who previously wrote a play about the Green Bay Packers, said that a fan-centered approach gave him a way into the story.
"That's good, because that's a way in for me, because you know, Disney has already told Giannis's story pretty well. I can't really top that, even with songs," Zembrowski said.
Watch: 'MKE MVP' musical to celebrate Bucks' 2021 championship run
He described the show as a celebration of Milwaukee sports fandom as much as it is a tribute to the 2021 Bucks.
"This really is a celebration of not only being a Bucs fan, which is kind of a new thing for me, but just a Milwaukee sports fan in general, because we all sort of have this same attitude of we're really grateful for what we have, and when we encounter players like Giannis or Robin Yount or Aaron Rodgers or whoever it happens to be, and we always carry the memories of how great it was that we encountered these great, great players who also did a lot off the court or off the field as well," Zembrowski said.
With Antetokounmpo's recent departure from Milwaukee a topic of conversation, Zembrowski said the show's focus on the 2021 championship means the core of the story remains unchanged.
"We're going to have to tweak the epilogue a little bit, but because the show is about the 2021 championship run, that's history, that's never going to change what he did, what they did for the city, that's never going to change, and so that's the core of the show," Zembrowski said.
MKE MVP opens in January at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
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