Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band to Perform Concert to Benefit Skylight Music Theatre
MILWAUKEE — June 4, 2025 — Award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band (LTDB) will perform their first-ever Milwaukee public concert on Monday, July 14, at the Aurora Pavilion in Henry Maier Festival Park. Proceeds from Skylight Rocks: Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band, A concert benefiting Skylight Music Theatre will provide critical funding for the organization. Tickets, priced from $40 to $150, are available at smtmke.org or by calling 414-291-7800.
“For 65 years, Skylight Music Theatre has been a cornerstone of Milwaukee’s arts community and remains the state’s largest employer of Wisconsin actors. Like many arts organizations nationwide, Skylight continues to face post-pandemic challenges — including rising production costs, reduced funding and smaller audiences,” said Susan Varela, executive director of Skylight Music Theatre. “We are deeply grateful to Gary Sinise and the Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) for their continued support and generosity in donating this benefit performance.”
Formed in 2003 and named for Sinise’s iconic role in the Academy Award-winning film Forrest Gump, LTDB has performed nearly 600 shows worldwide, to uplift and entertain our nation’s heroes, veterans, first responders and communities. LTDB is now a program of the Gary Sinise Foundation, which was established in 2011.
Sinise’s support of our nation’s veterans and the performing arts as a source of healing dates back more than 40 years, when he had the honor of directing the Vietnam War drama Tracers at Steppenwolf Theatre, which he co-founded. The production inspired the Vets Night programming GSF supports nationwide, including at the Skylight Music Theatre.
“After we co-founded Steppenwolf Theatre nearly 50 years ago, and then in the 80s bringing the Vietnam War-based play Tracers to the stage, I saw firsthand how powerful the performing arts can be for our veteran community,” said actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise. “Theater has the potential to connect, heal and illuminate as we watch and experience performances that can reflect our own lives. I saw that happen firsthand as the veterans watched a play that was written by and about them. And with each performance of each play, something can touch and inspire us. That’s why we began offering free veteran nights, a tradition my Foundation proudly continues at theaters across the country, including Skylight Music Theatre. So, in the spirit of doing a little more, I’m honored to bring my Lt. Dan Band to Milwaukee this summer to uplift the community and support this historic arts institution.”
Event and Ticket Information:
Skylight Rocks: Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band
A concert benefiting Skylight Music Theatre
Date & Time: Monday, July 14, at 7 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
Location: Aurora Pavilion, Henry Maier Festival Park
Tickets: smtmke.org/ltdanband | 414-291-7800
• $150 VIP—Includes priority seating, VIP patio access with catered Saz’s snacks, private cash bar and bathrooms, Sinise autographed event poster, and VIP lanyard
• $75 Preferred Chair Seating
• $40 General Admission Bleachers
A variety of food trucks will be available on-site.
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